Health/Fitness « Weekly Gravy

Whether you got a tattoo on a whim or after much thought, that ink on your body is fairly permanent. Tattoo removal is possible, but it comes with risks, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which regulates tattoo ink and pigment, as well as the laser devices used to remove them. State and local authorities typically oversee tattooing practices. The FDA has cleared several types of lasers for tattoo lightening or removal. They are to be used by or under the supervision of a health care professional. The process requires using the correct type of laser, understanding how tissue will react and knowing how to treat the area after the procedure. One challenge with removal is that tattoos are more than skin deep. The needle injects ink into the skin, penetrating the epidermis, or outer layer. And it also deposits a drop of ink into the dermis, the layer underneath. The cells of the dermis are more stable than those of the epidermis, which, the FDA said, means the ink will mostly stay in place for a person’s lifetime. Lasering is the most common method for removing or lightening tattoos, according to the FDA. Laser light energy shatters the tattoo ink into small particles, and the immune system clears these particles over time. Different types of lasers may be used depending on the… read on > read on >

A Louisiana woman is suing the makers of two type 2 diabetes drugs used off-label for obesity, saying they failed to adequately warn about the risk of severe stomach problems. The lawsuit seeks “very significant” but unspecified compensation from the makers of both Ozempic and Mounjaro, said attorney Paul Pennock of the Orlando, Fla.-based firm Morgan & Morgan. Pennock filed the lawsuit Wednesday on behalf of Jaclyn Bjorklund, 44, NBC News reported. The lawsuit against Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly claims Bjorklund was “severely injured” after taking the two diabetes drugs, which are part of a new class of medication called GLP-1 agonists. Pennock said she is suffering “persistent” vomiting and severe gastroparesis, also known as stomach paralysis. Gastroparesis slows or stops food from moving out of the stomach and into the small intestines. It can be caused by underlying medical issues, including diabetes, according to the American College of Gastroenterology. Infections and some medication can also cause it. The GLP-1 agonists slow food’s movement and have been found to cause some GI issues in clinical trials. Those are listed as side effects on the drug labels. Both Ozempic and Mounjaro have the phrase “delays gastric emptying” on their prescribing information, though they don’t specifically use the word “gastroparesis,” NBC News reported. A U.S. Food and Drug Administration spokeswoman said it was unclear whether the… read on > read on >

Yoga is known for its benefits to both the mind and body. And a gentle form of yoga may be an ideal early intervention technique for older women at risk of Alzheimer’s disease, new research suggests. In a small study involving kundalini yoga, participants reported that its stress-relieving effects translated to more efficient memory. “Women tend to practice yoga more readily than men. And I’ve done other studies previously in people, older adults with mild cognitive [mental] impairment and in caregivers with similar interventions,” said Dr. Helen Lavretsky, the lead psychiatrist on the study. “We are focusing now on women who are not as impaired as in my previous study, but still at risk for cognitive decline. And the idea is to get to the level where doing yoga would prevent future cognitive decline and development of Alzheimer’s disease,” said Lavretsky, a professor-in-residence at the University of California, Los Angeles. Kundalini yoga involves chanting, singing, breathing exercises, meditation and gentle poses with the aim of increasing awareness in the mind and body. Previous scientific research has found that yoga can help regulate blood pressure and increase cardiorespiratory fitness, as well as benefit the hippocampus, or the region in the brain that is associated with memory. In this study, scientists examined the effects of kundalini yoga versus memory enhancement training (MET) on the hippocampus in 22… read on > read on >

Golfing may be a great way to get outdoors and enjoy the pleasures of a classic summer pastime. But a new study warns that walking the greens for hours on end without adequate sun protection may notably increase the risk for skin cancer. Researchers in Australia found that more than one-quarter of golfers in that country have been diagnosed with skin cancer at some point, making Aussie players 2.4 times more likely to get the disease than their non-golfing peers. “Our previous research, and that of others worldwide, has demonstrated the positive impact of golf on people’s health, including physical, mental and cognitive well-being,” said study lead author Brad Stenner. At the same time, “Australia is well known for its high skin cancer rates, and frequency and intensity of sun exposure,” said Stenner, a lecturer in health and human performance at the University of South Australia in Adelaide. However, “the cumulative effects of sun exposure do increase the risks of skin cancer, regardless of where you live,” he added. Knowing this, golfers should more actively strive to protect themselves, Stenner and other experts said. In the new research, just 7% of those in the general public reported ever having a skin cancer diagnosis versus 27% of the golfers. This suggests golfers face a nearly 250% greater risk of developing skin cancer than non-players, the study… read on > read on >

More girls started puberty before age 8 during the COVID-19 pandemic, a phenomenon called precocious puberty, researchers say. The reasons include potential risk factors such as increased screen time and less exercise, according to a new study, published online Aug. 3 in the Journal of the Endocrine Society. In precocious puberty, children’s bodies begin changing into adult bodies too soon. These changes normally begin between age 8 and 14. The number of girls referred to pediatric endocrinologists for precocious puberty rose substantially over the past two years, researchers found. COVID-19 has also been linked to endocrine diseases, including obesity, which can contribute to early puberty in girls. “Our study confirms the rise in precocious puberty diagnoses during COVID-19 and identifies contributing factors such as poor eating and exercise habits, too much screen time and impaired sleep,” said study author Dr. Mohamad Maghnie, of the University of Genoa and the Giannina Gaslini Institute in Italy. “We found an increase in weight gain among girls diagnosed with precocious puberty during the pandemic, and rapid increase in body weight is associated with advanced pubertal development,” he said in a journal news release. The researchers studied data on rates of precocious puberty from before and after the pandemic in 133 girls in Italy. They also considered the possible relationship between COVID-19 and pandemic-related lifestyle changes. They found 72 cases… read on > read on >

While demand for prescription stimulants is surging, a shortage of the drugs persists, so federal officials have stepped in and asked drug companies to ramp up production of the medications. Officials from both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) made the joint request. “The FDA and DEA do not manufacture drugs and cannot require a pharmaceutical company to make a drug, make more of a drug or change the distribution of a drug,” FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf and Drug Enforcement Administration leader Anne Milgram wrote in a letter issued Tuesday. “That said, we are working closely with numerous manufacturers, agencies and others in the supply chain to understand, prevent and reduce the impact of these shortages.” The agencies are also asking prescribers to carefully monitor their prescribing practices. “The lack of availability of certain medications in recent months has been understandably frustrating for patients and their families,” Califf and Milgram wrote in their letter. Reasons for the shortage include manufacturing delays by one drugmaker last fall. Meanwhile, demand for prescription stimulants for adults surged during the pandemic, according to a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. The FDA first announced a shortage of Adderall last October; that medication is commonly used for those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The DEA limits the amount of… read on > read on >

Millions of American smokers suffer from a potentially serious lung disease that’s not technically chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a new study finds. They would benefit from a clear diagnosis, though, and the new findings demonstrate a major gap in care for people with a history of tobacco use, the researchers said. Among folks who smoked at least one pack of cigarettes a day for 20 or more years, half had persistently high respiratory symptoms, including shortness of breath, daily cough and phlegm, and decreased ability to exercise, although they did well in the breathing tests used to spot COPD. The researchers call the condition “tobacco exposure preserved spirometry” (TEPS). “We first described TEPS in 2016. What we’re showing here is the long-term follow up, and it’s not like an early COPD. It stays persistent the way it is over time,” said lead researcher Dr. Prescott Woodruff, division chief of pulmonology at the University of California, San Francisco. Right now, there is no treatment for TEPS, he said. “It does improve in many people when they stop smoking, but not everyone,” Woodruff said. Woodruff’s team tried treating patients with bronchodilators used to treat COPD. The drugs improved lung function but not the symptoms, he said. “TEPS may be due to abnormal mucus production, so therapies that could control mucus might be the best therapies,” Woodruff… read on > read on >

As Americans continue to grapple with the effects of long COVID, the Biden administration on Monday announced the creation of a new office focused on research about the condition that will be part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Office of Long COVID Research and Practice will lead the U.S. response to long COVID, which incudes trials that have already been launched, the HHS said in an agency news release. “As our nation continues to make strides in combating COVID-19, it is crucial that we address the impact of long COVID and provide resources to those in need,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “Last year, President Biden called on HHS to coordinate the response to long COVID. The official establishment of the Long COVID Coordinating office and the launch of the RECOVER clinical trials solidifies this issue as an ongoing priority.” The $1.15 billion RECOVER research program is meant to better understand, treat and prevent long COVID; as many as 23 million Americans have developed the condition, according to HHS estimates. Research has identified 12 possible symptoms of long COVID, including worsening of health after mental or physical activity, fatigue, brain fog and dizziness, changes in taste or smell, thirst and changes in sexual desire or capacity. It can also include gastrointestinal symptoms, heart palpitations, chronic cough, chest pain and abnormal… read on > read on >

TUESDAY, Aug. 1, 2023 (HealthDay News) – It’s well known that smoking in pregnancy can harm a developing baby’s growth. Now, a new study suggests that using e-cigarettes may be more effective that traditional nicotine replacement therapy, such as patches, in helping pregnant women kick the habit and reduce the risk of low birthweight. “E-cigarettes seem more effective than nicotine patches in helping pregnant women to quit smoking and because of this, they seem to also lead to better pregnancy outcomes,” said researcher Peter Hajek, director of the health and lifestyle research unit at Queen Mary University of London. “The evidence-based advice to smokers already includes, among other options, a recommendation to switch from smoking to e-cigarettes. Such a recommendation can now be extended to smokers who are pregnant as well,” Hajek said in a university news release. Researchers studied this in 1,140 pregnant women who were trying to stop smoking. Half of the women received e-cigarettes. The others were given nicotine patches. Both approaches were equally safe, according to the study. The study found that fewer women in the e-cigarette group had children with low birthweight, which can lead to poorer health later in life. Researchers said was most likely because e-cigarettes were more effective in reducing the use of conventional cigarettes. Women later reported whether they had quit smoking. Some women had quit… read on > read on >

(HealthDay News) – Millions of people live with acne, and it can take a dramatic toll on their quality of life, but is any one treatment better than the rest? Yes, suggests a new review of more than 200 studies. When researchers compared acne treatments, a clear winner emerged: oral isotretinoin, best known as Accutane. Isotretinoin is a high-dose vitamin A that targets the main causes of acne by shrinking oil-producing sebaceous glands, killing bacteria that can cause breakouts, preventing clogged pores and cooling inflammation. The study results are in line with what acne experts see every day in their practices. “Isotretinoin is the most predictably effective drug we have for the treatment of acne,” said Birmingham, Ala.-based dermatologist Dr. Julie Harper. She is the founding director and past president of the American Acne and Rosacea Society. “Not only does it clear acne, it also yields a long-lasting clearance in the majority of people who take it,” said Harper, who wasn’t involved in the study. Not everyone can or will take isotretinoin due to its potential side effects, she noted. While highly effective, isotretinoin does confer its fair share of side effects, namely a risk for severe birth defects and concern about liver problems and depression. “When treating acne without isotretinoin, we have to rely on combinations of agents with different modes of action,” she… read on > read on >