Health/Fitness « Weekly Gravy

If you need more than two hands to count the number of lovers you’ve had in your life, new research suggests you might want to worry about your cancer risk. People who have had 10 or more sexual partners had higher odds of being diagnosed with cancer than those who were less sexually active, researchers report. Women with that many sex partners had nearly double the risk of developing cancer as women who remained virgins or only had one sexual partner, the study found. Meanwhile, men’s odds of a cancer diagnosis were increased by nearly 70% compared with those reporting one or no sex partners, and by 57% for those who had two to four sex partners during their life. “We expected there to be an association between number of sexual partners and cancer risk as previous research has shown that specific sexually transmitted diseases may lead to several cancers,” said study co-author Lee Smith, director of research at the Cambridge Centre for Sport and Exercise Sciences at Anglia Ruskin University in England. “Indeed, a higher number of sexual partners means greater potential exposure to STIs [sexually transmitted infections]. “It is interesting that the risk is higher in women when compared to men,” Smith continued. “This may be because the link between certain STIs and cancer is stronger in women, such as HPV and cervical… read on >

MONDAY, Feb. 10, 2020A single dose of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine works as well as multiple doses to protect older teen girls against preinvasive cervical disease, which can develop into cervical cancer, researchers say. For the study, the researchers analyzed data on more than 133,000 females aged 9 to 26. Half weren’t vaccinated and half received one or more HPV vaccine doses between January 2006 and June 2015. Among 15- to 19-year-olds, those who were vaccinated had lower rates of preinvasive cervical disease than those who weren’t, the findings showed. Within five years, about 2.6% of those who weren’t vaccinated developed preinvasive cervical disease, compared with less than 2% who had received one shot or more, according to the report. The risk of preinvasive cervical disease was 36% lower for those who had one shot, 28% lower after two shots and 34% lower for those who had three doses, compared with those who weren’t vaccinated. For the youngest (9 to 14 years) and oldest (20 to 26 years) age groups, there were no significant differences in risk for preinvasive cervical disease, according to the study published online Feb. 10 in the journal Cancer. “This study shows the impact of vaccinating at younger ages and its lasting long-term protection against cervical cancer,” said study author Dr. Ana Rodriguez. She’s an associate professor of obstetrics and… read on >

Migraine drugs that might work for adults won’t prevent the debilitating headaches in kids and teens, a new study shows. A number of drugs are used to prevent migraines, but treatment of youngsters has largely been based on the results of adult studies, the international team of researchers pointed out. What really works in kids? To find out, the researchers reviewed 23 studies conducted between 1967 and 2018. In total, these studies included more than 2,200 young patients. About one-quarter of these patients received an inactive placebo, while the remainder were treated with a range of drugs (antiepileptics, antidepressants, calcium channel blockers, blood pressure drugs) or food supplements. None of the medications were more effective than placebo in the long term (five to six months or longer), and only two — propranolol and topiramate — provided benefits in the short term (less than 5 months), according to the study published online Feb. 10 in JAMA Pediatrics. The bottom line, according to researcher Cosima Locher: “The preventive pharmacological treatment of pediatric migraine with all these drugs is barely more effective than placebo.” Locher is with the faculty of psychology at the University of Basel, in Switzerland. The findings highlight the need for more research into migraine prevention in children and teens, and into the power of the “placebo effect” specifically in these patients, the researchers said.… read on >

While fewer Americans are smoking these days, the habit has remained stubbornly persistent among stroke survivors, new research shows. The researchers found that the prevalence of smoking among U.S. stroke survivors has not improved since 1999 and, as of 2016, stood at 26%. That’s in contrast to the trend among Americans in general, who are gradually leaving cigarettes behind. Between 1999 and 2016, the study found, the smoking rate among the overall population fell from about 25% to 19%. The findings are concerning, experts said, considering the fact that smoking is a major risk factor for stroke. And among stroke survivors, those who continue to smoke are more likely to have — or die from — a repeat stroke or a heart attack, according to lead researcher Dr. Neal Parikh. He is an assistant professor of neurology at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian, in New York City. Parikh said that the study results point to a need to “prioritize” smoking cessation as part of stroke recovery. The findings are based on nearly two decades of data from an ongoing federal health survey. Among over 49,000 U.S. adults who participated between 1999 and 2016, just under 3% were stroke survivors. Over those years, the general smoking rate declined to a statistically significant degree, according to Parikh. In contrast, there was no significant change among stroke survivors:… read on >

Viagra can salvage a man’s sex life, but in rare cases it may temporarily steal his sight. Researchers report that some men who took sildenafil — the generic form of the impotence drug — suffered from vision problems, including a kind of color blindness that could take weeks to resolve. The case report details 17 Turkish males who wound up in the hospital after taking sildenafil for the first time. The men suffered a number of vision problems, including dilated pupils, blurred vision, light sensitivity and color blindness, the doctors reported. The men had all taken the highest recommended dose of 100 milligrams, even though none had been prescribed sildenafil, the report said. The visual side effects began shortly after taking the drug, and were still present when the men came to the hospital a day or two later, the researchers reported. All the symptoms eventually cleared up, but it took three weeks for some. The findings were published Feb. 7 in the journal Frontiers in Neurology. These sort of vision effects aren’t uncommon in people who take Viagra, U.S. medical experts said. It turns out that the enzyme that Viagra blocks to promote erections is closely akin to another enzyme that’s important for the function of photoreceptors in the eyes, said Dr. Richard Rosen, a vitreoretinal surgeon at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary… read on >

Roses are red, violets are blue, sleep experts have a Valentine’s Day gift idea for you. A box of chocolates and a candlelight dinner might seem romantic, but your partner might also embrace a lifestyle change: no more snoring. “While snoring is disruptive to bed partners and can cause frustration in a relationship, it can also be an indicator of a serious health problem,” said Dr. Kelly Carden, president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). “Snoring is a common symptom of obstructive sleep apnea, a chronic disease that involves the repeated collapse of the upper airway during sleep,” she explained in an AASM news release. “When sleep apnea is untreated, it can increase the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke and other health problems.” For occasional snorers, the AASM offers this advice: Lose weight. Weight gain can worsen snoring and lead to obstructive sleep apnea. Shedding a couple of pounds might eliminate your snoring. Change positions. Some people find that they snore while sleeping on their back. If this is the case, try sleeping on your side instead. Avoid alcohol, muscle relaxants and certain medications. Substances like these can relax your throat or tongue muscles, leading to snoring. Get a diagnosis. If you’re snoring loudly each night, talk to your doctor about it or consult a sleep specialist.… read on >

Almost everyone gets stuck shoveling snow at some point during the winter. To prevent back pain and strain, one spinal expert has some advice. Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Srinivasu Kusuma, from the University of Chicago Medicine Medical Group, noted it’s all in the precautions you take before you tackle your snow-covered driveway. Decide if it’s safe to shovel. If you already have back issues and don’t exercise often, or if you are prone to lightheadedness or shortness of breath, maybe you shouldn’t be shoveling. Instead, consider using a snowblower. For those with heart problems or chest pains during exercise, Kusuma urges they check with their doctor about shoveling. Warm up your muscles. “Make sure to warm up before you shovel, just as you would before a workout,” Kusuma said in a university news release. Stretching and strolling can warm up your muscles. If you’re going to shovel bright and early, make sure your muscles are loose before shoveling. Don’t have time to stretch out in the a.m.? You might want to shovel in the evening then. Appropriate winter gear is important. A coat, pants, hat and gloves will keep you warm in frigid weather. Wearing waterproof boots can also give you traction and prevent slips and falls, Kusuma said. Use a lightweight shovel with an adjustable handle. Use proper technique. Push the snow to the side… read on >

Smokers who recently quit tobacco cigarettes are much more likely to use e-cigarettes than those who quit more than a decade ago, a new study says. The findings suggest that smokers who want to quit are now using e-cigarettes to help them, according to the authors. In the past, quitters had to rely on other smoking cessation aids. “Duration of smoking cessation was a major determinant in understanding the complex interaction between smoking and e-cigarette use, and this parameter may be important in examining the impact of e-cigarettes in future population studies,” said the study authors led by Dr. Konstantinos Farsalinos, a cardiologist at Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center in Kallithea, Greece. The researchers analyzed data on more than 6,900 current smokers and more than 6,100 former smokers in 28 European countries. Current daily e-cigarette use was reported by 2% of current and 3% of former smokers. Former daily use of e-cigarettes was reported by nearly 6% and 2%, respectively. More than half of all former smokers had quit more than 10 years ago. Of those, only 0.2% reported daily e-cigarette use, compared with 9% of those who had quit between three and five years ago, and about 13% of those who had quit in the last two years. Compared with former smokers who had never used e-cigarettes, current e-cigarette users were nearly five times more… read on >