Health/Fitness « Weekly Gravy

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday gave the nod to Emgality, an injected medication that’s the first to cut the frequency of cluster headaches. Episodic cluster headaches are “an extremely painful and often debilitating condition,” the FDA’s Dr. Eric Bastings noted in an agency news release. He’s deputy director of the Division of Neurology Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. Cluster headaches occur in quick sequence, “often at the same time(s) of the day, for several weeks to months,” the agency said. Attacks typically hit patients multiple times each day and can last anywhere from 15 minutes to three hours. “The headaches are accompanied by symptoms that may include:bloodshot eyes, excessive tearing of the eyes, drooping of the eyelids, runny nose and/or nasal congestionand facial sweating,” the FDA added. However, Emgality (galcanezumab-gnlm) appears to be the first drug to help ease patients’ misery. In a three-week clinical trial involving 106 patients, patients who took the drug had an average of almost nine fewer weekly cluster headaches, compared to about five fewer attacks among people who got a “dummy” placebo self-injection. Dr. Noah Rosen directs Northwell Health’s Headache Center in Great Neck, N.Y. While not involved in the the clinical trial, he serves on a cluster headache advisory board. Rosen agreed that “there are very few treatment options for patients… read on >

Americans are making shifts in the supplements they take — fewer multivitamins and vitamins C and E, more fish oil and vitamin D. Many think of supplements as magic bullets, but studies don’t always support their supposed benefits. Some research is positive. Vitamin D is important for good health and very hard to get naturally from foods or, if you live in northern latitudes, from the sun. So you might need a supplement to meet daily needs. But first ask your doctor for a blood test to check your level and, if it’s low, whether it’s safe for you to sit in the sun twice a week for 15 minutes to allow your body to make D naturally. Significant studies show that it’s better to get certain nutrients directly from food. For instance, while foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, from walnuts to oily fish, have been linked to reduced risk of heart disease, the omega-3s in fish oil capsules may not deliver the same benefits. A 2018 study conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that many supplements — from vitamins A and D to the minerals selenium and chromium — contain higher amounts of the nutrient than stated on the label. That’s a concern because some good-for-you supplements can be harmful at high doses — even calcium, which is highly touted for… read on >

Though rare, some children are born with an extra finger, a condition known as polydactyly. Now, for the first time, a team of researchers set out to see whether having this extra appendage is somehow beneficial. The answer is yes. The bottom line: Having an additional finger significantly boosts a person’s ability to manipulate objects, so much so that they can execute movements with a single hand that would otherwise require two. For the study, investigators at the University of Freiburg in Germany, Imperial College London in England and the University Hospital of Lausanne in Switzerland focused on two patients, each of whom had an additional finger between their thumb and forefinger, on an otherwise normal hand. “We wanted to know if the subjects have motor skills that go beyond people with five fingers, and how the brain is able to control the additional degrees of freedom,” explained study author Carsten Mehring, from the University of Freiburg. The researchers conducted a series of brain scans and behavioral experiments designed to track how the two patients used their hands, and their brain activity while doing so. In each case, the investigators found the extra finger had its own muscles, which enabled each person to move that finger separately from the other five fingers. “Our subjects can use their extra fingers independently, similar to an additional thumb,… read on >

Eight of every 10 American households buys sodas and other sugary drinks each week, adding up to 2,000 calories per household per week, new research shows. To put that in perspective, 2,000 calories is equal to the recommended average caloric intake for an adult for an entire day. With the obesity epidemic continuing for Americans young and old, it’s still tough to get the message out that sugary drinks may prove lethal over time, one expert said. “It startles me how many patients of mine state that they ‘understand that soda is not good’ — however, they continue to drink for the pleasure principle,” said Sharon Zarabi. She directs the bariatric program at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. However, Zarabi added, “when you actually sit down and spend time explaining the contribution of excess calories, inflammatory markers, elevated triglycerides, addictive properties, weight gain, etc., you paint a different picture.” The new study was led by Stephen Onufrak, of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report — and a number of related studies — were to be presented Sunday at the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, in Baltimore. In the soda consumption study, the CDC team looked at data from a government survey of the weekly grocery-buying habits of nearly 5,000 U.S. households, compiled in 2012. The findings… read on >

(HealthDay News) — From climbing on the playground to playing in a soccer game, children are prone to getting minor cuts and wounds to the mouth. Most of these injuries can be handled with simple first aid, says the University of Rochester Medical Center. Although most are easy to care for, mouth injuries can be avoided. To prevent mouth injuries, the school encourages parents to: Teach children never to walk or run with an object in the mouth. Teach children not to suck or chew on hard, sharp or pointed objects. Have your child wear a mouthguard for any sport that poses a threat of injury.

(HealthDay News) — Liver spots are flat, dark areas of pigment that appear on the skin — often on areas exposed to the sun. The likelihood of getting such spots tends to rise as we age, says MedlinePlus. Common after age 40, the painless spots typically appear on the face, forearms or shoulders. While not dangerous to your health, they may resemble signs of skin cancer, and should be evaluated by a health care professional, MedlinePlus advises.

If you’ve ever wondered why emotional distress causes stomach cramps or a mad dash to the bathroom, know that there’s a direct line of communication that runs from your brain to your digestive tract. It’s called the enteric nervous system, and it can have a powerful effect. For instance, when you feel nervous or threatened, digestion can slow or stop so that your body can focus on functions with higher priority — and that might result in cramps or diarrhea. This is a hallmark of the condition called irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS. The brain-gut connection works in both directions. For example, having a digestive condition can make you anxious or cause emotional distress. Plus, that anxiety can then worsen your digestive symptoms. Researchers recently found a connection between depression and the absence of certain good gut bacteria — they can’t yet say which comes first, but it’s clear that there’s some type of relationship. If your gut reacts negatively to emotions and it’s affecting your life, talk to your doctor. Find out if you have a digestive issue that’s causing physical as well as emotional stress, such as IBS, and take steps to treat it. These may involve changes to your diet and other lifestyle habits. Know that the answer doesn’t always have to include drug therapy. To master anxiety regardless of its source,… read on >

Brittle bones are often seen as a woman’s health issue, but low bone mass may be more common among middle-aged men than generally thought, a small study suggests. The research, of 173 adults aged 35 to 50, found that men and women were equally likely to have low bone mass in the hip. It was found in 28% of men and 26% of women. Those study participants, the researchers said, had osteopenia, or lower-than-normal bone density. In some cases, it progresses to osteoporosis — the brittle-bone disease that makes people vulnerable to fractures. The fact that osteopenia was just as common in men came as a surprise, said researcher Allison Ford, a professor of health and exercise science at the University of Mississippi. Full-blown osteoporosis is clearly more common in women. About one-quarter of U.S. women aged 65 and up have the condition in the hip or lower spine, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That compares with about 5% of men the same age. But, Ford said, the new findings suggest low bone density might be more common in middle-aged men than appreciated. “Low bone mineral density and osteoporosis affect men,” she said. “They should not be overlooked.” Ford suggested men take steps to help ensure their bones stay healthy — including eating a well-balanced diet with enough calcium, getting… read on >

Vaping is gaining a foothold in an unlikely population: New research shows a growing number of cancer patients are using electronic cigarettes. “The gradual but steady increase is quite striking,” said study author Dr. Nina Sanford, an assistant professor of radiation oncology at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. “The high prevalence of e-cigarette use among younger cancer patients and survivors is concerning.” E-cigarette use by cancer patients rose from 8.5% in 2014 to nearly 11% in 2017, according to the analysis of federal government data on more than 13,000 patients. Among patients younger than 50, the rate of use rose from 23% in 2014 to 27% in 2017. Use of conventional cigarettes by cancer patients remained stable between 2014 and 2017, according to Sanford. There is little known about e-cigarette use among cancer patients, she added. “Because e-cigarettes are relatively new, we don’t have the long-term data on their side effects yet,” Sanford said in a medical center news release. It’s known that conventional cigarettes can impair healing from surgery and radiation therapy, so it’s possible that e-cigarettes may cause similar problems, she noted. Sanford said patients often ask about e-cigarettes, and she advises them to avoid all kinds of smoking or vaping. “I don’t encourage it, but I also am honest that the jury is still out on what the long-term effects of… read on >

A common type of skin bacteria may put young children with severe eczema at increased risk for food allergies, British researchers report. This type of bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, is found in the nose and skin of healthy people, but it’s more common in people with the skin condition eczema, especially those with severe cases. This study found that young children with severe eczema who are infected with staph make more of an antibody called IgE against peanut, egg and milk. That indicates they are allergic to each of those foods. These children were also more likely to have an egg allergy at 5 or 6 years of age than children without staph, according to the team from King’s College London. The finding is “significant as most children with egg allergy usually outgrow this at an earlier age,” said lead author Dr. Olympia Tsilochristou, a clinical research fellow and allergy specialist. “We do not know yet the exact mechanisms that lead from eczema to food allergy; however, our results suggest that the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus could be an important factor contributing to this outcome,” Tsilochristou added in a college news release. The study did not prove cause and effect and only found an association. The findings add to those from a previous study, of infants at high risk for peanut allergy. In that study, children fed… read on >