Category: health

FDA Finally Approved an Alzheimer’s Drug—But Everything Surrounding It Is Controversial

Analysis Aduhelm is the brand name under which the Alzheimer’s drug Aducanumab is marketed. It is developed by the U.S. company Biogen. The drug is to be administered as an intra-venous infusion every four weeks. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Aducanumab in June 2021, making it the first Alzheimer’s disease medication approved by the…


Glutamate: A Neuron Killer in Disguise

The discovery of glutamate more than a century ago was a milestone in the quest to make food as tasty as possible. Unfortunately, it took decades longer to learn that this amino acid is a critical neurotransmitter and that overeating it can have devastating effects. Glutamate, in all its varied forms, has become a foundational…


Bluebird’s $2.8 Million Gene Therapy Becomes Most Expensive Drug After US Approval

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved bluebird bio’s gene therapy for patients with a rare disorder requiring regular blood transfusions, and the drugmaker priced it at a record $2.8 million. The approval sent the company’s shares 8 percent higher and is for the treatment of beta-thalassemia, which causes an oxygen shortage in…


Back Pain More Likely to Persist Due to Anxiety Than Bad Posture

The idea that “good” posture prevents back pain is well known—but a new review of the research calls for a second look as Australian experts say that habits and mental processes such as anxiety are more likely to have an impact than lousy posture. Prof. of musculoskeletal physiotherapy Peter O’Sullivan, prof. of physiotherapy, Leon Straker,…


Dr. Kenneth Wright on Shift Work and Sleep

Excerpts from our conversation with Dr. Kenneth Wright, Jr., an NIH-funded expert on sleep at the University of Colorado, Boulder. NIHNiH: What is the circadian system? And why is it disrupted by shift work, such as working the night shift? Wright: The circadian system is our biological clock. That biological clock controls the timing of a lot…


Maintain Your Muscle

You’ve likely heard that exercise can help you live a longer, healthier life. When you hear the word ‘exercise,’ you might think of going for a run or hopping on a bicycle. Or maybe playing soccer with your kids or basketball with your friends after work. But these activities don’t include all the types of…


Finger Numbness

Do you have tingling or numbness in your hand or fingers? It could be a sign that you have carpal tunnel syndrome. Often, you’ll get pain in your thumb, index, and middle finger. You may find that your hands are clumsy, and it’s harder to grip things. Symptoms of carpal tunnel usually start slowly. Many…


The Best Diet for Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism

Is the apparent protection of plant-based diets for thyroid health due to the exclusion of animal foods, the benefits of plant foods, or both? There are several autoimmune diseases that affect the thyroid gland, the most common being Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Graves’ disease results in hyperthyroidism, an overactive thyroid gland. Though slaughterhouses are…


Dr. Roger Fielding on Strength Training for Older Adults

Excerpts from our conversation with Dr. Roger Fielding, an NIH-funded exercise and aging specialist at Tufts University. NIHNiH: Are the benefits of strength training different for different age groups? Fielding: The benefits of strength training across the lifespan are relatively similar. But as people get older, there’s a progressive decline in the amount of muscle mass and muscle…


Is It Parkinson’s? These 10 Signs Could Tell

Parkinson’s disease can be hard for the average person to identify, but 10 warning signs may offer an early clue that you or a loved one may be developing the disease. The Parkinson’s Foundation suggests being aware of the signs, while knowing that having any one of them doesn’t mean the disease is present. Tremor…