HEALTH BRIEFS

FAECAL THERAPY

A Cochrane review of evidence has found that poo transplants, also known as faecal microbiota transplantation, could help recurrent gut infections from a bacterium known as Clostridioides difficile or Clostridium difficile (C diff ). The review found that 77% of people who got poo transplants stayed free from reinfection with C diff for eight weeks, compared with just 40% in people treated with antibiotics. A second Cochrane review suggested poo transplants may also be helpful for people with active ulcerative colitis, a type of inflammatory bowel disease.

FRIENDS AND BENEFITS

Spending time with loved ones can have significant health benefits as we age, according to a meta-analysis of studies by New South Wales University’s Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing. Researchers pooled the results of 13 international studies, which followed people aged 65 over long periods of time. They found weekly or monthly interactions with family and friends, and having someone to talk to, reduced the risk of getting dementia. They also found that living with others and doing community activities reduced the risk of dying.

GET IN THE HOLE

P Playing golf may have significant si benefits for people with osteoarthritis, a University of South Australia study has found. In a survey of 459 golfers with o osteoarthritis, more than 90% of o participants rated their health h as good, very good or excellent, e compared with just 64% 6 of the general population with w the condition. Almost three times as many nongolfers (22%) reported high to very high levels of psychological distress compared with w golfers with osteoarthritis t (8%).