A New Allergy Vaccine, Working Out After a Heart Attack, and More
STEAM SHRINKS ENLARGED PROSTATE
The prostate tends to grow over time, causing about a third of older men to experience weak urine flow, a frequent need to urinate at night, and other symptoms. Until recently, these men had to live with the condition, treat it with medication, or have surgery. But a relatively new option involves shrinking the prostate with a few quick blasts of hot steam administered via a tiny needle in a doctor’s office. The outpatient procedure takes about 15 minutes and carries a low risk of lasting side effects.
A Medical Illusion May Help Knee Pain
For a small and unusual study, 12 patients with osteoarthritis in their knees wore headmounted displays that showed live video feed—of their own knees. As an experimenter gently pulled or pushed on a participant’s leg, the video feed was digitally altered to make the knee appear to change size. Participants reported up to a 40 percent decrease in pain when they “saw” and felt their knees being stretched as if to ease stiffness. When the procedure was repeated, the patients said their pain decreased further. “It seems that seeing is believing,” says Tasha Stanton, PHD, who ran the study. The perception of the stretch may ease pain as effectively as physical therapy or pain medication.
RETHINKING THE DAILY ASPIRIN
Many Americans have been popping a baby aspirin once a day, believing it would protect them from a heart attack, a stroke, and even cancer. But several recent studies have thrown this into question.
One large-scale study followed more than 19,000 healthy people ages 65 and older. Participants were randomly assigned to take either 100 mg of aspirin (slightly more than the 81 mg dose that most people take) or a placebo every day for an average of 4.7 years. Not only did people in the aspirin group not lower their risk of heart disease, dementia, or disability, but they were also more likely to suffer from significant bleeding in the digestive tract or brain. And they were more likely to die overall, apparently because of an increased risk of succumbing to cancer.
Similarly, a trial of more than 12,500 people ages 55 and older deemed to have a moderate cardiovascular risk found no benefit to taking aspirin daily. In a study of more than 15,000 people with diabetes, a daily aspirin did prevent heart attacks and strokes, but it also caused major bleeding. And according to an analysis of data from more than 117,000 people, heavier people needed larger doses of aspirin to help reduce their risk of heart attack, stroke, and colorectal cancer.
The bottom line: Although there is good evidence that aspirin can help people who have already had or are at high risk for heart attacks or strokes, the drug’s value is not so clear for people, especially older people, with less risk. Consult your doctor before starting—or stopping—aspirin.
Frozen OJ More Healthy than Fresh
A new study has found that while fresh orange juice contains the highest concentration of carotenoids (healthful plant pigments), freezing and then defrosting the juice helps them get absorbed more easily in the body. Pasteurizing juice, however, renders them more difficult to absorb.
Short-serving Veterans at Highest Risk for Self-harm
A University of Glasgow study found that military veterans overall were 30 percent more likely than nonveterans to be admitted to the hospital for episodes of self-harm, such as cutting or biting themselves. The risk was highest—70 percent— in people who left the service before they completed their initial training, whereas those who served the longest actually reduced their risk.
Getting Active After a Heart Attack Halves Mortality Risk
Most people agree that regular exercise will help prevent a heart attack, but what’s the impact of getting active after one occurs? To find out, Swedish health scientists analyzed data from more than 22,000 heart attack patients. Compared with those who were inactive, the people who started or continued exercise routines after their attacks cut their risk of dying over the next four years by more than 50 percent. Heart attack survivors should exercise twice a week or more, the lead author said, starting with moderate activity. If you notice chest discomfort or long-lasting palpitations, stop and notify your doctor.
A PROMISING ALLERGY VACCINE
Human trials of what would be the first vaccine to protect against grass-pollen allergies showed that it reduced symptoms such as sneezing, itchy throat, and shortness of breath by at least 25 percent over two years—and by up to 60 percent for some people. The vaccine is made from strings of amino acids from grass pollen that are modified so they no longer trigger an immune reaction. Additional studies are required before the vaccine can be approved for use, but researchers are hopeful that will happen within the next three years. The researchers believe the vaccine can be tweaked to also treat allergies to dust mites, birch pollen, and ragweed.
A Threat to Good Bacteria?
Triclosan is an antibacterial agent found in some toothpastes, hand sanitizers, and deodorants, but there is preliminary evidence it may do some harm along with the good. Mice exposed to roughly the same amount of triclosan found in people who used toothpaste containing it for two weeks experienced inflamed colons leading to diarrhea, abdominal pain, and rectal bleeding. Why? Triclosan killed off bifidobacteria and other “good” bacteria in the gut microbiome. In humans, the reduction of these bacteria has been associated with higher rates of colitis and colon cancer.