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Health News Results - 53

Microplastic pollution is altering the gut microbiomes of wild seabirds and that could be a warning sign for humans, researchers report.

Scientists from McGill University in Montreal, along with colleagues from around the world, found that tiny bits of plastic present in the gastrointestinal system of seabirds have modified the gut's microbiome. The plastics are also reducing levels of ad...

A chemical used to degrease industrial parts that was also used as a surgical anesthetic until the 1970s may increase the risk for Parkinson's disease, researchers report.

Their new study found that two years of heavy exposure to the liquid chemical TCE may boost Parkinson's risk by 70%.

TCE, or trichloroethylene, lingers in the air, water and soil. It has been linked to certain can...

Black and Hispanic communities in the United States are more often poor — and also more likely to have harmful levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in their drinking water, a new study reveals.

Sources of PFAS pollution — including major manufacturers, airports, military bases, wastewater treatment plants and landfills — are disproportionately sited near watersheds t...

Pollutants produced by the U.S. oil and gas industry cause thousands of deaths and cost the country tens of billions in health care expenses, a new study reports.

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), fine particulate matter and ozone all contribute to air pollution, and all are emitted as part of oil and gas production, the researchers said.

The new study estimates that the oil and gas industry ...

Many common household products emit airborne toxins that can harm your health in ways up to and including cancer, a new study reports.

Dozens of different types of consumer products contain toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs), chemicals that escape as gases and accumulate in indoor air, researchers from the Silent Spring Institute and the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkele...

U.S. water utilities will be required to remove certain “forever chemicals” from drinking water as the Biden administration sets first-ever limits on perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl compounds, better known as known as PFAS.

Nearly all Americans have PFAS in their bloodstream. The toxic chemicals are found in an enormous range of goods from dental floss to waterproof clothing. The c...

Canned tuna is known to contain low levels of mercury, but a new Consumer Reports investigation has found spikes of the neurotoxin in some cans.

The organization tested five popular tuna brands, CBS News reported.

While the mercury levels were all within U.S. Food and Drug Administration standards, Consumer Reports urged pregnant women to "avoid canned tuna altogether."

...

Chemicals found in plastic personal care products, kids' toys, and food and drink packaging could be raising the risk of type 2 diabetes among women, new research suggests.

To study the impact of these chemicals, known as phthalates, researchers followed just over 1,300 U.S. women for six years to see if exposure contributed to the incidence of diabetes.

About 5% of the women devel...

Parents in the United States may assume baby food is free of impurities, but a recent research review highlights the much different reality: Most foods made for babies and toddlers have some amount of toxic heavy metals.

The contaminants include metals, such as lead and arsenic, that can harm brain development, and contribute to learning and behavior problems in children. And they are fou...

Black and Hispanic women who work as hairdressers are exposed to an array of chemicals, including many that have not been previously identified, a small study finds.

Researchers found that compared with women of color in office jobs, hair stylists had higher levels of various chemicals in their urine. Those substances included expected ones -- ingredients known to be in salon products -- ...

Natural gas stoves have become the latest flashpoint in America's increasingly volatile political culture, after a top federal regulator publicly mulled over banning the appliances.

"This is a hidden hazard," the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) commissioner, Richa...

Being evicted can have a significant impact on a person's health, according to new research.

In U.S. counties where eviction rates were elevated, death rates were higher for all causes, especially if those areas were home to a higher proportion of Black residents and women.

Study author

U.S. communities with higher Hispanic, American Indian or Black populations also have the highest concentrations of metal in public water systems, new research reveals.

Researchers from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in New York City found significantly higher arsenic and uranium levels in public drinking water in Hispanic and American Indian/Alaska Native communities...

Diets higher in fruit, vegetables and omega-3 fatty acids could improve astronaut health during long spaceflights while still sticking to requirements for what can go on board, according to new research.

A new study tested this theory on a spaceflight simulation chamber on Earth with 16 people: 10 men and six women.

Four individuals participated in each 45-day, Earth-based, closed-...

Uterine fibroids can cause uncontrolled bleeding and infertility in women, and now a new study finds an unexpected culprit: Toxic chemicals called phthalates that are present in everything from fast-food packaging to plastic water bottles.

“We detected the phthalate DEHP and its breakdown products in much higher quantities in the urine of women who also happen to have symptomatic uterin...

Lead is known to damage young children's brains, and a new study suggests the effects may still be apparent in old age.

Researchers found that among nearly 1,100 older U.S. adults, those who grew up in cities with lead-contaminated drinking water generally scored worse on tests of memory and thinking skills.

The findings, experts said, suggest that older adults who were exposed to l...

Equipping offices with "healthier" furnishings could reduce human exposure to risky PFAS chemicals, new research suggests.

To look at indoor PFAS levels, a team led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, in Boston, analyzed building dust in classrooms and common campus spaces.

“Our findings provide desperately needed scientific evidence for the success of healthier material...

A Missouri woman has sued L'Oréal and several other beauty product companies, alleging that their hair-straightening products caused her uterine cancer.

The

Alligators along North Carolina's Cape Fear River have high blood levels of 14 toxic chemicals, along with signs of immune system damage, new research shows.

The study of levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyls (PFAS) in the reptiles' blood adds to concerns that the chemicals may cause genetic and immune system harm. Alligators are a

Do the majority of Americans want government to make sure the products they buy are free of harmful chemicals?

Yes, a new survey shows, and they are even willing to pay more to get that assurance of safety.

“At a time when most issues are politically polarized, the issue of keeping people ...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has taken a major step to curb the largest remaining source of airborne lead pollution.

The agency has proposed a so-called endangerment finding that aircraft that use leaded fuel cause or contribute to

  • By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • October 7, 2022
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  • Your children's school clothes may look neat, but are they safe to wear?

    Maybe not.

    Researchers found high levels of dangerous chemicals called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in school uniforms sold across North America. These chemicals — which can build up in people and the envir...

    Munching handfuls of microwave popcorn might be perfect for movie night, but your snack could be loading your body with potentially harmful "forever chemicals," experts warn.

    Many microwave popcorn bags are lined with

    Pregnant women are exposed to toxic chemicals in dishware, hair coloring, plastics and pesticides that can heighten their risk of cancer and harm child development, a new study warns.

  • By Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
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  • August 30, 2022
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  • It's safe to say that when searching for somewhere to live most people prefer open, airy spaces over dark and dingy ones. Now, new research suggests why: Homes filled with lots of natural light makes for happier residents.

    "We sought to explore the relationship between

    Workers who cleaned up the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico were more likely than others to have developed asthma or related symptoms, a long-term follow-up shows.

    "This is the first study to ever look at specific chemicals from oil spills and link them to respiratory diseases," said study co-author Dale Sandler, of the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health...

    PFAS compounds are known as “forever chemicals” because they degrade slowly in the environment and accumulate in the body, potentially harming human and animal health.

    Bacteria can't eat them. Fire can't incinerate them. Water can't dilute them.

    Instead, these per- and polyfluoroalkyl subs...

    It's well known that exposure to lead can harm young children's brain development. Now a new study suggests that racial segregation may be compounding the detrimental effects of lead on Black children.

    The study, of close to 26,000 schoolchildren, found that Black children with elevated blood lead levels had wo...

    A chemical called perfluooctane sulfate (PFOS) has been linked to the most common type of liver cancer, a new study indicates.

    PFOS are used in a wide range of consumer and industrial products, and are referred to as “forever chemicals” because they break down very slowly and accumulate both in the environment and in human tissue.

    Researchers at the University of Southern Califo...

    Inner-city kids are known to be at greater risk for uncontrolled asthma. Now, new research suggests that violent crime and poor school achievement may be two reasons why.

    “Experiencing violent crime can result in toxic stress, and decreased educational attainment is associated with lower health literacy,” said study author Dr. Jordan Tyris, a hospitalist at Children's National Hospita...

    Phthalates, chemicals that are typically used to strengthen plastics, are in millions of products people use every day, but a new analysis confirms their link to a higher risk for preterm births.

    The largest study to date o...

    Called "forever chemicals" because they linger in the environment, new research suggests that middle-aged women with high levels of perfluoroalkyls and polyfluoroalkyls (PFAS) in their blood may be more vulnerable to high blood pressure.

    In the study, women aged 45 to 56 who had the highest concentrat...

    Nations are falling short in their efforts to get rid of toxic PCB chemicals that pose a risk to human health and the environment, researchers report.

    "We're only six years out from the Stockholm Convention's deadline to responsibly eliminate PCB stocks, but shockingly little progress has been made," said study co-author Lisa Melymuk, an assistant professor of environmental chemistry at M...

    Wildfires, like the one currently raging in New Mexico, are known to cause upticks in breathing issues and heart attacks in their immediate wake for folks who live nearby.

    Now, new Canadian research shows that these fires may also increase risk for lung and brain cancer o...

    Your pet's poop and pee may give you clues to how many cancer-causing toxins have taken up residence in your home.

    "Our findings suggest that pets are coming into contact with aromatic amines that leach from products in their household environment," said study author Sridhar Chinthakindi, a postdoctoral fellow at NYU Langone Health in New York City.

    "As these substances have been t...

    Want to breathe better air indoors? Go green.

    Houseplants can make your home or office air cleaner, according to British researchers.

    In lab tests, they found that three common houseplants -- peace lily ...

    If you were born before 1996, there's a good chance you were exposed to high levels of lead as a kid, and new research suggests this may have harmed your IQ and boosted your chances of lead-related health concerns down the road.

    "A significant proportion of Americans alive today had very high lead exposure as children...

    Dozens of different spray products -- deodorants, shampoos, sunscreens, athlete's foot treatments -- have been recalled in recent months due to contamination with the cancer-causing chemical benzene.

    Most recently, six Brut and Sure aerosol antiperspirants

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  • February 24, 2022
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  • Construction workers may bring home more than the bacon -- they may also be exposing their families to toxic metals, a new study reveals.

    Toxic contaminants unintentionally brought from the workplace into the home are a public health hazard, but the majority of research to date has focused on

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  • February 22, 2022
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  • One in three Americans is exposed to a common and potentially harmful weed killer called 2,4-D, and children may be especially at risk, new research suggests.

    Exposure to high levels of the chemical has been linked to cancer, reproductive problems and other health issues. The effects of lower levels of exposure are unclear, but 2,4-D is an

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  • February 10, 2022
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  • Singing in a choir may be good for your soul, but it can also spread COVID-19 far more easily than conversation does.

    A new study also found that the louder and person sings or talks, the more particles are spewed into the air, and that more particles are released by men than women, and by adults than children.

    Fears that airborne transmission of COVID-19 could pose a risk to p...

    An editorial written jointly by the editors of more than 230 medical journals worldwide has a grim warning for humanity: Climate change is making people sick -- and it's going to get worse.

    As reported by CNN, the same global warming that's causing extreme weather events has had a number of negative impacts on human health during the past two decades, the journal editors said. A...

    Can childhood lead exposure affect personality into adulthood?

    Yes, a big multi-decade study suggests.

    The finding stems from an analysis of data on atmospheric lead levels across the United States and 37 European nations since 1960. Lead levels were stacked up against responses to a personality survey of roughly 1.5 million men and women.

    The result: Americans raised in areas...

    A deadly chemical in paint strippers continues to kill workers despite its known dangers, a new study finds.

    The chemical methylene chloride, also known as dichloromethane (DCM), is a solvent found in paint strippers, cleaners, degreasers, adhesives and sealants. When inhaled, it produces large quantities of carbon monoxide that can cut off oxygen to the heart. At high doses, it switches ...

    If you feel recharged after a day spent in the great outdoors, there's a physiological reason for that.

    Bird song and lapping waves combat negative feelings such as annoyance and stress, while boosting positive emotions and health, according to new research using the sounds found at U.S. national parks.

    "It's good for what we're calling positive affect, so things like feelings of t...

    Limiting global warming to targets proposed in the Paris Agreement could keep tropical regions from reaching temperatures that are beyond human tolerability, a new study projects.

    Researchers estimate that if countries are able to cap warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the tropics will be spared temperatures that surpass the "survival limit." But life in the worl...

    Biomarkers in sperm may help identify men at risk of fathering children with autism, researchers say.

    For the study, investigators examined sperm epigenetics -- the molecular processes that affect gene expression -- in 13 men who fathered sons with autism and 13 who had children without the disorder.

    The American and Spanish researchers focused specifically on DNA methylation, a che...

    Two types of air pollution declined in cities around the world during initial COVID-19 lockdowns, but one type increased, a new study finds.

    Researchers assessed changes in levels of nitrogen dioxide, ozone and fine particulate (PM2.5) air pollution during lockdowns in 11 cities: Beijing and Wuhan in China; Milan; Rome; Madrid; London; Paris; Berlin; New York; Los Angeles; and Delhi, Indi...

    Those mussels, oysters and scallops on your plate may come with a secret ingredient: microplastics.

    Researchers at Hull York Medical School and the University of Hull in the United Kingdom reviewed more than 50 studies (from 2014 to 2020) to investigate the levels of microplastic contamination globally in fish and shellfish.

    The investigators found that mollusks (such as clams, muss...

    Nearly 15% of talc-based cosmetic products analyzed in a recent study contained asbestos.

    Environmental Working Group (EWG) -- an American advocacy nonprofit that commissioned the tests and did the analysis -- said methods used by the cosmetics industry to screen talc supplies are inadequate. The voluntary testing method developed by industry is not sensitive enough to screen for asbestos...