Will smoking raise your risk of severe COVID-19 and risk of dying from the disease?1,2 Interestingly, much of the research looking at conventional smoking has found mortality rates tend to be lower among smokers than nonsmokers. Results are not entirely homogenous, though, as some studies have come to the converse conclusion. Vaping e-cigarettes, on the… Read More »
People with sickle cell disease are at greater risk for severe illness from COVID-19, but what about the nearly 3 million Americans who have the sickle cell trait and don’t even know it? A new study underway at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta looks to determine whether these individuals are also at risk, reports STAT.… Read More »
According to research, consuming a Vitamin D rich diet, along with the nutrients methionine and betaine, could help lower age-related macular degeneration risk. An analysis of identical twins also found that the more a person smoked, the higher their risk of developing age-related macular degeneration. The study looked at identical twin pairs with one twin… Read More »
Caroline Seydel A new UCLA study in zebrafish has identified the process by which air pollution can damage brain cells, potentially contributing to Parkinson’s disease. Published in the peer-reviewed journal Toxicological Sciences, the findings show that chemicals in diesel exhaust can trigger the toxic buildup of a protein in the brain called alpha-synuclein, which is commonly seen in people with the disease. Previous studies have revealed that people living… Read More »
Drugs that are widely prescribed to treat high blood pressure do not make patients more susceptible to coronavirus infection, or to severe illness if they do become infected, researchers reported on Friday. Their findings are good news for millions of people who take blood pressure drugs that belong to two classes: ACE inhibitors, which include… Read More »