Sugary drinks can aggravate stress

Acupuncture can help in chronic pain

Acupuncture can lessen the intensity of perceived pain and improve functional capacity in people with a chronic pain condition called fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia leads to chronic widespread pain, fatigue, disordered sleep patterns and depression. It affects up to one in 20 people. Researchers compared individually tailored acupuncture treatment with sham treatment among 153 adults who had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. They were assigned to acupuncture sessions of 20 minutes for nine weeks. The findings showed that after 10 weeks, perceived pain intensity had reduced considerably in people who were given real acupuncture. Their pain scores had dropped by an average of 41%. The study was published in journal Acupuncture in Medicine. Read more here.

Sugary drinks can exacerbate early life stress

Drinking high volume of sugar can aggravate the effects of early life stress on the brain, an Australian research suggests. Researchers from the University of New South Wales studied four groups of rats—with no stress, control rats drinking sugar, rats exposed to stress, and rats exposed to stress and sugar. When the hippocampus of the brain, responsible for memory and stress, was examined it was found that drinking sugar in rats with stress reduced the expression of genes critical for brain development and growth. Researchers feel changes in the brain induced by sugar are of great concern as the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is very high among youngsters. Read more here.

Being part of social groups after retirement reduces risk of early death

Older adults who are associated with some social groups, such as book clubs or spiritual groups, even after retirement are more likely to live longer than others, claims a study. Retirement represents a major life change and can affect one’s health significantly. The study tracked 424 retired people for six years. The participants were asked to mention the number of clubs or societies they were linked to. When the researchers compared the results with those who were still working, it was found giving up membership of any of the clubs increases the risk of early death by 12% in older adults. The study was published in the journal BMJ Open. Read more here.

Use of heart burn drugs can increase risk of dementia

Long-term use of heart burn drugs such as Nexium, Prevacid and Prilosec can heighten the risk of cognitive decline and lead to dementia, a German research claims. The researchers analysed data on 73,679 patients collected by German health insurer Allgemeine Ortskrankenkassen between 2004 and 2011. It was found that patients on heart burn drugs showed 44% more risk of dementia compared to those who did not use them at all. Researchers point out that heart burn drugs appear to affect levels of certain proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease. The study was published in the JAMA Neurology journal. Read more here.

Overconsumption of fish during pregnancy can increase obesity risk in offspring

Having more than three servings of fish a week during pregnancy can increase the risk of obesity in the offspring, a US study warns. The study analyses data from 15 previous studies involving 26,000 pregnant women and their children at two-year intervals until the children reached age six. Women who had fish more frequently during pregnancy faced a 22% increased risk of rapid growth in children by the time they reached the age of six. The study doesn’t explain the exact reason for it. Also, it contradicts earlier studies which suggest the presence of omega-3 fatty acids in fish protects against obesity. The study was published in the JAMA Pediatrics journal. Read more here.

Compiled by Abhijit Ahaskar