Heart disease is often linked to high cholesterol, obesity, or lack of exercise. However, there is mounting evidence that suggests that mental health plays a crucial role in cardiovascular well-being. Stress, anxiety, and depression can silently strain the heart, increasing the risk of serious complications.

A recent study, published in Nature Human Behaviour, showed that loneliness has a significant impact on proteins present in a person's blood. For the study, researchers used data from more than 42,000 participants to explore whether the 9.3% who reported social isolation and 6.4% who reported loneliness had different levels of proteins in their blood compared with those who did not. The researchers then studied data that tracked the health of participants over an average 14-year period.

"We found around 90% of these proteins are linked to the risk of mortality," Dr Chun Shen, Fudan University in China, who is also the lead researcher said. "In addition, about 50% of the proteins were linked to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke," he added.

Dr Shrey Kumar Srivastav, senior consultant at Sharda Hospital, said that subtle symptoms of heart disease, such as fatigue, shortness of breath, swelling in the lower legs, dizziness, and jaw pain, are often overlooked or attributed to stress and ageing. "Women, in particular, may experience atypical signs like extreme fatigue, indigestion, or upper abdominal pain instead of classic chest pain, leading to delayed diagnosis," he added.

Can Mental Health Issues Trigger Heart Diseases?

Chronic stress can trigger harmful cardiovascular effects, including elevated blood pressure, increased heart rate, and inflammation—key contributors to heart disease. Anxiety and depression further impact heart health by disrupting sleep patterns, raising stress hormone levels, and encouraging unhealthy habits like poor diet and inactivity.

Mental health issues like depression and anxiety have a profound impact on the heart. They don’t just affect emotions but can increase inflammation and put extra strain on the cardiovascular system, warns Dr Srivastav.

Certain risk factors, such as obesity and diabetes, disproportionately affect women, making them more vulnerable to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). However, due to gender-specific symptom variations, heart disease in women often goes undiagnosed for longer.

Obesity is more prevalent in women than men and is a major risk factor for heart failure. Diabetes, too, has a greater impact on women’s heart health, yet diagnosis and treatment delays are common. Addressing this gap requires increasing awareness, training healthcare providers, and promoting early diagnostic tools,” explains Dr Srivastav.

How Can You Protect Your Heart?

A simple yet effective way to support heart health is by committing to a brisk 30-minute walk daily. Walking not only helps regulate blood pressure and manage weight but also improves circulation and reduces stress.

"Regular physical activity, paired with a heart-healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins, significantly lowers cardiovascular risks," advises Dr Srivastav.

Heart disease can often go undetected until a major event occurs, making routine screenings essential.

- For women: Begin screenings around age 30 and continue with regular checkups.

- For men: Start screenings at age 35.

Health screenings, including blood pressure checks, cholesterol tests, and electrocardiograms (ECGs), are critical for early detection of silent heart conditions.

Health authorities in Kerala have reported a positive case of Nipah virus infection in a man from Kozhikode, triggering precautionary measures across the district.

The patient tested positive in a preliminary test conducted in Kozhikode and is currently undergoing treatment at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital, officials said.

With the fresh scare, health authorities have initiated extensive contact tracing and surveillance measures to prevent any potential spread of the infection.

According to officials, the patient arrived at the hospital through the outpatient department and is believed to have interacted with several people before being identified as a suspected Nipah case.

While the initial test indicated the presence of the virus, confirmation from a specialized virology laboratory is still awaited. Despite the pending confirmatory result, the state government has activated containment protocols as a precaution. Close contacts of the patient are being identified, monitored, and assessed as part of the standard public health response.

Kerala Health Minister Says No Need for Panic

Kerala Health Minister K. Muralidharan said the patient had extensive contacts but stressed that there was no reason for panic at this stage. The minister noted that the patient had visited multiple departments of the private hospital where he first sought treatment, raising concerns about possible exposure to others.

As a precautionary measure, hospital staff who may have come into contact with the patient have been asked to undergo quarantine and monitoring.

What Is Nipah Virus?

According to the World Health Organization, Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can spread from animals to humans. It can also be transmitted through contaminated food and, in some cases, directly from person to person.

In humans, Nipah infection can range from asymptomatic illness to severe respiratory disease and fatal encephalitis (brain inflammation). The virus can also infect animals such as pigs, causing significant economic losses for farmers.

Although only a limited number of outbreaks have been reported in Asia, the virus is known for its high fatality rate and potential to cause severe disease.

How Does Nipah Spread?

• Animal-to-Human Transmission: During the first recognized outbreak in Malaysia, which also affected Singapore, most human infections were linked to direct contact with infected pigs or their contaminated tissues. Transmission was believed to occur through exposure to respiratory secretions or bodily fluids of infected animals.

• Bat-Contaminated Food: In later outbreaks in Bangladesh and India, the most likely source of infection was the consumption of fruits or fruit products—particularly raw date palm sap—contaminated by saliva or urine from infected fruit bats.

• Human-to-Human Transmission: Human-to-human transmission has also been documented, particularly among family members and healthcare workers caring for infected patients.

Nipah Virus: Symptoms

Symptoms of Nipah virus infection may include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Breathing difficulties
• Cough and sore throat
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Muscle pain
• Severe weakness
• Dizziness
• Altered consciousness in severe cases
• Encephalitis (brain inflammation)

Why Is Nipah A Concern?

Nipah virus is considered a major public health threat because of its high mortality rate, ability to spread through close contact, and the absence of a specific antiviral treatment or approved vaccine for widespread use.

Early detection, isolation of suspected cases, contact tracing, and strict infection-control measures remain the most effective tools for preventing outbreaks.

A federally commissioned study that concluded even low levels of alcohol consumption may increase the risk of disease and premature death has now been published in a scientific journal after its findings were set aside by the Trump administration.

The study, known as the Alcohol Intake and Health Study, was commissioned as part of an effort to update the United States Dietary Guidelines. Researchers concluded that consuming as little as one alcoholic drink per day could raise the risk of serious illness and mortality.

However, the report was never officially released by the administration and later became the subject of political and industry scrutiny.

Why Was the Study Not Released?

Launched in 2023, the Alcohol Intake and Health Study was overseen by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

The review aimed to inform recommendations on alcohol consumption in the next edition of the federal dietary guidelines. But soon the study garnered controversy with some members of Congress and alcohol lobby groups arguing that scientists involved in the review held anti-alcohol views, according to Stat News.

As per a House Oversight Committee report, released in January, the study was "irretrievably flawed". It recommended that federal officials disregard its findings when drafting dietary guidance.

However, researchers involved in the project argued that the findings were sidelined because they conflicted with the interests of the alcohol industry.

What Did The Study Find?

Also read: Is There A Safe Limit For Alcohol Consumption? Major Review Challenges Long-Held Beliefs

After the federal review was shelved, researchers submitted their work independently to the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, where it was published following peer review.

The published analysis concluded that even modest alcohol consumption — roughly one drink per day — is associated with increased risks of disease and death.

“These findings are not radical. They are rigorous — and commercially threatening,” wrote Robert Vincent, a former SAMHSA associate administrator for alcohol prevention and treatment policy, in an accompanying editorial.

Vincent, who helped oversee the project, lost his position during broader cuts across federal health agencies last year, the report said.

Notable, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has stated that the now published article was not the same report reviewed by the government and emphasized that it was not commissioned, approved, or cleared by SAMHSA.

Alcohol Guidance Changed

Read More: X-Men Star Tyler Mane Reveals ‘Super-Rare’ Male Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Federal officials said they reviewed a broad range of scientific evidence when updating the nation's dietary recommendations.

New dietary guidelines released in January marked a significant shift in alcohol messaging. Rather than recommending specific daily limits, the guidance now advises Americans to “consume less alcohol for better overall health.”

According to HHS, the recommendation was based on a separate scientific review rather than the SAMHSA-led report.

For the first time in 20 years, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has added bemotrizinol to the list of permitted sunscreen active ingredients.

Bemotrizinol is the first new active ingredient added to the over-the-counter (OTC) sunscreen monograph since the late 1990s and has been used for years in Europe and Asia.

“As promised in the Trump Administration’s MAHA Strategy Report, HHS is advancing innovation by bringing a new sunscreen ingredient to the US market for the first time in 20 years,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

“Bemotrizinol has been used safely in Europe for decades, and FDA’s action will increase competition and consumer confidence in sunscreen products.”

On December 11, 2025, the FDA proposed allowing the use of bemotrizinol in sunscreens. The agency finalized the action within seven months of issuing the proposed order.

Bemotrizinol is known to provide stable, long-lasting protection against both types of ultraviolet (UV) rays that can damage the skin. According to the FDA, it is also gentle enough to be used safely by young children.

What Is Bemotrizinol?

Also read: X-Men Star Tyler Mane Reveals ‘Super-Rare’ Male Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Bemotrizinol, also known as BEMT, is a chemical sunscreen filter that absorbs both UVB and UVA rays. The sun emits ultraviolet radiation, which sunscreen products are designed to block.

UVA and UVB rays affect the skin differently. UVA rays are primarily associated with tanning and skin ageing, while UVB rays are more closely linked to sunburn. UVB rays can also be partially blocked by barriers such as windows and clouds.

According to the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, about 95 per cent of the UV radiation reaching the Earth's surface is UVA, while UVB accounts for the remaining 5 per cent.

Sunscreens protect the skin either by creating a physical barrier using mineral ingredients or by using chemical filters that absorb UV radiation before it reaches the skin. Bemotrizinol belongs to the latter category.

The addition of BEMT is being welcomed by many experts because options that are both highly effective and considered safe remain limited in the US sunscreen market, according to an annual report by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit health and environmental advocacy organization.

Why Is Bemotrizinol Considered Beneficial?

Read More: Confused By Your Cholesterol Report? Here's What LDL And ApoB Really Mean

Bemotrizinol offers several characteristics that make it an effective sunscreen ingredient. It provides broad-spectrum protection against both UVA and UVB radiation and can achieve higher SPF protection at lower concentrations than some other commonly used sunscreen chemicals, according to Certified Laboratories and the FDA.

The ingredient is also photostable, meaning it breaks down more slowly when exposed to sunlight, helping maintain protection for longer periods. Because it is oil-soluble, it can be easily incorporated into creams and lotions.

In addition, bemotrizinol is minimally absorbed through the skin and rarely causes irritation, which is one reason the FDA considers it safe for use in children as young as six months old.

Bemotrizinol Added to OTC

Meanwhile, DSM Nutritional Products, a manufacturer submitted an OTC monograph order request seeking to add bemotrizinol, marketed as Parsol Shield, at concentrations of up to 6 per cent as a new active ingredient in the OTC sunscreen monograph.

“The FDA reviewed the request and proposed to amend the OTC monograph to add bemotrizinol as a sunscreen active ingredient,” the agency said in its announcement.

In December 2025, DSM had announced that, once approved, Parsol Shield would be available for use in sunscreen products in accordance with the monograph requirements.

According to the FDA, OTC monograph drugs such as sunscreens can enter the market without an approved drug application if they meet specific requirements, including permitted active ingredients, uses and dosage limits established under the monograph.

The FDA can modify an OTC monograph through an administrative order, and manufacturers can initiate the process by submitting an OTC monograph order request.