Credits: Canva
An experimental treatment happens to be the solution to delay Alzheimer's symptoms in some people. These people are the ones who are genetically destined to get the disease in their 40s or 50s. These new findings form ongoing research has now been caught up in Trump administration funding delas. The early results of the study has been published on Wednesday and the participants too are worried that politics could cut their access to a possible lifeline.
One of the participants had said, "It is still a study but it has given me an extension to my life that I never banked on having." The participant is named Jake Henrichs, form New York City, who is 50 years old. He is one of them to be treated in that study for more than a decade now and has remained symptom-free despite inheriting an Alzheimer's-causing gene that had killed his father and brother around the same age.
Two drugs which can modestly slow down early-stage Alzheimer's are sold in the United States. These drugs clear the brain of one of its hallmarks, a sticky gunk-like part called the amyloid. However, there have not been any hints that removing amyloid far earlier, way many years before the first symptoms appear, may postpone the disease.
The research is led by Washington University in St Louis, which involved families that passed down rare gene mutation as participants. This meant it was almost guaranteed that they will develop symptoms at the same age their affected relatives did.
The new findings is based on a subset of 22 participants who received amyloid-removing drugs the longest, on average eight years. Long-term amyloid removal cut in half their risk of symptom onset. The study is published in the journal Lancet Neurology.
Washington University's Dr Randall Bateman, who directs the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer's Network of studies involving families with these rare genes says, "What we want to determine over the next five years is how strong is the protection. Will they ever get the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease if we keep treating them?”
The researchers before though did not know what exactly caused Alzheimer's which affects nearly 7 million Americans, most of them in their later life. However, it is clear that these silent changes occur in the brain at least two decades before the first symptom shows up. The big contributor. At some point amyloid buildup can trigger a protein named tau that then starts to kill neurons, which can lead to cognitive decline.
Researchers are now thus studying the Tau-fighting drugs and are looking into other factors, like inflammation, brain's immune cells and certain virus.
The National Institute of Health (NIH) has expanded its focus as researchers have found more reasons for Alzheimer's. In 2013, the NIH's National Institute on Aging funded 14 trials of possible Alzheimer's drugs over a third targeting amyloid. By last fall, there were 68 drugs and 18% of them target amyloid. However, there are scientists too who think that amyloid is not everything and their is way more in the brain tissue, immune cells, and more which can be studied.
Credit: AI
Toronto Public Health is investigating a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak near the downtown core after six confirmed cases were identified among people who live, work or recently visited the area.
The cases are clustered within roughly a one-kilometre radius of Bathurst Street and Dupont Street, with patients developing symptoms between July 2 and July 26, according to Toronto Public Health. Officials are now carrying out environmental inspections and collecting samples to determine where the Legionella bacteria may have come from.
The source has not been identified yet, and Toronto Public Health said the overall risk to the public remains low because Legionnaires’ disease generally does not spread from person to person.
Investigators believe this could be one of the possibilities but no source has been confirmed yet. Toronto Public Health is conducting on-site inspections to identify potential sources. Precautionary control measures have already been implemented.
Officials are also investigating whether the current cluster could be connected to an earlier outbreak at Castleview Wychwood Towers, a nearby long-term care facility where five cases were confirmed in July.
The possibility of a building water system is particularly relevant because Legionella grows more easily in warm, stagnant water, especially when disinfectant levels are inadequate or systems contain biofilm and sediment.
The current investigation comes against a broader increase in legionellosis in Ontario. Public Health Ontario reported 94 laboratory-confirmed cases between January 1 and June 16, 2026. Of these, 35 were linked to a cluster or outbreak, compared with an average of just 3.6 outbreak-associated cases during the same period from 2021 to 2025.
The province also recorded an earlier-than-expected increase in cases in April, when the rate was 1.8 times higher than the average for the previous five years.
For Toronto residents, however, health officials are stressing that the current investigation does not mean there is a widespread public health emergency.
Also read: Legionnaire’s Disease Outbreak Kills 2 And Sickens 58 In New York City- Know Symptoms And Risk
The bacteria become a health concern when they multiply in human-made water systems. These can include cooling towers, large plumbing systems, hot tubs, showers, humidifiers and decorative fountains.
People can become infected by breathing in tiny droplets or vapour containing the bacteria. Drinking contaminated water is not considered the usual route of infection, and people generally do not catch Legionnaires’ disease simply by being around someone who has it.
Most healthy people exposed to Legionella do not develop severe disease. However, the risk of serious illness is higher among:
Symptoms can include fever, cough, shortness of breath and muscle aches, and the infection can become severe enough to require hospitalisation. Legionnaires’ disease can also be fatal, particularly in vulnerable people.
Credit: AI Image
Amid increasing uptake of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy, FMCG major Nestlé has realigned its nutritional drinks to meet the changing nutritional needs of users.
The company has announced plans to roll out new protein drinks designed for people taking GLP-1 weight-loss medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy in the US, Asia and Australia. Since these drugs curb appetite and can contribute to issues such as muscle loss and “Ozempic face,” Nestlé wants to help users stay healthy while their eating habits change, Reuters reported.
To better understand their nutritional needs, Nestlé is using AI to study clinical research and real-world consumer needs. It is also expanding its high-protein offerings to support muscle health, along with collagen-added products in its Vital Proteins line for skin and hair.
Also read: World Prediabetes Day: Can ‘Food Noise’ Affect Blood Sugar And Weight?
The number of people using GLP-1 drugs is growing rapidly, with about 16 million Americans currently taking the medications for weight loss. Globally, use remains much smaller than the potential eligible population, with access and affordability still major barriers.
But do GLP-1 users need more protein?
Dr. Navin Gnanasekaran, Longevity Physician, Apollo Hospitals, told HealthandMe that for individuals on GLP-1 receptor agonists, rapid weight loss can lead to a significant reduction in both fat and lean muscle mass. Alarmingly, up to 30-40% of the total weight lost can be muscle.
“Prioritizing protein intake and structured resistance training is absolutely critical to counteract this muscle depletion,” he said.
Read More:GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro Tied To Over 60 Reported Deaths In Australia
Dr. Navin said that a daily intake of at least 1.0 to 1.5 grams of high-quality protein per kilogram of body weight is recommended. Lean meats, eggs, dairy and plant-based proteins can help meet these needs.
He also recommended strength training to preserve muscle tissue. Together, adequate protein and resistance training can help support muscle mass and maintain the basal metabolic rate (BMR), which may help prevent weight regain.
Dr. Praveen Gupta, Chairman, Marengo Asia International Institute of Neuro and Spine (MAIINS), Marengo Asia Hospitals, told HealthandMe that a large number of people in India eat vegetarian diets that are already low in B12, iron and vitamin D. These nutritional gaps can quietly widen when food intake is reduced with GLP-1 drugs.
For people following vegetarian diets, familiar kitchen staples such as paneer, dal, soya chunks, hung curd, sprouts and eggs, spread across the day, can help meet protein targets without animal meat.
Dr. Praveen said these drugs work by slowing digestion and dialing down “food noise” — the constant mental chatter around eating — which naturally cuts how much a person consumes, sometimes by half.
GLP-1 receptors are located not just in the gut but throughout the central nervous system, including regions such as the hypothalamus and hippocampus that receive direct input from GLP-1-producing neurons in the hindbrain. This is part of why appetite suppression can be so powerful: the drugs act on the brain’s hunger circuitry, in addition to slowing digestion.
The overall appetite suppression caused by these medications can increase the risk of vitamin deficiencies. Constipation is also a common GLP-1 side effect due to decreased dietary fiber intake.
Good hydration, planned nutrient-dense meals and adequate fiber can help offset these effects.
Routine monitoring of essential micronutrients, particularly vitamin D, B12 and iron, is highly advised to ensure patients achieve sustainable, healthy weight loss without compromising their long-term nutritional well-being.
Credit: AI Image
Liver injuries reported to US poison centres increased by nearly 400% between 2000 and 2024, with acetaminophen, sold under brand names such as Tylenol, the most frequently implicated substance, according to a study.
The study analysed poison-centre calls involving liver injuries linked to “xenobiotics”—foreign substances not naturally found in the human body. These include medications, food additives, alcohol and environmental pollutants.
Also read:‘Entirely Unverified Retatrutide’ Being Sold on Black Market: Lilly Sues 6 US Companies
Researchers identified 220,160 cases of xenobiotic-related liver injury over the 24 years. Population-adjusted exposure rates increased from 10.9 per million people to 52.9 per million.
More than 80% of the liver injury cases required inpatient care, with medications accounting for the majority of cases. Acetaminophen was the substance most frequently implicated.
“Liver injuries reported to poison centers have increased substantially over the past 25 years, with acetaminophen emerging as a growing contributor,” said Christopher P. Holstege of UVA Health.
The study found that exposures involving acetaminophen-containing combination drugs decreased by 60%-85% after the US Food and Drug Administration capped the amount of acetaminophen allowed in combination prescription products.
However, potentially harmful exposures to acetaminophen alone increased steadily over the 24 years. The findings suggest that regulatory action reduced liver injuries linked to combination products, while acetaminophen alone remained a leading contributor to poison-centre-reported liver injuries.
Females had higher rates of acetaminophen-associated liver injury than males. Suspected suicide was the most common reason for exposure in both sexes.
Read More: What Trump’s Childhood Vaccine Order Means: When Will It Take Effect?
Alcohol was the second most common cause of liver injuries, although it was far less common than acetaminophen. Alcohol-related injuries were more frequent in men than women but increased in both sexes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Researchers also identified increases in liver injuries linked to stimulants and street drugs, herbal and dietary supplements, and environmental toxins. However, these were much less common than injuries associated with acetaminophen and alcohol.
“Medications should always be taken as directed by clinicians and per pharmaceutical label instructions,” Holstege said. He also advised caution with emerging substances that are not regulated.
"Acetaminophen is widely available without a prescription, and it’s contained in many combination medications — more than 600. It’s likely that many people taking acetaminophen do not realize they’re taking too much since, for example, you take acetaminophen tablets for the achy feeling that comes with a cold and also use a combination cough medicine that contains acetaminophen," Howard E. LeWine, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health said.
The debate has also triggered legal action, as Texas sued Kenvue over alleged failures to warn pregnant consumers, and a US appeals court this month revived more than 500 private lawsuits making similar claims.
© 2024 Bennett, Coleman & Company Limited