Health News & Info

Why do some people get headaches from drinking red wine? A red wine may pair nicely with the upcoming Christmas meal. But for some people, drinking red wine even in small amounts causes a headache. Typically, a "red wine headache" can occur within 30 minutes to three hours after drinking as little as a small glass of wine. What in wine causes headaches?In a new study, scientists at the University of California, Davis, examined why this happens -- even to people who don't get headaches when drinking small amounts of other alcoholic beverages. Researchers think that a flavanol found naturally...

Two probiotics identified as promising high blood pressure, or hypertension, treatments. An estimated 40% of the global adult population have high blood pressure, or hypertension, which puts people at risk of cardiovascular disease and other dangerous health conditions. Recent studies suggest that probiotics may offer a protective effect, but researchers have a limited understanding of why shaping the gut microbiota can regulate blood pressure. A study published recently in mSystems specifies two strains of probiotics to the list of potential antihypertensive probiotics. In experiments on hypertensive mice, treatment with these two probiotics, Bifidobacterium lactis and Lactobacillus rhamnosus, returned blood pressure to normal levels. These probiotics are...

As evidence of a link grows, people with depression, anxiety and more may want to get tested and eat iron-rich foods or take supplements. Most people these days understand that mental health issues have their roots in physical differences in our brains, genes and bodies, and differences in our life experiences. But what you eat, and how your body uses the nutrients in your food, also matters to mental health. A growing amount of research suggests that one key nutrient – iron – plays an important role, and that having too little of it can affect mental health symptoms. Yet...

Taking a daily multivitamin supplement can slow age-related memory decline, finds a large study led by researchers at Columbia University and Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard. “Cognitive aging is a top health concern for older adults, and this study suggests that there may be a simple, inexpensive way to help older adults slow down memory decline,” says study leader Adam M. Brickman, PhD, professor of neuropsychology at Columbia University. Many older people take vitamins or dietary supplements under the assumption that they will help maintain general health. But studies that have tested whether they improve memory and brain function have been...