"A blood test has been developed that could help target treatment for men with advanced prostate cancer," BBC News reports. The test could help identify men unlikely to respond to drugs such as enzalutamide. Enzalutamide and abiraterone are additional treatments for men for whom standard hormonal treatment has not worked, or has stopped working. Treatment
"Gluten-free diet can do more harm than good for people without coeliac disease," The Independent reports, as a new study found that the "trendy gluten-free diets loved by Gwyneth Paltrow and Russell Crowe may increase the risk of heart disease". Gluten is a protein found in grains such as wheat, barley and rye. In people
"Side effects from statins ‘really are all in the mind’," The Times reports. A new study found people taking statins were more likely to report side effects, such as muscle aches, but only if they knew they were taking the drug. The researchers said this demonstrates the so-called "nocebo effect", the opposite of the placebo effect, where people
"Fasting diets do not make much difference to weight loss compared to a traditional calorie-controlled diet," The Daily Telegraph reports. A study found people on an "every other day" diet (where they restricted their calorie intake to around 500 calories every other day) lost no more weight than those on a normal diet plan. The
"Smoking in pregnancy hurts your grandkids by ‘increasing their risk of autism’," The Sun brashly reports. Researchers looked at data spanning multiple generations and reported a link between girls with autism symptoms and having a maternal grandmother who smoked. They looked at data from more than 14,000 children, which included autism-related behavioural traits, such as poor social
"Why Oktoberfest could be damaging your heart" is the somewhat strange headline in The Times. Researchers who attended the annual Bavarian beer and folk festival found binge drinkers were more likely to have abnormal heart rhythm patterns. This could be of potential concern – in extreme cases, abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) can trigger serious complications,
"It might be possible to treat the main cause of permanent blindness before people notice any loss of vision," BBC News report. A proof of concept study of early testing for glaucoma – the most common cause of sight loss – had promising results. In glaucoma, the light-sensitive cells of the retinal nerve die, usually
"Doing moderate exercise several times a week is the best way to keep the mind sharp if you’re over 50," BBC News reports. A review of existing data found both aerobic exercise and strength training appeared to improve cognitive functions, such as memory, attention, and how well people carry out tasks. The review brought together information
"Drinking up to four cups of coffee a day carries no health risk, experts say. Scientists said those who stick to that limit have no need to worry," reports The Sun. This was based on a review of studies that looked at the effects of caffeine on health. The researchers specifically investigated the effect of having
"Regular bedtimes make children less likely to be obese as adults," is the slightly misleading Mail Online headline. This follows a study looking at the link between household routines in early childhood and obesity at age 11. Researchers analysed data about children in the UK that had been collected as part of a previous large study
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