Health
The NHS, medicines and public health in the UK, based on what the health departments, NHS bodies and medicines regulators put on the record.
Zinc may shorten colds – with a catch
A 2024 Cochrane review found zinc supplements made little or no difference to the risk of catching a cold, and said taking zinc as a treatment probably increased the…
The odd ice craving that can be a sign of low iron
The NHS lists it alongside a sore tongue, hair loss and spoon-shaped nails among the less common symptoms that can accompany the condition’s more familiar tiredness and…
Researchers explain why bacterial vaginosis keeps coming back
A Monash University and Melbourne Sexual Health Centre study found two separate pathways behind repeat infections — re-infection and bacteria that survive the first…
Fish oil pills linked to higher heart-rhythm risk in healthy adults
The same UK Biobank study found a different pattern in people who already had heart or circulatory disease when it began: for them, regular fish oil users had a lower…
What magnesium does – and the claims the evidence doesn’t back
What magnesium does for muscles, nerves and bones is well supported, but a Cochrane review found it unlikely to stop cramps, and sleep evidence is still limited.
How many steps a day the evidence actually supports
A review of ten systematic studies covering more than 128,000 adults found the lowest risk of death sat at 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day for people under 60, and 6,000 to…
The sleep positions people with back pain avoid most
A survey of 375 people with long-term low back pain found side-lying was the position most of them preferred, even though it was linked to higher disability scores than…
The breathing technique that takes just five minutes
A slow, belly-deep breathing pattern that can be done sitting, standing or lying down is one of the self-help steps the NHS lists for stress, anxiety and panic…
How much water a day the evidence actually supports
The familiar advice to drink eight glasses of water a day is not a scientific target but a rough guide, and the amount a person actually needs depends on their age, sex…
Coffee and tea linked to lower rate of dementia
Almost 57 million people were living with dementia worldwide in 2021, according to the World Health Organization.
What protein at breakfast does to appetite
Researchers who compared high-protein and low-protein breakfasts found the protein version left people less hungry within hours, though it did not change how much they…
NHS trust removes 10 staff over Noah Woods data breach
The trust has also reported the matter to the Information Commissioner’s Office.
How long a nap should really last
Naps of more than an hour have been linked to faster cognitive decline and disrupted night-time sleep, although much of the evidence is observational.
The gut health advice that has evidence behind it
Most people in the UK eat around 20g of fibre a day or less, against the 30g adults are advised to eat, the British Nutrition Foundation says.
Aiming for 10,000 steps? The benefit starts below 4,000
The 10,000 figure goes back to a Japanese device made in 1965, Harvard researcher Dr I-Min Lee found.
What happens to the body after a month off alcohol
Stopping suddenly can be very dangerous for anyone who is dependent on alcohol, the NHS warns.
Everyday habits that can help lower blood pressure
A reading of 140 over 90 or higher counts as high blood pressure, according to the World Health Organization.
What vitamin D supplements do – and don’t do
Vitamin D helps control the calcium and phosphate the body needs for healthy bones, teeth and muscles, the NHS says.
Once or twice a week: the exercise that can cut heart risk
The NHS counts 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week as giving similar health benefits to 150 minutes of moderate activity.
Six to eight cups – and it does not have to be water
Most people should aim to drink enough during the day for their urine to be a clear pale yellow colour, the NHS says.
The walk after meals that lowers blood sugar
Most of the walking in the studies reviewed lasted between 20 and 60 minutes, at a moderate pace.
What screen time before bed does to sleep
Even the type of screen can matter: e-readers such as the Kindle give off blue light, but less of it than other devices, the Sleep Foundation says.
Scotland’s drug deaths rise to 1,133, driven by men
Scotland has a higher rate of drug-induced deaths than any country reported by the European Union Drugs Agency, with cocaine now implicated in more than half of all…
Five foods linked to a better memory
There is no magic pill for a sharp brain with age, Harvard Health Publishing says – what matters most is the overall pattern of eating, not any single item.
Six things that help you sleep
The Sleep Foundation says it is best to talk to a doctor about sleeping problems that are severe or long-lasting, or about sleepiness that lasts through the day.
Every A&E in England gets Martha’s Rule helpline
The phased rollout is due to be completed by March 2028, NHS England said.
Borrowed genes may explain deadly Kent meningitis outbreak
The same changes that made the strain so dangerous may also explain why it has not continued to spread since the outbreak was brought under control, UKHSA said.
Hoist misuse ‘can be devastating’, UK regulator warns
The alert updates guidance first issued in 2014 and 2015, after investigations consistently found similar factors behind incidents, the agency said.
NHS trust in England to decide future of breast care review
County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust has apologised again to patients harmed by failings in its breast services, ahead of a board meeting on the scope of…
Breast cancer drug approved for NHS in England
Around 1,000 people with HER2-low advanced breast cancer can now be offered Enhertu, NICE said, after a new price agreement with its manufacturers ended years of delay.
FSA plans new scrutiny of England’s biggest retailers
The 10 national retailers that sell more than 97% of food bought in shops would face new national oversight in England, the Food Standards Agency said.
Judge to chair inquiry into England NHS trust failings
His Honour Judge John Potter, a retired circuit judge, will chair the public inquiry into failings at the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, which formally…
