More than a decade ago there was a fashion among the parents of newborn babies to save blood from theplacenta containing stem cells as insurance against the child developing a serious illness later. Companies solicited new parents, offering to provide … Read More
Brit study shows Covid symptoms develop very fast – after two days from virus contact
British scientists have completed a world-beating challenge study on Covid. So, what is a challenge study? It allows doctors to observe healthy people with Covid throughout the whole infection, something that’s not possible with Covid patients. In the study, 36 … Read More
Vital blood sugar breakthrough could help diabetic patients
We’ve known for some time that there’s a link between high blood pressure and high blood sugar – which can lead to diabetes – but we couldn’t figure out why. The puzzle has finally been solved by an international team led by the universities … Read More
Innovative friendship scheme could give older people a new lease of life
Most of us would benefit from having a ‘buddy’ to help us achieve something we’d find hard to do on our own. Twenty years ago I did a charity cycle challenge through Jordan, Egypt and Israel. If I hadn’t had … Read More
Clever new test to measure a woman’s future cancer risk would be a game-changer
Stopping cancer before it starts would be a game-changer. And researchers at University College London are hoping to do just that, with a clever new test that could measure a woman’s future cancer risk. From a single sample taken during routine cervical … Read More
Piling on the pounds is crippling your kidneys but weight loss could reverse issues
The nation is out of shape, with two-thirds of adults either overweight or obese. And as waists have expanded over the years, we are gradually learning the full – and sometimes shocking – impact on the health of the body. … Read More
Talking therapy is improving mental health of people with diabetes and heart issues
Mental illness can often occur alongside chronic conditions such as heart and lung problems, diabetes and arthritis. This strikes me as understandable given the poor quality of the lives of the sufferers and we should be seeking ways to sort … Read More
There are two blood proteins that could hold the key to a long, healthy life
For years, I’ve followed the research on ageing that seeks to slow down the process. So are we any closer to achieving what could be the Holy Grail of medicine? Studies from Edinburgh University investigating which proteins could influence how … Read More
Drinking beetroot juice regularly could help us avoid dementia as we get older
How brains age and why people develop dementia is still a mystery. But there’s some exciting research that’s hoping to shed light on it – and how beetroot could boost our grey matter. More than 25,000 people aged over 40 have already … Read More
There’s massive demand for safe ways to get molecules into the brain to treat diseases
There’s no better way to describe the brain research going on at King’s College and Imperial College London than “epic”. To get the gist, here’s a little anatomy. The brain is protected by the blood-brain barrier. Whereas the skull guards against physical … Read More