Low levels of testosterone in men can lead to erectile dysfunction, reduced bone mass, and a diminished sex drive. A new study has found a link between low-fat diets and low serum testosterone levels in men.

Participants in the study included 3,128 men who took part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. All of them had completed a 2-day dietary history and had had their serum testosterone levels measured. The participants were placed into one of three categories based on their diet: low-fat, Mediterranean, or nonrestrictive.

The researchers found that participants who followed a low-fat or Mediterranean diet tended to have lower testosterone levels than those who followed a nonrestrictive diet. The average testosterone level for men in the nonrestrictive group was 435 ng/dl. The average for the low-fat group was 410.8 ng/dl and the average for the Mediterranean diet group was 412.9 ng/dl. These findings held after factoring in age, BMI, exercise habits, and medical history.

The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Chicago Medicine. It was published in the February, 2020 edition of The Journal of Urology.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that approximately 13.7% of adults in the US smoke cigarettes on a regular basis. Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the US. A recent report has found that sadness plays the strongest role in triggering addictive behavior in regard to cigarette smoking, compared to other emotions.

For their study, the researchers conducted four interconnected studies. The first study involved looking at data from a national survey that included 10,685 participants. Analysis of the data showed that sadness was an accurate predictor of current smoking status as well as of relapsing 20 years later. Other negative emotions such as fear, anger, and shame were not reliable predictors.

The second study sought to determine if sadness causes people to smoke or if negative life events cause sadness and smoking. The researchers found that people had a higher craving for cigarettes when they were sad, compared to when they felt neutral or felt disgust.

The third and fourth studies measured whether sadness increased a person’s impatience for a cigarette. Participants’ impatience for a cigarette was increased by feelings of sadness, compared to neutral feelings. Sadness also increased the volume and duration of cigarette puffs inhaled.

The study was conducted by researchers from Harvard University. It was published online ahead of print on December 30, 2019 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Previous research suggests that unless Americans adopt healthier eating habits, approximately 50% of the country will be obese in 10 years. In addition, approximately 25% will be severely obese. According to a new study, an increase in consumption of ultra-processed foods is one of the main mechanisms driving the rising rates of obesity.

Researchers from the George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences looked at food trends in the United States to determine why obesity rates are rising. They found that Americans are consuming increasingly more ultra-processed foods because they are cheaper and more convenient. However, they are also typically high in salt, sugar, fat, additives, and preservatives.

The foods identified as most associated with weight gain include potato chips, sugar sweetened beverages, sweets and desserts, refined grains, red meats, and processed meats. The rise in obesity was found to be correlated with a rise in metabolic syndrome and chronic diseases.

When the researchers looked at the diets of populations with low rates of obesity, they found that they tend to be high in fiber, low in red meat, and low in processed foods.

The study was published online ahead of print on November 30, 2019 in the journalCurrent Treatment Options in Gastroenterology.

End-stage kidney disease (ESKD) is the last stage of chronic kidney disease. During ESKD, the kidneys can no longer support the body’s needs. According to a new study, cardiovascular diseases, including heart failure, atrial fibrillation, coronary heart disease, and stroke, are associated with an increased risk of developing ESKD.

For their study, researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health used data from 9,047 individuals who participated in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study. None of the participants had cardiovascular disease at the beginning of the study. The participants were followed for an average of 17.5 years, and all incidences of cardiovascular disease and ESKD were recorded.

The researchers found that incidences of major cardiovascular disease were associated with a higher risk of ESKD. The highest risk was seen in incidences of heart failure, with an 11.4 higher risk compared to participants without cardiovascular disease. Risk was also higher for incidences of coronary heart disease, atrial fibrillation, and stroke.

The study was published in the January, 2020 edition of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that occurs when a person’s breathing is interrupted during sleep. Symptoms include snoring and breathing pauses or choking during sleep. A recent study has found that reducing tongue fat may help improve sleep apnea symptoms in obese people.

Participants in the study included 67 adults who were obese and had mild to severe obstructive sleep apnea. They underwent a 6-month weight loss intervention, during which they lost approximately 10% of their body fat. They also underwent sleep studies before and after the weight loss intervention. In addition, they were given MRIs of the pharynx and abdomen before and after the weight loss intervention. The MRIs were used to measure airway sizes and soft tissue, tongue fat, and abdominal fat volumes.

Following the weight loss intervention, participants’ sleep apnea scores improved by an average of 31%. The researchers found that reductions in tongue fat were the primary mechanism behind improvements in the sleep apnea scores. Reductions in the volumes of the jaw muscle that controls chewing and the muscles on the sides of the airway also contributed to the improved sleep apnea scores, but to a lesser extent than the reductions in tongue fat.

The study was conducted by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. It was published online ahead of print on January 10, 2020 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

Atherosclerosis is a disease in which plaque builds up inside your arteries and can lead to a heart attack or stroke. A new study suggests that drinking tea three or more times per week may help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, and increase longevity.

For their study, the researchers used data from the Prediction for ASCVD Risk in China project that included 100,902 adults. None of the participants had a history of heart attack, stroke, or cancer at baseline. Tea consumption information was gathered via questionnaires, and participants were classified as habitual tea drinkers (three or more times per week) or non-habitual tea drinkers (less than three times per week). They were followed for an average of 7.3 years.

Habitual tea drinkers were found to have a 20% lower risk of heart disease and stroke, a 22% lower risk of fatal heart disease and stroke, and a 15% lower risk of all-cause mortality, compared to non-habitual tea drinkers. In addition, habitual tea drinkers had 1.41 more years of being free from heart disease and stroke, and 1.26 years of longer life expectancy at the age of 50, compared to non-habitual tea drinkers.

The researchers also looked at the effect of changes in tea consumption over time by following a subset of 14,081 participants for an additional 13 years. Participants who maintained their habitual tea drinker status had a 39% lower risk of heart disease and stroke, a 56% lower risk of heart disease and stroke, and a 29% lower risk of all-cause mortality, compared to consistent non-habitual tea drinkers.

The study was conducted by researchers from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. It was published online ahead of print on January 8, 2020 in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

Grey matter is found in areas of the brain that are involved in muscle control, sensory perception, memory, emotions, speech, decision making, and self-control. According to a recent study, cardiorespiratory exercise may help increase the volume of grey matter in the brain, especially as we age.

Participants in the study included 2,103 adults with an average age of 52. Their cardiorespiratory fitness was measured using peak oxygen uptake during a bicycle ergometer test. MRI’s of the brain were taken to measure grey matter volume, white matter volume, and total brain volume.

The researchers found that higher cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with higher grey matter volume and total brain volume. The higher grey matter volume was found in areas of the brain that are primarily involved in cognitive function. The association between cardiorespiratory fitness and higher grey matter volume was strongest in particpants 45 years or older. No association was found between cardiorespiratory fitness and white matter volume.

The study was conducted by researchers from the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases. It was published in the January, 2020 edition of the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

Nutritional psychology is the science of how food, and the nutrients in them, affect mood and behavior. A recent study looked at the evidence regarding direct relationships between food and mental health and found that diet may effect mental health.

Researchers from the University of Gothenburg and the University Medical Centre Groningen reviewed 13 studies that looked at the link between nutrition and mental health. They found that a diet high in fruit, vegetables, fish, and whole grains was associated with a reduced likelihood of depression.

They also reviewed 41 studies that looked at the association between depression and anxiety and the Meditarranean diet. They found that following the Mediterranean diet provides some protection against depression and anxiety. The Mediterranean diet is high in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, fish, and olive oil and low in red meat.

The study was published online ahead of print on November 14, 2019 in the journal  European Neuropsychopharmacology.

Echinacea has been used for hundreds of years as an herbal remedy for sore throats, coughs, and the common cold. A recent study suggests that it may help improve anxiety in adults.

Sixty-four adults participated in the study. All had scored above 45 on the State Trait Anxiety Inventory. Half the participants took 80 mg daily of Echinacea root extract for 7 days and the other half took a placebo, followed by a 3-week washout period. Participants were administered the State Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Beck Depression Inventory and the Perceived Stress Scale at baseline, 7 days, and after the 3-week washout period.

Participants in the Echinacea group saw an average 11-point decrease in their state anxiety scores, compared to a 3-point decrease in the placebo group. The decrease held throughout the washout period. Participants with high baseline anxiety also saw a decrease in their trait anxiety scores, compared to the placebo group. No changes were seen in depression or stress.

The study was conducted by researchers from the Institute of Experimental Medicine in Budapest. It was published online ahead of print on December 25, 2019 in the journal Phytotherapy Research.

Bone mass loss is a condition known as osteopenia. Osteopenia can progress to osteoporosis, which is characterized by reduced bone mineral density, weakness of the bone, and an increased rate of bone loss. A recent study has found that exposure to air pollution may increase the risk of low bone mineral density.

Data used in the study came from the Andhra Pradesh Children and Parents Study cohort, which included 3,717 participants with an average age of 37. The researchers measured bone density, bone area, and bone mass at the lumbar spine and the left hip. They used a model to estimate outdoor exposure to air pollution caused by fine particulate matter and black carbon.

The researchers found that exposure to both fine particulate matter and black carbon were associated with lower bone mineral density in both the spine and hip. Greater reductions were seen in the spine compared to the hip.

The study was conducted by researchers from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health. It was published on January 3, 2020 in the journal Jama Network Open.