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How one antibiotic dose can reshape your gut microbiome for years

Long-term registry-linked analysis of nearly 15,000 adults shows that antibiotic use is associated with persistent changes in gut microbiome diversity and composition for up to 4–8 years. These effects vary by antibiotic class, with clindamycin, fluoroquinolones, and flucloxacillin showing the strongest and most sustained associations.

17 Mar 2026

Yogurt, cheese, and chocolate consumption is tied to reduced mortality risk, researchers report

A large meta-analysis of 50 cohort studies involving over three million adults found that higher consumption of certain fermented foods is associated with lower risks of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Fermented milk products also showed inverse associations with cancer mortality, while other foods like miso and bread showed no consistent effects.

17 Mar 2026

Scientists turn plastic waste into Parkinson’s drug levodopa using engineered bacteria

Researchers engineered a two-strain microbial system that converts PET-derived terephthalic acid into levodopa, overcoming key bottlenecks in transport and enzyme inhibition. The proof-of-concept process achieves high yields under mild conditions and demonstrates a potential route for upcycling plastic waste into valuable pharmaceuticals.

17 Mar 2026

Researchers show how smartwatches can help identify insulin resistance

Researchers developed a scalable framework that predicts insulin resistance using wearable-device signals, routine blood biomarkers, and demographic data, with stronger performance when these data streams were combined. The study also introduced an AI agent to explain insulin resistance risk, interpret results, and support earlier metabolic risk screening.

17 Mar 2026

Study uncovers how tuberculosis bacteria fuel themselves during infection

Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have uncovered how the bacteria that causes tuberculosis fuels itself during infection, providing new insights into one of the world's deadliest infectious diseases.

17 Mar 2026

New CAR-T cell therapy shows promise for treating osteosarcoma

Finding an effective treatment for osteosarcoma, the most common type of bone cancer in children and young adults, has puzzled medical researchers for 40 years.

17 Mar 2026

Early-life PFAS exposure may hinder adolescent bone development

Early-life exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may influence how children's bones develop during adolescence, according to new research published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society.

17 Mar 2026

Activating hypoxia signaling improves metabolism and bone health

Obesity is widely known for increasing the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, but its damaging effects on the skeleton are often overlooked. Excess body fat can disrupt bone metabolism, weaken bone quality, and impair fracture repair.

17 Mar 2026

Blood pressure readings may help identify future dementia risk

Measures of blood vessel health derived from routine blood pressure readings may help identify adults at increased risk for dementia, according to research being presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26).

17 Mar 2026

Ultra-processed food consumption associated with increased risk for heart disease

People who consumed over nine servings of ultra-processed foods per day on average were 67% more likely to suffer a major cardiac event than people consuming about one serving of such foods per day, in a study being presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26).

17 Mar 2026

Shingles vaccine linked to lower risk of serious cardiac events

People with heart disease who received a shingles vaccine had nearly half the rate of serious cardiac events a year later compared with those who did not get the vaccine, according to a study being presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26).

17 Mar 2026

Swedish study reveals COVID-19 may increase glandular fever risk

Even individuals who did not become seriously ill with COVID-19 may have developed a weakened immune system that could lead to serious illnesses in the future.

17 Mar 2026

Researchers identify CD99L2 gene as a cause of spastic ataxia

Despite modern high-throughput sequencing, the genetic cause of most rare movement disorders remains unclear.

17 Mar 2026

Exercise cuts 'chemo brain' and fatigue in cancer patients

Implementing a simple exercise plan during chemotherapy may ease cognitive impairment and fatigue, promoting better health outcomes for cancer patients.

17 Mar 2026

Biodegradable sanitary pads made from water hyacinth pass safety and absorbency tests in new study

Researchers developed a biodegradable sanitary pad using water hyacinth fibers and cotton, transforming an invasive aquatic weed into a sustainable absorbent material. Laboratory tests showed strong fluid absorption, safe pH levels, low microbial contamination, and rapid biodegradation.

17 Mar 2026

Teen driving risks underestimated by parents despite safety concerns

Motor vehicle crashes remain a leading cause of death for teens and young adults, yet many families may underestimate the risks close to home, suggests a new national poll.

16 Mar 2026

Study reveals limitations of large language models in medical diagnostics

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming healthcare. AI systems can now detect diabetic eye disease from retinal photos and analyze CT images for signs of early-stage lung cancers and stroke.

16 Mar 2026

New study links storytelling to evolution of human memory

New research from the University of Mississippi suggests that telling stories – from ancient campfire tales to modern-day digital communication – may be tied to how human memory evolved.

16 Mar 2026

Climate policy tradeoffs may reduce air quality gains and global health outcomes

A new study published in The Lancet Global Health reveals a previously underappreciated tension at the heart of international climate negotiations: policies designed to protect developing countries from bearing an unfair share of the cost of cutting carbon emissions could inadvertently deprive those same countries of millions of life-saving air quality improvements.

16 Mar 2026

Routine care gap leaves metabolic acidosis undetected in chronic kidney disease

A Japanese registry has identified a blind spot in the routine care of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Serum bicarbonate levels are rarely measured, leaving metabolic acidosis largely undetected and hence, undertreated.

16 Mar 2026