Health

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Olive oil has long been shown to benefit heart health, but a new Spanish study from Universitat Rovira i Virgili revealed that extra virgin olive oil may also protect brain health.The study found that people who consumed virgin olive oil — rather than refined olive oil — had improved cognitive function and greater diversity in the gut biome, which the researchers claim is an "important marker of intestinal and metabolic health.""This is the first prospective study in humans to specifically analyze the role of olive oil in the interaction between gut microbiota and cognitive function," lead study author Jiaqi Ni, researcher at the URV’s Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology in Spain, said in a press release.The study used two years of...

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Older adults classified as "SuperAgers" generate at least twice as many neurons in the hippocampus than their typical aging peers, a new study has revealed.These findings, released on Wednesday by the University of Illinois Chicago and Northwestern University, could help explain why SuperAgers have exceptional memory and cognitive resilience even well past 80 years old.Northwestern has been studying SuperAgers for decades, defining them as "extraordinary individuals aged 80 and above whose memory performance rivals that of people three decades younger." The researchers use special memory recall tests to make this determination.In this study, they analyzed post-mortem brain tissue — nearly 356,000 individual cell nuclei — with a focus on the...

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Nearsightedness (myopia) is skyrocketing globally, with nearly half of the world’s population expected to be myopic by 2050, according to the World Health Organization.Heavy use of smartphones and other devices is associated with an 80% higher risk of myopia when combined with excessive computer use, but a new study suggests that dim indoor lighting could also be a factor.For years, scientists have been puzzled by the different ways myopia is triggered. In lab settings, it can be induced by blurring vision or using different lenses. Conversely, it can be slowed by something as simple as spending time outdoors, research suggests.Nearsightedness occurs when the eyeball grows too long from front to back, according to the American Optometric As...

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Popular weight-loss medications may also affect aspects of sexual health, recent research has shown.In obese and overweight men, GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) drugs increased total testosterone, optimized hormone levels and improved erectile-function scores, according to a 2025 review published by the National Institutes of Health.Additional reviews found the same improvement in erectile dysfunction.Not all results have been positive, however. A study of women, published in Sage Journals in June, found that the drug’s impact on hormones could decrease sexual drive. GLP-1 drugs can help to boost sexual function and libido, according to patients and recent research. (iStock)In a nationally representative survey led by the Kinsey Institute ...

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! In a dramatic turn of events that's captured the attention of animal lovers worldwide, Punch — the young macaque at a zoo in Japan famous for his inseparable bond with a stuffed orangutan toy — has reached a major milestone in his journey toward social integration.On Thursday, visitors and staff at the Ichikawa Zoological and Botanical Garden witnessed a breakthrough: Punch was seen cuddling with and hitching a ride on the back of a fellow macaque.Punch’s story began with hardship. He was abandoned by his mother shortly after his birth in July 2025 — and to ensure his survival, zookeepers stepped in to hand-rear the primate.On Jan. 19, 2026, the zoo officially began the process of reintegrating Punch into the "monkey mountain" enclosure.The...

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Researchers have developed an mRNA therapy that could help prevent or slow the development of type 1 diabetes.With this chronic autoimmune disease, the body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas, according to the American Diabetes Association. People with type 1 diabetes must take insulin daily to survive and manage blood sugar levels.Aiming to prevent the disease — which affects around 1.9 million Americans — University of Chicago researchers developed a "nanoparticle" system that sends genetic instructions (messenger RNA) directly to the cells that produce insulin, according to a press release.When the mRNA entered the cells, it triggered them to produce PD-L1, a protein that can protect against...

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! TEL AVIV, Israel: The Israeli Health Ministry reported Monday that 777 people have been evacuated to hospitals since the start of the joint Israeli-U.S. war against Iran.At least ten people were killed directly by Iranian missile attacks on Israel, and two died on their way to shelters.Since fighting began Saturday morning, hospitals nationwide have restructured operations, relocating patients underground to maintain functionality. Rabin Medical Center underground hospital, 60 meters below ground. (Amelie Botbol  for Fox News Digital.)"See, this child," Prof. Efrat Bron-Harlev, CEO of Schneider Children's Medical Center, told Fox News Digital, pointing to a young patient. "This cart is his artificial heart. He has been living here while wa...

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).Artificial intelligence has been touted as a boon to healthcare, but a new study has revealed its potential shortcomings when it comes to giving medical advice.In January, OpenAI launched ChatGPT Health, the medical-focused version of the popular chatbot tool. The company introduced the tool as "a dedicated experience that securely brings your health information and ChatGPT’s intelligence together, to help you feel more informed, prepared and confident navigating your health."But researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have found that the tool failed to re...

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Americans consume foods every day that are marketed as "healthy," when they could be quietly destroying their health, one doctor warns.Dr. Mark Hyman, physician and co-founder of Function Health in California, says that much of America’s daily diet is filled with unhealthy ingredients."The amount of refined starches and sugars that are everywhere is just staggering to me, given what we know about how harmful they are," he shared in an interview with Fox News Digital. "I don't think people really understand."Hyman, author of the new book "Food Fix Uncensored," said he’s "astounded" by what people are eating, especially for breakfast."People just eat sugar for breakfast," he said. "They have muffins, they have bagels, they have croissants, th...

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Small fragments of plastic were found in the tumors of most prostate cancer patients, according to a new study from NYU Langone Health. In past studies, microplastics have been found in almost every human organ and in bodily fluids, but their impact on human health still isn’t fully understood.The researchers analyzed tissue samples from 10 patients with prostate cancer who underwent surgery to remove the entire organ. Using visuals of both benign samples and tumor samples, as well as specialized equipment, the scientists identified plastic particles in 90% of the tumor samples and 70% of benign tissue samples, according to the study press release. In past studies, microplastics were found in almost every single human organ along with bodi...