Health Newsbytes

Menstuff® has compiled newsbytes on health. See our complete listing of Health Issues (emotional, physical, psychological, sexual and additions). Here is an easy to understand glossary of medical terms.


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IMPORTANT BOOKS

Click on covers for more specific information.

Important Men's Health Dates

Issues
Books on ADD, AIDS, Blindness, Deafness, General, Impotence, Prostate, Stress, and Testicular Health
Journals - on Child, Elder, Emotional, Religious, and Sexual Abuse and Trauma
Periodicals
Resources on Blindness, Deafness, Disabilities, General Health, Impotence, Parkinson's, Prostate, Rural Health, & Testicular
Slide Guides for AIDS, STDS, General Health, Prostate and Testicular Self Exam
Pamphlets on General Health and Prostate

Men, Black Men and High Blood Pressure

Being male may often mean being born with the risk of higher blood pressure, a new study suggests, and this appears to be especially true for black males.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC254/333/342/432316.html

Routine Health Maintenance for Men

You take your car in for new tires and an oil change, why not treat your body just as well? Video http://www.webmd.com/video/men-doctor-visits?ecd=wnl_erd_061607

More Peas, Please!

Green peas deliver a powerful dose of healthy vitamins. This springtime favorite is loaded with vitamins A, B-1, B-6, C, and a supersized serving of osteoporosis-fighting K.
Source: www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/green-peas-vitamin-powerhouse?ecd=wnl_gid_031507

Does Your Memory Measure Up?

Forgot your new neighbor's name? Lost the car keys again? Find out if your memory is normal.
Source: www.webmd.com/content/Article/83/97613.htm

Midlife Test May Predict Dementia Risk

It might be possible to predict dementiadementia risk decades before dementia starts.
Source: www.webmd.com/content/article/125/116156

Do food expiration dates really matter?

If smelling the milk doesn't make you gag, it's OK to drink, right? Actually, the approved method of checking for freshness lies in a voluntary system of labeling. Yes, voluntary!
Source: www.webmd.com/content/Article/110/109544.htm

Is Your Bathroom a Health Hazard?

Changing a few habits and doing some spring cleaning around the calendar can help keep your bathroom sterile and increase your chances of staying well. Check out these 10 tips.
Source: www.webmd.com/content/Article/113/110825.htm?z=3609_00000_2438_f1_04

Rate Your Hearing

Think you're too young to have hearing loss? Think again. More than 28 million Americans have hearing loss. Even former President Bill Clinton was fitted for a hearing aid in 1997 after he realized that the rallies, concerts, and music in his life had taken a toll on his hearing.
Source: my.webmd.com/content/pages/22/109306.htm

Can Magnetic Insoles Boot Foot Pain?

Millions of Americans suffer chronic foot pain that interferes with their ability to work and live active lives. Could magnetic insoles be the answer for some?
Source: my.webmd.com/content/article/112/110551.htm

Fans Choose Big Games Over the ER

When the stadiums fill up, emergency rooms clear out. Read more about how the big games affect the health of big fans.
Source: my.webmd.com/content/article/112/110455.htm

That's Gross! Body Functions: Burps, Gas, and Everything Else

It may be hard to keep a straight face when talking about body functions, but vomiting, burping and passing gas are just a few of the ways our bodies take care of important business -- all in the name of health.
Source: my.webmd.com/content/Article/110/109825.htm?pagenumber=1

Hand Sanitizers and the War on Germs

Washing your hands can keep germs at bay. Do hand sanitizers help as well? A new study shows that families who used alcohol-based gels had a 59% lower rate of gastrointestinal illnesses (GI) caused by germs spread from one family member to another. Gastrointestinal illnesses cause symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting.
Source: my.webmd.com/content/Article/111/109935.htm

Is Shift Work Hazardous To Your Health?

There is ample evidence that shift work, including night work, increases the risk for developing both psychological and physiological health problems. Read the story and comments from a Harvard physician.
Source: American Physiological Society, www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC274/333/33000/369693.html?d=dmtICNNews

Cranberries May Help Reduce Stroke Damage

A Researchers have found preliminary evidence that cranberries may reduce brain-cell damage associated with stroke. In lab studies using rat brain cells exposed to simulated stroke conditions, a concentrated cranberry extract reduced the death of brain cells by half in comparison to cells that did not receive the extract, according to the scientists.
Source: American Chemical Society, www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC254/333/20833/369036.html?d=dmtICNNews

Pasta Fights Back Amid Low-Carb Trend

At a recent point in dining history, pasta perception spun around like spaghetti on a fork. Suddenly, noodles transformed from the diner's saucy delight to carb villains bound for the hips, buttocks and belly.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC254/333/20833/376183.html?d=dmtICNNews

How-To Guide for a Healthier Body

No doubt you're aware that vitamins are essential for good health. But do you know which ones you need and how much?
Source: my.webmd.com/content/article/92/101894.htm

Maggots and Worms: Scary Medicine Goes Mainstream

The thought of blood-sucking leeches and flesh-eating maggots may make your stomach churn, but these horror movie-type treatments have some incredible healing powers!
Source: my.webmd.com/content/article/95/103088.htm Mor eon maggot therapy: http://my.webmd.com/content/article/95/103088.htm and my.webmd.com/content/article/95/103175.htm?action=related_link

Funny Business in the Brain

Did you know humor can give you a natural high similar to drug-induced euphoria? Yes, a good laugh definitely has its benefits, and now researchers are figuring out what to do to help people who have lost their sense of humor.
 

Antibiotics Were Overprescribed Amid Anthrax Scare

FDA says tens of thousands received unnecessary prescriptions
Source: www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=512335
 

fFace Masks of Questionable Value Against SARS

Experts don't think respiratory illness is spread through casual contact
Source: www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=512591

Studies Favor More Use Of Virtual Colonoscopy

Two studies published today show that widespread use of virtual colonoscopy will ultimately decrease demand for traditional colonoscopy and increase colorectal cancer screening rates, and "prepless" virtual colonoscopy is as effective as the traditional method of colorectal cancer screening. These studies were published in the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) journal Gastroenterology.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC255/333/8015/403922.html?d=dmtICNNews

Schools Scrap the Junk Food

Too many kids have unhealthy diets, study says.
Source: www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=513915 http://www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=513915

Your Voice Holds Clues to Your Health

How it sounds can signal everything from a cold to throat cancer.
Source: www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=512758

St. John's Wort Labels Can Be Inaccurate

They exaggerate levels of ingredient in the popular supplement.
Source: www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=517352

Restless Leg Syndrome Explained

Caused by confusing signals from iron-deficient brain cells, study suggests.
Source: www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=521934

Just How Much Water Do We Really Need? The Answer May Depend On Our Age

Just how much water does each of us really need? Not to swim in, or diet with. Not to respond to marketing claims, or counter salty foods or to cope with dry environments.
Source: American Physiological Society, www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC254/333/8015/376422.html?d=dmtICNNews

Need H2O? Your Body Lets You Know

Feel bound by the eight-glasses-per-day rule? New research suggests you follow your thirst instead!
Source: my.webmd.com/content/article/82/97146.htm

Drink Up! Your Coffee and Soda May Count Toward Water Intake!

The well-known recommendation about drinking eight glasses of water a day has been changed -- and so have the guidelines on salt and potassium intake. Are you getting too much? Too little? Or just enough? http://
Source: my.webmd.com/content/article/82/97146.htm

Antibiotics Were Overprescribed Amid Anthrax Scare

FDA says tens of thousands received unnecessary prescriptions.
Source: www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=512335

Trans Fatty Acids: What Are They And Why Shouldn't You Eat Them?

Just what is the skinny on those trans fatty acids that are so bad for you? Donuts, stick margarines, French fries, cookies and other tasty snacks are loaded with them. And this summer the Food and Drug Administration decreed that as of Jan. 1, 2006, manufacturers must break the trans fats category out of the total fat listing on labels.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC254/333/29758/369559.html?d=dmtICNNews

Consumers Question What Food Safe To Eat

Mad cow disease. Fish tainted with mercury and PCBs. Contaminated green onions from Mexico. Mosquitos pasing West Niles disease. Bird flu in ducks and chickens. Is anything safe to eat these days?
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC254/333/29758/376621.html?d=dmtICNNews

Men Need More Botox Than Women to Smooth Those Wrinkles

Study finds they need a much higher dose in skin.
Source: www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=512395

HHS Awards 13.7 Million Dollars To Support Community Programs To Prevent Diabetes, Asthma And Obesity

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson announced 12 grants totaling 13.7 million to promote community initiatives to promote better health and prevent disease. The grants are funded under HHS' new Steps to a HealthierUS program, which aims to help Americans live longer, better, and healthier lives by reducing the burden of diabetes, overweight, obesity and asthma and addressing three related risk factors -- physical inactivity, poor nutrition and tobacco use.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC245/333/24524/369448.html?d=dmtICNNews

Some Are Missing Out on Depression Treatment

Lower rates of therapy, drugs for older men, blacks and Hispanics
Source: www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=512537

Smoking Ups Stroke Risk

Men who light up increase chances of hemorrhagic stroke, study finds.
Source: www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=512480

Wash Away Germs

Hand washing is the best defense against infectious disease.
Source: www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=512551

High Protein Intake Harms Ailing Kidneys

But study also finds no effect on healthy kidneys.
Source: www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=512211

Check Up or Check Out Website Launched

SpikeTV.com has established a dedicated website to provide access to information included in the "Check Up or Check Out" campaign. Visit the site to find a personal health profile "tool kit;" doctor referral services; details regarding local community "Check Up or Check Out" events; telecast dates of related specials/programming; printable health/lifestyle tools and information and national "Check Up or Check Out" sweepstakes information.
Source: www.spiketv.com/shows/checkup/index.jhtml

Life Span Determination?

Have you ever wondered how old you'll live to be? And have you ever thought your life span could be inherited from your parents? Find out how much influence your mom and dad really have on your life.
Source: my.webmd.com/content/article/82/97174.htm

Morning Munchies

Start your day with a nutritious breakfast.
Source: www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=512185

When a Man Loves a Woman

Surprising things can happen.
Source: www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=506220

Exercise May Prolong Men's Sex Lives

A new study offers an additional reason for men to exercise: It could add years to their sex lives.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC254/333/22002/368289.html?d=dmtICNNews

Amazing Aspirin: The New Cancer Fighter?

We already know that aspirin protects against heart trouble and a variety of other illnesses. Now it seems the "wonder drug" can help fight off several different types of cancer! So why isn't everybody taking it?

The Return of the House Call

The practice, which had all but disappeared, is making a comeback Source: www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=511675

Fast-Food Market Hustles To Get In Shape

Nutrition has emerged as the fast-food industry's hottest buzzword in decades.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC254/333/28918/369084.html?d=dmtICNNews

The Benefits Of Chocolate

The debate over the benefits of chocolate rages on. One recent study says eating dark chocolate may have benefits while a second says new research suggests that not all kinds of chocolate are beneficial. Read a Harvard Medical School physician's opinion on two separate news stories.
Source:
www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC274/333/342/368762.html

New Weapon Against The Flu?

There's a new way to fend off the flu this year: The first nasal-spray flu vaccine, an alternative to annual flu shots for the needle-phobic, is being shipped to doctors' offices and pharmacies. Read the story and comments from a Harvard physician.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC274/333/342/368937.html

Super-Sized Sodas

Extra large containers include many extra calories.
Source: www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=512180

New Test Warns of Heart Attack

It detects high levels of clotting protein called CD40 ligand.
Source: www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=512312

Elevated Heart Rates After Exercise

Patients whose heart rates remain elevated after exercise testing are more than twice as likely to die within six years, making heart rate recovery a risk factor comparable to, and independent of, the severity of coronary artery disease as measured by angiography, according to a new study in the Sept. 3, 2003 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Read the story and comments from a Harvard physician.
Source: Journal of the American College of Cardiology,
www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC274/333/342/369017.html

NFL, Ditka To Tackle Men's Health Issues

"Iron" Mike Ditka is back in the NFL, but you won't see him prowling the sideline or screaming at a player.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC268/333/24524/369107.html?d=dmtICNNews  Read More

Influenza Vaccine Supply Expected To Meet Demand

Sufficient supplies of flu vaccine should be available during the coming influenza season. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) predicts that everyone wanting to get a flu shot to avoid influenza, regardless of age or health status, should be able to get vaccinated as soon as vaccine becomes available in October.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC272/333/24524/368613.html?d=dmtICNNews

Scientists Developing Blueberry Burgers

Some scientists hope blueberry burgers will be coming to a restaurant, supermarket or school cafeteria near you.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC254/333/8015/367682.html?d=dmtICNNews

Blood Transfusion: Safer Than Ever

At no time since the first successful blood transfusion was performed in 1795 in the United States has this potentially life-saving procedure been as safe as it is today.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC276/8776/22007/351893.html?d=dmtContent

List Of Tips To Reduce Salt Consumption

Some tips to reduce sodium consumption, from the National Institutes of Health and American Public Health Association.
Source: http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC254/333/28918/367419.html?d=dmtICNNews

What You Should Know About Trans Fatty Acids

Do you know what trans fatty acids are or why you should care? Test your IQ about the food industry's newest "bad boy."
Source: my.webmd.com/content/article/70/81118.htm

'Y' You're Male

Scientists sequence entire male chromosome.
Source: www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=513720

Male Cyclists Risk Impotence

A Belgian study says male cyclists are twice as likely to suffer from impotence as men who don't ride bikes.
Source: www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=1502243
 

Your Voice Holds Clues to Your Health

How it sounds can signal everything from a cold to throat cancer.
Source: www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=512758

FDA Approves Over-the-Counter Heartburn Drug

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Friday the sale of Prilosec OTC.
Source: www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=1502278

Sesame Oil Lowers Blood Pressure

A new study shows cooking with sesame oil helps reduce high blood pressure and lower the amount of medication needed to treat hypertension.
Source: www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=8006031
 

A Pain in the Glass

Lead can seep into beverages.
Source: www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=512985

Personal Problems

Men are less open about them.
Source: www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=512980

Love Blooms in Doubt

Ideal relationships are just that.
Source: www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=512863

Compound Developed From Mussels May Lead To Safer, More Effective Medical Implants

Medical implants may soon get better at preventing life-threatening clogs and bacterial infections thanks to an unusual coating that is being developed from mussels, according to researchers at Northwestern University.
Source: American Chemical Society, www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH?t=20833&c=363102&p=~br,IHC|~st,333|~r,EMIHC272|~b,*|&d=dmtICNNews

Regular Fasting Seems To Improve Health

The health benefits of sharply cutting calories may occur after periodic fasting, even if the fast does not result in eating less overall, a new report indicates.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/333/24524/363961.html?d=dmtICNNews

Implantable Device May Monitor Organs

Data recorders in airplanes, the so-called black boxes, describe what went wrong after a disaster. Now, medical devices are emerging to act like a black box in the human body, except they're being used to prevent disaster.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC000/333/333/359452.html

Red Cross May Have Released Unsafe Blood

The American Red Cross may have released tainted blood to hospitals, the government said Friday, reporting more than 200 violations of federal blood safety rules in its battle to get the Red Cross to improve the quality of its blood operation.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC000/333/333/359432.html

Women are the Hardier Sex...

When it comes to tolerating pain, new research says.
Source: www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=512473

Soothing Nerve Pain

Roughly three million Americans suffer chronic pain from nerve damage. If you're one of them, here's something that may help.
Source: my.webmd.com/content/article/62/71771.htm

Tired to the Max -- And Then Some

Chronic fatigue syndrome may get new name to reflect scope of illness.
Source: www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=511914

5 More Countries Eyed for Deadly Respiratory Illness

World health officials investigating possible cases in England, France, Israel, Slovenia and Australia; Hong Kong toll now 111.
Source: www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=512293

Cold Therapy

Tips for soothing cold and flu symptoms.
Source: www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=512181

Officials Target Cause of 'Mystery' Disease (3/24/03)

Scientists isolate the organism that causes a new type of pneumonia blamed for at least 11 deaths in the last three weeks. Research from several labs indicates Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome may be caused by a cousin of measles and mumps. NPR's Richard Knox reports.

'National Crisis' Killing Patients (3/11/03)

It's a crisis as important as the Sept. 11 tragedy. It threatens the lives of millions of Americans. Yet little is being done.

The U.S. system to get medical advances out of the lab and into patients is broken. That's the diagnosis of 19 members of the Institute of Medicine's Clinical Research Roundtable (CRR). Their report -- based on three years of study by the full CRR -- appears in the March 12 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The panelists find that a whole generation of medical advances is stuck on the drawing board. They call for action on all fronts. But even this call is not passionate enough for Roger N. Rosenberg, MD, editor of the Archives of Neurology and professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

"Lives are literally being lost daily because of inertia in the system to move promising research quickly enough to the patient in need," Rosenberg writes. "The battle for fast-tracking clinical research to the bedside is being lost."

To resolve this "national crisis of major proportions," Rosenberg calls for immediate action.

"I think there needs to be leadership," he tells WebMD. "I hope that leaders of medicine and science and government can get together to look at these issues."

The lead author of the JAMA report shares that hope. Nancy S. Sung, PhD, is program officer at the Burroughs Wellcome Fund.

"We applaud Dr. Rosenberg's passion and hope it can be picked up by those who make a difference," Sung tells WebMD. "The U.S. public has invested billions of dollars in basic science. That investment is supposed to produce better health. Yet we really don't see better health emerging. This really is a crisis."

Sung and colleagues point to two major bottlenecks that keep medical advances from pouring out of the laboratory into hospitals and doctors' offices.

"One bottleneck is the point at which laboratory findings -- proof of new scientific concepts -- are translated into human studies," Sung says. "Another barrier is that once something gets reported as a medical breakthrough, how do we get doctors to change what they are doing? And beyond that, how do we prove a new breakthrough is better than existing treatments? Those questions are not being answered. It is not being done with the level of commitment we see in basic science."

An example is as fresh as this week's headlines. In a mid-size study, researchers this week reported that a new kind of antibody can save the lives of people with severe peanut allergies. The studies -- paid for by drug companies -- came 10 years after mouse studies showed the drug might work. The drug, dubbed TNX-901, got fast-track approval status by the FDA. Where's the drug? Nowhere. A legal squabble among drug companies has stalled the large-scale studies needed to bring TNX-901 to market. Meanwhile, people with peanut allergies continue to die from hard-to-prevent accidental exposures to ubiquitous nut products.

Sung and colleagues call for a number of specific actions by government, industry, medical associations, insurers, healthcare organizations, and the public. They include:

"We are calling for a paradigm shift in the way we look at clinical research," Sung says. "We feel the National Institutes of Health have responded very well -- NIH Director Elias Zerhouni has made clinical research a top priority. But this extends beyond the purview of the NIH. It is really going to require a system solution."

Patients are not mere bystanders in making needed changes.

"The clinical research enterprise involves consumers as well," Sung says. "Certainly the need for more people to be involved in clinical trials is only going to increase. Every volunteer contributes to bringing medical advances to the bedside."
Source: Daniel DeNoon, The Journal of the American Medical Association, March 12, 2003. Roger N. Rosenberg, MD, editor, Archives of Neurology; professor, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas. Nancy S. Sung, PhD, program officer, Burroughs Wellcome Fund, Research Triangle Park, N.C.

Medical Advances Kept From Patients by Broken System

Amazing medical advances are being made all the time, but is the American public ever going to benefit? Experts are afraid not. A whole generation of medical advances is stuck on the drawing board, which may mean the loss of millions of lives.
Source: my.webmd.com/content/article/62/71528.htm

Smoking Decreases Men's Chances Of Fatherhood By IVF And ICSI

Men who smoke reduce their chances of successfully fathering a child by either standard IVF techniques or by ICSI, according to research carried out in Germany.
Source: European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology, www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/9105/342/352061.html

HHS To Launch Medicare Demonstrations To Improve Health Care Through Capitated Disease Management Demonstrations (2/28/03)

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson announced that HHS is seeking proposals to improve the quality of care provided to certain Medicare beneficiaries.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/333/21142/361737.html

CDC Gives Mixed Report On U.S. Health

Americans are buckling up but chugging down, getting cancer screening tests yet still smoking too much, according to government research showing mixed results when it comes to healthy habits nationwide.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC000/8096/8012/350307.html

Optimistic Outlook May Benefit The Lungs

An optimistic outlook may improve lung function, suggests a study to be presented at the American Thoracic Society International Conference in Atlanta on May 20. The study of 670 older men found that those with a more optimistic outlook had significantly higher levels of lung function and a slower rate of decline in lung function than more pessimistic men.
Source: American Thoracic Society, www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/9105/342/350055.html

Foodborne Illnesses Deadlier Than Thought

Risk over long term higher in those afflicted.
Source: www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=511769

Pedometers Help Walkers Stay On Track

How many steps do you take each day?
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC000/333/333/359913.html

Excuses Pile Up As Pounds

The first step to losing weight is often eliminating the excuses to gain it, say successful dieters.
Source: http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC000/333/333/359891.html

Frequency Of Alcohol Use Cuts Heart Risks

As little as half an alcoholic drink a day can reduce the risk of heart attacks, whether the beverage of choice is beer, red wine, white wine or liquor, new research shows.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC000/333/333/359908.html

How Much Time Does It Take To Stay Healthy?

Experts agree that physical activity is key to good health. But for many, the agreement ends there.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC000/333/333/359834.html

Chocolate Treats For The Heart

Who knew that chocolate -- the traditional Valentine's Day gift -- had so much more to offer the recipient than simply a token of someone's affection? Of course, like most enjoyable treats, the "food of the gods" should be embraced in moderation, but research suggests that chocolate may have some redeeming health features. The good news was presented at a recent meeting of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society.
Source: American Chemical Society, www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC000/333/333/360222.html

Patient Simulator Will Enhance Training For Medical Emergencies In Space

A lifelike mannequin will be teaching astronauts, flight surgeons and other mission personnel how to effectively manage medical emergencies in space.
Source: National Space Biomedical Research Institute, www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC000/333/333/360221.html

Symposium Aims To Boost Fruit And Vegetable Consumption

The 3rd Biennial 5 A Day International Symposium in Berlin, Germany brought health professionals and industry representatives together to widen the initiative to boost increased fruit and vegetable consumption.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/333/341/360015.html

FDA OKs Speedier Medication Reviews

The Food and Drug Administration has reached agreement with the drug companies it regulates on steps that might speed review of new medications, in return for tens of millions in new industry fees.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/333/21291/347107.html

Vegetarians Have Beef With Tennessee Governor

Gov. Don Sundquist has refused to proclaim a "Vegetarian Month," leaving a vegetarian group with a bad taste.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC000/333/333/358427.html

From Designer Milk To 'Green' Cows: Predictions For Milk And Dairy Products In The Next 50 Years

Old MacDonald will be surprised when he sees what's headed for his dairy farm: specially bred cows that naturally produce low-fat milk, designer milk that boosts the immune system, and 'green' cows -- engineered to produce less methane to help stem global warming. All are among the changes predicted for the future of the milk and dairy industry over the next 50 years.
Source: American Chemical Society, www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC000/333/341/358460.html

Study Records Elevated Mercury From Diets Heavy With Fish

A study of Californians who loaded their lunch and dinner menus with fish shows 89 percent wound up with elevated mercury levels in their bodies.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC000/333/333/356906.html

Pig Genes Modified For Organ Uses

In a step toward creating herds of pigs that could provide organs for transplanting into humans, Italian researchers manipulated swine sperm to make an animal strain that carries human genes in the heart, liver and kidneys.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC000/333/333/357030.html

Restraints Reduce Whiplash

New vehicle head restraints and seat back designs are reducing whiplash, the most commonly reported injury in auto accidents, according to an insurance industry study.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC000/333/333/357033.html

Patients With Chronic Illness Not Benefiting From Advances In Care

Many patients with chronic diseases are not benefiting from advances in care because of a lack of financial and staff resources, inadequate information systems, and doctors' heavy workload, argue US researchers in this week's BMJ.
Source: British Medical Journal, www.intelihealth.com/enews?357290

Computerised Guidelines Are No "Magic Bullet"

Computerised guidelines do not improve care for patients with chronic diseases, and are unlikely ever to be the 'magic bullet' that answers all questions, finds a study in this week's BMJ.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/enews?357289

Many Don't Grasp Info on Risks of Medical Research (10/25/02)

Under generally accepted ethical guidelines, people must sign an informed consent form before participating in a medical research project, indicating that they agree to take part in the study and are aware of what will happen to them. Researchers in Western countries often follow a standard procedure when describing the nature of the study to prospective study participants. However, new study findings suggest that this technique communicates only a fraction of the necessary information to patients living in developing countries. And in fact, the researchers note, while little study has been done of informed consent procedures overall, there's evidence that people in the developed world have a difficult time understanding this type of information as well.
Source: www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_10054.html

Grandpa's Diet Affects Grandkids' Well-Being

Did you know that what your grandpa ate as a kid could affect YOUR health? According to a new study, it really can. Whether Grandpa ate a lot as a child or if he survived a food shortage in his early years, ancestral appetites can play a particular role in how you live out your later years.
Source: http://my.webmd.com/content/article/2731.2485

Scales Tip In Favor Of New Food Pyramid

The government is considering changes to its Food Guide Pyramid to make it more fit for the times.
Source: http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC000/333/333/357642.html

Bread Crust And Stuffing Rich In Healthy Antioxidants

The best thing since sliced bread may be bread crust: Researchers in Germany have discovered that the crust is a rich source of antioxidants and may provide a much stronger health benefit than the rest of the bread.
Source: American Chemical Society, www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC000/333/333/357617.html

Renewing CPR Skills Benefits Others

They're in airports, stadiums, museums and even schools. Wherever you find a lot of people these days you're likely to find a portable heart defibrillator.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC000/333/333/356930.html

Holiday Survival Guide

The holidays can play havoc with your health regimen. With all those treats and feasts, parties, traveling and late nights, healthy habits and good intentions can go right out the window. But the American Heart Association has tools and tips to help you enjoy yourself this season and still respect yourself in the morning.
Source: American Heart Association, www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC000/333/333/356996.html

Iron Deficiency In The United States

Iron status of toddlers, teenage girls and women of childbearing age remains less than ideal in the United States according to a national survey conducted by CDC in 1999-2003.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC000/333/333/356538.html

2,000 Extra Steps A Day: Colorado Walking It Off

Making every step count is both the motto and the motivation for a new health and fitness initiative launched this month in Colorado.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC000/333/333/356644.html

Britons Try Subsidized Golf

Adrian Prior-Sankey is learning to play golf, partly at the British government's expense. Doctor's orders, you know.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC000/333/333/356622.html

Healthy Living: Get Moving! Add Daily Exercise To Fitness Mix, Experts Say

An estimated 25 percent of Americans don't exercise at all, and another 60 percent don't do enough to make a difference to their health, federal reports show. Getting people to move -- anyhow, anywhere -- is emphasized by health officials who've spent more than two frustrating decades sounding alarms about the country's burgeoning waistlines.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC000/333/333/356643.html

Experts: Get Flu Shot Now If You're At Risk

If getting flu would be especially risky for you, now is the time to get your annual influenza shot, U.S. government flu experts say. Flu-shot season begins Oct. 1. Influenza vaccine supplies are expected to be plentiful this year.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/333/7228/356002.html

Patients Often Miss Out On Nutrition Counseling, At Cost To Health

Nutrition counseling can make a difference in the health of high-risk patients, yet it takes place in a minority of primary care visits, according to a study.
Source: Center for the Advancement of Health, www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/333/21142/355755.html

Blood-Test Labs Bypass Doctors, Spurring Debate
In a suburban strip mall midway between downtown Denver and health-conscious Boulder, there is a place where people can go and order blood tests to detect any number of medical problems, like high cholesterol, diabetes, HIV and prostate and ovarian cancer.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/333/8012/346997.html

Men Die Young - Even if Old

Simply being a man is bad for your health, even after the excesses of youth. Young men are often risk takers, and their predilection for thrills and spills means that they are more likely to die than young women. But if you assume things even out in later life, think again.

A new study across 20 countries reveals for the first time just how much bigger the risk of premature death is for men than women, whatever their age.

In the US in 1998, for example, men up to the age of 50 were on average twice as likely as women to keel over, and the risk remained greater even for those men who had made it to their eighties and beyond. Less surprisingly, the discrepancy in death rates between men and women was most extreme between the ages of 20 and 24, when three times as many men die as women.

"Being male is now the single largest demographic factor for early death," says Randolph Nesse of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Heart disease to homicide

Nesse says that the finding has important implications for public health. "If you could make male mortality rates the same as female rates, you would do more good than curing cancer," he says.

Nesse's colleague Daniel Kruger estimates that over 375,000 lives would be saved in a single year in the US if men's risk of dying was as low as women's.

The US data is backed by death rates in countries including Ireland, Australia, Russia, Singapore and El Salvador. Nesse and Kruger found that everywhere they looked, it is more perilous to be male. In Colombia for example, men in their early twenties are five times as likely to die as women of the same age. Even more surprisingly, the pattern holds for every major cause of death, from car crashes to heart disease to homicide.

For external causes of death, such as accidents, the difference between the sexes is greatest for young adults. But the second largest disparity between men and women in the US occurs when they reach their sixties. At that point in their life, men are 1.68 times as likely to die as women, mainly due to disease.

Reproductive success

The gender gap has widened dramatically in recent years, but it has been on the rise since the 1940s, at least in the US, France, Japan and Sweden, where historical figures are available. The researchers suggest a number of factors that could be to blame for the trend.

Population growth and globetrotting have led to a rise in infectious diseases. And improvements in public health and medicine may have benefited women more than men: for instance, far fewer women now die at a relatively young age during childbirth. Technological advances may have played a part, too, by supplying men with more powerful guns and ever faster cars.

Nesse and Kruger say that sexual selection could also partly explain some of the differences. Men generally invest less in their children than women do, and as a result may compete more vigorously with each other for potential mate.

This rivalry could be what drives them to take greater risks, with the result that men have evolved greater reproductive success at the expense of longevity. The same may be true for chimpanzees and even fruit flies, says Nesse.
Source: Betsy Mason, www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99992586

Study Hints Lean Means Longer Life

Science has known for 70 years that lab mice and rats live longer if they eat less food. Now, for the first time, researchers have evidence that the same may be true for people.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/333/7228/353211.html

The Doctor's Visit

Consultations with general practitioners do not have to be longer to satisfy patients' needs, according to researchers in this week's British Medical Journal. Read the story and comments from a Harvard physician.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/333/7228/353856.html

Flu Vaccine Good For All Adults, Not Just Elderly Or Ill

Despite the cost, even healthy adults benefit from an annual flu shot because they don't lose as much work time and they spend less on treatment, according to a study.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/333/7228/353930.html

Study Offers New Insights Into Overcoming Disparities In Health

Socioeconomic disparities in health can be reduced and possibly even eliminated in some cases by specific interventions, such as adoption of a rigid treatment plan and intensive patient monitoring, that help patients better manage their own treatment, according to a new study by researchers at RAND.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/333/341/352789.html

Drug Leaflets

Think those leaflets that drugstores dispense with prescription drugs tell the patient everything necessary to take the medicine safely? Think again.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/333/7228/351907.html

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

Not withou me interactive baseball meal counter. Summer is the time when Major League Baseball is in full swing. Before you head to the concession stands for snacks, check out this interactive baseball meal so you can count your calories along with balls and strikes.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/325/14197.html?k=wellx408x14197

Paying Cash for Medical Visits

How would you like to walk into the doctor's office, have the doctor see you right away, not have to hassle with insurance, and pay, in cash, a reasonable fee. By replacing medical insurance with cash payments, service is faster and more affordable.
Source: PBS Story: www.pbs.org/healthweek/featurep3_413.htm

Labels For Trans Fats

Americans trying to avoid artery-clogging trans fat could find it listed on food labels by next year. Read the story and comments from a Harvard Medical School physician.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/333/7228/352445.html

Improved Drug Regimens Help Patients Take Their Medicine

Clinical research and incremental improvements in existing medications have led to the development of drug regimens that are more convenient and easier to continue.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/333/341/352540.html

New York Men Tell It Like It Is

The American Cancer Society has just released a report on how men in New York State view their health and healthcare services. "Men's Voices: New York Statewide Men's Health Focus Group Report," reveals that Latino and Asian men encountered language barriers in their healthcare encounters, and Native and African-American men were concerned about issues of social/historical disadvantage.

Compiled from focus groups held around the state, the report serves as the basis of understanding men's concerns in designing healthcare services that are more male-friendly. As one man put it, "As a man, if I'm sick, I have to be real sick…'can't get outa bed sick,' I have this thing inside me that says, `I can't go; I don't wanna go (to the doctor).' Other men mentioned insensitive attitudes among healthcare practitioners as the problem.

Source: The report was compiled by Joseph Zoske, a men's health promotion specialist in Albany, NY. A free copy of the report can be obtained by calling Ellen Mullen at 315.437.7026, Ext. 123, or at Ellen.Mullen@cancer.org

Tetanus and be Fatal

Tetanus (also called lockjaw or trismus) is a serious, often fatal disease that affects the muscles and nerves. It occurs when a certain type of bacterial infection grows in a contaminated wound.
Source: www.kidshealth.org/teen/health_problems/infections/tetanus.html

Men Needed To Solve Nurse Shortage

Recruiting efforts aimed at boosting the thinning ranks of registered nurses are targeting a nearly untapped labor pool: men.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/enews?347442

Improving Communications And Support For Doctors, Patients And Partners

A new approach to developing and designing information for patients has been hailed as a 'flagship study', Dr Tony Stevens told the 3rd European Breast Cancer Conference in Barcelona .
Source: Federation of European Cancer Societies, www.intelihealth.com/enews?347424

Husbands Of Fibromylagia Sufferers In Slightly Poorer Health, More Depressed Than Other Men

Men whose wives suffer from fibromyalgia, a painful rheumatic disorder, have slightly worse health, including higher rates of stress and depression, than other men. But the same new research that reveals these differences also indicates that they are not as great as predicted, possibly because the husbands have developed ways of coping.
Source: Center for the Advancement of Health, http://www.intelihealth.com/enews?347273

Kellogg Foundation Releases Landmark Report on Men's Health

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation has recently released a report on men's health. "A Poor Man's Plight: Uncovering the Disparity in Men's Health," highlights the extreme disparities that affect low income minority men.

The report examines health statistics, provides the social context, and includes case studies. The document concludes: "It is difficult to dispute the health crisis among men of color in the United States. Black men have a lower life expectancy at birth than White males and the lowest life expectancy of any racial group of either gender."

The Kellogg Foundation is one of the largest philanthropic organizations in the United States. The 30-page report can be obtained free of charge by calling 800.819.9997, or by going to the website: www.communityvoices.org

Climate change linked to disease epidemics (6/20/02)

A warmer world is in all likelihood going to be a sicker world for everything from trees to marine life to people, according to a new report by a panel of US scientists. But opponents remain unconvinced there is sufficient evidence to support the conclusion.

A team of researchers led by Drew Harvell at Cornell University have completed a two-year study into climate-disease links. "What is most surprising is the fact that climate sensitive outbreaks are happening with so many different types of pathogens - viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites - as well as in such a wide range of hosts including corals, oysters, terrestrial plants and birds," Harvell says.

Co-researcher Richard Ostfeld, an animal ecologist at the Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, New York adds: "This isn't just a question of coral bleaching for a few marine ecologists, nor just a question of malaria for a few health officials - the number of similar increases in disease incidence is astonishing. We don't want to be alarmist, but we are alarmed."

The US team found evidence for a variety of routes for climate warming to adversely affect disease spread. For instance, warmer winters could reduce seasonal die-off of many pathogens and their carriers, or allow them to move into areas that were previously too cold. Other possibilities include the spread of pathogens that thrive on warmer water, the joining of pathogen and potential hosts populations previously separated by climate factors.

The researchers examined a number of human diseases whose spread researchers have connected to warming, including malaria, Lyme disease, yellow fever and others. Most involved the expanded range of carriers into higher latitudes. The authors concede that such connections are controversial because countless factors besides climate, such as economics and failed prevention measures, play roles in the spread of human diseases. Men Talk.
Source: Mark Schrope, Journal reference: Science (vol 296, p 2158) www.healthlinkusa.com/getpage.asp?http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99992438

HHS Issues New Statistical Look At Women's Health

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson released Women's Health USA 2002, a new statistical report on the health status of America's women that shows the disproportionate impact that certain health conditions such as osteoporosis, asthma, diabetes and lupus have on women.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/333/8013/350782.html

Editor's Note: Two things of interest about this story: 1. Is there going to be such a report on men? Doubtful, because that list shows men leading in all 10 top killers of people in the U.S. Things that generally don't kill like osteoporosis and asthma, seem to be more important, so they get all of the press.This is just one example of why having a Men's Health Commission is important. 2. It is from the Harvard Medical School's InteliHealth.com web site. If you want to know about why that's important, click here.

Rubeola (Measles)

Measles, also called rubeola, is best known for its typical skin rash. It is, however, a respiratory infection. The first symptoms are irritability, runny nose, hacking cough, and a high fever.

http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/infections/bacterial_viral/measles.html

Tinea (Ringworm, Jock Itch, Athlete's Foot)

The term "tinea" is a general name referring to a group of related fungal skin infections. Tinea can affect most skin sites, depending on the specific fungal type.

http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/infections/fungal/ringworm.html

Why Does Eating Ice Cream Give Me a Headache?

That vanilla ice-cream cone has quickly given you a bad headache, also known as brain freeze. If you want to know more about the pain in your brain, read our article for kids.

http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/talk/qa/ice_cream_headache.html

What's It Like to Stay in the Hospital?

Have you ever had to stay in the hospital? Knowing what to expect before you get to the hospital may make your time there a little easier.
Source: www.kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/medical_care/hospital_stay.html

Why You Should Smile

Did you know that there are at least 18 different kinds of smiles? Did you know that smiling might make you feel better? Read our article on why you should smile to find out even more interesting facts!
Source: www.kidshealth.org/kid/feeling/emotion/smile.html

Making Medicines From Foods

Advances in genetic engineering and the success of "functional" foods, such as calcium-fortified juice, are spawning a new, exotic generation of agricultural products: bananas that produce a cholera vaccine, vegetables containing bonus vitamins, and many more.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/333/21291/350306.html

In Folding Proteins, Clues To Many Diseases

Consider the consequences of a garbage strike. Trash accumulates, streets are clogged and daily life is disrupted. Eventually, things can come to a standstill. Scientists say that kind of disruption may lie at the heart of an array of diseases afflicting millions of Americans.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/333/21142/350255.html

More Benefits of Folic Acid

Research in the US indicates that regular consumption of vegetables high in folic acid such as fresh green leafy vegetables, mushrooms, oranges and root vegetables can reduce stroke risk by 20 per cent. The chances of a heart attack or of developing high blood pressure are also smaller. Scientists at Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans say adults should take about 400 micrograms of folate a day - twice the UK recommended level.
Source: London Daily

60% of Men Burning in UK Sun (5/3/02)

Three out of five men never use sun protection in the UK, according to research by the Cancer Research UK and supermarket chain Tesco. Experts warn sun-worshippers are creating a "skin cancer timebomb" because they use high-factor creams abroad but not at homes. It appears people believe UK sun is "safer" than the sun they soak up abroad.
Source: BBC News Online

Why do doctors and surgeons use stitches?

What are the risks? Read about how they're used, the types of sutures and what you need to look for after the procedure.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/9339/31786.html?k=wellx408x31786

Caffeine may Damage Arteries

Small doses of caffeine can cause temporary stiffening of the blood vessel walls, according to a study at Athens Medical School in Greece. Researchers found that people with mild high blood pressure who took a pill containing 250 milligrams of caffeine, equivalent to the amount contained in two to three cups of coffee, experienced a temporary increase in blood pressure and in the stiffness of the aorta.

Declining Physical Activity Levels Are Associated With Increasing Obesity

The recent worldwide increase in obesity has been attributed to environmental factors such as more sedentary lifestyles and excessive food intake.
Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC000/333/333/349197.html

Why Does Hair Turn Gray?

Have you ever watched your mom try to cover her gray with a tiny bottle of hair coloring? Getting gray, silver, or white hair is a natural part of growing older. Find out why in this article written just for you to understand.
Source: www.kidshealth.org/kid/grownup/getting_older/gray_hair.html

Migraines

If you've ever had a migraine, you know that these headaches can cause severe pain and other symptoms. Read this article to learn about what causes migraines, migraine treatments, and lots more.
Source: www.kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/brain_nervous/migraines.html

Smart Supermarket Shopping

You don't need to be a scientist to figure out how to make safe, healthy food choices. Before grabbing a shopping cart and heading for the aisles, read this article to make grocery shopping a snap.
Source: www.kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/nutrition/grocery_shopping.html

Men Get Road Maps To Health

Men will go to extreme lengths to avoid seeking help, particularly when it concerns their health. At the root of the problem, psychologists believe, is insecurity: feelings of being pressured not to reveal weakness and frustration at relinquishing control to doctors.
Source: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/9105/342/348605.html

Regular Exercise And Blood Pressure

An analysis of data on 2419 adults from 54 studies of exercise found that regular exercise decreased blood pressure in all groups of people, including those who had high or normal blood press, those who were overweight or not overweight and those who were black, white or Asian. Comments from a Harvard physician at. www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/8059/8011/348132.html

CardioGrip

CardioGrip may help lower blood pressure when used three times per week for seven to 12 minutes per session. Each exercise session measures your right and left handgrip strengths, then sets appropriate target forces for each. To learn more, go to: www.ihcatalog.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=5&itemType=PRODUCT

Hormone swings affect men too (2/27/02)

The newly recognised condition of irritable male syndrome plays havoc with male animals, temporarily turning confident, chest-beating Tarzans into withdrawn, grumpy wimps. And there's some evidence that irritable male syndrome, which is triggered by a sudden drop in testosterone, affects men as well as animals, says Gerald Lincoln of the Medical Research Council's Human Reproductive Sciences Unit in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The symptoms may resemble those of the so-called male menopause, but Lincoln believes the condition can affect men of any age when stress causes testosterone levels to plummet. If he's right, it's not just women who have their hormonal ups and downs.

Lincoln first pinpointed the syndrome in Soay sheep. In the autumn, the rams' testosterone levels soar and they rut. In the winter, testosterone levels plummet and they lose interest in sex. High testosterone is supposed to mean more aggression. But the rams were more likely to injure themselves when testosterone was low.

So Lincoln monitored the activity of eight rams, such as how often they struck out with their horns. As testosterone levels fell, the rams changed from competent males who addressed each other in a ritualistic fashion, to nervous, withdrawn animals that struck out irrationally, he says.

Reindeer and elephants

Red deer, reindeer, mouflon and Indian elephants also show clear signs of irritable male syndrome when testosterone levels fall off at the end of their breeding seasons, says Lincoln. "The mahouts sometimes starve the elephants after the musth, or tie them up to keep them under control."

But what does this mean for people? Here the evidence is shaky, Lincoln admits. But it's clear that testosterone has a major impact on human behaviour.

The brain is loaded with receptors for testosterone and its conversion products. What's more, Richard Anderson, also at Edinburgh, has found that when men who cannot produce testosterone come off hormone replacement therapy, they become irritable and depressed. Their mood improves when they resume treatment.

Lincoln thinks that stresses such as bereavement, divorce or life-threatening illnesses could send testosterone levels plummeting. There are few human studies on stress and testosterone, he says, but numerous studies on animals, including primates, show that testosterone levels fall when stress sends corticosteroid levels skywards.

Men behaving sadly

"It's right on the money," says reproductive endocrinologist David Abbott of the Wisconsin Regional Primate Research Center in Madison. "Testosterone effects have been missed. When a bloke gets grumpy and irritable, [researchers] try and explain it only in terms of cortisol levels and depression. They ignore the fact that testosterone levels are probably falling too."

But David Handelsman, an expert on male hormones at the University of Sydney, is more cautious. He says the changes in testosterone levels in normal adult men are far smaller than the dramatic swings seen in Soay rams, with one notable exception: levels fall by at least 90 per cent in men who undergo castration for advanced prostate cancer.

"The wives notice it first," says Keen-Hun Tai of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute in Melbourne. "The men become more withdrawn, but more emotional. They laugh and cry