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• A new study finds you can reduce the amount of microplastics you drink simply by boiling your water.
• Scientists are just beginning to understand the health risks associated with microplastic exposure.
• Nano- and microplastics are bits of plastic as tiny as one-thousandth of a millimeter in diameter.

Boiling and filtering your tap water may dramatically lower the amount of microplastics you drink, according to new research.

Recent studies have found that nano- and microplastics (NMPs), which are bits of plastic as tiny as one-thousandth of a millimeter in diameter, have been found in a host of products and even in tap water.

A new study, published February 28 in Environmental Science & Technology Letters, found that boiling mineral-rich water for just five minutes can reduce the amount of NMP you’re exposed to by up to 90%.

Scientists are just beginning to understand the health risks associated with microplastic exposure, but growing evidence suggests the plastics can accumulate in the body and trigger oxidative stress, inflammation, insulin resistance, and liver issues.

Certain advanced water filtration systems can capture and help remove some NMPs from tap water. But researchers wanted to figure out other options to remove microplastics, especially since in poorer countries cheaper, more accessible solutions for clean water are needed.

Boiling water may be a safe, simple solution that can effectively decontaminate household tap water, the new findings suggest.

“Boiling water before drinking is a great example of an ancient cultural practice that can help reduce an environmental exposure,” Dr. Luz Claudio, PhD, a professor of environmental medicine and public health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, told Healthline. 

Claudio was not involved in the study.

How boiling water can help remove microplastics

The researchers found simply boiling water is the first step to removing NMPs from tap water.

The researchers collected multiple samples of tap water from Guangzhou, China and contaminated the samples with varying levels of NMPs.

Each sample was boiled for five minutes then left to cool for 10 minutes.

Boiling hard water that’s rich with minerals — such as calcium or magnesium — creates a chalk-like residue known as limescale, or calcium carbonate (CaCO3), which can trap the plastics.

That solid, chalky residue then had to be separated and removed from the water with a standard coffee filter or stainless steel filter, thereby removing NMPs.

The team found that the impact was greatest in harder water: In samples that had 300 milligrams of CaCO3, for example, nearly 90% of NMPs were removed.

In softer water samples with less than 60 mg of CaCO3, roughly 25% of NMPs were removed.

“What’s important to note here is that the effectiveness of trapping these micro/nano plastics in these mineral solids is tied to how hard the water is – the harder the water, the more solids are formed, the more microplastics are trapped,” Dr. Anja Brandon, PhD, the associate director of U.S. plastics policy at Ocean Conservancy and an environmental engineer, told Healthline.

Brandon was not involved in the study.

Why microplastics are found in tap water

Microplastics, such as polystyrene (PS), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), are commonly found in groundwater and surface water, mostly due to wastewater and surface runoff after rainfall.

According to Claudio, it’s hard to study the health effects of microplastics exposure since there are many types and we are exposed to several potential sources regularly.

Though the health risks are poorly understood, the inhalation and ingestion of microplastics has been shown to impair cell function disruption and trigger inflammation along with oxidative stress. 

The most well-documented short-term effects are on the gut microbiome, which can lead to intestinal issues, says Claudio.

Traditional water treatment plants aren’t able to eliminate NMPs from drinking water, and while some water treatment technologies are able to capture and remove tiny plastic bits, these advanced systems do not exist in developing or underdeveloped countries.

According to Brandon, microplastics have been found to contaminate most if not all drinking sources. 

The researchers estimated that the intake of NMPs via boiled water is, depending on the region, two to five times less than what’s ingested through regularly drinking tap water.

That said, hard water is often an undesirable quality in tap water and many households have filtration systems that soften mineral-rich water, says Brandon.

More research is needed to inform if and when people should boil their tap water, she added.

How to limit your exposure to microplastics 

Anyone who wishes to boil their water should do so in a glass or stainless steel pot. 

After boiling the water for about five minutes, let it cool, and do not stir it, Claudio says.

The microplastics need to bind to the calcium and fall to the bottom of the pot so they can filtered or scooped out.

Keep in mind that boiling water is not a magic solution, says Claudio, as we are likely constantly exposed to other sources that contain microplastics. 

Brandon recommends avoiding single-use plastic packaging, including bottled water, not using plastic utensils and cooking products, and not putting plastic containers in the dishwasher or microwave. 

“All these items can shed plastic particles or leach chemicals with long-term, regular use,” Brandon says. 

The bottom line:

Boiling and filtering your tap water may dramatically lower the amount of microplastics you drink, according to new research. Scientists are just beginning to understand the health risks associated with microplastic exposure, but growing evidence suggests the plastics can accumulate in the body and trigger oxidative stress, inflammation, insulin resistance, gut health problems, and liver issues.

The relatives of musician Cat Janice, best known for her song Dance You Outta My Head, announced that she died from cancer on Wednesday morning.  In a statement, shared to Instagram, the 31-year-old performer’s loved ones revealed that she passed away in her childhood home ‘surrounded by her loving family.’  ‘Catherine peacefully entered the light and love of […]

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• Wendy Williams has been diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and dementia.
• The announcement follows years of speculation about the talk show host’s health.
• Experts say an early sign of primary progressive aphasia can be problems with speech.
• Following a healthy lifestyle can reduce your risk for dementia.
• However, the condition is progressive, and there is no known cure.

On February 22, 2024, it was announced via a press release that talk show host Wendy Williams had been diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia (PPA) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

According to the National Institute on Aging, PPA affects a person’s ability to speak, read, write, and understand speech. It can also lead to slurred speech, or a person may become unable to speak at all.

FTD can create problems with memory, reasoning, and judgment. It can also cause changes in behavior.

Her care team stated in the press release that they were making the announcement in response to “inaccurate and hurtful rumors about her health.”

The 59-year-old star, who has received several Daytime Emmy nominations for her long-running talk show, The Wendy Williams Show, was the subject of 2020 media reports detailing an incident where she was having problems speaking and called singer Adele “Hodele.”

There were also reports in 2022 of Williams drinking heavily and seeming incapable of comprehending that her popular talk show had been canceled.

A newly released documentary, Where Is Wendy Williams?, highlights her cognitive and emotional decline in the time leading up to her 2023 diagnosis of PPA and FTD.

It also addressed that she has been living with lymphedema and Grave’s disease.

In the press release, her team stated that she is currently receiving medical care at Weill Cornell Medicine.

Additionally, they noted that Williams remains able to do many things for herself but is receiving care to make sure she is protected and has her needs taken care of.

“The decision to share this news was difficult and made after careful consideration,” they wrote, “not only to advocate for understanding and compassion for Wendy but to raise awareness about aphasia and frontotemporal dementia and support the thousands of others facing similar circumstances.”

Early symptoms of frontotemporal dementia

Dr. Joel Salinas, Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurology at NYU Langone Health and Chief Medical Officer at Isaac Health, said that FTD can present in various forms, including those that affect language.

“Early symptoms of FTD with aphasia can be subtle and often go unnoticed because they might mimic everyday issues,” he explained.

“For instance, individuals may begin to experience difficulty finding the right words during conversations, which could easily be mistaken for stress or fatigue,” said Salinas. “There might also be changes in social behavior, such as diminished empathy, making inappropriate comments, or withdrawing from social interactions, which can be dismissed as mood swings or personal choices.”

Salina went on to note that people with FTD might experience lapses in their cleanliness or grooming, but these could be rationalized away as simply laziness.

“Some might start repeating words or engaging in compulsive behaviors (e.g., gambling), which may not immediately be recognized as symptoms of a neurological condition,” he added.

Other signs, according to Salinas, could be changes in dietary preferences. For example, a person might start overeating or develop a taste for sweets that wasn’t there before.

“Finally, the condition may also present with changes in motor function affecting movement,” he stated, “such as frequent falls or symptoms of weakness or rigidity that can sometimes resemble Parkinson’s disease.”

How to reduce your risk for frontotemporal dementia

According to the Alzheimer’s Society, about 10 to 15 out of every 100 people with FTD have a faulty gene that causes the disease. If your parent has that gene, there is a 1 in 2 chance you will inherit it.

However, it causes the behavioral variant of FTD rather than the PPA variant that Williams has, so it mainly affects the person’s behavior rather than their speech.

Genetic testing can help you assess your risk for this form of FTD.

Dr. Gary Small, a memory, brain, and aging expert at Hackensack Meridian Health, said that there are also other factors that affect your risk of developing dementia.

“Although genetics play a role, as with any dementia, potentially modifiable lifestyle behaviors can reduce risk and delay symptom onset, including regular physical exercise, healthy diet, stress management, not smoking, and mental stimulation,” he explained.

Unfortunately, once you have the condition, there is little you can do, according to Small.

“The disease has no cure, and as the illness progresses, patients lose their ability to remember and reason and develop movement problems, including balancing and swallowing,” he stated. “Patients also are at risk for depression and may develop inappropriate social behavior.”

Takeaway

The care team for former talk show host Wendy Williams recently announced that the star has been diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia.

This comes after several years of rumors about the state of her mental health.

Early symptoms are subtle and can go unnoticed but may include such things as speech difficulties, mood swings, or social withdrawal.

Certain lifestyle behaviors can reduce your risk and delay the onset of symptoms. These include exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet, managing stress, not smoking, and getting adequate mental stimulation.

However, the condition is progressive and has no known cure.

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• A new study found that weight loss and physical activity dropped the risk of heart attacks by over 60% for people with type 2 diabetes.
• The CDC estimates that about 38 million Americans or one in 10 have diabetes and 95% of them have type 2 diabetes.
• Experts recommend people get on average about 150 minutes of exercise a week.

A new study finds that both weight loss and physical activity is key to helping drop heart attack risk for people with type 2 diabetes.

“According to a recent study, weight loss combined with physical activity led to a 61% lower risk in heart attacks for people with type 2 diabetes when compared with individuals with type 2 diabetes with low physical activity and no weight loss. Additionally, maintaining a high level of physical activity with weight loss led to a greater reduction in risk than just losing weight alone.”

Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which glucose levels build up when the body cannot react to insulin effectively or is unable to produce enough of it. Treatment for type 2 diabetes most commonly involves careful monitoring of blood sugar levels and medications like metformin or sulfonylureas, but diet, weight management, and exercise are part of a broader approach.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 38 million Americans (one in 10, on average) have diabetes, and up to 95% of them have type 2 diabetes. The condition creates a significant risk for heart disease and heart attacks.

When that much glucose builds up in blood vessels, fatty residue can linger. This can lead to a condition called atherosclerosis that can block the flow of blood to the heart or brain, leading to a potential heart attack or stroke.

How does physical activity affect heart health in people with type 2 diabetes?

Researchers followed 1,229 people from 2001 to 2012 during th Look AHEAD trial and found that for people with type 2 diabetes who were also obese or overweight could reduce the risk of “adverse cardiovascular outcomes” if they maintained a high level of physical activity combined with consistent weight-loss regimes.

Dr. Matthew O’Brien, associate professor of Medicine and Preventive Medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and the co-director of the Northwestern Primary Care Practice-Based Research Program, told Healthline that the previous Look AHEAD study had not found significantly lowered cardiovascular risks with just dietary or medical adjustments and resulting weight loss.

“The current study examined whether those who achieved both weight loss and longitudinal physical activity had a lower risk of acute cardiovascular events,” O’Brien said “Indeed, the study found that those who lost weight and achieved a high level of physical activity were less likely to develop acute cardiovascular events than their counterparts who didn’t lose weight or get significant physical activity. Weight loss alone or physical activity alone did not result in a lower risk of these events — that risk was only reduced among those who both lost weight and engaged in significant physical activity.”

O’Brien was not involved in the study.

Dr. Cheng-Han Chen, a board certified interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, CA, who was not involved in the study, told Healthline that the combination of weight loss and physical activity may have a “synergistic” effect to protect the heart.

“The positive benefits of combining weight loss with exercise are likely multifactorial,” Chen said. “This study previously reported on results that weight loss alone or increased physical activity alone were not [sufficient] to derive a cardiovascular benefit. It appears that there is a synergistic effect in combining weight loss with exercise, possibly mediated by improved glycemic control, decreased visceral fat, and improved energy metabolism, specifically in diabetic patients.”

How to work out to protect your heart

It’s important for anyone with type 2 diabetes who is also obese or overweight to talk to a doctor about a multi-pronged approach: diet, medication, and activity.

The U.S. Surgeon General’s recommendation for most adults is up to 150 minutes of moderate activity per week or up to 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week. Still, O’Brien said that the presence of atherosclerosis could pose some issues with exercise, given the hindered flow of blood to or from the heart.

“If people with diabetes already have known cardiovascular disease, such as heart failure or blocked arteries in the heart, they may not be able to perform as much physical activity as those who do not have cardiovascular disease,” O’Brien said. “If walking is the main source of physical activity, we recommend walking briskly to the point where the body begins to sweat, and breathing becomes a bit more difficult.”

O’Brien said diverse types of physical activity may also be beneficial for the heart.

“It is advisable to diversify physical activity and include several forms of cardiovascular exercise that work different muscle groups,” O’Brien said. “These may include climbing stairs, jumping rope, biking, or a rowing machine. In addition, there appear to be unique metabolic benefits from resistance training with bands, free weights, or weight machines. This type of physical activity will increase muscle strength, while lowering blood sugar in adults with diabetes.”

Chen suggested that a consistent approach to activity would be beneficial.

“My recommendations for exercise for people with diabetes and obesity are the same as for everyone else: at least 15-30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise (such as brisk walking, jogging, stairs, bicycling, or swimming) most days of the week,” Chen said.

Takeaway

A new study suggests that physical activity consistently combined with a target weight-loss approach reduced the risk of cardiovascular danger significantly for people with type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes poses significant risks to cardiovascular health.

It’s recommended that any physical activity be enough to sweat or breathe hard, and be done for at least 150 minutes per week.

Amy Dowden has praised her Strictly Come Dancing co-stars for helping her with her show Dare To Dance after her cancer diagnosis. The professional dancer, 33, was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2023 at the start of filming for the second series. The show sees her teach people to dance and learn routines so they […]

Content source – www.soundhealthandlastingwealth.com

• Adopting healthy lifestyle habits is linked to a decreased risk of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). These habits include not smoking, vigorous physical activity, and getting enough quality sleep.
• Experts said that not smoking may reduce inflammation, exercise can regulate bowel movements and sleep can boost immune function – all of which contribute to a healthy gut and minimizing IBS symptoms.
• To treat IBS, avoid spicy foods, caffeine, and alcohol. Also, exercise regularly, don’t smoke and practice good sleep hygiene.

Following healthy lifestyle habits is associated with a reduced risk of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), according to a new study. These habits included not smoking, vigorous physical activity, and getting enough quality sleep.

The findings were published February 20 in the journal Gut.

Researchers examined five key healthy behaviors, which include never smoking, getting at least 7 hours of quality sleep each night; a high level of vigorous physical activity each week; a high-quality balanced diet every day; and moderate alcohol intake.

They analyzed participants of an average age of 55 from the UK Biobank, which included 64,268 people, just over half of whom (55%) were women, and who had completed at least two 24-hour dietary recall questionnaires. The period of examination took place during a 12.6-year period, during which 961 (1.5%) cases of IBS were recorded. 

Results showed 7,604 (12%) of participants didn’t engage in any of the 5 healthy lifestyle behaviors, while 20,662 (32%) reported one; 21,901 (34%) reported two; and 14,101 (22%) reported three to five behaviors at the start of the study.

According to the results of this study, individuals who adopt an increasing number of these healthy lifestyle behaviors could see a proportional decrease in their IBS risk, with adherence to one, two, or three to five behaviors associated with reductions of 21%, 36%, and 42% in IBS risk, respectively.

Furthermore, three healthy behaviors were independently linked with a lower risk of IBS: never smoking (14% lower); high level of physical activity (17% lower); and a good night’s sleep (27% lower).

What causes IBS?

Although the exact causes of IBS are not fully understood several factors appear to contribute to its development. Dr. Anthony Lembo, a doctor at the Cleveland Clinic who specializes in gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition, provided a list: 

• Increased sensitivity to pain or discomfort in the intestines.
• Altered gut microbiota: imbalances in the types and amounts of bacteria in the gut may play a role.
• Immune dysregulation: low-grade inflammation in the intestines or dysfunction in the immune system  
• Food intolerances or sensitivities: certain foods or food components may trigger symptoms in individuals with IBS.
• Psychological factors: stress, anxiety, or depression can exacerbate symptoms or contribute to their onset.
• Abnormal gastrointestinal motility: irregular contractions of the muscles in the intestines can lead to symptoms like diarrhea or constipation

It is important to note that IBS is a very broad term. 

“It is broad because it groups a bunch of different GI issues together because they all lead to the same symptoms (irregular bowel habits and abdominal discomfort, basically),” said Dr. Aditya Sreenivasan, gastroenterologist at Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital. “But it can be caused by a variety of different GI issues. It can be caused by hormonal irregularities leading to fluid shifts and irregularities in intestinal motion, bacterial imbalance in the colon and/or small intestine, or hypersensitive nerves in the GI tract. There are probably multiple other causes that are not well understood as well.”

How lifestyle factors influence IBS

Results of the study showed not smoking, a high level of vigorous physical activity, and getting enough quality sleep were linked with managing IBS symptoms.

According to Lembo, the connection likely lies in their effects on various factors such as:

• Quitting smoking may reduce inflammation in the gut and improve overall gastrointestinal health.
• Regular exercise can help regulate bowel movements, increase GI motility, reduce stress levels, and improve overall gut function, potentially reducing the severity of IBS symptoms.
• Poor sleep quality or insufficient sleep can negatively impact gut health, immune function, and stress levels.

It is important to note the multifactorial nature of IBS includes various biological, psychosocial, and environmental factors. 

“Lifestyle modifications, such as not smoking, engaging in regular physical activity, and maintaining healthy sleep habits, are key components in the management of IBS,” said Lembo.  “The study highlighted suggests that healthy lifestyle choices could potentially reduce the risk of developing IBS.  We use these same lifestyle modifications to manage symptoms in those with IBS.”

“These things each play a major role in influencing various factors that can increase or decrease IBS symptoms,” Sreenivasan stated. “Smoking leads to generalized inflammation and also leads to a lot of swallowed air, both of which can separately exacerbate or cause various IBS symptoms.”

Sreenivasan added: “Lack of exercise leads to slow intestinal motility, and likely leads to increases in stress hormone levels. Similarly with not sleeping – lack of sleep interferes with  your brain’s ability to regulate the signals it is getting from your visceral (or intestinal) nerves.”

So, if your brain usually blocks out the signals from your gut that are activated by fluid shifts, intestinal contractions, or gas, your sleep-deprived brain lets all of those signals in and perceives it as discomfort or pain, Sreenivasan explained.

How to improve IBS symptoms

Treatment for IBS typically focuses on managing symptoms and improving overall quality of life. This may include a combination of dietary changes, lifestyle modifications, medications, and psychological interventions, Lembo stated. 

Some common approaches to treating IBS include:

• Dietary modifications: Avoiding trigger foods that exacerbate symptoms, such as certain types of carbohydrates (FODMAPs), caffeine, alcohol, and spicy foods. Increasing fiber intake or trying a low FODMAP diet under the guidance of a healthcare professional may also help alleviate symptoms.
• Lifestyle changes: not smoking, exercising, getting enough sleep
• Medications: Over-the-counter or prescription medications may be used to manage specific symptoms of IBS, such as antispasmodics for abdominal pain, laxatives for constipation, or anti-diarrheal medications for diarrhea. Probiotics may also be recommended to help restore gut microbiota balance.
• Psychological interventions: Cognitive-behavioral therapy, hypnotherapy, or mindfulness-based stress reduction 

IBS treatment should be individualized, ideally with a multidisciplinary team.  

Takeaway

A new study shows practicing healthy lifestyle habits (not smoking, vigorous physical activity, and getting enough quality sleep) can lead to a lower risk of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). 

The reason why these habits may be beneficial for a healthy gut: smoking may reduce inflammation, exercise can regulate bowel movements and sleep can strengthen immune function.

To manage IBS symptoms, avoid spicy foods, caffeine and alcohol. Additionally, exercise regularly, don’t smoke and practice good sleep hygiene.

Former detectives have been drafted in to interrogate a fraud squad – dubbed the ‘untouchables’ – involved in the wrongful prosecution of hundreds of innocent sub-postmasters during the Horizon scandal.  The new team led by Gary Brooks, former head of major crime at Lancashire Constabulary, will the under-fire Post Office investigate allegations that some detectives […]

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• A new study has found that finasteride may be able to reduce cholesterol levels.
• The drug is currently used for male pattern baldness and enlarged prostate.
• Men taking the drug had lower cholesterol levels than those who didn’t.
• Mice given finasteride had reduced cholesterol levels as well.
• However, more research is needed to see if it is safe and effective.

The drug finasteride, available under the brand names Proscar and Propecia, is currently used for male pattern baldness and enlarged prostate in men.

Finasteride works by stopping testosterone from being converted into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This slows down hair loss and prevents the prostate from growing too large.

However, a study published in the March 2024 issue of the Journal of Lipid Research suggests that there might be yet another application for this medication: lowering artery-clogging cholesterol.

In addition to being associated with lower cholesterol levels in men, the drug was also found to reduce cholesterol, delay atherosclerosis, and lower liver inflammation in mice.

Studying how finasteride affects cholesterol

The idea for the study first came about when the lead author, Jaume Amengual, PhD, became curious to learn about the long-term effects of finasteride.

After examining data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) that was collected between 2009 and 2016, Amengual found, on average, that the men who were taking the drug had cholesterol that was about 30 points lower than those men who weren’t taking it.

Unfortunately, there was nothing in the data to tell him what dose the men had been taking or for how long. This led him to set up a study with mice.

In this study, mice were treated with four different amounts of finasteride: 0, 10, 100, and 1,000 milligrams per kilogram of food. The drug was given to mice that were genetically prone to developing atherosclerosis.

Additionally, the animals were fed a high fat, high cholesterol diet mimicking a typical Western diet consumed by humans.

After 12 weeks, the mice had their lipids tested and were examined for evidence of atherosclerosis. They were also tested for gene expression in the liver.

The researchers additionally looked at bile acid metabolism and tested the mice for steroids, triglycerides, and immune activity.

After performing the tests, they found that the mice that were given finasteride had lower cholesterol levels, both in their plasma and in their arteries.

They also had lower lipid levels and inflammatory markers.

Amengual did note in a press release that the amount needed to achieve this result was “incredibly high.” However, he explained, mice tend to be more resistant to drugs than humans are. This, combined with the fact that men in the NHANES database also saw reduced cholesterol levels, suggests that humans would respond to a lower dose than the mice did.

Why finasteride might lower cholesterol

Rigved Tadwalkar, MD — a board certified consultant cardiologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California, who was not involved in the study — stated that there are a few potential ways that finasteride might benefit human cholesterol levels.

“One proposed mechanism suggests that finasteride could reduce monocyte activity and inflammation, thereby diminishing the number of monocytes, which are immune cells that are involved in the formation of arterial plaques,” he explained.

“Another avenue explored is the modulation of bile acid metabolism by finasteride, hinting at its potential to influence the production and excretion of bile acids, consequently impacting cholesterol metabolism.”

Tadwalkar additionally noted that the study delved into the possibility that finasteride changes hepatic gene expression.

These alterations might be able to extend to lipid metabolism and inflammation in the liver, he said.

Limitations in the study

Justin Manjourides, PhD — a biostatistician and Associate Professor of Biostatistics at Northeastern University who was not a part of the research — commented on the study, saying, “My initial thoughts are that this is a fairly well-done study.”

Although the key results are in mice, they are consistent with what was observed in humans, he pointed out.

“By motivating the observational portion of the study on the experimental mouse data, the authors sidestep the common ‘p-hacking’ critique where several exposure-outcome pairs are examined and only those reaching significance are presented.”

Further, reduced cholesterol levels were consistent across several potential effect modifiers, said Manjourides.

He went on to note that the NHANES portion of the study had several limitations, including the fact that it only included 155 men.

“With respect to finasteride, there are no measures of dosage, adherence, or duration of treatment,” he added.

“In a cross-sectional study, lacking information on duration of treatment or information on baseline outcome measures (pre-finasteride exposure) hinders our ability to establish a causal relationship between the exposure and outcome.”

Manjourides also remarked that there are potential issues with the underlying differences between those who used finasteride and those who didn’t.

“There is no way to tell in which direction a bias caused by lacking this information would be,” he concluded.

How finasteride compares with other cholesterol drugs

While these findings are promising, Tadwalkar said it’s too early to say how well finasteride might compare with other established cholesterol-lowering medications, such as statins, ezetimibe, and PCSK9 inhibitors.

These drugs have proven efficacy in lowering cholesterol and reducing cardiovascular risk, he said.

“While the study suggests a potential benefit of finasteride in delaying cardiovascular disease by improving the plasma lipid profile, the benefits should be considered in the context of existing interventions,” said Tadwalkar.

“More research is needed to determine its true efficacy, safety profile, and optimal role in managing cholesterol and cardiovascular disease risk.”

Takeaway

New research suggests that the drug finasteride, currently used to treat male pattern baldness and enlarged prostate, might also be able to reduce cholesterol, thereby reducing the risk for cardiovascular disease.

Men using the drug had lower cholesterol levels.

Finasteride was also found to reduce cholesterol levels in mice.

However, while the findings of the study are promising, it’s too soon to say how well it might compare with existing therapies. More research is needed to show whether finasteride is safe and effective for reducing cholesterol in humans.

The billionaire heiress of In-N-Out has revealed the secrets behind the family’s tragic history of drug abuse, shock deaths and a brutal legal battle inside the company.  Lynsi Snyder, 41, recently authored a book, The Ins-N-Outs of In-N-Out Burger, delving into the iconic burger chain’s history and unveiling the secret recipes behind its fan-favorite items […]

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