Health

Do tattoos impair the skin’s ability to sweat? Despite the ubiquitousness of tattoos this question has received little research attention. A first-of-its-kind study suggests inked skin may damage sweat glands and reduce the body’s ability to cool itself.

A new survey has found owning a pet is associated with better mental health during COVID-19 lockdowns. The survey also linked pet ownership to lower levels of loneliness, and both positive associations were detected regardless of species.

The promising results of a Phase 2 trial testing a new, once-weekly insulin treatment for type 2 diabetes have been published. The weekly injection was found to be as safe and effective as daily insulin shots and a larger Phase 3 trial is currently being planned.

A new study has compared the physical and cognitive performance of a group of older people in 2017 with a similarly aged group three decades earlier. Improvements were seen in almost every test, suggesting progress has been made extending healthspan.

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic have developed a test, called the Gut Microbiome Health Index, that can predict a person’s general health status by measuring the levels of 50 gut microbial species.

Following a swift independent investigation, large-scale trials for a COVID-19 vaccine developed by scientists at the University of Oxford are recommencing across the UK after a suspected adverse reaction triggered a global halt to trials last week.

A new study has found mice given supplements of an endogenous metabolite display significant healthspan improvements. The research follows on from other animal studies with the same compound and a clinical trial in middle-aged humans is getting underway.

Amazon already makes ereaders, smart speakers and tablets, and now it makes fitness trackers too. The Halo is a new wearable that straps to your wrist and feeds data on your activities and sleep patterns back to an accompanying mobile app.

A meta-analysis suggests naps lasting more than 60 minutes can be linked to higher rates of all-cause mortality and poor cardiovascular health. Although the finding is only correlational, the researchers suggest keep your siestas to less than one hour.

One day microscopic robots could be crawling through your body, clearing out disease or delivering drugs. And now we’re one step closer to that future, as scientists from Cornell University have created tiny robots powered by pulses of laser light.

Fitbit has a trio of new devices to help you lead a healthier, fitter, more quantified lifestyle: the brand new Fitbit Sense smartwatch, plus updates to existing lines in the shape of the Fitbit Versa 3 and the Fitbit Inspire 2.

A new review encompassing dozens of observational studies and meta-analyses suggests there is no safe level of caffeine consumption during pregnancy. The review calls for a “radical revision” to health recommendations but not all experts agree with the findings.