U.S. Teen Substance Use at Historic Lows for Fifth Year, Survey Finds

MONDAY, Dec. 22, 2025 (HealthDay News) — For the fifth consecutive year, the number of American teenagers using drugs and alcohol remains at a historic low. 

New survey data show that the dramatic decrease in substance use that began during the COVID-19 pandemic has not reversed, signaling a long-term shift in youth behavior.

Holiday Carbon Monoxide Risks Families Should Know

MONDAY, Dec. 22, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Holiday gatherings often mean more cooking, heating and travel, but they can also raise the risk of a dangerous threat many people never see or smell: Carbon monoxide.

So far this holiday season, the New Jersey Poison Control Center has helped care for 58 people, including children, who were e...

Doctors' Questionnaires Confusing To Patients, Create Misleading Responses

MONDAY, Dec. 22, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Ever felt your eyes glazing over as you fill out the questionnaire you’ve been given by a doctor’s receptionist, trying to make heads or tails of it before your appointment?

You’re not alone, a new study says.

Confusion over symptom questionnaires is common, and likely ...

Misconceptions Over Preventing Peanut Allergy Persist Among Parents, Study Shows

MONDAY, Dec. 22, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Feeding babies foods containing peanut as early as possible can help prevent peanut allergy.

But many parents remain confused about this tactic and require more support to get it right, according to results published Dec. 18 in JAMA Network Open.

Mistaken beliefs lead some paren...

Specific Symptoms of Middle-Age Depression Tied To Later Dementia Risk

MONDAY, Dec. 22, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Depression in middle age has previously been linked to an increased risk of dementia.

But this relationship appears to be driven by a small cluster of six specific symptoms, rather than by depression overall, according to new research in The Lancet Psychiatry.

Focusing on these ...

Reversing Prediabetes Key To Protecting Heart Health, Experts Say

MONDAY, Dec. 22, 2025 (HealthDay News) — People on the verge of type 2 diabetes can cut their risk of death from heart disease by more than 50% if they bring their blood sugar levels back to normal, a new study says.

Patients with prediabetes reduced their heart risk by up to 58% when they successfully lowered their blood sugar, rese...

Metabolism Might Play A Role In Recurring Miscarriages, Researchers Say

MONDAY, Dec. 22, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Women who have recurrent miscarriages might be suffering from a metabolic problem that affects their ability to sustain a pregnancy, a new pilot study says.

Blood tests of women who’d suffered two or more consecutive lost pregnancies showed that their bodies might have differences in the...

Sports Injuries Worse During An Athlete's Period, Study Says

MONDAY, Dec. 22, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Sports injuries sustained by female athletes tend to be worse during their period, a new study reports.

Injuries are more severe and take longer to heal during menstruation, researchers recently reported in the journal Frontiers in Sports and Active Living.

For example, female a...

A Lifestyle Rx For Keeping Your Brain Young

SUNDAY, Dec. 21, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Think the good thoughts.

Manage stress. 

Get your Zzzzzs. 

And build a strong social support system.

New research shows that these factors — all of which are within your control — are powerful anti-aging tools. 

"You can learn how to perceive ...

What Older Adults Should Know About Calcium and Vitamin D

SATURDAY, Dec 20, 2025 (HealthDay News) — As people move into their 50s and beyond, bone health becomes a bigger concern, and how much calcium and vitamin D you get can make a real difference.

That’s because bone loss speeds up with age, especially during and after menopause, said Dr. Bess Dawson-Hughes, a senior scientist at T...

HHS Cuts Funding for American Academy of Pediatrics' Programs

FRIDAY, Dec. 19, 2025 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. government has ended several health grants to one of the nation’s largest pediatricians’ groups, a move the organization says could hurt children and families across the country.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) confirmed this week that the U.S. Department of Healt...

FDA May Reduce How Often Supplement Warnings Appear on Labels

FRIDAY, Dec. 19, 2025 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is weighing a change that could make warning labels on dietary supplements appear less often on packaging.

Unlike prescription drugs, dietary supplements are not reviewed by the FDA for safety or effectiveness before they are sold.

Instead, a 1...

Study Finds Cancer-Linked Chemicals in Some Firefighter Gear

FRIDAY, Dec. 19, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Some protective gear worn by firefighters may contain chemicals linked to serious health risks, according to a new study.

The research — published Dec. 16 in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters — found that certain firefighter turnout gear contains b...

Trump Signs Order to Expand Medical Cannabis Research

FRIDAY, Dec. 19, 2025 (HealthDay News) — President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday that could make it easier for scientists to study cannabis for medical use.

The order speeds up the current process to change how cannabis is classified under U.S. law. 

If finalized, the move would allow more research into m...

Nerve Block Cuts Opioids Needed Following Cleft Palate Surgery

FRIDAY, Dec. 19, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Using a nerve blocker before surgery to correct cleft palate can reduce or eliminate the need to prescribe infants opioids to manage post-procedure pain, a new study says.

A nerve block administered to a nerve that provides sensation to the palate, upper jaw and upper lip  halts pain duri...

Different Mental Health Conditions Share Similar Genetics, Study Says

FRIDAY, Dec. 19, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Psychiatric conditions as varied as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder might be driven by very similar genetic underpinnings, a new study says. 

Mental health problems can be sorted into five general genetic categories, each with a shared “genetic architecture” driving people&...

Eczema Injectable Drug Provides Quick Itch Relief, Clinical Trial Results Show

FRIDAY, Dec. 19, 2025 (HealthDay News) — A recently approved injectable eczema drug provides quick itch relief to patients with the maddening skin disease, a new study says.

Nemolizumab (Nemluvio) relieved itchiness within two days for three times as many patients as a placebo, researchers reported Dec. 16 in the Journal of the E...