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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
After people stop taking GLP-1s, the effects also end, study finds
People who stop taking GLP-1 medications like Wegovy and Zepbound started to regain weight in a short amount of time, a new study suggests. Researchers analyzed 11 different studies to understand weight outcomes after stopping anti-obesity medications called glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, or GLP-1s, which mimic the GLP-1 hormone that is produced in the gut after eating. It can help produce more insulin, which reduces blood sugar and therefore helps control Type 2 diabetes. It can also interact with the brain and signal a person to feel full, which -- when coupled with diet and exercise -- can help reduce weight in those who are overweight or obese. MORE: Compound versions of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss halted by FDA The team, from Peking University People's Hospital in China, found that most began to regain weight within about two months of stopping treatment. In many cases, that weight gain continued for several months before leveling off. The study was published Tuesday in the journal BMC Medicine. However, Dr. Louis J. Aronne, founder and former chairman of the American Board of Obesity Medicine, told ABC News that doesn't mean the medications failed. In fact, they worked exactly as intended, he said. Aronne, who is also a physician at Weill Cornell Medicine, said the findings are consistent with what happens when treatment ends for other chronic conditions. "What happens after stopping an obesity medication is exactly what happens after stopping a diabetes, cholesterol-lowering, or a blood pressure medication," he told ABC News. "The effect of the medicine goes away, and people tend to go back to where they started." Patients who had taken GLP-1s tended to lose more weight during treatment, which meant they had more weight to gain back afterward. 'It's not that the medicine didn't work,' Aronne said. 'It's that they lost more weight, so they had more weight to regain.' Even participants who continued healthy eating and exercise habits after stopping medication experienced weight gain. MORE: Compound versions of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss halted by FDA That doesn't mean those efforts weren't worthwhile, Aronne further explained, but rather that obesity is a chronic disease with complex biological drivers. "You wouldn't stop insulin and expect a person's blood sugar to stay low," he said. The researchers noted several limitations, including a small number of included studies and a focus on weight and BMI without tracking other health markers like blood sugar or cholesterol. These medications may not right for everyone, and decisions about starting or stopping should be made with your doctor, according to MedlinePlus. People with certain medical conditions, including a history of pancreatitis or thyroid cancer, may not be good candidates, and should speak with their doctor to decide what management strategies are right for them. Alexandra-Elise Dakaud Patterson, MD, MS, is a general surgery resident at University of Toledo Medical Center and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit. Solve the daily Crossword
Fox News
4 hours ago
- Fox News
At-home test works like coffee rings to spot serious illness faster
Have you ever noticed how a spilled cup of coffee leaves behind a telltale brown ring? While those stains might be annoying, the science behind them, known as the coffee ring effect, has sparked innovations in health technology. UC Berkeley researchers recently turned this everyday phenomenon into a breakthrough medical test, making rapid and reliable disease detection as easy as brewing your morning coffee. Curious how a simple coffee stain could inspire cutting-edge diagnostics and revolutionize at-home testing? Let's look at how a forgotten mug on your desk might just save lives. Ever wondered why spilled coffee, wine or tea dries in a ring rather than evenly? This common pattern is known as the "coffee ring effect." The phenomenon occurs because of the liquid's surface tension. As the drop begins to dry, water at the edges evaporates more quickly since that area is thinner. To keep up, liquid from the center flows outward, carrying tiny particles with it. Once the drop is completely dry, these particles settle along the edge, creating the signature ring stain you see on tables and countertops every day. Surprisingly, that annoying coffee ring on your table has inspired a major breakthrough in medical technology. Researchers at UC Berkeley transformed this everyday nuisance into a powerful new at-home diagnostic test. This innovative test can identify diseases like COVID-19, prostate cancer and sepsis with remarkable accuracy. In fact, it is up to 100 times more sensitive than many current rapid tests. Even better, it delivers results in just twelve minutes, depending on the test. The idea began with Kamyar Behrouzi, a former Ph.D. student at UC Berkeley. While developing a COVID-19 biosensor in 2020, he noticed that virus particles, much like coffee particles, tend to gather at the edge of a droplet. By using this natural effect, the researchers designed a test that captures and concentrates disease markers, making detection much easier. Thanks to this stain-inspired science, fast and reliable testing is now possible right at home. So, how does this innovative test actually work? First, you place a small sample from your nose or cheek onto a special membrane. As the sample dries, disease proteins concentrate at the edges to form a visible ring. Next, you add a second droplet containing light-reactive particles. If certain disease biomarkers are present, these nanoparticles light up when exposed to light. You can see positive results with the naked eye in some cases, or verify them more accurately using a special AI-powered smartphone app. This rapid test does more than detect COVID-19. It can also identify early signs of sepsis, a life-threatening infection that needs quick treatment. To make home testing accessible, the UC Berkeley team even created a 3D-printed prototype for easy use on your kitchen counter. According to professor Liwei Lin, this innovative approach could transform regular health screening, with no lab visit required. This coffee ring-inspired test brings hospital-level disease detection right to your home. With results ready in under twelve minutes, you can quickly check for diseases like COVID-19 and even early signs of sepsis. You no longer need to schedule lab visits or wait days for results. Instead, you can take charge of your health from the comfort of your kitchen, using a simple, affordable tool that could catch problems early and help keep your family safe. As technology like this becomes widely available, routine screening could become as easy as making your morning coffee. It's incredible how a common coffee stain inspired a breakthrough in medical testing. Science proves that even life's little messes can spark big innovations. With these advances, you can look forward to faster, easier health checks at home and maybe appreciate your next coffee spill just a little more. Would you trust a coffee stain to help catch disease early? Let us know by writing us at Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts, and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide - free when you join my Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Your holiday cookout could be killing you
Could your Fourth of July cookout lead to an early death? Estimates from the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council show Americans consume some 150 million hot dogs during the holiday weekend. Now, researchers say that eating any processed meat and other foods leaves Americans at a heightened risk for chronic conditions, including type 2 diabetes, ischemic heart disease, and colorectal cancer. The conditions result in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people each year. 'Habitual consumption of even small amounts of processed meat, sugary drinks, and trans fatty acids is linked to increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, ischemic heart disease and colorectal cancer,' Dr. Demewoz Haile, a research scientist at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in Seattle, told CNN this week. Analyzing data from more than 60 previous related studies, the researchers found that eating processed meat – as little as just one hot dog a day – was associated with at least an 11 percent average increase in type 2 diabetes risk and a 7 percent increase in colorectal cancer risk. Those who drank a sugar-sweetened beverage had an 8 percent average increase in type 2 diabetes risk and a 2 percent increase in ischemic heart disease risk. The study builds on years of research tying processed foods to higher risks of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer. The Dietary Guidelines recommend limiting these foods and drinks, including sodas, hot dogs, and sausages. Although, researchers say it remains unclear exactly what aspects of processed foods pose potential health risks. It could be due to inflammation, Dr. Minyang Song, an associate professor of clinical epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan Schoo of Public Health, told CNN. He was not involved in the latest study. Processed meats also often contain chemicals known as nitrates nitrites that serve as a preservative and give the meat its rosy color. 'Nitrates convert to nitrites, and in the stomach's acidic environment, nitrites interact with certain components concentrated in meat to form N-nitroso compounds, which are potential carcinogens,' according to Harvard Medical School. Dr. Walter Willett, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, points out that processed meats contain other additives and are high in sodium, which is a risk factor for high blood pressure and heart disease. Dr. Ashkan Afshin, an assistant professor at the institute who was not a co-author of the new study, previously found that poor diet is responsible for more deaths globally than tobacco, high blood pressure, or any other health risk. "Poor diet is an equal opportunity killer," he said in 2019. "We are what we eat and risks affect people across a range of demographics, including age, gender, and economic status." Haile was the lead author of the study, which was published on Monday in the journal Nature Medicine.
