As the year ends: important health developments in 2016

It is not difficult to say this has been a hard year for all of us. Nevertheless, advances in health continue at full speed. This year’s developments established findings such as reading books prolonging life and bacteria contaminating food dropped on the floor even if it is picked up within 5 seconds.

We have compiled some of the year’s most discussed studies worldwide for you.

The Zika virus outbreak

Unfortunately, the Zika outbreak was a global problem beyond health research in 2016. Mosquitoes carry the virus. Infected people experience vague flu-like symptoms such as slightly elevated fever and muscle, joint and head pain. Infection during pregnancy also causes microencephaly, in which the baby’s head is smaller than normal, and Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) in children. GBS typically presents with muscle weakness starting in both legs and ascending, skin sensory disturbances, and dysfunction of organs including the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, intestines and bladder. Research found that 1,65 million women who gave birth were infected. Studies at John Hopkins University identified how Zika affects the fetal brain. After the World Health Organization (WHO) downgraded Zika’s danger level, many scientists feared insufficient funding for research into this incompletely understood disease. The outbreak posed no direct threat to our country, but affected certain North American states, much of South America and the Pacific Islands.

Developments in cancer

Thousands of cancer studies each year open new horizons, whether investigating how cancer develops or how to treat it.

Research published in June in Nature Communications showed how cancer cells spread through the body. Spread (metastasis) from the tissue of origin makes treatment harder. Cell-surface proteins called integrins enable communication with the surroundings. Through these proteins, cancer cells can survive after leaving their tissue of origin.

On our website, in the news section you can find much more detailed information about cancer advances.

Exercise, exercise, exercise

The fitness craze continued this year. Gym memberships and sports leggings are more fashionable than ever. But examining obesity figures shows that rates are still rising.

A study in the March 2016 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that prolonged sitting accounts for approximately %3,8 of deaths worldwide.

Regular exercise has been proven to protect particularly adults from heart disease. Also, 1 hour of exercise daily alleviates the bodily effects of prolonged sitting.

Research continues on lipid-lowering statin medicines

Statins are among the most widely used cholesterol-lowering medicines. Because they are used so extensively, their benefits and side effects require careful investigation.

Studies show that statin use increases risks of ischemic stroke (blocked cerebral vessels), diabetes and myopathy. Experts nevertheless say their benefits greatly outweigh their side effects. Reviews found that the number taking statins to prevent heart attacks far exceeded those experiencing side effects.

A meta-analysis published in the respected medical-scientific journal JAMA reviewed 49 studies involving 312175 participants and emphasized that statins should be the first choice for lowering cholesterol. It also identified options for patients unable to tolerate them, such as increasing LDL receptor numbers, changing diet, increasing bile acid secretion and ileal bypass.

A Stanford University study associated high-dose statin use with reduced mortality.

Increasing cannabis use raises concern

Cannabis use is increasing. In America, 23 states accept some medical use. Its principal active substance, obtained from the cannabis plant, is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC exerts psychoactive effects by binding to the CB1 receptor. Psychoactive effects act mainly in the central nervous system, altering brain functions and temporarily changing perception, mood, consciousness and behavior. Although psychoactive substances have limited medical uses in anesthesia, pain relief and psychiatric drugs, uninformed, excessive use causes physical dependence and many adverse effects, particularly cognitive ones.

Alongside medical use, synthetic cannabis is the most widely used substance in illegal drug production. In 2015 in America, poisoning from synthetic cannabis use generated 8000 calls to call centers. These developments led scientists to investigate its mechanism of action to improve treatment effectiveness.

A study published this year in the American Journal of Medecine found that cannabis use reduces bone mineral content and increases osteoporosis risk. Another study found memory loss through activation of mitochondrial CB1 receptors. The only positive finding was that in Alzheimer’s research THC reduced beta-amyloid levels and protected nerve cells from death. Conversely, cannabis use was shown to significantly increase psychosis risk, a mental state with severely impaired thinking and perception.

The Pokemon GO craze

Pokemon Go, a smartphone game that suddenly exploded in popularity around last summer, is addictive. Catching its characters requires going out into the real world with a smartphone. Although some players see exercise benefits, constantly focusing on the phone also causes unfortunate accidents.

Peanut allergy

Between 1997-2008, the number of children with peanut allergy tripled. Today, approximately 3 million people have hazelnut and peanut allergies. According to a JAMA study, feeding peanuts to infants aged 4-11 months reduces later peanut allergy risk by %70.

As another year ends, we wish you health, happiness, peace and success in the new year. Happy New Year…