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A recent study found that only about 15 percent of the sweetener sucralose, when consumed in a beverage, is actually absorbed into the blood. Within five days about 93 percent is excreted. Children, because of their smaller size, had significantly higher blood concentrations than adults. But these results don't imply negative health consequences for either group.

With new SIDS recommendations released this week, we've seen dozens of news stories explaining how to create a safe sleeping environment for your baby. Many of them led by example -- of what not to do -- by attaching a photo of an infant in an unsafe environment. Come on guys ... we have to do better than that. 

The quick and frightening death of a man who contracted a kind of flesh-eating bacterium after cleaning crab pots has made national headlines. Understandably, the public wants to know what causes such a terrifying illness and what, if anything, can be done to prevent it. The media is not helping, but here's some insight.

It's reflexive. Got a headache? Scarf down some Tylenol, right? But when that doesn't work, why not try Cap'n Crunch. That's because Tylenol, the weakest painkiller out there, may be even more useless than many people already know. And also more harmful. 

While there is no known cure for breast cancer, there are genetic tests that can predict it, and genomic tests to help determine the risk of recurrence of some types, as well as which treatments should be most effective. Women should be optimistic about the likelihood that better and better treatments — and cures — will be found.

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) falls into a larger category of "sudden uncategorized infant deaths" (SUID) alongside 'accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed' and those of 'unknown cause.'
These deaths are defined as the sudden death of an infant less than one year of age that have no immediately obvious cause and can be caused by suffocation, asphyxia, entrapment, infection, ingestions, metabolic disease, congenital heart conditions and trauma (either intentional or unintentional.) 

Want to prevent heart disease? Get more sleep, eat raw garlic, and have tons of sex — but not necessarily in that order.

French philosopher Joseph de Maistre is credited with saying, "Every country has the government it deserves." That may serve as a stinging rebuke to those of us who dwell in 21st Century America, where partisan gridlock, mutual distrust, and general nastiness have culminated in an election that has made history for all the wrong reasons. 

We humans like to think of ourselves as on the top of the heap as compared to all the other living things. About 50 years ago, a person's estimated number of human genes was in the millions. Today we’re down to about 20,000 (while bananas have 30,000). It’s time to rethink the question of how the complexity of an organism is reflected in its genome.

The American Medical Association is seeing the switch to brighter, longer-lasting LED street lamps as troubling, even raising some health concerns that it's calling potentially "harmful." But to us, those concerns seem baffling and overblown, because when its policy statement is examined it's hard to discern what the concern is all about.

http://acsh.org/news/2016/10/25/kathleen-gyllenhaal-health-meets-hollyw… to our three part series discussing the science behind director Kathleen Gyllenhaal's latest documentary, IN UTERO.  This article takes a deeper look at the health ramifications of toxic stress in prenatal life and its role in contributing to adult disease.  Part I of our Q&A with Gyllenhaal emphasizes health, Hollywood, how a story gets told and the parallels between funding for film and scientific research. In the concluding Part II Q&A, we explore her insights into motherhood and the impact of her recent film.  

If fisherman might be inclined to keep his favorite fishing spot a secret, but sometimes it helps to tell others. They may return the favor and tell you about other great places. It's a dilemma that also faces hunters. When should you share information, and when should you go at it alone? A new study might have some answers.

In March of 2016, a game called "Tom Clancy's The Division" was released. Unlike other "shooter" games such as "Destiny" and "Call of Duty", "The Division" has a compelling science story.(1) And the plot began on "Black Friday", the busiest shopping day of the year.

There exists a long list of reasons not to take drugs: addiction, decreased productivity, deleterious health effects, damage to personal relationships, and the chance of fatal overdose are just a handful. To this tally of negative consequences, researchers have added another: an increased risk of suicide.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released its annual Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance Report, which reflects record highs in primary and secondary syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. 

A recent report stated that placebo treatments for pain can be effective even when patients know that it’s a placebo. On closer examination, however, this became somewhat less newsworthy. It has all the classic hallmarks of a fluke result that's partly the result of the statistics used, and partly over-interpretation of fairly modest results.

1. If you read The Economist, you will note an article by our Senior Fellow In Biomedical Science Dr. Alex Berezow. The Economist audience cares about sexual cannibalism? In spiders? EVERYONE cares about that. It's lurid, it's provocative, and it's in October, which means it feels like Halloween.
Sure, it feels vaguely socialist to have the male of the species sacrificing himself for the good of the many, but parents do that all of the time. 

American Council on Science and Health Director of Medicine Dr. Jamie Wells has been named one of America's Top Pediatricians by Consumers' Research Council of America.

Recognizing the rapid rate of technological change in U.S. households, the American Academy of Pediatrics announced new guidelines for Children's Media Use that can be applied to all kids under 18, including infants. This welcome news gives parents a roadmap for navigating the often-perilous topic of determining the right amount of time that children can spend staring at computers, smartphones and TV screens. 

The Environmental Protection Agency is punting a final decision on the safety of the controversial weedkiller glyphosate to the next administration. The lengthy process has been fraught with delays, accusations of political maneuvering and even Congressional investigations.

Earlier this month the FDA required that a "black box" warning — the most serious category — be placed on the "super hepatitis C drugs," such as Sovaldi and Harvoni. It doesn't make a lot of sense. An overreaction? That's what we believe. Here's why.

How should scientists respond to the rising tide of anti-scientific sentiment in the world? The backlash against modern technology is widespread: Protests against genetic engineering, vaccines and "chemicals" are just some of the areas of concern. What can scientists do to address this problem?

When it comes to food -- shopping for, eating and disposing of it -- it's surprising how lack of awareness frequently factors into each area. Apparently this was a recurring theme given the tepid news coverage following last weekend's World Food Day, coupled with a recent consumer survey regarding food consumption and waste.

The death of a young, vibrant, single mother is beyond tragic. When that death could have been avoided, it is infuriating. When it is at the hand of a chiropractor, it is time for things to change. 

Did the Earth spin off its axis?  Or, are we just dreaming that the rebirth of joy and humor and common sense and reasonableness could be the latest trend in parenting? Pinch us, please. It might just be the therapeutic intervention we need.