Study: ‘It’s Not So Simple That Alcohol Is Good For You Or Alcohol Is Bad For You’
Researchers find a link between alcohol consumption and an elevated risk for a heart rhythm disorder, but the analysis also indicates that a lot depends on the individual. In other public health news, a new study on fat could help doctors prescribe the best diet for their patients and KHN looks at the uncertainty surrounding the health effects of donating eggs.
The Wall Street Journal:
Study Finds Drinking Alcohol Associated With Heart-Rhythm Disorder
A study comparing hospital admissions in “wet” versus “dry” counties in Texas offers a surprising new perspective on how alcohol consumption may affect the health of your heart. The analysis found that people living in dry counties, where sales of alcoholic beverages are prohibited, had a higher risk of being hospitalized for a heart attack or congestive heart failure than people living in wet counties, where such sales are allowed. But residents of wet counties were at elevated risk for a heart rhythm disorder called atrial fibrillation. (Winslow, 6/20)
The Baltimore Sun:
Polyunsaturated Fat Better Than Monounsaturated Fat In Diet For Metabolic Syndrome
A special muffin recipe made with polyunsaturated fat helped people lose more weight than those with monounsaturated fat and improve other health measures, according to a small study at the University of Maryland School of Medicine that may help doctors understand the best type of diet in helping combat serious disease. (Cohn, 6/21)
Kaiser Health News:
Health Effects Of Egg Donation Not Well Studied
Studies of the long-term impact of egg donation on donors have never been done, even though the practice dates back more than 30 years. Despite sporadic reports of subsequent infertility and a variety of cancers, some fatal, it isn't known whether these problems are linked to the process or are simply the result of chance. Fertility specialists say that egg donation is safe and involves the same process as in vitro fertilization, which uses drugs to stimulate and regulate egg production. A 2013 meta-analysis of 25 studies seeking to evaluate the risks between ovarian cancer and the use of fertility drugs found "no convincing evidence" of an increase in the risk of invasive ovarian cancer. ... But others say the matter remains unsettled because donors haven't been studied. (Boodman, 6/21)