Pre-existing sleep disturbances linked to higher COVID mortality rates — and more health headlines Canadians should know this week
From sleep apnea to tanning pills, these are some of the biggest health stories of the week.
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Time is precious — waste it wisely. To help you make the most of your time and better your health in the process, we've compiled a weekly one-stop shop for all things health.
First, check out some of this week's health stories from Yahoo Canada you might have missed:
A Canada-wide recall of Silk and Great Value products was issued this week due to fears of listeria contamination. We asked an expert about the bacteria and the signs and symptoms of listeriosis.
A Canadian woman says having a hysterectomy "saved" her life after years of living with chronic pain due to conditions like endometriosis that caused debilitating symptoms.
Benji Gregory, the star of the '80s sitcom "Alf," died this week from vehicular heatstroke. We spoke to an expert about the dangers of heatstroke — and how to protect yourself this summer.
Nova Scotia has announced plans to update their cervical cancer screening program. We asked an expert if the new plan is more effective than Pap smears.
It's festival season — we asked a doctor for tips on how to stay safe and stay hydrated as temperatures hit 40°C across Canada.
Here are more trending news stories you should know about:
💤 Sleep disturbances linked to higher risk of COVID, hospitalization and mortality
A meta-analysis of observational studies found that people with pre-existing sleep disturbances have an increased risk of COVID infection.
A new study published to eClinicalMedicine examined 48 observational studies that included more than 8.6 million people. It found that people who experienced sleep disturbances like obstructed sleep apnea, insomnia, abnormal sleep duration, or worked night shifts were more susceptible to COVID. They also had a higher risk of hospitalization, developing long COVID or mortality from the virus.
The data also showed that men with sleep disturbances were more likely to die from COVID than women with sleep disturbances.
🤔What does this mean for me?
Sleep is crucial to health. Knowing that data showed sleep disturbances constitute a compromised immune system could help people take extra-precautions and be more diligent about staying up-to-date on vaccines and practicing mask-wearing to protect themselves.
☀️ Experts warn against ‘tanning pills’
The growing online trend of taking tanning pills has doctors concerned for their safety.
Oral tanning pills, tanning tablets and tanning gummies have earned millions of views on TikTok with some users crediting their golden tans to the sun-alternative.
Despite videos touting their legitimacy, oral tanning products are not approved by the U.S. Federal Drug Administration.
Earlier this week, Dr. Alexis Young, a US-based dermatologist told Fox News Digital that the pills do not provide any protection from the sun. What’s more, they contain canthaxanthin, a naturally occurring pigment (carotenoid) that is used in tanning pills to change skin colour.
According to Young, prolonged use at high doses can cause liver damage and can build-up in the body and the eyes which could lead to “blurred vision, night blindness and even permanent vision loss.”
🤔 What does this mean for me?
No oral tanning pills or gummies are approved for sale in Canada. However, they still appear on the market — despite being considered a drug. Health Canada recommends avoiding oral tanning pills and notes that there is “no safe way to tan.”
🦠 Researchers identify oral bacteria subspecies that plays a key role in colon cancers
According to new research from the Fred Hutchison Cancer Centre in Seattle, a subspecies of a common type of oral bacteria was found in 50 per cent of colorectal cancer tumours examined by researchers. The subspecies of Fusobacterium nucleatum, a bacteria that causes dental plaque, was found in what were considered more aggressive tumours.
In an interview with NBC News, Susan Bullman, the co-lead author of the study, said that one particular subspecies of the bacteria “acts like a cloak” to prevent cancer cells from responding to treatment.
“Patients who have high levels of this bacteria in their colorectal tumors have a far worse prognosis,” Bullman told NBC News “They don’t respond as well to chemotherapy and they have an increased risk of recurrence.”
🤔 What does this mean for me?
The latest findings present new opportunities for targeted cancer therapies. This could hopefully improve the success rates of colorectal cancer treatments and potentially lead to the development of new antibiotics that can target the specific subspecies of bacteria. This discovery opens up different avenues for cancer treatment but requires continued research and trials.
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