Category: Health

• A recent study found that GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy may significantly reduce blood pressure.
• The positive results were observed alongside weight loss and independently of it.
• The findings add to growing evidence to support the meaningful health benefits of GLP-1 drugs beyond weight loss.

Obesity and high blood pressure are closely related chronic health conditions that are of growing concern globally.

The two conditions have an interlinking web of causation, where obesity can play a significant role in the development and exacerbation of high blood pressure (hypertension).

A new meta-analysis shows that GLP-1 medications, such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro, can help significantly reduce blood pressure.

The findings indicate that the reduction in blood pressure was both weight-dependent and independent of weight loss.

The study, recently presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul, Turkey, from May 12–15, has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

“Given that obesity and hypertension frequently coexist and together substantially increase cardiovascular and kidney risk, these findings support obesity treatment as an important component of blood pressure management and cardiovascular risk reduction,” said lead researcher Marcel Muskiet, MD, PhD, an internist, endocrinologist, and vascular medicine specialist in the Department of Medicine at Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) in the Netherlands.

“Our analyses suggest that the blood pressure benefits of GLP-1-based therapies are not exclusively driven by weight loss. While weight reduction appears to be the dominant mechanism, these agents may also exert direct renal, vascular, and neurohormonal effects that contribute independently to blood pressure lowering,” Muskiet told Healthline.

The researchers conducted a meta-analysis of phase 3 clinical trials. They were examining the relationship between weight loss and reduced blood pressure with GLP-1s and multi-hormone receptor modulators (MHRMs).

This analysis included 32 phase 3 trials that included 43,618 adults with overweight or obesity. The average age was 54, and the average body mass index (BMI) was 35.5. Around 50% of individuals were female, and 9.2% had type 2 diabetes.

Around 59% of participants were living with high blood pressure, and the average treatment period was 66 weeks. After placebo adjustments were taken into account, the average weight loss was around 10.9%. This was accompanied by a 5.2 mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure.

The analysis showed that 77% of the variance in blood pressure could be explained by weight loss associated with GLP-1 drugs and MHRMs. This corresponded to a 0.34 mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure for every 1% of weight loss.

“These findings showed an improvement in hypertension in direct correlation to the amount of weight loss,” said Mir Ali, MD, a bariatric surgeon, bariatric medicine specialist, and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA. Ali wasn’t involved in the research.

“This reinforces the role that obesity plays in hypertension as well as many other health conditions,” Ali told Healthline.

The researchers noted that even without weight loss, GLP-1 drugs and MHRMs may help lower blood pressure. This may be due to their ability to relax blood vessels, improve kidney salt handling, and reduce stress signals.

“Though more research is definitely warranted to look at the mechanisms by which GLP-1 medications may work, I have seen some studies indicating that it may be a reduction in chronic inflammation,” said Ali. “Chronic inflammation can contribute to many health conditions, and obesity is a leading cause of chronic inflammation.”

Muskiet explained that the GLP-1 therapies may have various effects independent of weight loss. He said that potential mechanisms include:

• increased kidney sodium excretion
• improved endothelial and vascular function
• reduced arterial stiffness
• modulation of sympathetic nervous system activity

The researchers further noted that their meta-analysis had limitations and that more studies are needed.

“The main message is that obesity treatment and blood pressure management should increasingly be viewed as interconnected rather than separate therapeutic goals,” said Muskiet.

“Modern obesity pharmacotherapies are not simply weight-loss agents; they may become an important component of integrated cardiovascular risk reduction strategies in people living with overweight or obesity.”

GLP-1 medications were originally developed to help manage type 2 diabetes. They have also become popular tools for weight loss and weight management.

A growing body of evidence suggests that this class of medications offers other health benefits.

“There have been studies showing GLP-1 medications improving cardiovascular health, cognitive health, [and] kidney function, to name a few,” Ali said. “This may be due to a reduction in chronic inflammation, but other studies are needed to better define the benefits independent of weight loss.”

Recent research has also shown that GLP-1 drugs may be associated with improved breast cancer survival rates and reduced recurrence in people with obesity and related conditions.

Research examining the additional health benefits of GLP-1 drugs is ongoing.

“My breast was very dense to the point where [my doctor said], ‘We’re not touching anything until you get a mammogram,’” she told Healthline.

The mammogram led to a diagnosis of stage 1B estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer in her left breast. This type of cancer feeds on estrogen to grow.

“You feel such a helplessness,” Abraira said. “[There’s] a disbelief that you cannot get over for the first few months, you know? And then … you have to face the reality of it and then figure it out.”

In June 2026, Abraira had surgery to remove the cancerous tumor. She then chose to have tissue from the tumor tested with the Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score to determine the likelihood that the cancer would return, and whether having chemotherapy would benefit her.

The results helped her and her doctor determine that 12 weeks of chemotherapy was appropriate.

“[I’m] thankful that I was able to actually utilize this test and be able to see the mathematics of it all,” said Abraira.

She also received radiation.

“Radiation therapy is typically given to the remaining breast tissue after lumpectomy,” Doreen Agnese, MD, a surgical oncologist, clinical geneticist, and professor at The Ohio State University, told Healthline.

Agnese said radiation to the lymph nodes that are not removed in the armpit, above the collarbone, and along the breastbone is also recommended when lymph node involvement is identified, whether after a lumpectomy or a mastectomy.

Decisions about chemotherapy and targeted therapies are typically based on the size of the tumor, the status of the lymph nodes, and the receptor status of the tumor.

“These factors also help to determine sequencing of therapy. For certain types of tumors (ER positive tumors), genomic testing assays such as Oncotype or Mammaprint can help determine appropriate systemic therapy,” said Agnese.

Abraira recovered from treatment as expected.

There were tough days along the way, though. In fact, she recalled not wanting to get chemo on the first day of treatment.

“I said, ‘I am not doing this.’ And Russell looked at me, he goes, ‘Oh, yes, you are baby girl; you’re going to do this for me, and you’re going to do this for those boys right outside that door,’” she said. “And that broke me to reset.”

She decided to take each moment one at a time.

“[If] every morning I wake up, and I feel sluggish, or you know, I’m achy, I’m like, okay, close your eyes…you’re gonna get through this tunnel,” said Abraira. “And that’s how visually I was able to say focus, focus, focus, look, the light is getting brighter.”

“I am very much in the ‘I don’t have time for this phase,’” she said.

As a party planning extraordinaire, she said her mentality was always to drop everything and do whatever people needed.

“And then came cancer knocking on the door and says, ‘Sweetheart, have a seat and stay humble. It’s time…to test you,’” Abraira said. “[I] definitely feel that it gave me this different type of strength and confidence.”

Thinking of herself in two versions—before cancer and after cancer—has also helped her cope.

“[Just] now is when I’m starting to post again, old photos of [me] with hair,” she said. “I could not look at those photos of me in the past, cause it just kind of broke me.”

She is embracing the new version of herself now.

“The new me is actually the person I like better…because I don’t need all the fluff. I don’t need a wig,” she said.

She puts more focus on her health post cancer.

“My health is of utmost importance. The way I eat is different. I don’t drink the way I used to drink at all…there needs to be a really good reason why I’m drinking at this point,” she said. “[I] really focus on my health and being the best version I can be.”

Using her popularity and platform to spread awareness is rewarding for Abraira

“I pick partnerships that make sense for me,” she said.

Teaming up with Abbott to share her experience with the Oncotype DX test felt natural to her.

“[It] was kind of like, yes, this is amazing cause I can speak on it without looking at notes…It’s coming from [my heart] because I lived it, I experienced it, so I want to help,” Abraira said.

The fact that the test applies to women of all cultural backgrounds who qualify to take it makes the partnership even more special to Abraira.

“[When] you’re talking about people like my grandmother who’s so superstitious and who just wants to pray the cancer away; ‘No, no, grandma, we’re going to listen to the science, and we’re going to take this test, and this is what it’s going to show us, and we’re going to follow the steps, and then we’re going to get help to reduce the risk,” she said.

She is grateful to live in a time and country that provides access to cutting-edge science and tools, and she hopes other women take initiative to make breast health a priority.

“[Get] tested if you can…and test yourself in the shower, do all the things to make sure that you’re able to say, ‘Something ain’t right.’ You know your body more than anybody, and when you feel something, don’t just go with it,” Abraira said. “[We’re] all go-moms and we’re doing this, and we’re doing that, but if you don’t take care of you first, then what’s the point of this life?”

• A recent study found that too little or too much sleep may speed aging in the brain and other organs.
• The study used aging clocks to examine associations between sleep and various mental health and medical conditions.
• The researchers also found a direct link between sleep and late-life depression.

Sleep is an important aspect of overall health and emotional well-being. The amount and quality of sleep you get can affect your body in various ways.

A recent study published in Nature found that getting too little or too much sleep may speed aging in the brain and other areas of the body.

Previous research has linked low sleep to faster brain aging. This study, however, takes that further and shows an association between the amount of sleep you get and the aging of nearly every organ.

“Sleep is fundamental for healthy aging and longevity. More importantly, it is potentially modifiable,” said lead study author Junhao Wen, PhD, assistant professor of radiological sciences at Columbia University. “In this study, we measure biological aging clocks across organs to link these clocks with sleep duration,” Wen told Healthline.

Chronological age is the number of years you have been alive. Biological age measures how quickly your cells and tissues are aging.

Studies like this examine biological aging and the various factors that can affect it.

Aging clocks have become increasingly popular in these types of studies. These clocks are scientific, computational models that estimate a person’s biological age and how they are aging faster or slower than their chronological age. These estimates are based on biological data from the individual.

Most aging clocks measure age across the whole body. However, organs may age at different rates. The research team behind the study has been instrumental in developing aging clocks for specific organs. These clocks can provide more specific and personalized information to individuals.

The study used data from half a million participants in the UK Biobank and machine learning to identify signatures of aging in the organs.

The researchers then assessed the relationship between a person’s self-reported sleep duration and their biological age, using 23 aging clocks across 17 organs.

The study defined too little sleep as less than 6 hours and too much sleep as more than 8 hours.

They found that, in general, people who slept too little or too much showed signs of faster biological aging than those who reported sleeping between 6.4 and 7.8 hours each day.

It is important to note that this doesn’t mean that your sleep duration alone causes organs to age faster or slower. However, it does suggest that both too little or too much sleep may play a role in poorer overall health across your body.

“Short sleep duration is associated with immune dysregulation and increased systemic inflammation, impairing tissue repair and metabolic homeostasis. It also disrupts glucose regulation and overall energy balance,” said Sarathi Bhattacharyya, MD, pulmonologist, sleep medicine specialist, and medical director of MemorialCare Sleep Disorders Center at Long Beach Medical Center in Long Beach, CA. Bhattacharyya wasn’t involved in the study.

“Additionally, insufficient sleep increases sympathetic nervous system activity, which may contribute to accelerated cellular aging across multiple organ systems,” he told Healthline.

Bhattacharyya noted that too much sleep can have adverse effects. “Prolonged sleep duration may be associated with similar adverse aging outcomes,” he said. “In many cases, longer sleep may reflect underlying or subclinical pathology that itself contributes to accelerated aging.”

The study showed a relationship between sleep and chronic diseases. This suggests that a connection exists beyond brain influence.

Too little sleep was associated with brain disorders like depression and anxiety disorders. An association was also found between short sleep and medical conditions, such as:

“Short sleep is often more associated with stress of a busy lifestyle, and anxiety. It can lead to elevated blood pressure, cortisol, and blood glucose levels, which all have detrimental effects over time,” said Alex Dimitriu, MD, a double board certified psychiatry and sleep medicine specialist and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine in California. Dimitriu wasn’t involved in the study.

“Longer sleep is associated with depression, but more so [with] illness of the body. People who are sick or unhealthy may thus require more sleep than 8 hours per night. For long sleepers, it is more likely that illness causes longer sleep, rather than longer sleep causing illness,” Dimitriu told Healthline.

The organ-specific aging clocks from this study may also be useful for determining how sleep is related to specific conditions.

For example, this study used them to look more closely at how sleep may be associated with late-life depression.

The study could not definitively determine whether sleep duration directly caused late-life depression or whether late-life depression influenced sleep duration. However, the researchers did apply mediation analysis to late-life depression.

With this, they examined whether aging clocks mediate the relationship between sleep and late-life depression. Their analysis suggests that too little sleep may directly influence the disease burden of late-life depression. Too much sleep may influence late-life depression via a mediation pathway that underlies the brain and adipose clocks.

Wen said that the study’s findings may impact future sleep research and management.

“One should manage sleep optimization in a systematic way that considers his/her medical history because we observed a different sleep-organ U-shaped pattern. Also, doctors should treat long sleepers and short sleepers differently, as shown in Fig.4’s mediation analyses between short/long sleep vs. late-life depression,” he said.

Quality sleep is important for overall health.

“Despite the 7-hour ideal sleep time, give yourself a window of at least 8 hours to sleep. Aim for 8, by eating earlier, slowing down earlier, turning off screens earlier, so you can actually get about 7 quality hours of sleep,” Dmitriu said.

Bhattacharyya said that optimal sleep requires appropriate management of underlying medical and psychiatric conditions, as well as environmental and behavioral factors.

“Maintaining a consistent wake time is particularly important for stabilizing circadian rhythm. Adherence to good sleep hygiene — especially during the evening wind-down period — is also essential,” he said.

• A comprehensive review found no causal link between antidepressant use before or during pregnancy and ADHD or autism.
• Any association of neurodevelopmental disorders appears to be linked to genetic or environmental factors.
• While antidepressants do have potential risks, it’s important to weigh them against the benefits.
• Untreated depression is associated with serious risks to both the pregnant person and their baby.

Antidepressants have recently come under scrutiny by top U.S. health officials despite their well-established safety and efficacy profiles.

A large international study investigated whether antidepressant use before or during pregnancy is linked to neurodevelopmental disorders in children.

The comprehensive review, published online in The Lancet Psychiatry on May 14, found no such association.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), around 10% of pregnant people experience depression. Untreated mental illness can lead to risks for both the pregnant person and their baby.

Antidepressants, therefore, are commonly prescribed during and after pregnancy.

Despite this, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. discourages the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a commonly prescribed class of antidepressants.

These new findings could help dispel misinformation around antidepressant use during pregnancy.

The researchers reviewed dozens of previous studies to better understand whether antidepressant use before or during pregnancy was linked to neurodevelopmental conditions in children.

They examined outcomes including ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disabilities, motor disorders, and speech or language delays.

To do this, they searched several major medical research databases and screened nearly 2,000 studies before selecting 37 high quality studies to include in their final analysis.

Altogether, the research covered more than 648,000 pregnancies involving antidepressant exposure and nearly 25 million pregnancies without exposure.

The researchers combined the findings from these studies and adjusted for factors that could affect the results, such as maternal mental illness, family genetics, and differences in how antidepressant exposure was measured.

They also looked at different types of antidepressants, when they were used during pregnancy, dosage levels, and even paternal antidepressant use to help determine whether other underlying factors could explain the findings.

To improve transparency and research quality, the study plan was registered in advance through PROSPERO, an international database for systematic reviews.

The analysis found that when mothers used antidepressants during pregnancy, there was a small increase in the chance of their children developing certain neurodevelopmental disorders, such as ADHD and autism.

This increased risk was seen whether the antidepressants were used before or during pregnancy.

However, the researchers also found that when they carefully considered other factors — like the pregnant person’s mental health history or comparisons between siblings — the link between antidepressant use and these disorders became much weaker or disappeared entirely.

The researchers suggest that the underlying mental health of the parents and other family factors might explain most of the risk, rather than the antidepressant use itself.

Further bolstering the idea of the role of genetic or environmental factors, the team also found that the fathers’ antidepressant use during their partner’s pregnancy was linked to a greater chance of ADHD or ASD in children.

The study, however, did not find increased risks for other developmental issues, such as intellectual disabilities or speech and language problems. Also, taking higher doses of antidepressants did not appear to increase the risk.

Among the different types of antidepressants, only two older medications, amitriptyline and nortriptyline, were consistently linked with higher risks. However, these drugs are less commonly prescribed and often reserved for severe depression.

More commonly prescribed antidepressants, like the SSRIs fluoxetine and sertraline, did not show a clear increased risk once the pregnant person’s mental health was taken into account.

Overall, the evidence was not strong and was limited by differences in study methods and remaining uncertainties.

The authors also emphasize that untreated depression during pregnancy carries its own risks for both the pregnant person and the baby, highlighting the need for careful, personalized decisions about antidepressant use during pregnancy.

Sandra Dunkin, MD, a board certified psychiatrist and founder of BrainWell Psychiatry, said the review’s findings reinforce what she has seen in her own practice. Dunkin wasn’t involved in the research.

“This research is genuinely reassuring, and I want women to hear it clearly: the evidence does not support a causal link between antidepressant use in pregnancy and neurodevelopmental conditions like autism or ADHD,” she told Healthline.

Dunkin said this is important because the fear of causing harm to their baby has led many women to discontinue necessary medications, which can have serious consequences.

Abrupt cessation of an antidepressant without going through a period of tapering off under your doctor’s supervision can lead to antidepressant discontinuation syndrome, which may lead to a range of unpleasant symptoms, including:

• nausea
• headaches
• electric-shock sensations

Additionally, females may experience a return of their depression symptoms, including suicidal ideation.

There are also effects on the developing fetus to consider, said MaryEllen Eller, MD, a board certified psychiatrist with Radial Health who wasn’t involved in the review.

Managing mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety during pregnancy “is not a choice between treatment risk and no risk,” she told Healthline. Instead, it’s a matter of choosing between competing risks, Eller said.

“A growing body of research shows that untreated mental illness during pregnancy carries real consequences for both mother and baby, including premature birth, low birth weight, high blood pressure complications, and long-term effects on a child’s brain development such as increased risk of anxiety, ADHD, learning difficulties, and mood disorders later in life,” Eller said.

Additionally, while antidepressants are not completely without side effects, the likelihood of serious complications is low, she noted.

Also, not all antidepressants have the same risk profile, so switching to another medication is also an option.

“When medications are prescribed, providers aim for the lowest dose that fully controls symptoms — because under-treating mental illness carries its own risks,” Eller said.

“Ultimately, the greatest risk to a developing baby is a mother whose mental illness is untreated.”

• A recent study found that GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy may improve breast cancer survival and recurrence in those with obesity and related health conditions.
• The findings suggest that GLP-1 medications were associated with a lower risk of mortality in those with type 2 diabetes than insulin or metformin alone.
• Experts say that while the findings are promising, more research is still needed.

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the United States, accounting for 30% of all new female cancers each year.

As GLP-1 medications become a widespread option for the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes, a recent study examined their effects on breast cancer outcomes.

The findings, published in JAMA Network Open, show that for those with obesity, type 2 diabetes, or both, the use of GLP-1 drugs helped improve breast cancer survival rates and lower the odds of recurrence.

“[Breast cancer] patients with obesity or pre-existing type 2 diabetes often face more complex breast cancer journeys,” said lead study author Kristina L. Tatum, PsyD, MS, an instructor in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the School of Public Health at Virginia Commonwealth University.

“Our findings are encouraging because they suggest that GLP-1RA use may be associated with improved survival and lower recurrence among these patients,” Tatum told Healthline.

“While causation cannot be confirmed from this observational study, the findings provide important data for clinicians and patients with obesity and/or type 2 diabetes to consider as we continue to learn more about the possibilities of GLP-1RA therapies in breast cancer survivorship,” she said.

With around 1 in 8 U.S. adults having used a GLP-1, like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro, at some point, including 40% with diabetes and 25% with heart disease, the broader health implications of this class of drugs are of increasing interest to researchers.

While the effects of GLP-1 drugs on breast cancer warrant further investigation, the relationship between obesity and cancer may play a role.

GLP-1 medications, which are highly effective for weight loss, could therefore help lower these risks, as the new study suggests.

Amy Bremner, MD, breast surgical oncologist and medical director of breast surgical oncology at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, CA, who wasn’t involved in the study, said the findings were promising.

“We know that obesity is well-established as an obesity-associated cancer risk factor. Fat produces estrogen, which promotes certain breast cancer subtypes. By reducing body weight and fat mass, this could potentially reduce recurrence risk,” Bremner told Healthline.

Study co-author Bernard F. Fuemmeler, PhD, MPH, professor and Gordon D. Ginder, MD Chair in Cancer Research, said they were encouraged by the findings. “They tell us there is a story here with GLP1 RAs and cancer survivor outcomes that deserves more attention,” he told Healthline.

“We plan to continue this work to help build a clearer understanding of these therapies and support providers and cancer survivors as the science continues to evolve,” he said.

The recent study included 841,831 participants with breast cancer and an average age of 69. After taking into account any exclusions, the researchers identified three cohorts:

The 5-year survival probability for those with obesity and breast cancer using a GLP-1 was 97.4%, with the 10-year survival being 96%.

This compares to a 5-year survival rate of 93.2% for those not using a GLP-1 and a 10-year survival rate of 88.6%.

GLP-1 use was also associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality in the 10-year follow-up period.

“This paper adds to growing evidence that GLP-1 receptor agonists may have an oncologic impact by improving metabolic health,” said Paunel Vukasinov, MD, a dual board certified internist and obesity medicine specialist at Medical Offices of Manhattan. Vukasinov wasn’t involved in the study.

“We should use appropriate caution when interpreting these results. This is an observational, retrospective study, not a prospective randomized trial,” Bremner said.

“Problems with this type of study include selection bias and confounding variables. In addition, could the benefit be a result of factors such as improved metabolic health, weight loss, or even differences in the types of patients selected for these drugs?” she noted.

The researchers compared breast cancer survival for GLP-1 drugs with that of current diabetes therapies. Survival rates among those taking diabetes medications were slightly lower compared to the GLP-1 group.

For participants taking insulin or metformin, the 5-year breast cancer survival rate was 82.3%, and the 10-year survival rate was 76.4%, compared to 97.4% and 96%, respectively, in the GLP-1 group.

Those with breast cancer and type 2 diabetes using SGLT2 saw a 5-year survival rate of 88.9% and a 10-year survival rate of 73.4%.

For those using a GLP-1, the 5-year survival rate was 86.3%, and the 10-year survival rate was 75.5%.

In this group, GLP-1 use also saw a lower hazard of all-cause mortality.

“The survival benefit appeared stronger versus insulin or metformin, but less so when compared with SGLT2 inhibitors,” Vukasinov said.

“That raises the possibility that improving overall metabolic health may be a major part of what we are seeing.”

• Ballmaxxing is the latest social media “maxxing” trend.
• The protocol involves injecting fluids into the testicles in order to increase their size.
• Experts caution that this trend may do more damage to the body than good.

The latest maxxing trend is known as “ballmaxxing,” in which men inject fluids like Surgilube or saline into their testicles to increase their size.

Saline is a sterile solution of sodium chloride in water used for medical and health purposes. Surgilube is a sterile, water-soluble surgical lubricant used clinically to facilitate the insertion of medical instruments, catheters, and endoscopes. It’s designed for external medical use and instrument lubrication.

Some participants in this trend are injecting these fluids until their testicles are the size of grapefruits.

The question on everyone’s mind with this new trend is, “Why?”

Some say that increasing their scrotum size makes them feel more masculine and confident. Others say that they believe women prefer larger testicles. While others state that it can enhance sex and the pleasure that comes from sex. Another reason may simply be fascination.

Whatever the reason, experts warn that this trend may actually cause more harm than people may realize.

“Physicians have called Ballmaxxing one of the most reckless body modification trends to emerge from male online communities, warning that the temporary size increase often leads to permanent damage,” Robert Glatter, MD, attending physician in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, and Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/ Northwell, said.

Glatter spoke to Healthline about this potentially dangerous trend.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Glatter: The short answer: The scrotum was not built for this. The area is extremely sensitive and contains delicate structures — including the testicles, blood vessels, and nerves — that are simply not designed to accommodate fluid distension.

Specific risks include infection, abscess formation, and cellulitis from the introduction of unregulated fluid outside a medical setting. Pressure from fluid accumulation may also impair blood flow, potentially affecting testicular function — in other words, the very organs someone is trying to “enhance” can be permanently damaged in the process.

Most ballmaxxing happens at home with kits bought online, with no sterile field and no trained operator, making sepsis a potential and serious outcome.

Others may purchase materials from underground sources, which may contain toxic materials that are not only harmful but also unsterile, increasing the risk of severe infection, sepsis, and the need for surgical intervention with potential permanent disfigurement.

Glatter: Even medical-grade saline, when injected outside a clinical setting by an untrained individual, carries serious risks.

Without proper sterile technique, you are essentially introducing bacteria directly into a warm, enclosed anatomical space — ideal conditions for a rapidly spreading infection, death of tissue, requiring surgical debridement and potentially scrotal removal or resection in the setting of impending necrotizing fasciitis, a potentially fatal condition if not recognized and treated immediately with surgical intervention and aggressive IV antibiotics.

Surgilube compounds this further: it is not bioabsorbable, meaning the body cannot break it down and eliminate it, unlike saline, which it can eventually reabsorb. The result can be persistent foreign body reactions, disfigurement, and the need for surgical intervention to remove embedded material.

Simply put, it is not intended for injection into body tissue. Injecting a viscous lubricant into scrotal tissue introduces a foreign substance that the body has no mechanism to absorb or clear, raising the risk of granuloma formation (localized area of inflammation), chronic inflammation, and necrosis (tissue destruction) on top of all the infection risks saline alone already poses.

Glatter: [Safer strategies] involve going to see a board certified urologist for evaluation.

Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), when medically indicated, can help preserve testicular volume, though it paradoxically suppresses natural testosterone production and can reduce testicular size in some cases — a nuance worth discussing with an endocrinologist and urologist.

For males concerned about aesthetic appearance after significant volume loss (for example, following orchiectomy or surgical removal of a testicle), prosthetic testicular implants are a legitimate surgical option performed by trained urologists in sterile operating environments.

• Walking 8,500 steps per day can help people maintain weight loss after an initial lifestyle modification program that includes dietary intervention.
• The authors of a research analysis say that walking is a simple, attainable activity for most people.
• Experts emphasize that exercise and diet are the foundations of any successful weight loss strategy.

Walking 8,500 steps per day is a simple, effective way to help lose weight and keep it off, according to a new research analysis.

Participants who followed an exercise regimen of 8,500 steps a day lost an average of 4.4% of their body weight or nearly 9 pounds during an initial 8-month weight loss phase that included a dietary intervention.

During a 10-month follow-up period, participants only regained an average of about 2 pounds.

“The findings suggest that higher daily step counts may be associated with improved outcomes in obesity treatment, highlighting a simple and feasible behavior that could be considered within lifestyle interventions,” the researchers wrote.

Experts not involved in the analysis say the findings reaffirm that exercise is a key component of weight management.

“This systematic review and meta-analysis confirmed that higher daily step counts are associated with improved outcomes in obesity treatment,” said Michael Fredericson, MD, a professor of orthopedic surgery at Stanford University. “These findings support the current recommendations to combine weight loss with exercise for optimal results.”

“I believe this is a strong study that highlights the critical role regular exercise plays in both achieving and maintaining a healthy weight,” added Mir Ali, MD, a bariatric surgeon, bariatric medicine specialist, and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in California.

For their report, researchers analyzed the results of 14 previous studies that included 3,758 adults.

The participants had an average age of 53 years and were from several countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Japan.

In those studies, a total of 1,987 participants were enrolled in lifestyle modification programs. The remaining 1,771 participants were in control groups: either on diet-only regimens or given no weight management plan.

The lifestyle modification programs combined dietary guidance with recommendations to walk more and track daily steps.

Both groups began the study periods walking an average of about 7,200 steps per day.

The researchers reported that people in the control group did not increase their daily walking and did not experience weight loss during the initial 8-month phase.

The group with life modification programs increased their walking to an average of almost 8,500 steps per day and achieved an average weight loss of nearly 9 pounds during that period. Researchers, however, cautioned that modifications such as calorie reduction were probably the main factor in this short-term weight loss.

They said the more significant result was that participants in the life modification programs maintained their higher activity levels, averaging more than 8,200 steps per day during 10-month follow-up periods.

Those participants still had an overall average weight loss of about 7 pounds from the start of the study period to the end of the follow-up phase.

“On a general level, the significance of this work to public health lies in assessing the association between lifestyle modification programs and weight-related outcomes, given their potential as an affordable way for obesity management,” the researchers wrote.

They added that their findings provide evidence for medical professionals to recommend increased daily walking for people trying to lose weight.

“During lifestyle modification programs for obesity, practitioners may encourage patients to increase their average daily steps, as this appears to be associated with better clinical outcome,” the researchers wrote.

Experts say they agreed with the researchers’ conclusions.

“Regular exercise, such as walking, helps maintain metabolic rate and burn calories. However, diet remains the most significant component of a healthy lifestyle,” Ali told Healthline. “If an individual consumes excessive calories or poor-quality food, they will likely experience weight gain despite walking 8,500 or more steps per day.”

“I emphasize to my patients that the majority of weight loss results from a proper diet, specifically by reducing carbohydrates and sugars while focusing on proteins and vegetables,” he added.

David Cutler, MD, a family medicine physician at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA, said that diet remains the key component of any weight management program. Cutler wasn’t involved in the study.

“Losing weight is 95% diet and 5% exercise,” he told Healthline. “If you don’t limit your diet, you’re going to have trouble losing weight.”

Cutler also cautioned that not all walking is the same. He noted that people who walk slowly won’t burn as many calories as those who walk more quickly or walk uphill.

“In essence, 8,500 steps for one person is not the same as 8,500 steps for another person,” he said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about 40% of U.S. adults have obesity.

There is no significant difference in the obesity rate between males and females. The age group that consists of people between 40 and 59 years has a higher rate of obesity than people ages 60 and older and adults ages 20 to 39.

Obesity can affect nearly every part of the body, from the heart to the brain to the blood vessels to the liver to the joints.

Obesity can raise a person’s risk of various diseases, including:

The researchers of the new report said the numerous health dangers make finding workable strategies to combat obesity an important endeavor.

“The identification of novel strategies that improve obesity treatment outcomes is a priority for public health,” they wrote.

“Regular physical activity, including daily walking, is critically important for patients on GLP-1 receptor agonists, not only for additional calorie expenditure but for preserving lean body mass, preventing weight regain, and improving cardiometabolic outcomes beyond what the medication alone achieves,” Fredericson told Healthline.

Cutler noted that people on GLP-1 medications not only lose fat but also muscle. He recommended that people taking these weight loss drugs add strength training and core exercises to their aerobic routines.

“Exercise is very important for people who are taking GLP-1 medications,” he said.

Ali noted that an exercise program will not be effective unless you stick with it.

“I advise my patients that consistency is the most important factor,” he said. “Engaging in an exercise regimen for at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week, can enhance weight loss and help preserve muscle mass. Counting steps is a practical method that most people can easily follow.”

• Global experts have officially announced a change in name for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
• The condition will now be known as polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS).
• This name change was made to reflect the multisystem effects the condition has on the body.

In a culmination of more than 10 years of global consultation, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has officially been renamed as polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS).

This hormonal disorder affects an estimated 1 in 8 females worldwide.

“Polycystic ovarian syndrome or PCOS has long been a confusing and misleading diagnosis for women that has not properly described this underdiagnosed medical condition,” said Sherry Ross, MD, board certified OB-GYN and Women’s Health Expert at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA.

“Using the updated name of polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, or PMOS, gives a more accurate and inclusive name to this medical condition, which affects women far beyond the ovaries,” she told Healthline.

Over the past 14 years, 56 academic, clinical, and patient organizations have been campaigning to change the name of PCOS.

The aim was to prioritize a new, accurate name rather than retaining the PCOS acronym or a generic name. The preferred terms to focus on were ovarian, metabolic, and polyendocrine in order to reflect the condition’s multisystem effects.

This led to a consensus for the new name, PMOS.

“By putting ‘endocrine’ and ‘metabolic’ in the name, PMOS tells clinicians this is a whole-body condition, not just a gynecologic diagnosis,” said Steven Vasilev, MD, gynecologic oncologist specializing in endometriosis and founder of the Lotus Endometriosis Institute in Santa Monica, CA.

The accuracy of the name was improved by omitting cysts and emphasizing metabolic, endocrine, and ovarian dysfunction. It was important to omit “cysts” because not everyone with PCOS will experience ovarian cysts.

“PCOS has long been linked to polycystic ovaries seen on ultrasound, which is misleading, since [the] ovaries of affected patients can be completely normal. Having normal ovaries does not mean you do not have PCOS, and here lies the confusion,” Ross said.

“Renaming PCOS to PMOS creates a better backdrop to really understanding this multisystem endocrine condition. PMOS better identifies the patient experience of those who are suffering from the complex symptoms associated with this condition,” Ross continued.

“PMOS provides more transparency and less confusion for those experiencing symptoms associated with this condition,” she said.

The name “polycystic ovary syndrome” has long been recognized as a limiting and inaccurate name.

This misrepresentation has led to various consequences, including:

• diagnosis delays
• fragmentation in care
• stigma
• missed opportunities regarding early intervention for metabolic and cardiovascular risks

The new name, PMOS, addresses these issues in a few different ways:

• reflects the hormonal complexity
• acknowledges the condition’s strong metabolic and cardiometabolic effects
• continues to focus on the role of ovaries in the condition without overemphasizing the reproductive aspects

The experts who were part of the renaming effort noted that this change may help to reshape how the condition is diagnosed, treated, and researched globally.

“The new name should help push research toward the metabolic and hormonal roots of the disease — insulin resistance, androgen excess, and chronic inflammation — rather than focusing on ovarian cysts,” said Vasilev.

Ross agreed and added, “Even though this new name for a long-standing condition affecting women may take some time to associate with PCOS, it is worth the time and patience to better diagnose this whole-body medical phenomenon.”

• Healthgrades recently announced the recipients of the 2026 Outstanding Patient Experience Awards.
• The awards recognize hospitals that excel at delivering top-quality care while ensuring a positive patient experience.
• The 2026 recipients include 373 hospitals from 46 states and represent the top 15% of hospitals nationwide for patient experience.

Healthgrades has announced the recipients of the 2026 Outstanding Patient Experience Awards, which recognize “hospitals that excel at delivering top-quality care while ensuring a positive patient experience.”

The recipients for this year represent the top 15% of hospitals nationwide for patient experience and include 373 hospitals from 46 states.

Texas is home to the most 2026 award-winners, with 31 hospitals recognized, followed by Wisconsin with 28, Pennsylvania with 25, and California and Ohio with 23 each.

Of this year’s winners, only 16 hospitals were triple recipients, earning the Outstanding Patient Experience, Patient Safety Excellence, and America’s Best Hospitals distinctions.

However, 80 hospitals were dual recipients, earning both the Outstanding Patient Experience Award and the Patient Safety Excellence Award.

“Better patient experiences are correlated with better health outcomes, which is why patients should always consider patient experience during the care search,” Alana Biggers, MPH, medical advisor at Healthgrades, said in a press release.

“Healthgrades’ Outstanding Patient Experience Award recognizes hospitals that prioritize high-quality, patient-centered care and ensure that patients feel heard, empowered, and confident throughout the care journey.”

To determine the recipients of the 2026 Outstanding Patient Experience Awards, Healthgrades analyzed Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey data collected from patients and submitted to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

The surveys ask patients about multiple aspects of their hospital experience, including:

• communication with doctors and nurses
• staff responsiveness
• discharge information
• room cleanliness
• hospital quietness

Hospitals were required to submit at least 100 surveys to be considered for the awards.

Healthgrades evaluated hospitals across 10 patient experience measures to identify facilities with the highest overall patient experience scores nationwide.

According to the organization, doctor communication, nurse communication, and clear communication during discharge were the factors most strongly associated with whether patients would recommend a hospital to friends and family.

Healthgrades also noted that the findings highlight the important role communication and patient-centered care can play in how patients perceive their hospital experience.

While awards like these recognize hospitals for high quality performance, experts say they can also help patients make more informed choices about where they receive care.

However, Healthgrades also notes that these awards are not recommendations or endorsements for particular hospitals, and patient experience scores should not be used alone to determine a hospital’s quality of care.

Patients should consider multiple factors when making healthcare decisions, including their own medical needs, physician recommendations, insurance coverage, and access to specialty care.

The full 2026 Outstanding Patient Experience Awards recipient list and methodology are available on the Healthgrades website.

*Healthgrades and Healthline are part of the RVO Health portfolio of brands.

• 18 American passengers have been airlifted to the U.S. after a deadly hantavirus outbreak aboard an Antarctic expedition cruise ship.
• Investigators believe the rare Andes virus strain may have spread among passengers in the ship’s close quarters.
• Experts say the outbreak highlights the seriousness of hantavirus, but stress that the risk of a COVID-like pandemic remains low.

Health officials say that 18 Americans have returned safely to the United States after traveling on a cruise ship in the Atlantic linked to a deadly hantavirus outbreak.

The U.S. State Department airlifted the passengers from the Spanish island of Tenerife on May 10. Two of those passengers are being treated in biocontainment units “out of an abundance of caution,” according to the Health and Human Services X account. One passenger tested positive for hantavirus, while the other developed mild symptoms, officials said.

Of the repatriated Americans, 16 are being treated at an ASPR Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Center in Omaha, NE. Two others are being treated at a RESPTC in Atlanta, GA. The Americans are among dozens of passengers monitored as international health officials continue investigating the outbreak aboard the ship.

The Dutch-flagged m/v Hondius departed from southern Argentina on April 1 with roughly 150 passengers and crew aboard for an expedition cruise through the Atlantic Ocean. Just 11 days into the voyage, a 70-year-old man died after developing fever, headaches, and abdominal pain.

All remaining passengers have disembarked and are being repatriated to their home countries, according to the latest statement from Oceanwide Expeditions, the ship’s operator.

However, the repatriation effort appeared to cause alarm and fuel fears of another pandemic — concerns that experts say are overstated.

“I think we’re actually in very good shape,” said Lina Moses, PhD, an epidemiologist and disease ecologist at Tulane University’s Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health & Tropical Medicine, who specializes in rodent-borne diseases.

“It’s not surprising we’re starting to see more suspected cases. That means that the process is working right. They are monitoring people effectively and identifying people as they become ill,” Moses told Healthline.

Pandemic fears have largely been driven by what is believed to be human-to-human transmission of hantavirus aboard the Hondius, a rare but documented phenomenon.

Hantavirus is typically transmitted through exposure to the urine or droppings of infected mice and rats. The virus can survive in dust and debris, and when that dust is inhaled, infection can occur.

However, one strain of hantavirus endemic to South America, the Andes virus, has been linked to cases of human-to-human transmission. It is the only hantavirus known to spread from person to person.

The leading theory on the outbreak aboard the Hondius is that an individual carrying the Andes virus boarded the ship and subsequently passed it on to other passengers.

Experts say that the level of transmission aboard the ship is reasonable given the circumstances and does not indicate anything out of the ordinary.

“Previously, we’ve seen person-to-person spread with Andes virus in situations such as close household contacts or at a large social gathering. There’s nothing here that is remarkably different from what we’ve seen in the past,” said Steven Bradfute, PhD, an associate professor at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center who specializes in hantavirus research.

“The most plausible explanation is that the passengers of the cruise ship likely became infected before boarding the cruise, then human-to-human transmission occurred among close contacts,” said Robert Glatter, MD, attending physician in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, and assistant professor of Emergency Medicine at Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/ Northwell.

“The confined ship environment with close quarters and shared spaces likely facilitated transmission between passengers in ways that wouldn’t occur in typical community settings,” he told Healthline.

Not all viruses are created equal. Some are capable of surviving for extended periods of time outside the body, and some die almost immediately.

One virus could be easily transmitted through the air, while another could require prolonged close contact with an infected person.

In the case of the Andes virus, experts say it simply does not have the same transmission potential as a virus like the coronavirus, which causes COVID-19.

“We do have the advantage of historical comparison and what we’re seeing is that Andes virus transmission is much less efficient than what we were seeing in the early stages of COVID,” Moses said.

While experts don’t necessarily understand the exact mechanisms by which the Andes virus spreads from person to person, unlike other hantaviruses, they are confident in their assessment of its relatively low transmissibility.

“When you compare it to what we see with SARS-CoV-2, the common cold, or influenza, it’s not even in the same ballpark. That doesn’t mean we are dismissing it; these are dangerous viruses, but the transmissibility is not in the same ballpark,” Bradfute told Healthline.

Another complicating factor is the disease’s incubation period—the time between infection and the onset of symptoms — which can range from 4 to 42 days.

But that too is unlikely for Andes virus, experts say.

“The viral load appears highest during the early symptomatic period when patients experience fever and respiratory symptoms. This pattern means that severely ill patients — those most likely to transmit the virus — are also most likely to be hospitalized and isolated, naturally limiting transmission opportunities,” Glatter said.

Everything we know so far points to the following: The Andes virus can lead to serious and potentially fatal outcomes in humans, but it is rarely transmitted from one person to another. Person-to-person transmission requires extended intimate contact with an infected individual.

Therefore, the risk of a new global pandemic and threat to the public at large remains low.

“I’m not changing any of my travel plans,” Bradfute said. “These viruses are dangerous. They’re to be taken seriously. But from what we know of this virus and what we’re seeing so far, there’s nothing here that is concerning for a pandemic at this point.”