Fish Oil Pills Might Cut Diabetes Risk, Researchers Say WEDNESDAY, May 22 (HealthDay News) -- Fish oil supplements could help reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes, new research suggests. The supplements, also known as omega-3 fatty acids, increase levels of a hormone called adiponectin that's linked to insulin sensitivity, Harvard researchers found. Higher levels of this hormone in the bloodstream have also been linked to a lower risk for heart disease. "While prior animal studies found fish oil increase...

Depression May Raise Low Blood Sugar Risk in Diabetics TUESDAY, May 21 (HealthDay News) -- Depression can affect almost every aspect of life, but some of the changes brought about by the disorder can be downright dangerous for those with diabetes. New research has found that people with diabetes who are depressed have more than a 40 percent higher risk of having a severe low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) episode that lands them in the hospital compared to people with diabetes who aren't depressed. "Depress...

Metformin Won't Aid Breast Cancer Survival in Diabetics TUESDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- Despite prior research suggesting that the widely used diabetes drug metformin might help cancer patients, a new study finds it does not boost survival for older breast cancer patients with diabetes. Previous research has found that metformin was associated with an up to 30 percent reduction in new cancers in breast cancer patients without diabetes, noted study author Dr. Iliana Lega, a research fellow at Women's...

Hysterectomy May Not Raise Heart Risks After All: Study TUESDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- Women who have a hysterectomy are not in danger of increasing their risk of cardiovascular disease later in life, a new study says. Although earlier research had found higher chances of cardiovascular disease in the years following a hysterectomy, different criteria were used in this latest study, the researchers noted. "If women are contemplating hysterectomy, they don't need to be worried about increased cardio...

CDC Guidelines Could Cut Bloodstream Infections From Dialysis TUESDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- Dialysis facilities could cut bloodstream infection rates among their patients by up to half by following a set of recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to new research. The CDC suggested that adopting their protocols could save lives and reduce health care costs. "Dialysis patients often have multiple health concerns, and the last thing they need is a bloodstre...

Money Motivates Weight Loss -- One Step at a Time WEDNESDAY, May 8 (HealthDay News) -- When a health insurer told obese people they could either pay 20 percent more for coverage or start exercising, most of them decided to get active, according to a new study. More than 6,500 obese people insured by Blue Care Network enrolled in a pedometer-based program to obtain insurance discounts, and the majority met their fitness goals, researchers found. "Wellness interventions like this clearly hold significant ...

'What's Bad for the Heart Also Bad for the Brain' THURSDAY, May 2 (HealthDay News) -- Heart disease risk factors can lead to a decline in brain function in both younger and older adults, Dutch researchers report. The new study included nearly 3,800 people, aged 35 to 82, who were checked for heart disease risk factors such as smoking, diabetes and high levels of "bad" cholesterol, and given tests to assess their memory and mental skills such as the ability to plan and reason and to begin and switch task...

Medicaid Expansion Enhances Financial and Mental Well-Being, Study Says WEDNESDAY, May 1 (HealthDay News) -- As states prepare to expand Medicaid in 2014, a new study provides insight into how that health insurance coverage might affect low-income adults and what it means for access to care and the cost of care. The study found that having Medicaid -- the U.S. public health insurance program for lower-income Americans -- reduced financial strain related to out-of-pocket health care costs and improved me...

How Weight-Loss Surgery Improves Diabetes Control TUESDAY, April 30 (HealthDay News) -- Gastric bypass -- a widely used weight-loss procedure -- appears to change the hormones and amino acids produced during digestion, which could explain how the surgery eliminates symptoms of type 2 diabetes, according to a small new study. The findings could lead to new treatments for type 2 diabetes, the researchers said. Untreated, diabetes can lead to heart disease, blindness, amputations and kidney disease. In gas...

Men Who Are Obese While Young Can Pay a Price Later MONDAY, April 29 (HealthDay News) -- Men who are obese in their early 20s have a significantly increased risk of dying or of having serious health problems such as diabetes and heart disease by the time they reach age 55, a new long-term study indicates. Researchers tracked the health of 6,500 Danish men from age 22 until age 55. At the start of the study, 83 percent of the young men had normal weight, 5 percent were underweight, 10 percent were overwe...