10 Terrible New Health Findings

Everyone knows the old Greek saying, “things are going to Hades in a hand basket.” That seems to be true for our personal and collective health, in multiple surprising ways. Sometimes, it’s the environment and our own doings conspiring against us.

Other times, the daily habits we’ve forged are revealed to be not very beneficial, or even potentially harmful. The following new findings aren’t meant to be sensationalized, but to illuminate some unexpected health trends and inspire some thought about solving them.

Related: 10 Dangerous Health Fads And Medical Treatments Used In The Past

10 Is Your Glass of Red Wine Still as Beneficial?

In addition to its associated snobbery, red wine has been touted as white wine’s healthier sibling. But does the hype match the science?

Researchers performed a meta-analysis to find out. They analyzed 42 studies comprising nearly 100,000 participants and found that there’s no difference in cancer risk between red and white wines. This finding can at least partially contend with the resveratrol claim, which states that red wine’s high content of resveratrol (a really potent antioxidant) is especially good at mitigating cancer and other disease risks.

Interestingly, while there was no significant increase in overall risk, white wine consumption was indeed linked to an increase in skin cancer risk. Additionally and curiously, women seem to be more at risk. So just drink whichever wine you like, whether it’s red, white, or green—yes, that’s a real thing.^[1]

9 Daily Aspirin Probably Doesn’t Protect your Heart

Washing a low-dose aspirin down your gullet every single day is common health advice, but maybe it shouldn’t be because new research is rethinking the daily aspirin.

And by rethinking, it’s more like debunking. At least for people who do not have a history of heart problems, such as a heart attack. Regular people without a history of heart disease should now avoid the daily low-dose aspirin for cardiovascular health, because the risks outweigh the benefits.

The logic behind the daily dosing of aspirin was that it thins the blood and therefore reduces the risk of blood clots that could lead to potentially fatal cardiovascular events, like heart attacks and strokes.

So, for people without a history of those health issues, the increased risk of hemorrhage (bleeding) is too great to justify the daily aspirin habit. As always, the best option for uncertain individuals is to consult a (real) doctor.^[2]

8 Mouthwash Changes Beneficial Bacteria

Various types of bacteria cover our outsides and our insides. Accordingly, as our knowledge grows, we’re directing more efforts toward improving or maintaining the optimal balance between beneficial and harmful organisms.

Unfortunately, that may be harder than it sounds because many things we do daily can impact this balance, often in unforeseen ways. For example, one study found that using the common oral rinse chlorhexidine (CHX) or Listerine affected oral microbiome communities.

It’s not the only study with these findings, but this one included 87 hospitalized patients and found mixed results. Both CHX and Listerine caused changes in oral bacteria, potentially throwing the microbiome out of whack. CHX, for example, did reduce the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia, though “CHX use was also associated with increased mortality.”^[3]

7 Spinal Injections for Low Back Pain Don’t Work

As long as new research is throwing out frequent treatments that appear to do nothing, scientists now also advise against spinal injections for lower back pain. Any type of injections, whether steroidal, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, or a combination.

It’s kind of a shame they don’t work because there aren’t many treatments that ease back pain, the most common global cause of disability. This scourge affects up to 20% of adults and, in 2016, it (along with neck pain) accounted for nearly $140 billion in healthcare spending.

For those with chronic back pain, defined as three months or longer, options may be limited. However, given the new evidence of injections not being worth the risk, at least sufferers can avoid exacerbating the problem or relying on the false hope of an ineffective treatment option.^[4]

6 Pet Allergies Are on the Rise

Anyone with a multi-legged companion knows their fuzzy buddy’s health is as important as theirs. But unfortunately, pet allergies seem to be on the rise. Trupanion, a pet insurance company, saw a significant jump in allergy claims for insured pets: a 45% increase in 2023 compared to 2019.

The insurer Nationwide adds that allergies are at the top of the list of pet health veterinary visits. These allergies can be very annoying for pets, leading to inflammation and itching—and this can lead to more serious problems, like skin infections. The reason is uncertain. It may be that detection rates are increasing, rather than actual allergy prevalence.

Whatever the cause, multiple pet allergy medicines exist now. So if you see your furry loved one itchin’ and scratchin’, be sure to schedule a vet visit to score them some sweet itch-relieving drugs. And to ensure they don’t have a parasite or other underlying issue.^[5]

5 Microplastics Could Worsen Global Hunger

Asbestos and lead ravaged our bodies in the past, but today’s chemical bodily threat appears to be microplastics. Its overall effects are still uncertain, but we’re frequently learning more about how a body and environment full of tiny plastics can be less than ideal.

Now, science says that microplastics could starve us, in addition to polluting just about every organ. Recent research has stated that microplastics hinder plants’ ability to perform photosynthesis, with potentially devastating consequences. Between 4% and 14% of the global wheat, rice, and maize crops may be lost due to this type of pollution.

In turn, this could lead to a majorly unfortunate scenario: In 2022, approximately 700 million people were affected by hunger. Over the next 20 years, microplastic pollution could increase that number by 400 million.^[6]

4 Those Pleasant Scents May Worsen Indoor Air

Not to cause alarm, but indoor air quality may be worse than outdoor air quality for those of us who use lots of scented products, such as fresheners, wax melts, cleaners, and other things that give off pleasant-smelling chemicals.

New research shows that these items release a lot of nano-sized particles that get lodged in your lungs. These nanoparticles also react with ozone, catalyzing chemical transformations that create “tiny molecular clusters” that further evolve, pollute the air, and then get into our respiratory systems and spread to other organs.

The specific health implications of these items aren’t completely clear. Overall, however, they’re described as “significant,” and not in a good way. So, for those who want cleaner indoor air, maybe avoid the scents.^[7]

3 Kids Are Becoming More Short-Sighted

Kids around the world are becoming more and more short-sighted as cases are increasing at significant rates. Short-sightedness, or myopia, is caused by an elongated eyeball that can’t correctly focus incoming light. Unfortunately, it may become more common than ever: 40% of kids and adolescents are forecast to be short-sighted by 2050.

According to research, the cause is multifold, but two main factors are at play. First, as always, genetics. Myopic parents tend to make myopic children, both literally and fretfully. Second, kids are soaking up a lot more screen time instead of being outdoors playing marbles and whatnot.

This new research from Korea analyzed 45 studies, including more than 335,000 individuals. It suggests that every hour of daily screen time is associated with a 21% increase in myopia risk, on average. Of course, no study is perfect, and you probably shouldn’t throw out your TV. Still, it wouldn’t hurt for kids to run around outside a bit. Just watch for traffic.^[8]

2 Regular Old Dust Storms Are Becoming Toxic Dust Storms

We humans are of the desert. Ever since our species emerged and built the first civilizations in North Africa and the Middle East, we’ve been battered by sandstorms. Now, those sandstorms are full of man-made pollutants, which are also getting indoors and increasing interior toxicity.

As populations boom, all sorts of extra civic utilities are being built in deserts. In addition to urban buildings, these structures include transport hubs, landfills, and sewage treatment facilities. As a result, the desert dust lifts light, tiny, toxic particles and scatters them across continents and into homes.

Such storms are common across the Global Dust Belt, spanning China, the Middle East, and North Africa. These storms can be fierce, towering 5.5 miles (8.6 km) high, whipping 45-mile-per-hour (72 km/h) winds, and blocking sunlight for days at a time. They’re also upping the rates of respiratory and other diseases.^[9]

1 A New Problem with Air Pollution

Science is frequently finding new ways that things are bad for us. Air pollution is obviously detrimental to long-term health, but a newly published study shows that some types of air pollution attack us immediately, and unexpectedly, by disrupting our focus and, surprisingly, emotional abilities.

In the study, 26 participants performed cognitive tests before and after being subjected to particulate matter (PM) pollution, for an hour, in the form of candle smoke. Yet even brief exposure to being candle-smoked was enough to weaken participants’ selective attention and affect their emotion recognition.

Researchers say that this not only makes it more challenging for people to avoid distractions but also skews their ability to act in a “socially appropriate way.” As an example of these emotional recognition issues, the polluted participants had a tougher time differentiating between facial features and perceiving whether faces showed anger or happiness. And whether one’s at work or at a bar watching their favorite (or least-favorite) team, misjudging anger can have significant consequences.^[10]