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Fish oil might not be the brain booster you think it is, new research suggests.The supplement has been touted for its protective benefits, derived from its key component, omega-3 fatty acids. In addition to capsules, it is increasingly appearing in drinks, dairy alternatives and snack products.Researchers recently found that for certain people, specifically those who have sustained repeated mild head injuries, fish oil might do more harm than good.YOUR BRAIN DOESN’T AGE THE WAY YOU THINK — NEW RESEARCH UPENDS OLD BELIEFS"Fish oil supplements are everywhere, and people take them for a range of reasons, often without a clear understanding of their long-term effects," lead author Onder Albayram, PhD, a neuroscientist and associate professor at the Medical University of South Carolina and a member of the National Trauma Society Committee, said in a press release.In terms of neuroscience, he said, "we still don't know whether the brain has resilience or resistance to this supplement."MUSC researchers found that a specific part of fish oil called EPA — an omega-3 fatty acid — can interfere with how the brain heals itself after an injury. Instead of protecting the brain, long-term use of fish oil appeared to make it more vulnerable.CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIESThe study focused on the neurovascular system, which is the network of blood vessels that supplies the brain with nutrients and helps it recover, according to the release.EPA seemed to make the walls of the brain’s blood vessels less stable. After an injury, these vessels need to be strong to help the brain repair itself, the researchers noted.The chemical also blocked the repair signals that the brain usually sends out after experiencing physical trauma.Additionally, fish oil use was linked to a buildup of a protein called tau, which is often associated with long-term brain diseases.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER"I am not saying fish oil is good or bad in some universal way," Albayram said."What our data highlight is that biology is context-dependent. We need to understand how these supplements behave in the body over time, rather than assuming the same effect applies to everyone."Most of the core findings were observed in mice, and since human brains are much more complex, the results may not translate perfectly to people, the researchers acknowledged.Also, because the findings are focused specifically on "repeated mild head injuries," they may not apply to people who have not experienced head trauma… [TheTopNews] Read More.

Comedy icon Damon Wayans has gone from spreading laughter to spreading awareness about diabetes risk.The actor, best known for his roles in "In Living Color," "Major Payne" and "My Wife and Kids," has lived several years with his own case of type 2 diabetes, which runs in his family.In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Wayans, 65, shared the moment he realized the condition should be taken seriously.SIMPLE LIFESTYLE CHANGES COULD SLASH HEART ATTACK RISK FOR MILLIONS, SCIENTISTS REPORT"It was like 2017 and I just remember going to the bathroom and peeing so much that I thought maybe my blood was draining out, too," he described. "And it kept happening and I'm just like – I'm not even drinking that much water."This frequent urination was followed by pain in his feet, numbness in his toes, delirium and blurry vision."My sister Kim made me go to the doctor because I probably wouldn't have gone," Wayans said.CARRIE ANN INABA SHARES HER STRUGGLE TO MANAGE HIDDEN, INVISIBLE ILLNESS: 'IT'S REAL'After the doctor revealed that Wayans' blood sugar reading was at a critically high 535 mg/dL, he was "scared straight" into making some "serious" lifestyle changes."I used to drink wine, love wine. I don't drink wine [anymore]," he said. "It's a much healthier life I'm living, and I'm aware of all the joys that I have now that I just took for granted back when I wasn't taking care of myself."Wayans said he stays "disciplined" with a healthy diet and works out every morning, involving a mix of weightlifting strength training using his own body weight, like burpees and yoga."I also wear a glucose monitor, so I know what exercise does to me [and] to my blood sugar," he said. "I know if I lift weights, I feel better, and also I'm burning [calories] for the rest of the day."GRANDFATHER'S SIMPLE CHANGES REVERSED PRE-DIABETES DIAGNOSIS THAT LEFT HIM 'PETRIFIED'While Wayans feels he has his routine under control, the risk of long-term diabetes complications still looms.The entertainer recently teamed up with biotech company Genentech’s "All Eye on DME" campaign, a movement to spread awareness of diabetes-related vision loss.Diabetic macular edema (DME) is a complication of diabetes that can lead to vision loss, according to Genentech.Although Wayans does not have DME himself, he continuously monitors his own symptoms, including depth perception issues, admitting he "needs to get [his] eyes checked."TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE… [TheTopNews] Read More.

It’s well-known that ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) are not good for overall health — but new research has uncovered further evidence that this diet could negatively impact the brain.The study, published in the journal Alzheimer’s and Dementia by the Alzheimer’s Association, revealed that UPFs are linked to more than 30 adverse health outcomes, including several dementia risk factors, like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity.Researchers from Australia’s Monash University analyzed more than 2,000 dementia-free Australian adults between the ages of 40 and 70, comparing their diets to cognitive function.BLOOD PRESSURE AND DEMENTIA RISK SHARE SURPRISING LINK, STUDY SUGGESTSThey found that each 10% increase in UPF intake was associated with lower attention scores and higher dementia risk, regardless of whether the adults typically followed a healthy diet, like the Mediterranean diet.There was no significant link found between UPF consumption and memory.By identifying food processing as a contributor to poorer cognition, the study "supports the need to refine dietary guidelines," the researchers concluded.DR NICOLE SAPHIER ON ULTRAPROCESSED FOODS IN AMERICA: ‘PEOPLE PROFIT OFF ADDICTION’As the data was self-reported, this could pose a limitation to the strength of the findings, the team noted.In an interview with Fox News Digital, Dr. Daniel Amen, a California-based psychiatrist and founder of Amen Clinics, discussed how diet has a "powerful impact" on the brain."Your brain is an energy-hungry organ," he said. "It uses about 20% of the calories you consume, so the quality of those calories matters."Food is either "medicine or poison," according to the doctor, who called out ultraprocessed foods like packaged snacks, soft drinks and ready-made meals that tend to be higher in sugar, unhealthy fats, additives and low-quality ingredients.DEMENTIA RISK FOR PEOPLE 55 AND OLDER HAS DOUBLED, NEW STUDY FINDSThese foods can promote inflammation, insulin resistance, poor blood flow and oxidative stress, all of which are "bad for the brain," according to Amen.The brain expert noted that the study revealed even a 10% increase in ultraprocessed food intake – equivalent to roughly a pack of chips per day – was linked to a "measurable drop in attention, even when people had otherwise healthy diets.""Attention is the gateway to learning, memory, decision-making and problem-solving," Amen said. "If you can’t focus, you can’t fully encode information."CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIESThe "big takeaway," according to the doctor, is to "love foods that love you back.""You may love the taste of chips, cookies and candy, but they… [TheTopNews] Read More.

Extreme weather is fueling a rise in heart attacks and strokes, with heat waves and cold snaps contributing to the rise, according to new research reported by SWNS.The findings, presented last week at the European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC) congress, analyzed data from more than eight million residents of Eastern Poland between 2011 and 2020.During that decade, researchers recorded over 573,000 major cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE).BACTERIA IN YOUR MOUTH MAY TRAVEL TO THE GUT AND TRIGGER STOMACH CANCER, RESEARCH FINDS"Climate change is driving extreme weather events, yet temperate climates remain understudied," Professor Lukasz Kuzma, of the Medical University of Bialystok, told SWNS. "Poland is now seeing unprecedented heat waves alongside existing cold waves."The study found that while both types of temperature extremes are dangerous, they attack the body in different ways.In heat waves, the impact is immediate. On the day of the weather occurrence, major cardiovascular events spiked by 7.5%, while cardiovascular deaths jumped by 9.5%, according to the report.AGING MAY SPEED UP IN AREAS WITH EXTREME HEAT, RESEARCH SUGGESTSThe impact of a cold wave is delayed but sustained. The risk of major events rose between 4% and 5.9% in the days following exposure.Air pollution intensified the risks of extreme temperatures, the data showed. Approximately 13% of all cardiovascular deaths were attributed to pollution, representing more than 71,000 years of life lost over the 10-year period."Our results highlight that the problems of climate change now extend to Northern Europe and demonstrate the considerable combined hazards of temperature extremes and air pollution on increasing cardiovascular events," Kuzma said.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTERContrary to traditional medical assumptions, the study found that monthly increases in pollution exposure were particularly dangerous for demographics often considered lower risk.The risk of cardiovascular events was 5% higher in women than in men, and 9% higher in people under age 65 compared to those older than 65.CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES"Even though air pollution is recognized as a major cardiovascular risk factor, it is still underappreciated," said Dr. Anna Kurasz of the Medical University of Bialystok, per SWNS."These results challenge the traditional risk factor paradigm about which groups of individuals are most susceptible."Looking ahead, Kuzma plans to investigate the impact of light and noise pollution, with the goal of modernizing how doctors predict patient risk.TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ"We also aim to develop a method to incorporate environmental factors… [TheTopNews] Read More.

Months after revealing his stage 4 cancer diagnosis, former U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse is speaking out about an experimental therapy that could extend his life.Sasse, a Republican who represented Nebraska between 2015 and 2023, shared in December 2025 that he has metastatic pancreatic cancer, which has spread to multiple organs — including his liver and lungs.After initially being given three to four months to live, Sasse, 54, entered a clinical trial for a drug called daraxonrasib, an oral therapy (pill) that is designed to block the defective gene that triggers uncontrolled cellular growth.CANCER SURVIVAL APPEARS TO DOUBLE WITH COMMON VACCINE, RESEARCHERS SAYThe California-based drugmaker, Revolution Medicines, recently shared data from a phase 3 clinical trial of people with metastatic pancreatic cancer who did not respond to standard chemotherapy. Patients on the treatment lived a median of 13 months, compared to around six months for those who continued with chemo."I have much, much less pain than I had four months ago when I was diagnosed, and I have a massive 76% reduction in tumor volume over the last four months," Sasse told "60 Minutes" in a recent interview.Daraxonrasib works by going after a key growth "switch" in many cancers called RAS, according to Sarbajit Mukherjee, M.D., chief of gastrointestinal medical oncology at Miami Cancer Institute, part of Baptist Health South Florida. MAN WITH STAGE 4 CANCER RAISES $150K FOR EXPERIMENTAL TREATMENT"In pancreatic cancer, that switch is stuck in the ‘on’ position in the vast majority of tumors, constantly telling the cancer cells to grow and spread," the doctor, who was not involved in the trial and did not treat Sasse, told Fox News Digital."Daraxonrasib is designed to bind to RAS in its active state and turn down that signal, which can slow or shrink the cancer."Pancreatic cancer is difficult to diagnose early because there are generally no symptoms — or only subtle gastrointestinal symptoms — until it is already widespread, according to Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst."This is the first-of-its-kind targeted therapy for pancreatic cancer," Siegel, who also was not involved in the research or the senator’s treatment, told Fox News Digital. "The drug is in the final stages of clinical trials, where it has been shown to double the survival of those previously treated for metastatic pancreatic cancer."Mukherjee noted that the survival boost seen in the trial is a "big difference" for a disease that typically has much shorter… [TheTopNews] Read More.