09/09/25 - #474

Good morning. In today’s edition:

• Study Links High Intake of Artificial Sweeteners to Faster Cognitive Decline

• Study of the Drug Semiglutide (Sold as Wegovy, Ozempic) Shows It Significantly Lowers Cocaine Seeking Behavior in Rats, Suggesting It May Be a Candidate for Development as a Treatment for Cocaine Dependency

• Doctors Have Found That Clopidogrel, a Commonly Prescribed Blood Thinner, is Better Than Aspirin at Preventing Heart Attacks and Strokes, and With No Extra Risk

• Insomnia Patients Using Medical Cannabis Reported Improved Sleep Quality and Reduced Anxiety, Depression, and Pain, According to a New Study Tracking 125 Patients for 18 Months

…and lots more. Have a great day!

FOOD & NUTRITION

Study Links High Intake of Artificial Sweeteners to Faster Cognitive Decline

A new study suggests that using a lot of artificial sweeteners may speed up memory loss and thinking problems, especially in people under 60 and those with diabetes.

The study looked at over 12,000 adults in Brazil for eight years. People answered questions about their diet and took memory and thinking tests during the study. Researchers found that people who used the most sweeteners had a 62% faster decline in brain skills than those who used the least. That’s like aging an extra 1.6 years. Even people in the middle group had a 35% faster decline.

The sweeteners linked to this decline include aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame-K, erythritol, xylitol, and sorbitol. These are often found in diet soda, flavored water, sugar-free yogurt, and low-calorie desserts. The sweetener tagatose did not show the same risk.

The study found the strongest effects in people under 60 and in those with diabetes. People with diabetes often use sweeteners to avoid sugar.

While this study does not prove sweeteners cause memory loss, it does show a link. More research is needed to better understand how these sweeteners affect the brain.

“Many people think low-calorie sweeteners are a healthy choice, but our results suggest some may hurt brain health over time,” said study author Dr. Claudia Suemoto.

The study was published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Always talk to your doctor before making changes to your diet or health routine.

Source: news-medical.net

WEIGHT LOSS

Study of the Drug Semiglutide (Sold as Wegovy, Ozempic) Shows It Significantly Lowers Cocaine Seeking Behavior in Rats, Suggesting It May Be a Candidate for Development as a Treatment for Cocaine Dependency

A new study in rats shows that semaglutide—the main ingredient in the weight-loss drugs Ozempic® and Wegovy®—may help reduce cocaine use. Researchers found that the drug lowered the desire to take cocaine, even after a break from the drug.

In the study, male rats were trained to press a lever to get cocaine. When given semaglutide, they pressed the lever much less. The drug also lowered their motivation to get the drug and made them less likely to start using it again after stopping.

Semaglutide also blocked the brain’s dopamine response to cocaine. Dopamine is a brain chemical that plays a big role in addiction. By lowering this response, semaglutide made cocaine less rewarding for the rats.

The drug did not make the animals sick or slow them down. It did lower their food and water intake, and they lost some weight—but they did not show signs of nausea or illness. This is important because side effects like nausea are common with semaglutide in people.

These findings are early but exciting. There are currently no approved medicines for cocaine addiction. Because semaglutide is already used for diabetes and weight loss, it may be a good candidate for future human studies.

Disclaimer: This study was done in animals, not people. More research is needed before doctors can use semaglutide to treat cocaine addiction in humans. Always talk to your doctor before making changes to your medications or health routine.

Source: sciencedirect.com

HEALTH

Doctors Have Found That Clopidogrel, a Commonly Prescribed Blood Thinner, is Better Than Aspirin at Preventing Heart Attacks and Strokes, and With No Extra Risk

Doctors have found that clopidogrel, a common blood thinner, may be better than aspirin at lowering the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Even better, it doesn’t seem to cause more bleeding.

For many years, millions of people have taken low-dose aspirin to prevent heart problems. Aspirin helps by making the blood less sticky, which lowers the chance of clots that can block blood flow. But now, a large study shows that clopidogrel may work even better.

Researchers looked at almost 29,000 people with coronary artery disease (CAD). CAD is the most common kind of heart disease and happens when blood vessels in the heart get narrow or blocked. It can lead to chest pain, heart attacks, and strokes.

The study found that people taking clopidogrel had a 14% lower chance of having a major heart problem compared to those taking aspirin. Most importantly, clopidogrel did not lead to more serious bleeding than aspirin.

This research was shared at a top heart conference in Spain and published in a major medical journal. Experts from the U.S., U.K., Japan, and other countries say these findings could lead to big changes in how doctors treat heart disease.

Clopidogrel is already available as a generic drug and is low-cost for most people.

If you take aspirin for heart health, talk to your doctor. This new research may offer a better choice for long-term protection.

Note: Don’t change medications without asking your healthcare provider.

Source: theguardian.com

Insomnia Patients Using Medical Cannabis Reported Improved Sleep Quality and Reduced Anxiety, Depression, and Pain, According to a New Study Tracking 125 Patients for 18 Months

A new study from Imperial College London found that medical cannabis may help people with insomnia. Insomnia is a condition that makes it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep. The study followed 125 adults who used medical cannabis for 18 months.

The patients used cannabis oil, smoked cannabis flower, or both. After one month, they said they slept better and felt less pain, anxiety, and depression. These benefits mostly lasted throughout the 18 months.

However, the improvements got smaller over time. This may be because some people developed a tolerance, meaning their bodies got used to the cannabis and it became less effective. Fewer than 10% of patients had mild side effects like dry mouth, tiredness, or trouble sleeping.

Simon Erridge, one of the study’s authors, said cannabis may help people when other treatments don’t work. But he also said it’s important to watch for changes and adjust treatment as needed.

Most of the researchers in this study work at a medical cannabis clinic. This could affect how the results are reported. Experts say larger and more independent studies are needed.

Another study in Israel found that using cannabis regularly could hurt sleep in the long run. In that study, people who used it often had more trouble falling and staying asleep.

This study gives hope to people with insomnia, but more research is needed to fully understand the risks and benefits.

This article is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor before starting any new treatment.

Source: painnewsnetwork.org

✢ A Note From Hem Hero

The information in this health newsletter is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment; always consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health. The publishers are not responsible for any actions taken by the reader based on the information provided.