Three men’s health drugs that were originally designed for a different purpose

Sildenafil (better known as Viagra) is perhaps the most famous example of a drug that has been repurposed. Yuriy Maksymiv/ Shutterstock Many medicines begin life with one purpose and end up proving useful for a completely different reason. Few areas show this more clearly than men’s health. Three drugs in particular have become household names […]

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Cooling ingredients in vapes might cause irregular heartbeats

Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock.com For years, flavour additives in e-cigarettes have been largely viewed as a secondary concern compared with nicotine. Research and regulation have focused on addiction, nicotine delivery and, more recently, the respiratory effects of vaping. But as evidence accumulates researchers are increasingly asking whether certain flavouring ingredients have health effects of their own. Among the […]

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The mysterious tooth condition affecting millions of children

It affects a significant number of children and can leave their adult teeth permanently weakened and discoloured. Sorapop Udomsri/Shutterstock Your child’s small, delicate, chalk-white baby teeth fall out. In their place grow yellowish-brown, fragile teeth – much to everyone’s surprise. This is the dental condition molar incisor hypomineralisation (MIH), a condition that is almost as […]

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Baby slings: what the evidence says about benefits, risks and safe use

Baby slings offer convenience and promote infant bonding, but serious risks include suffocation, falls, and hip dysplasia if the sling is used incorrectly Natalia Deriabina/Shutterstock Human babies are born more dependent on their caregivers than most other mammals. They need close contact with an adult for feeding, comfort, warmth and protection. Parents and caregivers around […]

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Not all fruits and vegetables are equal when it comes to heart health, our research shows

The flavanols found in many fruits and vegetables are beneficial for heart health. nadianb/ Shutterstock Fruits and vegetables are an important part of our diet. They provide nutrients and fibre, and many contain additional compounds (known as bioactives) that can improve health. But not all foods are created equal – with big differences in the […]

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Magic mushrooms and Alzheimer’s: what one remarkable case can tell us

CYAM/Shutterstock Magic mushrooms are better known for producing hallucinations and altering people’s sense of reality than for treating brain diseases. Most people associate them with tripping, rather than Alzheimer’s disease. But a report on an individual patient has prompted scientists to ask whether psilocybin, the psychedelic compound in magic mushrooms, could have unexpected effects on […]

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Why tiny amounts of vitamin B12 matter more as we age

Berna Namoglu/Shutterstock Two micrograms is an almost unimaginably small amount. It weighs less than a tiny fragment of a grain of table salt. Yet adults need only around this amount of vitamin B12 each day, depending on the guideline used, to support red blood cells, nerves and DNA production. In 2026, it is 100 years […]

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Do you lose your whole day to one appointment? ‘Waiting mode’ may be why

voronaman/Shutterstock You have a 3pm appointment. It’s now 10am and somehow your entire day already feels out of reach. Maybe you find yourself unable to start anything properly. You feel on edge, waiting for something to begin, or end. You check the time again and again. Even a positive, planned event, like a friend visiting […]

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Ovarian cancer drug approved for NHS use will prolong lives

More than 7,500 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every year. LADYMAYPIX/ Shutterstock A drug that can treat chemotherapy-resistant ovarian cancer has just been approved for use on the NHS in England. Mirvetuximab soravtansine (also known as Elahere) is the first new drug to be approved for hard-to-treat ovarian cancer in over 20 years. In […]

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Hardening the body: the science behind martial arts conditioning

Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock.com The White House is gearing up to host a UFC event as part of celebrations of 250 years of American independence. The fighters on the card are relying on body conditioning techniques that have been around for centuries to try to emerge victorious. Muay thai, karate and jiujitsu all use ancient practices that […]

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