The Student News Site of Simmons University

The Simmons Voice

The Student News Site of Simmons University

The Simmons Voice

The Student News Site of Simmons University

The Simmons Voice

Health and Science in the News

Drinking coffee may prevent depression
In the Archives of Internal Medicine, a study was published about how drinking regular coffee—not decaf—on a regular basis over time may prevent depression in middle-aged women. Consuming caffeine in four or more cups a day over the years can alter the brain receptors involved with depression.

The study involved over 50,000 women and had a significant outcome in the difference between women who did drink large amounts of coffee and those who drank little. It is also being taken into question whether smoking cigarettes can alter these same receptors, since nicotine, like caffeine, is a stimulant. There are still many critics who are tentative to believe in the health benefits, but at the very least, drinking coffee cannot hurt.

FDA worries about the risks of birth control pills
On Sept. 26, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that they had not come to a conclusion on whether an increased risk of blood clots are associated with birth control pills that contain drospirenone.

Drospirenone is a form of the hormone, progestin, which is in brands such as Yaz, Yasmin, Beyaz, and Safyral. These birth control pills are used not just for pregnancy prevention but also for acne treatment in adolescent girls and for PMS.

The FDA-funded study involved 800,000 women who used birth control pills containing drospirenone. It implied that there is about a 50 percent increased risk of blood clots, which can be very dangerous, in the legs of these women.

Second case of West Nile Virus confirmed in MA
This September, two cases of the West Nile Virus have been reported in the state of Massachusetts. The most recent was a 64 year old woman in Worcester County and the first was a man from Newton.

These late warm spells in September are the ideal weather for virus carrying mosquitos, which have been found in 32 towns in eastern Massachusetts. Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), the more serious virus, has been found in 13 towns and one death has been reported this year.

Information from www.boston.com
Compiled by Lauren Hutchinson

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