Health – Views & Research – The Conversation

Two people sit closely together holding hands during a counselling session, while a therapist takes notes in the foreground.

Two people sit closely together holding hands during a counselling session, while a therapist takes notes in the foreground.

Substance-use disorders linked to sixfold higher risk of suicidal behaviour – new study

Lotfi Khemiri, Karolinska Institutet

Doctor analysing optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans on a computer

Doctor analysing optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans on a computer

What your eyes could reveal about your heart health

Barbara Pierscionek, Anglia Ruskin University

Seaweed strandings cause a stink – here’s why they harm your health

Michael Steinke, University of Essex

wide shot of coastline, foresta nd buildings, huge brown seaweed piles on beach, workers clearing it up

wide shot of coastline, foresta nd buildings, huge brown seaweed piles on beach, workers clearing it up

Lab-grown ‘mini-bladder’ helps explain why urinary tract infections keep coming back

Walid Omara, Sheffield Hallam University

Woman lying on bed in pain and holding lower abdomen

Woman lying on bed in pain and holding lower abdomen

Reading, socialising and doing puzzles can help preserve cognitive health – large study shows

Paul Little, University of Southampton

An elderly woman reads a book while sitting in a library.

An elderly woman reads a book while sitting in a library.

Women are turning to testosterone, but what does the science actually say?

Daniel Kelly, Sheffield Hallam University

A woman's hands opening a testosterone gel product.

A woman's hands opening a testosterone gel product.

Covid fatigue linked to reduced brain blood flow

Sonia Miri Hedberg, Karolinska Institutet

Woman suffering with long COVID sitting up in bed and staring through an out-of-shot window,

Woman suffering with long COVID sitting up in bed and staring through an out-of-shot window,

How should England pay for social care? Germany, Norway and Sweden take very different routes

Clarissa Giebel, University of Liverpool

Andy Burnham at the Labour party conference, 2026, in Liverpool.

Andy Burnham at the Labour party conference, 2026, in Liverpool.

High levels of ‘forever chemicals’ found in Lancashire residents’ blood – what I’ve learned from studying exposed communities for over a decade

Mattias Öberg, Karolinska Institutet

Phials containing blood.

Phials containing blood.

Millions of adults in England have high blood pressure without knowing it – so why are free pharmacy checks not solving the problem?

David C. Gaze, University of Westminster

A person measuring their blood pressure.

A person measuring their blood pressure.

Group of new students sitting closely in a bar, laughing and drinking beer

Group of new students sitting closely in a bar, laughing and drinking beer

Meningitis at university: why students are at higher risk and what to watch for

Fran Ludwig, Sheffield Hallam University

Health Gap – Sundhedskløften

What Denmark and Britain have in common: football, beer and betting

Calum Smith, University of Oxford and Carolin Kilian, University of Southern Denmark

How do Denmark and the UK compare when it comes to alcohol and drinking habits?

Peter Jepsen, Aarhus University

Cartoon Danish and British flag with a pint.

Cartoon Danish and British flag with a pint.

What the differences between Danish and British humour can teach us about laughter

Marc Hye-Knudsen, Aarhus University

Having a baby in Denmark v the UK: how different is it?

Christine Parsons, Aarhus University

Cartoon Danish and British parent and child.

Cartoon Danish and British parent and child.

Fitness + Exercise

Two men push themselves to their limits while exercising on a cardio machine in the gym.

Two men push themselves to their limits while exercising on a cardio machine in the gym.

Feeling the burn? It’s not lactic acid

Shaun Phillips, University of Edinburgh

Why the start of your run feels so difficult

Richard Taylor, Coventry University

A tired man wipes sweat off his forehead while running on a treadmill indoors.

A tired man wipes sweat off his forehead while running on a treadmill indoors.

Why ‘accidents’ can happen during intense exercise

Adam Taylor, Lancaster University

A woman on a run looks at a sign for the toilet. The female stick figure is pointing towards the direction of the toilet.

A woman on a run looks at a sign for the toilet. The female stick figure is pointing towards the direction of the toilet.

Why ‘slow jogging’ is the perfect fitness trend for people who want to get into exercise

Stephen Garland, Malmö University

A mother and father jog in a park with their two teenage sons.

A mother and father jog in a park with their two teenage sons.

Body size cannot tell you how fit someone is, but it shapes how people are judged

Jordan Beaumont, Sheffield Hallam University

Woman wearing sportswear, standing confidently outdoors, looking directly at the camera, with hands on hips

Woman wearing sportswear, standing confidently outdoors, looking directly at the camera, with hands on hips

Diet + Nutrition

A woman pours a pill from a bottle into her hand. Her laptop is sitting on a table in the background.

A woman pours a pill from a bottle into her hand. Her laptop is sitting on a table in the background.

Magnesium supplements: what you need to know about each different type

Dipa Kamdar, Kingston University

Iron overload: how tea, coffee, red meat and alcohol can affect absorption

Alexandra Cremona, University of Limerick

Top view of bottles of red wine and aged beef steaks surrounded by cloves of garlic and sprigs of rosemary on a grey stone background.

Top view of bottles of red wine and aged beef steaks surrounded by cloves of garlic and sprigs of rosemary on a grey stone background.

How to build a nutritious emergency food stockpile

Graeme Close, Liverpool John Moores University and Richard Kirwan, Liverpool John Moores University

An assortment of canned goods that have been opened.

An assortment of canned goods that have been opened.

Eating a handful of nuts each day is linked with lower risk of high blood pressure, our research shows

Shireen Kassam, University of Winchester and Dagfinn Aune, Imperial College London

A person pours a jarful of nuts into the palm of their hand.

A person pours a jarful of nuts into the palm of their hand.

Brazilian meat, antibiotics and superbugs: what you need to know

Manal Mohammed, University of Westminster

Raw beef meat with embedded syringes on white background

Raw beef meat with embedded syringes on white background

Strange health

Parchment from The Epistles of St Paul, Ireland/Northumbria (AD700-800).

Parchment from The Epistles of St Paul, Ireland/Northumbria (AD700-800).

Ancient virus hunters: how we discovered sheeppox DNA hidden in medieval gospels

Kevin Daly, University College Dublin and Louis L'Hôte, University College Dublin

Can an ancient virus be brought back to life? What 500-year-old smallpox DNA reveals

Aris Katzourakis, University of Oxford

Blue gloved hand holding a vial of smallpox vaccine in front of the monkeypox virus graphic on a monitor

Blue gloved hand holding a vial of smallpox vaccine in front of the monkeypox virus graphic on a monitor

‘Ferritin face’ is trending – but can your skin really reveal low iron?

Chloe Casey, Bournemouth University

Woman with dark rings under her eyes.

Woman with dark rings under her eyes.

Men and women are turning to genital fillers for pleasure and size – here’s what can go wrong

Adam Taylor, Lancaster University

Doctor pointing a model of male genitals.

Doctor pointing a model of male genitals.

A brief history of the hangover and its cures – from cabbages to cloves and the lungs of a goat

Joan Fitzpatrick, Loughborough University

Medieval illustration of a man being sick

Medieval illustration of a man being sick

Drugs

Woman holds glass of water in one hand and pill in the other.

Woman holds glass of water in one hand and pill in the other.

Long-acting medicines could make daily tablets a thing of the past for some patients

Catherine Unsworth, University of Liverpool and Steve Rannard, University of Liverpool

More than one in three illicit drug samples contain unexpected substances, testing finds

Joseph Janes, Swansea University

Close up of a bag of pills changing hands

Close up of a bag of pills changing hands

Medicine leaflets are failing patients – and sometimes frightening them

Dipa Kamdar, Kingston University

A hand holding a blisterpack of pills with the other hand holding a blurred copy of the patient information leaflet.

A hand holding a blisterpack of pills with the other hand holding a blurred copy of the patient information leaflet.

Pharmacogenomics: how your genes could help doctors choose the right medicine and dose

Rebecca Moore, University of East Anglia

A doctor wearing gloves prepares to take an oral swab from a seated patient

A doctor wearing gloves prepares to take an oral swab from a seated patient

Morning-after pill now free at your local pharmacy – what you need to know

Dipa Kamdar, Kingston University

Morning-after pills in their blister packs against a purple background.

Morning-after pills in their blister packs against a purple background.

Dementia

Woman applies HRT patch to upper arm

Woman applies HRT patch to upper arm

Can HRT prevent dementia? What the latest research tells us

Eef Hogervorst, Loughborough University

The physical activity paradox: not all forms of exercise lower your dementia risk – this type raises it

Eef Hogervorst, Loughborough University

A couple walk their dog in the park

A couple walk their dog in the park

One in four adults has metabolic syndrome – and it may be ageing their brains

Abigail Dove, Karolinska Institutet

A side silhouette of a human head, with puzzle pieces coming out of the top of the head.

A side silhouette of a human head, with puzzle pieces coming out of the top of the head.

New Alzheimer’s drugs offer hope for some, but good dementia care protects the humanity of those they cannot help

Kate Irving, Dublin City University

A group of older adults hold notebooks during group writing therapy session

A group of older adults hold notebooks during group writing therapy session

A healthy diet may still make a difference for people at higher risk of dementia

Anja Mrhar, Karolinska Institutet and Adrián Carballo Casla, Karolinska Institutet

Fruit, vegetables and other healthy foods.

Fruit, vegetables and other healthy foods.

Live forever

GP home visit older adult consultation

GP home visit older adult consultation

Sudden confusion in an older relative? Don’t assume it’s a urine infection

Walid Omara, Sheffield Hallam University

Overprescribing can take a toll on older peoples’ health and independence – here’s what can be done

Kinda Ibrahim, University of Southampton

An elderly woman prepares her prescription medications.

An elderly woman prepares her prescription medications.

Can nutrients in our foods mimic calorie restriction and increase our healthspan?

Justin Roberts, Anglia Ruskin University

Fresh vegetables, grains, leaves and fruits on a dark background

Fresh vegetables, grains, leaves and fruits on a dark background

How a little stress may help our cells protect themselves

Ian Copple, University of Liverpool

Close-up of a translucent blue DNA double helix covered in clear droplets against a pale blue background.

Close-up of a translucent blue DNA double helix covered in clear droplets against a pale blue background.

How much sleep do I need? Why you can forget the eight-hour rule

Derk-Jan Dijk, University of Surrey and Anne Skeldon, University of Surrey

Security guard sleeping under a tree during daylight hours.

Security guard sleeping under a tree during daylight hours.

Cancer

A digital depiction of _Helicobacter pylori_ bacteria in the body.

A digital depiction of _Helicobacter pylori_ bacteria in the body.

A common stomach infection may be linked to bowel cancer – here’s what we know

Justin Stebbing, Anglia Ruskin University

Cabin crew at greater risk of radiation-based cancer than nuclear technologists, new study suggests

Justin Stebbing, Anglia Ruskin University

A flight attendant closing an overhead locker.

A flight attendant closing an overhead locker.

Babies born under sugar rationing grew into adults with lower cancer risk

Weilong Zhang, University of Cambridge

Display of one week of foodstuffs for one person during the rationing period, strictly controlled by ration stamp book purchases in the UK during and after the second world war.

Display of one week of foodstuffs for one person during the rationing period, strictly controlled by ration stamp book purchases in the UK during and after the second world war.

Jeremy Clarkson says men have lost the right to prostate cancer testing – the truth is a bit more nuanced than that

Justin Stebbing, Anglia Ruskin University

TV personality Jeremy Clarkson.

TV personality Jeremy Clarkson.

Smouldering myeloma: Lauren Laverne’s diagnosis explained

Justin Stebbing, Anglia Ruskin University

BBC presenter Lauren Laverne.

BBC presenter Lauren Laverne.

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