More than one-third of Americans take multivitamins, despite little evidence that they help (there’s little evidence they cause harm either). And now a new study says multivitamins don’t promote cardiovascular health. 

Married couples share many things: Their homes, their lives, and according to a new study published in Diabetologia, a risk for developing type 2 diabetes. At least the men in the relationship do. Researchers found a connection between the body mass index (BMI) of female spouses and their husbands’ risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
    

You may already know that cardiovascular disease, diabetes and depression are among the top risk factors for dementia. But so is being “skinny fat”, especially among older people, according to a study published in the journal Clinical Interventions in Aging. 

Here’s one more reason to give up smoking: brain calcifications. If you smoke or have diabetes, you have an increased risk of developing calcifications in the hippocampus, the portion of the brain responsible for memory, emotions and motivation, according a study published in Radiology.

If you’ve been a loyal patient of your primary care physician, here’s some good news: Patients who continuously use the same primary care doctor live longer, according to a recent study published in BMJ Open journal. Results also suggest continuity of care from your primary care doctor is particularly valuable for patients living with a chronic condition or mental health illness.

One of the drugs commonly prescribed to control frequent acid reflux, or GERD, has been linked to pneumonia in older adults, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 

Now that it’s summer, you should be taking precautions against tick-borne illnesses if you’re spending time outside. Ticks are notorious for spreading illnesses such as Lyme disease, Powassan virus and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. But clothing treated with permethrin may help keep you safe, according to a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and published in the Journal of Medical Entomology. 

If you’re trying to lose weight, listen up: You need to take measures to protect your bones. Weight loss is associated with a lower bone density, particularly among older Americans, according to a study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.  

Gut health is a relatively new line of research. As more and more studies are published, experts realize that gut microbiota function like an organ. And like other organs, it’s affected by what you ingest. While you’re probably aware your diet can affect biomes, you may not have thought about medications.

“Medications can be an important component in managing and treating health conditions,” says Bernard Kaminetsky, MD, medical director, MDVIP. “However, they can have side effects, including taking a toll on gut bacteria.”