April 9, 2020

Mild COVID-19 Often Appears With Only Gastro Symptoms: Study

WEDNESDAY, April 1, 2020 -- When most people think of COVID-19, they imagine symptoms such as a dry cough and high fever. But new research out of China shows that a minority of cases appear with gastrointestinal symptoms only.

In about one-quarter of patients in the new study, diarrhea and other digestive symptoms were the only symptoms seen in mild COVID-19 cases, and those patients sought medical care later than those with respiratory symptoms.

April 3, 2020

FDA Pulls Heartburn Drug Zantac From Market

WEDNESDAY, April 1, 2020 -- All versions of the heartburn drug Zantac (ranitidine) have been pulled from the U.S. market due to possible contamination with a probable cancer-causing chemical, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday.

This is the latest step in an ongoing investigation of N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in ranitidine medications, the agency noted.

March 30, 2020

Belly Fat Can Lead to a Sudden Attack of Pancreatitis: Study

TUESDAY, March 17, 2020 -- Obesity is not only tied to chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, researchers now say it's also linked to a painful condition known as acute pancreatitis.

"We were able to demonstrate that fat within the belly is rapidly degraded during acute [sudden-onset] pancreatitis, but not during diverticulitis [another condition that causes abdominal pain]," said researcher Vijay Singh. He's a gastroenterologist at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix.

March 20, 2020

Almost Half of Coronavirus Patients Have Digestive Symptoms

THURSDAY, March 19, 2020 -- Diarrhea and other digestive symptoms are the main complaint in nearly half of coronavirus patients, Chinese researchers report.

Most patients with the coronavirus have respiratory symptoms, but these findings from the early stages of the outbreak show that digestive problems are prevalent in many patients with COVID-19.

March 9, 2020

Healthy 'Mediterranean Diet' Is Good for Your Microbiome

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 19, 2020 -- The so-called Mediterranean diet is already considered one of the healthiest for your heart, and now scientists say it may give your gut bacteria a boost, too.

The diet is typically high in fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, olive oil and fish, and low in red meat and saturated fats. The new study finds that older adults who eat a Mediterranean diet tend to have more types of gut bacteria linked with healthy aging.

March 9, 2020

Could Heartburn Meds Spur Growth of Drug-Resistant Germs in Your Gut?

TUESDAY, Feb. 25, 2020 -- Common heartburn meds may foster the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the gut, a new research review suggests.

In an analysis of 12 past studies, researchers found that, overall, the evidence supports a link: People who use acid-suppressing medications -- particularly proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) -- are more likely than nonusers to harbor antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the gut.