Health & Fitness

Right now, there are three types of COVID-19 tests:¹

• Molecular — Also known as a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test, this test detects whether genetic material of the virus is present in the sample collected from your throat or sputum (the back of your sinuses)
• Antigen — This test, sometimes referred to as "rapid test," detects viral proteins
• Antibody — Also known as a serology test, it detects the presence of antibodies in your blood

The first two, molecular and antigen, are so-called "viral tests" that detect active infections, whereas the antibody test will tell you if you've developed antibodies in response to a previous coronavirus infection. It typically takes your body one to three weeks after an infection clears to start making antibodies against the virus in question.

Common Cold Can Trigger Positive COVID-19 Antibody Test

Each of these COVID-19 tests have their issues and controversies. The problem with antibody testing is that there are seven different coronaviruses known to cause respiratory illness in humans.² Four of them cause symptoms associated with the common cold:

• 229E
• NL63
• OC43
• HKU1

In addition to the common cold, OC43 and HKU1 — two of the most commonly encountered betacoronaviruses³ — are also known to cause bronchitis, acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumonia in all age groups.⁴ The other three human coronaviruses — which are capable of causing more serious respiratory illness — are:

• SARS-CoV
• MERS-CoV
• SARS-CoV-2

The tricky part is that the antibodies created by these different coronaviruses appear very similar, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention admits recovering from the common cold can trigger a positive antibody test for COVID-19, even if you were never infected with SARS-CoV-2 specifically. As explained on the CDC's "Test for Past Infection" web page:⁵

"Antibody tests check your blood by looking for antibodies, which may tell you if you had a past infection with the virus that causes COVID-19. Antibodies are proteins that help fight off infections and can provide protection against getting that disease again (immunity). Antibodies are disease specific … 

A positive test result shows you may have antibodies from an infection with the virus that causes COVID-19. However, there is a chance a positive result means that you have antibodies from an infection with a virus from the same family of viruses (called coronaviruses), such as the one that causes the common cold."

Unclear if Cross-Reactive Antibody Tests Are Still Being Used

In a July 10, 2020, interview with KTTC news, Mayo Clinic chair of clinical microbiology, Dr. Bobbi Pritt, said:⁶

"Early on we had labs using tests that have not received that [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] review and some of those tests … may have given you a false positive and detected the normal coronavirus that circulates and causes the common cold. I would say the vast majority have been extensively tested to show that they do not cross react and give you false positives due to the common cold [anymore]."

While experts at the Mayo Clinic claim these cross-reactive antibody tests were an early problem that has since been corrected and eliminated, the CDC does not confirm or deny the accuracy of this statement on its "Test for Past Infection" web page.⁷

So, it's unclear whether the antibody tests manufactured and used today are still capable of delivering a positive result if you were recently exposed and recovered from the common cold virus.

Back on April 29, 2020, infectious disease specialist and CNN medical analyst Dr. Kent Sepkowitz noted that "deciphering between the common cold antibody and the COVID-19 antibody is a real challenge scientifically,"⁸ but that doesn't mean it cannot or hasn't been done.

On a side note, labs are now reporting a shortage of chemicals and disposable pipette tips required to perform COVID-19 tests, which means longer wait times — again. As Scott Shone, director of the North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health, told The New York Times,^9,10 July 23, 2020, “It’s like Groundhog Day. I feel like I lived this day four or five months ago,” referring back to the early days of the pandemic when test supplies were in short supply.

Some Coronaviruses May Impart Resilience Against COVID-19

While the CDC warns it's still uncertain whether COVID-19 antibodies prevents reinfection, or if it does, for how long, researchers in Singapore have presented evidence^11,12,13 suggesting the immunity is likely to be long-lasting.

They discovered common colds caused by the betacoronaviruses OC43 and HKU1 appear to make you more resistant to SARS-CoV-2 infection, and that the resulting immunity might last as long as 17 years.

The authors suggest that if you've beat a common cold caused by a OC43 or HKU1 betacoronavirus in the past, you may have a 50/50 chance of having defensive T-cells that can recognize and help defend against SARS-CoV-2. As reported by the Daily Mail:¹⁴

"Scientists have found evidence that some immunity may be present for many years due to the body's 'memory' T-cells from attacks by previous viruses with a similar genetic make-up — even among people who have had no known exposure to Covid-19 or SARS …

Blood was taken from 24 patients who had recovered from COVID-19, 23 who had become ill from SARS and 18 who had never been exposed to either SARS or COVID-19 …

Half of patients in the group with no exposure to either Covid-19 or SARS possessed T-cells which showed immune response to the animal betacoronaviruses, COVID-19 and SARS. This suggested patients' immunity developed after exposure to common colds caused by betacoronavirus or possibly from other as yet unknown pathogens."

According to the researchers, their findings demonstrate that:¹⁵

"Virus-specific memory T-cells induced by betacoronavirus infection are long-lasting, which supports the notion that COVID-19 patients would develop long-term T-cell immunity. Our findings also raise the intriguing possibility that infection with related viruses can also protect from or modify the pathology caused by SARS-Cov-2."

Added support for these conclusions were published May 14, 2020, in the journal Cell. This study¹⁶ found that not only did 70% of samples obtained from recovered COVID-19 patients have resistance to SARS-CoV-2 on the T-cell level but so did 40% to 60% of people who had not been exposed to the virus. According to the authors, this suggests there's "cross-reactive T cell recognition between circulating 'common cold' coronaviruses and SARS-CoV-2."

Other Researchers Report Low Immunity Post-Recovery

The immunity issue isn't entirely cut and dry, though. Other research, which looked at antibody levels in recovered COVID-19 patients in Germany, found they lost their antibodies after two to three months.

"Clemens Wendtner, a chief physician at the hospital, tested COVID-19 patients for immunity after they had been treated for the disease at the end of January 2020. The tests showed a significant decrease in the number of antibodies," DW reported in a July 14, 2020, article.¹⁷

"Wendtner says 'neutralizing' antibodies, which stop a viral attack, fell in four out of nine of the patients who were tested, within two to three months. Those findings coincide with a similar investigation done in China.

That study also found that antibodies in COVID-19 patients do not persist in the blood. Further research is still required. But these initial findings suggest that a second infection is possible …"

However, it is important to realize that loss of the ability to determine antibody levels may not necessarily reflect lack of immune protection, as there may be innate cell mediated immunity that provides protection that is not being measured by the humoral antibody production.

Will COVID-19 Behave Like the Common Cold?

If reinfection is possible, then COVID-19 would behave much like the common cold and seasonal influenza, which can strike more than once — if not in a single season, then certainly in any given year. If that's the case, then "immunity passports" and most other COVID-19 interventions, such as school closings and business shutdowns, become even more questionable than they already are.

If SARS-CoV-2 ends up behaving like other human coronaviruses that cause the common cold, immunity may only last six to 12 months, a European study¹⁸ says. Here, they did not look at SARS-CoV-2 antibodies but, rather, antibodies against the other four coronaviruses that cause the common cold, none of which were long-lasting. According to BGR, which reported the findings:¹⁹

"'Frequent reinfections at 12 months post-infection and substantial reduction in antibody levels as soon as 6 months post-infection' were observed for those viruses.

If the novel coronavirus behaves the same way, then talk of 'immunity passports' and herd immunization is pointless. A person who recovered from COVID-19 could get it again in six to 12 months without another vaccine shot …

The researchers note that the human coronaviruses are 'biologically dissimilar' and 'have little in common, apart from causing the common cold.' But SARS-CoV-2 doesn't have to be similar to any of them to follow the same immunity pattern."

Is Herd Immunity Against COVID-19 Possible?

The issue of reinfection also raises questions about whether herd immunity is ever going to be possible. Studies cited by The Daily Mail²⁰ claim herd immunity against COVID-19 could be achieved if just 10% to 43% of people develop lasting immunity.

This is a far cry from the percentages typically required for vaccine-induced "herd immunity" (which is really a misnomer, as vaccine-induced immunity doesn't work like natural immunity, and herd immunity is really only achieved when enough people recover from the illness in question). According to The Daily Mail:²¹

"The concept of herd immunity hinges on people only being affected once, so that when a certain number of people have been infected with the virus already it can't spread any more.

It remains a mystery as to whether this is the case for COVID-19 but, if it is, then herd immunity could offer some protection during a second wave of the disease …

Researchers now say it could work to some extent if only one or two out of 10 people have been infected naturally and become immune to the disease … Another study has taken a similar line and suggested herd immunity could develop at around 43 percent of the population getting infected … Immunity among the most socially active people, scientists say, could protect those who come into contact with fewer others."

Optimizing Vitamin D May Be Your Best Bet

Considering the many questions surrounding the possibility of reinfection and herd immunity, I believe one of your best bets is to address an underlying weakness that can have a significant impact on your COVID-19 risk, namely vitamin D insufficiency.

Rather than waiting for a likely harmful vaccine, get proactive and start optimizing your vitamin D level. You can learn more about this in "The Most Important Paper Dr. Mercola Has Ever Written" and "How to Fix the COVID-19 Crisis in 30 Days." Also start working on reversing any underlying comorbidities such as insulin resistance and obesity.

When Should You Get Tested?

As for testing, I do not recommend getting a viral test (which checks for active infection) unless you have COVID-19 symptoms and need it to guide your treatment. Swabbing the back of your nasal cavity has its risks, and can actually introduce an infection or, some speculate, even some more nefarious agents.

Getting tested just for the heck of it doesn't really make sense. Even if you test negative, you can get infected at any point after leaving the test site. If you have to get tested in order to travel or return to work, an antibody test may be more appropriate. Even if your antibodies wane with time, you're still going to be immune for a while.

The best test are your clinical symptoms. If you have symptoms suggestive of coronavirus infection, then my best recommendation is to start nebulizing food grade hydrogen peroxide at 0.1% as suggested in the video below and discussed in my article on the topic.

I would also make sure that your vitamin D levels are adequate, as discussed in my paper on the topic. If you don't know your vitamin D level and have not been in the sun or taken over 5,000 units of vitamin D a day, it would likely help to take one bolus dose of 100,000 units, and make sure you are taking plenty of magnesium, which helps convert the vitamin D to its active immune modulating form.

Another great option that is less expensive, easier to get and likely more effective than hydroxychloroquine, would be quercetin with zinc as discussed in my recent article on the subject.

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The body of evidence demonstrating the medicinal value of cannabis is growing and becoming more compelling, yet there continues to be resistance to using cannabidiol (CBD). Even as the legal arguments are settling, many are resistant to using cannabis sativa (hemp) or cannabis indica (marijuana).

Cannabis has been a popular botanical medicine for thousands of years, valued for its healing properties. Through at least the 19th century it could be found in U.S. pharmacies.¹ Then, in 1970, the herb was declared a Schedule 1 controlled substance.² This is a classification reserved for drugs with a “high potential for abuse” and “no accepted medicinal use.”³

Three years later, the Drug Enforcement Agency was formed and they began their fight against marijuana.⁴ It may be hard for many to shake the idea that a plant once associated with hippies, rebellion and counterculture has medicinal value and may be important to optimal health.

CBD May Use Three Pathways in the Fight Against COVID-19

Although there is nothing in the chemical makeup of CBD to suggest it specifically attacks COVID-19, some experts believe the anti-inflammatory properties could present a potential treatment for pulmonary inflammation that ultimately can lead to death.

In the severe form of the disease, damage leads to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), raising the mortality rate of those with ARDS to nearly 50%.⁵ Hyperactivity of the immune system has been dubbed a “cytokine storm” and is characterized by a release of inflammatory mediators including interleukins and chemokines.

However, Emily Earlenbaugh, co-founder of a cannabis consulting company and a contributor to Forbes, points out that as the body recognizes pathogens, immune cells trigger an early cytokine response that helps control the infection.^6,7 This means the body requires cytokines at the start of an infection, but a hyperactive immune response later on can lead to lung damage and severe pneumonia.

Among the different cannabinoids that have been extracted from the cannabis plant, it is CBD that has shown strong anti-inflammatory properties.⁸ It makes sense, then, to investigate whether CBD can treat ARDS.

Earlenbaugh writes in Forbes that researchers have studied CBD for three ways it may help in the treatment of COVID-19. These include the ability to reduce inflammation, act as a potential antiviral and affect ACE2 expression.⁹

CBD May Calm the COVID-19 Cytokine Storm

In an interview with CBS News, Earlenbaugh spoke of past research in which CBD demonstrated the ability to act as an interleukin-6 inhibitor, and thus affect the hyperactive immune response.^10,11

A more recent study by scholars from Augusta University in Georgia concluded that CBD had a potential protective role during ARDS, which may make it a valuable part of treatment for COVID-19 “by reducing the cytokine storm, protecting pulmonary tissues, and re-establishing inflammatory homeostasis.”¹²

While more clinical trials are needed to determine dosage and timing before CBD can be part of mainstream treatment, researchers believe they have evidence it can help patients avoid mechanical ventilation and death from ARDS. Babak Baban, immunologist and corresponding author of the study, commented:¹³

"ARDS is a major killer in severe cases of some respiratory viral infections, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and we have an urgent need for better intervention and treatment strategies. The natural instinct of the virus is to make more of itself. It weaves with our DNA to make the cell produce food and everything it needs."

In their animal study, a synthetic analog was used to mimic the activity of SARS-CoV-2.¹⁴ CBD was administered in a pattern that would be like the human experience with the virus and treatment. The animals showed quick clinical improvement, and in a subsequent examination it was found that their lung damage had totally or partially healed.

Terpenes Have Antiviral Activity

Terpenes, also found in the cannabis plant, have been another focus of study for the antiviral properties as scientists search for natural remedies in the treatment of some viruses,¹⁵ inflammatory diseases¹⁶ and SARS.¹⁷

Terpenes are phytochemicals and the oils that give the plant a distinctive flavor and odor.¹⁸ Some have antiviral activity, which may help fight COVID-19. A team from the Israel Institute of Technology led by Dedi Meiri, Ph.D., spoke with a reporter from Health Europa about a formulation having been extracted from cannabis and being tested against SARS CoV-2.¹⁹

In the initial study, the team is trying to identify the molecules capable of reducing the hyperactive immune response without completely suppressing the system. In the second phase they plan to look at how the plant may affect the viral process through ACE2 receptors.

The hope is that terpenes found in cannabis can help modulate the overreaction of the immune system, which causes organ system failure leading to death.²⁰

Your Body Has an Endocannabinoid System

Endocannabinoids were discovered in the 1990s, which in turn led to the realization that the human body makes endogenous cannabinoids to influence those receptors.²¹ Endocannabinoids are similar in structure to the cannabinoids found in cannabis.

Board certified nutritionist Carl Germano is an expert on phytocannabinoids and the importance of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in the human body. He likens the ECS system to the conductor of an orchestra, in which the orchestra is your organ system.²²

He goes on to explain how this important system may not be fully appreciated and understood, as there continues to be a stigma — even in medical schools — where students and researchers are testing the boundaries of human biology and physiology:²³

"The ECS has been the subject of many scholarly textbooks … Quite frankly, this is something that should be taught from high school to college to medical school. Unfortunately, because of the stigma attached to cannabinoids … less than 13 percent [of medical schools in the U.S.] are teaching the ECS.

I say, 'Are you insane? This is like saying that for the next 70 years we will not teach the cardiovascular system, as if it never existed.' We now have to dismantle this medical travesty … The whole thing is about education. This is critical and crucial to our health and well-being.

We have to dismantle the stigma, and we have to start educating ourselves to understand that the ECS is probably one of the most important medical discoveries in quite some time … understanding the enormity of this system and what it does and what it influences throughout the entire human body."

Documented Health Benefits Associated With CBD

CBD is only one of more than 100 compounds that are classified as cannabinoids and found in the cannabis plant. Since cannabinoid receptors are part of our physiology, it should come as no surprise that CBD has so many health benefits. There are myriad medical uses that have been attributed to CBD, many of them scientifically documented. However, as Germano warns:²⁴

“We must get off this single magic bullet bandwagon. We must appreciate the full gamut of all of these phytocannabinoids as a whole and that they complement each other because CBD is not the answer to support the endocannabinoid system as a whole.”

You’ll find more information about cannabis production, quality and medicinal benefits at “The Many Medicinal Benefits of Cannabis and Cannabidiol (CBD).” Here are just a few of benefits associated with health conditions that raise the risk for severe COVID-19:

• Allergic asthma — "CBD treatment decreased the inflammatory and remodeling processes in the model of allergic asthma," according to the European Journal of Pharmacology²⁵
• Anxiety and sleep — "Cannabidiol may hold benefit for anxiety-related disorders," The Permanente Journal²⁶
• Blood pressure — "This data shows that acute administration of CBD reduces resting BP and the BP increase to stress in humans," JCI Insight²⁷
• Diabetes — "These results suggest that the neuroprotective effects of CBD in middle-aged diabetic rats ... are related to a reduction in neuroinflammation," Neurotoxicity Research²⁸

Feed Your Body’s Endocannabinoid System

In my interview with Germano, he talked about the conditions that may result when endogenous cannabinoids are not produced. This can produce a number of symptoms such as inflammation, stress, anxiety and depression.²⁹ Others include poor eye health, insomnia, neurological problems and poor bone health.

Before reaching for a supplement, consider taking steps to raise your endogenous production of cannabinoid compounds. A paper published in PLOS|One explains how nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids, exercise, chiropractic care, massage and acupuncture influence the function of your ECS.³⁰

If you choose to use a supplement, then I strongly recommend buying from a reputable company. As I’ve written in the past, Amazon has misled consumers because they allow vendors to tag their items at will, despite their policy of forbidding the sale of any controlled substance.³¹

Products containing CBD oil fall into this category, based on a technicality of the law.³² Yet, you can still find hemp extract and other products containing CBD on the website.³³ One healthy option is using hemp, which was legalized in 2018 with the Farm Bill.³⁴ As Germano has said, CBD alone is not enough to support the body’s endocannabinoid system. Hemp oil has 100 other phytocannabinoids to help meet many of those needs, including CBD.³⁵

Germano wrote a book about the ECS called, "Road to Ananda: The Simple Guide to the Endocannabinoid System, Phytocannabinoids and Hemp." I am proud to have written the forward to this book, as it is a great resource. Definitely pick up a copy if you want to learn more about this fascinating topic.

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The former Olympic swimming champion has reminded us exactly why we need to stop obsessing over the scales and start show our bodies the appreciation it deserves.

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The largest and most complex CRISPR system has been visualized by researchers in a new study. The system may have potential applications in biomedicine and biotechnology, the researchers believe.

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A spice that has been used by ancient cultures for eons, turmeric has hit the mainstream - and for good reason. Nutritionist Kriben Govender shares his family recipe for a soothing turmeric milk that's perfect for when you're feeling under the weather.

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When couples argue, mediation improves the outcome of the confrontation. But that's not all: mediation is also linked to heightened activity in key regions of the brain belonging to the reward circuit. This is the first time that a controlled, randomized study has succeeded in demonstrating the advantages of mediation for couple conflicts and identifying a related biological signature.

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A new technique that can spot a potential preterm birth in asymptomatic high-risk women, with up to 73% accuracy months before delivery, has been developed by scientists.

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Are you wearing gloves to protect yourself from catching COVID-19? Well, a medical expert has explained why it's doing you more harm than good.

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Researchers found the rate of virus exposure among Black and Hispanic women to be five times higher than among White and Asian women.

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The differing immune system responses of patients with COVID-19 can help predict who will experience moderate and severe consequences of disease, according to a new study.

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Two doses of an experimental vaccine to prevent COVID-19 induced robust immune responses and rapidly controlled the coronavirus in the upper and lower airways of rhesus macaques exposed to SARS-CoV-2, scientists report.

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Continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, is the most common treatment prescribed for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). CPAP involves wearing a mask that fits into the nostrils, underneath or over the nose, or over the nose and mouth, through which pressurized air is delivered via tubing from a machine to keep the upper airway open during sleep. CPAP is recommended by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) as the initial treatment for moderate or severe OSA, and in mild cases of OSA when associated with insomnia, disrupted sleep, or excessive daytime sleepiness. When used consistently, and when treatment is effective, CPAP improves daytime sleepiness, quality of life, and it can have positive impacts on cardiac and metabolic health.

The effectiveness of CPAP depends on using the device correctly and consistently, since OSA is a chronic disease that requires long-term treatment. Most sleep doctors, myself included, recommend that patients with sleep apnea use their treatment whenever they sleep, in order to derive optimal benefit. While there are many patients who love their CPAP machines and report the treatment to be life-changing, and are unable to sleep without CPAP, there are others who learn to accept and tolerate CPAP because they appreciate either the functional benefits (such as better mood and less daytime sleepiness) or medical improvements they get from using the device. However, many patients struggle with CPAP.

CPAP is not easy and there are common complaints

Despite the many potential benefits, CPAP adherence estimates from clinical data and insurance groups suggest that about 50% of CPAP users either do not reach minimum adherence criteria or discontinue the treatment. Each patient is unique and may have individual struggles with CPAP; however, there tend to be similar themes among users. Some of the common complaints I hear from patients who have trouble tolerating CPAP include

• mask issues, including mask discomfort, skin irritation or marks, feelings of claustrophobia, or discomfort with the appearance of wearing a mask
• dryness, especially waking with a dry mouth
• removing the mask during sleep
• pressure intolerance, from either too much pressure or not enough pressure; trouble exhaling against the CPAP pressure; or swallowing air (aerophagia)
• breathing that feels out of sync
• noise from the machine bothering the patient or their bed partner.

Troubleshooting issues with CPAP tolerance

First and foremost, patients should partner with their doctor and healthcare team. OSA is a serious disease that warrants treatment. Before starting treatment, patients should be educated about OSA, learn about all treatment options and new technologies, and know what to expect with CPAP. Patients benefit from close clinical follow-up, including a review of data from their CPAP device (which may also be important for continued insurance coverage). Family and/or partner support is also important, as friends or family can help encourage and support CPAP use.

Other tips to improve adherence:

• Behavioral and medication interventions. Cognitive behavioral therapy or short-term use of sleep medications can help people adjust to CPAP.
• The right mask. If the mask does not fit, the treatment may not work well. There are many mask sizes and types, including nasal masks that fit over or under the nose, nasal pillows that fit in the nostrils, full face masks that cover the mouth and nose, hybrid masks that sit under the nose and cover the mouth, and even helmet masks that cover the face. A mask fitting is advised when patients start treatment, and several fittings may be needed.
• Mouth breathing is another mask-related factor to consider. When a patient sleeps with their mouth open, the pressure from the CPAP leaks out the mouth. This causes dryness, and also prevents CPAP from keeping the upper airway open. Mask leak can also result in noise and mask removals during sleep. A mask that covers the mouth will probably be needed, though sometimes adding a chinstrap can keep the jaw closed and prevent mouth breathing.
• The right pressure. Some people require vastly different pressure when on their back vs. on their side, or in one sleep stage vs. another. While a pressure range can be helpful, if the range is too wide, the machine cannot adjust rapidly enough to meet the pressure requirements. Weight changes may also impact pressure requirements. Following device data and/or evaluating with a treatment sleep study in a sleep lab can help identify the best pressure.
• Address coexisting conditions. Some people use CPAP consistently, tolerate it, but are still sleepy. CPAP is not a substitute for inadequate sleep. Sleep apnea can coexist with other sleep problems that might contribute to daytime sleepiness. Sometimes CPAP is not tolerated because sleep is poor, or fragmented due to other issues such as anxiety, PTSD, insomnia, poor sleep habits, or circadian disorders. These other problems need to be addressed.
• Consider alternative treatments. CPAP is the first-line treatment, but not the only treatment for OSA. Consider combining treatments or pursuing an alternative treatment if CPAP is not tolerated or is not desired.

New CPAP innovations can help

A variety of technological advances may improve CPAP comfort and adherence. Some of these include

• heated humidification, a comfort intervention that can help with nasal congestion and dryness
• ramp-up features that allow the machine to start off at a low or minimal pressure as the patient adjusts and falls asleep
• expiratory pressure relief, where the pressure from the machine decreases slightly during exhalation, which is especially helpful when a higher pressure setting is needed to keep the airway open
• auto-titrating CPAP machines, which allow for a range of pressures to be set; the machine self-adjusts the pressure when it senses that more or less pressure is needed to keep the airway open. This is helpful for those who require higher pressures in one body position (back vs. side) or sleep stage (dream/REM sleep vs. nondream/NREM).
• modems that allow the machine to transmit data (either cellular or by wi-fi), so both the patient and their doctor can determine the effectiveness of the treatment.

The bottom line

CPAP is an effective treatment for OSA. If you are struggling with CPAP tolerance, do not give up, but rather talk to your clinician. Proper education, support, personalized troubleshooting, new technologies, and close clinical follow-up can improve adherence and optimize treatment outcomes.

The post I can’t tolerate CPAP, what can I do? appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

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Once found in bottles, food containers, cash register receipts and electronics, bisphenol A (BPA) has been phased out of many products because of health concerns and government regulations. As a result, the production and use of BPA analogs, which are unregulated and poorly understood, have increased. Now, by analyzing urine samples and wastewater, researchers report how human exposure to bisphenols has changed over time in an Australian population.

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In research that aims to illuminate the causes of human developmental disorders, scientists have generated 168 new maps of chemical marks on strands of DNA -- called methylation -- in developing mice. The data can help narrow down regions of the human genome that play roles in diseases such as schizophrenia and Rett Syndrome.

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By studying RNA-binding proteins, a research consortium has identified genomic sites that appear to code for RNA molecules that influence gene expression.

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A new blood test demonstrated remarkable promise in discriminating between persons with and without Alzheimer's disease and in persons at known genetic risk may be able to detect the disease as early as 20 years before the onset of cognitive impairment, according to a large international study.

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Air fryers have been getting a LOT of attention of late. Pinterest searches from Australians for recipes for this humble kitchen appliance top the list, increasing 1.7 times since April. But are they actually a healthier way of cooking your food? Dietitian Melissa Meier weighs in. 

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