Basic painkillers are shown to be just as effective as opioids In a new study published in JAMA, scientists investigated whether alternative painkillers could be as effective in treating pain as stronger opioids. The scientists studied more than 400 people who came to emergency rooms in the Bronx, New York, for arm or leg strains, sprains, or fractures. They were randomly assigned to receive either non-opioid painkillers (ibuprofen and acetaminophen, or a variation of an opioid-based painkiller. After two hours, the doctors asked the people to rate their pain on a scale from 1-11 and compared their responses. There was not much difference found between the pain ratings among those who were given the non-opioid pain relievers and the opioid-based ones. While this study only looked at one type of pain (caused by arm or leg injuries), it still highlights possible ways that opioid prescriptions can be reduced. This is relevant, considering studies have shown that nearly 19 percent of people leave emergency rooms with an opioid prescription, and even short-term use can lead to long-term addiction. 

Late-night eating may lead to diabetes and heart disease. Emerging research from the National Autonomous University of Mexico in Mexico City suggests that late-night eaters may be predisposed to diabetes and heart disease. The study outlined a series of experiments on rats, focusing on blood fat levels and the impact of sleep cycles and time of day on their fluctuation.The results suggested that late-night eating habits dictated by our biological clocks can lead to higher levels of triglyceride, or blood fat. This, in turn, is tied to higher risk of metabolic and heart diseases. The professor leading the study warned that these dangerous out-of-sync patterns are now fairly common in westernized countries where late-night dinners are normal.