MetS Increases Mortality Risk in Stroke Patients After Intravenous Thrombolysis: Study

A new study from Shanxi Bethune Hospital revealed that metabolic syndrome (MetS) significantly worsens outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) who receive intravenous thrombolysis (IVT). The findings were published in the recent issue of Frontiers in Neurology.

This prospective cohort study from January 2022 to December 2023, examined 292 AIS patients who underwent IVT. The participants were divided into 2 groups as those with MetS and those without, and used propensity score matching to control for baseline differences such as age, sex, and stroke severity.

Within three months of treatment, the all-cause mortality rate in patients with MetS was 24%, more than double the 11.6% mortality observed in patients without MetS. Even after adjusting for potential confounding factors, MetS remained an independent predictor of death, with an adjusted hazard ratio of 2.50 (95% CI: 1.35–4.60, p < 0.01). This suggests that the patients with MetS were 2.5 times more likely to die within 3 months of stroke, despite receiving timely thrombolytic therapy.

Beyond mortality, MetS also predicted worse recovery and higher complications. Patients with MetS were significantly less likely to achieve a good functional outcome (defined as a score of 0 to 2 on the modified Rankin Scale), which indicated slight or no disability. The adjusted odds ratio for good recovery was just 0.47 (95% CI: 0.28–0.77, p < 0.01), reflecting nearly a 53% lower likelihood of favorable neurological recovery when compared to non-MetS counterparts.

Additionally, the risk of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (SICH) was notably higher in the MetS group. These patients had more than twice the odds of developing SICH (adjusted OR = 2.40, 95% CI: 1.17–4.92, p = 0.02), which can severely worsen outcomes or prove fatal.

Importantly, as the number of MetS components increased (including obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high triglycerides, and low HDL cholesterol), so did the risk of mortality. This hint that the cumulative metabolic burden directly impacts stroke prognosis. These findings suggest that even before a stroke occurs, controlling metabolic health could be crucial not only for prevention but also for improving survival and recovery afterward.

Reference:

Chen, W., Liu, D., Li, Z., & Zhang, X. (2025). Metabolic syndrome is associated with prognosis in patients with acute ischemic stroke after intravenous thrombolysis: a prospective cohort study. Frontiers in Neurology, 16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2025.1598434

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Socioeconomic Factors May Overshadow Racial Emphasis in Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: Study Shows

USA: A recent study has revealed that patients with frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) are more likely to live in affluent areas, as determined by their Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), compared to those with alopecia areata (AA). The researchers argue that the traditionally held belief that FFA predominantly affects certain racial groups may reflect underlying socioeconomic disparities rather than true racial predisposition.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology and led by Jiana Wyche and colleagues from Meharry Medical College, examined the association between socioeconomic status and the prevalence of FFA. FFA is a type of scarring alopecia that has seen a steady rise in cases over recent years. Historically, it has been reported more frequently in White, postmenopausal women. However, the growing number of cases has prompted investigations into potential environmental and lifestyle factors—including the use of facial cosmetics and sunscreens—which tend to be more common in individuals from higher socioeconomic backgrounds.

To better understand the role of socioeconomic status in FFA, researchers conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of patients from Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, over nine years (2015–2024). The study included 147 individuals diagnosed with FFA and 429 with AA, a condition chosen for comparison due to its similar immune-mediated mechanism. Data were collected from patients across 15 U.S. states, with a large majority (over 84%) from Maryland.

Using the CDC’s Social Vulnerability Index—an indicator that incorporates data on income, education, housing, and other demographic factors—the team assessed the socioeconomic background of each patient based on their zip code. The SVI categorizes areas into four levels of vulnerability, with “low vulnerability” (SVI < 0.25) representing the most affluent areas.

The key findings of the study were as follows:

  • Patients with frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) were significantly more likely to live in low-vulnerability (more affluent) zip codes compared to those with alopecia areata (AA), with rates of 50.3% vs. 34.03%.
  • The likelihood of an FFA patient residing in an affluent area was notably higher, with an odds ratio of 1.786.
  • When researchers adjusted for age and socioeconomic status, race was no longer found to be an independent predictor of FFA.
  • Although unadjusted data showed FFA was more common in White individuals and AA in Black individuals, the adjusted analysis suggests these racial patterns may actually reflect underlying socioeconomic differences.

“Our study suggests that FFA patients are more likely to be from affluent zip codes as determined by their SVI when compared to AA patients,” the researchers wrote. “We believe, therefore, that historical emphasis on race in FFA may have been overstated due to the impact of race on socioeconomic status.”

They concluded, “These findings offer new insights into the factors contributing to FFA and highlight the importance of considering social and economic contexts in dermatologic research and diagnosis.”

Reference:

Wyche J, Tsang DA, Aguh C. Odds of developing frontal fibrosing alopecia more closely tied to affluence than race – A retrospective cohort study. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2025 May 16:S0190-9622(25)02133-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2025.05.1394. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40383279.

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Vitamin D3 nanoemulsion significantly improves core symptoms in children with autism: A clinical trial

This study investigates the effectiveness of a vitamin D3-loaded nanoemulsion in improving the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children. Children with ASD often have low vitamin D3 levels, which are linked to delays in language development, adaptive behavior, and fine motor skills. While traditional vitamin D3 supplementation has shown mixed results in past studies, this research evaluates whether a nanoemulsion form-engineered to enhance absorption and bioavailability-might produce better outcomes.

Eighty children between the ages of 3 and 6 with diagnosed ASD were randomly assigned into two groups: one receiving the vitamin D3 nanoemulsion, and the other receiving a standard marketed vitamin D3 product, both for a duration of 6 months. Their vitamin D3 levels, adaptive behaviors, and language abilities were assessed before and after supplementation using standardized tools such as the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale, and Preschool Language Scale. Only the nanoemulsion group showed statistically significant improvements in vitamin D3 levels, autism severity, social IQ, and both receptive and expressive language performance. The conventional supplement, despite raising blood vitamin D3 levels, did not lead to meaningful improvements in behavioral outcomes.

The study concludes that the nanoemulsion form of vitamin D3 is superior to the conventional oral form in terms of increasing vitamin bioavailability and producing clinically relevant improvements in children with ASD. The authors suggest that nanoemulsion technology could offer a valuable strategy for enhancing the effectiveness of nutritional interventions in neurodevelopmental disorders. However, they acknowledge that further studies with larger sample sizes and long-term follow-up are needed to confirm these findings and explore potential gender-related differences in response.

Reference:

Nagwa A. Meguid, Maha Hemimi, Gina Hussein, Ahmed Elnahry, Marwa Hasanein Asfour, Sameh Hosam Abd El-Alim, Ahmed Alaa Kassem, Abeer Salama, Amr Sobhi Gouda, Walaa Samy Nazim, Radwa Ibrahim Ali Hassan, Neveen Hassan Nashaat, Improved core manifestations of autism following supplementation with vitamin D3-loaded nanoemulsion, LabMed Discovery, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lmd.2025.100071.

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Calcium-Based Additives Reduce Soft Drink Erosion, Protect Enamel and Dentin, suggests study

According to a new study, solutions containing calcium lactate (CLP) significantly reduced the erosive potential of soft drinks, especially when combined with LPP or TMP, offering enhanced protection for dentin. Notably, LPP alone was effective in minimizing erosion of both enamel and dentin. These findings suggest clinical benefits of this strategy for high-risk individuals prone to erosive tooth wear, particularly those less compliant with preventive measures.

A study was done to evaluate the erosive potential of a soft drink modified with film-forming polymers and calcium on bovine enamel and dentin. Sprite Zero Sugar was modified with linear sodium polyphosphate (LPP–10 g/L) and sodium trimetaphosphate (TMP-10 g/L), individually or combined with calcium lactate pentahydrate (CLP–4.35 g/L). Enamel and dentin specimens were randomly assigned into six groups (n = 10/substrate): 1. C− (negative control–no modification); 2. LPP; 3. TMP; 4. LPP+CLP; 5. TMP+CLP; 6. C+ (positive control–CLP). The specimens underwent an erosion-remineralization cycling. Surface loss (SL, in μm) was measured with an optical profilometer. Color and viscosity of the drinks were analyzed. Data were statistically analyzed (α=0.05). Results: For enamel and dentin, LPP significantly reduced the erosive effect of the drink compared to C- (p < 0.001 for both), with reductions of approximately 53 % and 41 %, respectively. TMP showed no significant difference from C− for both substrates. C+ reduced SL by 87 % in enamel and 38 % in dentin when compared to C− (p < 0.001). When CLP was combined with the polymers, in enamel, a 97 % reduction in SL for LPP+CLP and TMP+CLP was observed. In dentin, reductions of 56 % and 48 % were observed for LPP+CLP and TMP+CLP. No significant differences were observed between the groups and the C- regarding color and viscosity (p > 0.05). All solutions containing calcium lactate (CLP) were effective in reducing the erosive potential of the original soft drink. The combinations of CLP with LPP or TMP significantly enhanced protection, especially for dentin. Notably, LPP alone was effective in minimizing erosion of both enamel and dentin. Reducing the erosion potential of soft drinks may benefit non-collaborative individuals with high risk for erosive tooth wear.

Reference:

Cláudia Allegrini Kairalla, Milena Rodrigues Muniz, Letícia Oba Sakae, Fernando Neves Nogueira, Idalina Vieira Aoki, Juliano Pelim Pessan, Alessandra Bühler Borges, Taís Scaramucci. Reduction of the erosive potential of a soft drink with polymers and calcium,

Journal of Dentistry, Volume 161, 2025, 105935, ISSN 0300-5712, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdent.2025.105935.

(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0300571225003793)

Keywords:

Calcium-Based, Additives, Reduce, Soft, Drink, Erosion, Protect, Enamel, Dentin, suggests, study , Journal of Dentistry, Cláudia Allegrini Kairalla, Milena Rodrigues Muniz, Letícia Oba Sakae, Fernando Neves Nogueira, Idalina Vieira Aoki, Juliano Pelim Pessan, Alessandra Bühler Borges, Taís Scaramucci.

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Adults who survived childhood cancer are at increased risk of severe COVID-19: Study

People who have survived cancer as children are at higher risk of developing severe COVID-19, even decades after their diagnosis. This is shown by a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in the journal The Lancet Regional Health – Europe.

Thanks to medical advances, more and more children are surviving cancer. However, even long after treatment has ended, health risks may remain. In a new registry study, researchers investigated how adult childhood cancer survivors in Sweden and Denmark were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The study included over 13,000 people who had been diagnosed with cancer before the age of 20 and who were at least 20 years old when the pandemic began. They were compared with both siblings and randomly selected individuals from the population of the same gender and year of birth.

The results show that childhood cancer survivors had a lower risk of contracting COVID-19, but were 58 per cent more likely to develop severe disease if they did become infected. Severe COVID-19 was defined as the patient receiving hospital care, intensive care or death related to the infection.

”It is important to understand that even though these individuals were not infected more often, the consequences were more serious when they did become ill,” says Javier Louro, postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Environmental Medicine at Karolinska Institutet and first author of the study.

The differences in risk were particularly clear during periods of high transmission, such as when new virus variants such as Alpha and Omicron spread rapidly. In Sweden, where pandemic management was based more on recommendations than restrictions, the increase in risk was greater than in Denmark, which introduced early and strict measures.

”Our results suggest that childhood cancer survivors should be considered a risk group in future pandemics or other health crises. This could involve prioritising them for vaccination or offering special protection during periods of high transmission,” says Javier Louro.

Reference:

Louro, Javier et al., COVID-19 infection and severity among childhood cancer survivors in Denmark and Sweden: a register-based cohort study with matched population and sibling comparisons, The Lancet Regional Health – Europe, DOI:10.1016/j.lanepe.2025.101363. 

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Gut bacteria and amino acid imbalance linked to higher miscarriage risk in women with PCOS: Study

A new study presented today at the 41st Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) reveals that women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have distinct gut microbiota and metabolic signatures linked to premature endometrial ageing and a higher risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

The research highlights a sharp reduction in the beneficial gut bacterium Parabacteroides merdae (P. merdae), alongside elevated levels of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), particularly isoleucine-an essential amino acid involved in protein production and energy metabolism. Together, these changes may act as potential drivers of poor endometrial function and reproductive complications in women with PCOS.

Affecting up to one in five women of reproductive age globally, PCOS is a major cause of infertility. Although fertility treatments often succeed in helping women with PCOS conceive, they remain at higher risk of complications such as miscarriage, preterm birth, and gestational diabetes. Until now, the mechanisms behind this elevated risk have remained unclear.

“In clinical practice, we noticed that even younger women with PCOS who achieved pregnancy still faced unexpectedly high rates of miscarriage and other complications”, said Dr. Aixia Liu, the lead author of the study. “Many of these women also had metabolic imbalances and digestive issues, which led us to explore the possible interplay between the gut microbiota, circulating metabolites, and the uterus.”

The prospective study followed 220 women under the age of 35 across 44 cities in China, including 110 PCOS patients and 110 matched controls. Researchers used a combination of gut microbiome sequencing and metabolomics to profile differences between the groups and conducted laboratory studies on endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) to assess ageing and decidualisation, a process critical for embryo implantation.

Results showed a significant reduction in microbial diversity among PCOS patients, particularly a decrease in P. merdae, a species linked to metabolic health. Serum metabolomics revealed elevated levels of BCAAs, especially isoleucine, and reduced levels of short-chain fatty acids in the PCOS group.

Despite similar pregnancy rates, women with PCOS were nearly twice as likely (1.95 times) to experience at least one adverse pregnancy outcome, including miscarriage, preterm birth, macrosomia, low birth weight, gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders, and perinatal death.

Further investigation revealed that isoleucine levels were also elevated in endometrial tissue. When researchers exposed ESCs to isoleucine in the lab, they observed increased markers of cellular senescence and reduced capacity for decidualisation. “These findings indicate ageing-like changes in the uterus, occurring much earlier than expected”, said Dr. Liu. “Our data suggest that high isoleucine levels and the loss of P. merdae may impair endometrial health, even in women under 35.”

The researchers propose that P. merdae and BCAAs could serve as biomarkers for identifying high-risk PCOS patients and may guide personalised treatment approaches in the future. “The next step is to explore whether dietary interventions, probiotics, or BCAA-restricted diets can reverse these effects and improve pregnancy outcomes”, concluded Dr. Liu.

Professor Dr. Anis Feki, Chair-Elect of ESHRE, added, “The study provides compelling evidence that metabolic and microbial imbalances in PCOS are not only systemic but may directly impair endometrial receptivity, even in younger women. These findings mark a critical step toward personalised reproductive care in PCOS.”

Reference:

Gut bacteria and amino acid imbalance linked to higher miscarriage risk in women with PCOS, European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, Meeting: ESHRE 41st Annual Meeting.

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Food as Medicine: Dietary and Supplement Solutions for Endometriosis Pain, study suggests

Recent study on dietary modifications and supplement use for endometriosis pain aimed to investigate the effectiveness of various strategies in managing symptoms among individuals with endometriosis. The research methodology involved a survey distributed through an online platform, Qualtrics, among 2858 participants, out of which 2599 completed over 80% of the survey questions. The results indicated that the majority of respondents experienced pelvic pain (96.9%) and frequent abdominal bloating (91.2%). It was highlighted that 83.8% of participants had tried one or more diets, while 58.8% had used supplements to alleviate their symptoms. A substantial proportion of individuals reported that these dietary modifications and supplements had a positive impact on their pain levels, with 66.9% attributing pain improvement to diet changes and 43.4% to supplement use.

Pain Improvement and Dietary Modifications

The study found a statistically significant difference in pain scores between participants who reported improvement from dietary modifications compared to those who did not perceive any benefit. Among the popular dietary modifications attempted, reducing alcohol, gluten, dairy, and caffeine were associated with pain improvement for a considerable number of respondents. However, the low-FODMAP diet was less commonly tried despite its potential benefits. Additionally, approximately 32.3% of individuals who used magnesium reported experiencing benefits. The research highlighted the limitations and permissions associated with the distribution of the study findings. The abstract specified that the article is distributed under the CC-BY-NC-ND License, which restricts alterations and commercial uses including text and data mining. Moreover, the introduction discussed the complexities of endometriosis, emphasizing chronic pain as a predominant symptom alongside infertility, fatigue, and gastrointestinal issues. The study aimed to explore the role of the gut microbiome in pain regulation and investigate how dietary modifications could potentially alleviate symptoms in individuals with endometriosis.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this international survey provided insights into the diverse dietary modifications and supplement use practices among individuals with endometriosis. The findings suggested that tailored dietary changes and specific supplements could play a significant role in managing pain associated with endometriosis. The study underscored the importance of individualized approaches in symptom management and highlighted the potential benefits of certain dietary modifications in alleviating pain among individuals with endometriosis.

Key Points

– A study on dietary modifications and supplement use for endometriosis pain involved 2858 participants, revealing that the majority experienced pelvic pain and abdominal bloating.

– 83.8% of participants had tried different diets, while 58.8% used supplements to alleviate symptoms, with 66.9% attributing pain improvement to dietary changes and 43.4% to supplements.

– Dietary modifications such as reducing alcohol, gluten, dairy, and caffeine were linked to pain improvement, while the low-FODMAP diet and magnesium use showed potential benefits.

– The study emphasized the importance of tailored dietary changes and specific supplements in managing pain in individuals with endometriosis.

– The research highlighted the complexities of endometriosis, focusing on chronic pain as a predominant symptom and aiming to explore the role of the gut microbiome in pain regulation through dietary modifications.

– The study’s distribution under the CC-BY-NC-ND License restricts alterations and commercial uses, aiming to provide insights into effective strategies for alleviating endometriosis-related pain.

Reference –

Francesca Hearn-Yeates et al. (2025). Dietary Modification And Supplement Use For Endometriosis Pain. *JAMA Network Open*, 8. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.3152.

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Study finds Mediterranean or plant-based diets may help reduce risk of chronic constipation in middle- and older-age adults

The incidence of chronic constipation increases as we age. A new study from Mass General Brigham researchers compares five common diets to determine the effectiveness of preventing chronic constipation in middle- and older-age adults. The team studied over 96,000 adults for several years to understand how different eating habits affect the risk of developing the chronic gastrointestinal condition. They found people who followed a Mediterranean or plant-based diet were less likely to develop constipation. Their results are published in Gastroenterology.

“Chronic constipation affects millions of people and can significantly impact a patient’s quality of life,” said senior author Kyle Staller, MD, MPH, of the Division of Gastroenterology at Massachusetts General Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system. “Our findings suggest that as we age, certain healthy diets may provide benefits to our gut beyond the known cardiovascular benefits.”

It’s been established that healthy diets can improve constipation symptoms, but this is the first study to show that certain diets can prevent people from developing chronic constipation. “We have always assumed that the benefits of eating a healthy diet would be driven by fiber, but our analyses showed the benefit of these healthy diets on constipation were independent of fiber intake,” said Staller.

Using data from the Nurses’ Health Study, Nurses’ Health Study II and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, the researchers tracked dietary patterns in middle- and older-age adults and examined who developed chronic constipation, which was defined as having symptoms for at least 12 weeks in a year. Diets included in the analysis were the Mediterranean diet, plant-based diet, low-carb diet, Western diet and inflammatory diet. Individuals who adhered to a Western or inflammatory diet were more likely to develop chronic constipation. In addition, participants who ate a low-carb diet didn’t show a strong effect.

“Our findings suggest a diet rich in vegetables, nuts and healthy fats may help prevent chronic constipation in middle- and older-age adults,” said Staller.

Reference:

Wang, Yiqing et al., Dietary Patterns and Incident Chronic Constipation in Three Prospective Cohorts of Middle- and Older-aged Adults, Gastroenterology, DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2025.06.020.

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Infrapatellar Fat Pad Stiffness Linked to Severe Knee Osteoarthritis Symptoms: Study

A new study published in Clinical Rheumatology has found that higher stiffness of the infrapatellar fat pad (IFP) is highly correlated with more extreme knee osteoarthritis (OA) symptoms, indicating that IFP stiffness may be a key marker to determine knee OA severity. The correlation was detected in a study that investigated the correlation between IFP stiffness and thickness with knee OA severity and knee symptoms. The study was conducted by Sayaka O. and colleagues.

Knee osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease with joint pain, stiffness, and decreased mobility. The infrapatellar fat pad, under the kneecap, is a soft tissue structure that can be structurally modified by inflammation and mechanical loading. Elucidation of the function of IFP in knee OA may enhance diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

The present study involved 93 subjects, divided into three groups according to knee OA severity:

  • Control Group: 27 subjects with asymptomatic knees and Kellgren–Lawrence (KL) grade 0 or 1.

  • Mild OA Group: 22 subjects with symptomatic medial knee OA (KL grade 2).

  • Severe OA Group: 44 subjects with severe knee OA (KL grades 3 and 4).

Assessment Tools:

  • IFP Stiffness (Shear Modulus): Quantified by ultrasonography, yielding a measure of tissue rigidity.

  • IFP Thickness: Quantified by ultrasonography.

  • Knee Society Score (KSS): Utilized to assess knee symptoms, such as pain and functional restriction.

  • Maximum Knee Extension Strength and External Knee Adduction Moment: Assessed during walking to determine functional capability.

Data Analysis:

  • The thickness and shear modulus of the IFP were compared between the three groups.

  • Multiple regression analysis was employed to determine the relationship between IFP properties and symptoms of the knee (KSS scores).

Key Findings

IFP Stiffness and Knee OA Severity

  • IFP shear modulus (stiffness) was much greater in the severe OA group than in the control group.

  • There were no significant differences in IFP stiffness between the mild OA group and the control group.

  • No significant differences were found in IFP thickness between the three groups.

Association with Knee Symptoms:

  • Greater IFP stiffness was significantly correlated with more severe knee symptoms, reflected by lower KSS scores.

  • Conversely, IFP thickness had no correlation with knee symptoms, meaning that size does not determine symptom severity.

This study demonstrated that stiffness of infrapatellar fat pad, rather than thickness, is strongly associated with knee osteoarthritis symptom severity and symptoms. These findings suggest that IFP stiffness can potentially be both a diagnostic tool and a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of knee OA, providing a new option to improve patient outcomes.

Reference:

Okada, S., Taniguchi, M., Yagi, M. et al. Infrapatellar fat pad stiffness is associated with knee symptoms in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Clin Rheumatol (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-025-07442-8

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Cheese may really be giving you nightmares, scientists find

Scientists have found that eating too much dairy could ruin your sleep. Researchers questioned more than 1,000 students about the quality of their sleep, their eating habits, and any perceived link between the two, and found a strong association between nightmares and lactose intolerance-potentially because gas or stomach pain during the night affects people’s dreams.

“Nightmare severity is robustly associated with lactose intolerance and other food allergies,” said Dr Tore Nielsen of Université de Montréal, lead author of the article in Frontiers in Psychology. “These new findings imply that changing eating habits for people with some food sensitivities could alleviate nightmares. They could also explain why people so often blame dairy for bad dreams!”

Sweet dreams?

Although folk beliefs have long held that what you eat affects how you sleep, there’s very little evidence to prove or disprove them. To investigate, researchers surveyed 1,082 students at MacEwan University. They asked about sleep time and quality, dreams and nightmares, and any perceived association between different kinds of dreams and different foods. They also asked about participants’ mental and physical health and their relationship with food.

About a third of respondents reported regular nightmares. Women were more likely to remember their dreams and to report poor sleep and nightmares, and nearly twice as likely as men to report a food intolerance or allergy. About 40% of participants said that they thought eating late at night or specific foods affected their sleep; roughly 25% thought particular foods could make their sleep worse. People who ate less healthily were more likely to have negative dreams and less likely to remember dreams.

“We are routinely asked whether food affects dreaming-especially by journalists on food-centric holidays,” said Nielsen. “Now we have some answers.”

Cheesy culprits

Most participants who blamed their bad sleep on food thought sweets, spicy foods, or dairy were responsible. Only a comparatively small proportion-5.5% of respondents-felt that what they ate affected the tone of their dreams, but many of these people said they thought sweets or dairy made their dreams more disturbing or bizarre.

When the authors compared reports of food intolerances to reports of bad dreams and poor sleep, they found that lactose intolerance was associated with gastrointestinal symptoms, nightmares, and low sleep quality. It’s possible that eating dairy activates gastrointestinal disturbance, and the resulting discomfort affects people’s dreams and the quality of their rest.

“Nightmares are worse for lactose intolerant people who suffer severe gastrointestinal symptoms and whose sleep is disrupted,” said Nielsen. “This makes sense, because we know that other bodily sensations can affect dreaming. Nightmares can be very disruptive, especially if they occur often, because they tend to awaken people from sleep in a dysphoric state. They might also produce sleep avoidance behaviors. Both symptoms can rob you of restful sleep.”

Eat well to sleep well?

This could also explain why fewer participants reported a link between their food and their dreams than in a previous study by Nielsen and his colleague Dr Russell Powell of MacEwan University, conducted eleven years earlier on a similar population. Improved awareness of food intolerances could mean that the students in the present study ate fewer foods likely to activate their intolerances and affect their sleep. If this is the case, then simple dietary interventions could potentially help people improve their sleep and overall health.

However, besides the robust link between lactose intolerance and nightmares, it’s not clear how the relationship between sleep and diet works. It’s possible that people sleep less well because they eat less well, but it’s also possible that people don’t eat well because they don’t sleep well, or that another factor influences both sleep and diet. Further research will be needed to confirm these links and identify the underlying mechanisms.

“We need to study more people of different ages, from different walks of life, and with different dietary habits to determine if our results are truly generalizable to the larger population,” said Nielsen. “Experimental studies are also needed to determine if people can truly detect the effects of specific foods on dreams. We would like to run a study in which we ask people to ingest cheese products versus some control food before sleep to see if this alters their sleep or dreams.” 

Reference:

Tore Nielsen, More dreams of the rarebit fiend: food sensitivity and dietary correlates of sleep and dreaming, Frontiers in Psychology, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1544475

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