Divorce boom may follow use of Ozempic and other GLP-1 drugs, experts warn

The exploding popularity of GLP-1 receptor agonists like Ozempic and Wegovy is often hailed as a public health triumph, but one potential side effect may be flying under the radar.

The risk of divorce increases as weight drops, according to historical data from bariatric surgery patients.

Some experts believe that the same pattern could occur as more people "take the jab" and decide to call it quits on their marriages.

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Per-Arne Svensson, a professor at the Institute of Health and Care Sciences in Sweden, studies the link between weight loss and relationship status. While these drugs have many metabolic benefits, he warns that the social fallout is very real.

"The effect likely unfolds in several stages," Svensson told Fox News Digital. "First, a substantial amount of weight must be lost, which typically occurs within the first year. Subsequently, changes in relationship dynamics may begin to emerge, followed by the legal processes associated with divorce."

This observation aligns with previous studies that found patients who underwent bariatric surgery were twice as likely to get a divorce compared to the general population.

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In addition to helping with diabetes control and weight management, GLP-1s have also been found to help break unhealthy, reward-seeking habits like drinking and smoking.

However, Svensson said the cause of these splits isn't necessarily a change in a patient’s temperament or brain chemistry. Instead, he points to the psychological and social shifts that accompany a new physique.

"Weight loss itself may increase a sense of autonomy or confidence, potentially empowering individuals to leave unhealthy relationships," he told Fox News Digital.

Many patients report that their lifestyles change substantially after weight loss, "often involving greater social engagement and increased attention from others," the doctor added.

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If a partner is unable to adapt to this more outgoing version of their spouse, the friction can cause rifts.

A 2013 study supports this "relationship tension" theory, finding that when one partner loses significant weight while the other remains the same, it can lead to feelings of insecurity and criticism from the partner who didn't change.

"Currently, surgery leads to greater average weight loss, and its impact on relationships is therefore likely to be more pronounced," Svensson said.

"However, as newer, more effective medications are developed, we may soon see comparable levels of weight loss to those achieved with surgery."

Svensson noted that weight loss doesn't have to mean "date loss."

"Among individuals who are single, the likelihood of forming a new relationship also increases substantially after weight loss," he said.

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"While it may be somewhat discouraging to acknowledge the role of appearance in partner selection, finding a new romantic partner is nevertheless one of the most significant events in a person’s life."

To mitigate the risk of a split, Svensson suggests that couples take a collaborative approach to health.

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If one partner is pursuing wellness goals, involving the spouse in healthy lifestyle changes — such as diet and exercise — can create a shared journey rather than one that pulls the couple apart, according to the expert.

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"There may be clear advantages to partners undertaking weight-loss treatment together," provided that both have a clinical need, Svensson added.

Fox News Digital reached out to GLP-1 manufacturers requesting comment.

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Woman discovers missing nose ring traveled to her lungs, causing month-long cough

A TikToker in Mexico thought her cough that wouldn’t go away was just a reaction to the changing weather. Instead, it was her own nose ring, lodged deep within her lungs.

The 26-year-old, Monica Deyanira Cabrera Barajas, recently went viral on TikTok, amassing 4.7 million views after revealing the freak medical accident.

In videos, she shared that the stray accessory sat a mere 0.5 millimeters from her aorta, Jam Press reported.

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Deyanira, who has a large number of piercings, didn't initially notice the jewelry was missing. It wasn't until she developed a "chronic cough" lasting over a month that she went to see a doctor.

"The only theory I have, which I told the pulmonologist, is that I fell asleep, the little ball fell out, and that was it," Deyanira told creatorzine.com.

"I was lying on my back, I didn't realize, and that's how I messed up."

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What was supposed to be a routine 20-minute extraction turned into a high-stakes medical procedure. During the initial attempt, surgeons were unable to budge the object because it had already begun attaching to her internal tissue.

"It ended up taking an hour and 20 minutes, and they still couldn’t remove it because it was attached to my body," she said, according to the Jam Press report.

Facing a second, more invasive surgery and the risk of a fatal hemorrhage, Deyanira prepared for the worst. The night before the surgery, she wrote a farewell letter to her loved ones.

"I was honestly thinking, ‘I'm going to die,'" she said. "It's a horror I wouldn't wish on anyone."

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The woman's surgeon was equally stunned by how close the metal was to her heart. According to Deyanira, the doctor told her, "It seems God takes care of his creatures."

If the metal had punctured her lung or heart before doctors discovered it, Deyanira said she likely would have died from a lung collapse or perforated aorta.

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Now, the TikToker says her days of septum rings are over.

"I love piercings, and I really liked my septum piercing, but in my case, I wouldn't get it again because of the terror I experienced," she said.

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Followers commented that the ordeal "unlocked a fear I didn't know I had."

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Common vaccine slashes Alzheimer's disease risk when dose is increased

A new, stronger flu shot could slash Alzheimer’s risk in half, according to new data.

The study, led by researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), found that adults 65 and older who received a high-dose influenza vaccine had a significantly lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease compared to those who received the standard dose.

The immune system naturally weakens with age, making older adults less responsive to standard vaccines. To combat this, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a high-dose flu vaccine for people over 65. This version is approximately four times stronger than the standard shot.

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Alzheimer’s disease, a brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, affects more than 6 million Americans, most of them age 65 or older.

Dr. Marc Siegel, a Fox News senior medical contributor, weighed in on the impact of the flu shot on Alzheimer's risk.

As the vaccine directly affects the immune system, it is possible that this interaction could decrease inflammation in the body and "thereby indirectly decrease Alzheimer's risk," Siegel, who was not involved in the research, told Fox News Digital.

"Flu shots and their components do not cross the blood-brain barrier, meaning they aren’t directly affecting brain cells."

"I was stunned that, as a physician, I didn’t know a higher dose was offered," lead study author Paul Schulz, professor of neurology at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, said in a press release.

Schulz also led a previous study linking general flu vaccination to a 40% reduction in Alzheimer's risk.

While the previous research had already linked general flu vaccination to a reduction in Alzheimer's risk, this new study looked specifically at the strength of the dose.

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"The public health department had seen our vaccine research and asked if I could come down to talk to them about it," said Schulz. "We went through the findings, and they asked if there was a difference with different dosages; I was confused."

After sorting through data from nearly 200,000 older adults, the team found the adults who received the high-dose vaccine had a lower risk of Alzheimer’s than those who received the standard dose.

Adults in the high-dose group had an almost 55% lower risk than those who weren't vaccinated, significantly outperforming standard-dose protection.

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The protective effect of the high-dose vaccine was even more pronounced in women compared to men, although both groups saw significant benefits.

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This study shows a link, not a cause, the researchers noted.

Experts can't say for certain that the flu shot itself stopped Alzheimer’s because people who get high-dose vaccines might also have other healthy habits, like better diets or more frequent check-ups.

The researchers also looked at medical records after the fact, rather than following two controlled groups in real time, which can sometimes result in missing information or biases.

"This is not a cause/effect study," Siegel reiterated. "We can’t conclude that the flu shot itself causes the effect; it could be something about the people who decide to take this shot."

The study also focused on people over 65, so it's unclear whether getting these shots earlier in life would provide the same level of protection.

"This needs to be further studied, but it is already certainly another reason to take a flu shot," Siegel added.

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The study was published in the journal Neurology.

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New ‘safer opioid’ delivers pain relief without addiction risk in early tests

An experimental medication was shown to achieve strong pain relief in early studies without the risks associated with typical opioids.

The finding comes from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which tested nitazenes, a class of synthetic opioid compounds.

"Nitazenes are a dangerous group of drugs that have no medical indication and are highly addictive," cautioned Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst. "They can be hundreds or thousands of times more potent than morphine."

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After being developed in the 1950s for potential pain relief, nitazenes were abandoned because of their high addictive properties and drug overdose potential, the doctor said.

"They are a big black-market drug, and they are very problematic in terms of illicit use in the U.S.," Siegel added.

Michael Michaelides, PhD, senior author of the study and NIDA investigator, said the researchers’ goal was to study the profile, or pharmacology, of these drugs. 

"We wanted to decrease the potency and create a potential therapeutic," he said in a press release. "What we discovered exceeded our expectations."

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Typical opioids have been linked to dangerous side effects, including respiratory depression, where breathing becomes too slow, shallow or ineffective, causing carbon dioxide to build up in the body and oxygen levels to drop. It can also cause rising tolerance and severe withdrawal, according to the researchers.

"Opioid pain medications are essential for medical purposes, but can lead to addiction and overdose," said Nora D. Volkow, MD, director of NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse, in the release. 

"Developing a highly effective pain medication without these drawbacks would have enormous public health benefits."

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In the study, the team created a drug called DFNZ, a metabolite (derivative) of nitazene, which provided at least two hours of pain relief in mice after just five or 10 minutes in the brain.

It did not appear to have any of the serious risks associated with its standard opioid counterpart, such as addiction potential and depressed (slowed) breathing.

"At preclinical therapeutic doses, DFNZ produced a moderate and sustained increase in brain oxygen rather than depressing respiration," the authors wrote. 

"Repeated doses of the drug did not result in tolerance, drug dependency or meaningful withdrawal effects."

The only classic opioid withdrawal symptoms observed with DFNZ was irritability, they noted.

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DFNZ could potentially be used as a safer treatment for opioid use disorder, the researchers suggested, as well as for patients undergoing surgery and experiencing cancer-related or chronic pain.

"There’s a lesson here – that even a dangerous chemical can lead to a potential treatment," Siegel noted. "This needs to be tested in humans, but I think there is potential for a much safer pain drug that is not only not addictive, but may also be a potential treatment for addiction."

Among DNFZ’s benefits is that it was found to increase oxygen flow to the brain rather than decrease it, and that it binds tightly to the opioid receptor but doesn’t cause the feared side effects of breathing suppression or addiction, according to Siegel. "It releases dopamine more gradually, which is safer."

The findings were published in the journal Nature.

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"DFNZ has an unprecedented pharmacology for an opioid," Michaelides said. "It is a potent and high-efficacy analgesic, but in certain contexts it resembles partial agonists, drugs that activate the receptor with low efficacy, which is what scientists think is needed for safety."

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"Its capacity to be administered at therapeutic doses without producing respiratory depression is very important."

The study did have some limitations, primarily that it was conducted with animal (rat) models. The effectiveness and safety of human use is unknown.

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It also did not explore long-term impacts or rare adverse effects, the researchers acknowledged.

Clinical studies will be needed to fully understand the drug’s addictive potential.

The research team plans to conduct more preclinical studies before seeking regulatory approval to conduct human clinical trials. 

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Dr. Hooman Melamed, a board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon and sports medicine expert in Beverly Hills, California, said the new research looks "promising," but urged caution with the early findings.

"This new drug claims to release a lower-dose opioid alternative that might be able to offer pain relief without the addictive properties," Melamed, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. 

"It’s also important to note that this has not been tested on humans, and we don’t know how this will impact people in the long run."

Melamed also noted that there is often a "very narrow therapeutic threshold" with this class of drugs.

"In other words, a small increase in the dosage could become addictive for people, and without solid human data, we just can’t know the dependency risk," he said.

The doctor also expressed concern that opioids could potentially harm gut health.

"Many opioids are known to slow down intestinal mobility, leading to issues like constipation and impaired digestion," Melamed said.

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"This is part of the reason I avoid prescribing opioids, because they can potentially weaken immune function and even contribute to broader systemic issues, such as inflammation or ‘leaky gut,'" he went on. "These issues can slow down one’s recovery."

The doctor reiterated the need for long-term data and more research into other issues that could arise, such as cognitive effects. 

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Deadly bacterial disease could be stopped with common pantry staple, study suggests

Cholera can quickly become life-threatening, but the best defense might be sitting in your pantry.

New research from UC Riverside in Southern California reveals that a high-protein diet can effectively "disarm" the bacteria, slash infection levels by 100-fold, and stop the disease in its tracks before it turns fatal.

Published in the journal Cell Host and Microbe, the study found that diets rich in casein, the main protein in milk and cheese, along with wheat gluten, could limit cholera bacteria in the gut.

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Cholera is a bacterial disease spread through contaminated water and food, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The disease can cause severe diarrhea, dehydration and even death if it goes untreated.

The research team aimed to determine whether harmful bacteria would respond to dietary changes in the same way as other bacteria.

They began by feeding infected mice different foods. Some mice ate high-protein diets, while others ate food high in simple carbohydrates. Others were fed high-fat diets, according to the study's press release.

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"The high-protein diet had one of the strongest anti-cholera effects compared to a balanced diet – and not all proteins are the same," said Ansel Hsiao, UCR associate professor and senior author of the study, in the release. "Casein and wheat gluten were the two clear winners."

Hsiao said he was surprised by the magnitude of the effect. "We saw up to 100-fold differences in the amount of cholera colonization as a function of diet alone," he noted.

The secret lies in the bacteria’s design, the researchers discovered. Cholera uses a microscopic, syringe-like structure to inject toxins into and kill "good" microbes in the gut.

In the study, casein and gluten effectively jammed this "syringe." Without its primary weapon, cholera wasn't able to compete.

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The World Health Organization has emphasized that while cholera is preventable and treatable, a global surge in cases has strained the supply of oral cholera vaccines and heightened the need for diversified treatment strategies.

Overreliance on antibiotics can lead to drug-resistant "superbugs." While cholera hasn't yet reached that crisis point, the bacteria’s ability to adapt means current medications could eventually become useless, experts warn.

"Dietary strategies won't generate antibiotic resistance in the same way a drug might," Hsiao noted.

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This means food-based prevention could offer a safer, cheaper and more sustainable weapon for vulnerable communities.

"Wheat gluten and casein are recognized as safe in a way a microbe is not, in a regulatory sense, so this is an easier way to protect public health," Hsiao said.

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The next step, according to the researchers, is to explore the effect of these proteins in humans, given that the major limitation of this study is that it only shows cholera effects in mice.

Because the study is preclinical and there is not yet data on human subjects, Hsiao and his team don’t know how much casein or wheat gluten a person would need to consume to see a protective effect.

They would also need to test whether the protein must be consumed before exposure to cholera as a preventative measure, or if it can effectively "shut down" an active, mid-stage infection.

"The more we can improve people's diets, the more we may be able to protect them from succumbing to disease," Hsiao added.

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Simple dinner table habit linked to poor diet and higher health risks in adults over 60

Reaching for the salt shaker at the kitchen table may seem like second nature for some – but it could reveal troubling details about your health.

Recent Brazilian research, published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health, investigated the impact of adding salt to food with a focus on older adults.

The study used national survey data from more than 8,000 Brazilians over the age of 60, collected between 2017 and 2018.

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Participants were asked the question, "Do you have the habit of adding salt to food at the table?" The researchers then deciphered certain traits that were linked to the habit.

About 10.9% of older adults said they used salt at the table. Men reported this habit more than women – 12.7% compared to 9.4%, according to the published study.

Men not following a diet for high blood pressure were more than twice as likely to add salt compared to men who follow this diet.

Men who reported living alone had a 62% higher likelihood of using salt compared to men who lived with others.

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Women not following a high blood pressure diet had 68% higher likelihood of using extra salt.

Adding salt was also associated with a lower intake of fruits and vegetables among women. The odds of adding salt to food were 81% higher in women who did not eat fruit, and 40% higher in those who did not eat vegetables.

Women who have a high concentration of ultraprocessed foods in their diet were more than twice as likely to add salt to food, as were those living in urban areas.

As this study was cross-sectional, it showed an association but could not prove that one thing caused another, the researchers acknowledged. Some of the information was self-reported, which could also limit the findings.

Diets high in sodium are known to cause an increase in blood pressure, which also raises the risk of heart disease, gastric cancer, obesity, osteoporosis and kidney disease, according to the World Health Organization.

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About 1.89 million deaths each year are associated with consuming too much sodium, the organization reported.

The WHO recommends that adults consume less than 5 grams of salt per day, or just under a teaspoon, for best health outcomes.

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Study co-author Dr. Débora Santos, a titular professor at Rio de Janeiro State University, called for alternative ways to decrease additional use of salt.

"The use of herbs and natural seasonings as alternatives to salt, or culinary techniques such as using the acidity of citrus fruits, may help reduce discretionary salt use while maintaining food palatability," she wrote in a press release.

"Practical strategies, such as avoiding the routine placement of saltshakers on the table, may also help reduce habitual salt use."

Los Angeles-based registered dietitian nutritionist Ilana Muhlstein said adding salt to food before trying it is one of her "biggest pet peeves."

"It's interesting that this study found that men were significantly more likely to add salt to their food compared to women, because this is an observation I've had as well," Muhlstein, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.

"It could be because women are more bloat-conscious overall and may be more informed on the medical harms of excessive salt, as well as the more superficial ones like making your rings hard to take on or off (when you're dealing with water retention from increased salt intake)."

For men, Muhlstein suggested that those who live alone are potentially more likely to order takeout – and restaurants "tend to use much more salt than home cooking, which could make someone's preference for salty food much higher."

"That is further reflected in the stats showing that the less fruits and vegetables one eats, and the more processed foods consumed, the more likely one was to add salt to their food," she noted.

The finding that a low blood pressure diet positively influences a person's salt intake is "promising and intriguing," according to Muhlstein.

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"This should encourage HHS and public health officials to promote nutrition education and the importance of whole foods, less processed foods and reduced salt intake overall," she said.

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Antibacterial products may contribute to dangerous superbug crisis, study suggests

A new viewpoint study suggests the use of antibacterial soaps and other cleaning products may contribute to the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), potentially posing risks to human and environmental health.

A group of international researchers evaluated the impact of biocides (chemical or biological agents used to control harmful organisms, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and algae) on antimicrobial resistance.

These biocides are added to many common household products, including antibacterial hand soaps, disinfecting wipes, spray cleaners, laundry sanitizers, textiles and personal care products, the researchers noted.

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After analyzing numerous existing studies, the team concluded that the biocides — especially quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) and chloroxylenol — can promote antimicrobial resistance. The findings were published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.

Quaternary ammonium compounds (often called "quats") are a group of chemicals commonly used as disinfectants, sanitizers and preservatives. Chloroxylenol is an antiseptic and disinfectant chemical used to kill bacteria and some viruses on skin or surfaces.

As bacteria become resistant to these biocides, they can also become resistant to clinical antibiotics, which increases the risk of severe illness, disability or death, the researchers warned.

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"Antibacterial soaps, wipes and sprays can make bacteria harder to kill, even with critical antibiotics, yet they offer no added benefit over plain soap and water for everyday home use," lead author Rebecca Fuoco, director of science communications at the Green Science Policy Institute and doctoral student at Johns Hopkins University, told Fox News Digital. 

"We’re feeding the antibiotic resistance crisis from our own sinks and countertops with products that don’t deliver the protection their marketing suggests."

The study did have limitations, primarily that it was based on a review of existing studies rather than new experimental data.

"This is a viewpoint that synthesizes the existing body of research, not a clinical study that generates new evidence," Fuoco admitted. "We still need better data on how household biocides compare to other superbug drivers, like antibiotic overuse in hospitals and agriculture."

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The research only established an association and did not prove that the products caused AMR. Actual health impacts may vary depending on individual products’ concentration and usage.

The authors recommend that the World Health Organization implement targets to reduce the use of consumer-product biocides in its next Global Action Plan on antimicrobial resistance. They also call on governments to limit antimicrobial ingredients in household products and to promote public awareness.

"Use plain soap and water for everyday handwashing and routine cleaning," Fuoco recommended. "Reserve disinfectants for when you are cleaning up after someone in your household who has a contagious illness. In those cases, bleach works without the resistance risks."

Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, was not involved in the study but weighed in on the potential risks.

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Millions die every year from antibiotic-induced infections, which are new infections or complications arising from the use of antibiotics that kill beneficial bacteria, allowing for an overgrowth of harmful, resistant bacteria or fungi, the doctor cautioned.

"Benzalkonium chloride is found in a lot of these products – it works as an antiseptic, but has also been linked to bacterial resistance," Siegel told Fox News Digital.

"Bacteria can swarm, growing in billions of colonies, and the principle of ‘survival of the fittest’ means those that aren’t susceptible to these chemicals are more likely to survive."

Siegel agreed that there should be less of these chemicals in Americans’ products and environments, not more. "Good old soap and water is still the best cleaner for most things, but is frequently overlooked in cleansers, hand wipes and similar products," he said.

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In October 2025, the World Health Organization warned that one in every six bacterial infections are resistant to antibiotics.

More than 1 million deaths each year are directly linked to antibiotic resistance, according to a study by the Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance (GRAM) Project.

The American Cleaning Institute, based in Washington, D.C., argues that while antimicrobial resistance is a serious global health concern, the newly published research reflects opinion rather than new data. Claims that such products provide "no added health benefit" oversimplify a complex issue, ACI added.

"Public health authorities consistently recognize that the overuse and overprescription of antibiotic drug products in medical care and overuse in agriculture are the primary drivers of antibiotic resistance worldwide," the organization said in a statement sent to Fox News Digital. 

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"Blanket recommendations to phase out entire categories of consumer products, without regard to their regulated uses and demonstrated benefits, do not advance public health and risk undermining effective hygiene and infection prevention practices."

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