Nightly bathroom habit was missed sign of common men's cancer: 'I didn't know'

A father was diagnosed with prostate cancer after chalking his nightly bathroom trips up to drinking too much fluid before bed, as reported by SWNS.

"I would wake up in the middle of the night and go to the loo a couple of times, but I never thought too much of it," Ed Matthews, who lives in London, told the news outlet.

Matthews wrote off the early warning signs — until he received a shocking diagnosis in April 2025.

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The avid golfer and skier said he felt "fit and healthy" when he went in for a routine health check provided by his employer last April.

There, he underwent a prostate-specific antigen test, which showed a reading of 4.2. (Traditionally, a PSA level under 4.0 ng/mL is considered "normal.")

While the number was slightly higher than normal, doctors considered it "nothing too alarming." They did, however, refer Matthews to a urologist as a precaution.

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When an MRI scan produced inconclusive results, Matthews underwent a biopsy. Less than three weeks after he went for the original check-up, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

"From being a fit human being all your life, your world’s turned upside down," he told SWNS, adding that it felt as though he’d been thrown into a "world of pain."

"It was an emotional shock … No one ever wants to be told they’ve got cancer."

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Matthews underwent robotic surgery to remove his prostate last July, and tests since then haven’t shown any traces of cancer.

"I never had any issues with blood, but it was about a year or 18 months of going to the toilet more frequently," he said.

Matthews said he "didn’t really know" what the prostate was before receiving his diagnosis.

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The prostate is a small, firm, partly muscular gland that helps make up the male reproductive system, according to Cleveland Clinic's website.

For every 100 American males, 13 will develop prostate cancer at some point in their lives, the above source stated. Approximately 35,770 people in the U.S. die from the disease each year.

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Matthews is now planning to run the London Marathon for Prostate Cancer UK to raise awareness.

"I was very open and honest and told people what happened, and I think that’s caused a lot of people, friends, connections to go off and get tested," he told SWNS.

Early-stage prostate cancer rarely causes symptoms. However, as the disease progresses, changes include a frequent, sometimes urgent, need to urinate, especially at night. Other signs include weak urine flow, flow that starts and stops, and blood when using the restroom, per Cleveland Clinic.

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Experts advise people experiencing any of these symptoms to contact their healthcare provider.

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New study hints at a hidden Alzheimer’s risk factor affecting older Americans

People with greater exposure to air pollution could face a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study by Emory University in Atlanta.

Air pollution has previously been established as a risk factor for Alzheimer’s, as well as other chronic conditions, like hypertension, stroke and depression, the researchers noted.

Since those other conditions are themselves linked to Alzheimer’s, the researchers said it’s not yet clear whether air pollution harms brain health on its own, or whether it raises dementia risk by first triggering those other health problems.

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The study, which was published in the journal PLOS Medicine, investigated more than 27.8 million U.S. Medicare recipients, 65 years and older, from 2000 to 2018.

The individuals were examined for level of exposure to air pollution and whether they developed Alzheimer’s, with a focus on other chronic conditions.

Greater exposure to air pollution was associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s, which was slightly stronger in people who had experienced a stroke. Hypertension and depression had "little additional impact," according to the study's press release.

The authors concluded that air pollution leads to Alzheimer’s mostly through "direct pathways" rather than via other chronic conditions.

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"Our findings suggest that individuals with a history of stroke may be particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of air pollution on brain health, highlighting an important intersection between environmental and vascular risk factors," the authors wrote in a statement.

These findings suggest that improving air quality could be "an important way to prevent dementia and protect older adults," the press release concluded.

Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel confirmed more studies are revealing that Alzheimer’s is linked to conditions that impact the brain, which can be "sensitive and fragile."

"Certainly, underlying medical conditions like stroke can lead to this," Siegel, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.

This latest study "does not show cause and effect," the doctor noted, but rather shows an "increasing association between air pollution and Alzheimer’s, where the particulate matter appears to increase the inflammation in the brain that helps lead to it."

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"This is another piece in developing a strategy of prevention, early diagnosis and targeted treatments," Siegel added.

Ozama Ismail, PhD, director of scientific programs at the Alzheimer’s Association in Chicago, agreed that this study adds to existing research on the impact of air pollution and overall health, especially related to the brain.

"This is an area of investigation where more research is vital to helping us better understand the connection between pollution and the various factors that cause or contribute to Alzheimer’s disease," Ismail, who also did not work on the study, told Fox News Digital.

"Previous studies, including those presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in 2019, 2021 and 2025, have shown evidence for connections between exposure to air pollution and other environmental toxins and risk for Alzheimer’s or other dementias."

The Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention added exposure to air pollution to its list of known dementia risk factors in 2020, according to Ismail.

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"We know that Alzheimer’s is a complex disease, and it is likely that there are a variety of factors, in combination, that impact a person's lifetime risk," he said. "Avoiding exposure to air pollution is a risk factor that may be easier for some people to change than others."

Fox News Digital reached out to the study authors for comment.

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Hundreds of wild bird deaths reported across seven counties, prompting park closures

Hundreds of geese have reportedly died in New Jersey, and bird flu is suspected to be the culprit.

More than 1,100 dead or sick wild birds — almost all of them Canadian geese — were reported between Feb. 14 and Feb. 16 across seven counties, according to New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

Although tests are still pending, officials say the deaths were likely caused by highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), more commonly known as bird flu, which is a respiratory disease of birds caused by influenza A viruses.

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"I find the images of the dead and dying birds very troubling, unsettling, and a reminder that avian flu continues to be present," David J. Cennimo, MD, associate professor of medicine and pediatrics and an infectious diseases specialist at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, told Fox News Digital.

"It is important to note that at the time of this writing, the cause of death has not been announced, and bird flu is only strongly suspected, but the picture is consistent with avian influenza, and there is a good reason for the high-level suspicion."

Some local parks have temporarily closed out of an "abundance of caution," including Betty Park and Alcyon Park in Gloucester County.

"Residents are asked not to approach any geese in or around the area," the Borough of Pittman advised in a social media post.

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Common symptoms of HPAI among birds include diarrhea, coughing, sneezing, discharge from the nose and lack of coordination, according to DEP. Some birds, however, may die from the virus even if they never appear to be sick. 

While geese have made up the majority of the New Jersey fatalities, avian influenza also poses a risk to chickens, turkeys and ducks.

"We have seen cases of avian influenza in other animals, most notably dairy cows and cats," Cennimo said. "If possible, domestic animals should be kept away from sick birds."

Although the risk to the public is low, health officials recommend avoiding direct contact with wild birds or animals that could be infected.

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"Public awareness and precautionary measures are essential to mitigate the impact of bird flu on both agriculture and public health," the DEP stated.

Avian influenza viruses continue to spread in wild bird populations, Cennimo said, and transmission can be amplified by close congregations of birds. This can happen during a period of freezing temperatures, when there is limited availability of water.

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"The risk to humans remains low at this time," the expert confirmed. "If the birds did die of influenza, they could still have live virus and could infect humans. For this reason, people should avoid handling sick or dead birds, use protective measures like gloves and wash their hands."

Rebecca Carriere Christofferson, PhD, associate professor of pathobiological sciences at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, noted that mass bird deaths are a symptom of ongoing transmission of bird flu.

"It's sad from an ecological perspective, but also poses a risk to any nearby agricultural facilities, as we've seen spillover into poultry and dairy cattle in the last couple of years," she told Fox News Digital. "The more transmission, the more the chance for there to be transmission to humans."

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Last year, there were some human deaths due to bird flu, primarily linked to contact with infected animals, Christofferson noted.

"Surveillance is key to preventing uncontrolled spread, and understanding the patterns of where the virus is — and is going — can help mitigate the ongoing risk to our animal and human populations."

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Single dose of powerful psychedelic cuts depression symptoms in clinical study

A single dose of psychedelics significantly reduced symptoms in people with major depressive disorder, a new study found.

The clinical trial was led by researchers at Imperial College London, where the team found that participants with depression who took the psychedelic dimethyltryptamine (DMT) had greater reductions in the severity of their condition compared to those who took a placebo.

DMT is a naturally occurring psychedelic, similar to compounds found in "magic mushrooms" and serotonin, according to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation. It is known to produce brief and intense hallucinations.

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The compound, which is found in a variety of plants and animals, is the psychoactive ingredient in the drug ayahuasca, the above source stated. 

To prepare ayahuasca, a plant containing DMT is boiled with another plant that contains a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI), such as harmaline, and the resulting brew is then consumed.

Over the last decade, studies have hinted at DMT's potential as a treatment for depression, but there haven’t been many placebo-controlled clinical trials.

"DMT probably works for depression by taking you out of your downhill spiral while at the same time altering brain chemistry in a way to promote the release of hormones, especially serotonin, but also dopamine," Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.

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Thirty-four patients with moderate to severe depression and a history of at least two unsuccessful treatments were enrolled in the new trial. Half the patients received a single intravenous placebo over 10 minutes, while the other half received a 21.5 mg dose of DMT.

Severity of symptoms was measured before and after treatment using a standardized questionnaire called the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), the press release stated.

Two weeks after the initial dose, the DMT group showed less severity of symptoms compared to the placebo group. Six months later, some participants reported that the antidepressant effects were still present.

"These results nicely add to the growing body of evidence for great potential of psychedelic therapies in mental health disorders," said David Erritzoe, PhD, lead study author at Imperial College London, in the release. The study was published in the journal Nature Medicine.

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No serious adverse events were reported, although there were some limitations. There was a lack of ethnic diversity in the study, and participants with a history of serious suicide attempts were excluded, the researchers noted.

"It does not appear to be addictive," Siegel said of DMT. "The problem is that many people are microdosing ayahuasca, and I am against that because it has unpredictable responses."

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The researchers also noted that DMT’s efficacy seems to be dependent on the intensity of the actual psychedelic experience it generates, which varies from person to person.

"This is a trial that sits in the early phase of specifically developing DMT therapy for depression, so larger trials are required as next steps," Erritzoe told Fox News Digital.

Erritzoe noted that it's currently difficult to access DMT treatments outside trials because research is still ongoing. 

"For people who suffer depression and haven’t had sufficient improvements from existing treatments, ketamine-assisted therapy, done in a thoughtful way with good therapists involved, is a great alternative while the next line of treatments are being further tested and considered for regulatory approval," he said.

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The evidence for ketamine-assisted therapy's potential effectiveness for depression is much larger than DMT's, the researcher noted.

There isn’t much regulation surrounding how ketamine treatments are administered, Dr. Justin Gerstner, psychiatrist and chief medical officer at Ellie Mental Health in Minnesota, previously told Fox News Digital, since the drug was initially approved for anesthetic use.

"The field is wide open, and it's a little bit like the Wild West," he said. "This is a really powerful medication, and the way that it's used can vary quite drastically."

At high doses, the drug can cause adverse health issues that affect cardiovascular, respiratory and neurologic function, which can be fatal, as stated on the American Addiction Centers website.

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Change to nightly eating habits may help protect your heart, study suggests

Abstaining from food three hours before bedtime could benefit heart health, according to a recent study by Northwestern University.

Extending an overnight fast for two hours, dimming the lights and not eating for three hours prior to sleep were shown to improve cardiovascular and metabolic health.

The results were observed among middle-aged and older adults, who are at a higher risk for cardiometabolic disease, as stated in a university press release.

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Time-restricted eating has recently surged in popularity due to its potential to improve heart health and aid in weight loss, the researchers noted.

"But most studies have focused on how long people fast, not how their fast lines up with their sleep schedule — a key factor in metabolic regulation," the study authors wrote.

The nearly eight-week study, published in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, examined 39 overweight and obese participants between 36 and 75 years old. The intervention group was made up of 80% women.

The participants completed either an extended overnight fasting intervention — 13 to 16 hours — or a "habitual fast" of 11 to 13 hours. Both groups dimmed the lights three hours before bedtime.

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People who finished eating at least three hours before going to bed saw "meaningful improvements" compared to participants who continued with their usual eating routines.

Those improvements included a 3.5% drop in blood pressure and a 5% drop in heart rate, as well as a "more natural drop" in both measures during sleep, which is "an important sign of cardiovascular health," the researchers found.

The fasting participants' hearts also beat faster during the day when they were active and slowed at night during rest — a pattern that’s linked to better heart health.

Those who abstained from eating also had better daytime blood sugar control, meaning the pancreas responded "more efficiently" when challenged with glucose, "suggesting it could release insulin more effectively and keep blood sugar steadier."

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First author Dr. Daniela Grimaldi, research associate professor of neurology in the division of sleep medicine at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, commented on these findings in a statement.

"Timing our fasting window to work with the body’s natural wake-sleep rhythms can improve the coordination between the heart, metabolism and sleep, all of which work together to protect cardiovascular health," she said.

Grimaldi noted that she and her fellow researchers were "genuinely excited" about the consistent improvements shown.

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"Seeing that a relatively simple change in meal timing could simultaneously improve nighttime autonomic balance, blood pressure dipping, heart rate regulation and morning glucose metabolism, all without calorie restriction or weight loss, was remarkable," she told Fox News Digital.

Grimaldi noted that the three-hour pre-sleep fasting window is "critical," because that's when melatonin rises and the body transitions toward sleep, "a period when eating disrupts metabolism."

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Sleep expert Dr. Wendy Troxel, RAND Corporation senior behavioral specialist and a licensed clinical psychologist in Utah, emphasized the study's high adherence rate, at nearly 90%.

"High rates of compliance suggest that this approach may be both feasible and sustainable in real life and could have a demonstrable impact on improving cardiometabolic health," Troxel, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.

The findings add to growing research linking sleep and circadian rhythms to cardiovascular health, she added. "In fact, the American Heart Association now recognizes healthy sleep as one of its Life’s Essential 8 pillars for heart health."

Looking ahead, the researchers plan to expand the study to larger, multi-center trials to determine whether the benefits persist or "translate into reduced cardiovascular events or diabetes." 

Future studies could also explore the potential benefits of extending time-restricted eating.

"We also want to test this specifically in people with hypertension or diabetes, [who] might benefit most," Grimaldi shared. "And exploring how this combines with other behavioral interventions, like exercise or morning light exposure, could help us develop more comprehensive strategies for cardiometabolic health."

The high percentage of women poses a study limitation, as it limits the ability to draw "definitive conclusions" about gender differences, Grimaldi acknowledged.

"We need studies powered to examine sex differences," she said. "Additionally, our 7.5-week intervention was long enough to show physiological changes, but not long enough to see effects on weight or long-term health outcomes."

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Northwestern University reported that only 6.8% of adults in the U.S. had optimal cardiometabolic health from 2017 to 2018.

These conditions can lead to chronic illness, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Heart disease is the No. 1 global killer, according to the CDC. 

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Eating oatmeal for two days has unexpected impact on heart health, study suggests

Eating oats for just a short period of time could have a profound impact on cholesterol levels, according to a recent study.

Researchers from the University of Bonn in Germany conducted a trial where adults consumed a calorie-reduced diet of almost exclusively oatmeal for two days.

All participants suffered from a metabolic syndrome associated with a risk of diabetes, including a combination of high body weight, high blood pressure, elevated blood glucose or elevated blood lipid levels, per a university press release.

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The 32 participants ate oatmeal, previously boiled in water, three times a day, for a total of 300 grams. They were only permitted to add fruits or vegetables to their meals and consumed around half of their normal caloric intake.

A control group was put on a calorie-reduced diet that did not include oats. Although both groups benefited, the cholesterol levels of those on the oat diet "improved significantly." After six weeks, this effect "remained stable."

Study author Marie-Christine Simon, junior professor at the Institute of Nutritional and Food Science at the University of Bonn, shared in a statement that the level of LDL, or "bad," cholesterol among the oatmeal-eating group was reduced by 10%.

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"That is a substantial reduction, although not entirely comparable to the effect of modern medications," Simon said. "They also lost two kilos in weight on average, and their blood pressure fell slightly."

The authors concluded that the diet influenced microorganisms in the gut, leading to the positive reaction. The results were published in the journal Nature Communications.

Simon concluded that a short-term oat-based diet at regular intervals "could be a well-tolerated way to keep the cholesterol level within the normal range and prevent diabetes."

"As a next step, it can now be clarified whether an intensive oat-based diet repeated every six weeks actually has a permanently preventative effect," she said.

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Certified holistic nutritionist Robin DeCicco, who was not involved in the study, said the findings "make sense," as oats have been known to potentially lower LDL cholesterol.

Oats contain prebiotic fiber that feeds beneficial gut bacteria. When those bacteria ferment the fiber, they produce compounds that support digestive health, according to the expert.

"The more beneficial gut bacteria you have in your stomach, in your environment, the more that can reduce or inhibit the production of LDL bad cholesterol," New York-based DeCicco told Fox News Digital.

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Oats are also a whole grain that is naturally low in saturated fat and rich in fiber, and provides a good amount of plant-based protein.

"All those things are good for a heart-healthy, cholesterol-lowering diet," DeCicco noted.

DeCicco did warn that those who are diabetic, or pre-diabetic, should "be careful" when eating oats.

"While oats can lower cholesterol, they are an overly high-carbohydrate food," she said. "A recommendation for anyone who's watching their blood sugar, and especially who's diabetic, is to eat foods that are lower in starch and higher in protein and fiber, [and to get] their carbohydrates more from vegetables and nuts."

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Megan Wroe, registered dietitian at the Wellness Center at Providence St. Jude Medical Center in Orange County, California, agreed that oat consumption "does seem to lower cholesterol levels for all studied populations, with the greatest impact shown in those with elevated levels."

"There are no significant risks, but some people may experience cramping or indigestion if they have not previously eaten much fiber and suddenly start eating oats every day," Wroe, who also was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. "Also, those requiring a gluten-free diet will want to ensure that the oats they eat are certified gluten-free."

The nutritionist also shared the concern that oatmeal is commonly made with water or milk and eaten with added sugar and fruit, which makes it a "potentially very high-glycemic meal."

"Knowing this, my recommendation is to eat oats as often as you like, choosing steel-cut or rolled oats, using fruit for sweetness, or a low-glycemic sweetener if needed, such as monk fruit," she advised.

Wroe also suggests finding a way to add protein to balance out the carbohydrates. "This can be done by adding chia or flax seeds to the oats, mixing in protein powder or topping with Greek yogurt to serve," she said.

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Common respiratory bacteria detected in eyes of Alzheimer’s patients

A bacterium prevalent in sinus infections and pneumonia may aggravate Alzheimer’s disease, according to a recent study published in Nature Communications. 

The bacterium, Chlamydia pneumoniae, was found in the eyes of deceased patients with Alzheimer’s disease, according to researchers from Cedars-Sinai’s Health Sciences University in California.

"The retina is directly connected with the brain. It's a developmental extension of the brain," lead researcher Maya Koronyo-Hamaoui, PhD, professor of neurosurgery, neurology and biomedical sciences at Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences University, told Fox News Digital.

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The study showed that Chlamydia pneumoniae could reach the retinal tissue that lines the back of the eye and linger for several years, creating an inflammatory response potentially linked to the death of nerve cells. This could contribute to cognitive decline and could worsen Alzheimer’s disease symptoms. 

The findings point to potential therapies for Alzheimer’s disease that would target inflammation and provide antibiotic treatment in the early stages of infection, according to Koronyo-Hamaoui.

"One hope of this study is that when people do present with some [symptoms of] pneumonia or atypical pneumonia or some respiratory infection, doctors should consider testing specifically for Chlamydia pneumoniae, and then give them the specific antibiotic," the researcher said.

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The infection can be identified through laboratory testing, including PCR (polymerase chain reaction), blood tests, or cultures that allow live organisms to grow for analysis.

The researchers examined retinal tissue samples from over 100 deceased individuals who fell into three groups: those who had Alzheimer’s disease, those who had some cognitive deficit or those who did not have the disease. 

They analyzed proteins, conducted genetic testing and used advanced imaging techniques on the samples. Those with Alzheimer’s disease had higher levels of the bacterium in their brains and retinal tissue compared to those who had normal cognition, the release stated.

Higher levels of chlamydia pneumonia were found in those who carried the gene variant APOE4, which is an associated risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, Koronyo-Hamaoui added. The bacterium was also associated with more severe cognition decline.  

The Cedars-Sinai team also looked at human neurons and lab mice with Alzheimer’s disease, finding that Chlamydia pneumoniae was linked to increased inflammation, nerve cell death and cognitive decline, further suggesting that it may play a role in accelerating the disease. 

The infection also prompted production of amyloid-beta, which is a protein known to accumulate in the brains of those with Alzheimer’s, Koronyo-Hamaoui said.

While the study points toward using the retina as a way to diagnose and monitor the disease, the researcher acknowledged that more research is needed to confirm these findings.

Dr. Aaron Glatt, chief of infectious diseases at Mount Sinai South Nassau on Long Island, New York, was not involved with the study but called the findings "interesting." 

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Glatt, who is also a spokesperson for the Infectious Diseases Society of America, emphasized that the findings only show an association and not causation, and that much more clinical research is needed.

"Chlamydia pneumoniae is a very common respiratory pathogen that many people are exposed to throughout their lives," he told Fox News Digital. "While the study identifies a link between this bacterium and neurodegeneration, a standard sinus infection does not mean a patient will develop Alzheimer’s."

The key takeaway, according to Glatt, is that the study opens new doors for potential diagnostics and treatments, but is "not a reason for immediate alarm regarding common infections."

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Dr. Sharon Fekrat, MD, a clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology and a retina specialist at the Duke University School of Medicine in North Carolina, agreed that the findings could help researchers better understand how inflammation may drive disease progression and "could lead to new ways to detect or treat Alzheimer’s in the future."

"This is early research suggesting that infection-related inflammation may worsen Alzheimer’s disease in people who are already vulnerable," Fekrat, who also did not work on the study, told Fox News Digital. "It does not mean infections cause Alzheimer’s or that people should worry about past respiratory illnesses."

While some teams are developing and testing retinal imaging tools in living patients, those methods are not yet part of routine clinical screenings or diagnosis, Fekrat noted.

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For now, the best proven steps include following brain-healthy habits, such as managing cardiovascular risk factors, staying mentally and socially engaged, and seeking medical care for any cognitive symptoms, the expert added.

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