News from NYU Langone Health
The No. 1 Nutrient to Prioritize for Better Heart Health, According to a Cardiologist
TODAY
For better heart health, cardiologist Nieca Goldberg, MD, clinical associate professor in the Department of Medicine at NYU Langone Health, recommends prioritizing antioxidants. She advises eating a colorful diet rich in fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, and blueberries. These foods contain high levels of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, such as lycopene, which help combat inflammation and cell damage. Goldberg suggests building a colorful plate to ensure a wide variety of these beneficial nutrients, which have been linked to reduced blood clots and lower blood pressure.
Also reporting was: MSN Israel
2/05/2026
VO2 Max Slipping? Here Are 9 Reasons Why—and How to Turn It Around.
Runner's World
VO2 max is a crucial metric for health and longevity, according to Heather Milton, MS, RCEP, CSCS, senior exercise physiologist supervisor at NYU Langone’s Sports Performance Center. The article explains that VO2 max reflects cardiovascular and muscular health. Milton notes that while smartwatches provide estimates, they are useful for tracking trends over time. Reasons for a decline in VO2 max can include inconsistent training, overtraining, dehydration, underfueling, or aging. Milton advises that a consistent downward trend, rather than a single dip, is a cause for concern and may warrant a doctor's visit.
2/05/2026
Catherine O'Hara's Rare Condition: Here's What to Know
MedPage Today
The recent death of actress Catherine O'Hara has drawn attention to her rare condition, dextrocardia with situs inversus. While experts note most people with the condition live a normal life, Adam J. Small, MD, a cardiologist and associate medical director of the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program at NYU Langone Health, highlights a potential complication. He explains that people with situs inversus could be at greater risk of respiratory issues if they also have primary ciliary dyskinesia. Small states that 20% to 25% of patients with dextrocardia have this, making it important to evaluate them for lung disease.
2/05/2026
What Consumers Should Know About Online Health Platforms
AARP
An article examines the growing market for direct-to-consumer telehealth platforms, which offer convenience for conditions like hair loss and erectile dysfunction. Kristen Lo Sicco, MD, a dermatologist, and chief of Service and director, Skin and Cancer Unit at NYU Langone Health, notes the benefit of at-home comfort but also warns of misdiagnosis risks. She says some types of hair loss require an in-person exam to prevent permanent scarring and advises patients to also see a primary dermatologist. The piece also covers risks like fragmented care, unapproved compounded drugs, and data privacy concerns.
2/05/2026
Why Is Lung Health Key to Survivorship After Cancer Treatment?
CURE Magazine
Joshua K. Sabari, MD, director of High Reliability Organization Initiatives at NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, discussed the importance of lung health for cancer survivors. Speaking as a thoracic medical oncologist he noted that treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation can permanently affect lung function. Because lung tissue does not regrow, he stressed protecting remaining capacity is vital. Dr. Sabari recommends regular activity, like walking, and advises survivors to report new symptoms such as shortness of breath or chest pain to their care team.
2/05/2026
Heart Health Research Breakthroughs Could Change Care for Women in the Next Decade
Flow Space
A new wave of cardiovascular research is focusing on women's biology, life stages, and symptom patterns, which could reshape how heart disease is detected and treated. According to Shaline D. Rao, MD, chief of Cardiology at NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island, new approaches can identify risk decades before clinical events. She highlights that refined cardiac MRI criteria have improved heart failure diagnoses in women and notes that AI models analyzing mammograms can noninvasively identify cardiovascular disease risk. The research aims to address historical underdiagnosis and delayed care for women.
Also reporting was: Yahoo Health
2/05/2026
I Learned About a Social Media Blocker on Social Media: Is Brick the Answer to Doom Scrolling?
Vogue
A device called Brick is helping people reduce social media use by creating a physical barrier to phone apps. In the article, Thea Gallagher, PsyD, clinical associate professor and director of Wellness Programs in the Department of Psychiatry at NYU Langone Health, explains that people have an attention problem because apps are designed to provide interval variable reinforcement. She notes that while people need their phones for communication, they are seeking ways to regulate usage due to its negative impact on mental health, and devices like Brick can be helpful in this ongoing effort.
2/05/2026
Xenotransplantation: Making Silk Purses from Sow Ears
Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News
Researchers at NYU Grossman School of Medicine presented findings from a 61-day study of a pig kidney xenotransplant in a deceased human recipient. The team, led by Brendan Keating, PhD, associate professor of surgery at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, used multi-omics assays to monitor the organ, successfully treat rejection events, and identify new biomarkers. The article also notes that the surgical transplant team at NYU Langone Health performed the first procedure in United Therapeutics' EXPAND clinical trial for pig-to-human kidney transplants. The field is advancing to address organ shortages, with several companies developing genetically modified pig organs.
2/05/2026
What Saturated Fats Really Do to Your Heart
Verywell Health
A recent review reinforces that replacing saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats reduces cardiovascular risk, particularly for high-risk individuals. Commenting on the findings, Sean P. Heffron, MD, a preventive cardiologist and director of cardiovascular fitness and nutrition at the Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease at NYU Langone Heart, noted that the study's five-year follow-up is too short to show effects on low-risk individuals. He explained that a diet high in saturated fat could increase cardiovascular risk over a 10 or 15-year period. Dr. Heffron also suggested that individuals should focus on personalizing and minimizing their saturated fat intake rather than adhering strictly to percentages.
2/05/2026
Statins don't cause most of the side effects listed on their labels
New Scientist
A rigorous assessment of 19 randomized controlled trials involving 120,000 participants concluded that statins do not cause the vast majority of side effects listed on their labels. Jeffrey S. Berger, MD, cardiologist and director of the Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, suggests these perceived side effects may be due to the nocebo effect, where the expectation of harm leads to the experience of it. The findings have prompted calls for drug regulators to update statin labels to reassure patients and improve adherence to the medication.
Also reporting was: Today Headline, News Health
2/05/2026
Pregnant Woman Gets Text From Dad-Floored By What He Says: ‘Given Up Enough’
Newsweek
Family estrangement is more common than many people assume, with over one in four Americans having cut off contact with a family member. In an article discussing the topic, Andrew Roffman, a licensed clinical social worker at NYU Langone Health, explained that toxic behavior can be abusive, demeaning, hurtful, or exploitative. He noted that such behaviors lack regard for the emotional experience and well-being of another person. The article uses a Reddit post about a family conflict to illustrate the dynamics of emotional cutoff and the decision to reduce contact to manage unresolved issues.
2/05/2026
How “invisible” vaccine scaffolding boosts HIV immune response
The Scripps Research Institute
Researchers at Scripps Research and MIT have developed a DNA-based vaccine scaffolding that improves the immune response against HIV by being 'invisible' to the immune system. The study, published in *Science*, showed these DNA-based vaccines led to 10 times more immune cells targeting a vulnerable site on HIV compared to protein-based scaffolds. This technology may also aid in developing universal influenza and pan-coronavirus vaccines. Co-authors of the study include Josue Canales, researcher at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and Boris Reizis, PhD, research professor at the Department of Pathology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
2/05/2026
Will Drinking Hot Water in the Morning Actually Make You Poop?
SELF Magazine
An article explores the viral social media trend of drinking hot water in the morning to stimulate a bowel movement, a practice with roots in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. According to experts, while there is no direct scientific evidence, the practice makes intuitive sense as water softens stool and heat relaxes muscles. Lisa Ganjhu, DO, a gastroenterologist at NYU Langone Health, notes the practice has existed for thousands of years. She explains that it helps flush toxins, hydrate the body, and 'wakes up' the digestive system, which can help move things out from the previous day.
Also reporting was: MSN Israel
2/05/2026
