New research shows that starting cholesterol lowering treatment with a low- to moderate-intensity statin was associated with a greater reduction of LDL levels among older patients than with younger ones.

New and emerging research continues to shed light on the role of adipocytes in the function and regulation of diverse metabolic processes. During this year’s ADA Diabetes Journal Symposium: Staying in Network—Adipocyte Communication in Regulation of Energy Balance, investigators will share findings from studies exploring adipocyte response to physiologic and metabolic cues.

“Food-as-medicine” programs are popping up across the U.S. in an effort to address the intertwined issues of health, poverty, and food insecurity. Proper nutrition is vital to good health, and all too often, healthy foods are recommended yet rarely distributed under the healthcare umbrella. Given the prevalence of acute food insecurity in many communities across America, farmers and doctors alike are advocating for change.  

Our gut microorganisms, collectively known as the gut microbiota, affect far more than digestion. Bacteria in our intestinal tracts influence brain activity -- and even the likelihood of developing mental disorders. Decades of research have shown that a bacterially imbalanced gut can disrupt many systems in the human body, contributing to obesity, malnutrition and even cancer. In a study published May 10 in Nature, Stanford Medicine researchers and collaborators used an ingestible device to capture the diversity of microorganisms, viruses, proteins and bile in the small intestine.

Hundreds of members of the Stanford Medicine community and beyond gathered outside the Stanford School of Medicine's Li Ka Shing building for the annual Health Matters event on May 20. Attendees visited dozens of exhibits, petting therapy dogs, assuming a variety of yoga positions and learning how to cook plant-based meals.