cold plunges...might not work?

• A National Cancer Institute study gives a clearer view of early onset cancers (those that occur before age 50). And they are increasing, mostly in women and mostly as breast cancer.
   
• Medscape looks at where the Women's Health Initiative study (yes, the one that was cut by the Trump administration and then brought back to life) could go next. 
   
• A small study throws cold water on the cold plunge/muscle recovery thesis, at least for women.

Women's Health Initiative Faces Uncertain Future

What: Medscape digs into the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study that was on the chopping block under the Trump administration. They explain how the original focus was on preventing heart disease, breast cancer, and osteoporosis, but as study participants age experts are calling for a new cohort to gather information on younger generations.

Key Line: "But 'to cut this study short before we have even been able to fully analyze the data we have would be a complete waste,' Stefanick added. 'We definitely have not run our course, and there is no way you can replicate this cohort.'"

Source: Medscape

Medical Gaslighting and Chronic Pain: A Deep Dive

What: Professors from Yale and the University of Connecticut detail their research on how chronic gynecological pain conditions, such as endometriosis and vulvodynia, are often misunderstood and dismissed by doctors.

Key Line: "Women’s reproductive health issues have long been dismissed as psychological or “hysterical.” Genital and pelvic pain especially has been misattributed to psychological rather than biological causes: A century ago, Freudian psychoanalysts incorrectly believed that female sexual pain came from psychological complexes like penis envy. These historical views help shed light on why these symptoms are still not taken seriously today."

Source: The Conversation

Hormonal IUDs Don't Cause Skin Discoloration, Unlike the Pill

What: A study found that hormonal IUDs do not increase the risk of melasma, patches of darkened skin, even in women with heavy periods. While oral contraceptives were linked to a higher risk of skin discoloration, IUDs were not.

Key Line: “'The lack of a significant association between hIUDs and melasma incidence suggests that IUDs may be a better option for women concerned about dyspigmentation,' the study authors wrote."

Source: Medscape

Cancer Rates Increasing Before Age 50 in the US

What: The National Cancer Institute is out with a study that looks at early-onset cancers (those occurring before age 50) that are on the rise. The biggest increases were seen in breast, colorectal, kidney, and uterine cancers. While death rates remain stable for most cancers, experts raised concerns about what is causing the increase.

Key Line: "'These kinds of patterns generally reflect something profound going on,' said Tim Rebbeck of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, who studies cancer risk and was not involved in the research. 'We need to fund research that will help us understand.'"

Source: ABC News

Cold Water Plunges May Not Speed Women’s Post-Exercise Recovery

What: A small study of 30 women found that neither cold- nor hot-water immersion helped speed up recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage. Despite some differences in physiological measurements (such as body temperatures), there were no significant recovery benefits for women in either group.

Key Line: "However, despite these physiological differences, neither cold- nor hot-water plungers had better muscle recovery outcomes than non-plungers, and no significant recovery difference was seen for cold- versus hot-water immersion."

Source: PLOS