🎧Health Brief: Weight Loss Drugs Linked to Increased Risk of 19 Health Conditions; Microplastics Found in Tea Bags and Drinking Water

Alones/Shutterstock

Good morning, and welcome to The Epoch Times Health Brief for Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025. I’m Bill Thomas, we have some intriguing stories to share with you right now, and here’s what’s going on.

Some popular weight loss drugs are linked to more than a dozen alarming health conditions; troubling details emerge regarding microplastics and the way they enter our bodies, and a new study warns that in the near future, a staggering number of adults here in the United States will be afflicted with a devastating and potentially deadly disease.

Also, new information to share with you regarding how a certain sleep disorder can change the structure of your brain, and we’ll take a closer look at the financial solvency of our government’s health insurance program for seniors.

We’ll dig deeper into each one of these impactful stories, and we begin here. New research points out that some very popular weight-loss drugs could help protect you against dozens of ailments—but using them comes with a very significant risk. More now on what we’ve just learned.

Weight Loss Drugs Linked to Increased Risk of 19 Health Conditions

A new study shows that popular weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy may actually help protect against more than 40 conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, chronic kidney disease, and drug addiction; however, researchers also warn that these benefits come with an increased risk of 19 health conditions such as fainting, arthritis, and problems with the pancreas.

The researchers, who were from Washington University in St. Louis, systematically evaluated roughly 2 million veterans with diabetes who were taking the popular weight-loss medications for a period of about three and a half years.

They found that disorders affecting the heart, blood vessels, liver, and respiratory system (such as pneumonia) were among the conditions that were reduced most by the use of these prescription drugs. These medications were also linked to a number of improved neurological and behavioral health outcomes, including a reduced risk of addiction to things such as alcohol, cannabis, certain stimulants, and opioids.

Additionally, the study noted fewer occurrences of liver cancer, muscle pain, chronic kidney disease, bacterial infections, fever, and even dementia.

Now here’s something really interesting: While Alzheimer’s pathology can begin well over a decade before clinical symptoms emerge, the study suggested that a few years of treatment with these medications is enough to show a protective effect against the development of that debilitating disease.

However, the study also revealed a number of possible health issues associated with these weight loss medications, including low blood pressure; fainting spells; arthritic disorders; and kidney stones.

Another potentially severe side effect of these meds is swelling of the pancreas, otherwise known as pancreatitis, which can result in life-threatening complications, including multiple organ failure.

We move now to a pair of disturbing new studies concerning microplastics, which they say are entering our bodies and impacting our health in a variety of ways. More now on what we know.

Microplastics Found in Tea Bags and Drinking Water

A recent analysis from France has found that most microplastics in bottled and tap water are even smaller than our current detection limits account for, raising concerns about the health impacts of these plastics.

The study’s lead author tells The Epoch Times that all evidence suggests that it’s these smaller particles that may have the highest impact on human health, and he went on to say that testing methods need to change in order to better focus on these tiny particles.

By the way, this latest research is also backed up by some newer U.S. findings, and it adds to mounting evidence of microplastic contamination in drinking water. It also underscores the need for more accurate detection worldwide, and noted that the United States has yet to set a standard for levels of microplastics in drinking water.

Meanwhile, in a different study, scientists have also found that tea bags contain millions of micro- and nanoplastics, and that they may be entering your body with every use.

The study looked at three types of commercial tea bags, which were made from either nylon, polypropylene, or cellulose (a plant-based material), and the researchers simulated typical tea use by immersing and stirring those tea bags in water.

They found that all three tea bag materials released microparticles during their tea preparation, with polypropylene releasing the most and nylon releasing the least. They say that surface irregularities in tea bag fibers, likely resulting from the manufacturing process, may cause the bags to break, releasing those microparticles.

While studies on the harmful effects of microparticles are still in the early stages, research has shown that some plastics are more readily absorbed by cells in the digestive system and could cause oxidative stress and damage to our DNA.

Another rapidly developing health risk to share with you now and in the next 25 years, the demand for transplants of one of our body’s most crucial organs is expected to quadruple due to a disease that will reportedly threaten four in 10 adults here in the United States. And more now on that story.

Over 40 Percent of US Adults at Risk of Liver Disease by 2050, Study Warns

A new study involving nearly 3 million participants predicts that by the year 2050, one specific type of liver disease called metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) will affect nearly 122 million U.S. adults—about 41 percent of our country’s total adult population.

Formerly known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, MASLD is the most common cause of chronic liver disease in the United States, and it’s a condition where excess fat builds up in the liver, leading to potential scarring of that vital organ.

The researchers also expect a number of additional health complications to accompany the increasing burden of liver disease. They estimate that the number of new cases of liver cancer will nearly double by 2050, while liver transplant cases are expected to quadruple by then as well.

Additionally, though the study wasn’t designed to determine why cases of this disorder are on the rise, they found that the disease is strongly linked with both obesity and diabetes—two other serious health issues that are also on the rise.

The research team emphasizes a need for urgent planning within our health care systems to address the expected increase in cases of fatty liver disease. They also point out that making a number of healthy lifestyle changes such as weight management, regular physical activity, and a balanced diet could help minimize risks of developing the disease or even reverse its early stages.

Moving along, for the millions of Americans suffering from a certain sleep disorder, a new study says that disorder could lead to changes in your brain and eventually even lead to Alzheimer’s disease. And here’s more now on that story.

Sleep Apnea Linked to Structural Brain Changes: Study

A new 10-year study of nearly 3,000 adults has found that people with severe sleep apnea show structural changes to their brains, including inflammation in areas that are critical for memory.

The researchers looked at the sleep quality of their participants through at-home testing that measured breathing interruptions and blood oxygen levels. They then analyzed brain scans of those individuals between 2008 and 2012, and then again 10 years later.

They found that those test subjects who had the most severe sleep apnea, as well as poor oxygenation during sleep, had an enlarged hippocampus, which is a small part of the brain that helps with memory and learning. They also had more of what are called white matter lesions, and both of those changes are linked to an elevated risk of inferior cognition as well as Alzheimer’s disease.

The study’s lead author tells The Epoch Times that chronic low oxygen levels and disrupted rest patterns caused by sleep apnea likely result in inflammation, swelling, and vascular damage. He said these conditions place additional stress on the brain, potentially leading to neuroinflammation and an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

He also said that early diagnosis and treatment, along with sound, deep sleep, are critical to mitigate those effects and protect brain health.

By the way, severe sleep apnea is defined as 30 or more breathing interruptions per hour during sleep; in comparison, fewer than five interruptions per hour is considered normal. Additionally, it’s estimated that 80 to 90 percent of the people with sleep apnea don’t even know they have it, and some common symptoms include daytime sleepiness, memory issues, and mood swings.

Finally today, most people over the age of 65 rely on Medicare for their primary health insurance. But our country’s changing demographics and a growing gap between revenue and expenses could spell big trouble for the program in the near future, and here’s what we’ve learned.

Medicare Isn’t Broke—Yet

Medicare’s trustees say that by 2036, something called the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund, which pays the hospital bills for 68 million Americans, will be completely depleted. After that, the annual income for Medicare Part A will fall 11 percent short of expenses.

The good news is that’s still a decade away, and for now, the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund has a surplus of more than $200 billion. Additionally, Medicare Part B, which covers things such as doctor visits and diagnostic tests, has reserves of more than $180 billion.

Basically, right now, Medicare is not insolvent but there is an increasingly large gap between the revenue generated by the program and its total expenses—which requires an increasingly large transfer of cash from the U.S. Treasury, and a larger chunk of our country’s GDP, to make the program work.

So you know, a number of factors are driving that gap, and they include an aging population combined with a falling birth rate; innovation in the health care industry, which has created more diagnostic tools, treatments, and fees; and Medicare Part C, or Medicare Advantage, plans, which add up to billions of additional dollars in government expenses each year.

Unless a significant change in public health reduces the demand for medical services and Medicare costs along with it, eventually, the federal government will have to either increase taxes, raise the age of eligibility for Medicare, or reduce benefits if they want to keep the program both solvent and efficient.

And now, it looks like our time is just about up for today, so we’re gonna call it a wrap for this week’s edition of The Epoch Times Health Brief.

Just a reminder—you can reach out to us anytime via email with your thoughts, comments, and suggestions and you’ll find us at [email protected]. You can leave comments for us on The Epoch Times app, which you can download for free on either Google Play or the App Store.

And don’t forget the Health Brief Motto: We’re portable, affordable, we’re healthy as a horse, and we’re always on-demand.

And now, as we do each and every week on this program, we share with you a very notable quote and this one comes to us from Andrew Zimmern who said:

“In a world that is defined by what separates us, sharing a meal with someone from a different country, showing what we have in common with the people, it’s very powerful and important.”

Zimmern is a TV personality, chef, author, food critic as well, and you may have seen his fabulous TV program, Bizarre Foods.

As you know, each week on this program, we also like to remind you that the Surgeon General says smoking causes lung cancer, heart disease, emphysema, and may complicate pregnancy.

Therefore, if you’re a smoker, it would mean a great deal to your Health Brief team if you’d make every effort to stop smoking right away. It’s one of the best things you’ll ever do both for yourself as well as for the people who care a great deal about you. You’ll also save a good chunk of change—across the country, the average price for cigarettes is about $8 per pack.

And finally, we all know there are tons of fast food drive-thru restaurants all over the planet. They open up early, they stay open late and the menu options are varied. Just a reminder though—moderation—and it’s just as easy to drive by as it is to drive through.

For all of us here at The Epoch Times Health Brief, I’m Bill Thomas.

The Epoch Times Health Brief program was written today by David Ross.

Thank you for making us your one-stop source for a concise, accurate, and unbiased weekly synopsis of many of the health stories you need to know about.

Enjoy the remainder of your day, please stay healthy, and we'll see you right back here next time for another edition of The Epoch Times Health Brief.

For now, let’s all continue to watch out for one another and have an absolutely superb day today. Bye for now.