Exercise in middle age can improve your memory

Brainy:Exercise led to an enlarged hippocampus in the survey

Exercise in middle and old age could improve your memory, reducing the risk of dementia.

In a year-long U.S. study, 120 volunteers aged between 50 and 80 were asked to build up to walking 40 minutes a day three times a week or to do some simple stretching regularly.

The participants' brains were scanned at the start and end of the experiment to study the size of the hippocampus, the part of the brain which forms new memories.

In those who did the stretches, the hippocampus shrunk by around 1.5 per cent, which is normal.

But in the walkers, the hippo-campus had not only not shrunk, it was bigger at the end of the study than at the start.

The increase of around two per cent meant the 'memory hub' was up to two years younger, leading to improvements in spatial memory, the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reports.

This is the kind of memory that helps us remember how to get to a certain place, or where we have left the house keys. Loss of spatial memory often becomes a problem in old age.

Research leader Professor Kirk Erickson, from the University of Pittsburgh, said: 'We think of the atrophy of the hippocampus in later life as almost inevitable.

'But we've shown that even moderate exercise for one year can increase the size of that structure.

'The brain at that stage remains modifiable.'

Shrinkage: People who only stretched instead of walking saw their hippocampus get smaller

Co-author Art Kramer, director of the Beckman Institute at the University of Illinois, said: 'The results of our study are particularly interesting in that they suggest that even modest amounts of exercise by sedentary older adults can lead to substantial improvements in memory and brain health.

'Such improvements have important implications for the health of our citizens and the expanding population of older adults worldwide.'

Simon Ridley , head of research at the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said: 'Although this study doesn't look at memory loss in Alzheimer's or dementia, it suggests it's never too late to start exercising to help keep our brains healthy.

'Even modest exercise may improve memory and help protect the brain from normal decline caused by ageing.

'Increasing evidence suggests regular exercise and a healthy diet may help reduce our risk of developing dementia, as well as reaping numerous other benefits from living a healthy lifestyle.'

You CAN have sex through pregnancy without harming your baby, say experts (21+)

Passionate partner: Unfortunately sex can't trigger a long overdue labour

Pregnant women can enjoy sex without endangering their unborn baby, research shows.

There is no evidence that regular love-making increases the risk of a premature birth or other complications, a study says.

The latest findings also contradict the belief that intercourse can help induce a long-overdue labour.

Scientists have concluded that sex during pregnancy is both ‘common’ and ‘normal’, even if it can become a little tricky during the final few weeks.

They say most expectant mothers can carry on making love without risking going into labour early, blood clots or infections of the womb.

Only those who are expecting twins or triplets or have previously had a premature birth should abstain – and even then there is little evidence to show they are at increased risk.

Researchers in the U.S. and Canada looked at evidence from several previous studies which had all examined the possible risks of sex during pregnancy.

One study compared 11,000 pregnant women, half who were sexually active, the other half abstinent, and found no difference between the two groups.

Another looked at women who had previously had at least one premature birth and found regular sex did not increase the risk.

The research, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, also concluded that once they have given birth, women generally begin having sex within one or two months.

Dr Clair Jones, of the Department of Obstetrics, at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, said: ‘Sex in pregnancy is normal. Patients with low-risk pregnancies should feel comfortable engaging in sexual activity as they please.’

Real men must eat meat, say women as they turn their noses up at vegetarians

Preference: Women consider men who eat meat to be more manly

They may hope that their love of animals will make them a hit with the ladies.

But vegetarian men are seen as wimps and less macho than those who like tucking into a steak – even by women who do not eat meat themselves, research shows.

The finding will dismay the hundreds of thousands of single men who have given up meat for health, environmental or animal welfare reasons.

Researchers gave hundreds of young men and women descriptions of fictional students varying only according to diet, and asked them to rate aspects of their personalities.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the vegetarian characters were seen as being more virtuous.

Further questioning revealed that men who do not eat meat were also viewed as less masculine than the others – even by vegetarians.

Researcher Dr Steven Heine, of the University of British Columbia, told Appetite journal that meat and men have always gone hand in hand.

'Meat has been closely associated with power and privilege – a staple for gentry and a rare treat for the peasants,' he said.

'Through abstaining from meat, a widely established symbol of power, status and masculinity, it seems that the vegetarian man is perceived as more principled, but less manly, than his omnivorous counterpart.'

Co-author Matthew Ruby said single vegetarian men should not despair, as they may have other appealing traits.

Softer: Vegetarian men, such as Sir Paul McCartney, are considered more liberal

He added: 'Some people would prefer a more masculine partner, whereas others prefer a less masculine partner.'

Previous research has found that vegetarians are seen as pacifist, weight-conscious and liberal, while fast-food lovers are perceived as patriotic, pro-nuclear and conservative.

Three per cent of British adults do not eat any meat or fish and another five per cent describe themselves as 'partly vegetarian'.

U.S. Has 7th Highest Cancer Rate in the World

Experts Say Lifestyle Changes Needed to Reduce Nation's Cancer Rates

About 300 of every 100,000 Americans develop cancer each year, which means the U.S. has the seventh highest cancer rate in the world.

“We are higher than we should be, and this is not the type of list you want to be on top of,” says Alice Bender, MS, RD, a nutrition communications manager at the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) in Washington, D.C.

The new rankings were compiled by the AICR,using World Health Organization (WHO) estimates. The American Cancer Society and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in France are planning to issue a report on the same data in the coming weeks.

The U.S. ranks 10th in the world for cancers in men and 8th for cancer in women, the report shows.

Our lifestyles have a lot to do with our ranking, she says. “Americans are more likely to be overweight, drink more alcohol, and don't engage in as much physical activity as people in other parts of the world,” Bender says.

Lifestyle Changes Can Prevent Some Cancers

The good news is that scientists estimate up to one-third of the most common cancers can be prevented by maintaining a healthy weight, being more physically active, and eating more healthfully.

“The high cancer incidence in the U.S. and other countries is not inevitable,” she says. “Lifestyle changes can really make a difference."

For example, maintaining a healthy weight throughout life could prevent more than 100,000 incidences of cancer, she says.

“Eating less red meat and more whole grains and vegetables, which are rich in fiber and a lot of helpful phytochemicals and antioxidants, can help maintain a healthy weight,” she says.

Avoiding tobacco smoke and sunburns could also help reduce cancer rates, she says.

There are clear links with dietary patterns and many cancers, says Timothy Harlan, MD, the medical director at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans.

“Getting more fruit and nuts, whole grains, veggies, legumes, fish, as well as consuming less red meat (and lean meats), dairy (preferably processed dairy), quality oils and fats, and moderate alcohol, one can have a dramatic impact on weight, heart disease, diabetes, and cancers,” he says in an email.

“I believe that these sorts of statistics are helpful to understand the global issue [but] it is important to take them in context,” he says in an email. “Smoking, pollution, environmental exposure, and genetics all play a role in cancers right alongside diet and exercise.”

According to the new data, the 10 countries with the highest overall cancer rates were:


1. Denmark 326.1 per 100,000
2. Ireland 317 per 100,000
3. Australia 314.1 per 100,000
4. New Zealand 309.2 per 100,000
5. Belgium 306.8 per 100,000
6. France 300.4 per 100,000
7. U.S. 300.2 per 100,000
8. Norway 299.1 per 100,000
9. Canada 296.6 per 100,000
10. Czech Republic 295 per 100,000

Women Who Smoke May Raise Breast Cancer Risk

Study Shows Link Between Smoking Before Having Children and Breast Cancer

Smoking early in life may raise a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer, according to research that adds new evidence on the link between cigarettes and breast cancer.

The study showed smoking before menopause, especially before having children, slightly increased the risk of breast cancer among a large group of women who participated in the Nurses Health Study.

Breast cancer risk was18% higher among those who began smoking before giving birth to their first child and 4% higher for those who started smoking after the first birth but before menopause.

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women worldwide. In the U.S. lung cancer is the No. 1 cause of cancer deaths in women; breast cancer is the second most common cause.

Tobacco smoke contains several known cancer-causing substances. But previous studies on the link between cigarette smoking and breast cancer have provided inconsistent and sometimes controversial results.

Researchers say a major issue is that lifetime smoking exposure consists of many factors, including active and secondhand or passive smoke exposure, which can be difficult to measure accurately.

Breast Cancer Risk

In this study, researchers looked at the effects of personal smoking history as well as passive smoke exposure on breast cancer risk using data from 111,140 women who were followed from 1976 to 2006 for active smoking status and 36,017 women who provided information from 1982 to 2006 on secondhand smoke exposure.

Overall, 8,772 cases of breast cancer were reported during the follow-up period.

The results showed breast cancer risk was higher among the following groups:

* Heavy current and past smokers (25 or more cigarettes daily).
* Those who started to smoke before age 17.
* Women who had smoked for at least 20 years.
* Current and past smokers with a history of 20 or more pack-years (number of packs of cigarettes smoked per day multiplied by the number of years smoked).

“Heavy smokers who started smoking early in life, smoked for a long duration and smoked a high quantity were at the highest risk of breast cancer,” write researcher Fei Xue, MD, ScD, of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard University, and colleagues in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

In contrast, never smoking and passive smoke exposure in childhood were not associated with an increase in breast cancer risk. Also, living with parents who smoked in the same house and secondhand smoke exposure while at work or at home were not linked to breast cancer risk, after adjusting for other potential risk factors.

Researchers say the findings support a modest, independent, and additive effect of active cigarette smoking on breast cancer risk, especially smoking before the first birth. Additional research in large groups of women is needed to further clarify this link.

Want to Sleep Better? Make Your Bed

Bedroom Comfort Affects Sleep, Survey Suggests

Spending too many nights tossing and turning? You may want to vacuum your bedroom, wash your sheets, and throw out that lumpy mattress before you reach for a sleeping pill.

Results from a survey commissioned by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) suggest that people sleep much better when their bedrooms are comfortable and clean.

The group’s first ever "bedroom poll" surveyed sound sleepers and poor sleepers about how the bedroom environment affected their ability to get a good night’s sleep.

“We’ve looked a lot at how medical and behavioral issues affect sleep, but we really hadn’t looked at the sleep environment in such depth,” NSF Chief Operating Officer David Cloud tells WebMD. “Frankly, we were surprised to see that senses like touch, feel, and smell were so important.”

Making Bed May Lead to Better Sleep

The survey included responses from 1,500 randomly selected adults in the U.S. between the ages of 25 and 55.

Less than half (42%) identified themselves as being "great sleepers" who got a good night’s sleep every night or almost every night.

Among the other findings:

* Seven out of 10 people said they made their bed every day or almost every day. The bed-makers were 19% more likely to report getting a good night’s sleep on most days.
* Nine out of 10 rated having a comfortable mattress and comfortable pillows as important for getting a good night’s sleep, while slightly less rated comfortable sheets and bedding as important.
* Between two-thirds and three-fourths of respondents rated a cool room temperature; fresh air; and a dark, quiet, and clean room as important for a good night’s sleep.
* Six out of 10 said they changed their sheets weekly or more often and roughly 3 out of 4 people said they got a more comfortable night’s sleep when their sheets had a fresh scent.

“People reported sleeping longer hours and feeling better about going to bed when their bed was made, their sheets were fresh, and their bedroom was comfortable,” Cloud says.

Sleep Environment Often Ignored

The survey responses come as no surprise to sleep psychologist Shelby Harris, PsyD, who directs the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program at Montefiore Sleep-Wake Disorder Center in New York.

She tells WebMD that the sleep environment is an important, but largely ignored, component of a good night’s sleep.

While fluffed pillows and scented sheets are not likely to solve serious sleep problems, changing the bedroom environment to make it more comfortable can help occasional poor sleepers rest easier, Harris says.

She also recommends reserving the bed for just two things: sleep and sex.

“A lot of people watch TV in bed or pay their bills or even do their taxes, and then wonder why their minds continue to race when they want to go to sleep,” she says. “We encourage people to make their bedroom a sanctuary for sleep.”

Harris says people tend to wrongly think sleep is something they can turn on and off like a light switch.

“I encourage my patients to think of it more like a dimmer,” she says. “An hour or so before bed you should be psychologically turning down the mind and body to relax and prepare for sleep.”

She recommends:

* Turning down lights about an hour before bed to signal to the body that it’s time to relax.
* Unplug by staying away from the computer, iPad, and smart phone in the hour before you go to bed. In addition to being stimulating, the blue light emitted by these devices seems to trick the body into thinking its daytime.
* Eating meals at least three hours before bedtime and limiting liquids during the hours before sleep. Shortly before bedtime, though, a small snack that includes protein and carbohydrate can be beneficial, Harris says.

Number of under-30s with liver disease soars 50% in a decade as doctors warn figures are tip of the iceberg

The number of young drinkers admitted to hospital with liver problems has risen by more than 50 per cent over the last 10 years, NHS figures show.

In 2009/2010 351 under-30s were treated for the alcohol-related disease - up from 230 in 2000/01.

Doctors have warned the condition, once only found in older adults, is now being diagnosed in teenagers.

Doctors warn young women are particularly at risk from heavy drinking as their bodies can not break down alcohol as readily as men

Dr Jonathan Mitchell, a consultant hepatologist from Plymouth, warned that the latest statistics were a 'gross underestimate.'

He told BBC Newsbeat: 'I've seen people come in who are bright yellow or jaundiced and bleeding from their stomachs.

'Many will turn round and say they had no idea they were drinking to that extent because your liver just doesn't give you warning.'

Professor Roger Williams told the Daily Mail that young women are at particular risk from heavy drinking as their bodies can only safely consume half the amount of alcohol that men can.

He said: 'Every day in my clinic, I see the terrible effects of drink on the young. Only recently we had a case of a 22-year-old who died of alcohol-related hepatitis.'

Heavy drinking can inflame the liver, causing jaundice, and leading to comas and even death.

Long-term, excessive drinking can also cause cirrhosis, in which the normal liver tissue is destroyed and replaced by scar tissue.

Dirt cheap alcohol has been blamed for the rise of drinking-related deaths in Britain, with alcohol 75 per cent cheaper now in real terms than in 1980.

Experts have warned the Government's new minimum alcohol price will have 'no impact' as lager can still be sold for 38p per can, while wine can go for £2 a bottle.

Professor Ian Gilmore, chairman of the UK Health Alliance, said: ‘To bring in a measure that we know in practice will have no effect at all on the health of this nation I think is disappointing.

‘It’s a step in the right direction, but I have to say it’s an extremely small step. It’ll have no impact whatsoever on the vast majority of cheap drinks sold, for example, in supermarkets.’

Professor Roger Williams said: 'The fact that a can of Coca-Cola is often significantly more expensive than a can of lager says something of the warped values of today’s society.'

Miracle cure or menace? E-cigarette faces ban as safety debate rages over unregulated quit-smoking device

Advocates believe e-cigarettes provide a stepping-stone to quitting, but opponents say their health impact is unknown. Now New York is considering a state-wide ban...

Hundreds of thousands of smokers who try to quit the habit fail every year despite trying exercise, nicotine patches and good old-fashioned will-power.

Now electronic cigarettes are being touted as the latest 'stop smoking' device. These battery-powered sticks are filled with a nicotine or non-nicotine solution that is heated and inhaled as a vapour.

Most are refillable devices with solutions offered in different nicotine concentrations and in hundreds of different flavours.

A man puffs on an electronic cigarette, which is filled with a nicotine cartridge. They don't contain tobacco carcinogens but may have other health risks

Advocates say they provide a stepping-stone to quitting and give the sensation of smoking without taking in the carcinogens and 1,000 chemicals found in tobacco.

Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, who studied the device said the device had great potential in reducing the harm of smoking.

Writing in the Journal of Public Health Policy, they said: 'We conclude that electronic cigarettes show tremendous promise in the fight against tobacco-related morbidity and mortality.'

What are e-cigarettes?

Electronic cigarettes have three integrated parts: the nicotine cartridge, the vaporiser and a lithium ion battery.

The battery powers the cartridge and releases the nicotine by heating, rather than burning like a conventional cigarette.

There are dozens of brands including Sky Cigs, Joye 510 and Green Smoke.

An e-cigarette starter kit can range from £30 to £100 with extra refill cartridges sold separately.

A smoker on 10 cigarettes a day would save around £700 if they switched.

But while e cigarettes are marketed as a safer device to tobacco there has been little independent research into the health impact.

However, an argument is brewing in the U.S about whether they represent a new miracle cure or menace to public safety.

Some health officials say e-cigarettes are just another addictive habit, one that can hook kids early and legally on smoking.

Last year, Dr Edward Langston, of the American Medical Association said: 'Very little data exists on the safety of e-cigarettes, and the FDA has warned that they are potentially addicting and contain harmful toxins.'

He added: 'The fact that they come in fruit and candy flavors gives them the potential to entice new nicotine users, especially teens.'

Meanwhile New York lawmakers are considering introducing the first state ban on the device.

Democrat Linda Rosenthal, or the New York Assembly, said: 'I got interested in this because I saw all these ads for e-cigarettes, so I did some research.

'I found what is in the e-cigarettes is a mystery.'

The former smoker wants to ban e-cigarettes in New York until they are more thoroughly investigated and regulated.

It has prompted indignation from former smokers who say they have been helped by the device.

Elaine Keller, vice president of the Consumer Advocates for Smoke-Free Alternatives Association, said: 'I would still be smoking if not for this product.'

Ms Keller said she has been tobacco-free since March 2009 after 45 years of smoking.

She added: 'I can't point to anything to say it's 100 percent safe,' she said.

'The thing is, it only needs to be safer. The only standard is that it's safer than smoking.'

E-cigarettes have prompted debate nationwide since they became widely available in the United States in 2006.

But as either a tobacco cigarette substitute or a much more extensively tested and restricted drug-delivery device, the future of e-cigarettes will likely be decided by the Food and Drug Administration.

However, this has not proven a simple task. The FDA tried to class e-cigarettes as drug-delivery devices as these require research and trials that tobacco products do not need.

However, a federal judge overturned this decision because e-cigarettes heat nicotine extracted from tobacco.

It is likely the argument will run for some time yet as powerful lobbies are involved.

If treated as a tobacco product, e-cigarettes would avoid the research and trials required of competitors in the pharmaceutical industry, including anti-smoking patches and inhalers.

However, as a medical device, e-cigarettes could draw opposition from that powerful lobby as a fresh and less expensive competitor.

Common garden weed 'cures skin cancer', say scientists

A common weed could help cure skin cancers, claim researchers.

The sap from a plant known as petty spurge or milkweed - found by roadsides and in woodland - can 'kill' certain types of cancer cells when applied to the skin.

It works on non-melanoma skin cancers, which affect hundreds of thousands of Britons each year.

Milkweed miracle: You can find this weed invading gardens beds across the UK, but it has great cancer-fighting properties

They are triggered by sun damage and, although not usually fatal, can be disfiguring without treatment.

The plant has been used for centuries as a traditional folk medicine to treat conditions such as warts, asthma and several types of cancer.

But for the first time a team of scientists in Australia has carried out a clinical study of sap from Euphorbia peplus, which is related to Euphorbia plants grown in gardens in the UK.

The study of 36 patients with a total of 48 non-melanoma lesions included basal cell carcinomas (BCC), squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) and intraepidermal carcinomas (IEC), a growth of cancerous cells confined to the outer layer of the skin.

Patients had failed to respond to conventional treatment including surgery, or they refused or were unsuitable for surgery because of their age.

The patients were treated once a day for three consecutive days by an oncologist using a cotton bud to apply enough of the E.peplus sap to cover the surface of each lesion.

The initial results were impressive, says findings to be released this week in the British Journal of Dermatology.

After only one month 41 of the 48 cancers had completely gone.

Patients who had some of the lesions remaining were offered a second course of treatment.

After an average of 15 months following treatment, two thirds of the 48 skin cancer lesions were still showing a complete response.

Of the three types of skin cancer tested, the final outcome was a 75 per cent complete response for IEC lesions, 57 per cent for BCC and 50 per cent for SCC lesions.

Side-effects were low, with 43 per cent of patients in no pain as a result of the treatment and only 14 per cent reporting moderate pain, and only one patient encountered severe short-term pain.

FACTFILE: PETTY SPURGE, OR MILKWOOD

Latin name: Euphorbia peplus

Occurrence: Petty spurge is a small, branched annual, plentiful in gardens and arable fields.

It is native and common throughout the UK, in any kind of soil. The plant exudes a milky sap when damaged, which is a severe irritant if applied to the skin.

Biology: Petty spurge flowers from April to November. The seed number per plant ranges from 260 to 1,200.

Petty spurge may be found in fruit for eight months of the year. Seedlings emerge throughout the year except for in winter but the main flush is from April to May. Most seed germinates within a year of shedding.

Just a few seedlings emerge in the following 5 years. Germination occurs at 5 to 10 mm depth in soil.

Persistence and Spread: Seed recovered from house demolitions and archaeological digs and dated at 20, 25, 30 and 100 years old has been reported to germinate.

Source: www.gardenorganic.org.uk

In all cases of successful treatment the skin was left with a good cosmetic appearance.

The researchers, from a number of medical institutions in Brisbane, attribute the benefit to the active ingredient ingenol mebutate which has been shown to destroy tumour cells.

British experts said further studies were needed and people should not try this at home as the weed sap can be harmful to the eyes and should not be eaten.

More than 76,500 people are diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancer in the UK each year, with 90 per cent caused by ultraviolet light exposure.

Lesions usually appear on the areas most exposed to the sun, such as the head, neck, ears, and back of the hands.

Kimberley Carter of the British Association of Dermatologists said: 'This is a very small test group so it will be interesting to see what larger studies and the development of the active ingredient in E. peplus sap will reveal.

'Whilst it would not provide an alternative to surgery for the more invasive skin cancers or melanoma, in the future it might become a useful addition to the treatments available to patients for superficial, non-melanoma skin cancers.

'Any advances that could lead to new therapies for patients where surgery is not an option are definitely worth investigating.

'It is also very important to note that this is definitely not a treatment people should be trying out at home.

'Exposure of the sap to mucous producing surfaces, such as the eyes, results in extreme inflammation and can lead to hospitalisation.

'The concentration of the active ingredients in the sap also varies between different plants, with high doses able to cause very severe and excessive inflammatory responses.'

How a spot of morning passion can make you glow all day long

Seeking a healthy boost to kick start your day? Look no further than the bedroom.

Adults who make love first thing in the morning apparently not only feel more upbeat for the rest of the day, but also benefit from a stronger immune system.

Research suggests that adults who begin their day this way are healthier and happier than those who simply opt for a cup of tea and some toast before heading out of the door.

Feel-good hormones: The chemicals released during morning intercourse can improve your health and mood for the whole day

Not only does it make them less likely to catch a cold or flu, it can also improve the quality of their hair, skin, and nails.

Dr Debby Herbenick, an American research scientist and sex advice columnist, said: ‘Having sex in the morning releases the feel-good chemical oxytocin, which makes couples feel loving and bonded all day long.’

Dr Herbenick, author of the book Because It Feels Good, added: ‘It makes you stronger and more beautiful too: Morning sex can strengthen your immune system for the day by enhancing your levels of IgA, an antibody that protects against infection.

‘And it releases chemicals that boost levels of oestrogen, which improves the tone and texture of your skin and hair.’

Other research suggests that the benefits do not end there. A study at Queens University in Belfast found that having sex three times a week could halve the risk of heart attack or stroke.

Despite the demands of work and a family, adults should still try to find time for lovemaking as soon as they stir.

Jane Greer, an American marital therapist, said: ‘Mornings are the perfect time to indulge because you’ll probably be in a rush, and the heart-pounding adrenaline of spontaneous sex will intensify the entire experience.’

'Mornings are the perfect time to indulge in a quickie, because you’ll probably be in a rush, and the heart-pounding adrenaline of spontaneous sex will intensify the entire experience,' she says.

And women worried their partner will not be willing to participate in an early morning session, may find it surprisingly easy to coax their men into a bout of passion.

'While he sleeps, the testosterone he’ll use for the upcoming day accumulates,' says Gabrielle Lichterman, author of 28 Days. 'From the time he wakes up, he has a three-hour window when he’s brimming with peak levels.'

The benefits do not end there for those who indulge in regular intercourse.

A study at Queens University in Belfast found that having sex three times a week could actually halve the risk of heart attack or stroke.

A 2009 study found that having sex every day improves sperm quality and could boost the chances of getting pregnant. In tests of men with fertility problems, daily ejaculation for a week cut the amount of DNA damage seen in sperm samples.

Research from Nottingham University also found that men who kept up a regular sex life in their 50s were also at lower risk of developing prostate cancer.

Abortion 'does not increase risk of mental health problems... but having a baby does'

Having an abortion does not increase the risk of mental health problems, but having a baby does, one of the largest studies to compare the aftermath of both decisions suggests.

The research by Danish scientists further debunks the notion that terminating a pregnancy can trigger mental illness - but does show postnatal depression to be much more of a factor.

The Danish study included 365,550 teenagers and women who had an abortion or first-time delivery between 1995 and 2007.

Seven per 1,000 women got mental health help within a year of giving birth compared with four per 1,000 women pre-delivery. But for those who had an abortion, the rate seeking help before and after the termination was the same

None had a history of psychiatric problems that required hospitalisation. Through various national registries, researchers were able to track mental health counselling at hospitals or outpatient facilities before and after an abortion or delivery.

The Danish study included 365,550 teenagers and women who had an abortion or first-time delivery between 1995 and 2007. None had a history of psychiatric problems that required hospitalisation. Through various national registries, researchers were able to track mental health counselling at a hospital or outpatient facility before and after an abortion or delivery.

During the study period, 84,620 had an abortion while 280,930 gave birth.

Researchers compared the rate of mental health treatment among women before and after a first abortion. Within the first year after an abortion, 15 per 1,000 women needed psychiatric counselling - similar to the rate seeking help nine months before an abortion.

Changes in hormone levels, sleep deprivation and other demands associated with having a baby could trigger mental problems, experts say

Researchers say women who seek abortions come from a demographic group more likely to have emotional problems to begin with. Statistics show that a large percentage struggle economically and they have above-average rates of unintended pregnancies.

While first-time mothers had a lower rate of mental problems overall, the proportion of those seeking help after giving birth was dramatically higher. About seven per 1,000 women got mental health help within a year of giving birth compared with four per 1,000 women pre-delivery.

The most common problems among women in both the abortion and the delivery groups were debilitating anxiety, severe stress and depression.

'A woman should know that her risk of having a psychiatric episode is not increased after an abortion,' said Trine Munk-Olsen of Aarhus University, who led the study.

The study did not examine why a pregnancy was terminated. Researchers also only studied mental problems serious enough to warrant admission to a hospital or outpatient clinic and did not look into the role of mild depression and other lesser symptoms.

In a previous study, published in 2006, Munk-Olsen found new mothers faced increased risks for a host of mental problems, not just postnatal depression.

Changes in hormone levels, sleep deprivation and other demands associated with having a baby could trigger mental problems, experts say. By contrast, women who have an abortion don’t experience similar changes.

'Anyone who’s ever had a baby knows it’s stressful. That stress doesn’t go away in a week or two after delivery,' said Dr. Robert Blum, who heads the department of population, family and reproductive health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

The latest findings echo an extensive review by the American Psychological Association in 2008 that found no evidence that ending an unwanted pregnancy threatens women’s mental health.

A separate review by Blum and his colleagues found that the most rigorous research on the topic did not find a relationship between abortion and long-term mental health problems. Previous studies that suggested such a connection were often poorly designed, had dropout rates or did not control for factors that could affect the conclusion.

Middle class women twice as likely to be heavy drinkers

Middle-class women are more than twice as likely to drink heavily as those on lower incomes, official figures show.

Some 43 per cent of women whose household income exceeds more than £1,000 a week drink excessively at least one night a week, compared with just 17 per cent of those whose average income is £200.

It is an even starker contrast than the overall figures for both sexes, which show that 45 per cent of high-­earners drink more than the recommended daily allowance at least once a week, compared with 22 per cent of lower-earners.

Professional problems: 43 per cent of women whose household income exceeds more than £1,000 a week drink excessively at least one night a week, compared with just 17 per cent of those whose average income is £200

The figures portray a culture where professionals are turning to alcohol as a sedative to relieve the pressure of work.

A fifth of high-earning women admitted to drinking six units or more at least one night a week – the equivalent of a bottle of wine.

Overall, men consume an average of 16.3 units a week, the equivalent of eight pints, while women drink nine units, or six small glasses of wine.

The report on 2009, the latest year for which figures are available, also shows that the elderly drink more frequently than any other age group, even though they consume smaller quantities at a time. Up to 27 per cent of those over the age of 65 have alcohol almost every night, compared with an average of 18 per cent across all age groups.

Over the past ten years the number of drink-related deaths among men and women has soared by more than a quarter, and ministers admit it is a major public health problem.

As many as 8,664 people died as a direct result of alcohol in 2009, compared with 6,884 in 2000, according to the Office for National Statistics.

But experts warn that this is only a fraction of the true figure and as many as 40,000 people die every year from related diseases such as strokes, heart attacks and cancer.

Figures show that average alcohol consumption has fallen slightly compared with 2008 and deaths have also fallen by 4 per cent.

But the charity Alcohol Concern warns that this is only a temporary fluctuation caused by the recession.

Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, former president of the Royal College of Physicians, said many high-earning women were turning to drink to alleviate stress, warning: ‘Alcohol is a sedative and it reduces stress but it’s also a drug of dependence, and people very quickly find themselves having problems.’

Public health minister Anne Milton said: ‘No one thing will solve this complex challenge of alcohol misuse and the Government is taking action on all fronts, including banning the sale of alcohol below cost price and giving local authorities more power over local licensing decisions.’

Marriage, the key to a better life: Study finds tying the knot means improved health and longer life expectancy

Commitment cure: Marriage can improve your mental and physical wellbeing, studies have found

Marriage cheers you up, improves your diet and helps you live longer, researchers say.

It brings better mental and physical health, reducing the chance of premature death by 15 per cent, according to major studies in seven European countries.

And the longer a marriage lasts the more the rewards accumulate – the only catch being that the relationship has to be loving and supportive.

John Gallacher, a Cardiff University academic who reviewed the European studies, said the happily married were more likely to eat healthily, have more friends and take better care of each other.

‘Marriage and other forms of partnership can be placed along a sliding scale of commitment, with greater commitment conferring greater benefit,’ he added.

‘That marriage generally indicates a deeper commitment might explain why marriage is associated with better mental health outcomes than cohabiting. Cohabiting relationships tend to be less enduring. The most widely accepted explanation is that being in a committed relationship means better social support is available.

‘Commitment seems to provide networks of supportive and helpful relationships, beginning with the spouse or partner, leading to more healthy lifestyles and better emotional and physical health.’

The research findings were reviewed by Dr Gallacher and his doctor son David in an editorial for the British Medical Journal.

Many married couples are often unaware of the advantages, they said, but a study of one billion ‘person years’ in seven countries found husbands and wives were 10-15 per cent less likely to die prematurely than the population as a whole.

Analysis of 148 studies of social relationships found their legal status and the amount of emotional support involved were linked to death rates, with marriage coming out on top. There is no evidence available to judge the health of people in civil partnerships, said Dr Gallacher.

Evidence shows the optimal time for men to marry seems to be after the age of 25, whereas for women it is between 19 and 25 years, he said, adding: ‘In terms of physical health, men benefit more from being in a relationship than women, but in terms of mental health women benefit more than men.

‘The physical health premium for men is likely to be caused by their partner’s positive influence on lifestyle.

‘The mental health bonus for women may be due to a greater emphasis on the importance of the relationship in women.’

The advantages keep growing over time, with studies followed up for 30 years showing longer relationships are linked to better mental health.

Advantages: Married people were found to be less likely to die prematurely

The difference in mortality rates in favour of marriage also increases with age, said Dr Gallacher.

But he warned that difficult and strained relationships were bad for mental health, and being single was better than being in a strained relationship.

‘The take home message is simple. Exclusive and supportive relationships confer substantial mental and physical health benefits that grow over time,’ he added.

‘Although failure of a relationship can harm health, that is an argument for avoiding a bad relationship rather than not getting into a relationship at all.

‘On balance, it is probably worth making the effort,’ he said.

Last year, a World Health Organisation study revealed marriage could reduce the risk of anxiety and depression and those who tied the knot were much less likely to suffer the blues than those who stayed single.

Don't wait too long for a baby: Women are SIX times more likely to suffer from fertility problems when 35 than at 25

Warning: Doctors have told couples not to leave it too late to try for a baby as they risk having problems conceiving

Doctors have issued a stark warning to couples not to leave it too late to try for a baby.

With more and more women pursuing careers, they and their partners are leaving parenthood to at least their late thirties.

But women aged 35 are six times more likely to have problems conceiving compared to those ten years younger, warns a major study from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

The report says older parents are making it harder for themselves to have children – and increasing the likelihood of serious medical complications for both mother and baby.

By the age of 40, a woman is more likely to have a miscarriage than give birth.

Men’s fertility also declines rapidly from the age of 25 and the doctors estimate that the average 40-year-old takes two years to get his partner pregnant – even if she is in her twenties.

The report is a clear and authoritative wake-up call on the dangers of late parenthood. However, increasing numbers of couples are doing just that without properly understanding the consequences – and the risks.

Separate figures show that the number of mothers giving birth after their 40th birthday has trebled in the last 20 years.

Almost 27,000 babies were born to mothers over 40 last year compared to with 9,336 in 1989.

The doctors insist women should be given clear reminders that ‘the most secure age for childbearing remains 20 to 35’.

Up to 30 per cent of 35-year-olds take longer than a year to get pregnant, compared to only 5 per cent of 25-year-olds, according to the figures in the report by the Royal College.

The research, which looked at several major studies on fertility, also shows that the average childbearing age has risen from 23 in 1968 to 29.3 today.

Expectant mothers in their late thirties and forties are far more likely to suffer complications such as pre-eclampsia, ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage or stillbirth and they are also more likely to need a Caesarean.

Babies born to them are more likely to be premature, smaller or have Down’s Syndrome and other genetic disorders.

The number of mothers who have given birth after their 40th birthday has trebled in the past 20 years - 27,000 today compare with 9,336 in 1989

Doctors warn that government campaigns to cut teenage pregnancy and boost contraception uptake may have resulted in young people thinking they can delay parenthood indefinitely.

They also say that IVF has given women a ‘false sense of security’, despite major breakthroughs in recent years.

Fertility treatment has a 3 per cent success rate for women over the age of 44.

More than half of those having such treatment in their forties use donor eggs, because their own supply has diminished, or the quality of those remaining is not good enough.

The study, published in the medical journal Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, says that risks of prolonging parenthood should be taught at school alongside lessons on safe sex.

Highlighting problems: Jason Waugh said women should be given more information on the unpredictability of pregnancy and problems that occur

Researchers also say charts showing the decline of fertility with age should be put up in surgeries and family planning clinics.

David Utting, specialty registrar in obstetrics and gynaecology at Kingston Hospital NHS Trust and co-author of the review, said: ‘Clear facts on fertility need to be made available to women of all ages to remind them that the most secure age for childbearing remains 20-35.

‘However women and doctors should remain vigilant to prevent unplanned and unwanted pregnancies.’

Fertility experts say that there is not enough provision in the workplace to allow women to simultaneously have children while pursuing a career.

Gedis Grudzinskas, a consultant in infertility and gynaecology, said: ‘Many women I see say they find it very difficult to try to do everything.

‘Society has changed and there is now much more opportunity to follow exciting careers – especially with such inadequate provision of childcare.

‘Women achieve career satisfaction and decide they want to start a family but by this time it is too late and they can’t turn the clock back.’

He added: ‘We should be making it easier for women to start a family while they are at work.’

Jason Waugh, consultant in obstetrics and editor in chief of the Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, said: ‘This review highlights the problems associated with later maternal age.

‘There are a number of reasons why women are leaving it later to start a family, for example, career concerns, financial reasons and finding a suitable partner.

‘However, women should be given more information on the unpredictability of pregnancy and the problems that can occur in older mothers.’

Trying to quit smoking? It will take you FIVE years and seven attempts

Quitting for the last time: It will take you at least seven attempts to stop smoking, a survey has found

The average smoker takes five years and seven attempts to give up the fags, a report revealed yesterday.

Researchers studied the behaviour of 3,000 smokers and ex-smokers. They found most quit over fears for their long-term health.

Other common reasons include their smoking being a turn-off to the opposite sex, struggling with breath, and 'being judged'.

Professor Cary Cooper at Lancaster University said: 'Giving up cigarettes is a very difficult and stressful time - especially during the first week when your withdrawal symptoms and cravings are at their strongest.

'To get through that first week, it's helpful to have a 'stop smoking buddy', someone who can support and encourage you when you're feeling tempted as it's much harder to renege when your friends know you're trying to give up.

'Certain times of the day can be more difficult than others so it may help to keep yourself busy by taking up a new hobby or exercise to take your mind off your craving.

'It is also a good idea to make a list of the reasons why you want to stop smoking and think of yourself as a non-smoker rather than an ex-smoker.

'The craving will only last a couple of minutes so don't give in.'

The study found most smokers gave up when they began to worry about their health.

There was also a consensus across the smokers that they felt that they were judged more for smoking now than they were in the past.

More than half said their habit had made them feel embarrassed and insecure.

The study, commissioned by Nicorette, also revealed half of those who quit on New Year's Eve started smoking again within ten days.

Nearly all agreed the first week without fags was one of the toughest periods of their lives and said it was more stressful than going through a divorce or planning a wedding.

The average age to give up smoking is 27 - and the report found it takes roughly three months to feel like a non-smoker.

Nearly half said that giving up smoking meant that they had put on weight and one in five said they had initially put on 'a lot' of weight.

Two thirds of us fail to get a good night's sleep, causing health problems

If you woke up this morning feeling grumpy and fed up because you didn’t sleep well, you weren’t the only one.

Almost two thirds of us struggle to get a good night’s rest, according to research. The problem has become so bad, experts say it constitutes a major public health concern.

Some 60 per cent of adults admit they have a sleep problem and rarely get the recommended six or seven hours a night.

More than a third suffer from insomnia, and many have battled with the condition for years. Doctors warn that sleeplessness leads to depression, lack of concentration and an inability to carry out simple tasks.

A hard day's night: Just 39 per cent of us get a proper night's sleep, according to new research

According to the findings of a major report, insomniacs are four times more likely to suffer from relationship problems. They are also three times more likely to have difficulties concentrating or be in a bad mood and twice as likely to have energy slumps.

A quarter of adults have other sleep-related problems such as teeth grinding or sleep apnea – a disorder characterised by abnormal pauses in breathing which causes sufferers to wake up in the night.

Just 39 per cent of us sleep well, according to the survey of 5,300 by the Mental Health Foundation. It is calling for sleep campaigns to make the public more aware of the importance of getting a good night’s rest.

It says children should be taught the health risks of lack of sleep at school and also recommends GPs are trained to better diagnose those with problems.

Dr Andrew McCulloch, of the Mental Health Foundation, said: ‘While great emphasis is rightly placed on the importance of diet and exercise, sleep has for too long been neglected as a major influence on the physical and mental health of the nation. It is crucial we treat the issue of sleep problems as the major public health concern it is.’

Experts say adults need at least five hours’ uninterrupted sleep every day to properly concentrate and function. It varies between individuals, however, with some needing as many as eight hours, some as few as three.

Meanwhile, pills to beat disorders linked with keeping unusual hours – from diabetes to even cancer – could be nearer after scientists claim to have unlocked the secrets of man’s biological clock.

Proteins called peroxiredoxins in red blood cells are key cogs in the 24-hour cycle, Akhilesh Reddy of Cambridge University told the journal Nature. Understanding how the 24-hour clock in cells works could lead to therapies ‘we couldn’t even have thought about a couple of years ago’ said Dr Reddy.

All under-fives should take vitamin D pills to avoid rickets, says Government's health chief

A toddler with bow legs, which is a classic sign of rickets. Professor Dame Sally Davies said all children aged six months to five years should take vitamin D supplements to prevent the condition

All children under five are at risk of developing rickets because of their couch potato lifestyles, the government's Chief Medical Officer said today.

Professor Dame Sally Davies says children aged six months to five should be given vitamin D supplements - particularly during the winter.

Her advice comes after figures revealed a dramatic increase in the crippling disease in children who aren't exposed to sunlight for long enough, because they stay indoors playing computer games or watching TV.

Dame Sally, the Director General of Research and Development and Chief Scientific Adviser for the Department of Health and NHS, said children should take seven micrograms of the sunshine vitamin every day.

She posted the advice on the Department of Health's website earlier this week.

It has produced an information leaflet for health professionals to inform them about vitamin D deficiency and help doctors identify those at risk of deficiency.

A spokesperson said: 'Vitamin D supplements are not recommended for the general population as most people get enough of the vitamin from their diet and from sunlight.

'Supplements are recommended for pregnant women and young children. GPs and nurses offer advice as part of routine consultations and disadvantaged families get them free. Information is also available on NHS Choices.'

A study at Southampton General Hospital found more than 20 per cent of children tested for bone problems showed signs of the crippling disease.

Prof Nicholas Clarke, an orthopaedic surgeon at SGH, said: 'Vitamin D is not easy to get but it is available in tablet form. My only wish is this advice had been a bit more categoric.

'I think we're finally getting round to following the Sweden model which can only be a good thing to try and cut out the deficiencies for children. It must be encouraged.

'Vitamin D supplements are a common part of the diet for children in Sweden because of the limited hours of sunlight.

'The problem for parents is in striking a balance with deficiency and giving children enough sun exposure and the threat of skin damage.'

Professor Dame Sally Davies said it was especially important for young children to take vitamin D pills during winter

Rickets causes the bones to become soft and weak. In extreme cases it can lead to fractures and deformities such as bowed legs and curvature of the spine.

Humans receive 80 per cent of vitamin D from a chemical process that happens when sunlight is absorbed by the skin. It is also found naturally in oily fish, egg yolk and liver.

Rickets was common 100 years ago during the Industrial Revolution when diets were poor and many cities surrounded by thick smog which limited sunlight.

One victim was 12-year-old girl Tyler Attrill, from the Isle of Wight, who wore factor-50 sunscreen depriving her of the vitamin despite spending hours in the sun during her school holidays.

She was diagnosed by Professor Clarke following tests to establish why she failed to recover properly from an unrelated operation on her hip and suffered constant pain and weakness in her legs.

Tyler's mother Lisa Attrill made sure her daughter wore plenty of high-factor suncream when she played outside but did not realise it would affect Tyler's vitamin D levels so badly.

She is delighted recent newspaper and TV exposure of her case had contributed towards health chiefs giving more advice to make up for Vitamin D deficiency.

She said: 'I'm really really pleased the extra advice is being given, hopefully people like Tyler won't suffer like she did.

'She said through doing the TV interview if it helped other people not suffer then it would be worth it.

'I simply had no idea to look out for extra top ups of Vitamin D. I saw an interview with a TV doctor that advised we should all have 15 minutes of UVO exposure of midday sun the other day so maybe the message is being increased.

'But maybe now I think it's up to GPs and parents to be aware more. I'm just really really pleased that now there is more advice.

'Tyler was lucky she didn't get rickets. It could have been worse. Hopefully more people will now know about it.'

Why ARE women's breasts getting bigger? The answers may disturb you... (21+)

Britain’s amplest bosoms heaved a ­collective sigh of relief last week when ­Bravissimo, a lingerie label for larger sized breasts, announced the arrival of the L-cup to its range.

The company says customers ­squeezing themselves into a KK-cup — a size launched two years ago to meet increasing demand — have been campaigning for larger bras ever since.

And although an L-cup remains far larger than the national average, there can be no doubt that when a High Street chain sees reason to ­supply it, demand is growing — and so, it would seem, are our breasts.

Big issue: The average breast size in the UK is increasing as more of us learn that a larger cup size and a smaller back could give us greater comfort

For women such as 21-year-old Terri Smith, from Stourbridge, West ­Midlands, who wears an uncomfortable KK-cup, the L-cup could provide welcome relief from the daily agony that comes from ­forcing herself into ill-fitting underwear.

‘Every woman knows how ­uncomfortable the wrong size bra can be,’ she says. ‘The wires dig in, the straps leave angry red marks on your ribs and your shoulders, and your breasts spill over the top. None of your clothes fit properly. But when your breasts are this big and heavy, it’s unbearable.’

L-cup breasts weigh approximately a stone. Since Terri was a ­teenager, she has sought out specialist lingerie and suffered almost constant physical discomfort as a result of carrying such a heavy load.

As a size 10/12 everywhere else, she believes her true bra size is a 30L, but until now has struggled to find them.

According to Bravissimo, there are many more women of Terri’s ­extraordinary dimensions out there. But it says this unprecedented demand for the L-cup can be explained, in part, by the fact that for years women have worn bras that were too big in the back and too small in the cup.

As more of us grasp the idea that a larger cup size and a less ­generous back-measurement could give us greater comfort and better shape beneath our clothes, we are buying ­bigger sizes than ever before.

But, according to Bravissimo’s ­estimates, at least 60 per cent of women wearing a C-cup should be wearing a D-cup — or larger. And it says the average British bra size is closer to a 34E than the 36C we are led to believe.

But we don’t owe our e­xpanding bustlines to modern fitting techniques alone.

Back in the Fifties, the ­average woman wore a B-cup — a full size smaller than today’s larger size. It’s clear that our dimensions have shifted, but why?

Generous proportions: For women such as Terri Smith, 21, the new L-cup could provide welcome relief

Fat is the first answer most experts will give. Professor Michael Baum, an expert in breast cancer, says: ‘Fat is laid down on breasts as much as thighs or bottoms. We are experiencing an obesity ­epidemic, so the increase in women’s measurements isn’t that surprising.’

But this is only part of the story. After all, women such as Terri do not appear to be ­carrying much excess fat ­elsewhere on their bodies. As Terri says: ‘The rest of my body is quite slim. Yet throughout my teens my boobs went up a couple of cup sizes every year.’

Anna Prince, from Bravissimo, agrees: ‘There is a total misconception that it’s ­unusual to be big-boobed and small-bodied. We’ve been ­contacted by more than two million women since we started in 1995, the vast majority of whom are small in the body and big in the bust.’

So, what’s going on? Why are the nation’s breasts getting bigger?

Dr Marilyn Glenville, a nutritionist ­specialising in women’s health and hormones, says: ‘It’s clear that we’re not just talking about fat, but increased levels of breast ­tissue, too.

‘So we have to look at what stimulates breast tissue growth — and that’s oestrogen, the female sex hormone. ­Oestrogen is what changes our body shape during puberty.’

The link between increased oestrogen levels and bigger breasts is so clear that there are even ‘breast-enhancing’ ­supplements on the market — such as Perfect C Breast Enhancer capsules — containing ingredients such as fennel seed and fenugreek, which are said to have oestrogenic properties.

Dr Glenville says: ‘It makes sense to look at the ways in which our exposure to all types of oestrogen — the hormone our own bodies produce and oestrogenic chemicals we come into contact with — has changed over the years.’

‘Girls today reach puberty earlier than ever before, and are going on to have fewer ­children and breastfeeding for less time. As a result, we have far more periods than our ancestors would have had and we are exposed to more monthly surges of oestrogen, which stimulates ovulation.’

In addition, today’s young women were born to the first ­generation of women on the contraceptive Pill. Early versions of the Pill contained far higher dosages of synthetic ­oestrogen than they do today, and little is known about the long-term impact of this increased hormone exposure on future generations.

So, could the ­changing shape of our breasts indicate an increased sensitivity to oestrogen?

Dr Glenville says: ‘Pregnancy and breastfeeding have a ­protective effect against breast cancer because they control the hormones which stimulate the growth of new cells in breasts.

‘But with more women today putting off pregnancy until later in life and having fewer children, they experience many more monthly cycles than previous generations did, and are exposed to more oestrogen.

'Girls today reach puberty earlier than ever and are going on to have fewer ­children. As a result, we have more periods so we are exposed to more surges of oestrogen'

‘I’m certain that if you looked at photographs of Victorian women, who on average had five or six children, you’d find them comparatively flat-chested.’

But, of course, that is far from the only difference between women’s lives then and now.

HRT also tops up depleting oestrogen levels in menopausal women, who — like women on the Pill — often go up a cup-size or two when they begin a course of treatment.

But it’s not just women on the Pill or HRT whose ­oestrogen levels, and cup-size, might have increased as a result.

In 2002, research published by the Environment Agency showed that an ‘exquisitely potent’ form of oestrogen — which is believed to have entered the rivers through the urine of Pill and HRT-users — was responsible for changing the sex of half of all the male fish in British lowland rivers, and could be contaminating the water supply.

Now, it has been suggested that the influence of these xenoestrogens (literally ‘foreign ­oestrogens’) could be responsible for the rapid decline in male sperm count and fertility.

‘We can’t assume these ­pollutants have no effect on us,’ says Dr Glenville. ‘There are many questions still to be answered, but if xenoestrogens are potentially responsible for declining male fertility, they are potentially affecting women, too — and the proof could be in our bras.’

So how do we avoid these surplus hormones? The answer is, we can’t. And it may come as a surprise to know that they are found in everyday items.

‘Pesticides, plastics and ­cosmetics are my main concerns,’ warns Dr Glenville.

For instance, a xenoestrogen called Bisphenol A (or BPA) is widely used in the ­manufacture of tinned food, drinks cans, plastic bottles, glass jars, ­electronic equipment and till receipts — to name but a few items.

You are what you drink: Two-thirds of the milk we consume comes from pregnant cows, meaning we are absorbing more oestrogen

Although the European Food Safety Agency maintains that BPA doesn’t pose a risk to the public, many scientists ­consider it to be a potentially harmful ‘hormone disruptor’, and several of the world’s ­leading food manufacturers are putting timetables in place to remove it from all of their products. Heinz insists it’s at ‘an advanced stage’ of removing the chemical from its UK baby food range.

But, until now, our exposure to it has gone ­virtually unchecked.

‘The same goes for ­xenoestrogens in the ­deodorants, make-up and moisturisers we use,’ says Dr Glenville.

‘We apply them to our skin and often directly on to the breast. Our skin absorbs those chemicals readily. It is not inconceivable that those chemicals stimulate growth in breast tissue.’

But we’re not just covering ourselves with oestrogen, we’re drinking more of it, too.

The introduction of intensive dairy farming methods to ­maximise production means that about two-thirds of the milk we consume comes from pregnant cows. To ensure that a dairy cow has a steady ­supply of milk, she is almost constantly pregnant.

But taking milk from a pregnant cow, especially d­uring the last few weeks of her pregnancy, raises questions about the high levels of oestrogen and other hormones in milk — and how they might affect those who consume milk every day.

‘It’s not just about exposure to oestrogens, but how our bodies cope with them,’ says Dr Glenville. ‘It’s possible that increased alcohol intake impairs the liver’s ability to help us metabolise and excrete excess hormones.

WHO KNEW?

As many as 80 per cent of women are wearing the wrong bra size

‘We also live more sedentary lifestyles these days, which may mean we metabolise these hormones less quickly.

‘Hormones that aren’t ­efficiently excreted can ­re-­circulate in the body and the cumulative effect of this may be a build-up of oestrogens, which — over a long period — could alter our natural body shape. It’s something we should take notice of.

‘After all, developing very large breasts can have all sorts of health and wellbeing implications — and forces a lot of women to consider breast-reduction surgery.’

Big breasts can affect posture, causing chronic back pain and leaving permanent indentations on shoulders where bra straps cut in.

Health problems can be ­emotional as well as physical — some women are left very self-conscious by their large chest and the undue attention this attracts, which is why they have turned to professionals such as Dr Puneet Gupta of The Private Clinic of Harley Street.

Due to an increase in women inquiring about breast reduction operations — each year around 10,000 women pay up to £5,000 for private operations — he is ­pioneering a new kind of ­reduction surgery called Micro­lipo, which reduces the risk of breast damage associated with older surgical techniques.

‘Like all forms of surgery, breast reduction is now more widely known about and more affordable than it was,’ he says.

‘There have always been women who have disproportionately large breasts, compared to their frame. But they are more likely to seek help now. The women I see are usually sick of the physical and psychological discomfort.’

Many other women, ­however, such as Terri Smith, learn to adapt their lives rather than go under the knife. Terri was forced to give up her job as a hairdresser because her breasts gave her such terrible backache.

And Claire Smedley, a 28-year-old model and mum-of-three from Derbyshire, can think of several ways in which her L-cup breasts have impacted her life and her health.

‘Although I’ve learned to love them in recent years, I resented them for a long time,’ she says. ‘As a teenager I didn’t have the confidence to carry them off, and I was constantly dealing with unwanted attention from men.

‘Even now, because my breasts are so large, strangers will grab and touch me when I’m out, sometimes in front of my ­children.

‘They think I’ve put them on display — that I’m asking for it — when, of course, there’s little I can do to hide them.

‘Women are wary of me, because they see my figure as overtly, perhaps threateningly, sexual. I’m automatically ­considered a tart.’

When Claire was pregnant, and her chest ballooned even more, the weight of her bump and breasts combined put her body under enormous strain, causing heart palpitations.

‘It’s not as if it’s easy to stay fit when you’re this size,’ she says. ‘Any form of aerobic exercise is agony and sports bras are hard to find.

‘I’ve thought about breast reduction, but the fear of something going wrong stops me going ahead. As I get older, if I suffer from back pain I will reconsider, though.’

So until scientists unravel the mysteries of our growing assets, more and more women will still suffer the pinch of underwear that just doesn’t come up to (ample) size.

The stress caused by living near a busy road: Noise of traffic can raise risk of stroke

Traffic noise may increase the risk of a stroke, a study has found.

The noisiest roads are linked to the highest risk of having a stroke among the middle-aged and older people.

Roar: Cars queuing on a busy road in Chiswick, a residential area of London

Researchers say there is a low risk to young people, but road noise could account for one in five strokes among pensioners.

The first study to investigate the link found that for every ten decibels more noise, the risk of a stroke increased by 14 per cent. The risk increased by 27 per cent for those aged 65 and over.

When the noise gets above 60dB, the risk of stroke goes higher still, according to a report in the European Heart Journal.

The Danish study investigated 51,485 volunteers aged between 50 and 64 for around ten years. A total of 1,881 had a stroke.

The participants were estimated to be exposed to noise levels between 40dB and 82dB.

In a major city, typical noise levels can average 50-55dB compared with 60-70 for residents living near an airport.

Researcher Dr Mette Sørensen said the strokes were probably caused by noise disturbing sleep, which in turn raised stress hormones and blood pressure.

Millions of arthritis sufferers 'are battling depression'

A leading charity says the emotional impact of living with long-term pain is being neglected by doctors

Millions of arthritis sufferers are battling depression because of the pain of their condition, says a new survey.

It shows three out of five people with arthritis are brought low by chronic pain, with women worst affected.

Half of young people in their 20s and 30s report that arthritis-related pain stops them going out socially and leading a normal life.

The survey by leading charity Arthritis Care shows the emotional impact of living with long-term pain is being neglected by doctors, with patients getting no advice on how they can help themselves.

This leads to a rising burden on the NHS, it says, as 10 million Britons live with some form of arthritis, mainly rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

The condition accounts for one-third of visits to the GP, and the economic burden to the UK is £7 billion each year.

The survey found 68 per cent of 2,263 sufferers feel depressed when their painis at its worst. Four out of five feel tired and half feel weak and helpless.

More women than men said when their arthritis pain was bad they felt depressed - two-thirds compared with half of men - and women were more likely to feel alone or scared.

Women and young people aged 34 and under were most likely to be forced into staying at home rather than having a social life, with up to two-thirds leading reclusive lives.

Three out of four people with arthritis say the pain prevents them sleeping through the night, and one-third say it stops them having an intimate relationship.

But even people close to sufferers don't understand the level of pain, say eight out of ten surveyed.

Information on how to deal with the pain was best provided by specialist doctors, according to almost half of sufferers, and by GPs for two in five.

Yet medication coupled with self-management programmes can 'substantially lessen' the severity of depression and improve pain and disability, says Arthritis Care.

Neil Betteridge, chief executive of Arthritis Care, said 'This report starkly highlights the devastating and far-reaching effect arthritis pain has on people’s lives.

'Depression is an overlooked effect of arthritis pain and people must be supported to cope with the emotional impact of living with arthritis.

'Arthritis is a painful and debilitating condition which can also leave people feeling anxious, tired and vulnerable.

'While it is clear that more research is needed to further establish a link between the different types of arthritis – of which there are more than 200 – and depression, early treatment is key.

'Arthritis Care is calling on health professionals to recognise the emotional impact arthritis can have on people and to recommend self-management so that they can start to take control of their lives.'