Fox News Health – 31/01/2025

The Fox News Health Newsletter brings you trending and important stories about health care, drug developments, mental health issues, real people’s triumphs over medical struggles, and more.

This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).So-called “gender-affirming surgery” could lead to potentially dangerous mental health effects, a new study has found.Transgender individuals face “heightened psychological distress,” including depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation, “partly due to stigma and lack of gender affirmation,” as stated in the study, which was published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine.Researchers from the University of Texas set out to determine the mental health impacts from transgender people who underwent “gender-affirming surgery.”GENDER DYSPHORIA AND EATING DISORDERS HAVE SKYROCKETED SINCE PANDEMIC, REPORT REVEALS: ‘RIPPLE EFFECTS’The study focused on 107,583 patients 18 and over with gender dysphoria, some who underwent surgery and others who did not.They determined rates of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation and substance-use disorders were “significantly higher” among those who underwent surgery, assessed two years later.Males with surgery had depression rates of 25% compared to males without surgery (11.5%). Anxiety rates among that group were 12.8% compared to 2.6%.The same differences were seen among females, as those with surgery had 22.9% depression rates compared to 14.6% in the non-surgical group.Females who underwent surgery also had anxiety rates of 10.5% compared to 7.1% without surgery.Surgeries that aimed to “feminize individuals” showed “particularly high” rates of depression and substance abuse two years after the procedures, the study found.”Findings suggest the necessity for gender-sensitive mental health support following gender-affirming surgery to address post-surgical psychological risks,” the researchers wrote.Jonathan Alpert, a Manhattan-based psychotherapist and author, said the study findings highlight the “often overlooked” psychological risks that accompany gender-affirming surgery.”While these surgeries can be critical in helping individuals align their physical appearance with their gender identity, they are not a cure-all for the mental health challenges many transgender individuals face,” Alpert, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.‘GENDER-AFFIRMING’ TREATMENTS DON’T BENEFIT YOUTH, SAYS PEDIATRICIANS GROUP: ‘IRREVERSIBLE CONSEQUENCES’”These findings suggest that surgery alone doesn’t eliminate the complex psychological burdens that stem from societal stigma and personal struggles with identity,” he went on.”In fact, taking a scalpel to treat a psychological disorder can sometimes lead to more issues, as the study results are elucidating.”Florida neurosurgeon Dr. Brett Osborn, who also was not part of the study, agreed that “surgery is no guarantee of happiness.””We’re often told that gender-affirming surgery is essential for alleviating gender dysphoria — but what happens when the euphoria fades?” he said in an interview with Fox News Digital.”The key question remains: Is the surgery itself causing distress, or are preexisting mental health issues driving people toward it? Correlation or causation? No one knows.”A 2022 study showed that around 1.4 million American adults identify as transgender and about 0.6% of all American adults experience gender dysphoria.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER”The dramatic upward trend of gender dysphoria among young people in recent years should raise serious questions about the role of cultural and social influences,” Alpert said.”While increased awareness has made it easier for some children to express their struggles, we cannot ignore the possibility that social contagion, along with peer influence and social media, may be contributing to this surge.”Both experts caution against rushing into surgery or other irreversible decisions.Teens who are being treated for gender dysphoria should be “properly supported and treated with compassion” without being pressured into making “life-altering” medical decisions, Alpert advised.Osborn also stressed the need for comprehensive psychological evaluations, especially for those with preexisting mental health challenges. Mental health support, lifestyle modifications and counseling should all take precedence before surgery, not after, he said.”You don’t amputate a limb because of temporary pain, and you certainly don’t permanently alter your body without exhausting every other option first,” he said.Osborn expressed the same cautions about hormone therapy — “we’re talking about irreversible changes that demand lifelong management.””This isn’t about politics and ideology — it’s about health, longevity, and making sure people don’t undergo drastic, life-altering procedures only to regret them,” he said.For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health”That said, to a great degree, the burden is on us physicians who took an oath to first do no harm.”Fox News Digital reached out to the study researchers requesting comment.

Extreme heat may accelerate aging in older adults, a new study suggests. More days of higher temperatures resulted in faster biological aging, with potential negative health impacts.

President Donald Trump, during his joint address to Congress in Washington, D.C., appointed a 13-year-old boy who’s battling cancer as an honorary Secret Service agent.

Amid the ongoing measles outbreak in Texas, Fox News’ senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel sat down with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in an exclusive interview to discuss contagion concerns.

Amid the measles outbreak in Texas, along with a scattering of cases in several other states, doctors are emphasizing the importance of community protection.

The Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative has taken off since HHS Secretary RFK Jr.’s first pitch for a healthier America. Read on for a timeline of events in the MAHA movement.

A Washington company has recalled pet food products amid the ongoing bird flu outbreaks, as at least two domestic, indoor cats have tested positive in the state.

A young woman with liver disease urgently needed a donor. But Nicole Munda didn’t imagine the man she met by chance at a NASCAR race would wind up a major part of her life in this “Godwink” story.

After suffering from a lifelong eating disorder that almost killed her, an Ohio woman says switching to a carnivore diet saved her life, but experts raise concerns.