Roundup: Teens With Poor Sleep Health At Risk for High Blood Pressure; and More News

Poor Sleep Habits Put Teenagers at Risk for High Blood Pressure, Research Finds

A new study reveals just how serious the consequences of poor sleep can be for teenagers — especially when it comes to high blood pressure.

According to a study presented at the American Heart Association's scientific sessions, teens who struggle with insomnia or get less sleep than their peers may be at a significantly higher risk for developing high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. In fact, the study found that teens who had difficulty falling or staying asleep and slept less than others were five times more likely to have dangerously high blood pressure.

Even for teens who didn’t have insomnia -- but still averaged fewer than 7.7 hours of sleep --  the risk for elevated blood pressure nearly tripled compared to those who got enough rest. However, teens who experienced insomnia but still managed to sleep at least 7.7 hours did not show any higher risk for elevated blood pressure.

Julio Fernandez-Mendoza, M.D., director of the behavioral sleep medicine program at Penn State Health Sleep Research and Treatment Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania., and the lead author of the study, expressed surprise at the findings in a prepared statement.

"We came at the data thinking maybe we would find an association with elevated blood pressure," he said. "We found these kids actually are more likely to have clinical hypertension – a degree of high blood pressure that all pediatricians, clinicians and cardiologists would want to treat.”

Hypertension, if left untreated, can cause serious health issues over time – such as heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular diseases, all of which can be life-threatening.

This study marks an important shift in research, as it is the first to specifically look at the connection between poor sleep and high blood pressure in teenagers. Previous studies have primarily focused on the mental and behavioral impacts of sleep deprivation in teens. This new research shines a light on the potential cardiovascular risks associated with insufficient or poor-quality sleep.

High blood pressure damages the blood vessels over time, causing plaque to build up and narrowing the vessels, which blocks blood flow. As Dr. Fernandez-Mendoza explained, this is why “stage 2 hypertension” is such a major concern—it significantly increases the risk of developing heart disease later in life if it isn’t managed.

These findings also come at a time when there’s growing awareness about the impact of sleep on teenagers’ overall well-being. National conversations around school start times and the negative effects of late-night screen time are gaining traction, with health experts stressing the importance of adequate sleep for teens.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, and the American Heart Association all recommend that teens aged 13 to 18 should get between 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night for optimal health. The reality is that nearly one-third of adolescents report experiencing insomnia, and around 14 percent have chronic insomnia disorder, which involves trouble sleeping at least three times a week for three months or longer.

While this study’s results are preliminary, they highlight the importance of sleep in protecting your teen’s long-term health, particularly when it comes to their heart, researchers conclude.

Cancer Screening Trends Post-Pandemic: Gains in Breast and Colorectal, but Setback in Cervical Cancer

New research from the American Cancer Society (ACS) shows a promising rebound in breast and colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates following the COVID-19 pandemic, surpassing pre-pandemic levels in the U.S.

However, cervical cancer screening rates continue to lag, remaining significantly lower than before the pandemic. This data, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), highlights both positive developments and concerning trends in cancer prevention efforts across the United States.

According to the study, breast and CRC screening rates increased between 2021 and 2023, surpassing 2019 levels by 7 percent and 12 percent, respectively. These improvements were particularly evident in individuals with higher socioeconomic status, including those with higher educational attainment and private or Medicare insurance, the ACS said. These groups were more likely to return to screening following the pandemic’s disruptions.

“While these findings are encouraging, given the widespread disruptions caused by the pandemic, the ongoing decline in cervical cancer screening is deeply troubling,” said Jessica Star, associate scientist, cancer risk factors and screening surveillance research at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the study, in a statement. “Early-stage cervical cancer diagnoses, which are key to successful treatment, have also decreased. If this trend continues, we could see more cases of cervical cancer diagnosed at later, less treatable stages.”

The research analyzed data from the National Health Interview Survey, which tracks the self-reported health behaviors of noninstitutionalized adults in the U.S. The study looked at screening rates for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers across three distinct periods: before (2019), during (2021), and after (2023) the COVID-19 pandemic. While the data shows strong recoveries in breast and CRC screenings, cervical cancer screenings have not improved, and they remain 14% lower than pre-pandemic levels.

Experts suggest that the decline in cervical cancer screenings may be partly due to reduced patient awareness and less frequent clinician recommendations during the pandemic. The gap in screening rates is also a reflection of broader socioeconomic disparities, as lower-income and less-educated individuals have had more difficulty accessing healthcare during and after the pandemic.

Star emphasized the need for continued advocacy and action to ensure equitable access to cancer screenings, particularly for cervical cancer. “Efforts must address not only the recovery of screening rates but also the widening disparities that exist by socioeconomic status,” she added.

While the rebound in breast and CRC screening rates is a positive sign, the study underscores the need to remain vigilant in addressing gaps in healthcare access and promoting preventive measures for all individuals, regardless of socioeconomic status. The fight against cancer requires everyone to be on the same page—and that means ensuring no one is left behind in the screening process.

Even Normal Levels of Vitamin B12 May Not Help Cognitive Health in Older Adults

A new study led by researchers from University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) suggests that even meeting the minimum vitamin B12 requirement may not be enough for older adults. The study found that lower B12 levels, still within the "normal" range, were associated with subtle cognitive decline, particularly in older individuals.

These findings could have significant implications in how the healthcare community approaches vitamin B12 and its role in brain health, researchers said.

Vitamin B12 is essential for producing DNA, red blood cells, and maintaining nerve tissue. While its deficiency is often linked to anemia (a lower-than-normal amount of red blood cells or hemoglobin), this study raises concerns that the current thresholds for healthy B12 levels might be too low, especially for older adults. The research, published in Annals of Neurology, highlights how suboptimal B12 levels can affect the brain, even before clear symptoms of deficiency appear.

The study involved 231 healthy participants, averaging 71 years of age, with no dementia or mild cognitive impairment. Despite having average B12 levels well above the minimum U.S. requirement of 148 pmol/L, participants with lower concentrations of biologically active B12 showed slower cognitive processing speeds.

These individuals also exhibited delays in responding to visual stimuli, pointing to a decline in visual processing speed. Moreover, MRIs revealed a higher volume of lesions in the brain's white matter—an area critical for communication between different brain regions—which may be linked to cognitive decline, dementia, or stroke.

Lead researcher, Ari J. Green, M.D., a neurologist at UCSF, emphasized in a news release that these findings suggest current vitamin B12 recommendations may need to be updated.

“Previous studies that defined healthy amounts of B12 may have missed subtle functional manifestations of high or low levels that can affect people without causing overt symptoms,” Dr. Green said. He proposes that redefining B12 deficiency to include functional biomarkers could help in preventing cognitive decline earlier.

The study also found that the negative effects of low B12 were more pronounced in older adults, underscoring the age-related vulnerability to cognitive impacts from insufficient B12. Co-first author Alexandra Beaudry-Richard, MSc, further stressed the importance of rethinking B12 deficiency thresholds. “Lower levels could impact cognition to a greater extent than we previously thought,” she noted, suggesting that a larger portion of the population might be affected than previously realized.

The study calls for clinicians to reconsider their approach to B12 supplementation, particularly for older patients with neurological symptoms, even if their B12 levels are within the normal range. Beaudry-Richard urges further research into the underlying biology of B12 insufficiency, as it could potentially be a preventable cause of cognitive decline.

These findings suggest that revisiting how we define and address B12 deficiency could play a crucial role in preventing age-related cognitive decline, offering a more proactive approach to brain health in aging populations.