Medical Notes: One Pill Could Replace Your Daily Workout, How Your Hometown Contributes to Your Diet, and a Less-Invasive Alternative to Injections

Have we found an alternative to injecting medicine?

Needles are a fear for many people, but some necessary medications can’t be taken any other way. In an effort to update this delivery system, scientists have created a new, suction cup method. The small device attaches to the inside of your cheek and sends medicine through the mucosal lining and into the bloodstream. The research is published in Science Translational Medicine (ETH Zurich).

Your hometown influences what you consume

A new study in Nature Communications breaks down which populations drink more sugary beverages. For example, global intakes are higher in males, but countries like Mexico and America consume more sugary drinks than India and China. The study doesn’t mention a reason behind the results, but experts think it may be connected to local marketing laws (Tufts University).

We may soon be able to simplify our daily workout

A new study in The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics has laid the foundation for a future without exercise. Mice were given a drug that tricks their muscles into thinking they’re moving more than they actually are, which boosts metabolism and endurance. The mice were able to run almost 50 percent farther without any physical training. Though this treatment is in the early stages of development, researchers hope this will one day be used to treat obesity, diabetes, and muscle loss (University of Florida).