WEIRD STUFF

Brits admit wearing same underwear for days

Some Brits only wash their underwear once a week.

Men were the worst offenders, as only 26 per cent washed their underwear daily, according to a study by Laundryheap.

And what's worse, a fifth of those surveyed admitted they chuck on the same pair of undies for multiple days.

Deyan Dimitrov, a laundry expert at Laundryheap, is quoted by the Daily Star newspaper as saying: "Even if worn for only a few hours, underwear collects sweat, oil and bodily fluids that need washing before being worn."

Dr Jen Caudle, a TV health expert, said people risk serious health dangers if they do not change their smalls daily.

In a 2024 TikTok video, she said: "Changing your underwear every day helps potentially lower the risk of moisture being trapped in your genital area and developing bacterial yeast infections and stuff like that."

She added that skin conditions such as eczema can also develop amid irregular changing of underwear.

However, Dr Annju Methil, a dermatologist with ClinicSpots, claimed that men can wear some pants for multiple days without putting their health at risk.

But it only applies in scenarios where a person is taking part in "minimal activity" and is not sweating.

However, women cannot have the same luxury because harmful bacteria has a shorter distance to travel, given females have a shorter tract that connects the genitals and back passage.

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Daily cups linked to better health

Drinking four cups of tea could help people living with chronic health conditions.

Researchers found that black tea can aid asthma, diabetes and heart disease sufferers, after they examined results from 22 previous investigations, including 11 clinical trials on how a cuppa affects inflammation in the body.

Dr Nisa Aslam, co-author of the recent study Black Tea and Systemic Inflammation, is quoted by the Mirror as saying: "Chronic low-level inflammation is a growing public health concern, linked to rising rates of conditions like obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and osteoarthritis.

"Whilst our research review is not suggesting that tea can replace medical treatment, it does add to growing evidence that the tea we drink dietetically every day. Diet is increasingly recognised as a practical way to help manage this inflammation."

Co-author Dr Emma Derbyshire added: "Previous research has tended to focus on green tea, or to look at plant compounds more generally, rather than examining black tea on its own.

"As a result, evidence on black tea and inflammation has been scattered across the scientific literature."

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Party drugs liked to strokes

Cocaine and other recreational drugs can increase an individual's risk of a stroke.

Scientists at the University of Cambridge analysed data from over 100 million people and found that cocaine use was linked to a 96 per cent risk, and a 122 per cent higher chance of a stroke for amphetamine users, compared to those who did not take the drugs.

Cannabis, meanwhile, was associated with a 37 per cent increased risk of strokes -- which happen when blood vessels in the brain either get blocked or burst.

However, the researchers found no evidence that opioids -- a very addictive painkiller -- contributed to a person's risk of stroke -- the third leading cause of death and disability globally.

Dr Megan Ritson, first author on the study and a research associate at the University of Cambridge, said: "Illicit drug use is a preventable stroke risk, but I don't know if young people are aware how high the risk is.

"This is the first finding that has shown how different substance use disorders really can impact stroke risk."