Health
Veterans with PTSD get 'significant' benefits from service dogs, first NIH-funded study finds
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).
The positive impact of service dogs on the mental health of U.S. military veterans has been widely recognized.
Now, the first clinical trial funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) looked into exactly how pairing service dogs with PTSD-diagnosed veterans improves symptoms.
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As June marks PTSD Awareness Month, the University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine partnered with K9s For Warriors – the nation’s largest provider of trained service dogs, based in Florida – to study over 156 military veterans over three months, based on their self-reported symptoms and doctors’ assessments.
The largest nationwide survey of its kind analyzed service dog partnerships in 81 vets compared to those who received traditional care without a dog.
Marine Corps veteran Bill Lins, a sergeant from 2004 to 2016, is pictured here with his dog, Link. Lins suffered from PTSD and a traumatic brain injury after he left the service. (K9s for Warriors)
The study looked at each participant’s PTSD symptoms, including psychosocial functioning, quality of life and social health.
Veterans with service dogs were found to have a 66% lower chance of a PTSD diagnosis compared to a control group without dogs.
These respondents also experienced lower levels of anxiety and depression, as well as improvements in most areas of emotional and social well-being, the study found.
K9s for Warriors chief program officer Kevin Steele noted in a press release that service dogs are “life-saving and life-transforming” for veterans.
“Asking for help is a sign of strength,” Marine veteran Bill Lins, pictured with his dog, Link, told Fox News Digital. (K9s for Warriors)
“These dogs have enabled our warriors to better connect with family, friends and their community and to begin living the life they previously didn’t think was possible,” he said. “The results of this study further prove that what we do here at K9s works.”
Lead study author Dr. Maggie O’Haire of the University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine told Fox News Digital, “I think that service dogs have become increasingly popular for veterans, specifically for PTSD, and I think that for a while, we could support this based on anecdotes or emotional intuition.”
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She added, “But now that this practice is growing, we see the need for evidence on a scientific basis.”
O’Haire suggested that some clinicians feel “ill-equipped” to support this mode of therapy, which is why the evidence is so important.
The first clinical trial funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) looked into how pairing service dogs with PTSD-diagnosed veterans improves symptoms for those suffering from it. (iStock)
“We can increase effectiveness, reduce side effects, and make it better for both the person and the animal,” she said.
“And we do that through systematic collection of data on how it’s working.”
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The co-author mentioned that each veteran involved in the study had an “incredible story” of survival.
“It’s not uncommon for me to hear from a veteran, ‘I would not be alive if it were not for my service dog,’” she said.
“It’s not uncommon for me to hear from a veteran, ‘I would not be alive if it were not for my service dog.’”
“We know that veterans are struggling. They’re facing high rates of anxiety, depression and even suicide. And what we see is that, in addition to evidence-based care, they’re also seeking out service dogs.”
An estimated 23% of military members and veterans with post-9/11 service have PTSD, according to NIH research. Veterans are also more likely to die by suicide than non-veterans.
A veteran’s success story
Marine Corps veteran Bill Lins, a sergeant from 2004 to 2016, battled with mental health issues, suffering from PTSD and a traumatic brain injury after leaving the service.
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Lins, who is now a mental health therapist, sat on the advisory panel for the NIH service dog study. He told Fox News Digital he was once in the same dark place as many other veterans.
“I was a very absent parent,” he said. “I could force myself through the motions, but I was very detached.”
Bill Lins is pictured with Link in front of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. Today a mental health therapist, Lins sat on the advisory panel for the NIH service dog study. (K9s for Warriors)
“I knew I loved my kids, but I couldn’t feel it – and that felt really wrong,” he went on.
“It felt really shameful. And that’s [what] highlighted that maybe something bigger was going on.”
Lins considered that having “no identity” after leaving the Marine Corps fed into some other bad habits, like drinking and taking unnecessary risks.
“I was dumped back out into the world to get a job and be a dad,” he said. “It was tough.”
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Lins’ wife ultimately filed for divorce. “I was kind of just floating and had no idea where to go,” he said.
When he saw another veteran friend with a service dog who had a “lightness” to him, Lins decided to apply for a companion of his own.
“I don’t know how they picked such a remarkably perfect animal to pair with me.”
The veteran eventually heard from K9s for Warriors, who placed him with his service dog, Link, in Aug. 2022.
“I don’t know how they picked such a remarkably perfect animal to pair with me,” he said.
“I took him to the pool, and I remember laughing, watching him run. And I thought, ‘I can’t remember the last time I really laughed.’”
Lins described Link, a 72-pound lab mix, as a “wonderfully mannered, remarkable animal.”
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“He wants nothing more than to make everyone around him happy,” Lins said. “That is his life’s mission.”
“He has done a 180 in my world, and my kids are all so thankful that he’s here,” he added. “My entire family loves him. He just hands out happiness and expects nothing in return.”
“He has done a 180 in my world,” said Bill Lins, pictured with his dog, Link. “My entire family loves him. He just hands out happiness and expects nothing in return.” (K9s for Warriors)
Having a service dog is a distraction from “the things that you worry about,” Lins said.
“The bond is so strong that I worry about him so much more than myself,” he said. “I get to stay present as opposed to [getting] lost in my own thoughts.”
For other veterans seeking help, Lins recommended having a service dog as a source of comfort when things get difficult.
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“He’s always there. He’s never judgmental,” he said. “I can have any emotion that I want. I can have nightmares and be upset. And there’s no shame around him. I don’t have to hide things.”
He added, “He intuitively wants to be there and take care of me the same way that I want to be there and take care of him.”
Channing Seideman, pictured with her service dog, Bishop, was diagnosed with epilepsy at 10 years old. Now, she said, “Bishop goes absolutely everywhere with me.” (Channing Seideman)
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Dr. Robert Lufkin, pictured at left, was diagnosed with four chronic diseases, which inspired him to write a book, “Lies I Taught in Medical School.” (Dr. Robert Lufkin / iStock)
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a fresh warning about an increased risk of dengue virus infections as a “record-breaking number” of cases are being reported in the Americas.
From January 1 to June 24 of this year, more than 9.7 million dengue cases were recorded among countries in the Americas, which is more than double the 4.6 million infections recorded throughout 2023, according to the CDC.
“Global incidence of dengue in 2024 has been the highest on record for this calendar year; many countries are reporting higher-than-usual dengue case numbers,” it also said. “In 2024, countries in the Americas have reported a record-breaking number of dengue cases, exceeding the highest number ever recorded in a single year.”
The CDC describes the dengue virus as the “most common” mosquito-borne disease in the world. In the U.S., Florida has reported the most cases so far this year with 197, followed by New York with 134, Massachusetts with 50 and California with 40.
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The CDC says there is a “record-breaking” number of dengue virus infections being recorded in the Americas so far this year. (iStock)
“Six U.S. territories and freely associated states are classified as areas with frequent or continuous dengue transmission: Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau,” the CDC adds.
The health agency says one in every four dengue infections are symptomatic, with effects including fever and “nausea, vomiting, rash, muscle aches, joint pain, bone pain, pain behind the eyes, headache, or low white blood cell counts.”
“Severe disease, with associated severe bleeding, shock or respiratory distress caused by plasma leakage, or end-organ impairment, develops in 1 in 20 people with symptomatic dengue,” according to the CDC.
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Tiger mosquitoes are being blamed for the recent spread of the dengue virus in Europe. (iStock)
It said infants under the age of one, pregnant women and adults over the age of 65 carry an “increased risk of severe dengue” and that “transmission peaks during the warmer and wetter months in many tropical and subtropical regions.”
There is not currently a medication to treat dengue, the CDC says.
A worker is seen releasing smoke during a fumigation campaign against the Aedes aegypti or Aedes albopictus mosquito, which is the transmitter for the dengue virus, on June 24, in San Salvador, El Salvador. (Aphotografia/Getty Images)
Infected people are advised to rest, take acetaminophen for pain and fever, stay hydrated and see a doctor.
Fox News’ Melissa Rudy contributed to this report.
A California doctor wants people to know that, in his view and experience, the medical community doesn’t always tell patients the truth.
Dr. Robert Lufkin, a physician and father of two young children, has been diagnosed with four chronic diseases — the same ones that claimed his father’s life.
Inspired by his own medical struggles, Lufkin decided to write a book exposing what he calls “medical lies” that contribute to the risk of chronic disease in the U.S. – some of which he says he himself once taught as a professor at UCLA and USC.
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While Lufkin is critical of the medical establishment, he pointed out that he is also still part of it himself.
“I’ve written hundreds of peer-reviewed articles and 10 textbooks, and also have the honor and privilege of teaching doctors and other health care professionals, as well as seeing patients,” Lufkin told Fox News Digital during an interview.
Dr. Robert Lufkin, pictured at left, was diagnosed with four chronic diseases, which inspired him to write a book, “Lies I Taught in Medical School.” (Dr. Robert Lufkin/iStock)
His own diagnoses, Lufkin said, “woke him up” to the flaws in the medical system.
First, he developed a type of arthritis called gout.
“Next, I developed hypertension, which practically half of adults have,” he said.
“Unless we address the metabolic cause … the diseases will only continue to get worse and worse.”
Then came pre-diabetes, followed by dyslipidemia — “which is sort of abnormal blood lipids.”
The doctor noted that he’s actually a “big fan” of Western medicine in general — “I think it’s transformed our lives and made the world a better place,” he said — but that in the 21st century, a “new class of diseases” has posed a challenge.
Dr. Robert Lufkin, a physician and father of two children, said Western medicine has “made the world a better place,” though he warns of widespread misinformation. (Dr. Robert Lufkin)
“The diseases were present before, but now they’re exploding,” he said.
These include obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease and even mental illness, Lufkin said.
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“Up to 80% of our resources are now spent on these chronic diseases.”
The problem, according to the doctor, is that the tools that were so effective in the 20th century — “the pills and surgeries” — might save lives in the moment.
But they only address the symptoms of these chronic diseases — not their root causes.
In his book, “Lies I Taught in Medical School,” Lufkin claims that medical professionals tend to propagate 10 major misconceptions. (Dr. Robert Lufkin)
“There’s a common metabolic cause that underlies most of these diseases,” Lufkin said.
“And unless we address the metabolic cause, the pills and surgeries will not. The diseases will only continue to get worse and worse.”
‘The 10 lies’
In his book, “Lies I Taught in Medical School,” Lufkin claims that medical professionals tend to propagate 10 falsehoods.
He listed these situations and includes separate chapters on them in his book, labeled this way:
1. The Metabolic Lie: “Metabolism Is Just the Body’s Way of Digesting Food”
2. The Obesity Lie: “To Lose Weight, Just Exercise More and Eat Less”
3. The Diabetes Lie: “Sugar is Harmless, Other Than Causing Weight Gain and Tooth Decay”
4. The Fatty Liver Lie: “There Is No Treatment for Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease”
5. The Hypertension Lie: “High Blood Pressure Is Best Treated with Drugs”
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6. The Cardiovascular Disease Lie: “Statins Are a Good Choice to Prevent Heart Disease”
7. The Cancer Lie: “Most Cancer Is Caused by Accumulated DNA Damage”
8. The Alzheimer’s Lie: “Alzheimer’s Disease Is a Progressive, Untreatable Disease Caused by Beta-Amyloid Accumulation”
9. The Mental Health Lie: “Metabolism Has Little Effect on Mental Health”
10. The Longevity Lie: “Aging Is the Inevitable Result of Accumulated Wear and Tear”
“In each chapter,” said Lufkin, “we go through each of those chronic diseases that determine our life span — and we talk about what the lies are and what the truth is.”
The doctor then presents a plan for making healthier lifestyle choices.
In his book, Dr. Lufkin also shares recommendations for healthy lifestyle choices to help prevent disease. (iStock)
“We talk about the nutrition, sleep, exercise, stress and how we can craft our own lifestyles to reverse those diseases,” he said.
In the excerpt below, Lufkin explains the first two of these “lies.”
Read an excerpt from ‘Lies I Taught in Medical School’
The Obesity Lie: ‘A Calorie Is Just a Calorie’
Dr. Robert Lufkin: We are now experiencing the worst global epidemic of obesity in history. Statistics show that 42.5% of adults age 20 and over are obese, and 73.6% are at least overweight.
Almost half of Americans are now obese, and most are overweight. Obesity is unhealthy and a marker for metabolic dysfunction, which manifests as hypertension, diabetes, heart attack, stroke, Alzheimer’s, cancer and other chronic diseases.
“We are now experiencing the worst global epidemic of obesity in history.”
Our understanding of the causes of this epidemic and the approaches to treating it is based on a simple lie: that “a calorie is a calorie,” implying that obesity is caused by eating too many calories.
“Obesity is unhealthy and a marker for metabolic dysfunction, which manifests as hypertension, diabetes, heart attack, stroke, Alzheimer’s, cancer and other chronic diseases,” a doctor writes in his book. (iStock)
As a physician, I know from personal experience that I can make anyone gain weight or fat just by giving them extra insulin. This is seen in both type 1 and type 2 diabetics as soon as they begin taking extra insulin as a medication.
To put it another way, calories are necessary, but not sufficient to drive obesity. Insulin is required. Obesity is not just a calorie problem; it’s an insulin problem.
If all foods stimulated insulin equally, then a calorie would just be a calorie. That’s not a lie. But all foods don’t trigger insulin the same way.
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The truth here is that in order to lose (or gain) weight, the most important thing is not the number of calories consumed, but rather the types of calories that affect insulin levels and direct our bodies to store energy as fat.
As every rancher knows, to fatten livestock, simply feed them large amounts of refined carbohydrates that will turn on insulin and drive energy storage into fat.
Feeding livestock fatty foods will not have the same effect.
The Diabetes Lie: ‘Sugar is Harmless, Other Than Causing Weight Gain and Tooth Decay’
We are currently at the beginning of the worst diabetes epidemic the world has ever known. Ten percent of American adults have type 2 diabetes, and about 38% have prediabetes. This means that for the first time in history, 48% — or nearly half the population — have the same metabolic disease!
“We are currently at the beginning of the worst diabetes epidemic the world has ever known,” Dr. Robert Lufkin writes in his new book. (iStock)
The diabetes lie declares that the best way to treat type 2 diabetes is with insulin.
Giving insulin will help control the immediate effects of too much glucose in the blood by telling our cells to remove that blood glucose and store it as fat.
However, it will also raise the body’s overall insulin levels, worsening insulin resistance, the underlying cause of type 2 diabetes. Additionally, elevated insulin levels drive other chronic diseases.
“Many people would rather take a pill or a shot instead of changing their lifestyles.”
Our health care system is sadly much more optimized to deliver prescriptions for insulin and other drugs for managing type 2 diabetes than giving instructions on how to reverse it by changing our nutrition to avoid the causes.
To be fair, many people would rather take a pill or a shot instead of changing their lifestyles. But most people don’t know how powerful and effective lifestyle choices can be.
Plus, there is some evidence to show that merely improving glucose control with drugs, such as insulin or pills, might not prevent some of the long-term complications these patients all face.
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There are also financial incentives. In 2013, sales of insulin and other diabetes drugs reached $23 billion, according to data from IMS Health, a drug market research firm.
That was more than the combined revenue of the National Football League, Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association.
Excerpted with permission from the new book, “Lies I Told in Medical School” (BenBella Books, Inc.), by Dr. Robert Lufkin, copyright © 2024 by Dr. Robert Lufkin. All rights reserved.
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