RadioMD News... I'm John Byrd.

A new study has linked the artificial sweetener Splenda to a significantly higher risk of leukemia and other cancers. Splenda, or sucralose was introduced in 1999 as an alternative to other artificial sweeteners shown to cause health issues.

Scientists have been able to grow functional heart tissue using donated hearts stripped of their cells. The hope is that soon they may be able to grow patches of heart tissue from patients own cells to repair damage from heart attacks or heart failure.

And... having a younger sibling can keep you slimmer? Yes, having a pesky kid brother or sister may actually have been good for your health, finds a new study. Children who didn't welcome a baby brother or sister into the family before first grade had almost triple the odds of obesity than those who did. Active play-time plus changed parental food and bedtime routines came into play with a younger sibling. And tattling. A time-honored tradition.

For RadioMD News, this is John Byrd. Hear health talk interviews with top experts at RadioMD dot com.