A sharper mind and body with a fake supplement in just 3 weeks

 

Taking a fake supplement (actually a placebo) for 3 weeks can lead to both physical and cognitive improvements in older adults: this is the power of the placebo effect revealed by research conducted by psychologists at the Università Cattolica at Milan; the placebo works even when the persons taking it is aware of what they are actually taking. The study was published in the International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology and led by Diletta Barbiani, Alessandro Antonietti, and Francesco Pagnini, and was funded by PNRR grants from the Age-IT project.

“The study is part of an established line of research in which we analyze the role of the mind in aging processes, which is very important,” Pagnini, Full Professor of Clinical Psychology at the Faculty of Psychology of the Università Cattolica emphasizes.

No study had yet examined whether a placebo in its traditional sense—an inert treatment presented as active—could influence functions that tend to decline naturally with age. “Our goal,” Professor Pagnini explains, “was to clarify whether an open-label placebo therapy (i.e., where the recipient is aware it is a placebo) or a fake supplement (people don’t know it’s a placebo) could influence psychological, cognitive, and physical functions in older adults living in the community.”

The researchers enrolled 90 healthy older adults, randomly assigned to one of three conditions: a control group that received no intervention; a deceptive placebo group that received placebo pills while being told they contained active ingredients effective in improving function and well-being; and an open-label placebo group, explicitly informed that the pills were inert but capable of inducing beneficial mind-body responses. Participants completed self-report questionnaires (providing information on levels of perceived stress, psychological well-being, sleepiness, fatigue, optimism, self-efficacy, and stereotypes about aging) and objective tests of short-term memory, selective attention, and physical performance before and after the 3-week intervention.

It turned out that after 3 weeks, the open-label placebo group showed lower levels of perceived stress compared to both the sham placebo group and the control group. Short-term memory performance also improved significantly in the open-label placebo group compared to the controls. The analyses revealed consistent cognitive and physical improvements in both placebo groups, with particularly pronounced effects in the open-label placebo group. Specifically, researchers found that the placebo improved physical performance by 7% when taken under deception, and by 9.2% when taken knowingly. Cognitive performance improved, depending on the assessment test used by the psychologists, by between 12.6% and 14.6% in the case of the sham supplement (deceptive placebo), and by between 6.9% and 21.5% in the case of the placebo taken knowingly. “These are significant effects,” the psychologist emphasizes, “comparable to those seen in some experimental studies on physical activity regarding physical performance and cognitive training, especially with regard to memory.” Among the various effects observed, there was an improvement in drowsiness and, particularly for the group aware they are taking the placebo, in stress levels.

Placebo interventions improved multiple functional domains in older adults, with open-label placebos producing benefits comparable to or greater than those of sham placebos. These results suggest the potential of open-label placebos as a promising and ethically acceptable approach to promoting healthy aging. These findings are another piece in the scientific literature demonstrating how the role of the mind—understood as thoughts, emotions, and self-perception—is extremely relevant in the aging process—not only regarding psychological well-being, which is quite intuitive, but also regarding physical and cognitive function, professor Pagnini concludes.

Too much dietary salt linked to new cases of heart failure

 Excessive consumption of dietary sodium (salt) is a significant, independent risk factor for new-onset heart failure, according to a report from Vanderbilt Health.

 

In a group of predominantly Black and low-income people from the southeastern United States, consuming a population average of about 4,200 milligrams of dietary sodium a day (the recommended maximum is 2,300 milligrams) was associated with a 15% increase in the risk of incident (new) cases of heart failure.

 

“Even modest reductions in sodium consumption may significantly reduce the burden of heart failure in this high-risk population,” the researchers reported March 17 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Advances.

 

Reducing dietary salt consumption is not a simple matter, however, cautioned the paper’s corresponding author, Deepak Gupta, MD, MSCI, associate professor of Medicine and director of the Vanderbilt Translational and Clinical Cardiovascular Research Center (VTRACC).

 

Multilevel, public health strategies may be required to address grocery store availability and limited transportation options that make it difficult for residents of many low-income, high-risk communities to access healthier food options, Gupta said.

 

Leonie Dupuis, MD, a third-year resident physician in internal medicine at Vanderbilt Health, is first author of the paper, which analyzed dietary and health records of more than 25,300 participants in the federally funded Southern Community Cohort Study.

 

The SCCS has tracked the health of predominantly Black and low-income residents of 12 southeastern states since 2001. Most of them were enrolled in this and other studies through community health centers.

 

Average daily sodium consumption in this group was 4,269 milligrams per day, well above the daily, 2,300-milligram limit recommended by federal dietary guidelines.

 

The increased risk of heart failure linked to sodium was independent of sociodemographic factors, including diet quality and caloric intake, as well as health conditions such as high blood pressure and high lipid blood levels.

 

Heart failure contributes to 425,000 deaths in the United States each year. The cost of caring for the estimated 1 million new cases of heart failure diagnosed annually runs into the tens of billions of dollars.

 

Even a modest reduction in dietary salt, to 4,000 milligrams a day or less, could reduce heart failure cases by 6.6% over 10 years, the researchers predicted. That would translate into fewer deaths from heart failure and a nearly $2-billion-a-year reduction in national health expenditures.

 

Preparing a home cooked meal at least once a week may cut older people’s dementia risk by 30%

 

This risk may be 70% lower in novice cooks with few culinary skills, study suggests

FacebookXLinkedInWeChatBlueskyMessageWhatsAppEmail

Preparing a home cooked meal at least once a week may cut older people’s risk of dementia by 30%, suggests research published online in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health. 

And this risk may be 70% lower in older novice cooks with few culinary skills, the findings indicate. 

Over the past few decades, people have increasingly come to rely on restaurants, takeaways, and frozen food rather than cooking their meals at home, note the Japanese researchers. 

But for older people, meal preparation is not only an important source of physical activity, but also cognitive stimulus, they add. 

As such, they wanted to find out if the frequency of home cooking might be associated with the incidence of dementia and if this might depend on the level of cooking skills. 

They drew on 10,978 participants, aged at least 65, from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study, whose cognitive health was tracked for 6 years up to 2022.  

A fifth of the participants were aged 80+ and half were women. A third had fewer than 9 years of education, and 40% had an annual income of  less than 2 million yen (under £10,000/US$ 12,500). More than half were retired. 

Participants filled in questionnaires on how often they cooked meaals from scratch at home, ranging from never to more than 5 times a week, as well as the extent of their culinary competence. This was assessed on 7 skills, ranging from the ability/inability to peel fruit and vegetables to the ability/inability to make stews. 

Around half of the participants cooked at least five times a week, while more than a quarter didn’t. Women and those who were experienced cooks tended to cook more meals at home than men and those who were inexperienced cooks.

Cases of dementia were ascertained from data in the public insurance system, which captures functionally significant cognitive impairment requiring care. 

During the tracking period, 1195 people developed dementia (cumulative incidence 11%); 870 died and another 157 moved away before developing dementia.

Analysis of the data showed that greater cooking frequency was associated with a lower risk of dementia in both men and women, but differed according to the extent of culinary competency. 

Cooking from scratch at least once a week was associated with a 23% lower risk of dementia in men and a 27% lower risk in women than cooking less than once a week. 

And for those with few cooking skills, cooking a meal from scratch at least once a week was associated with a 67% reduction in the risk of dementia.  

While a high degree of culinary competency was also associated with a lower risk of dementia, cooking frequency didn’t reduce the risk of dementia further. 

These findings held true after accounting for potentially influential factors, such as lifestyle, household income, and years of education, and they were independent of other activities positively associated with cognitive reserve, such as crafting, volunteering, and gardening.

This is an observational study, and as such, no firm conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect. And cases of mild dementia would not have been included in the registry data and the classification of cooking skills may not have differentiated between those cooking simple meals because they didn’t like cooking and those unable to cook, the researchers highlight. 

The findings may not apply more widely because what food is eaten, and how it is prepared, vary from culture to culture, they add. 

Nevertheless, they conclude: “Creating an environment where people can cook meals when they are older may be important for the prevention of dementia.” 

---

DOI

10.1136/jech-2025-225139 

Mediterranean diet may boost mitochondrial signals linked to heart and brain health

 

Findings shed light on a new frontier in “precision nutrition,” where biomarkers could help tailor diets to optimize health and longevity.

Peer-Reviewed Publication

University of Southern California

FacebookXLinkedInWeChatBlueskyMessageWhatsAppEmail

A new study led by researchers at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology suggests that the benefits of the Mediterranean diet may be driven, in part, by tiny proteins hidden within our mitochondria, opening a new window into how diet shapes aging and disease risk.

The study, led by USC Leonard Davis Instructional Associate Professor of Gerontology Roberto Vicinanza, found that people who closely follow a Mediterranean-style diet have higher levels of two mitochondrial microproteins, humanin and SHMOOSE – both of which have been linked to protection against cardiovascular disease and neurodegeneration.

“These microproteins may act as molecular messengers that translate what we eat into how our cells function and age,” Vicinanza said. “It’s a new biological pathway that helps explain why the Mediterranean diet is so powerful.”

Diet, Mitochondria and Aging

The Mediterranean diet, which is rich in olive oil, fish, legumes, fruits and vegetables, has long been associated with lower risk of heart disease, diabetes and cognitive decline. But the mechanisms behind these benefits are still being uncovered.

In the new study, researchers analyzed blood samples from older adults with varying levels of adherence to the diet. Those with the highest adherence showed significantly elevated levels of humanin and SHMOOSE, along with lower markers of oxidative stress, a key driver of aging and chronic disease.

The team also found that specific foods appeared to matter. Olive oil, fish and legumes were associated with higher humanin levels, while olive oil and lower intake of refined carbohydrates were linked to higher SHMOOSE.

“These findings suggest that specific components of the Mediterranean diet may directly influence mitochondrial biology,” said USC Leonard Davis School Dean and USC Distinguished Professor Pinchas Cohen, the study’s senior author. “Humanin and SHMOOSE could serve as biomarkers for adherence to the Mediterranean diet and have clinical significance.”

A New Role for Mitochondrial Microproteins

The study builds on more than two decades of research led by Cohen, a pioneer in the discovery of mitochondria-derived peptides.

Unlike traditional proteins encoded in nuclear DNA, these microproteins are produced from small open reading frames in the separate mitochondrial genome, regions once thought to be nonfunctional.

Among the most well-studied is humanin, which was first identified by Cohen and colleagues in 2003. It has since been linked to improved insulin sensitivity, cardiovascular protection, longevity and preservation of cognitive function.

More recently, Cohen’s lab discovered SHMOOSE (Small Human Mitochondrial ORF Over SErine tRNA), a microprotein tied to brain health. A genetic variant of SHMOOSE has been associated with increased Alzheimer’s disease risk, while the normal form appears to protect neurons from amyloid-related damage.

“These peptides are emerging as key regulators of aging biology,” Cohen said. “They connect mitochondrial function to diseases like Alzheimer’s and heart disease and now, potentially, to nutrition.”

Linking Diet to Cardioprotection

Another notable finding from the study is a potential interaction between humanin and Nox2, an enzyme that produces harmful reactive oxygen species.

Higher humanin levels were associated with lower Nox2 activity, suggesting that the peptide may help reduce oxidative stress and protect the cardiovascular system.

The researchers propose that the Mediterranean diet may work through a dual mechanism: directly lowering oxidative stress while also boosting mitochondrial microproteins that further suppress damaging pathways.

“This could represent a new cardioprotective mechanism of the Mediterranean diet,” Vicinanza said.

From the Lab to Global Advocacy

Beyond the lab, Vicinanza has also been active in promoting the Mediterranean diet on a global stage, linking his scientific work to a broader international effort to advance it as a model for health, culture, and sustainability. He has worked with the Municipality of Pollica in Italy, a UNESCO Mediterranean Diet emblematic community, to support the establishment of the International Day of the Mediterranean Diet at the United Nations. The observance will be held annually on November 16 and is aimed at raising awareness of the diet’s health, cultural, and environmental benefits worldwide. That broader mission aligns with the study’s findings, he said.

“We’re connecting centuries-old dietary traditions with cutting-edge molecular biology,” Vicinanza said. “It supports the idea that healthy eating patterns with little to no ultra-processed foods reflect how humans have eaten over long periods and may create conditions to which mitochondria—ancient cellular organelles—are likely adapted.”

Toward Precision Nutrition and Healthy Aging

While the study was relatively small and observational, the findings point to a new frontier in “precision nutrition,” where biomarkers like mitochondrial microproteins could help tailor diets to optimize health and longevity.

Future research will explore whether dietary interventions can directly increase levels of humanin, SHMOOSE and related peptides and whether those changes translate into reduced disease risk.

“Our goal is to move from observing associations to understanding causality,” Vicinanza said. “If we can harness these pathways, we may be able to design nutritional strategies that promote healthy aging at the molecular level.”

—

Dietary changes and medications could help prevent recurrent kidney stones

        

A systematic review of 31 studies found that diet changes like increasing fluid intake and following a diet low in salt and protein may help prevent recurrent nephrolithiasis, or kidney stones. In addition, several medications, including thiazide diuretics, alkali therapy, and allopurinol, may also be helpful. Evidence was unavailable regarding the usefulness of surveillance imaging.  The findings are published in Annals of Internal Medicine. 

 

Researchers from RTI-University of North Carolina Evidence-Based Practice Center aimed to evaluate the available evidence about the benefits and harms of diet, pharmacologic therapy, and surveillance imaging to prevent recurrent kidney stones. They identified and reviewed 31 clinical studies involving nonpregnant adults and a small number of children. They found that increased water intake; diets with normal to high calcium but low sodium and animal protein; and certain medications like thiazides, alkali therapy, and allopurinol may reduce stone recurrence in adults with calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate stones, although evidence was generally limited. No studies evaluated imaging as a prevention tool, and data on children were scarce. Overall, the review concludes that while several approaches may provide at least a small benefit, more research is needed to confirm the effectiveness of some interventions and clarify potential harms.

Physical activity improves work ability

A lifelong influence from childhood to the end of career

Peer-Reviewed Publication

University of Jyväskylä - Jyväskylän yliopisto

FacebookXLinkedInWeChatBlueskyMessageWhatsAppEmail

 

image: 

From an economic perspective, prioritizing physical activity among young people is essential.

view more 

Credit: University of Jyväskylä

A study conducted at the University of Jyväskylä shows that regular leisure-time physical activity started at a young age prevents a decrease in work ability at the end of career. The result is societally significant, as productivity losses due to reduced work ability costs billions of euros annually.

The study utilised valuable longitudinal data from the LISE study, which has followed the same participants for 45 years. Participants’ leisure-time physical activity was measured at school age (ages 10–19), mid-adulthood (ages 35–44) and late adulthood (ages 55–64). Based on these measurements, researchers defined a lifetime leisure-time physical activity level and examined its association with work ability in late adulthood. 

The link between an active lifestyle and work ability persists throughout life

Higher levels of leisure-time physical activity throughout the life course were clearly linked to better work ability. All three activity measurements, spread across the lifespan, contributed significantly to both lifetime activity level and work ability. In addition, adherence to physical activity recommendations in late adulthood showed a dose-response association with improved work ability.

By utilising repeated measurements, the study demonstrates that regular leisure-time physical activity promotes work ability later in life. Previously, this link could not be conclusively verified.

“In previous studies, physical activity and work ability have been measured at the same point in time, or nearly so, which creates a risk of reverse causality,” says postdoctoral researcher Perttu Laakso from the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä. “This is because health problems that reduce work ability can also lead to a decrease in physical activity.” 

Investing in young people’s physical activity is economically profitable

The research underlines the importance of physical activity in childhood and adolescence, as previous studies show that individuals tend to maintain physical activity habits adopted at a young age into adulthood.

“From an economic perspective, prioritising physical activity among young people is essential,” says Laakso. “This is an investment in a healthy and productive future workforce.”

Laakso would allocate resources to developing and strengthening school physical education, as it reaches entire age cohorts. Furthermore, making youth sports accessible to children from all economic backgrounds would be a wise investment. 

---

Journal

British Journal of Sports Medicine

DOI

10.1136/bjsports-2025-110339 

Morning exercise linked with lower cardiometabolic risk

 People who regularly exercised early in the morning were significantly less likely to have coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes or obesity compared with people who exercised later in the day, according to a study being presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26).

The research is based on health records and Fitbit-derived heart rate data from over 14,000 people. Although it is unclear whether the relationship between exercise timing and cardiometabolic health is causal or mediated by other factors, researchers said the findings could inform approaches for counseling patients on physical activity based on a more granular look at exercise behaviors than has been possible before.

“Any exercise is going to be better than no exercise, but we tried to identify an additional dimension relating to the timing of exercise,” said Prem Patel, a medical student at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School and the study’s lead author. “If you can exercise in the morning, it seems to be linked with better rates of cardiometabolic disease.”

Cardiometabolic disease markers such as high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity are associated with an increased risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death worldwide. Getting regular physical activity is known to reduce a person’s risk of these markers as well as serious cardiac events.

Researchers analyzed data from 14,489 individuals participating in All of Us, a large national study. Minute-level heart rate data from Fitbit devices were analyzed over the course of a year. To track bursts of physical activity, the researchers identified periods when participants had an elevated heart rate for 15 consecutive minutes or more. The methodology differs from other studies since it is based on the body’s response to exercise—elevated heart rate—rather than tracking particular activities such as walking to work, doing household chores or working out at the gym. 

Researchers assessed each participant’s exercise in 15-minute intervals throughout the day and grouped participants into categories based on their timing of exercise. Based on health records, researchers analyzed associations between exercise timing and high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and hyperlipidemia (elevated LDL-C cholesterol or triglycerides). They also assessed rates of cardiovascular outcomes such as coronary artery disease and atrial fibrillation and accounted for other risk factors relevant to cardiovascular health such as age, sex, income level, total activity level, sleep duration, alcohol use and smoking status.

Compared to those who exercised later in the day, those who frequently exercised in the morning were 31% less likely to have coronary artery disease, 18% less likely to have high blood pressure, 21% less likely to have hyperlipidemia, 30% less likely to have Type 2 diabetes, and 35% less likely to have obesity. These associations were independent of the total daily amount of physical activity. Exercise between 7:00 and 8:00 a.m. was associated with the lowest odds of coronary artery disease.

Researchers said that the study offers a more holistic view of exercise than previous research and suggest that exercise timing may represent a previously underappreciated aspect of cardiometabolic health. Most studies have historically assessed total physical activity levels or tracked exercise timing for short periods; this is the first large study to assess exercise amount and timing based on long-term data from wearable devices.

“In the past, researchers have mainly looked at how much physical activity to do, the number of minutes or the intensity of physical activity,” Patel said. “Now with 1 in 3 Americans having a wearable device, we’re gaining the ability to look at exercise at the minute-by-minute level, and that opens a lot of doors in terms of new analyses.”

The findings show an association only and do not indicate whether early exercise habits cause improvements in health markers, researchers said. Patel said that biological factors such as hormones, sleep or genetics may play a role in the associations they observed. Behavioral and psychological factors also could be involved; for example, exercising early in the day could lead to higher energy levels and healthier food choices throughout the day, or it could be more common among people who prioritize healthy habits in general. Further research could help to determine the role of such factors and help inform exercise recommendations, the authors said.

For more information on the benefits of exercise on cardiovascular health, visit www.CardioSmart.org/MoveMore.