Aging
Education, job, and social life may help protect brain from cognitive decline
Why do some people with amyloid plaques in their brains associated with Alzheimer’s disease show no signs of the disease, while others with the same amount of plaque have clear memory and thinking problems? Researchers looked at genetic and life course factors that may help create a “cognitive reserve” that provides a buffer against the disease in a study published in the August 3, 2022, online issue of *Neurology®*, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology*.* They found that factors such as taking part in clubs, religious groups, sports or artistic activities, alon... read more
Research links red meat intake, gut microbiome, and cardiovascular disease in older adults
Does eating more meat—especially red meat and processed meat—raise the risk of cardiovascular disease, and if so, why? Despite intense study, the impact of animal source foods on atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is vigorously debated, and the mechanisms underlying potential effects of animal proteins remain unclear. Understanding the impacts of meat consumption is particularly important in older adults, because they are the most vulnerable to heart disease yet may benefit from intake of protein to offset age-related loss of muscle mass and strength. Over the year... read more
Does eating more meat—especially red meat and processed meat—raise the risk of cardiovascular disease, and if so, why? Despite intense study, the impact of animal source foods on atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is vigorously debated, and the mechanisms underlying potential effects of animal proteins remain unclear. Understanding the impacts of meat consumption is particularly important in older adults, because they are the most vulnerable to heart disease yet may benefit from intake of protein to offset age-related loss of muscle mass and strength. Over the year... read more
Using smartphones could help improve memory skills
Using digital devices, such as smartphones, could help improve memory skills rather than causing people to become lazy or forgetful, finds a new study led by UCL researchers. The research, published in *Journal of Experimental Psychology: General*, showed that digital devices help people to store and remember very important information. This, in turn, frees up their memory to recall additional less important things. Neuroscientists have previously expressed concerns that the overuse of technology could result in the breakdown of cognitive abilities and cause “digital dementia”... read more
Eating more ultra-processed foods associated with increased risk of dementia
People who eat the highest amounts of ultra-processed foods like soft drinks, chips and cookies may have a higher risk of developing dementia than those who eat the lowest amounts, according to a new study published in the July 27, 2022, online issue of *Neurology®*, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Researchers also found that replacing ultra-processed foods in a person’s diet with unprocessed or minimally processed foods was associated with a lower risk. The study does not prove that ultra-processed foods cause dementia. It only shows an association. Ult... read more
Chores, exercise, and social visits linked to lower risk of dementia
Physical and mental activities, such as household chores, exercise, and visiting with family and friends, may help lower the risk of dementia, according to a new study published in the July 27, 2022, online issue of *Neurology®*, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study looked at the effects of these activities, as well as mental activities and use of electronic devices in people both with and without higher genetic risk for dementia. “Many studies have identified potential risk factors for dementia, but we wanted to know more about a wide variety of l... read more
Finding the right memory strategy to slow cognitive decline
A new study compares two popular forms of cognitive training that people often use to improve learning and memory What’s the best way to improve your memory as you age? Turns out, it depends, a new study suggests. But your fourth-grade math teacher may have been onto something with that phrase to help you remember how to work out a complicated problem: Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally. A new study led by researchers from the University of Michigan and Penn State College of Medicine compared two approaches for people with an early form of memory loss. The two are mnemonic s... read more
Brain stimulation improves motor skill learning at older age
Even though we don’t think about it, every movement we make in our daily life essentially consists of a sequence of smaller actions in a specific order. The only time we realize this is when we have to learn a new motor skill, like a sport, a musical instrument, a new dance routine or even a new electronic device such as a smart phone or videogame controller. Perhaps unsurprisingly, there is a lot of research invested in figuring out how humans acquire sequential... read more
Depression linked to consuming an inflammatory diet, increasing risk of frailty
A new study published in *The Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences* found a link between depression, diet, and the development of frailty. Frailty, defined as a recognizable state of increased vulnerability resulting from a decline in function across multiple physiological systems, affects 10-15% older adults and often co-occurs with other health conditions, like depression.Frailty, defined as a recognizable state of increased vulnerability resulting from a decline in function across multiple physiological systems, affects 10-15% older adults and often co-occurs with other ... read more
Women already live longer. They can live better with an improved diet
Women tend to live longer than men but typically have higher rates of illness. Now, new research from University of Georgia suggests these higher rates of illness can be improved by a better diet, one that is high in pigmented carotenoids such as yams, kale, spinach, watermelon, bell peppers, tomatoes, oranges and carrots. These bright-colored fruits and vegetables are particularly important in preventing visual and cognitive loss. “The idea is that men get a lot of the diseases that tend to kill you, but women get those diseases less often or later so they perseverate but with ... read more
Women tend to live longer than men but typically have higher rates of illness. Now, new research from University of Georgia suggests these higher rates of illness can be improved by a better diet, one that is high in pigmented carotenoids such as yams, kale, spinach, watermelon, bell peppers, tomatoes, oranges and carrots. These bright-colored fruits and vegetables are particularly important in preventing visual and cognitive loss. “The idea is that men get a lot of the diseases that tend to kill you, but women get those diseases less often or later so they perseverate but with ... read more
Long term high-fat diet expands waistline and shrinks brain
New research shows that fatty foods may not only be adding to your waistline but also playing havoc with your brain. An international study led by UniSA neuroscientists Professor Xin-Fu Zhou and Associate Professor Larisa Bobrovskaya has established a clear link between mice fed a high-fat diet for 30 weeks, resulting in diabetes, and a subsequent deterioration in their cognitive abilities, including developing anxiety, depression and worsening Alzheimer's disease. Mice with impaired cognitive function were also more likely to gain excessive weight due to poor metabolism caused by... read more
New research shows that fatty foods may not only be adding to your waistline but also playing havoc with your brain. An international study led by UniSA neuroscientists Professor Xin-Fu Zhou and Associate Professor Larisa Bobrovskaya has established a clear link between mice fed a high-fat diet for 30 weeks, resulting in diabetes, and a subsequent deterioration in their cognitive abilities, including developing anxiety, depression and worsening Alzheimer's disease. Mice with impaired cognitive function were also more likely to gain excessive weight due to poor metabolism caused by... read more
Mediterranean diet may reduce chance of frailty
A new study published in *The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition* found that consuming a Mediterranean-style diet may prevent frailty. Defined as a recognizable state of increased vulnerability resulting from a decline in function across multiple physiological systems, frailty affects 10-15% older adults, and leads to other health issues. Although the general benefits of a Mediterranean-style diet are well known, its role in the reduction of frailty in older Americans who do not normally consume such a diet was unclear. The study titled, “Adherence to the Mediterranean-styl... read more
A new study published in *The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition* found that consuming a Mediterranean-style diet may prevent frailty. Defined as a recognizable state of increased vulnerability resulting from a decline in function across multiple physiological systems, frailty affects 10-15% older adults, and leads to other health issues. Although the general benefits of a Mediterranean-style diet are well known, its role in the reduction of frailty in older Americans who do not normally consume such a diet was unclear. The study titled, “Adherence to the Mediterranean-styl... read more
Inability to stand on one leg for 10 seconds in mid to later life linked to near doubling in risk of death
*The inability to stand on one leg for 10 seconds in mid to later life is linked to a near doubling in the risk of death from any cause within the next 10 years, finds research published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.* *This simple and safe balance test could be included in routine health checks for older adults, say the researchers.* *Unlike aerobic fitness and muscle strength and flexibility, balance tends to be reasonably well preserved until the sixth decade of life, when it starts to wane relatively rapidly, note the researchers.* Yet balance assessment... read more
Exercise
Vegans who lift weights may have stronger bones than other people on a plant-based diet
People on a plant-based diet who do strength training as opposed to other forms of exercise such as biking or swimming may have stronger bones than other people on a vegan diet, according to new research published in the Endocrine Society’s *Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.* About 6 percent of people in the United States are vegans. Recent research shows a plant-based diet can be associated with lower bone mineral density and increased fracture risk. “Veganism is a global trend with strongly increasing numbers of people worldwide adhering to a purely plant-based ... read moreNew study finds lowest risk of death was among adults who exercised 150-600 minutes/week
An analysis of more than 100,000 participants over a 30-year follow-up period found that adults who perform two to four times the currently recommended amount of moderate or vigorous physical activity per week have a significantly reduced risk of mortality, according to new research published today in the American Heart Association’s flagship, peer-reviewed journal *Circulation*. The reduction was 21-23% for people who engaged in two to four times the recommended amount of vigorous physical activity, and 26-31% for people who engaged in two to four times the recommended amount ... read more
Wearable activity trackers encourage us to walk up to 40 minutes more each day
New findings from Australian researchers have endorsed what millions of people around the world believe: fitness trackers, pedometers and smart watches motivate us to exercise more and lose weight. Wearable activity trackers encourage us to walk up to 40 minutes more each day (approximately 1800 more steps), resulting in an average 1kg weight loss over five months. Researchers from the University of South Australia reviewed almost 400 studies involving 164,000 people across the world using wearable activity trackers (WATs) to monitor their physical activity. Their findings, publ... read more
Online art viewing can improve well-being
Viewing art while visiting galleries and museums can have powerful effects on an individual's mood, stress and well-being. But does the same hold true for viewing art in digital space? A new study by psychologists led by MacKenzie Trupp, and Matthew Pelowski investigated whether engaging with art online also has this effect. Their conclusion: a short three-minute visit to an online art or cultural exhibition also shows significant positive effects on subjective well-being. In the first wave of the Covid 19 pandemic, arts and cultural institutions quickly shifted from stationary b... read more
General Health
Could acupuncture help ward off diabetes?
It’s been used for thousands of years to treat a variety of illnesses — and now acupuncture could also help fight one of the 21st century’s biggest health challenges. A new study from Edith Cowan University has found acupuncture therapy may be a useful tool in avoiding type 2 diabetes. The research team investigated dozens of studies covering the effects of acupuncture on more than 3600 people with prediabetes, a condition which sees higher-than-normal blood glucose levels without being high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. The findings showed acupuncture therapy significa... read more
Flare-ups of gout are linked to heart attack and stroke
Experts at the University of Nottingham, in collaboration with experts at Keele University, have found that the risk of heart attacks and strokes temporarily increases in the four months after a gout flare. The research showed that gout patients who suffered from a heart attack or stroke were twice as likely to have had a gout flare in the 60 days prior to the event, and one and a half times more likely to have a gout flare in the 61-120 days prior. The results of the study, led by Professor Abhishek in the School of Medicine at the University of Nottingham, are published in the j... read more
: Inactivity, diets high in sugar and salt, and excess weight account for nine in ten cases of high blood pressure in children and adolescents, according to a consensus paper by heart health experts published today in *European Heart Journal,* a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).1 The document, which focuses on hypertension in 6 to 16 year-olds, recommends that families get healthy together. “Parents are significant agents of change in the promotion of children's health behaviours,” said first author Professor Giovanni de Simone of the University of Naples Federic... read more
Study shows link between frequent naps and high blood pressure
Napping on a regular basis is associated with higher risks for high blood pressure and stroke, according to new research published today in *Hypertension*, an American Heart Association journal. Researchers in China examined whether frequent naps could be a potential causal risk factor for high blood pressure and/or stroke. This is the first study to use both observational analysis of participants over a long period of time and Mendelian randomization – a genetic risk validation to investigate whether frequent napping was associated with high blood pressure and ischemic stroke. ... read more
Napping on a regular basis is associated with higher risks for high blood pressure and stroke, according to new research published today in *Hypertension*, an American Heart Association journal. Researchers in China examined whether frequent naps could be a potential causal risk factor for high blood pressure and/or stroke. This is the first study to use both observational analysis of participants over a long period of time and Mendelian randomization – a genetic risk validation to investigate whether frequent napping was associated with high blood pressure and ischemic stroke. ... read more
A healthy lifestyle can offset a high genetic risk for stroke
People who are genetically at higher risk for stroke can lower that risk by as much as 43% by adopting a healthy cardiovascular lifestyle, according to new research led by UTHealth Houston, which was published today in the *Journal of the American Heart Association*. The study included 11,568 adults from ages 45 to 64 who were stroke-free at baseline and followed for a median of 28 years. The levels of cardiovascular health were based on the American Heart Association’s Life’s Simple 7 recommendations, which include stopping smoking, eating better, getting activity, losing weigh... read more
American Heart Association adds sleep to cardiovascular health checklist
Sleep duration is now considered an essential component for ideal heart and brain health. Life’s Essential 8™ cardiovascular health score replaces Life’s Simple 7™, according to a new Presidential Advisory, Life’s Essential 8—Updating and Enhancing the American Heart Association’s Construct on Cardiovascular Health, published today in Circulation, the Association’s flagship, peer-reviewed journal. Other updates to the measures of optimal cardiovascular health, now for anyone ages 2 and older, include a new guide to assess diet; accounting for exposure to secondhand smoke and vapi... read more
Light during sleep in older adults linked to obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure
Light during sleep in older adults linked to obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure Night lights, TV left on, smart phones linked to significantly higher disease rates · Turn off lights during sleep, say sleep specialists · Half of participants were exposed to light during nighttime sleep · Older adults already at higher risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease CHICAGO --- In a sample of older men and women ages 63 to 84, those who were exposed to any amount of light while sleeping at night were significantly more likely to be obese, and have high blood pressure and diabet... read more
Can acupuncture reduce headaches?
Acupuncture may reduce headaches for people who have chronic tension-type headaches, according to a study published in the June 22, 2022, online issue of *Neurology®*, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology*.* Tension-type headaches most often involve a pressing or tightening feeling on both sides of the head with mild to moderate intensity. These headaches are not worsened by physical activity, and do not include nausea. Tension-type headaches are considered chronic when they occur at least 15 days per month. “Tension-type headaches are one of the most common... read more
Acupuncture may reduce headaches for people who have chronic tension-type headaches, according to a study published in the June 22, 2022, online issue of *Neurology®*, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology*.* Tension-type headaches most often involve a pressing or tightening feeling on both sides of the head with mild to moderate intensity. These headaches are not worsened by physical activity, and do not include nausea. Tension-type headaches are considered chronic when they occur at least 15 days per month. “Tension-type headaches are one of the most common... read more
Medicine
Booster shots offset some of Omicron immune evasion tactics
Although Omicron subvariants of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic coronavirus have evolved to evade antibody responses from the primary COVID-19 vaccine series, a new laboratory study suggests current vaccine boosters may elicit sufficient immune protection against severe Omicron-induced COVID-19 disease. The project assessed a comprehensive panel of vaccines available in the United States and around the world, as well as immunity acquired through previous infection. The international research team was led by the lab of David Veesler, associate professor of biochemistry at the University ... read more
Some antivirals used in nonsevere COVID-19 may reduce hospitalizations and deaths
The antiviral drugs molnupiravir and nirmatrelvir–ritonavir (Paxlovid), when used to treat nonsevere COVID-19, most likely reduce the risk of subsequent progression to hospitalization and death, according to new research published in *CMAJ *(*Canadian Medical Association Journal*) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.220471. As most trials have focused on patients with severe or critical COVID-19, researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to understand the effectiveness of these drugs in treating nonsevere COVID-19. "Because antiviral drugs may be most ... read more
Increasing trend in medicine-related harm leading to hospital admission.
Researchers at the University of Liverpool have identified an increasing trend in medicine-related harm leading to hospital admission. The trend is connected to a rising tide of multiple long-term health conditions (called multimorbidity) associated with the use of many medicines simultaneously (called polypharmacy). This prospective observational study from researchers at the University of Liverpool and Bangor University was undertaken at Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. It involved two-physician review of the medical notes of 1187 medical admissions across a... read more
Medications used for spine-related pain in older adults may cause adverse drug reactions
Spine-related pain is increasingly common in older adults. While medications play an important role in pain management, their use has limitations in geriatric patients due to reduced liver and kidney function, comorbid medical problems and polypharmacy (the simultaneous use of multiple drugs to treat medical conditions). Now a new review study has found acetaminophen is safe in older adults, but non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen) may be more effective for spine-related pain. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories should be used short-term in lower dose courses with gastr... read more
Supplements
Cocoa shown to reduce blood pressure and arterial stiffness in first real-life study
Cocoa only reduces blood pressure and arterial stiffness when elevated, a new study from the University of Surrey finds. Cocoa flavanols have previously been found to lower blood pressure and arterial stiffness as much as some blood pressure medication. However, how effective flavanols are in everyday life in reducing blood pressure has remained unknown, as previous studies in this area have been performed in tightly controlled experimental settings. Surrey’s new research reduces concerns that cocoa as a treatment for raised blood pressure could pose health risks by decreasing blo... read more
First trial to prove a diet supplement can prevent hereditary cancer
A trial in people with high hereditary risk of a wide range of cancers has shown a major preventive effect from resistant starch, found in a wide range of foods such as oats, breakfast cereal, cooked and cooled pasta or rice, peas and beans and slightly green bananas. An international trial - known as CAPP2 – involved almost 1000 patients with Lynch syndrome from around the world and revealed that a regular dose of resistant starch, also known as fermentable fibre, taken for an average of two years, did not affect cancers in the bowel but did reduce cancers in other parts of th... read more
A trial in people with high hereditary risk of a wide range of cancers has shown a major preventive effect from resistant starch, found in a wide range of foods such as oats, breakfast cereal, cooked and cooled pasta or rice, peas and beans and slightly green bananas. An international trial - known as CAPP2 – involved almost 1000 patients with Lynch syndrome from around the world and revealed that a regular dose of resistant starch, also known as fermentable fibre, taken for an average of two years, did not affect cancers in the bowel but did reduce cancers in other parts of th... read more
Green tea extract promotes gut health, lowers blood sugar
New research in people with a cluster of heart disease risk factors has shown that consuming green tea extract for four weeks can reduce blood sugar levels and improve gut health by lowering inflammation and decreasing “leaky gut.” Researchers said this is the first study assessing whether the health risks linked to the condition known as metabolic syndrome, which affects about one-third of Americans, may be diminished by green tea’s anti-inflammatory benefits in the gut. “There is much evidence that greater consumption of green tea is associated with good levels of cholesterol,... read more
Study shows that amino acid taurine could be used in anti-aging therapy
When our cells process the oxygen we breathe and the food we eat every day in order to survive, they generate potentially toxic by-products popularly known as “free radicals”. Some of these molecules perform functions essential to the organism, but if there are too many of them the cells’ internal structures can be damaged, preventing the cells from functioning properly and potentially leading to chronic disease. This process is called oxidative stress. Our bodies contain a veritable arsenal of antioxidant enzymes that help maintain an appropriate reactive oxygen species balance,... read more
When our cells process the oxygen we breathe and the food we eat every day in order to survive, they generate potentially toxic by-products popularly known as “free radicals”. Some of these molecules perform functions essential to the organism, but if there are too many of them the cells’ internal structures can be damaged, preventing the cells from functioning properly and potentially leading to chronic disease. This process is called oxidative stress. Our bodies contain a veritable arsenal of antioxidant enzymes that help maintain an appropriate reactive oxygen species balance,... read more
Vitamin B6 supplements could reduce anxiety and depression
Taking high-dose Vitamin B6 tablets has been shown to reduce feelings of anxiety and depression by new research. Scientists at the University of Reading measured the impact of high doses of Vitamin B6 on young adults and found that they reported feeling less anxious and depressed after taking the supplements every day for a month. The study, published in the journal *Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental*, provides valuable evidence to support the use of supplements thought to modify levels of activity in the brain for preventing or treating mood disorders. Dr David... read more
Taking Vitamin D during pregnancy could lower the risk of eczema in babies
Taking Vitamin D supplements during pregnancy could substantially reduce the chances of babies up to a year old suffering from atopic eczema, according to a new study by University of Southampton researchers. The research, published in the *British Journal of Dermatology**,* revealed that babies had a lower risk of developing atopic eczema in their first year if their mothers took 1000 international units (IU) of Vitamin D a day from when they were 14 weeks pregnant until they delivered. The effect was particularly seen in babies who were later breastfed for more than a month. ... read more
Vitamins, supplements are a ‘waste of money’ for most Americans
- New guidelines say ‘insufficient’ evidence to support use of multivitamins or dietary supplements to prevent cardiovascular disease or cancer in healthy, non-pregnant adults - Pregnant people, those becoming pregnant still need essential vitamins (iron, folic acid) - More than half of U.S. adults take dietary supplements, a multi-billion-dollar industry CHICAGO --- Drawn to the allure of multivitamins and dietary supplements filling nutritional gaps in their diet, people in the U.S. in 2021 spent close to $50 billion on vitamins and dietary supplements. But... read more
Last summary
No comments:
Post a Comment