Study: Vitamin D deficiency may raise risk of getting COVID-19

University of Chicago Medical Center, September 4, 2020

In a retrospective study of patients tested for COVID-19, researchers at the University of Chicago Medicine found an association between vitamin D deficiency and the likelihood of becoming infected with the coronavirus.

“Vitamin D is important to the function of the immune system and vitamin D supplements have previously been shown to lower the risk of viral respiratory tract infections,” said David Meltzer, MD, PhD, Chief of Hospital Medicine at UChicago Medicine and lead author of the study. “Our statistical analysis suggests this may be true for the COVID-19 infection.”

The research team looked at 489 UChicago Medicine patients whose vitamin D level was measured within a year before being tested for COVID-19. Patients who had vitamin D deficiency (< 20ng/ml) that was not treated were almost twice as likely to test positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus compared to patients who had sufficient levels of the vitamin.

The study, Association of Vitamin D Status and Other Clinical Characteristics With COVID-19 Test Results, was published Sept. 3 in JAMA Network Open. Findings were previously reported on medRxiv, a preprint server for the health sciences.

Half of Americans are deficient in Vitamin D, with much higher rates seen in African Americans, Hispanics and individuals living in areas like Chicago where it is difficult to get enough sun exposure in winter.

“Understanding whether treating Vitamin D deficiency changes COVID-19 risk could be of great importance locally, nationally and globally,” Meltzer said. “Vitamin D is inexpensive, generally very safe to take, and can be widely scaled.”

Meltzer and his team emphasize the importance of experimental studies to determine whether vitamin D supplementation can reduce the risk, and potentially severity, of COVID-19. They also highlight the need for studies of what strategies for vitamin D supplementation may be most appropriate in specific populations. They have initiated several clinical trials at UChicago Medicine and with partners locally.

Red hot meat: the wrong recipe for heart disease

University of South Australia, September 4, 2020

From MasterChef to MKR, the world’s best chefs have taught us how to barbeque, grill and panfry a steak to perfection. But while the experts may be seeking that extra flavour, new research from the University of South Australia suggests high-heat caramelization could be bad for our health.

Conducted in partnership with the Gyeongsang National University the study found that consuming red and processed meat increased a protein compound that may increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and complications in diabetes.

UniSA researcher Dr Permal Deo says the research provides important dietary insights for people at risk of such degenerative diseases.

“When red meat is seared at high temperatures, such as grilling, roasting or frying, it creates compounds called advanced glycation end products – or AGEs ¬- which when consumed, can accumulate in your body and interfere with normal cell functions,” Dr Deo says.

“Consumption of high-AGE foods can increase our total daily AGE intake by 25 per cent, with higher levels contributing to vascular and myocardial stiffening, inflammation and oxidative stress – all signs of degenerative disease.”

Published in Nutrients, the study tested the impacts of two diets – one high in red meat and processed grains and the other high in whole grains dairy, nuts and legumes, and white meat using steaming, boiling, stewing and poaching cooking methods.

It found that the diet high in red meat significantly increased AGE levels in blood suggesting it may contribute to disease progression

Largely preventable, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one cause of death globally. In Australia, it represents one in five of all deaths.

Co-researcher UniSA’s Professor Peter Clifton says while there are still questions about how dietary AGEs are linked to chronic disease, this research shows that eating red meat will alter AGE levels.

“The message is pretty clear: if we want to reduce heart disease risk, we need to cut back on how much red meat we eat or be more considered about how we cook it.

“Frying, grilling and searing may be the preferred cooking methods of top chefs, but this might not be the best choice for people looking to cut their risk of disease.

“If you want to reduce your risk of excess AGEs, then slow cooked meals could be a better option for long-term health.”

Fermented green tea can control adiposity and lipid metabolism, effectively ameliorating obesity

Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine (South Korea), September 3, 2020

South Korean researchers examined the effects of fermented green tea extract on the differentiation of fat cells (adipogenesis) and the synthesis of fatty acids (lipogenesis). They reported their findings in an article published in the Journal of Medicinal Food.

Green tea is known for its beneficial effects on metabolic health.
It is known to alleviate metabolic disorders by regulating lipid metabolism.
Meanwhile, fermented food products are known to improve health by modulating immune response and energy metabolism.
To maximize health benefits, the researchers fermented green tea and obtained an extract, which they used to treat cultured adipocytes.
They reported that the fermented green tree extract (FGT) inhibited adipogenesis and lipogenesis while augmenting mRNA expression of fatty acid oxidation-related genes in differentiated myocytes.
In mice with diet-induced obesity, FGT reduced body weight and fat mass gain by 69.7 percent and 56.7 percent, respectively.
FGT also improved circulating triglyceride levels by 32 percent.
In addition, FGT promoted lipid catabolism in peripheral tissues and modulated gut microbial composition, which is associated with obesity and related metabolic disorders.
The researchers noted that epigallocatechin gallate mediates the effect of FGT on lipid metabolism.

Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that FGT is a novel functional foodthat can be used to control adiposity and lipid metabolism.

Handgrip strength shown to identify people at high risk of type 2 diabetes

University of Bristol (UK), September 2, 2020

A simple test such as the strength of your handgrip could be used as a quick, low-cost screening tool to help healthcare professionals identify patients at risk of type 2 diabetes. In new research, scientists at the universities of Bristol and Eastern Finland measured the muscular handgrip strength of 776 men and women without a history of diabetes over a 20-year period and demonstrated that the risk of type 2 diabetes was reduced by around 50 percent for every unit increase in handgrip strength value. The findings are published today in Annals of Medicine.

Diabetes in all forms is the ninth major cause of death in the world. Around 90 percent of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. In the UK alone, one in ten people over 40 are now living with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. It is expected that if nothing changes, more than five million people will have developed diabetes by 2025.

Though older age, obesity, family history and lifestyle factors such as physical inactivity, smoking, unhealthy diet and excessive alcohol contribute substantially to the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, these factors alone do not explain all of the risk for type 2 diabetes. It appears other factors may be involved. Reduced muscular strength, which can be measured by handgrip strength, has consistently been linked to early death, cardiovascular disease, and disability.

Until recently, there was inconsistent evidence on the relationship between handgrip strength and type 2 diabetes. In a recent literature review of ten published studies on the topic the same researchers demonstrated that people with higher values of handgrip strength had a 27 percent reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

However, while findings from this review suggested handgrip strength could potentially be used to predict type 2 diabetes, researchers needed to test this formally using individual patient data. In this latest study, the researchers from Bristol Medical School and Eastern Finland’s Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition followed 776 men and women aged 60-72 years without a history of diabetes over a 20-year period and measured the power of their hand grip strength using a handgrip dynamometer. Patients were asked to squeeze the handles of the dynamometer with their dominant hand with maximum isometric effort and maintain this for five seconds.

An analysis of the results demonstrated that the risk of type 2 diabetes was reduced by about 50 percent for every unit increase in handgrip strength value. This association persisted even after taking into account several established factors that can affect type 2 diabetes such as age, family history of diabetes, physical activity, smoking, hypertension, waist circumference and fasting plasma glucose. When information on handgrip strength was added to these established factors which are already known to predict type 2 diabetes, the prediction of type 2 diabetes improved further.

According to lead author Dr. Setor Kunutsor from Bristol’s Musculoskeletal Research Unit: “These findings may have implications for the development of type 2 diabetes prevention strategies. Assessment of handgrip is simple, inexpensive and does not require very skilled expertise and resources and could potentially be used in the early identification of individuals at high risk of future type 2 diabetes.”

Importantly, the findings appeared to be marked in women compared to men in sex-specific analyses, suggesting that women are likely to benefit from the use of this potential screening tool.

Principal investigator, Professor Jari Laukkanen from the University of Eastern Finland, added: “These results are based on a Finnish population. Given the low number of events in our analyses, we propose larger studies to replicate these findings in other populations and specifically in men and women.” The authors add that further research is needed to establish whether efforts to improve muscle strength such as resistance training are likely to reduce an individual’s risk of type 2 diabetes.

Offspring of mice fed imbalanced diets shown to be neurologically ‘programmed’ for obesity

Hiroshima University (Japan), September 4, 2020

Pregnant mice fed a diet high in omega-6 fats and low in omega-3 fats produce offspring that go on to exhibit “hedonic”–pleasurable but excessive–levels of consumption of hyper-caloric diets, according to researchers at Hiroshima University.

Omega-6 fats are found in grapeseed oil, corn oil and sesame oil, and are a staple of several salad dressings in world cuisine. Omega-3 fats are found in fish, perilla oil, and linseed oil. A diet balanced with these fats is considered essential for healthy brain growth.

The researchers also found that the offspring exhibit increased in utero growth of dopamine-producing neurons in the midbrain–the neurological reward system. They believe that exposure to this high omega-6/low omega-3 diet increases growth in these neurons in the fetus’s brain during a specific period during pregnancy, driving dopamine release in the offspring’s brain, and thus primes the offspring for hedonic consumption of sugar- or fat-rich diets over the course of their life.

The findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal Communications Biology, on August 28.

Meanwhile, mice whose mothers had not consumed the imbalanced omega-6/omega-3 diet did not exhibit as much overeating behavior, even when tempted by the presence of such food.

Since the 1960s, the Western diet has experienced a significant uptick in the presence of polyunsaturated omega-6 fats, and in ratios to polyunsaturated omega-3 fats that historically humans had never experienced before.

The ratio between these two types of fats is important because biochemically they compete with each other for incorporation into cell membranes, and an omega-6/omega-3 imbalance in the membranes of red blood cells is correlated with weight gain. An earlier study on mice had found that consumption of an imbalanced omega-6/omega-3 diet by the pregnant mother replicates this imbalance in the offspring’s brain and even impairs brain development.

The Hiroshima researchers also found that a dopamine-inhibiting drug eliminates the hedonic consumption of the offspring, further supporting the notion that the dopamine signaling plays a critical role in driving this behavior.

“This suggests that adult mice gorging themselves on hyper-caloric diets were in effect neurologically programmed to do so by their mother’s own consumption patterns,” said Nobuyuki Sakayori, paper author and assistant professor from the Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences at Hiroshima University.

The scientists were keen to stress that the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fat in the mouse diet is much higher than that experienced by most humans, and that their work lays the foundation for further, epidemiological studies on humans to see if the pattern holds for us.

But if it does, this could provide a new strategy for preventing obesity in children by managing the type of fats that pregnant mothers consume, akin to how mothers today generally avoid consumption of alcohol.

“This could work much better than existing anti-obesity campaigns or food taxes,” Sakayori continued, “because instead of fighting against the brain’s reward system, such a strategy focuses right from the start on the development of that system.”

Ginkgo biloba extract demonstrates neuroprotective effects on retinal ganglion cells against hypoxic injury

Gyeongsang National University (South Korea), September 3, 2020

In this study, South Korean researchers investigated the neuroprotective effects of Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) against hypoxic injury to retinal ganglion cells (RGC) in vitro and in vivo. Their findings were published in the Journal of Medicinal Food.

Hypoxia-induced oxidative stress and disturbed microvascular circulation are implicated in the pathogenesis of glaucoma.
But reports suggest that GBE can reduce oxidative stress and treat impaired vascular circulation.
To evaluate the neuroprotective effects of GBE, the researchers first induced oxidative stress in rat RGC using hydrogen peroxide.
They then treated the RGC with either a standardized GBE (EGb 761) or a vehicle.
In vivo, the researchers induced hypoxic optic nerve injury in rats by using a microserrefine clip with an applicator to clamp the animals’ optic nerves.
They then gave the rats various concentrations of EGb 761 via intraperitoneal injection and measured RGC density to estimate cell survival.
The researchers found that treatment with 1 or 5?mcg/mL EGb 761 significantly increased the survival of RGC after oxidative stress in vitro.
In vivo, treatment with 100?mg/kg or 250?mg/kg EGb 761 also significantly increased RGC density.

Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that GBE has neuroprotective effectsagainst hypoxic injury that can lead to glaucoma.

Sleep deprivation affects fat metabolism and increases risk of weight gain

Penn State University and Harvard Medical School, September 3, 2020

Lack of sleep affects how the body metabolizes fat, leading to feeling less full after eating. This predisposes individuals to put on more weight, suggests a study published in the Journal of Lipid Research.

Sleep deprivation is a very common problem among adults. According to the American Sleep Association, about 50 to 70 million American adults suffer from a sleep disorder, a type of which is sleep deprivation. The risk of diseases also increases as a result of sleeping less than the recommended number of hours – that is, at least seven hours for individuals 18 years old and above.

For the study, researchers from Pennsylvania State University and the Harvard Medical School looked at the effect of sleep deprivation on fat metabolism. Previous research primarily focused on its effect on glucose metabolism, which is important for diabetes. However, few studies assessed the digestion of lipids, or fats, from food.

Lack of sleep affects fat metabolism

The researchers recruited 15 healthy male individuals in their 20s. The participants spent one week getting plenty of sleep at home before checking into a sleep lab for 10 nights. For five nights, they slept for no more than five hours. The researchers interacted with the participants, playing games and talking to them to keep them awake and engaged.

The team administered a standardized high-fat dinner – a bowl of chili mac – after four nights of sleep restriction and then compared blood samples taken from the study participants. They found that sleep deprivation caused lipids to be cleared more quicklyfrom the blood after a meal, which could increase weight gain. Furthermore, the participants reported feeling less full after a meal.

Two nights later, the participants were allowed to sleep 10 hours to catch up on missed sleep. After the first night, they ate one last bowl of chili mac. The researchers found that despite improved fat storage after a night of recovery sleep, the participants did not return to the baseline, healthy level.

Despite some limitations, such as the highly controlled set-up and the participants being all male and healthy, the study demonstrates the importance of sleep to metabolic health, particularly to fat metabolism. Furthermore, the findings reiterate the danger of eating excessive unhealthy fats, a dietary practice that is widespread among Americans.

“A high-fat meal in the evening, at dinnertime, and real food, not something infused into the vein? That’s a typical exposure. That’s very American,” said first author Kelly Ness.

Sleep deprivation linked to obesity

Lack of sleep is a risk factor for obesity. In fact, three to five percent of the overall proportion of adult obesity can be attributed to sleep deprivation.

In the Nurses’ Health Study, one of the largest investigations into the risk factors for major chronic diseases in women, researchers found that sleep deprivation predisposes women to obesity. They followed about 60,000 women for 16 years, collecting information about their diet, weight and sleep habits, among other aspects of their lifestyle.

All of the women were healthy and none were obese at the start of the study. After 16 years, those who slept five hours or less per night had a 15 percent higher risk of becoming obese, compared to women who slept seven hours per night. Short sleepers also had a 30 percent higher risk of gaining 30 pounds over the study duration. (Related: Proper sleep hygiene is a must, since your body burns calories even in sleep.)

According to experts, sleep deprivation increases obesity risk in a variety of ways. People without adequate sleep may be too tired to exercise or they may be consuming more calories simply because they are awake longer and have more opportunities to eat. Sleep deprivation may also disrupt the balance of key hormones that control appetite, increasing feelings of hunger among sleep-deprived individuals.

Although it can be very difficult to achieve a full night’s sleep, these studies emphasize the importance of sleep. In matters of health, what’s good for the body should always be prioritized.

Higher serum magnesium concentration associated with lower risk of incident cognitive impairment

Columbia University, August 26, 2020

According to news reporting out of New York City, New York, by NewsRx editors, research stated, “To examine the prospective association between serum Mg level and the incidence of cognitive impairment. A random sub-cohort (n = 2063) from the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) cohort was included in this study.”

Funders for this research include NIH, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from Columbia University, “Baseline serum Mg concentration was measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. According to the current reference interval of serum magnesium (0.75-0.95 mmol/L), we classified participants below the interval as Level 1 and used it as the referent. The rest of the study population were equally divided into three groups, named Level 2 to 4. Incident cognitive impairment was identified using the Six-Item Screener. Multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using logistic regression models. After adjustment for potential confounders, an inverse threshold association between serum Mg level and incident cognitive impairment was observed. Compared to those with hypomagnesemia (Level 1: < 0.75 mmol/L), the relative odds of incident cognitive impairment was reduced by 41% in the second level [OR (95% CI) = 0.59 (0.37, 0.94)]; higher serum Mg level did not provide further benefits [Level 3 and 4 versus Level 1: OR (95% CI) = 0.54 (0.34, 0.88) and 0.59 (0.36, 0.96), P for linear trend = 0.08].”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “Findings from this prospective study suggest that sufficient Mg status within the normal range may be beneficial to cognitive health in the US general population.”

Be generous, live longer

Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (Germany), September 2, 2020

The act of giving and receiving increases well-being: the recipient benefits directly from the gift, and the giver benefits indirectly through emotional satisfaction. A new study published in the journal PNAS now suggests that those who share more also live longer. In their analysis, Fanny Kluge and Tobias Vogt found a strong linear relationship between a society’s generosity and the average life expectancy of its members. The researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research in Rostock, Germany, conclude that people are living longer in societies whose members support each other with resources.

“What is new about our study is that for the first time we have combined transfer payments from state and family and evaluated the effect”, says Fanny Kluge. The researchers used data for 34 countries from the National Transfer Accounts project. For all countries, state and private transfer payments received and given by each individual over his or her lifetime are added up and presented in relation to lifetime income.

Societies in Western European countries share a lot and live long

Sub-Saharan African countries such as Senegal share the lowest percentage of their lifetime income and have the highest mortality rate of all the countries studied. Those who share little die earlier. Although South Africa is economically more developed than other African countries, few resources are redistributed; here too, the mortality rate is relatively high. In these countries, the mortality rate of children and young people up to the age of 20 is also higher than in the other countries studied. “Our analyses suggest that redistribution influences the mortality rate of a country, regardless of the per capita gross domestic product,” says Fanny Kluge.

Societies in Western European countries and Japan transfer a lot to the youngest and oldest and mortality rates are low. The countries studied in South America also have high transfer payments. There, people share more than 60 percent of their average life income with others. The mortality rates are lower than in sub-Saharan Africa, but higher than those of Western Europe, Australia, Japan and Taiwan.

In France and Japan, the two countries with the lowest mortality rates of all the countries studied, an average citizen shares between 68 and 69 percent of their lifetime income. Here, the risk of dying in the coming year is only half as high for people over 65 as in China or Turkey, where between 44 and 48 percent of lifetime income is redistributed.

“What I find particularly interesting is that the relationship between generosity and lifetime income that we described does not depend on whether the benefits come from the state or from the wider family,” says Fanny Kluge. Both of these factors cause the population live longer compared to societies with fewer transfer payments.

These lifestyle choices can reduce the risk of chronic kidney disease

Karolinska Institute (Sweden), September 2, 2020

Active lifestyle choices such as eating vegetables, exercising and quitting smoking can reduce the risk of chronic kidney disease, a new study led by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and Griffith University in Australia, reports. The study is published in The Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

About 10 percent of the world population suffers from some kind of chronic kidney disease. In 2017, more than 1.2 million people were estimated to have died as a direct result of their kidney disease and another 1.4 million of the cardiovascular complications caused by reduced kidney function.

Despite these alarming figures, there is no evidence-based guidance on what lifestyle changes can help to prevent kidney disease from occurring. Current advice to patients is based on how to prevent other diseases, such as hypertension and cardiovascular disease, which are considered important causes of kidney damage.

The researchers have conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of more than 100 published research papers to investigate which lifestyle changes can lower the risk of kidney disease.

The study included more than 2.5 million healthy people from 16 countries. Of particular interest to the researchers were the effects of diet, exercise, tobacco smoking and alcohol on the risk of developing kidney problems.

“We discovered that lifestyle plays a big role and identified a number of recommendations that can be conveyed to healthy people wanting to reduce their risk of developing chronic kidney disease,” says Dr Jaimon Kelly, a postdoctoral research fellow at Griffith University.

The advice includes a more vegetable-rich diet, a higher potassium intake, more exercise, less alcohol consumption, less salt consumption and quitting smoking. Adherence to these recommendations could reduce the risk of chronic kidney disease by between 14 and 22 percent.

“In the absence of randomised intervention studies in the field, this study is the best evidence we have to date on what lifestyle choices can help for primary prevention of kidney disease,” says Juan Jesus Carrero, professor of epidemiology at the Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet. “The results can be used in the development of public health recommendations and in discussions with patients on how to lower their risk of kidney disease.”

The researchers stress that the advice applies to healthy people at risk of developing kidney problems, and that people who are already suffering from kidney disease are to follow other lifestyle recommendations to avoid unnecessary strain on their kidneys.

Effect of long-term chokeberry extract supplementation on cognitive performance, mood and vascular function

Maastricht University (Netherlands), August 31, 2020

According to news reporting out of Maastricht, Netherlands, research stated, “Cognitive decline is associated with lifestyle-related factors such as overweight, blood pressure, and dietary composition. Studies have reported beneficial effects of dietary anthocyanins on cognition in older adults and children.”

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from Maastricht University: “However, the effect of anthocyanin-rich * * Aronia melanocarpa* * extract (AME) on cognition is unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of long-term supplementation with AME on cognitive performance, mood, and vascular function in healthy, middle-aged, overweight adults. In a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled parallel study, 101 participants either consumed 90 mg AME, 150 mg AME, or placebo for 24 weeks. The grooved pegboard test, number cross-out test, and Stroop test were performed as measures for psychomotor speed, attention, and cognitive flexibility. Mood was evaluated with a visual analogue scale, serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was determined, and vascular function was assessed by carotid ultrasounds and blood pressure measurements. AME improved psychomotor speed compared to placebo (90 mg AME: change = -3.37; * * p* * = 0.009). Furthermore, 150 mg AME decreased brachial diastolic blood pressure compared to 90 mg AME (change = 2.44; * * p* * = 0.011), but not compared to placebo.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “Attention, cognitive flexibility, BDNF, and other vascular parameters were not affected. In conclusion, AME supplementation showed an indication of beneficial effects on cognitive performance and blood pressure in individuals at risk of cognitive decline.”

Teens who think their parents are loving are less likely to be cyberbullies

Emotional support from parents–and specifically, how teens perceive their relationships with their parents–associated with cyberbullying behaviors

New York University, September 2, 2020

Adolescents who perceive their parents to be loving and supportive are less likely to engage in cyberbullying, according to a new study by researchers at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing.

The findings, published in the International Journal of Bullying Prevention, are especially relevant given changes in family life created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“With remote learning replacing classroom instruction for many young people, and cell phones and social media standing in for face-to-face interaction with friends, there are more opportunities for cyberbullying to occur,” said Laura Grunin, a doctoral student at NYU Meyers and the study’s lead author. “New family dynamics and home stressors are also at play, thanks to higher unemployment rates and more parents working from home.”

More than half of U.S. teens report having experience with cyberbullying, or online behavior that may involve harassment, insults, threats, or spreading rumors.

“Understanding what factors are related to a young person’s cyberbullying of peers is important for developing ways that families, schools, and communities can prevent bullying or intervene when it occurs,” said Sally S. Cohen, clinical professor at NYU Meyers and the study’s senior author.

Gary Yu, associate research scientist and adjunct associate professor at NYU Meyers, coauthored the study with Grunin and Cohen.

Using data from the World Health Organization (WHO) Health Behavior in School-Aged Children survey, the researchers analyzed responses from 12,642 U.S. pre-teens and teens (ages 11 to 15 years old) surveyed in 2009-2010, the most recent WHO data on school-aged children collected in the United States. The adolescents were asked about their bullying behaviors, as well their perceptions of certain family characteristics, including their relationship with their parents.

The researchers found that the more adolescents perceived their parents as loving, the less likely they were to engage in cyberbullying. When asked if their parents are loving, youth who said “almost never” were over six times more likely to engage in high levels of cyberbullying than those who answered that their parent is “almost always” loving. Other types of emotional support, including how much teens feel their parents help and understand them, also contributed to the likelihood of whether young people engaged in cyberbullying behavior.

“Our findings point to the importance of parental emotional support as a factor that may influence whether teens cyberbully–and more importantly, it is how teens perceive the support they receive from their parents,” said Grunin. “I would stress to parents it is not necessarily if they think they are being supportive, but what their adolescent thinks. Parents should strive to discern their teen’s perception of parental emotional support as it might be associated with youth cyberbullying behavior.”

Certain demographic factors were also related to teens’ likelihood of cyberbullying. Girls were much less likely than boys to exhibit high levels of cyberbullying. Race also played a role: Asian American adolescents were the least likely to be cyberbullies, while African American teens were less likely than white teens to engage in lower levels of cyberbullying and more likely to engage in higher levels.

Cohen added, “Since 2010, when the survey was conducted, technology and social media have become increasingly ubiquitous in teens’ lives; the increase in screen time during the current pandemic poses new challenges. Online access and anonymity in posts create widespread opportunities for cyberbullying.”

The researchers note that educators, health professionals, social media experts, and others working in youth development should take family dynamics into account when creating programs to address cyberbullying.

“While our study doesn’t prove that a lack of parental support directly causes cyberbullying, it does suggest that children’s relationships with their parents might influence their bullying behaviors. These relationships should be considered when developing interventions to prevent cyberbullying,” said Grunin.

Body Mass Index Is A More Powerful Risk Factor For Diabetes Than Genetics

Cambridge University, September 1, 2020

Losing weight could prevent or even reverse diabetes, according to late-breaking research presented today at ESC Congress 2020.1

In 2019, approximately 463 million people worldwide had diabetes, of which the vast majority (around 90%) was type 2 diabetes.2 Diabetes doubles the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and death from cardiovascular disease.3 Obesity is the main modifiable cause of type 2 diabetes, while genetic make-up may also identify individuals with a greater likelihood of developing the condition.4

“Because we are born with our genes, it might be possible to pinpoint early in life who has a high chance of developing diabetes during their lifetime,” said principal investigator Professor Brian Ference of the University of Cambridge, UK, and University of Milan, Italy. “We conducted this study to find out if combining inherited risk with current body mass index (BMI) could identify people at the highest risk of developing diabetes. Prevention efforts could then concentrate on these individuals.”

The study included 445,765 participants of the UK Biobank. The average age was 57.2 years and 54% were women. Inherited risk of diabetes was assessed using 6.9 million genes. Height and weight were measured at enrolment to calculate BMI in kg/m2. Participants were divided into five groups according to genetic risk of diabetes. They were also divided into five groups according to BMI.

Participants were followed-up until an average age of 65.2 years. During that period, 31,298 developed type 2 diabetes.

Those in the highest BMI group (average 34.5 kg/m2) had an 11-fold increased risk of diabetes compared to participants in the lowest BMI group (average 21.7 kg/m2). The highest BMI group had a greater likelihood of developing diabetes than all other BMI groups, regardless of genetic risk.

“The findings indicate that BMI is a much more powerful risk factor for diabetes that genetic predisposition,” said Professor Ference.

The investigators then used statistical methods to estimate whether the likelihood of diabetes in people with a high BMI would be even greater if they were overweight for a long period of time. They found that the duration of elevated BMI did not have an impact on the risk of diabetes.

Professor Ference said: “This suggests that when people cross a certain BMI threshold, their chances of diabetes go up and stay at that same high-risk level regardless of how long they are overweight.”

He noted that the threshold is likely different for each person and would be the BMI at which they start to develop abnormal blood sugar levels. Professor Ference said:

The findings indicate that most cases of diabetes could be avoided by keeping BMI below the cut-off which triggers abnormal blood sugar. This means that to prevent diabetes, both BMI and blood sugar should be assessed regularly. Efforts to lose weight are critical when a person starts to develop blood sugar problems.

“It may also be possible to reverse diabetes by losing weight in the early stages before permanent damage occurs,” said Professor Ference.

Research shows how a diet change might help US veterans with Gulf War illness

Study examines impact of a diet low in glutamate, high in nutrients

American University, September 1, 2020

A new study from American University shows the results from a dietary intervention in U.S. veterans suffering from Gulf War Illness, a neurological disorder in veterans who served in the Persian Gulf War from 1990 to 1991.

The veterans’ overall number of symptoms were reduced and they experienced less pain and fatigue after one month on a diet low in glutamate, which is a flavor enhancer commonly added to foods, and that also functions as an important neurotransmitter in the nervous system.

Because the symptoms of GWI are similar to those of fibromyalgia, the U.S. Department of Defense provides funding for previously tested treatments in fibromyalgia that could also help veterans suffering from GWI. The low glutamate diet was previously shown to reduce symptoms in fibromyalgia, and thus, was a candidate for this funding. There are no cures for either illness, and treatments are being sought for both to manage chronic pain. GWI is thought to be connected to nervous system dysfunction in veterans. In the Gulf War, soldiers were exposed to various neurotoxins such as chemical warfare agents, pyridostigmine bromide (PB) pills, pesticides, burning oil fields, and depleted uranium.

“Gulf War Illness is a debilitating disorder which includes widespread pain, fatigue, headaches, cognitive dysfunction, and gastrointestinal symptoms. Veterans with GWI have a reduced quality of life as compared to veterans who do not have the illness,” said AU Associate Professor of Health Studies Kathleen Holton, who explores how food additives contribute to neurological symptoms and is a member of AU’s Center for Behavioral Neuroscience. “In this study testing the low glutamate diet, the majority of veterans reported feeling better. We saw significant reductions in their overall number of symptoms and significant improvements in pain and fatigue.”

The study, published in the journal Nutrients, details the experiments in a clinical trial of 40 veterans with GWI. The study participants were randomized to either immediately start the low glutamate diet for one month, or to a control group. After completion of the one-month diet, participants were challenged with monosodium glutamate and placebo to see if symptoms returned.

The challenge with MSG versus placebo resulted in significant variability in response among participants, with some subjects worsening, while others actually improved. This suggests that while a diet low in glutamate can effectively reduce overall symptoms, pain, and fatigue in GWI, more research is needed to understand how the diet may be altering how glutamate is handled in the body, and the specific role that nutrients may play in these improvements.

The role of glutamate

Glutamate is most easily identified when it is in the form of the food additive MSG; however, it appears most commonly in American diets hidden under many other food additive names in processed foods. Americans also consume glutamate through some foods where it occurs naturally, such as soy sauce, fish sauce, aged cheeses like parmesan, seaweed, and mushrooms.

Glutamate is known to play a role in pain transmission, where it functions as an excitatory neurotransmitter in the nervous system. When there’s too much of it, it can cause disrupted signaling or kill cells, in a process called excitotoxicity. Previous research has shown that glutamate is high in pain processing areas of the brain in individuals with fibromyalgia and migraine. High concentrations of glutamate have also been linked to epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, ALS, cognitive dysfunction (including Alzheimer’s), and psychiatric issues such as depression, anxiety and PTSD.

In her research, Holton limits people’s exposure to glutamate, while also increasing intake of nutrients known to protect against excitotoxicity. She analyzes how diet affects cognitive function, brain wave activity, brain glutamate levels, and brain function using MRI. In the study of veterans, the low glutamate diet was made up of whole foods low in additives and high in nutrients. Holton theorizes that the increased consumption of nutrients that are protective against excitotoxicity may have led to improved handling of glutamate in the nervous system. The study and diet tested in the veterans were similar to her previous studies, where she observed improvements in those with fibromyalgia, as well as in Kenyan villagers living with chronic pain.

It will take more research to determine if reducing exposure to glutamate can be used as a treatment for chronic widespread pain and other neurological symptoms in U.S. veterans with GWI. Holton is currently pursuing funding for her next grant, which will recruit 120 veterans for a Phase 3 clinical trial to confirm the study’s findings in a larger group, and further explore the mechanisms for these effects.

Exercise ‘Fundamental’ for Healing of Mental Illness

University of Vermont, August 28th 2020

Thinking about skipping your workout because of a flat mood? If you’re upset, depressed or anxious, a recent study indicates that’s when you need exercise the most. It’s so effective for mental health, it may even speed healing for psychiatric patients

A study on physical exercise has shone a spotlight on the positive effects to be gained from deliberate, structured movement of your body. Published in the journal Global Advances in Health and Medicine,[i] the 2019 study was conducted by researchers from the University of Vermont Medical Center, in conjunction with the medical center’s inpatient psychiatry unit.

The study was led by David Tomasi, Ph.D., a psychotherapist and inpatient psychiatry group therapist at the University of Vermont Medical Center and lead researcher of the study. Tomasi and his team assembled a gym for the exclusive use of approximately 100 patients of the center’s inpatient psychiatric facility.

The research team then introduced 60-minute, structured exercise and nutrition plans to patients that were incorporated as a key element of their respective treatments for various mental health and mood disorders. Results on mood were so impactful, Tomasi stated in a news release, “Now that we know it’s so effective, it can become as fundamental as pharmacological intervention.”[ii]

Exercise Benefits Mental Health and Mood Disorders

Patients in this study were hospitalized for a wide array of psychiatric issues, with symptoms including mild-to-severe depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, suicidalityand acute psychotic episodes. According to Tomasi, only a handful of psychiatric hospitals in the U.S. with inpatient facilities provide exercise areas for patients.[iii]

Prior to engaging in the exercise sessions, psychotherapists surveyed patients’ mood, self-image and self-esteem via standardized questionnaires designed to limit bias. Individual fitness levels were not assessed, and no “normal” values were determined, given the possible negative connotations of expectations on patients’ self-esteem and self-image assessments.

After patients were led through exercise sessions, the questionnaires were repeated to gauge the effects of exercise on psychiatric symptoms and self-assessments.

Exercise sessions were conducted four times per week for 60 minutes each, and consisted of cardiovascular and resistance training, as well as flexibility development through stretching and/or use of equipment like recumbent bikes, ellipticals, rowers, steps, exercise balls and other gym equipment.

Each session was followed by nutrition education in which patients were taught how to identify healthy food choices, budget and make meal plans according to the most recent scientific recommendations on the connection between gut health and psychological well-being.

These sessions included facilitated discussions about the unique challenges of maintaining a healthy lifestyle coupled with patients’ individual psychiatric concerns.

Nearly 100% of Psychiatric Patients Improved With Exercise

Researchers analyzed the data, considering specific differences between patient groups related to their levels of cognitive strength, understanding and ability versus capacity, as demonstrated in the responses provided to questionnaires.

This additional layer of analysis reflects cognitive differences between individuals diagnosed with, for example, moderate depression, versus an individual with acute schizoaffective disorder. According to researchers, “These aspects are reflected in some of the answers pertaining to the perceived effectiveness or helpfulness of the interventions offered.”[iv]

The research team was able to identify multiple positive outcomes that were direct results of implementation of physical exercise and nutrition coaching in inpatient psychiatry. Overall, patients reported less anger, improved mood, higher self-esteem and less anxiety and depression as a result of exercise sessions.[v]

These positive results were experienced by the vast majority of patients, with 95% reporting improved mood and 63% reporting being “happy” or “very happy” after exercising.[vi]

An impressive 97.6% of patients responded in the affirmative to the question, “After attending this group, do you think you will exercise more?,” a fact researchers considered to be one of the most important aspects of the study.

According to their report, “The willingness of patients to make room for physical exercise in their therapeutic schedule has resulted in an overall positive effect for the therapeutic environment as a whole.”[vii]

Tomasi suggests that physical exercise is so effective at alleviating psychiatric symptoms, it could reduce the amount of time patients are confined to acute facilities and potentially reduce reliance on psychotropic medications.[viii] It also presents treatment options that may be effective at reaching individuals who are in a psychotic state, a condition when, according to Tomasi, talk therapy or psychotherapy has limits.

“It’s hard to receive a message through talk therapy in that state, whereas with exercise, you can use your body and not rely on emotional intelligence alone” explains Tomasi.[ix]

Sweat Therapy: A Safe Alternative to Psychotropic Drugs?

Patients who are hospitalized for mental health and mood conditions are often in an acute state, with hospitalization used as a means of protecting the individuals, as well as others in society, from harm.

However, psychiatric wards are frequently noisy, crowded places that can increase a patient’s distress and difficulty, creating barriers to effective treatment. As a result, sedative medications are often the first line of therapy, with self-care practices like proper diet and exercise not considered part of a standard treatment protocol.[x]

“The priority is to provide more natural strategies for the treatment of mood disorders, depression and anxiety,” Tomasi says. “In practice, we hope that every psychiatric facility will include integrative therapies — in our case, exercise in particular — as the primary resource for their patients’ psycho-physical well-being.”[xi]

Exercise is a powerful therapeutic action that boosts overall health and immunity and is one of the top ways to improve your mental wellness. It does this, in part, by stopping mitochondrial aging in its tracks. Some studies even suggest that exercise can cut your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease in half.[xii]

Olive compounds identified that bind to protein associated with Alzheimer disease

Monash University (Australia), August 31, 2020

According to news reporting from Prahran, Australia, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, “Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative disease that affects over 47 million people worldwide, and is the most common form of dementia. There is a vast body of literature demonstrating that the disease is caused by an accumulation of toxic extracellular amyloid-beta (A beta) peptides and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles that consist of hyperphosphorylated tau.”

The news correspondents obtained a quote from the research from Monash University, “Adherence to the Mediterranean diet has been shown to reduce the incidence of AD and the phenolic compounds in extra virgin olive oil, including oleocanthal, have gained a significant amount of attention. A large number of these ligands have been described in the pre-existing literature and 222 of these compounds have been characterised in the OliveNet ™ database. In this study, molecular docking was used to screen the 222 phenolic compounds from the OliveNet ™ database and assess their ability to bind to various forms of the A beta and tau proteins. The phenolic ligands were found to be binding strongly to the hairpin-turn of the A beta(1-40) and A beta(1-42) monomers, and binding sites were also identified in the tau fibril protein structures. Luteolin-4’-O-rutinoside, oleuricine A, isorhoifolin, luteolin-7-O-rutinoside, cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside and luteolin-7,4-O-diglucoside were predicted to be novel lead compounds. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations performed using well-known olive ligands bound to A beta(1-42) oligomers highlighted that future work may examine potential anti-aggregating properties of novel compounds in the OliveNet ™ database.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “This may lead to the development and evaluation of new compounds that may have efficacy against Alzheimer’s disease.”

Being a selfish jerk doesn’t get you ahead, research finds

Two 14-year longitudinal studies found that selfish, combative, manipulative people are not more likely to achieve power in the workplace than are nice people

University of California Berkeley, September 1, 20202

The evidence is in: Nice guys and gals don’t finish last, and being a selfish jerk doesn’t get you ahead.

That’s the clear conclusion from research that tracked disagreeable people from college or graduate school to where they landed in their careers about 14 years later.

“I was surprised by the consistency of the findings. No matter the individual or the context, disagreeableness did not give people an advantage in the competition for power–even in more cutthroat, ‘dog-eat-dog’ organizational cultures,” said Berkeley Haas Prof. Cameron Anderson, who co-authored the study with Berkeley Psychology Prof. Oliver P. John, doctoral student Daron L. Sharps, and Assoc. Prof. Christopher J. Soto of Colby College.

The paper was published August 31 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The researchers conducted two studies of people who had completed personality assessments as undergraduates or MBA students at three universities. They surveyed the same people more than a decade later, asking about their power and rank in their workplaces, as well as the culture of their organizations. They also asked their co-workers to rate the study participants’ rank and workplace behavior. Across the board, they found those with selfish, deceitful, and aggressive personality traits were not more likely to have attained power than those who were generous, trustworthy, and generally nice.

That’s not to say that jerks don’t reach positions of power. It’s just that they didn’t get ahead faster than others, and being a jerk simply didn’t help, Anderson said. That’s because any power boost they get from being intimidating is offset by their poor interpersonal relationships, the researchers found. In contrast, the researchers found that extroverts were the most likely to have advanced in their organizations, based on their sociability, energy, and assertiveness–backing up prior research.

“The bad news here is that organizations do place disagreeable individuals in charge just as often as agreeable people,” Anderson said. “In other words, they allow jerks to gain power at the same rate as anyone else, even though jerks in power can do serious damage to the organization.”

The age-old question of whether being aggressively Machiavellian helps people get ahead has long interested Anderson, who studies social status. It’s a critical question for managers, because ample research has shown that jerks in positions of power are abusive, prioritize their own self-interest, create corrupt cultures, and ultimately cause their organizations to fail. They also serve as toxic role models for society at large.

For example, people who read former-Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ biography might think, “Maybe if I become an even bigger asshole I’ll be successful like Steve,” the authors note in their paper. “My advice to managers would be to pay attention to agreeableness as an important qualification for positions of power and leadership,” Anderson said. “Prior research is clear: agreeable people in power produce better outcomes.”

While there’s clearly no shortage of jerks in power, there’s been little empirical research to settle the question of whether being disagreeable actually helped them get there, or is simply incidental to their success. Anderson and his co-authors set out to create a research design that would clear up the debate. (They pre-registered their analysis for both studies on aspredicted.org.)

What defines a jerk? The participants had all completed the Big Five Inventory (BFI), an assessment based on general consensus among psychologists of the five fundamental personality dimensions: openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, neuroticism, and agreeableness. It was developed by Anderson’s co-author John, who directs the Berkeley Personality Lab. In addition, some of the participants also completed a second personality assessment, the NEO Personality Inventory-Revised (NEO PI-R).

“Disagreeableness is a relatively stable aspect of personality that involves the tendency to behave in quarrelsome, cold, callous, and selfish ways,” the researchers explained. “…Disagreeable people tend to be hostile and abusive to others, deceive and manipulate others for their own gain, and ignore others’ concerns or welfare.”

In the first study, which involved 457 participants, the researchers found no relationship between power and disagreeableness, no matter whether the person had scored high or low on those traits. That was true regardless of gender, race or ethnicity, industry, or the cultural norms in the organization.

The second study went deeper, looking at the four main ways people attain power: through dominant-aggressive behavior, or using fear and intimidation; political behavior, or building alliances with influential people; communal behavior, or helping others; and competent behavior, or being good at one’s job. They also asked the subjects’ co-workers to rate their place in the hierarchy, as well as their workplace behavior (interestingly, the co-workers’ ratings largely matched the subjects’ self-assessments).

This allowed the researchers to better understand why disagreeable people do not get ahead faster than others. Even though jerks tend to engage in dominant behavior, their lack of communal behavior cancels out any advantage their aggressiveness gives them, they concluded.

Anderson noted that the findings don’t directly speak to whether disagreeableness helps or hurts people attain power in the realm of electoral politics, where the power dynamics are different than in organizations. But there are some likely parallels. “Having a strong set of alliances is generally important to power in all areas of life,” he said. “Disagreeable politicians might have more difficulty maintaining necessary alliances because of their toxic behavior.”

Venom from honeybees found to kill aggressive breast cancer cells

Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research (Australia), September 1, 2020

Using the venom from 312 honeybees and bumblebees in Perth Western Australia, Ireland and England, Dr Ciara Duffy from the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research and The University of Western Australia, tested the effect of the venom on the clinical subtypes of breast cancer, including triple-negative breast cancer, which has limited treatment options.

Results published in the prestigious international journal npj Precision Oncologyrevealed that honeybee venom rapidly destroyed triple-negative breast cancer and HER2-enriched breast cancer cells.

Dr Duffy said the aim of the research was to investigate the anti-cancer properties of honeybee venom, and a component compound, melittin, on different types of breast cancer cells.

“No-one had previously compared the effects of honeybee venom or melittin across all of the different subtypes of breast cancer and normal cells.

“We tested honeybee venom on normal breast cells, and cells from the clinical subtypes of breast cancer: hormone receptor positive, HER2-enriched, and triple-negative breast cancer.

“We tested a very small, positively charged peptide in honeybee venom called melittin, which we could reproduce synthetically, and found that the synthetic product mirrored the majority of the anti-cancer effects of honeybee venom,” Dr Duffy said.

“We found both honeybee venom and melittin significantly, selectively and rapidly reduced the viability of triple-negative breast cancer and HER2-enriched breast cancer cells.

“The venom was extremely potent,” Dr Duffy said.

A specific concentration of honeybee venom can induce 100% cancer cell death, while having minimal effects on normal cells.

“We found that melittin can completely destroy cancer cell membranes within 60 minutes.”

Melittin in honeybee venom also had another remarkable effect; within 20 minutes, melittin was able to substantially reduce the chemical messages of cancer cells that are essential to cancer cell growth and cell division.

“We looked at how honeybee venom and melittin affect the cancer signalling pathways, the chemical messages that are fundamental for cancer cell growth and reproduction, and we found that very quickly these signalling pathways were shut down.

“Melittin modulated the signalling in breast cancer cells by suppressing the activation of the receptor that is commonly overexpressed in triple-negative breast cancer, the epidermal growth factor receptor, and it suppressed the activation of HER2 which is over-expressed in HER2-enriched breast cancer,” she said.

Western Australia’s Chief Scientist Professor Peter Klinken said “This is an incredibly exciting observation that melittin, a major component of honeybee venom, can suppress the growth of deadly breast cancer cells, particularly triple-negative breast cancer.

“Significantly, this study demonstrates how melittin interferes with signalling pathways within breast cancer cells to reduce cell replication. It provides another wonderful example of where compounds in nature can be used to treat human diseases”, he said.

Dr Duffy also tested to see if melittin could be used with existing chemotherapy drugs as it forms pores, or holes, in breast cancer cell membranes, potentially enabling the entry of other treatments into the cancer cell to enhance cell death.

“We found that melittin can be used with small molecules or chemotherapies, such as docetaxel, to treat highly-aggressive types of breast cancer. The combination of melittin and docetaxel was extremely efficient in reducing tumour growth in mice.”

Dr Duffy’s research was conducted as part of her PhD undertaken at Perth’s Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research at the Cancer Epigenetics laboratory overseen by A/Prof. Pilar Blancafort. “I began with collecting Perth honeybee venom. Perth bees are some of the healthiest in the world.

“The bees were put to sleep with carbon dioxide and kept on ice before the venom barb was pulled out from the abdomen of the bee and the venom extracted by careful dissection,” she said.

While there are 20,000 species of bees, Dr Duffy wanted to compare the effects of Perth honeybee venom to other honeybee populations in Ireland and England, as well as to the venom of bumblebees.

“I found that the European honeybee in Australia, Ireland and England produced almost identical effects in breast cancer compared to normal cells. However, bumblebee venom was unable to induce cell death even at very high concentrations.

One of the first reports of the effects of bee venom was published in Nature in 1950, where the venom reduced the growth of tumours in plants. However, Dr Duffy said it was only in the past two decades that interest grew substantially into the effects of honeybee venom on different cancers.

In the future, studies will be required to formally assess the optimum method of delivery of melittin, as well as toxicities and maximum tolerated doses.

Vitamin D3 supplementation improves glycemic control in type 2 diabetic patients

University of Pavia (Italy), August 28, 2020

According to news reporting out of Pavia, Italy, by NewsRx editors, research stated, “: to evaluate the effects of Vitamin D3 on glyco-metabolic control in type 2 diabetic patients with Vitamin D deficiency. one hundred and seventeen patients were randomized to placebo and 122 patients to Vitamin D3. We evaluated anthropometric parameters, glyco-metabolic control, and parathormone (PTH) value at baseline, after 3, and 6 months. a significant reduction of fasting, and post-prandial glucose was recorded in Vitamin D3 group after 6 months.”

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from the University of Pavia, “A significant HbA decrease was observed in Vitamin D3 (from 7.6% or 60 mmol/mol to 7.1% or 54 mmol) at 6 months compared to baseline, and to placebo (p <0.05 for both). At the end of the study period, we noticed a change in the amount in doses of oral or subcutaneous hypoglycemic agents and insulin, respectively. The use of metformin, acarbose, and pioglitazone was significantly lower (p=0.037, p=0.048, and p=0.042, respectively) than at the beginning of the study in the Vitamin D3 therapy group.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “The units of Lispro, Aspart, and Glargine insulin were lower in the Vitamin D3 group at the end of the study (p=0.031, p=0.037, and p=0.035, respectively) than in the placebo group. in type 2 diabetic patients with Vitamin D deficiency, the restoration of value in the Vitamin D standard has led not only to an improvement in the glyco-metabolic compensation, but also to a reduced posology of some oral hypoglycemic agents and some types of insulin used.”

One in two Americans fear a major health event could lead to bankruptcy

West Health-Gallup US healthcare survey finds growing fears of financial ruin amid the COVID-19 pandemic

West Heath Institute, August 31 2020

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to put lives and livelihoods at risk, 1 in 2 Americans say they fear a major health event could lead them to file for bankruptcy, marking a 5% increase since 2019. The new research comes from the West Health-Gallup U.S. Healthcare Study, an ongoing series of surveys on the impact of high healthcare costs on American lives.

The survey found the fear of bankruptcy runs even higher for members of minority groups and younger people. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of people of color report being extremely concerned or concerned about bankruptcy, a 12% increase over last year. Fifty-five percent of adults 18 to 29-years-old share these concerns, up from 33% in 2019.

“Rising healthcare costs continue to pose a significant threat to millions of Americans and the pandemic has only made the situation worse,” said Tim Lash, chief strategy officer of West Health. “With so many Americans fearing they are but one health event away from bankruptcy, it’s more urgent than ever for policy makers to finally address the healthcare cost crisis before it gets even more out of control.”

Amid rising concerns about health-related bankruptcy, 15% of adults report that at least one person in their household currently has medical debt that will not be repaid – either in full or in part – within the next 12 months. This includes 12% of White adults and 20% of non-White adults. This kind of medical debt is highest among those in households with annual incomes less than $40,000 (28%).

Another 26% of Americans report that they would need to borrow money to pay a $500 medical bill – a number that grows to 43% among people of color and 46% among those living in households with annual incomes less than $40,000 per year.

Drug Pricing Continues to be Top Issue for 35% of Voters

The high cost of healthcare is likely to continue to play a big role in this year’s election. The share of Americans citing lower prescription drug costs as the single most important issue or among the most important issues influencing their vote in 2020 has increased by 5 percentage points, to 35%, from February. The issue remains particularly important among non-White adults (48% vs. 29% for White adults), as well as among households with less than $40,000 in annual income (52%).

“These latest findings illustrate the widespread extent of concern about how catastrophic health events can create financial ruin and the disproportionate impact felt by non-White Americans,” said Dan Witters, Gallup senior researcher. “As election season intensifies, the lived experiences and priority that Americans place on healthcare cost issues will be very hard for candidates and leaders to ignore.”

The new results are based on interviews with 1,007 U.S. adults conducted between July 1 and July 24, 2020. Read the full findings, including a methodology statement, here.

Green tea compound diminishes cigarette smoke-induced oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation and inflammation in human airway cells

Sri Krishnadevaraya University (India), August 28, 2020

According to news reporting out of Andhra Pradesh, India, by NewsRx editors, research stated, “Cigarette smoke (CS), the major risk factor of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), contains numerous free radicals that can cause oxidative stress and exaggerated inflammatory responses in the respiratory system. Lipid peroxidation which is oxidative degradation of polyunsaturated fatty acids and results in cell damage has also been associated with COPD pathogenesis.”

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from Sri Krishnadevaraya University, “Increased levels of lipid peroxidation as well as its end product 4-hydroxynonenal have indeed been detected in COPD patients. Additionally, reactive oxygen species such as those contained in CS can activate nuclear factor-kB signaling pathway, initiating cascades of proinflammatory mediator expression. As emerging evidence attests to the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties of tea catechins, we sought to determine whether epigallocatechin gallate, the most abundant tea catechin, can provide protection against oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, and inflammatory responses caused by CS. We found that EGCG treatment blocked cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-induced oxidative stress as indicated by decreased production and accumulation of reactive oxygen species in airway epithelial cells (AECs). Likewise, lipid peroxidation in CSE-stimulated AECs was suppressed by EGCG. Our findings further suggest that EGCG sequestered 4-hydroxynonenal and interfered with its protein adduct formation. Lastly, we show that EGCG inhibited nuclear factor-kB activation and the downstream expression of proinflammatory mediators.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “In summary, our study describing the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of EGCG in CSE-exposed AECs provide valuable information about the therapeutic potential of this tea catechin for COPD.”

Infants in households with very low food security may have greater obesity risk

Low food security now widespread in the US due to the COVID-19 crisis

Johns Hopkins University, August 28, 2020

Infants from households reporting very low “food security,” a measure of access to adequate and healthy meals, tend to weigh more than those from households with relatively high food security, suggests a new study led by a researcher at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

The study tracked nearly 700 infants in North Carolina over their first year of life, with regular interviews of the infants’ mothers. The researchers found that when mothers reported very low food security per a standard government questionnaire, the infants were more likely to have above-average body mass indices (BMIs), higher fat levels, and other measures indicating greater obesity risk.

The reasons for the association between food insecurity and higher obesity risk are not yet understood but may be related to poor nutrition and overfeeding. The results suggest that household food insecurity may be especially hazardous for infants, given that diet and weight gain in infancy are thought to have a potentially large impact on the future risks of obesity and related health conditions.

The study was published August 28 in Pediatrics.

Study lead author Sara Benjamin-Neelon, PhD, JD, the Helaine and Sidney Lerner Associate Professor in the Bloomberg School’s Department of Health, Behavior and Society, began the study in 2013 when she was a faculty member at Duke University’s School of Medicine, and completed data collection in 2017 at the Bloomberg School. The 666 infants tracked in the study were from lower-income households in Durham, NC. Most of the infants (68.6 percent) were African American, 14.9 percent were white, and 55.4 percent of the households reported annual incomes below $20,000. Benjamin-Neelon and her colleagues visited the homes of the infants when they were 3, 6, 9, and 12 months old, and interviewed the mothers by phone an additional eight times over the year.

“The findings are especially relevant today when there is such widespread food insecurity in the U.S. due to the COVID-19 crisis,” says Benjamin-Neelon, PhD, JD, who also directs the Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion at the Bloomberg School.

For their analysis, the researchers compared the weight and length of infants in the study to a global population of healthy infants from eight counties to determine “at risk of overweight.” They found that infants from households categorized as low and very low food security tended to move into this overweight risk category over the 3-month visit to the 12-month visit period (53.2 percent to 66.9 percent), whereas infants from households with high and marginal food security–those with moderate access to adequate, healthy food–tended to move out of this category (46.8 to 33.1 percent) during the period.

Infants in households with low and very low food security also were generally more likely (1.72 and 1.55 times more likely) to be at risk of overweight. Additionally, infants from very low food security households were significantly heavier by comparison with infants from food-secure households, and had more fat accumulation by standard caliper-based measures.

“One possible explanation for this link is that food insecurity is associated with lower quality diets that promote obesity, although infants, especially in the first six months of life, should be consuming limited foods-mainly just human breastmilk or infant formula,” Benjamin-Neelon says. “Another possibility may be related to infant feeding practices. Mothers wanting to make sure their infants are fed enough could be overfeeding or feeding in a way that overrides infant fullness cues like propping a bottle or encouraging infants to finish the bottle.”

Benjamin-Neelon and colleagues found, to their surprise, that mothers’ participation in either of two federal food assistance programs, WIC and SNAP, did not modify the apparent links between food insecurity and being overweight.

“As a former WIC nutritionist, I thought it was important to assess whether such programs modified the association between food insecurity and obesity,” Benjamin-Neelon says. “However, just because it didn’t make a difference in this study does not mean that women with infants and young children should not participate in these valuable programs.”

She and her colleagues believe that larger and longer-term studies are needed to resolve the many questions about food insecurity and obesity, including whether the association in infancy continues into later childhood.

Deficiencies and scurvy: Study reveals vitamin C can help treat sepsis

Eastern Virginia Medical School, August 27, 2020

Vitamin C may help treat sepsis and prevent septic-related death, found a study published in the journal Chest.

The research tested on sepsis patients and found that treatment incorporating vitamin C can prevent organ failure — the usual cause of death among sepsis patients. This finding represents a promising alternative to the standard medication for sepsis, one that is more affordable and may even be more effective.

“It is exceedingly cheap and has the potential to save thousands of lives,” said lead author Dr. Paul Marik, chief of pulmonary and critical care at Eastern Virginia Medical School.

Treatment using vitamin C saved septic patients

Sepsis occurs due to the body’s abnormal response to an infection. This triggers a chain reaction that may damage organs and tissues, leading to septic shock. Septic shock is characterized by a dramatic drop in blood pressure levels. This is potentially deadly.

Sepsis is one of the leading causes of death in the hospital. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that nearly 270,000 Americans die as a result of sepsis. Meanwhile, one in three patients who die in a hospital has sepsis.

It’s also one of the costliest medical conditions in the United States. According to a recent report, hospitalizations for sepsis were over 18,000 dollars in 2013, which is 70 percent more expensive than an average stay. The condition is also the costliest hospital condition billed to Medicare, accounting for 8.2 percent of all Medicare costs incurred in 2013.

In the present study, the researchers proposed a more affordable treatment strategy that incorporates vitamin C. Dr. Marik said that he started using vitamin C for his sepsis patients after reviewing existing literature on the usage of vitamin C for treating sepsis. He tried it to a woman dying of septic shock and found that the patient significantly improved and fully recovered.

The team examined 47 septic patients who were treated with intravenous vitamin C over the course of seven months. The patients were administered 1,500 mg of the vitamin every six hours, along with thiamine and hydrocortisone. The researchers compared their outcomes to those of a control group who were sent to the ICU in the past seven months.

Only four in the experimental group died while 19 died in the control group. None of the patients in the experimental group developed organ failure. And the four casualties were due to underlying conditions, not sepsis.

Furthermore, all patients in the experimental group were able to be weaned off vasopressors — blood-pressure medications — within 24 hours of beginning the novel treatment. In contrast, the control group averaged 54 hours before they were weaned off vasopressors. (Related: Death by sepsis reduced by 87% with progressive vitamin C treatment.)

“Our results suggest that the early use of intravenous vitamin C, together with corticosteroids and thiamine, are effective in preventing progressive organ dysfunction,” wrote the researchers.

Sepsis may be linked to vitamin C deficiency

Dr. Marik wrote an article with his colleague discussing the possible link between vitamin C-deficiency and sepsis. Vitamin-C deficiency is also known as scurvy. It manifests in various ways such as anemia, weakness, spontaneous bleeding, pain in the limbs and swelling in certain parts of the body.

In the article published in the journal Critical Care, the authors argued that 40 percent of septic shock patients have scurvy. They posited that these patients have serum levels of vitamin C that are at the medical threshold for the condition.

The other 60 percent likely have levels that are seriously low but are not sufficient to be clinically considered as scurvy. In addition, half of all ICU patients are found to have a shortfall in vitamin C regardless of whether they have sepsis.

While these assertions need further research, these findings illustrate the importance of vitamin C for health.

Nicotinamide riboside increases aerobic performance

State University of Campinas (Brazil), August 19, 2020

According to news originating from Limeira, Brazil, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “Nicotinamide riboside (NR) acts as a potent NAD precursor and improves mitochondrial oxidative capacity and mitochondrial biogenesis in several organisms. However, the effects of NR supplementation on aerobic performance remain unclear.”

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), “Here, we evaluated the effects of NR supplementation on the muscle metabolism and aerobic capacity of sedentary and trained mice. Male C57BL/6 J mice were supplemented with NR (400 mg/Kg/day) over 5 and 10 weeks. The training protocol consisted of 5 weeks of treadmill aerobic exercise, for 60 min a day, 5 days a week. Bioinformatic and physiological assays were combined with biochemical and molecular assays to evaluate the experimental groups. NR supplementation by itself did not change the aerobic performance, even though 5 weeks of NR supplementation increased NAD levels in the skeletal muscle. However, combining NR supplementation and aerobic training increased the aerobic performance compared to the trained group. This was accompanied by an increased protein content of NMNAT3, the rate-limiting enzyme for NAD + biosynthesis and mitochondrial proteins, including MTCO1 and ATP5a. Interestingly, the transcriptomic analysis using a large panel of isogenic strains of BXD mice confirmed that the Nmnat3 gene in the skeletal muscle is correlated with several mitochondrial markers and with different phenotypes related to physical exercise. Finally, NR supplementation during aerobic training markedly increased the amount of type I fibers in the skeletal muscle.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “Taken together, our results indicate that NR may be an interesting strategy to improve mitochondrial metabolism and aerobic capacity.”

Long naps may be bad for health

Guangzhou Medical University (China), August 26, 2020

Many believe that lying down for a snooze is a harmless activity. But today, scientists show that drifting off for more than one hour could be risky. The study is presented at ESC Congress 2020.1

“Daytime napping is common all over the world and is generally considered a healthy habit,” said study author Dr. Zhe Pan of Guangzhou Medical University, China. “A common view is that napping improves performance and counteracts the negative consequences of ‘sleep debt’. Our study challenges these widely held opinions.”

Previous research on the link between daytime naps and death or cardiovascular disease has produced conflicting results. In addition, it did not account for the duration of night-time sleep.

This study summarised the available evidence to assess the relationship between napping and the risks of all-cause death and cardiovascular disease. A total of 313,651 participants from more than 20 studies were included in the analysis. Some 39% of participants took naps.

The analysis found that long naps (more than 60 mins) were associated with a 30% greater risk of all-cause death and 34% higher likelihood of cardiovascular disease compared to no napping. When night-time sleep was taken into account, long naps were linked with an elevated risk of death only in those who slept more than six hours per night.

Overall, naps of any length were linked with a 19% elevated risk of death. The connection was more pronounced in women, who had a 22% greater likelihood of death with napping compared to no napping, and older participants, whose risk rose by 17% with naps.

Short naps (less than 60 minutes) were not risky for developing cardiovascular disease. Dr. Pan said: “The results suggest that shorter naps (especially those less than 30 to 45 minutes) might improve heart health in people who sleep insufficiently at night.”

The reasons why napping affects the body are still uncertain, said Dr. Pan, but some studies have suggested that long snoozes are linked with higher levels of inflammation, which is risky for heart health and longevity. Other research has connected napping with high blood pressure, diabetes, and poor overall physical health.

He concluded: “If you want to take a siesta, our study indicates it’s safest to keep it under an hour. For those of us not in the habit of a daytime slumber, there is no convincing evidence to start.”

Study suggests deficiency of vitamin D or selenium may decrease immune defenses against COVID-19

Seoul Clinical Laboratories (South Korea), August 28, 2020

According to news reporting from Yongin, South Korea, research stated, “The relationship between immunity and nutrition is well known and its role in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is also being paid greater attention. However, the nutritional status of COVID-19 patients is unknown.”

The news correspondents obtained a quote from the research from Seoul Clinical Laboratories, “Vitamins B1, B6, B12, D (25-hydroxyvitamin D), folate, selenium, and zinc levels were measured in 50 hospitalized patients with COVID-19. A total of 76% of the patients were vitamin D deficient and 42% were selenium deficient. No significant increase in the incidence of deficiency was found for vitamins B1, B6, and B12. folate, and zinc in patients with COVID-19. The COVID-19 group showed significantly lower vitamin D values than the healthy control group (150 people, age/sex matching). Severe vitamin D deficiency (based on 10 ng/dL) was found in 24% of the patients in the COVID-19 group and 7.3% of the control group. Among 12 patients with respiratory distress, 11 (91.7%) were deficient in at least one nutrient. However, patients without respiratory distress showed deficiency in 30/38 people (78.9%, P-value 0.425).”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “These results suggest that a deficiency of vitamin D or selenium may decrease the immune defenses against COVID-19 and cause progression to severe disease; however, more precise and large-scale studies are needed.”

Alpha-lipoic acid supplementation associated with less inflammation among diabetics with history of heart attack

Bogomolets National Medical University (Ukraine), July 28, 2020

The January-March 2020 issue of the Journal of Medicine and Life published the findings of a study that revealed a reduction in markers of inflammation among type 2 diabetics with prior myocardial infarction (heart attack) who received supplements containing alpha-lipoic acid.

The study included 67 men and 45 women with type 2 diabetes and a history of non-Q-myocardial infarction who were being treated with oral antidiabetic therapies and basic cardiovascular medications. The group was matched for age and sex with 40 subjects who were free of chronic diseases. The diabetics were divided into two groups: one with 59 people, who received 600 milligrams orally administered alpha-lipoic acid per day for four months in addition to their prescription drug regimen, while the other 53 received only their prescription drugs. Blood samples were analyzed for serum markers of inflammation that included C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) before and after the treatment period.

Upon enrollment, diabetics who received alpha-lipoic acid had serum CRP levels that averaged 2.7 times higher, IL-6 levels that averaged 4.4 times higher and TNF-a levels that averaged 3.1 times higher than the healthy control group. Similar levels were measured among the diabetic participants who did not receive lipoic acid. At the end of four months, participants who received alpha-lipoic acid experienced a 30.9% decline in CRP, a 29.7% decrease in IL-6 and a 22.7% reduction in TNF-a, while the unsupplemented diabetic group experienced nonsignificant changes in these markers.

Authors Natalia A. Altunina and colleagues observed that alpha-lipoic acid’s anti-inflammatory effect is considered to be independent of its better-known antioxidant activity, and that clinical evaluation of this effect has been limited to a few studies. They explained that alpha-lipoic acid inhibits nuclear factor-kappa beta (NF-kB), which is associated with inflammation and other processes.

The authors concluded that alpha-lipoic acid “can be used to reduce the activity of systemic inflammation as a predictor of diabetes and coronary heart disease progression.”

How vitamin C could help over 50s retain muscle mass

University of East Anglia (UK), August 28, 2020

Vitamin C could be the key to better muscles in later life—according to new research from the University of East Anglia (UEA).

A study published today shows that older people who eat plenty of vitamin C—commonly found in citrus fruits, berries and vegetables—have the best skeletal muscle mass.

This is important because people tend to lose skeletal muscle mass as they get older—leading to sarcopenia (a condition characterised by loss of skeletal muscle mass and function), frailty and reduced quality of life.

Lead researcher Prof Ailsa Welch, from UEA’s Norwich Medical School said: “As people age, they lose skeletal muscle mass and strength.

“People over 50 lose up to one percent of their skeletal muscle mass each year, and this loss is thought to affect more than 50 million people worldwide.”

“It’s a big problem, because it can lead to frailty and other poor outcomes such as sarcopenia, physical disability, type-2 diabetes, reduced quality of life and death.”

“We know that Vitamin C consumption is linked with skeletal muscle mass. It helps defend the cells and tissues that make up the body from potentially harmful free radical substances. Unopposed these free radicals can contribute to the destruction of muscle, thus speeding up age-related decline.”

“But until now, few studies have investigated the importance of Vitamin C intake for older people. We wanted to find out whether people eating more Vitamin C had more muscle mass than other people.”

The research team studied data from more than 13,000 people aged between 42-82 years, who are taking part in the EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) Norfolk Study.

They calculated their skeletal muscle mass and analysed their vitamin C intakes from a seven-day food diary. They also examined the amount of vitamin C in their blood.

Dr. Richard Hayhoe, also from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, said: “We studied a large sample of older Norfolk residents and found that people with the highest amounts of vitamin C in their diet or blood had the greatest estimated skeletal muscle mass, compared to those with the lowest amounts.

“We are very excited by our findings as they suggest that dietary vitamin C is important for muscle health in older men and women and may be useful for preventing age-related muscle loss.

“This is particularly significant as Vitamin C is readily available in fruits and vegetables, or supplements, so improving intake of this vitamin is relatively straightforward.

“We found that nearly 60 percent of men and 50 percent of women participants were not consuming as much Vitamin C as they should, according to the European Food Safety Agency recommendations.

“We’re not talking about people needing mega-doses. Eating a citrus fruit, such as an orange, each day and having a vegetable side to a meal will be sufficient for most people.”

Vitamin E supplementation shows promise as treatment option for NAFLD

Aristotle University (Greece), August 26 2020.

Results from a systematic review and meta-analysis reported on August 18, 2020 in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology indicate a benefit for supplementing with vitamin E for individuals with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD). The disease is defined as an elevated percentage of liver cell fat in the absence of excessive alcohol consumption. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is estimated to affect up to a third of the world’s population.

For their review, Andreas Vadarlis and colleagues at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece selected seven randomized clinical trials that compared the effects of vitamin E to a placebo. Four trials evaluated the effects of the vitamin in a total of 368 participants with NAFLD and three trials included 400 participants with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH, an advanced state of NAFLD).

Among the studies that examined the effects of vitamin E on the transaminase liver enzymes alanine aminotransferase and (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), which are elevated in patients with liver diseases, ALT was lowered by an average of 7.37 international units per liter (IU/L) and AST by an average of 5.71 IU/L compared to a placebo.

Fibrosis score, considered to be the most important prognostic factor of NAFLD progression, significantly improved among those who received vitamin E. Histology parameters, including steatosis, lobular inflammation and hepatocellular ballooning, also improved in vitamin E-treated participants compared to a placebo.

Among the subjects evaluated for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, a significant reduction occurred in those treated with vitamin E. Additionally, fasting blood glucose levels and leptin were lower in comparison with the placebo group among those who received vitamin E.

“Vitamin E could be considered as a treatment option in patients with NAFLD/NASH improving both liver enzymes and histological parameters,” the authors concluded.

Meta-analysis affirms benefit for omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in cardiovascular outcomes

University of Milan (Italy), August 11, 2020

Findings from an updated meta-analysis published in the October 2020 issue of Pharmacological Research support a protective effect for supplementing with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) against heart disease mortality, major adverse cardiovascular events and myocardial infarction (heart attack).

For their analysis, researchers selected 16 randomized, controlled trials that examined the effects of omega 3 fatty acid supplementation among a total of 81,073 participants. Trials were limited to those that included subjects at high cardiovascular risk and/or who had previous cardiovascular events. “The objective of our study was to perform a meta-analysis of all the available randomized controlled trials on cardiovascular secondary prevention and patients at high (and very high) cardiovascular risk to investigate the cardiovascular preventive effect of omega 3 fatty acid administration through supplements (no dietary counselling), with a focus on the role of dose and type of omega 3 PUFA administered, as well as its effects in populations with different cardiovascular risk at baseline,” authors Manuela Casula of the University of Milan and colleagues explained.

During the trials’ follow-up periods, which ranged from one to seven years, the intake of more than one gram per day of omega 3 was associated with a 35% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular causes, a 24% lower risk of experiencing major adverse cardiovascular events and a 33% lower risk of myocardial infarction. Further analysis revealed that a reduction in the risk of cardiac death or myocardial infarction occurred only among trials that included participants who had already experienced major adverse cardiovascular events. Interestingly, a combination of the omega 3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) plus docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) was more effective than the use of EPA alone to reduce the risk of dying from cardiac conditions; however, EPA alone, which was evaluated in three trials, appeared to have a greater association with the reduction in the occurrence of major cardiovascular events.

The authors of the report remark that the intake of one to two meals containing oily fish per week for general health as recommended by world health authorities provides only 250 to 500 milligrams per day of EPA plus DHA, and that an intake of omega 3 fatty acids well above this amount has been associated with a reduction in cardiac mortality among healthy individuals, as well as those with pre-existing cardiovascular disease.

“Stratified analyses based on levels of omega 3 PUFA above and below one gram per day highlight a relevant clinical benefit of the supplementation of omega 3 on coronary heart disease outcomes only when administered at high doses,” they observed. “Only the administration of more than one gram per day of omega 3 PUFA seems to be effective in reducing the risk of cardiac death, major adverse cardiac events and myocardial infarction.”

Higher serum magnesium concentration associated with lower risk of incident cognitive impairment

Columbia University, August 28, 2020

According to news reporting out of New York City, New York, research stated, “To examine the prospective association between serum Mg level and the incidence of cognitive impairment. A random sub-cohort (n = 2063) from the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) cohort was included in this study.”