Encouraging more people to follow healthier diets can help minimize the environmental impact of food production

University of Minnesota and Oxford University, November 5, 2020

A study that was recently carried out by researchers from the University of Minnesota and Oxford University revealed that foods that have the most positive health outcomestend to have the lowest environmental impact, while foods associated with disease, like highly processed foods, can be very harmful to the environment.

The researchers made this determination by looking at how consumption of 15 food groups is associated with five health outcomes and five aspects of environmental degradation.

The specific foods that were associated with better health outcomes (fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, olive oil and whole grain cereals) had the lowest impact on the environment. Red meat, both processed and unprocessed (but traditionally grown), had the most negative impact on the environment and also happened the be the unhealthiest.

This trend held true for all but two exceptions: fish, which is considered a healthier food but has a moderate impact on the environment, and sugar-sweetened drinks, which are decidedly unhealthy yet have a relatively low impact on the environment.

Their findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciencesjournal.

University of Minnesota College of Biological Sciences Professor David Tilman said: “This study shows that eating healthier also means eating more sustainably. Normally, if a food product is good for one aspect of a person’s health, it’s better for other health outcomes, as well. The same holds for environmental outcomes.”

Healthy diet, healthy planet

If people adopted healthier diets, it could lead to some big improvements in environmental sustainability. This dovetails with a report from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change last year, which recommended that people eat more plant-based foods to help reduce the impact on the environment.

According to Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, food production makes up roughly 30 percent of the planet’s greenhouse gas emissions, with the livestock sector representing half of these emissions. It also takes up around 40 percent of global land and is the biggest factor threatening species with extinction. It has also led to most of the planet’s fish stocks being fully fished or overfished.

The EAT-Lancet Commission, a group made up of 37 scientists across 16 countries, maintains that reducing global consumption of red meat and sugar by 50 percent while doubling consumption of vegetables, fruits, legumes and nuts is needed to create a planetary health diet. Moreover, they suggest that agriculture’s priority should shift from producing high quantities of food to creating a better diversity of nutrient-rich foods.

The University of Minnesota/Oxford study’s lead author, Michael Clark, said: “Continuing to eat the way we do threatens societies, through chronic ill health and degradation of Earth’s climate, ecosystems and water resources. Choosing better, more sustainable diets is one of the main ways people can improve their health and help protect the environment.”

He added that replacing any type of meat with plant-based food will make the biggest difference to the environment. The researchers hope their efforts will help consumers and policymakers to make better decisions in the future.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to justify making poor food choices. The influence that what we eat has on our health – and the planet we are living on – is enormous, and people need to realize the power they have to make an incredibly positive change.

Why protecting the brain against infection takes guts

Cambridge University, November 4, 2020

The brain is uniquely protected against invading bacteria and viruses, but its defence mechanism has long remained a mystery. Now, a study in mice, confirmed in human samples, has shown that the brain has a surprising ally in its protection: the gut.

The brain is arguably the most important organ in the body, as it controls most other body systems and enables reasoning, intelligence, and emotion. Humans have evolved a variety of protective measures to prevent physical damage to the brain: it sits in a solid, bony case – the skull – and is wrapped in three layers of watertight tissue known as the meninges.

What has been less clear is how the body defends the brain from infection. Elsewhere in the body, if bacteria or viruses enter the bloodstream, our immune system kicks in, with immune cells and antibodies that target and eliminate the invader. However, the meninges form an impermeable barrier preventing these immune cells from entering the brain.

In research published today in Nature, a team led by scientists at the University of Cambridge, UK, and the National Institute of Health, USA, have found that the meninges are home to immune cells known as plasma cells, which secrete antibodies. These cells are specifically positioned next to large blood vessels running within the meninges allowing them to secrete their antibody ‘guards’ to defend the perimeter of the brain. When the researchers looked at the specific type of antibody produced by these cells, they got a surprise – the antibody they observed is normally the type found in the intestine.

Plasma cells are derived from a particular type of immune cell known as a B cell. Every B cell has an antibody on its surface that is unique to that cell. If an antigen (the part of a bacterium or virus that triggers an immune response) binds to that surface antibody, the B cell becomes activated: it will divide to make new offspring that also recognise that same antigen.

During division, the B cell introduces a mutation into the antibody gene so that one amino acid is changed and its binding characteristics are slightly different. Some of these B cells will now produce antibodies that enable better binding to the pathogen – these go on to expand and multiply; B cells whose antibodies are less good at binding die off. This helps ensure the body produces the best antibodies for targeting and destroying particular antigens.

Normally, the antibodies found in the blood are a type known as Immunoglobulin G (IgG), which are produced in the spleen and bone marrow – these antibodies protect the inside of the body. However, the antibodies found in the meninges were Immunoglobulin A (IgA), which are usually made in the gut lining or in the lining of the nose or lungs – these protect mucosal surfaces, the surfaces that interface with the outside environment.

The team were able to sequence the antibody genes in B cells and plasma cells in the gut and meninges and show that they were related. In other words, the cells that end up in the meninges are those that have been selectively expanded in the gut, where they have recognised particular pathogens.

“The exact way in which the brain protects itself from infection, beyond the physical barrier of the meninges, has been something of a mystery, but to find that an important line of defence starts in the gut was quite a surprise,” said lead scientist Professor Menna Clatworthy from the Department of Medicine and CITIID at the University of Cambridge and the Wellcome Sanger Institute.

“But actually, it makes perfect sense: even a minor breach of the intestinal barrier will allow bugs to enter the blood stream, with devastating consequences if they’re able to spread into the brain. Seeding the meninges with antibody-producing cells that are selected to recognise gut microbes ensures defence against the most likely invaders.”

The team made the discovery using mice, which are commonly used to study physiology as they share many characteristics similar to those found in the human body. They showed that when the mice had no bacteria in their gut, the IgA-producing cells in the meninges were absent, showing that these cells actually originate in the intestine where they are selected to recognise gut microbes before taking up residence in the meninges. When the researchers removed the plasma cells in the meninges – and hence no IgA was present to trap bugs – microbes were able to spread from the bloodstream into the brain.

The team confirmed the presence of IgA cells in the human meninges by analysing samples that were removed during surgery, showing that this defence system is likely to play an important role in defending humans from infections of the central nervous system – meningitis and encephalitis.

Vitamin C may help protect healthy cells during cancer treatment

University of South Bohemia (Czech Republic), November 4, 2020

According to news originating from Prague, Czech Republic, research stated, “Health status is determined by the balance of oxidants and antioxidants which protects healthy cells against the threat of internal and external risk factors. Antioxidants such as ascorbate (vitamin C, ascorbic acid) are of fundamental importance in this respect.”

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from the Department of Pharmacology, “Ascorbate neutralizes potential damage caused by cellular oxidative stress which may be the greatest risk of damage to healthy tissue. Cellular oxidative stress is mediated by external factors (e.g. psychological stress, physical exertion, drugs, various diseases, environmental pollution, preservatives, smoking, and alcohol) and internal factors (products of cellular metabolism induding reactive oxygen species). When the products of oxidative stress are not sufficiently neutralized, healthy cells are at risk for both mitochondrial and DNA damage. In the short term, cell function may deteriorate, while an increased production of proinflammatory cytokines over time may lead to the development of chronic inflammatory changes and diseases, induding cancer. Although pharmaceutical research continues to bring effective chemotherapeutic agents to the market, a limiting factor is often the normal tissue and organ toxicity of these substances, which leads to oxidative stress on healthy tissue. There is increasing interest and imperative to protect healthy tissues from the negative effects of radio-chemotherapeutic treatment. The action of ascorbate against the development of oxidative stress may justify its use not only in the prevention of carcinogenesis, but as a part of supportive or complementary therapy during treatment. Ascorbate (particularly when administered parentally at high doses) may have antioxidant effects that work to protect healthy cells and improve patient tolerability to some toxic radio-chemotherapy regimens. Additionally, ascorbate has demonstrated an immunomodulatory effect by supporting mechanisms essential to anti-tumor immunity. Intravenous administration of gram doses of vitamin C produce high plasma levels immediately, but the levels drop rapidly. Following oral vitamin C administration, plasma levels increase slowly to relatively low values, and then gradually decay. With an oral liposomal formulation, significantly higher levels are attainable than with standard oral formulations. Therefore, oral administration of liposomal vitamin C appears to be an optimal adjunct to intravenous administration.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “In this review, the basic mechanisms and clinical benefits of ascorbate as an antioxidant that may be useful as complementary therapy to chemotherapeutic regimens will be discussed.”

Changes in alkaline phosphatase, calcium, C-reactive protein, D-dimer, phosphorus and hemoglobin in elderly osteoporotic hip fracture patients

Huangzhou University (China), November 1, 2020

According to news reporting out of Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China, research stated, “This study aims to evaluate the association between serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P), C-reactive protein (CRP) and D-dimer (D-D), and hemoglobin (Hb) in postoperative and preoperative osteoporotic hip fracture elderly patients. A total of 32 operation patients with osteoporotic hip fracture over the age of 65 years old were admitted to the orthopedic unit and prospectively evaluated.”

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from the Department of Gynecology, “All patients were treated according to specific protocols, according to the type of fracture. Fasting blood samples were taken, and serum ALP, Ca and P measurements were respectively performed in six periods: at the time of admission, post-operation, and at postoperative one week, two weeks, one month and three months. Hb, CRP and D-D were also analyzed, and the fracture healing was recorded. Finally, 32 cases were selected for the present study. The analysis results revealed that the level of serum Ca and ALP slowly increased at two weeks after surgery, and slightly dropped back at three months after the operation. Furthermore, D-D and CRP had a significant effect at pre-and post-operation, and exhibited an obvious downward trend after postoperative one week. The fracture healing and recovery of activities were associated with the Hb levels. The serum levels of ALP, which were adjusted by Ca and P, were associated with Hb and CRP, but not with D-D. Interestingly, there was an association between CRP and D-D.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “These findings suggest that early control of inflammation and loss of Ca could play a positive role for the healing of osteoporotic hip fractures.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

Glutathione precursor containing NAC and glycine reverses signs of premature aging in people with HIV

Baylor University, November 3, 2020

Premature aging in people with HIV is now recognized as a new, significant public health challenge. Accumulating evidence shows that people with HIV who are between 45 to 60 years old develop characteristics typically observed in people without HIV that are more than 70 years of age. For instance, declining gait speed, physical function and cognition, mitochondrial aging, elevated inflammation, immune dysfunction, frailty and other health conditions are significantly higher in people with HIV when compared to age- and sex-matched uninfected people.

At Baylor College of Medicine, endocrinologist Dr. Rajagopal Sekhar, associate professor of medicine-endocrinology, and his team have found themselves in the right place at the right time to study premature aging in people with HIV. For the last 20 years, they have been studying natural aging in older humans and aged mice in the Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism of the Department of Medicine. Also, for the last 17 years, Sekhar has been active in HIV research, and has been providing clinical care for patients at the HIV clinic at Thomas Street Health Center, a part of Houston’s Harris Health System, where he runs the sole endocrinology and metabolism clinic.

Sekhar’s years-long expertise, knowledge and interest in metabolic disorders affecting HIV patients and a parallel track investigating non-HIV people have resulted in the publication of significant discoveries regarding the metabolic complications in aging, HIV and diabetes, and has guided numerous clinical trials that together provide a better understanding of why we age.

“The work presented here, published in the journal Biomedicines, builds a bridge between laboratory bench and bedside by showing proof-of-concept that supplementing people with HIV specifically with a combination of glycine and N-acetylcysteine, which we call GlyNAC, as precursors of glutathione, a major antioxidant produced by the body, improves multiple deficits associated with premature aging,” said Sekhar.

Why we age?

For several decades, experimental evidence has supported two theories for aging. The free radical theory and the mitochondrial theory propose that elevated free radicals (oxidative stress) and mitochondrial dysfunction, respectively, are at the core of geriatric aging. Both, elevated oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, are present in people with HIV.

Free radicals, such as reactive oxygen species, and the mitochondria are physiologically connected. The mitochondria are like the batteries of the cell, they produce the energy needed for conducting cellular functions. The body transforms the food we eat into sugar and fat, which the mitochondria burns as fuel to produce energy.

However, one of the waste products of cellular energy generation is free radicals, which are highly reactive molecules that can damage cells, membranes, lipids, proteins and DNA. Cells depend on antioxidants, such as glutathione, to neutralize these toxic free radicals. When cells fail to neutralize free radicals, there is an imbalance between the radicals and the antioxidant responses, leading to harmful and damaging oxidative stress.

“The free radicals produced during fuel burning in the mitochondria can be compared to some of the waste products produced by a car’s combustion engine, some of which are removed by the oil filter,” Sekhar said. “If we don’t change the oil filter periodically, the car’s engine will diminish its performance and give less mileage.”

Similarly, if the balance between free radical production and antioxidant response in cells consistently favors the former, in time cellular function could be disrupted. Glutathione helps cells keep oxidative stress in balance, it keeps the oil filter clean. GlyNAC helps the cell make glutathione.

Sekhar and his colleagues have been studying mitochondrial function and glutathione for more than 20 years. Their findings, and those of other researchers, have shown that glutathione is the ultimate natural antioxidant.

Interestingly, compared to those in younger people, glutathione levels in older people are much lower, and the levels of oxidative stress are much higher. Glutathione levels also are lower and oxidative stress is higher in conditions associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, including ageing, HIV infection, diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders, cardiovascular disorders, neurometabolic diseases, cancer, obesity and other conditions.

“When the mitochondrial batteries are running low on power, as a medical and scientific community, we do not know how to recharge these batteries,” Sekhar said. “Which raised the question, if the levels of glutathione were restored in cells, would the mitochondria be recharged and able to provide power to the cell? Would restoring mitochondrial functioning improve conditions associated with mitochondrial dysfunction?”

Restoring glutathione

Restoring glutathione in cells was not straightforward because glutathione cannot work if taken orally for the same reasons that diabetic patients cannot eat insulin. It would be digested before it reached the cells. Also, providing glutathione in the blood cannot correct glutathione deficiency because every cell makes its own.

“Glutathione is a small protein made of three building blocks: amino acids cysteine, glycine and glutamic acid. We found that people with glutathione deficiency also were deficient in cysteine and glycine, but not glutamic acid,” Sekhar said. “We then tested whether restoring deficient glutathione precursors would help cells replenish their glutathione. But there’s another catch, because cysteine cannot be given as such, we had to supplement it in another form called N-acetylcysteine.”

In past studies, Sekhar and his colleagues determined that supplementing GlyNAC, a combination of glycine and N-acetylcysteine, corrected glutathione deficiency inside the cells of naturally aged mice to the levels found in younger mice. Interestingly, the levels of glutathione and mitochondrial function, which were lower in older mice before taking GlyNAC, and oxidative stress, which was higher before GlyNAC, also were comparable to those found in younger mice after taking GlyNAC for six weeks.

The same results were observed in a small study in older humans who had high oxidative stress and glutathione deficiency inside cells. In this case, taking GlyNAC by mouth for 2-weeks corrected the glutathione deficiency and lowered both oxidative stress and insulin resistance (a pre-diabetic risk factor).

In past clinical trials, Sekhar provided GlyNAC to small groups of people to correct a nutritional deficiency, and produced encouraging evidence supporting further studies of the value of this approach to restoring mitochondrial function in clinical trials.

Improving premature aging in people with HIV

In the current study, Sekhar and his colleagues conducted an open-label clinical trial that included six men and two women with HIV, and eight age-, gender- and body mass index-matched uninfected controls, all between 45 and 60 years old. The people with HIV were on stable antiretroviral therapy and had not been hospitalized for six months prior to the study.

Before taking GlyNAC, the group with HIV, compared with the controls, was deficient in glutathione and had multiple conditions associated with premature aging, including higher oxidative stress; mitochondrial dysfunction; higher inflammation, endothelial dysfunction and insulin resistance; more damage to genes; lower muscle strength; increased belly fat and impaired cognition and memory.

The results are encouraging. GlyNAC supplementation for 12 weeks improved all the deficiencies indicated above. Some of the improvements declined eight weeks after stopping GlyNAC.

“It was exciting to see so many new beneficial effects of GlyNAC that have never been described before. Some of the most encouraging findings included reversal of some measures of cognitive decline, a significant condition in people with HIV, and also improved physical strength and other hallmark defects,” Sekhar said.

“It was encouraging to see that GlyNAC can reverse many of these hallmark defects in people with HIV as there is no current treatment known to reverse these abnormalities. Our findings could have implications beyond HIV and need further investigation,” Sekhar said.

Overall, these findings in HIV patients provide proof-of-concept that dietary supplementation of GlyNAC improves multiple hallmarks of aging and that glutathione deficiency and oxidative stress could contribute to them.

Encouraged by these results, Sekhar has continued his investigations by testing the value of GlyNAC supplementation for improving the health of the growing older population, and has completed an open label trial, and another NIH-funded, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in older adults.

“The results from these recently completed trials support the findings of the HIV study,” said Sekhar, who is currently the Principal Investigator of two NIH-funded randomized clinical trials studying the effect of GlyNAC in older humans with mild cognitive impairment, and with Alzheimer’s disease.

How Cannabis-Based Therapeutics Could Help Fight COVID Inflammation

University of Florida School of Pharmacy and

University of Sao Paulo (Brazil), November 03, 2020

Plagued by false starts, a few dashed hopes, but with perhaps a glimmer of light on the horizon, the race to find an effective treatment for COVID-19 continues. At last count, more than 300 treatments and 200 vaccines were in preclinical or clinical development (not to mention the numerous existing agents that are being evaluated for repurposing).

There is also a renewed interest in cannabinoid therapeutics — in particular, the nonpsychoactive agent cannabidiol (CBD) and the prospect of its modulating inflammatory and other disease-associated clinical indices, including SARS-CoV-2–induced viral load, hyperinflammation, the cytokine storm, and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Long hobbled by regulatory, political, and financial barriers, CBD’s potential ability to knock back COVID-19–related inflammation might just open doors that have been closed for years to CBD researchers.

Why CBD and Why Now?

CBD and the resulting therapeutics have been plagued by a complicated association with recreational cannabis use. It’s been just 2 years since CBD-based therapeutics moved into mainstream medicine — the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Epidiolex oral solution for the treatment of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome, and in August, the FDA approved it for tuberous sclerosis complex.

CBD’s mechanism of action has not been fully elucidated, but on the basis of its role in immune responses — well described in research spanning more than two decades — it’s not surprising that cannabinoid researchers have thrown their hats into the COVID-19 drug development ring.

The anti-inflammatory potential of CBD is substantial and appears to be related to the fact that it shares 20 protein targets common to inflammation-related pathways, Jenny Wilkerson, PhD, research assistant professor at the University of Florida School of Pharmacy, Gainesville, Florida, explained to Medscape Medical News.

Among the various trials that are currently recruiting or are underway is one that is slated for completion this fall. CANDIDATE (Cannabidiol for COVID-19 Patients With Mild-to-Moderate COVID-19) is a randomized, controlled, double-blind study led by Brazilian researchers at the University of Sao Paulo. The study, which began recruitment this past August, enrolled 100 patients, 50 in the active treatment group (who received capsulated CBD 300 mg daily for 14 days plus pharmacologic therapy [antipyretics] and clinical measures) and 50 who received placebo.

The primary outcome is intended to help clarify the potential role of oral CBD for preventing COVID-19 disease progression, modifying disease-associated clinical indices, and modulating inflammatory parameters, such as the cytokine storm, according to lead investigator Jose Alexandre de Souza Crippa, MD, PhD, professor of neuropsychology at the Ribeirao Preto Medical School at the University of São Paulo in Brazil, in the description of the study on clinicaltrials.gov. Crippa declined to provide any additional information about the trial in an email to Medscape Medical News.

Calming or Preventing the Storm

While Crippa and colleagues wrap up their CBD trial in South America, several North American and Canadian researchers are seeking to clarify and address one of the most therapeutically challenging aspects of SARS-CoV-2 infection — the lung macrophage–orchestrated hyperinflammatory response.

Although hyperinflammation is not unique to SARS-CoV-2 infection, disease severity and COVID-19–related mortality have been linked to this rapid and prolonged surge of inflammatory cytokines (eg, interleukin 6 [IL-6], IL-10, tumor necrosis factors [TNF], and chemokines) and the cytokine storm.

“When you stimulate CB2 receptors (involved in fighting inflammation), you get a release of the same inflammatory cytokines that are involved in COVID,” Cecilia Costiniuk, MD, associate professor and researcher at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, Montreal, Canada, told Medscape Medical News.

“So, if you can act on this receptor, you might be able to reduce the release of those damaging cytokines that are causing ARDS, lung damage, etc,” she explained. Targeting these inflammatory mediators has been a key strategy in research aimed at reducing COVID-19 severity and related mortality, which is where CBD comes into play.

“CBD is a very powerful immune regulator. It keeps the [immune] engine on, but it doesn’t push the gas pedal, and it doesn’t push the brake completely,” Babak Baban, PhD, professor and immunologist at the Dental College of Georgia at Augusta University, told Medscape Medical News.

To explore the effectiveness of CBD in reducing hyperactivated inflammatory reactions, Baban and colleagues examined the potential of CBD to ameliorate ARDS in a murine model. The group divided wild-type male mice into sham, control, and treatment groups.

The sham group received intranasal phosphate buffered saline; the treatment and control groups received a polyriboinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly I:C) double-stranded RNA analogue (100 µg daily for 3 days) to simulate the cytokine storm and clinical ARDS symptoms.

Following the second poly I:C dose, the treatment group received CBD 5 mg/kg intraperitoneally every other day for 6 days. The mice were sacrificed on day 8.

The study results, published in July in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, first confirmed that the poly I:C model simulated the cytokine storm in ARDS, reducing blood oxygen saturation by as much as 10% (from ±81.6% to ±72.2%).

Intraperitoneally administered CBD appeared to reverse these ARDS-like trends. “We observed a significant improvement in severe lymphopenia, a mild decline in the ratio of neutrophils to T cells, and significant reductions in levels of [inflammatory and immune factors] IL-6, IFN-𝛾 [interferon gamma], and in TNF-ɑ after the second CBD dose,” Baban said.

There was also a marked downregulation in infiltrating neutrophils and macrophages in the lung, leading to partial restoration of lung morphology and structure. The investigators write that this suggests “a counter inflammatory role for CBD to limit ARDS progression.”

Additional findings from a follow-up study published in mid-October “provide strong data that CBD may partially assert its beneficial and protective impact through its regulation of the apelin peptide,” wrote Baban in an email to Medscape Medical News.

“Apelin may also be a reliable biomarker for early diagnosis of ARDS in general, and in COVID-19 in particular,” he wrote.

Questions remain concerning dose response and whether CBD alone or in combination with other phytocannabinoids is more effective for treating COVID-19. Timing is likewise unclear.

Baban explained that as a result of the biphasic nature of COVID-19, the “sweet spot” appears to be just before the innate immune response progresses into an inflammation-driven response and fibrotic lung damage occurs.

But Wilkerson isn’t as convinced. She said that as with a thermostat, the endocannabinoid system needs tweaking to get it in the right place, that is, to achieve immune homeostasis. The COVID cytokine storm is highly unpredictable, she added, saying, “Right now, the timing for controlling the COVID cytokine storm is really a moving target.”

Is Safety a Concern?

Safety questions are expected to arise, especially in relation to COVID-19. CBD is not risk free, and one size does not fit all. Human CBD studies reportgastrointestinal and somnolent effects, as well as drug-drug interactions.

Findings from a recent systematic review of randomized, controlled CBD trials support overall tolerability, suggesting that serious adverse events are rare. Such events are believed to be related to drug-drug interactions rather than to CBD itself. On the flip side, it is nonintoxicating, and there does not appear to be potential for abuse.

“It’s generally well tolerated,” Wilkerson said. “There’ve now been several clinical trials in numerous patient population settings where basically the only time you really start to have issues is where you have patients on very select agents. But this is where a pharmacist would come into play.”

Costiniuk agreed: “Just because it’s cannabis, it doesn’t mean that there’s going to be strange or unusual effects; these people [ie, those with severe COVID-19] are in the hospital and monitored very closely.”

Delving Into the Weeds: What’s Next?

Although non-COVID-19 cannabinoid researchers have encountered regulatory roadblocks, several research groups that have had the prescience to dive in at the right time are gaining momentum.

Baban’s team has connected with one of the nation’s few academic laboratories authorized to work with the SARS-CoV-2 virus and are awaiting protocol approval so that they can reproduce their research, this time using two CBD formulations (injectable and inhaled).

If findings are positive, they will move forward quickly to meet with the FDA, Baban said, adding that the team is also collaborating with two organizations to conduct human clinical trials in hopes of pushing up timing.

The initial article caught the eye of the World Health Organization, which included it in its global literature on the coronavirus resource section.

Israeli researchers have also been quite busy. InnoCan Pharma and Tel Aviv University are collaborating to explore the potential for CBD-loaded exosomes(minute extracellular particles that mediate intracellular communication, including via innate and adaptive immune responses). The group plans to use these loaded exosomes to target and facilitate recovery of COVID-19–damaged lung cells.

From a broader perspective, the prospects for harnessing cannabinoids for immune modulation will be more thoroughly explored in a special issue of Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, which has extended its current call for papers, studies, abstracts, and conference proceedings until the end of December.

Like many of the therapeutic strategies under investigation for the treatment of COVID-19, studies in CBD may continue to raise more questions than answers.

Still, Wilkerson is optimistic. “Taken together, these studies along with countless others suggest that the complex pharmacophore of Cannabis sativamay hold therapeutic utility to treat lung inflammation, such as what is seen in a COVID-19 cytokine storm,” she told Medscape Medical News. “I’m very excited to see what comes out of the research.”

Physical activity and dietary counselling slows down the development of insulin resistance in children

University of Eastern Finland, November 5, 2020

A new study from the University of Eastern Finland shows that individualized and family-based physical activity and dietary counseling considerably slows down the development of insulin resistance, which is a precursor of type 2 diabetes, in 6–9-year-old children. Published in Diabetologia, the study focused on predominantly normal-weight children.

Insulin resistance refers to the body’s weakened metabolic response to insulin in the target tissues, i.e. in skeletal muscles, adipose tissue and the liver. Insulin resistance is usually the first sign of disturbed glucose metabolism, developing much earlier than abnormalities in pancreatic insulin secretion, elevated glucose levels and, eventually, type 2 diabetes. Earlier studies have shown that physical activity and dietary counseling reduces insulin resistance in overweight and obese children. This new study from the University of Eastern Finland is significant not only scientifically, but also in terms of public health and clinical practice, because it is the first to show that a combination of physical activity and dietary counseling can be used to slow down the long-term development of insulin resistance in children who were predominantly normal-weight at baseline.

More than 500 Finnish children aged between six and nine years at baseline participated in the Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children (PANIC) study ongoing at the University of Eastern Finland. Children and their caregivers in the intervention group were given individualized and family-based physical activity and dietary counseling over a period of two years. Children and their caregivers in the control group, on the other hand, were given instructions on physical exercise and nutrition as per the national guidelines, but no actual lifestyle counseling. At baseline and two years later, the researchers analyzed children’s physical activity and sedentary behavior using the Actiheart sensor that measures heart rate and body movements. Physical activity was also assessed by the PANIC Physical Activity Questionnaire, and dietary factors were assessed by a 4-day food record over four days. Children’s body fat percentage and lean body mass were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, DXA. Fasting serum insulin and HOMA-IR were used as indicators of insulin resistance.

The study showed that during the two-year follow-up, increase of insulin resistance was roughly 35% lower in the group that was given individualized and family-based physical activity and dietary counseling than in the control group. The attenuating effect of counseling on insulin resistance was explained especially by changes in physical activity and sedentary behavior, and slightly less by changes in overall dietary quality and in the consumption of high-fat spreads. Counseling did not have an effect on body fat percentage or lean body mass, i.e. changes in body composition did not mediate the beneficial effect of intervention on insulinresistance.

“This is an interesting finding. The attenuating effect of physical activity and dietary counseling on insulin resistance in children is likely caused by the fact that physical activity and a healthy diet boost metabolism in skeletal muscles, adipose tissue and in the liver, and not so much by a lower body fat percentage or lean body mass,” Professor Timo Lakka, the lead author of the study, says.

Although type 2 diabetes usually develops in adulthood, research suggests that its prevention is best begun already in childhood.

“Increasing physical activity, reducing sedentary behavior and eating food of better quality should be a priority for all children, not just for those who are overweight,” Professor Lakka points out.

Professor Lakka points out that in addition to body composition measurements, all children should also be asked about their physical activity, sedentary behavior and diet when they visit a child health clinic or a school nurse.

“Identifying children who have unhealthy lifestyle habits and who are at an increased risk of type 2 diabetes in adulthood would allow a better targeting of measures that are geared towards preventing type 2 diabetes. The best way to collect lifestyle-related data is to use scientifically validated, well-proven digital applications. This would allow the data to be optimally used for promoting children‘s health and well-being, and for making scientifically informed decisions,” Professor Lakka says.

Vitamin D lessens symptoms of severe eczema in children

National Hepatology & Tropical Medicine Research Institute (Egypt), November 3, 2020

Vitamin D supplementation eased the symptoms experienced by children with severe atopic dermatitis, or eczema, in a recent randomized controlled trial published in Pharmacology Research & Perspectives.

Investigators reported on the results of 86 patients with the inflammatory skin condition who completed the trial and received either oral daily vitamin D or placebo, in addition to standard care, for 12 weeks.

“Vitamin D supplementation could be an effective adjuvant treatment that improves the clinical outcomes in severe atopic dermatitis,” the authors wrote.

Beneficial effect of boswellia compound on bone metabolism in experimental osteoporosis

King Faisal University (Saudi Arabia), November 31, 2020

According to news reporting from Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia, research stated, “Estrogen is instrumental in the pathological process of osteoporosis because a deficiency of this hormone increases the release of bone-resorbing cytokines. Acetyl-11-keto-b-boswellic acid (AKBA), a constituent from * * Boswellia serrata* * , has an anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) expression, which leads to a decline in receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kB) ligand, and consequently, a reduction in osteoclast activity.”

The news journalists obtained a quote from the research from King Faisal University: “Hence, AKBA may be beneficial against bone loss during osteoporosis. Therefore, the current study intended to evaluate the beneficial effects of AKBA in ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis and to investigate its mechanism of action. Sham-operation or ovariectomy female Sprague Dawley rats were used for evaluating the antiosteoporotic effect of AKBA in this study. AKBA (35 mg/kg, p.o.) and estradiol (0.05 mg/kg, i.m.) were administered for 42 days. At the end of the experiment, body and uterus weights, serum and urine calcium and phosphorus, serum alkaline phosphatase, and urinary creatinine levels, besides serum levels of NF-kB and TNF-a were determined. Weight, length, thickness, hardness, calcium content, as well as the bone mineral density of femur bone and lumbar vertebra were measured. A histopathological examination was also carried out.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “AKBA ameliorated all tested parameters and restored a normal histological structure. Thus, AKBA showed good antiosteoporotic activity, which may be mediated through its suppression of the NF-kB-induced TNF-a signaling pathway.”

Probiotic supplement may help in the treatment of fatty liver

University of Jyväskylä (Finland), November 4, 2020

A recent study by researchers at the University of Jyväskylä was successful in partially preventing fatty liver disease in rats. Rats with fatty liver disease were fed with a dietary probiotic supplement that is known to increase the growth of good bacteria in the gut. Simultaneous with the increased abundance of the bacteria, the liver fat content decreased significantly. In addition, preliminary results from a human study seem promising.

It is estimated that quarter of the Finnish population has fatty liver. Fatty liver disease is an important metabolic disease, which without treatment can develop into cirrhosis or even hepatocellular carcinoma, that is, hepatic cancer.

Earlier Academy of Finland Research Fellow Satu Pekkala and her research team were able to treat the fatty liver of mice by administering Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, a member of the gut microbiota with known anti-inflammatory properties. In the most recent study, the research team fed rats with a dietary supplement that partly prevented the fatty liver of rats.

“Unfortunately, this type of health-beneficial gut microbes cannot necessarily be sold at the pharmacies for human use,” Pekkala explains, “so we wanted to find out whether we can increase its natural abundance in the gut with a prebiotic fiber.”

A prebiotic is defined as a selectively fermented dietary component that cannot be digested in the gut but serves as food for the good gut microbes, such as lactobacilli, thereby conferring beneficial effects for the health of the host. The research team first found that the above-mentioned Faecalibacterium prausnitzii was able to use prebiotic Xylo-oligosaccharides as food, which increased its growth.

After these positive results, the research team performed a dietary intervention in rats, in which fatty liver was induced in rats and at the same time they were fed with a diet supplemented with XOS for 12 weeks. XOS is a dietary supplement that can be found in natural products shops and online stores.

“The results of the research showed that XOS increased the growth of the health-beneficial bacterium, and at the same time, significantly decreased the liver fat content of the rats,” says Pekkala, summarizing the main results.

The most important contributing factors to the reduced liver fat were improved hepatic fat and glucose metabolism.

This is the first study to show such effects for XOS. Though the study was made using rats, the research team has already conducted XOS intervention in humans having fatty liver. Pekkala says the human study ended in June and some of the preliminary results seem promising. The research team expects to publish more results next year.

Western diet impairs odor-related learning and olfactory memory in mice

Karolinska Institutet (Sweden) and Medical University of Gdańsk (Poland), November 4 2020

Problems with the sense of smell appear to be an early indicator of cognitive decline in people with type 2 diabetes. However, it’s unknown whether factors such as diet and obesity play a role in who develops these symptoms. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Chemical Neuroscience found that mice fed a moderate-fat, high-sugar chow (simulating a Western diet) showed a faster decline in their ability to learn and remember new odors.

Some people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) show signs of olfactory dysfunction, including problems with detecting, discriminating or recalling odors, or even a complete loss of smell. These symptoms are strongly associated with cognitive impairment, and evidence suggests they could be an early indicator of the condition in people with T2D. Obesity, which is the main risk factor for T2D, has also been associated with olfactory dysfunction, but the impact of obesity on the sense of smell specifically in these patients is unclear, as studies have produced conflicting results. Also, it’s unknown whether certain nutrients in the diet, such as fat and sugar, affect the sense of smell. To find out, Grazyna Lietzau, Cesare Patrone and colleagues wanted to compare the effects of two diets on different olfactory functions in mice: a high-fat, moderate-sugar diet (HFD); and a moderate-fat, high-sugar diet (similar to a Western diet, WD). In mice, both diets cause obesity and T2D-like features.

At one, three and eight months, the team performed tests to assess different olfactory functions in the mice. By eight months, both the HFD- and WD-fed mice had impaired odor detection, odor-related learning and olfactory memory compared with the control mice. However, the WD-fed mice had a faster decline in the latter two abilities, showing olfactory dysfunction as early as 3 months after beginning the diet. These findings indicate that a high dietary sugar content, rather than hyperglycemia or weight gain, is linked with early deterioration of olfactory functions related to learning and memory, the researchers say. How sugar causes these effects, and whether they are also seen in humans, the researchers acknowledge, remains to be determined.

Psychedelic treatment with psilocybin relieves major depression, study shows

Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, November 4, 2020

In a small study of adults with major depression, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers report that two doses of the psychedelic substance psilocybin, given with supportive psychotherapy, produced rapid and large reductions in depressive symptoms, with most participants showing improvement and half of study participants achieving remission through the four-week follow-up.

A compound found in so-called magic mushrooms, psilocybin produces visual and auditory hallucinations and profound changes in consciousness over a few hours after ingestion. In 2016, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers first reported that treatment with psilocybin under psychologically supported conditions significantly relieved existential anxiety and depression in people with a life-threatening cancer diagnosis.

Now, the findings from the new study, published Nov. 4 in JAMA Psychiatry, suggest that psilocybin may be effective in the much wider population of patients who suffer from major depression than previously appreciated.

“The magnitude of the effect we saw was about four times larger than what clinical trials have shown for traditional antidepressants on the market,” says Alan Davis, Ph.D., adjunct assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “Because most other depression treatments take weeks or months to work and may have undesirable effects, this could be a game changer if these findings hold up in future ‘gold-standard’ placebo-controlled clinical trials.” The published findings cover only a four-week follow-up in 24 participants, all of whom underwent two five-hour psilocybin sessions under the direction of the researchers.

“Because there are several types of major depressive disorders that may result in variation in how people respond to treatment, I was surprised that most of our study participants found the psilocybin treatment to be effective,” says Roland Griffiths, Ph.D., the Oliver Lee McCabe III Professor in the Neuropsychopharmacology of Consciousness at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research. He says the major depression treated in the new study may have been different than the “reactive” form of depression in patients they studied in the 2016 cancer trial. Griffiths says his team was encouraged by public health officials to explore psilocybin’s effects in the broader population of those with major depressive disorder because of the much larger potential public health impact.

For the new study, the researchers recruited 24 people with a long-term documented history of depression, most of whom experienced persisting symptoms for approximately two years before enrolling in the study. The average age of participants was 39; 16 were women; and 22 identified themselves as white, one person identified as Asian and one person identified as African American. Participants had to taper off any antidepressants prior to the study with the help of their personal physician to ensure safe exposure to this experimental treatment.

Thirteen participants received the psilocybin treatment immediately after recruitment and after preparation sessions, and 11 participants received the same preparation and treatment after an eight-week delay.

Treatment consisted of two psilocybin doses given by two clinical monitors who provided guidance and reassurance. The doses were given two weeks apart between August 2017 and April 2019 at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center Behavioral Biology Research Building. Each treatment session lasted approximately five hours, with the participant lying on a couch wearing eyeshades and headphones that played music, in the presence of the monitors.

All participants were given the GRID-Hamilton Depression Rating Scale – a standard depression assessment tool – upon enrollment, and at one and four weeks following completion of their treatment. On the scale, a score of 24 or more indicates severe depression, 17-23 moderate depression, 8-16 mild depression and 7 or less no depression. At enrollment, participants had an average depression scale rating of 23, but one week and four weeks after treatment, they had an average depression scale score of 8. After treatment, most participants showed a substantial decrease in their symptoms, and almost half were in remission from depression at the follow-up. Participants in the delayed group didn’t show decreases in their symptoms before receiving the psilocybin treatment.

For the entire group of 24 participants, 67% showed a more than 50% reduction in depression symptoms at the one-week follow-up and 71% at the four-week follow-up. Overall, four weeks post-treatment, 54% of participants were considered in remission – meaning they no longer qualified as being depressed.

“I believe this study to be a critically important proof of concept for the medical approval of psilocybin for treatment of depression, a condition I have personally struggled with for decades,” says entrepreneur and philanthropist Tim Ferriss, who supported the funding campaign for this study. “How do we explain the incredible magnitude and durability of effects? Treatment research with moderate to high doses of psychedelics may uncover entirely new paradigms for understanding and improving mood and mind. This is a taste of things to come from Johns Hopkins.”

The researchers say they will follow the participants for a year after the study to see how long the antidepressant effects of the psilocybin treatment last, and will report their findings in a later publication.

Griffiths, whose research with psilocybin, begun in the early 2000s, was initially viewed by some with skepticism and concern, says he is gratified by Johns Hopkins’ support and heartened by the dozens of startups and research labs that have followed suit with their own research. He says numerous companies are now actively working to develop marketable forms of psilocybin and related psychedelic substances.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, more than 17 million people in the U.S. and 300 million people worldwide have experienced major depression.

Exploring the appetite-enhancing effects of nutmeg oil

Kyoto University (Japan), November 5, 2020

In this study, researchers from Kyoto University investigated the appetite-enhancing and locomotor-reducing effects of Myristica fragrans (nutmeg) oil and its active components. They reported their findings in an article published in the Journal of Natural Medicines.

M. fragrans is widely used to enhance the flavor of sweet and savory foods.
In Asian countries, it also has a history of use as an herbal medicine that can improve appetite.
Two of the main active compounds present in nutmeg oil are myristicin and methyl eugenol, phenylpropanoid compounds that have been found to increase the appetite of mice upon inhalation.
Because of this ability, myristicin and methyl eugenol have attracted the attention of healthcare professionals who care for older people with dementia.
Many of these patients suffer from hypophagia, which leads to frailty and becoming bedridden.
Hence, inexpensive appetite-enhancing agents that are easy to administer are particularly desirable.
The researchers found that inhalation of nutmeg oil, myristicin and methyl eugenol produced appetite-enhancing effects in mice.
However, only methyl eugenol exerted both appetite-enhancing and locomotor-reducing effects at the same dose.
According to a previous study, benzylacetone also exerted the same effects at the same dose and even increased the body weight of mice significantly.
Methyl eugenol, however, did not have the same effect on body weight because the mice experienced olfactory habituation after repeated inhalations.
A structure-activity study, on the other hand, revealed a carbonyl group in the aliphatic chain that could prevent habituation to aromatic compounds.

The researchers believe that their study provides crucial information for identifying suitable phenylpropanoids that can be used for the long-term treatment of appetite loss.

Eating less suppresses liver cancer due to fatty liver

Shinshu University (Japan), October 30, 2020

Liver cancer from too much fat accumulation in the liver has been increasing in many countries including Japan. In order to change this unfortunate state of affairs, it is important to improve the prognosis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Most often the cause of fatty liver is overeating and lack of exercise. Fatty liver is often improved through eating less, getting more exercise, and reducing body weight. Therefore, the research group led by Shinshu University graduate student Fangping Jia posed the question, “Can eating less also suppress liver cancer caused by fatty liver?”

An international research team led by Shinshu University School of Medicine were able to show that reducing food intake by 30%, or eating until you are just 70% full is effective in reducing the likelihood of developing liver cancer from fatty liver. Fatty liver is a very common disease that can lead to liver cirrhosis and cancer. The team observed the incidence of fatty liver-related liver tumors in mice with the hepatitis C virus core gene and demonstrated the fall in the occurrence of liver cancer from 41% to 8% over a 15 month period, simply through dietary restriction.

Although there have been studies that showed the connection between obesity, fatty liver and hepatocellular carcinoma, the impact and mechanism of dietary restriction on cancer was not well understood before this study. Reducing food intake suppresses cell proliferation, oxidative/ER stress, inflammation, senescence and insulin signaling while increasing autophagy. Inflammation and oxidative/ER stress creates an environment in the body that is conducive to the development of abnormal cells. Autophagy is the mechanism in which the body cleans out damaged cells, reducing the likelihood of developing cancer.

Shinshu University School of Medicine Associate Professor Naoki Tanaka, corresponding author of the study hopes to eradicate liver cirrhosis and cancer from fatty liver through providing personalized dietary guidance and the promotion of the eating habit until you are just 70% full. In three other studies conducted by Associate Professor Tanaka using the same mouse model, the effect of the diet rich in cholesterol, saturated fats and trans-fats were shown to increase the incidence of liver tumors and elucidated the mechanism in which this occurs. Associate Professor Tanaka speculates that not only does the amount of fat intake matter, but the “quality” of dietary fats that lead to cancer. He hopes to elucidate this further in future studies.

Many previous studies have also shown that dietary restriction delayed the progression of cancer in humans through slowing down the rate of aging. There is a Chinese proverb that says, “to live a long and healthy life, eat until the stomach is 70 percent full.” Then you will live healthy, and it might lead to longevity.

Could melatonin be beneficial for respiratory virus treatment in the elderly?

Gazi University (Turkey), October 30, 2020

According to news originating from Ankara, Turkey, research stated, “The aim of this review is to summarize current studies on the relationship between melatonin and aging. Nowadays, age-related diseases come into prominence, and identifying age-related changes and developing proper therapeutic approaches are counted as some of the major issues regarding community health.”

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from Gazi University, “Melatonin is the main hormone of the pineal gland. Melatonin is known to influence many biological processes in the body, including circadian rhythms, the immune system, and neuroendocrine and cardiovascular functions.Melatoninrhythms also reflect the biological process of aging. Aging is an extremely complex and multifactorial process. Melatonin levels decline considerably with aging and its decline is associated with several age-related diseases. Aging is closely associated with oxidative damage and mitochondrial dysfunction. Free radical reactions initiated by the mitochondria constitute the inherent aging process. Melatonin plays a pivotal role in preventing age-related oxidative stress. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) fatality rates increase with chronic diseases and age, where melatonin levels decrease. For this reason, melatonin supplementation in elderly could be beneficial in COVID-19 treatment.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “Therefore, studies on the usage of melatonin in COVID-19 treatment are needed.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

Randomized trial found extra virgin olive oil helped improve cognitive function

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece), October 28, 2020

According to news reporting originating from Thessaloniki, Greece, research stated, “Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) constitutes a natural compound with high protection over cognitive function. To investigate for the first time the effect of Greek High Phenolic Early Harvest Extra Virgin Olive Oil (HP-EH-EVOO) versus Moderate Phenolic (MP-EVOO) and Mediterranean Diet (MeDi) in people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).”

A double-blind randomized trial examined the effect of Greek High phenolic Early Harvest extra virgin olive oil (HP-EHVOO) and extra virgin olive oil with moderate phenolic content (MP-EVOO) versus Mediterranean Diet in 60 participants with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) for 12 months. An extensive neuropsychological battery including global cognition, verbal fluency, Activities of Daily Living (ADL), mood, attention, visuo-spatial ability and memory was used for the assessment of the subjects at baseline and after 12 months follow-up. Each participant was randomized and allocated in one of three groups i) the Group 1 received the HP-EVOO (50 mL/day), ii) the Group 2 received the MP-EVOO (50 mL/day), and iii) the Group 3 received only the Mediterranean Diet instructions which followed also the other two groups. We found better posttrial cognitive performance versus control in almost all cognitive domains and significantly better performance in ADAS-Cog, verbal fluency and memory tasks for participants allocated to the Group 1. Also, participants assigned to Group 2 showed improvement compared to control Group 3, whereas Group 3 exhibited worse performance in almost every neuropsychological test. These findings suggest that a long-term intervention with HP-EVOO or MP-EVOO was associated with improvement in cognitive functions, and this improvement was found compared with the Mediterranean Diet group.

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “Long-term intervention with HP-EH-EVOO or MP-EVOO was associated with significant improvement in cognitive function compared to MeDi, independent of the presence of APOEe4.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

‘Cinderella’ of the medicinal plant world — jasmine — could be the answer to better breast cancer treatment

University of London, October 30, 2020

A plant which had previously been dismissed as not being medically useful, could prove to be a hero in disguise, after scientists discovered it not only stops the growth of breast cancer cells but does not affect normal cells—a potential first for future cancer chemotherapy treatment.

The ground breaking research by the team of Professor Alessandra Devoto at Royal Holloway, University of London, in collaboration with Dr. Amanda Harvey at Brunel University London, and Professor Nicholas Smirnoff at University of Exeter, incubated the Arabidopsis thaliana leaves, treated with the plant hormone Jasmonate (a substance discovered in jasmine that boosts plant responses to stress), with breast cancer cells.

They found that that although the cancer cells stopped growing, the normal cellsremained unaffected. This is significant as use of the plant in breast cancer treatment could potentially lead to a quicker recovery time and less secondary effects for patients subjected to chemical treatment.

They have also discovered molecular mechanisms associated with the changes in the breast cancer cells that will allow development of further new treatments.

Professor Devoto, from the Department of Biological Sciences at Royal Holloway, has been conducting this research since 2006 and has just published a paper on the findings.

She said: “Along with my colleagues from Brunel and Exeter, I am truly excited to have discovered the amazing impact this unassuming plant has on breast cancer cells. It just proves that even plants with a non-medicinal pedigree can work for cancer treatment.

“The plant is very much like the ‘Cinderella’ of the medicinal plant world—no one thought it was so special, but it has shown its true colors via our research. The discovery has important implications in developing treatments for cancer as well as other diseases.

Dr. Harvey and Professor Smirnoff added: “Combined with recent progress in metabolic engineering and biotechnology, our approach will also facilitate production and analysis of bioactivities of valuable metabolites from plants on an industrial scale. We are looking forward to continuing our collaboration with Professor Devoto to identify the plant-derived chemicals that interfere with breast cancer cells as well as with other diseases and to progress this research by gathering more funding to benefit society more widely.”

Glutamine protects against muscle injuries and aging

Flanders Institute of Biotechnology (Belgium), October 30, 2020

A team headed by Prof. Massimiliano Mazzone (VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology), in collaboration with Dr. Emanuele Berardi and Dr. Min Shang, revealed a new metabolic dialogue between inflammatory cells and muscle stem cells. The researchers show that strengthening this metabolic crosstalk with an inhibitor of the enzyme GLUD1 fosters the release of glutamine, and improves muscle regeneration and physical performance in experimental models of muscle degeneration such as trauma, ischemia, and aging. Besides its translational potential, this work also provides key advances in several fields of research including muscle biology, immunometabolism, and stem cell biology.

The role of glutamine

Skeletal muscle is instrumental to move our body, but it is also a large reservoir of amino acids stored as proteins and it influences energy and protein metabolism throughout the human body. The role of the amino acid glutamine has been considered central for muscle metabolism because of its abundance. However, its precise role after trauma or during chronic muscle degenerative conditions were largely neglected.

The team of Prof. Massimiliano Mazzone (VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology) observed that, upon damage or during aging, the normal levels of glutamine in the muscle decrease as a consequence of dead muscle tissue. The researchers identified a metabolic dialogue between the inflammatory cells arriving after injury, and the resident muscle stem cells. This cellular crosstalk re-establishes the original levels of glutamine in the muscle and, in doing so, it prompts the regeneration of the muscle fibers.

Regenerating muscle

Using in vitro and in vivo state-of-the-art methodologies the researchers showed that muscle injury, ischemia and aged-related muscle wasting are conditions characterized by reduced glutamine. One reason for this is the loss of glutamine production by the muscle itself because of its damage.

Dr. Berardi explains, “Using genetic tools and pharmacological drugs inhibiting GLUD1, an enzyme that metabolizes glutamine, we could prevent the post-injury drop in glutamine. This resulted in the overproduction of glutamine by inflammatory cells, named macrophages, reaching the muscle after damage. The newly produced glutamine could be used by muscle stem cells to quickly regenerate the damaged muscle tissue. We found the same thing in acute as well as chronic degenerative conditions, such as aging, leading to a faster muscle functional recovery.”

Preventing degeneration

This study reveals glutamine as a sensor molecule whose levels in the muscle tissue control a regenerative program and suggests that GLUD1 is a therapeutic target that could enable opportunities for muscle regeneration after acute injury or chronic degenerative conditions such as aging.

Prof. Mazzone emphasizes the potential of their discovery: “This provides hope for the treatment of degenerative muscle conditions, including trauma, ischemia and aging. The latter in particular represents an important challenge for healthcare with an increasing average age of the global population, accompanied by aged-related sarcopenia. In a joined effort with VIB Discovery Sciences and the Centre for Drug Design and Discovery, we are currently developing and testing more selective GLUD1 inhibitors for chronic muscle wasting conditions including muscular dystrophy.”

Americans are still consuming too many carbs and fats, warn researchers

Tufts University, October 31, 2020

Despite some dietary improvements over the years, Americans are still eating too many low-quality carbohydrates and fats, according to a recent study published in the journal JAMA Network.

An international team of researchers examined adult dietary habits and found that Americans are cutting back on low-quality carbohydrates. However, intake remains high at over 40 percent, while the consumption of saturated fat remains well above the national recommendation.

“Although there are some encouraging signs that the American diet improved slightly over time, we are still a long way from getting an ‘A’ on this report card,” said coauthor Fang Fang Zhang, a nutrition researcher at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University.

“Our study tells us where we need to improve for the future.”

Unhealthy macronutrient sources undermine small gains

For their study, the researchers wanted to know from which dietary sources Americans usually get their protein, carbohydrates and fats. Hence, they looked at the diets of about 44,000 adults who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 1999 and 2016. NHANES is a program of studies designed to assess the health and nutritional status of American adults and children. The participants self-reported their diets during the study period.

The team measured the participants’ nutrient intake using the standards laid out by the Department of Agriculture‘s Food and Nutrition Database for Dietary Studies. They also assessed the participants’ overall diet quality through the Healthy Eating Index, which measured how well a set of foods aligned with national recommendations.

The researchers found improvements in the average American’s diet, noting that many succeeded in cutting back on low-quality carbohydrates by three percent. Total carbohydrate intake also decreased by two percent, while consumption of high-quality carbohydrates increased by one percent.

But these were modest gains, according to the researchers, since 42 percent of the participants’ daily energy intake came from low-quality food sources, particularly processed grains and added sugars. In contrast, only nine percent of their daily energy intake came from high-quality sources, such as whole grains and whole fruits.

Moreover, the participants’ total saturated fat intake accounted for 12 percent of their daily calories, exceeding the recommended amount of 10 percent daily. The researchers also revealed that total fat intake went up by one percent, with saturated fat making up half of the total. According to studies, consuming large amounts of saturated fat can elevate bad cholesterol levels, increase the risk of heart disease and cause a person to put on an unhealthy amount of weight.

In addition, the researchers found that the top protein sources were red and processed meat. Protein obtained from seafood and plant-based sources comprised a much smaller proportion.

“Our research suggests that Americans have an opportunity to diversify their sources of protein to include more seafood, beans, soy products, nuts and seeds,” said Shilpa Bhupathiraju, one of the study’s senior authors.

It’s worse for the old and the poor

The researchers also found that dietary improvements were less pronounced for older people and those of lower socioeconomic status.

While adults with high incomes decreased their intake of low-quality carbohydrates by four percent, those living below the poverty line decreased their intake by only two percent. And although most Americans are eating better, the researchers found no improvements among adults over 50 years old, those living below the poverty line and people with less than a high school education.

“These findings also highlight the need for interventions to reduce socioeconomic differences in diet quality, so that all Americans can experience the health benefits of an improved diet,” said Zhang.

Beets: Evidence-Based Health Benefits

GreenMedInfo, October 28th 2020

Beets have always been and remain one of the world’s most underutilized ‘super foods’ with a number of powerful, evidence-based health benefits

In an era where clever marketing has transformed exotic berries, tubers and plant extracts from geographically distant regions into “super foods,” ostensibly better (and that much more expensive!) than culinary standards found at your local supermarket, e.g. garlic, onion, and kale, we should be reminded that the true nutritional super heroes are too busy performing anonymous feats of healing to garnish that kind of attention.

Which leads us to beets. Anything we can eat that bleeds as red and readily as the beet deserves our immediate respect. In fact, this vegetable often leaves a veritable crime scene behind it, converting a spotless kitchen counter into a nutrient-dense blood bath in a matter of minutes. There is ancient wisdom buried in the ‘doctrine of signatures’ that reveals itself so bloodily in the beet: it nourishes our blood and circulatory system. Indeed, thanks to the burgeoning growth of food science on the topic, we now know that beets are one of Nature’s finest cardiovascular tonics…

Beet’s Blood Vessel Dilating Properties

A 2008 study published in the journal Hypertension found that beets contain pharmacologically significant quantities of blood vessel dilating nitrate. Three hours after ingesting 500 ml of beet juice study subjects experience a significant drop in blood pressure that could be directly correlated with increased plasma nitrate concentrations.[i] As endothelial dysfunction, or the inability of the blood vessels to dilate fully, is considered the ‘canary in the trousers,’ beets’ legendary ability in ancient times to enhance virility and act as an aphrodisiac now makes perfect scientific sense.

Beet Back Muscle Fatigue

But beets don’t just increase cardiovascular and ‘bedroom’ performance but athletic performance as well. In 2009, a study published in the Journal of Applied Physiologyfound that dietary nitrate supplementation in the form of beetroot juice reduced the oxygen cost of submaximal exercise and enhanced the tolerance to high-intensity exercise.[ii]

A follow up study published in the same journal in 2010 found that nitrate-rich beetroot juice also enhances muscle contractile efficiency during knee-extensor exercise in humans.[iii] The researchers hypothesized that the observed beneficial effect may be due to a reduced ATP cost of muscle force production.

Beet Back Infections

Consider that beets ‘live’ in the dirt, a place full of microbes which love a free meal. This means that nature has equipped the plant with natural defenses. No wonder that beet has been found to fight off the following infectious organisms:

Beet pectin has been found to inhibit the synthesis of types A and B staphylococcal enterotoxins.[iv]
Beet extract has been found to reduce influenza A infectivity and lethality.[v]
Beet root has been found capable of inhibiting Epstein-Barr virus associated tumor formation.[vi]

Undoubtedly, future research will find beet to have a wider range of antimicrobial applications. But beet’s powers don’t end there. Other already researched properties include:

Liver Damage: A 2006 study found that beet root has significant dose-dependent liver-protective properties against the chemical carbontetrachloride.[vii] More recently, research has found that it also protects against N-nitrosodiethylamine associated liver damage.[viii]
Cardiovascular Disease: While the “LDL cholesterol is bad” myth is almost imbecilic in its simplicity, those looking for ways to modulate the lipid ratio naturally in favor of the medical establishment’s largely drug-company drafted lipid guidelines can rest assured that beet can help. A 2000 study found beet fiber was capable of simultaneously increasing HDL and lowering LDL levels; perhaps far more impressive, the study also found close to a 30% reduction in cholesterol plaque accumulation in the aorta of those animals fed beet fiber.[ix]
Radiation Exposure: Compounds found in beets known as betalains have been found to reduce toxicity associated with gamma radiation exposure.[x]
Cancer: Beetroot juice has been found to reduce adverse effects caused by DMBA, a chemical associated with mammary cancer risk.[xi] Beetroot has also been found to exhibit anti-cancer properties in prostate cancer cell lines at toxicity levels far lower than chemo-agents such as doxorubicin.[xii]

Beets, of course, have basic nutritional gifts to offer in addition to their aforementioned medicinal properties. They contain exceptionally high levels of folate at 148 mcg or 37% the Daily Value in just a one cup serving. They also sport an impressive 6.7 mg or 11% Daily Value of vitamin C, keeping in mind that vitamin C activity expressed through food its very different that isolate, semi-synthetic ascorbic acid; in other words, that 6.7 mg is worth far more than the story of molecular weight alone can tell. Another way to understand this is if you take a nutrient out of its natural context as a whole food, it behaves less like a nutrient and more like a chemical.

Health and Corona News – 11/1/20 – 11/7/20

Encouraging more people to follow healthier diets can help minimize the environmental impact of food production

Healthy diet, healthy planet

Why protecting the brain against infection takes guts

Vitamin C may help protect healthy cells during cancer treatment

Changes in alkaline phosphatase, calcium, C-reactive protein, D-dimer, phosphorus and hemoglobin in elderly osteoporotic hip fracture patients

Huangzhou University (China), November 1, 2020

Glutathione precursor containing NAC and glycine reverses signs of premature aging in people with HIV

Baylor University, November 3, 2020

How Cannabis-Based Therapeutics Could Help Fight COVID Inflammation

Why CBD and Why Now?

Calming or Preventing the Storm

Is Safety a Concern?

Delving Into the Weeds: What’s Next?

Physical activity and dietary counselling slows down the development of insulin resistance in children

Vitamin D lessens symptoms of severe eczema in children

Beneficial effect of boswellia compound on bone metabolism in experimental osteoporosis

King Faisal University (Saudi Arabia), November 31, 2020

Probiotic supplement may help in the treatment of fatty liver

Western diet impairs odor-related learning and olfactory memory in mice

Psychedelic treatment with psilocybin relieves major depression, study shows

Exploring the appetite-enhancing effects of nutmeg oil

Eating less suppresses liver cancer due to fatty liver

Could melatonin be beneficial for respiratory virus treatment in the elderly?

Randomized trial found extra virgin olive oil helped improve cognitive function

‘Cinderella’ of the medicinal plant world — jasmine — could be the answer to better breast cancer treatment

Glutamine protects against muscle injuries and aging

Americans are still consuming too many carbs and fats, warn researchers

Unhealthy macronutrient sources undermine small gains

It’s worse for the old and the poor

Beets: Evidence-Based Health Benefits

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