Chocolate is good for the heart

Baylor College of Medicine, July 23, 2020

Eating chocolate at least once a week is linked with a reduced risk of heart disease, according to research published today in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).1

“Our study suggests that chocolate helps keep the heart’s blood vessels healthy,” said study author Dr. Chayakrit Krittanawong of Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.

“In the past, clinical studies have shown that chocolate is beneficial for both blood pressure and the lining of blood vessels,” he continued. “I wanted to see if it affects the blood vessels supplying the heart (the coronary arteries) or not. And if it does, is it beneficial or harmful?”

The researchers conducted a combined analysis of studies from the past five decades examining the association between chocolate consumption and coronary artery disease (the blockage of the coronary arteries). The analysis included six studies with a total of 336,289 participants who reported their chocolate consumption.

During a median follow-up of nearly nine years, 14,043 participants developed coronary artery disease and 4,667 had a heart attack (when coronary artery disease progresses and the flow of blood to the heart is suddenly blocked).

Compared with consuming chocolate less than once a week, eating chocolate more than once a week was associated with an 8% decreased risk of coronary artery disease.

Dr. Krittanawong said: “Chocolate contains heart healthy nutrients such as flavonoids, methylxanthines, polyphenols and stearic acid which may reduce inflammation and increase good cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein or HDL cholesterol).”

He noted that the study did not examine whether any particular type of chocolate is more beneficial and whether there is an ideal portion size. “Chocolate appears promising for prevention of coronary artery disease, but more research is needed to pinpoint how much and what kind of chocolate could be recommended,” he said.

While it’s not clear how much chocolate is optimal, Dr. Krittanawong warned against overeating. He said: “Moderate amounts of chocolate seem to protect the coronary arteries but it’s likely that large quantities do not. The calories, sugar, milk, and fat in commercially available products need to be considered, particularly in diabetics and obese people.”

In cell studies, seaweed extract outperforms remdesivir in blocking COVID-19 virus

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, July 24, 2020

In a test of antiviral effectiveness against the virus that causes COVID-19, an extract from edible seaweeds substantially outperformed remdesivir, the current standard antiviral used to combat the disease. Heparin, a common blood thinner, and a heparin variant stripped of its anticoagulant properties, performed on par with remdesivir in inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 infection in mammalian cells

Published online today in Cell Discovery, the research is the latest example of a decoy strategy researchers from the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies (CBIS) at Rensselear Polytechnic Institute are developing against viruses like the novel coronavirus that spawned the current global health crisis.

The spike protein on the surface of SARS-CoV-2 latches onto the ACE-2 receptor, a molecule on the surface of human cells. Once secured, the virus inserts its own genetic material into the cell, hijacking the cellular machinery to produce replica viruses. But the virus could just as easily be persuaded to lock onto a decoy molecule that offers a similar fit. The neutralized virus would be trapped and eventually degrade naturally.

Previous research has shown this decoy technique works in trapping other viruses, including dengue, Zika, and influenza A. To hear the researchers discuss their findings, watch this video.

“We’re learning how to block viral infection, and that is knowledge we are going to need if we want to rapidly confront pandemics,” said Jonathan Dordick, the lead researcher and a professor of chemical and biological engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. “The reality is that we don’t have great antivirals. To protect ourselves against future pandemics, we are going to need an arsenal of approaches that we can quickly adapt to emerging viruses.”

The Cell Discovery paper tests antiviral activity in three variants of heparin (heparin, trisulfated heparin, and a non-anticoagulant low molecular weight heparin) and two fucoidans (RPI-27 and RPI-28) extracted from seaweed. All five compounds are long chains of sugar molecules known as sulfated polysaccharides, a structural conformation that the results of a binding study published earlier this month in Antiviral Research suggested as an effective decoy.

The researchers performed a dose response study known as an EC50—shorthand for the effective concentration of the compound that inhibits 50% of viral infectivity—with each of the five compounds on mammalian cells. For the results of an EC50, which are given in a molar concentration, a lower value signals a more potent compound

RPI-27 yielded an EC50 value of approximately 83 nanomolar, while a similar previously published and independent in vitro test of remdesivir on the same mammalian cells yielded an EC50 of 770 nanomolar. Heparin yielded an EC50 of 2.1 micromolar, or about one-third as active as remdesivir, and a non-anticoagulant analog of heparin yielded an EC50 of 5.0 micromolar, about one-fifth as active as remdesivir.

A separate test found no cellular toxicity in any of the compounds, even at the highest concentrations tested.

“What interests us is a new way of getting at infection,” said Robert Linhardt, a Rensselaer professor of chemistry and chemical biology who is collaborating with Dordick to develop the decoy strategy. “The current thinking is that the COVID-19 infection starts in the nose, and either of these substances could be the basis for a nasal spray. If you could simply treat the infection early, or even treat before you have the infection, you would have a way of blocking it before it enters the body.”

Dordick added that compounds from seaweed “could serve as a basis for an oral delivery approach to address potential gastrointestinal infection.”

In studying SARS-CoV-2 sequencing data, Dordick and Linhardt recognized several motifs on the structure of the spike protein that promised a fit compatible with heparin, a result borne out in the binding study. The spike protein is heavily encrusted in glycans, an adaptation that protects it from human enzymes which could degrade it, and prepares it to bind with a specific receptor on the cell surface.

“It’s a very complicated mechanism that we quite frankly don’t know all the details about, but we’re getting more information,” said Dordick. “One thing that’s become clear with this study is that the larger the molecule, the better the fit. The more successful compounds are the larger sulfated polysaccharides that offer a greater number of sites on the molecules to trap the virus.”

Molecular modeling based on the binding study revealed sites on the spike protein where the heparin was able to interact, raising the prospects for similar sulfated polysaccharides.

“This exciting research by Professors Dordick and Linhardt is among several ongoing research efforts at CBIS, as well as elsewhere at Rensselaer, to tackle the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic through novel therapeutic approaches and the repurposing of existing drugs,” said CBIS Director Deepak Vashishth.

“Sulfated polysaccharides effectively inhibit SARS-CoV-2 in vitro” was published in Cell Discovery.

Mindfulness training helps men manage anger

Norwegian University of Science and Technology, July 22, 2020

The last few months have been particularly difficult for people living in a violent relationship.

But a few glimmers of hope are finally emerging from the coronavirus nightmare.

“For a lot of people, the shutdown has been an extreme situation with a lot of stress. Those of us who work with people on anger management have felt really concerned about what might be going on within the four walls of their homes,” says Merete Berg Nesset.

For many years Nesset has worked on treating angry people who beat, yell and threaten. Now she is on the flip side, working on a doctorate at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology on the same topic.

COVID-19 has taken a toll. People have lost their jobs. No one is quite sure what will happen with the economy. Many people are feeling uncertain about the future.

“We know that financial difficulties, unemployment and psychological challenges are linked to aggression and violence. The level of stress clearly increases further when parents also become responsible for teaching their children at home. Situations that are already difficult have escalated for a lot of people who have conflicts from before or a prior mental health problem, because there are fewer opportunities to get away,” says Nesset.

But there is hope.

Nesset has just published a study showing that treatment can work very well. What she did was to divide 125 men who applied for help with anger management into two groups.

One group received cognitive-behavioural group therapy using what is called the Brøset model.

The other group participated in a stress management course based on mindfulness. Partners in both groups participated through several surveys conducted before, during and after treatment.

The results following treatment were equally good for both groups:

Prior to treatment, 60 per cent of the men had committed sexual violence against their relationship partners. That is, they demanded sex or threatened sex with a partner. Almost no one reported such violent episodes after treatment.

Prior to treatment, 85 per cent of the men reported physical violence. A large percentage had committed violence that resulted in harm to their partner. After treatment, this percentage dropped to ten per cent.

Prior to treatment, 87 per cent of participants reported psychological or emotional violence, such as threats and derogatory comments. This number declined by 25 per cent but was not as dramatic a drop as for the other types of violence. Nesset says it takes a long time to experience feeling safe.

“There was a high level of both sexual and physical violence before treatment began. It was more than we’d imagined beforehand. When we checked what the partners experienced, we got a slightly different picture of what was actually going on. We know that a lot of angry men hit their partners, but we were surprised that so many committed sexual assaults. At this point the agreement between the husband and partner was low – that is, the partner reported more cases than the man did,” says Nesset.

The backdrop for the study was to check whether treating mood disorders using the Brøset model has an effect. In a lot of studies, the control group receives a placebo, or no treatment.

“Unfortunately, about 25 per cent of all killings in Norway are partner killings. Because domestic violence is a public health problem with major health consequences for those exposed to the violence, we found it unethical not to offer treatment. So what we studied was the effectiveness of two types of treatment. Both worked,” says Nesset.

One treatment involved eight group sessions in a type of mindfulness training called MBSR, which stands for mindfulness-based stress management. The course was led by psychologist Nina Flor Thunold who at that time worked at St. Olavs Hospital, Østmarka division, in a district east of Trondheim.

The course was not designed specifically for anger management but for illness in general, and the content was defined in advance – regardless of why any individual was in the course.

The second treatment involved 15 sessions of cognitive-behavioural group therapy. The program was developed at St. Olavs Hospital and is called the Brøset model. The therapy has different stages, with the first phase being to stop the violence. According to Nesset, you can do that without understanding why you become violent.

After this phase you explore patterns of violence and map the situations that trigger violence for you, what thoughts and feelings arise and what actions repeat themselves.

“Some people who are violent are offended easily. During treatment, participants find out what makes them feel offended, what thoughts and feelings they should pay particular attention to, and we create action plans for how the they can handle negative emotions without using violence. A lot of the treatment is about understanding yourself,” says Nesset.

She says the decline in violence was greater than she had anticipated.

“I didn’t expect the decline to be so big. It’s really promising that the treatment works,” says Nesset.

To clarify: In the past, smaller studies have been conducted of people who were on a waiting list for treatment and comparing them with people already receiving treatment. Those who received treatment experienced a greater reduction in violence than those on the waiting list.

Treatment that uses the Brøset model is offered throughout Norway. Each year, about 400 men get help to become a better version of themselves. Those who need help will receive individual support until a group course is available.

Cannabidiol treatment found to reduce PTSD symptoms

University of Colorado and Colorado State University, July 22, 2020

In this study, American researchers examined the clinical benefit of cannabidiol (CBD) for patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Their findings were published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.

CBD is a non-psychotomimetic cannabinoid compound that can be found in plants from the genus Cannabis.
Preclinical studies suggest that CBD has a beneficial effect on rodent models of PTSD.
This beneficial effect could be attributed to its action on the endocannabinoid system.
Recently, scientists have begun investigating CBD and its potential use in the treatment of a number of neuropsychiatric conditions.
For their study, the researchers examined the effect of oral CBD administration on PTSD symptoms in 11 adult patients at an outpatient psychiatry clinic.
CBD was administered on an open-label, flexible dosing regimen to patients diagnosed with PTSD.
The patients also received routine psychiatric care, as well as psychiatric medications and psychotherapy.
PTSD symptom severity was assessed every four weeks using a patient-completed PTSD Checklist for the DSM-5 (PCL-5) questionnaires.
At the end of the study, the researchers reported that 91 percent of the patients experienced a decrease in PTSD symptom severity.
This was evidenced by a lower PCL-5 score at Week 8 compared with baseline.
The researchers calculated the mean total PCL-5 score reduction to be 28 percent (from 51.82 at baseline to 37.14) after eight weeks of CBD treatment.
CBD also appeared to offer relief from frequent nightmares in a subset of patients.
CBD was well-tolerated and none of the patients discontinued treatment because of side effects.

Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that oral CBD helps reduce the severity of PTSD symptoms and should be added to routine psychiatric care.

Antibiotics disrupt development of the ‘social brain’ in mice

Oxford University, July 23, 2020

Antibiotic treatment in early life impedes brain signalling pathways that function in social behaviour and pain regulation in mice, a new study by Dr Katerina Johnson and Dr Philip Burnet has found. It was published today in BMC Neuroscience.

Katerina Johnson, from the University’s Departments of Psychiatry and Experimental Psychology, was researching the effects of disrupting the microbiome on the brain in mice. ‘We know from previous research that animals missing microbes, such as germ-free animals (which are devoid of microbes) or antibiotic-treated animals (whose microbes are severely depleted), have impaired social behaviour,’ she explains. ‘I was therefore particularly interested in the effects of the microbiome on endorphin, oxytocin and vasopressin signalling since these neuropeptides play an important role in social and emotional behaviour.’

The most striking finding was in young animals treated with antibiotics. This resulted in reduced expression of the receptors which mediate endorphin, oxytocin and vasopressin signalling in the frontal cortex. Dr Johnson commented, ‘If these signalling pathways are less active, this may help explain the behavioural deficits seen in antibiotic-treated animals. Whilst this study was in animals given a potent antibiotic cocktail, this finding highlights the potential detrimental effects that antibiotic exposure may have on the brain when it’s still developing.’

Dr Burnet added, ‘Our research underlines the growing consensus that disturbing the microbiome during development can have significant impacts on physiology, including the brain.’

The study was conducted using a relatively small number of animals with high doses of antibiotics and further research should follow up this finding given society’s reliance on antibiotics, though of course they still play a vital role in medicine to fight bacterial infections.

This was also the first study to investigate whether the microbiome affects the brain’s endorphin system (where endorphin activates opioid receptors) and so these findings may have clinical relevance. Dr Johnson said, ‘The adverse effect of antibiotics on the endorphin system may have implications not only for social behaviour but also for pain regulation. In fact we know that the gut microbiome affects the pain response so this might be one of the ways in which it does so.’

‘A somewhat surprising observation from our research was the contrast in results for germ-free and antibiotic-treated mice, since the neurogenetic changes were generally in the opposite direction. This is a pertinent finding as the use of antibiotics to deplete the microbiome is often seen as a more accessible alternative to germ-free animals. However, we highlight the need to consider these two treatments as distinct models of microbiome manipulation when investigating the effects of microbes on the brain and behaviour.’

Buckwheat enhances the production of a protein that supports the longevity

Siberian Federal University (Russia), July 23, 2020

A healthy low-calorie diet that contains plant products can help us improve the level of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) protein production that is known to increase life expectancy. A team of scientists from Krasnoyarsk conducted an experiment to see how buckwheat affected the health of rats. The only known method to optimize the level of this protein is a calorie restriction. But why will healthy people be subjected to calorie restriction without any medical emergency? According to the researchers, a buckwheat-based diet helps to increase the level of SIRT1 protein that protects all the cells of the body and enhances longevity. In the same time, there is no need to starve. The results of the study were published in the Journal of Cereal Science.

With increased stress levels and wide availability of junk food, today we have to take special care about our health. Vitamins and amino acids are precursors of important regulatory and building molecules in our bodies, and a diet rich in them can help keep one’s digestive system healthy and support it in case of any health issues. On the contrary, an unbalanced diet or overeating can cause various diseases, including cancers.

SIRT1 is a protein that senses nutrient status of cells. When SIRT1 levels in a cell are intentionally increased, its aging process slows down, and its stress resistance improves. However, the excess of SIRT1 in the organs and tissues of a living being is a sign of hunger which may lead to anemia and other negative effects.

A team of biologists from the School of Fundamental Biology and Biotechnology of Siberian Federal University added 30% buckwheat (which is rich in nutrients) to the diet of rats and studied its impact on their health. The animals were divided into three groups with eight rats in each. The first (control) group got a regular amount of feed; in the second (calorie restriction group) the portions were reduced by 30%, and the third (experimental) group got regular feed with the addition of ground buckwheat that amounted up to 30% of the total feed weight. Buckwheat contains dietary fiber that could be only partially digested by humans and rats. In view of that, the scientists calculated the daily feed volume for the third group for it to have the same nutritional value as the diet of the second group.

After eight weeks of the experiment, samples were taken from the blood, liver, kidneys, and stomach of the animals to measure the content of SIRT1. To do so, the scientists used molecules that produce a colored substance after linking with SIRT1. Moreover, the team monitored the weight of the rats in the course of the experiment. The animals from the third group gained more weight than the ones from the second group, even though both groups consumed an equal amount of calories. This observation indicates that buckwheat ensures proper growth and development in the long run. Though the highest level of SIRT1 production was registered in the calorie restriction group. However, this effect was achieved at the cost of lowering body and organ weights. In the experimental group the levels of the protein were higher than in the control group, but no weight loss was observed.

“The results of the study show that a diet that includes buckwheat has the effect of calorie restriction, because this grain contains a lot of indigestible fiber. Buckwheat is a low calorie product, and when added to a diet, it increases the production of SIRT1. This protein, in turn, protects the cells of the digestive system without causing hunger and loss of growth in animals. We believe that other plant products, such as grain, vegetables, fruit, or nuts, have similar effect on SIRT1 production and on the health in general. If you want a healthy and long life, eat more of them”, said Shubhra Pande, the author of the research and the Post-doctoral fellow of the Department of Biophysics at the School of Fundamental Biology and Biotechnology of Siberian Federal University.

Study: Coffee offers an abundance of health benefits – when consumed in moderation

University of Sao Paulo (Brazil), July 22, 2020

Moderate coffee consumption has been proven to be good for the heart. But according to researchers at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil, excessive consumption of this healthy drink increases high blood pressure risk in people who are genetically predisposed to the condition.

In their study, which appeared in the journal Clinical Nutrition, they looked at the relationship between genetic predisposition, daily coffee intake and blood pressure and found that genetically at-risk individuals who consume more than three cups of coffee a day have a higher likelihood of developing hypertension.

Excessive coffee consumption increases hypertension risk in genetically predisposed individuals

The healthfulness of drinking coffee has been the subject of debate for years. While some studies link the popular morning drink to different health problems, such as high blood pressure and insomnia, other studies highlight the benefits of moderate coffee consumption, which include a faster metabolism and better brain performance. (Related: Researchers say coffee has a number of health benefits you probably never heard of.)

In a previous study, lead author Andreia Machado Miranda found that drinking one to three cups of coffee a day helped decrease cardiovascular risk factors, such as blood pressure and blood homocysteine levels. This study, however, did not include genetic analysis, which led Miranda and colleagues to conduct another investigation to determine if coffee consumption influenced blood pressure in people genetically predisposed to hypertension.

The researchers calculated the genetic risk scores of 533 older adults who took part in the Sao Paulo City Health Survey, a cross-sectional population-based survey conducted between 2008 and 2009. This study reported no correlation between high blood pressure and drinking up to three cups of coffee a day.

The researchers based the genetic risk scores of the participants on four common DNA sequence variations, which have previously been associated with a predisposition to high blood pressure. The more gene variations an individual had, the higher his genetic risk score.

Upon analyzing each participant’s genetic risk score, daily coffee consumption and blood pressure, the researchers found that a high genetic risk score and high coffee intake corresponded to a greater risk of high blood pressure.

In particular, drinking more than three cups of coffee daily increased the high blood pressure risk of genetically predisposed participants fourfold.

The researchers said that these findings highlight the importance of reducing coffee intake for individuals who have a high genetic risk of developing hypertension, a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

“Love hormone” oxytocin could be used to treat cognitive disorders like Alzheimer’s

Scientists discover for the first time that oxytocin could be a potential new therapeutic option for cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease

Tokyo University of Science, July 21, 2020

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disorder in which the nerve cells (neurons) in a person’s brain and the connections among them degenerate slowly, causing severe memory loss, intellectual deficiencies, and deterioration in motor skills and communication. One of the main causes of Alzheimer’s is the accumulation of a protein called amyloid β (Aβ) in clusters around neurons in the brain, which hampers their activity and triggers their degeneration. Studies in animal models have found that increasing the aggregation of Aβ in the hippocampus–the brain’s main learning and memory center–causes a decline in the signal transmission potential of the neurons therein. This degeneration affects a specific trait of the neurons, called “synaptic plasticity,” which is the ability of synapses (the site of signal exchange between neurons) to adapt to an increase or decrease in signaling activity over time. Synaptic plasticity is crucial to the development of learning and cognitive functions in the hippocampus. Thus, Aβ and its role in causing cognitive memory and deficits have been the focus of most research aimed at finding treatments for Alzheimer’s.

Now, advancing this research effort, a team of scientists from Japan, led by Professor Akiyoshi Saitoh from the Tokyo University of Science, has looked at oxytocin, a hormone conventionally known for its role in the female reproductive system and in inducing the feelings of love and well-being. “Oxytocin was recently found to be involved in regulating learning and memory performance, but so far, no previous study deals with the effect of oxytocin on Aβ-induced cognitive impairment,” Prof Saitoh says. Realizing this, Prof Saitoh’s group set out to connect the dots. Their findings are published in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communication.

Prof Saitoh and team first perfused slices of the mouse hippocampus with Aβ to confirm that Aβ causes the signaling abilities of neurons in the slices to decline or–in other words–impairs their synaptic plasticity. Upon additional perfusion with oxytocin, however, the signaling abilities increased, suggesting that oxytocin can reverse the impairment of synaptic plasticity that Aβ causes.

To find out how oxytocin achieves this, they conducted a further series of experiments. In a normal brain, oxytocin acts by binding with special structures in the membranes of brain cells, called oxytocin receptors. The scientists artificially “blocked” these receptors in the mouse hippocampus slices to see if oxytocin could reverse Aβ-induced impairment of synaptic plasticity without binding to these receptors. Expectedly, when the receptors were blocked, oxytocin could not reverse the effect of Aβ, which shows that these receptors are essential for oxytocin to act.

Oxytocin is known to facilitate certain cellular chemical activities that are important in strengthening neuronal signaling potential and formation of memories, such as influx of calcium ions. Previous studies have suspected that Aβ suppresses some of these chemical activities. When the scientists artificially blocked these chemical activities, they found that addition of oxytocin addition to the hippocampal slices did not reverse the damage to synaptic plasticity caused by Aβ. Additionally, they found that oxytocin itself does not have any effect on synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus, but it is somehow able to reverse the ill-effects of Aβ.

Prof Saitoh remarks, “This is the first study in the world that has shown that oxytocin can reverse Aβ-induced impairments in the mouse hippocampus.” This is only a first step and further research remains to be conducted in vivo in animal models and then humans before sufficient knowledge can be gathered to reposition oxytocin into a drug for Alzheimer’s. But, Prof Saitoh remains hopeful. He concludes, “At present, there are no sufficiently satisfactory drugs to treat dementia, and new therapies with novel mechanisms of action are desired. Our study puts forth the interesting possibility that oxytocin could be a novel therapeutic modality for the treatment of memory loss associated with cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. We expect that our findings will open up a new pathway to the creation of new drugs for the treatment of dementia caused by Alzheimer’s disease.”

Evidence of ‘hormone disruptor’ chemical threats grows

New York University School of Medicine, July 21, 2020

A growing number of chemicals in pesticides, flame retardants, and certain plastics have been linked to widespread health problems including infertility, diabetes, and impaired brain development, a set of reviews of hundreds of studies concludes.

Led by NYU Grossman School of Medicine, a team of environmental health experts analyzed research published in the past five years on endocrine disruptors, as well as American and European policies to regulate them. These chemicals are believed to interfere with the function of hormones, signaling compounds made in glands that circulate to influence processes throughout the body.

Publishing online July 21 in the journal The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology, the new reports focused on “chemicals of concern,” endocrine disruptors common in industrial and household goods., These include perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), toxins found in non-stick pans and waterproof clothing, and bisphenols, substances used in many plastics and can linings.

Exposure to certain chemicals found in industrial and household goods has been linked in new studies to obesity; to endometriosis, a painful and abnormal growth of tissue on the outside of the womb; and to polycystic ovary syndrome, a significant cause of infertility.

The recent reviews add 17 ties between certain medical conditions and endocrine disruptors to a list of 15 others already identified by a 2015 joint investigation led by the United Nations and the World Health Organization. For example, new findings suggest that PFAS, bisphenols, and certain pesticides may damage semen. In addition, the review identifies numerous new studies that link brain-related health concerns, such as IQ loss and attention deficit disorder (ADD), to flame retardants and chemicals found in certain pesticides.

“These newer studies have strengthened the evidence linking endocrine disruptors to physical and especially neurological health issues,” says one of the reviews’ lead authors, Linda Kahn, MPH, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Pediatrics at NYU Langone Health.

“Our review of American and European policies argues that current regulations meant to reduce exposure to this class of chemicals are falling short,” adds Kahn. “While further research is needed to more firmly establish cause and effect, urgent action is needed now because the public is already paying the costs through serious and long-lasting health problems.”

The team’s policy review found a lack of a consistent definition of endocrine disruptors across countries. The authors are concerned that current U.S. regulations are based only on exposure to large doses of chemicals, not small, everyday doses over many years, even though recent findings demonstrate that such chemicals are cumulatively dangerous at low levels.

“Our understanding of endocrine disruptors has evolved, but the regulations in place to protect against them have not,” says the senior author of the reports, Leonardo Trasande, MD, MPP, the Jim G. Hendrick, MD Professor at NYU Langone. “What’s needed are more rigorous tests of commercial chemicals that account for these complexities.”

Trasande, who also serves as chief of environmental pediatrics in the Department of Pediatrics at NYU Langone, calls for stricter controls akin to nationwide efforts to reduce exposure to cancer-causing substances. He suggests that a much-needed step is establishing an international program that identifies hazards so they can be effectively regulated before use, rather than after they may have already caused harm.

Trasande says more research is needed to corroborate or disprove the health effects identified in these studies, as well as to evaluate the economic costs of exposure to these chemicals. He notes that the Environmental Protection Agency established a protocol in the late 1990s to better regulate these chemicals. However, the effort made little headway, Trasande explains, largely because of a perceived lack of conclusive studies and fierce lobbying by the chemical and manufacturing industries

In cell studies, seaweed extract outperforms remdesivir in blocking COVID-19 virus

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, July 24, 2020

Previous research has shown this decoy technique works in trapping other viruses, including dengue, Zika, and influenza A. To hear the researchers discuss their findings, watch this video.

A separate test found no cellular toxicity in any of the compounds, even at the highest concentrations tested.

Dordick added that compounds from seaweed “could serve as a basis for an oral delivery approach to address potential gastrointestinal infection.”

Molecular modeling based on the binding study revealed sites on the spike protein where the heparin was able to interact, raising the prospects for similar sulfated polysaccharides.

“Sulfated polysaccharides effectively inhibit SARS-CoV-2 in vitro” was published in Cell Discovery.

How adding green tea extract to prepared foods may reduce the risk for norovirus

In study, edible coating made with tea extract killed the virus and bacteria

Ohio State University, July 22, 2020

Infusing prepared foods with an edible coating that contains green tea extract may lower consumers’ chances of catching the highly contagious norovirus by eating contaminated food, new research suggests.

Norovirus, which causes vomiting and diarrhea, sickens an estimated 48 million people in the United States every year and causes about 3,000 deaths. It’s transmitted from person to person and through consumption of contaminated water and food.

Lots of things we consume contain what are known in the industry as edible films: They can enhance appearance, like wax that makes apples shiny; hold contents together, like plastic drug capsules; and prevent contents from seeping together by, for example, being placed between a prepared pie crust and the filling.

“In many cases, an edible film is in a product, but you are not aware of it,” said Melvin Pascall, professor of food science and technology at The Ohio State University and senior study author. “We don’t have to put that on the label since the material is edible. That’s another way in which we use packaging – and the consumer doesn’t have to know.”

Some edible films are also enriched with antimicrobial agents that can kill or slow the growth of organisms that cause illness, such as E. coli and mold.

In this new study led by Pascall, adding green tea extract to a film-forming substance created a safe-to-eat barrier that killed norovirus as well as two types of bacteria.

While most antimicrobial packaging advances to date have emphasized fighting bacteria, this finding holds promise for a newer area of research into the concept of using edible film to kill a virus, Pascall said.

“Norovirus is a tough virus to work with – it is a non-enveloped virus, which is the type more resistant to sanitizers and antimicrobial agents,” he said. “However, because it has public health concerns and has been implicated in a number of foodborne outbreaks, we wanted to look at the effects of green tea extract on norovirus.”

The study is published in the International Journal of Food Science.

Pascall and his team created the films with a base substance called chitosan, a sugar found in the exoskeleton of shellfish. Chitosan is marketed as a weight-loss supplement and used in agricultural and medicinal applications, and has been studied extensively as a safe and readily available compound for edible film development.

Previous studies have suggested that chitosan has antimicrobial properties. But norovirus might exceed its bug-fighting abilities: In this study, the researchers found that chitosan by itself did not kill the virus.

To test the effects of green tea extract, the researchers dissolved it alone in water and added it to a chitosan-based liquid solution and dried film. Several different concentrations of the extract showed effectiveness against norovirus cells, with the highest level tested in this study killing them all in a day.

“We had tested the chitosan by itself and it didn’t show much antimicrobial activity against the virus,” Pascall said. “But when we added the green tea extract to chitosan, we saw that the film had antiviral properties – so we concluded the antiviral properties were coming from the green tea extract.”

The scientists introduced at least 1 million virus cells to the solution and dried films. Those containing green tea extract lowered the presence of virus cells within three hours. The films with the highest concentration of green tea extract reduced norovirus to undetectable levels by 24 hours after the exposure.

Though norovirus was the focus of this work, the researchers also found that green tea extract lowered E. coli K12 and listeria innocua, surrogates for bacteria that also cause foodborne illness, to undetectable levels within 24 hours.

This study didn’t identify how the killing happens – typically an antimicrobial agent disables organisms in ways that cause them to die or render them unable to reproduce. The researchers used mouse norovirus cells because human norovirus cells don’t grow well in a lab setting.

There is still a lot of work to do before green tea extract-infused films are ready to enter the market. A tricky part of adding natural substances to edible packaging is ensuring that enough is used to deliver the microbe-killing effect without changing the taste or smell of the food.

“A higher concentration of a natural antimicrobial might cause a large drop in the target organism, but at the same time it defeats the purpose of the food by adding an objectionable taste or odor,” Pascall said. “There is also the impact of the natural compound on the material itself – it may cause the film to become too brittle or sticky. These are things food scientists have to consider when using antimicrobial agents, especially those from natural sources.”

It’s also too soon to tell which kinds of food would be the best candidates for antiviral edible films made with green tea extract. It depends on whether the food would be exposed to heat, moisture or acidic conditions, for example. There is also a chance another natural substance could do an even better job – Pascall is conducting similar studies with other extracts.

The brain-boosting potential of tart cherry juice

University of Delaware, July 21, 2020

A recent study by scientists from the University of Delaware (UD) has found that drinking cherry juice has beneficial effects on memory. Published in the journal Food & Nutrition, it demonstrated that drinking Montmorency tart cherry juice every day for 12 weeks improved cognitive function in adults aged 65 to 80.

Tart cherry juice supplementation can improve cognitive performance in older adults

Lead author Chai Sheau Ching and colleagues had previously observed the beneficial effects of tart cherry antioxidants, such as melanin, melatonin and anthocyanin, on high blood pressure and cholesterol.

In particular, the team found that drinking juice made from Montmorency tart cherries, the most common cherries in the U.S., helped reduce systolic blood pressure, fight inflammation and neutralize the harmful effects of oxidative stress.

Based on these earlier findings, the team speculated that the antioxidants in tart cherries could also exert neuroprotective effects on the brain and improve cognitive abilities in older adults.

To test their hypothesis, the team asked 37 adults, aged between 65 and 80, to drink either 16 ounces of Montmorency tart cherry juice or a placebo drink of the same amount every day – one in the morning and one in the evening – for 12 weeks. The team also asked the participants to maintain their diet and record their food consumption for the duration of the trial.

None of the participants had prior diagnoses of medical conditions like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer and neurological disorders at the time of the trial. Neither were they taking medications that might affect their cognitive abilities.

To see whether or not the cherry juice had any effect on the participant’s cognitive abilities, the team had each participant answer a series of questionnaires and tests before and after the trial period.

At the end of the experiment, the researchers found that the participants in the tart cherry group scored higher in the tests that measured subjective memory, episodic visual memory and spatial memory than the participants in the placebo group.

Compared with their pre-trial test results, the tart cherry group also experienced a four percent reduction in their movement time – the time it takes to complete a task – in the post-trial cognitive tests.

In addition, the tart cherry group had a 23 percent reduction in errors in episodic visual memory. In both the pre- and post-trial cognitive tests, the participants in the tart cherry group scored significantly higher than those in the placebo group.

These findings suggest that the antioxidants in tart cherries are behind the juice’s beneficial effects on cognition. Chai hopes that future studies can shed more light on the molecular mechanisms underlying the cognitive-enhancing effects of Montmorency tart cherries.

Cognitive health and aging

Commenting on their findings, Chai noted that cognitive health plays a key role in determining the quality of life of older adults.

According to recent reports by the World Health Organization, about 50 million people around the globe suffer from some form of dementia. And every year, 10 million cases are added to this figure. (Related: Adding more dietary choline can cut back the risk of dementia.)

Dementia is a major cause of disability and dependency among older adults. Despite the fact that dementia is not a natural part of aging, its symptoms, including forgetfulness and difficulty communicating, are usually felt later in life.

Fortunately, an emerging body of evidence suggests that proper diet and nutrition can reduce the risk of dementia and neurodegenerative diseases in old age. For instance, people can incorporate Montmorency tart cherry juice into a well-balanced diet to enhance their brain performance.

Study suggests benefit for vitamin C in endometriosis

Zhejiang University (China), July 20, 2020

According to news reporting originating in Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China, research stated, “Endometriosis is a common disease in females that seriously affects quality of life. The principal pathological process of endometriosis is pelvic inflammation, and local and peripheral fibrosis.”

The news reporters obtained a quote from the research from Zhejiang University, “Treatment of endometriosis requires both pharmacological and surgical approaches. Vitamin C can scavenge oxygen free radicals and thus accelerate repair of damaged endometrium. This aim of this study was to investigate whether vitamin C can reduce fibrosis in endometriotic lesions. After establishing a rat model of endometriosis, vitamin C solution (vitamin C group) or physiological saline solution (control group) was injected into the abdominal cavity. We compared the indices of fibrotic endometriotic lesions between the two groups. The volume of endometriotic lesions and degree of fibrosis observed in rats within the vitamin C group was significantly reduced compared with those observed in the control group. Immunohistochemistry showed that transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), alpha-SMA, and collagen type I staining in lesions of the vitamin C group was significantly less than that observed in lesions from the control group (P < 0.05). Quantitative, real-time PCR (RT-PCR) determined that relative mRNA expression levels of TGF-beta 1, CTGF, alpha-SMA, and collagen type I in lesions obtained from the vitamin C group were significantly lower than levels measured in lesions obtained from animals in the control group. Vitamin C can reduce the volume of endometriotic lesions and inhibit fibrosis of lesions in rats.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “This study supports the use of vitamin C in the treatment of endometriosis.”

Cannabis Appears Safe And Effective At Treating Chronic Pain, New Clinical Trial Shows

University of California Irvine, July 21, 2020

Cannabis appears to be a safe and potentially effective treatment for the chronic pain that afflicts people with sickle cell disease, according to a new clinical trial co-led by University of California, Irvine researcher Kalpna Gupta and Dr. Donald Abrams of UC San Francisco. The findings appear in JAMA Network Open.

“These trial results show that vaporized cannabis appears to be generally safe,” said Gupta, a professor of medicine on the faculty of UCI’s Center for the Study of Cannabis. “They also suggest that sickle cell patients may be able to mitigate their pain with cannabis – and that cannabis might help society address the public health crisis related to opioids. Of course, we still need larger studies with more participants to give us a better picture of how cannabis could benefit people with chronic pain.”

Opioids are currently the primary treatment for the chronic and acute pain caused by sickle cell disease. But the rise in opioid-associated deaths has prompted physicians to prescribe them less frequently, leaving sickle cell patients with fewer options.

The double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial was the first to employ such gold-standard methods to assess cannabis’s potential for pain alleviation in people with sickle cell disease. The cannabis used in the trial was obtained from the National Institute on Drug Abuse – part of the National Institutes of Health – and contained equal parts of THC and CBD.

“Pain causes many people to turn to cannabis and is, in fact, the top reason that people cite for seeking cannabis from dispensaries,” Gupta said. “We don’t know if all forms of cannabis products will have a similar effect on chronic pain. Vaporized cannabis, which we employed, may be safer than other forms because lower amounts reach the body’s circulation. This trial opens the door for testing different forms of medical cannabis to treat chronic pain.”

Twenty-three patients with sickle cell disease-related pain completed the trial, inhaling vaporized cannabis or a vaporized placebo during two five-day inpatient sessions that were separated by at least 30 days. This allowed them to act as their own control group.

Researchers assessed participants’ pain levels throughout the treatment period and found that the effectiveness of cannabis appeared to increase over time. As the five-day study period progressed, subjects reported that pain interfered less and less with activities, including walking and sleeping, and there was a statistically significant drop in how much pain affected their mood. Although pain levels were generally lower in patients given cannabis than in those given the placebo, the difference was not statistically significant.

Bad eating habits may cause blindness, warn researchers

University of Bristol (UK), July 20, 2020

There’s no denying that eating junk food is bad for your health, as it’s linked to obesity and an increased risk of various health problems. A report in the Annals of Internal Medicine even found that a diet full of junk food could eventually cause vision loss.

Researchers from the University of Bristol in the U.K. looked at a particular case involving a teenager who was a “fussy eater” and didn’t eat anything except junk food. Several years of following an unhealthy diet eventually made him lose his eyesight.

This unusual and shocking case highlights the dangers of an unhealthy diet. It can cause obesity and increase your risk of developing heart disease and cancer. The report also found that consuming junk food may “permanently damage the nervous system, particularly vision.”

The adverse effects of poor eating habits

The teen first experienced problems when he was 14, and he consulted a doctor due to symptoms like tiredness. His blood tests then revealed that he had anemia.

Since the teenager had B12 deficiency, he was also treated with injections of the vitamin. His physician then told him to improve his eating habits.

When the teenager turned 15, he reported more issues like hearing loss and vision problems. His physicians were baffled because the results from an MRI and eye exam were all normal. (Related: Cut the junk: Eating junk food can give you food allergies.)

After two years, the teenager’s vision worsened. At 17, an eye test revealed that his vision was 20/200 in both eyes: The threshold for being considered “legally blind” in America. Results from other tests revealed that the teenager also suffered damage to his optic nerve, the bundle of nerve fibers that connects the back of the eye to the brain.

Despite being told to improve his eating habits when he was 14, the teenager still had a vitamin B12 deficiency. Worse, he also had low levels of copper, selenium and vitamin D. The physicians were alarmed at these deficiencies.

After questioning the teenager, they found out that he didn’t like eating “certain textures of food.” Since elementary school, the patient followed a limited diet that consisted only of foods such as:

Chips
Fries
Processed ham slices
Sausage
White bread

Once the doctors ruled out other possible causes for his vision loss, the patient was diagnosed with nutritional optic neuropathy or damage to the optic nerve because of nutritional deficiencies. The researchers noted that “[purely] dietary causes are rare in developed countries.” Most of the time, nutritional optic neuropathy is caused by alcohol abuse, drugs, poor diet or the malabsorption of food.

Early detection can potentially reverse vision loss due to nutritional optic neuropathy. But unfortunately for the teenager, by the time his condition was diagnosed, his vision loss was permanent.

Dr. Denize Atan, a senior lecturer in ophthalmology at Bristol Medical School and a co-author of the study, explained that eyeglasses wouldn’t help the patient’s vision since any damage to the optic nerve can’t be addressed with lenses. To prevent his vision loss from worsening, physicians prescribed the teenager nutritional supplements.

Avoidant-restrictive food intake disorder and mental health

The doctors involved in the patient’s case also referred him to mental health services for an eating disorder because there seemed to be more to his unusual diet. Unlike kids who were simply picky eaters, the teenager’s diet “was very restrictive and caused multiple nutritional deficiencies.”

They believe that the teenager might have a condition called “avoidant-restrictive food intake disorder” (ARFID). This relatively new diagnosis, previously called “selective eating disorder,” may cause a lack of interest in food or avoidance of foods with certain colors, textures or other factors without links to the patient’s body weight or shape.

Other symptoms of ARFID include:

Abdominal pain, cold intolerance, constipation, lethargy or excess energy
Dramatic restriction in amount or types of food eaten
Dramatic weight loss
Eating only certain textures of food
Eating a limited range of preferred foods that becomes narrower over time or picky eating that worsens with time
Fears of choking or vomiting
Inconsistent and vague gastrointestinal issues, like an upset stomach, around mealtimes with no known cause
No body image disturbance or fear of weight gain

ARFID often manifests in childhood, and patients tend to have a normal body mass index (BMI) like the teenaged boy, concluded the study authors.

Chronic inflammation alters the evolution of cells in the colon, study finds

Researchers have compared diseased colon with healthy tissue to better understand how inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is linked to an increased risk of colorectal cancers

Cambridge University and Wellcome Sanger Institute, July 21, 2020

In a new study, researchers have compared diseased colon with healthy tissue to better understand how inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is linked to an increased risk of colorectal cancers, at a molecular level. Researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute and Cambridge University Hospitals found that the rate of DNA change within colon cells affected by IBD was more than double that in healthy colon, increasing the likelihood of these cells gaining DNA changes that could lead to cancer.

The study, published today (21 July) in Cell, also found that chronic inflammation associated with IBD disrupts the tissue structure of the colon, allowing cells to expand over an abnormally wide area. The results provide valuable insights into evolution within the body, and the development of IBD and colorectal cancers.

IBD primarily refers to ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, chronic illnesses characterised by inflammation of the digestive system that can be highly disruptive to a patient’s quality of life. Between 1990 and 2017, the number of IBD cases worldwide rose from 3.7 million to 6.8 million*. The causes of the disease remain unknown, though it is thought that inflammation occurs as a result of an inappropriate immune response to gut microbes.

People suffering from IBD are at an increased risk of developing gastrointestinal cancers compared to the general population. Patients will undergo regular surveillance for this and may, in some cases, opt to undergo surgery to remove their entire colon in order to mitigate this risk.

In this new study, clinicians at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge provided colon tissue samples donated by 46 IBD patients, along with anonymised information about their medical history and treatment. Researchers at the Wellcome Sanger Institute then used laser-capture microdissection to cut out 446 individual crypts, the tiny cavities that make up colon tissue, so they could be whole-genome sequenced.

These sequences were analysed to discover the mutation rate in the tissue, the genetic relationship between crypts and any genes that were more mutated than normal. They were then compared to sequences from 412 crypts from 41 individuals without IBD, so that the effects of chronic inflammation on the DNA sequence could be observed.

The team found that there were more than twice as many DNA changes in the diseased tissue than in normal, and the longer the duration of the disease, the greater this excess.

The study also uncovered evidence of an evolutionary process whereby mutations in particular genes are under positive selection. Some of these positively-selected mutations were enriched in genes associated with colorectal cancers, shedding light on the link between IBD and certain cancers. The researchers also detected evidence of positive selection of mutations in genes associated with immune system regulation in the gut and the ability of the cells to fend off the bacteria resident in the colon.

Sigurgeir Olafsson, first author of the study from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, said: “How our bodies continue to evolve during our lifetime is a fundamental part of our biology. It has been fascinating to study the effect of a chronic disease on this process and uncover evidence that changes in the genetic sequence of gut cells could have a direct role in the onset of inflammatory bowel disease.”

Dr Tim Raine, clinical lead for the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) service at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge and Honorary Faculty member at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, said: “Colorectal cancer is one of the main clinical concerns when treating patients with IBD. In this study, we found that normal mutational processes that are operative in us all are accelerated in the IBD affected gut, leading to a more than two-fold increase in the rate at which some gut cells acquire mutations, and this underpins the increased cancer risk in IBD.”

Dr Peter Campbell, an author on the study from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, said: “The role of somatic mutations in cancer susceptibility has long been appreciated. It is exciting to see the methods that we and others have used to understand cancers now being applied to other common diseases. These approaches have given us unique insights into the effects of inflammatory bowel disease on the DNA sequence of the inflamed tissue.”

A previously unexplained observation in IBD is that repeated flares of inflammation tend to affect the same patch of tissue, suggesting some permanent alterations to the colon. These findings highlight genetic mutations as a possible explanation, with some positively-selected mutations in immune regulation genes occurring in the same regions of the bowel affected by chronic inflammation.

Dr Carl Anderson, lead author of the study from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, said: “We know that DNA changes contribute to the development of cancer, but their role in common non-cancerous diseases like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has not been extensively studied. Our study revealed that somatic changes in the DNA sequence of the cells that line our gut may contribute to the development of IBD. I strongly believe that studying somatic mutations in all common diseases, not just IBD and cancers, has the potential to provide novel insights into disease biology and highlight potential drug targets.”

Studies suggest a fasting diet could boost breast cancer therapy

A USC-led team of international scientists found that a one-two punch of a fasting diet with hormone therapy may enhance the effects of breast cancer treatment

University of Southern California, July 22, 2020

A USC-led team of scientists has found that a fasting-mimicking diet combined with hormone therapy has the potential to help treat breast cancer, according to newly published animal studies and small clinical trials in humans.

In studies on mice and in two small breast cancer clinical trials, researchers at USC and the IFOM Cancer Institute in Milan — in collaboration with the University of Genova — found that the fasting-mimicking diet reduces blood insulin, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) and leptin. In mice, these effects appear to increase the power of the cancer hormone drugs tamoxifen and fulvestrant and delay any resistance to them. The results from 36 women treated with the hormone therapy and fasting-mimicking diet are promising, but researchers say it is still too early to determine whether the effects will be confirmed in large-scale clinical trials.

The research was published in the journal Nature.

“Our new study suggests that a fasting-mimicking diet together with endocrine therapy for breast cancer has the potential to not only shrink tumors but also reverse resistant tumors in mice,” said Valter Longo, the study’s co-senior author and the director of the Longevity Institute at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology and professor of biological sciences at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. “We have data that for the first time suggests that a fasting-mimicking diet works by changing at least three different factors: IGF1, leptin and insulin.”

The researchers say the two small clinical trials are feasibility studies that showed promising results, but they are in no way conclusive. They believe the results support further clinical studies of a fasting-mimicking diet used in combination with endocrine therapy in hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer.

The scientists also contributed to a recent clinical study of 129 breast cancer patients conducted with the University of Leiden. The results, published last month in Nature Communications, appeared to show increased efficacy of chemotherapy in patients receiving a combination of chemotherapy and a fasting-mimicking diet.

In the two new small clinical trials — one of which was directed by the study co-corresponding author Alessio Nencioni — patients with hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer receiving estrogen therapy along with cycles of a fasting-mimicking diet seemed to experience metabolic changes similar to those observed in mice. These changes included a reduction in insulin, leptin and IGF1 levels, with the last two remaining low for extended periods. In mice, these long-lasting effects are associated with long-term anti-cancer activity, so further studies in humans is needed.

“Some patients followed monthly cycles of the fasting-mimicking diet for almost two years without any problems, suggesting that it is a well-tolerated intervention,” Nencioni said. “We hope this means that this nutritional program that mimics fasting could one day represent a weapon to better fight cancer in patients receiving hormone therapy without serious side effects.”

“The results in mice are very promising. And the early clinical results show potential as well, but now we need to see it work in a 300- to 400-patient trial,” Longo explained.

The data also suggest that in mice, the fasting-mimicking diet appears to prevent tamoxifen-induced endometrial hyperplasia, a condition in which the endometrium (or the lining of the uterus) becomes abnormally thick. The study authors believe this potential use of the fasting diet should be explored further, given the prevalence of this side effect of tamoxifen and the limited options for preventing it.

Approximately 80% of all breast cancers express estrogen and/or progesterone receptors. The most common forms of hormone therapy for these breast cancers work by blocking hormones from attaching to receptors on cancer cells or by decreasing the body’s hormone production. Endocrine therapy is frequently effective in these hormone-receptor-positive tumors, but the long-term benefits are often hindered by treatment resistance.

Several clinical trials, including one at USC on breast cancer and prostate patients, are now investigating the effects of the fasting-mimicking diets in combination with different cancer-fighting drugs.

“I like to call it the nontoxic wildcard for cancer treatment,” Longo said. “These clinical studies we have just published — together with the many animal studies published in the past 12 years — suggest that cycles of the fasting-mimicking diet has the potential to make standard therapy more effective against different cancers, each time by changing a different factor or nutrient important for cancer cell survival.”

Scientists identify 10 risk factors for Alzheimer disease

Fudan University (China), July 17, 2020

Alzheimer’s disease may be preventable by keeping an eye on key factors including weight gain, blood pressure and avoiding stress, experts say.

Researchers said many risk factors are modifiable in the fight to prevent dementia, which affects around 850,000 people in the UK, two-thirds of whom have Alzheimer’s.

Their review of existing studies found 10 risk factors had strong evidence of a link with Alzheimer’s, and people could take action to avoid them.

These included ensuring good education in early life, keeping the brain active through activities such as reading, and not being overweight or obese in later life.

People should also avoid depression, stress, high blood pressure, head trauma and diabetes to reduce their risk, they said.

Other factors had weaker links that could be adjusted, including not being obese in midlife, taking exercise, getting enough sleep, including vitamin C in the diet and not smoking.

The study, published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, was led by Professor Jin-Tai Yu at Fudan University in China.

The researchers gathered 395 studies and came up with a list of factors that could be used by doctors to try to prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

They said research into preventing dementia should continue but their report offered “clinicians and stakeholders an evidence-based guideline for Alzheimer’s disease prevention”.

Fiona Carragher, director of research and influencing at the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “In recent years, research has suggested that nearly a third of dementia cases may be preventable and this review builds on this idea, specifically in relation to Alzheimer’s disease and how certain risk factors, many of which are associated with cardiovascular health, may be within our control.

“We need a deeper dive into each of these risk factors to understand how they work together on an individual level and how best to support people to manage them.

“This review demonstrates that, while observational studies are useful to help identify potential risk factors, we need to see many more interventional trials to understand what the best approaches are to preventing Alzheimer’s disease developing in the first place.

“We don’t have all the answers yet, but we do know that small steps to improving your physical and mental health can make a big difference, like walking to your local shop for milk instead of jumping in the car.”

Study: Regular mushroom consumption can lead to lower prostate cancer risk

Tohoku University (Japan), July 20. 2020

Regular mushroom consumption can lead to a 17 lower risk of prostate cancer, according to a team of researchers from Tohoku University’s School of Public Health in Japan.

Lead author and doctoral student Shu Zhang noted that the cancer-fighting effects of mushrooms appeared to be more significant in men aged 50 and older.

That said, Zhang clarified that her team did not collect information on specific mushroom species and, as such, did not elucidate the molecular mechanisms behind the fungi’s cancer-fighting effects.

Their findings have been published in the International Journal of Cancer.

Habitual mushroom consumption linked to a reduced risk of prostate cancer

To see if mushrooms are potent against prostate cancer – the second most common cancer among older men – Zhang and her team looked at the data of 36,000 men between the ages of 40 and 79 for a median period of 13.2 years. Each participant had been part of either the Miyagi Cohort Study in 1990 or the Ohsaki Cohort Study in 1994.

Upon analysis of the pooled data from both cohorts, Zhang and her team found that 3.3 percent of the participants had incidents of prostate cancer based on responses from questionnaires regarding their medical histories and their eating, smoking and drinking habits.

It also appeared that mushroom consumption is inversely related to incident prostate cancer. In particular, participants who regularly ate mushrooms once or twice a week had an eight percent lower risk of prostate cancer.

Those who ate mushrooms more than three times a week, on the other hand, had an incredible 17 percent lower risk of prostate cancer.

Furthermore, Zhang notes that these effects had been especially pronounced in men aged 50 or older and in men whose diets consisted of low fruit and vegetable intake but high meat and dairy intake.

Unfortunately, the team was unable to collect information on mushroom species involved in either cohort. As such, they could not specify the species responsible for the reductions in prostate cancer risk.

Because of this, Zhang stated that the underlying mechanisms behind the beneficial effects of mushrooms on prostate cancer remain uncertain.

At High Doses Turmeric Compound Kills Virus Particles

Wuhan Institute of Bioengineering (China), July 20, 2020

Curcumin, a natural compound found in the spice turmeric, could help eliminate certain viruses, research has found.

A study published in the Journal of General Virology showed that curcumin can prevent Transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) – an alpha-group coronavirus that infects pigs – from infecting cells. At higher doses, the compound was also found to kill virus particles.

Infection with TGEV causes a disease called transmissible gastroenteritis in piglets, which is characterised by diarrhoea, severe dehydration and death. TGEV is highly infectious and is invariably fatal in piglets younger than two weeks, thus posing a major threat to the global swine industry. There are currently no approved treatments for alpha-coronaviruses and although there is a vaccine for TGEV, it is not effective in preventing the spread of the virus.

To determine the potential antiviral properties of curcumin, the research team treated experimental cells with various concentrations of the compound, before attempting to infect them with TGEV. They found that higher concentrations of curcumin reduced the number of virus particles in the cell culture.

The research suggests that curcumin affects TGEV in a number of ways: by directly killing the virus before it is able to infect the cell, by integrating with the viral envelope to ‘inactivate’ the virus, and by altering the metabolism of cells to prevent viral entry.

“Curcumin has a significant inhibitory effect on TGEV adsorption step and a certain direct inactivation effect, suggesting that curcumin has great potential in the prevention of TGEV infection,” said Dr Lilan Xie, lead author of the study and researcher at the Wuhan Institute of Bioengineering.

Curcumin has been shown to inhibit the replication of some types of virus, including dengue virus, hepatitis B and Zika virus. The compound has also been found to have a number of significant biological effects, including antitumor, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities. Curcumin was chosen for this research due to having low side effects according to Dr Xie.

They said: “There are great difficulties in the prevention and control of viral diseases, especially when there are no effective vaccines. Traditional Chinese medicine and its active ingredients, are ideal screening libraries for antiviral drugs because of their advantages, such as convenient acquisition and low side effects.”

The researchers now hope to continue their research in vivo, using an animal model to assess whether the inhibiting properties of curcumin would be seen in a more complex system.

“Further studies will be required, to evaluate the inhibitory effect in vivo and explore the potential mechanisms of curcumin against TGEV, which will lay a foundation for the comprehensive understanding of the antiviral mechanisms and application of curcumin” said Dr Xie.

Nitric oxide may slow progression of COVID-19

A recent review published by GW researchers suggests that nitric oxide has promise as a therapeutic to control the replication and rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2

George Washington University, July 21, 2020

Nitric oxide treatment can be pivotal in the world’s fight against SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, according to a review from the George Washington University (GW). The article is published in the journal Nitric Oxide.

Nitric oxide is an antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory molecule with key roles in pulmonary vascular function in the context of viral infections and other pulmonary diseases. In SARS-CoV-1 infection, which led to the outbreak of SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) in 2003, nitric oxide inhibited viral replication by cytotoxic reactions through intermediates such as peroxynitrite. It is one of several potential COVID-19 treatments included in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s emergency expanded access program.

“Nitric oxide plays key roles in maintaining normal vascular function and regulating inflammatory cascades that contribute to acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS),” said Adam Friedman, MD, interim chair and professor in the Department of Dermatology at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences and co-senior author of the review. “Interventions that are protective against ALI and ARDS can play a critical role for patients and health systems during the pandemic.”

Coronaviruses are RNA viruses that primarily infect birds or livestock, but can mutate to be highly infectious and lethal in humans. There is currently no registered treatment or vaccine for COVID-19. The absence of a specific treatment and the high mortality rate of the virus dictate an urgent need for therapeutics that may control the replication and rapid spread of the virus.

The team, led by first author Nagasai Adusumilli, MBA, a fourth-year medical student at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences, reviewed data from between 1993 and 2020 on the pathogenesis of coronaviruses and the use of nitric oxide as a treatment for respiratory illness. The authors highlight the potential for inhaled nitric oxide contributing to better clinical outcomes and alleviating the rapidly rising strain on health care capacity due to COVID-19.

As groups continue to publish more results with their respective nitric oxide platforms, the team recommends that dosing and protocol variations should be examined in evaluating the studies.

“With the emergence of COVID-19 as a pandemic with the ability to overwhelm the body and our health care infrastructure, patients have a pressing need for effective agents that can slow the disease in their bodies and in their communities,” Friedman said.

The authors suggest that if nitric oxide’s efficacy is illustrated for COVID-19, its use as a treatment can be pivotal in the fight against the pandemic.

Friedman has been collaborating with co-senior author Joel Friedman, MD, PhD, professor of physiology and biophysics and of medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, on research related to the use of nitric oxide in a broad range of medical indications for close to two decades, and together are developing nitric oxide-based therapeutics for COVID-19.

Cinnamon may improve blood sugar control in people with prediabetes

Joslin Diabetes Center (Boston), July 21, 2020

Cinnamon improves blood sugar control in people with prediabetes and could slow the progression to type 2 diabetes, according to a new study published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society.

It is estimated that nearly 90 million people in the United States have prediabetes, which occurs when blood sugar levels are higher than normal and often leads to type 2 diabetes. Identifying strategies to prevent the progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes is challenging, yet important for a large population.

“Our 12-week study showed beneficial effects of adding cinnamon to the diet on keeping blood sugar levels stable in participants with prediabetes,” said the study’s corresponding author, Giulio R. Romeo, M.D., of Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, Mass. “These findings provide the rationale for longer and larger studies to address if cinnamon can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes over time.”

The randomized clinical trial investigated the effects of cinnamon supplementation in 51 participants with prediabetes. Participants were given a 500 mg cinnamon capsule or placebo three times a day for 12 weeks. The researchers found that cinnamon supplements lowered abnormal fasting glucose levels and improved the body’s response to eating a meal with carbohydrates, which are hallmarks of prediabetes. Cinnamon was well tolerated and was not associated with specific side effects or adverse events.

Supplements with potential to prevent Alzheimer’s affect blood, but less so the brain

Omega-3 fatty acids might require larger doses to be effective — especially for people with high-risk gene

University of Southern California, July 21, 2020

For years, a scientific puzzle has bedeviled researchers aiming to fight Alzheimer’s disease, a common and incurable form of dementia.

The results of numerous lab investigations and population studies support the preventive potential of omega-3 fatty acids, “good fats” found abundantly in fish. However, to date the majority of studies evaluating omega-3s for averting or curtailing cognitive decline in human participants have failed to show benefits.

Now, a small clinical trial from USC provides important clues about this discrepancy, in the first Alzheimer’s prevention study to compare levels of omega-3s in the blood with those in the central nervous system. The findings suggest that higher doses of omega-3 supplements may be needed in order to make a difference, because dramatic increases in blood levels of omega-3s are accompanied by far smaller increases within the brain. Among participants who carry a specific mutation that heightens risk for Alzheimer’s, taking the supplements raised levels of a key fatty acid far less compared to those without the mutation.

“Trials have been built on the assumption that omega-3s get into the brain,” said senior author Dr. Hussein Yassine, associate professor of medicine and neurology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. “Our study was specifically designed to address this question.”

The paper was published today in the journal EBioMedicine.

The researchers recruited 33 participants who had risk factors for Alzheimer’s but were not cognitively impaired. All participants had a family history of the disease, a sedentary lifestyle and a diet low in fatty fish. Fifteen carried a gene variant called APOE4, which is linked to inflammation in the brain and increases Alzheimer’s risk by a factor of four or more; the other 18 were noncarriers.

At random, participants were assigned to a treatment group or control group. Members of the treatment group were asked to take supplements containing more than 2 grams of an omega-3 called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) daily for six months. Control group members took placebos each day over the same period. Participants in both groups also were asked to take daily B-complex vitamins, which help the body process omega-3s.

Dr. Yassine and his colleagues gathered samples of blood plasma and cerebrospinal fluid — a gauge for whether the omega-3s reached the brain — from participants at the outset, and again at the end of the study period. The scientists looked at levels of two omega-3 fatty acids: DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), a potent anti-inflammatory that the body derives from a small portion of its DHA intake.

Higher doses for omega-3s to be effective?

The researchers found that at the end of the six months, participants who took omega-3 supplements had 200 percent more DHA in their blood compared to those who took placebos. In contrast, the DHA found in cerebrospinal fluid was only 28 percent higher in the treatment group than the control group. This result hints that measuring omega-3 levels in the blood may not indicate how much is reaching the brain.

Dr. Yassine and his co-authors also report that, within the treatment group, those without the risk-inflating APOE4 mutation showed an increase of EPA (anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acid) in their cerebrospinal fluid three times greater than what was seen in carriers of the gene.

“E4 carriers, despite having the same dose, had less omega-3s in the brain,” he said. “This finding suggests that EPA is either getting consumed, getting lost or not getting absorbed into the brain as efficiently with the E4 gene.”

Notably, the 2-gram dose of DHA in this study far exceeded what has been used in major clinical trials testing the preventive power of omega-3s, which typically administer 1 gram or less daily.

“If you use a lower dose, you can expect a less-than-10-percent increase in omega-3s in the brain, which may not be considered meaningful,” Dr. Yassine said.

The sacrifice of study participants advances Alzheimer’s research

The investigators worked for two years to recruit participants for the trial. The barrier to entry came from the only method capable of extracting cerebrospinal fluid: a lumbar puncture, also known as a spinal tap. It proved challenging to find people willing to undergo that procedure, which involves a hollow needle piercing the lower back, two times.

Dr. Yassine had high praise for the study participants.

“They were generous with their time, and they were courageous to do the lumbar punctures,” he said. “The main reason they did this was their desire to advance science.”

The participants’ bravery may pay off in the creation of even more knowledge about omega-3s and Alzheimer’s.

The preliminary data from the current study was intriguing enough that the scientists were able to attract funding for a larger trial for which recruitment is underway. Following 320 participants over two years, it will examine whether high doses of omega-3s can slow cognitive decline in carriers of the APOE4 gene.

Dr. Yassine believes that the progression from a small study to a bigger one is a good model for developing therapies and preventions targeting the brain.

“These pilot studies are so important as a step toward much larger, more complicated studies,” he said. “The bottom line is, before you embark upon very expensive clinical trials, you need to show proof of concept, that your drug is getting into the brain and changing biomarkers of disease in the right direction.”

Efficacy of acupuncture in insomnia treatment

Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, July 17, 2020

In this study, researchers provided updated evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for primary insomnia. Their findings were published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.

Acupuncture is widely used in Asia as an alternative therapy for insomnia.
In Western countries, the use of acupuncture is increasing.
To determine the suitability of acupuncture as insomnia treatment, the researchers searched 11 databases from January 2008 to October 2017 for relevant RCTs.
Two authors independently extracted data and assessed risk of bias.
The researchers performed statistical analysis using RevMan 5.3 software then combined data in a meta-analysis according to a predefined protocol.
They also performed trial sequential analysis when appropriate and assessed the quality of evidence using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE).
The researchers analyzed 73 RCTs that involved 5,533 participants. Their results showed that real acupuncture treatment yielded better results than no treatment by reducing the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores.
Acupuncture, combined with medication, also showed better results than medication alone by decreasing PSQI total scores.
Compared with estazolam, acupuncture exerted better effects on PSQI scores.
It also caused fewer adverse events than western medications.

Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that acupuncture benefits people with insomnia by improving their sleep quality. The researchers recommend a larger sample size and more rigorously designed RCTs to explore this benefit further.

Dietary guidelines advisory committee reinforces need for increased choline intake

Vulnerable populations, including infants, toddlers, pregnant and lactating women, are at greatest risk for choline deficiency

HHS and Cornell University, July 20, 2020

The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC or Committee) – a group comprised of 20 nationally recognized health and nutrition experts – published the Scientific Report of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee: Advisory Report to the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Among its findings, the Committee concluded that current choline intake levels are too low for most Americans and found low intake levels among infants and toddlers, as well as vulnerable populations like pregnant and lactating women, especially concerning.

“The Committee’s scientific report shines a light on the growing body of evidence that shows choline plays a critical role in health during specific life stages,” says Marie Caudill, PhD, RD, Professor, Cornell University and an internationally recognized choline researcher. “Unfortunately, consumption data tell us choline is widely under-consumed, and it’s concerning that those populations who would benefit most from choline, such as pregnant and lactating women and infants and children, fall short of meeting intake targets. In fact, only 8 percent of pregnant women are meeting choline recommendations.”

Choline is an essential nutrient that supports a variety of processes at all stages of life and throughout the body, including fetal and infant development; cognition and memory; energy and fitness; metabolism; and liver health. While more research is needed for choline to reach the level of a ‘nutrient of public health concern,’ the Committee recognized choline as a ‘nutrient that poses public health challenges’ for all infants and toddlers between ages 12 and 24 months; and special attention around choline inadequacies was specifically noted for girls and boys ages 9 to 14; and the vulnerable pregnant population and women who are lactating. Choline is naturally found in some foods; yet, based on typical and recommended eating patterns, it is difficult to meet daily choline needs through foods alone. In fact, the DGAC presented three food pattern styles, which generally meet all nutrient needs across the lifespan, except for a few such as choline. Importantly, the Committee noted that many supplements do not yet contain sufficient amounts of choline, indicating an important opportunity for both supplement innovations, as well as food fortification, in the future.

“The Committee’s report clearly highlights the challenges of meeting choline intake targets through food alone,” added Caudill. “Americans need guidance on how to choose supplements to help fill nutrient gaps, particularly for pregnant women as most recognized prenatal vitamins don’t contain enough–if any–choline.”

“Choline’s increased recognition in the DGAC report is an important scientific milestone for the public health community,” says Jonathan Bortz, MD, Senior Director, Nutrition Science, Balchem. “We are quickly approaching an inflection point in time for choline awareness. In addition to the findings released in this report, Balchem has, and will continue to support research needed to develop a blood biomarker for choline, which will provide a more accurate understanding of the level of deficiency among Americans and help to generate stronger guidance and messages.”

Choline can be purchased online or in specialty stores as a stand-alone, over-the-counter supplement; incorporated into some prenatal vitamins or packaged along with prenatal vitamins; and fortified in branded milk products, specifically:

– Bayer recently launched a “One A Day Women’s Prenatal Advanced Complete Multivitamin with Brain Support,” that includes a side-by-side prenatal multivitamin plus a supplement that provides 110mg of choline, helping to substantially close the gap in pregnant women’s daily needs.– Danone’s Horizon Organic brand developed milk for young children–Growing Years–that is fortified to contain 55mg of choline per serving, providing between 10 percent to 27 percent of children’s daily needs, depending on age and gender.

“The Committee’s report has provided critical research directions to help inform Balchem’s long-standing commitment to choline research and science communications,” added Bortz. “We look forward to continuing to support science and product innovation to ensure all Americans throughout the lifespan can benefit from increased choline, as part of healthy diets.”

Older adults who can really smell the roses may face lower likelihood of dementia

University of California San Francisco, July 20, 2020

Seniors who can identify smells like roses, turpentine, paint-thinner and lemons, and have retained their senses of hearing, vision and touch, may have half the risk of developing dementia as their peers with marked sensory decline.

In a study by UC San Francisco, researchers tracked close to 1,800 participants in their seventies for a period of up to 10 years to see if their sensory functioning correlated with the development of dementia. At the time of enrollment, all participants were dementia-free, but 328 participants (18 percent) developed the condition over the course of the study.

Among those whose sensory levels ranked in the middle range, 141 of the 328 (19 percent) developed dementia. This compares with 83 in the good range (12 percent) and 104 (27 percent) in the poor range, according to the study, which publishes in Alzheimer’s and Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association on July 20, 2020.

Previous research has centered on the link between dementia and individual senses, but the UCSF researchers’ focus was on the additive effects of multiple impairments in sensory function, which emerging evidence shows are a stronger indicator of declining cognition.

“Sensory impairments could be due to underlying neurodegeneration or the same disease processes as those affecting cognition, such as stroke,” said first author Willa Brenowitz, PhD, of the UCSF Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and the Weill Institute for Neurosciences. “Alternatively, sensory impairments, particularly hearing and vision, may accelerate cognitive decline, either directly impacting cognition or indirectly by increasing social isolation, poor mobility and adverse mental health.”

While multiple impairments were key to the researchers work, the authors acknowledged that a keen sense of smell, or olfaction, has a stronger association against dementia than touch, hearing or vision. Participants whose smell declined by 10 percent had a 19 percent higher chance of dementia, versus a 1-to-3-percent increased risk for corresponding declines in vision, hearing and touch.

“The olfactory bulb, which is critical for smell, is affected fairly early on in the course of the disease,” said Brenowitz. “It’s thought that smell may be a preclinical indicator of dementia, while hearing and vision may have more of a role in promoting dementia.”

The 1,794 participants were recruited from a random sample of Medicare-eligible adults in the Health, Aging and Body Composition study. Cognitive testing was done at the beginning of the study and repeated every other year. Dementia was defined by testing that showed a significant drop from baseline scores, documented use of a dementia medication or hospitalization for dementia as a primary or secondary diagnosis.

Multisensory testing was done in the third-to-fifth year and included hearing (hearing aids were not allowed), contrast-sensitivity tests for vision (glasses were permitted), touch testing in which vibrations were measured in the big toe, and smell, involving identifying distinctive odors like paint-thinner, roses, lemons, onions and turpentine.

The researchers found that participants who remained dementia-free generally had higher cognition at enrollment and tended to have no sensory impairments. Those in the middle range tended to have multiple mild impairments or a single moderate-to-severe impairment. Participants at higher risk had multiple moderate-to-severe impairments.

“We found that with deteriorating multisensory functioning, the risk of cognitive decline increased in a dose-response manner,” said senior author Kristine Yaffe, MD, of the UCSF departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and Neurology, as well as the San Francisco VA Health Care System. “Even mild or moderate sensory impairments across multiple domains were associated with an increased risk of dementia, indicating that people with poor multisensory function are a high-risk population that could be targeted prior to dementia onset for intervention.”

The 780 participants with good multisensory function were more likely to be healthier than the 499 participants with poor multisensory function, suggesting that some lifestyle habits may play a role in reducing risks for dementia. The former group was more likely to have completed high school (85 percent versus 72.1 percent), had less diabetes (16.9 percent versus 27.9 percent) and were marginally less likely to have cardiovascular disease, high-blood pressure and stroke.

Regular physical activity seems to enhance cognition in children who need it most

University of Tsukuba (Japan), July 15, 2020

A common school-age stereotype is that smart kids are unathletic. However, as a recent study lead by Associate Professor Keita Kamijo at the University of Tsukuba and Assistant Professor Toru Ishihara at Kobe University shows, physical activity is linked to better cognitive ability, which is in turn related to academic performance in school. Understanding the effects of physical activity on cognition has been difficult for several reasons. “Previous studies looked at the issue too broadly,” explains Professor Kamijo, “When we broke down the data, we were able to see that physical activity helps children the most if they start out with poor executive function.”

Executive functions refer to three types of cognitive skills. The first is the ability to suppress impulses and inhibit reflex-like behaviors or habits. To assess this ability, children were asked to indicate the color in which words like “red” and “blue” were displayed on a computer screen. This is easy when the words and colors match (“red” displayed in red font), but often requires inhibition of a reflex response when they don’t (“red” displayed in blue font). The second skill is the ability to hold information in working memory and process it. This was evaluated by testing how well children could remember strings of letters that vary in length. The third cognitive skill is mental flexibility. This was measured by asking children to frequently switch the rules for categorizing colored circles and squares from shape-based to color-based.

Professor Kamijo and Professor Ishihara, and their colleagues re-analyzed the data from previous experiments in which executive function was assessed in children before and after several months of daily intervention with physical activity, such as aerobic activities, ball games, and playing tag. They looked at a factor that was missed in the initial analyses. That is, they considered whether the effectiveness of the intervention depended on the initial baseline scores.

The researchers found that cognitive skills, which have been shown to closely associate with academic performance, improved most in children whose skills were initially poor. The team also found that increased time spent doing regular physical activity did not negatively affect cognitive function in children who started out with better cognitive functions.

The finding that daily physical activity can improve executive function in children who might need it the most has some practical implications. “Because the cognitive functions evaluated in our study are related to academic performance,” says Professor Kamijo, “we can say that daily physical activity is critical for school-aged children. Our findings can help educational institutions design appropriate systems for maximizing the effects of physical activity and exercise.”

CBD may help avert lung destruction in COVID-19

Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University

Cannabidiol, or CBD, may help reduce the cytokine storm and excessive lung inflammation that is killing many patients with COVID-19, researchers say.

While more work, including clinical trials to determine optimal dosage and timing, is needed before CBD becomes part of the treatment for COVID-19, researchers at the Dental College of Georgia and Medical College of Georgia have early evidence it could help patients showing signs of respiratory distress avoid extreme interventions like mechanical ventilation as well as death from acute respiratory distress syndrome.

“ARDS is a major killer in severe cases of some respiratory viral infections, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and we have an urgent need for better intervention and treatment strategies,” says Dr. Babak Baban, immunologist and interim associate dean for research at DCG and corresponding author of the study in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research.

Our laboratory studies indicate pure CBD can help the lungs recover from the overwhelming inflammation, or cytokine storm, caused by the COVID-19 virus, and restore healthier oxygen levels in the body, says co-author Dr. Jack Yu, physician-scientist and chief of pediatric plastic surgery at MCG.

Their CBD findings were enabled by their additional finding of a safe and relatively inexpensive model to duplicate the lung damage caused by ARDS. Work on the virus itself is limited to a handful of labs in the nation that can safely manage the highly contagious virus, and their newly reported approach opens more doors for studying SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 and similar virus-induced conditions, they say.

Their model, which takes advantage of the large, unique genetic structure of the novel coronavirus, produced classic symptoms of ARDS like the overwhelming, destructive immune response, then CBD significantly downregulated classic indicators of the excess, like inflammation-promoting cytokines as it improved oxygen levels in the blood and enabled the lungs to recover from the structural damage.

A major problem with SARS-CoV-2 is instead of just killing the virus, the over-the-top immune response can quickly disable the lungs, transforming them to a place where virus is replicated, rather than a place that makes oxygen available for our bodies and eliminates potentially harmful gases like carbon dioxide.

Mechanical ventilators can take over these vital functions for a while, and enable critically ill people to use less energy to just breathe and have more energy to fight infection, while ideally the lungs recover from the assault. However evidence suggests 30-50% of patients who get to the point of mechanical ventilation, don’t survive.

The cytokines in these now famous “storms” are a class of molecules like interferon and interleukin, secreted by immune cells and other cells like endothelial cells that line blood vessels, which impact cell communication and can both promote and deter inflammation. In the case of COVID-19, there is excessive production of inflammation-promoting molecules like the interleukins IL-6 and IL-1β, as well as immune cells like neutrophils and monocytes, the researchers say.

They looked at objective measures of lung function in mice like levels of proinflammatory cytokines, oxygen levels in the blood before and after treatment, as well as temperature, an indicator of inflammation. Oxygen levels went up, while temperatures and cytokine levels went down with CBD therapy. Days later, a more detailed analysis of the lungs, reinforced reduction of key indicators of destructive inflammation, which their model, like the virus, drove way up including reduced levels of IL-6 and infiltrating neutrophils.

In fact, both clinical symptoms and physical lung changes resulting from ARDS were reversed with CBD treatment, they say.

Their model was created with the help of a synthetic analog of double-stranded RNA called POLY (I:C). In humans, our double-stranded DNA contains our genetic information and our single-stranded RNA carries out the instruction of our DNA to make certain proteins. In the family of coronaviruses, the double-stranded RNA carries the genetic material needed to reproduce the viruses and hijacks the cell machinery of our body to do that, Baban says.

“The natural instinct of the virus is to make more of itself,” Baban says. “It weaves with our DNA to make the cell produce food and everything it needs.” Viruses also tend to have a tissue or tissues they prefer—some can and do go anywhere—and for SARS-CoV-2, the lungs are high on the list, he says.

Our bodies aren’t used to this double-stranded RNA so, like the virus, POLY (I:C) gets the immediate and extreme attention of toll-like receptor 3, a family of receptors that help our body recognize invaders like a virus and activate our frontline, innate immune response.

“The toll-like receptors 3 see this and just go nuts,” Yu says. The fact that the coronaviruses are literally big and have the largest known viral RNA genome make such a vigorous cytokine and immune response both plausible and probable, adds Baban.

Mice received three, once-a-day doses of POLY (I:C) in the nasal passageway. CBD was given by a shot in the abdomen, the first dose two hours after the second POLY (I:C) treatment, then every other day for a total of three days in a process that sought to mimic mice getting treatment about the time a human would begin to experience trouble breathing and likely seek medical care. Given too early, CBD might actually interfere with a proper immune response against the virus, Yu says.

CBD quickly improved the clinical symptoms, then later detailed studies of the lungs showed damage to their structure, like tissue overgrowth, scarring and swelling, also had totally or partially resolved. Their next steps include doing similar studies on other organs impacted by COVID-19 including the gut, heart and brain, Baban says.

At least one way CBD is thought to calm the immune response is because it looks similar to endocannabinoids, a natural cell signaling system in our bodies believed to be involved in a wide variety of functions from sleep to reproduction to inflammation and immune response. CB1 and CB2, the main receptors for this system, are found extensively throughout the body including the brain and respiratory system, where we breathe in manmade and natural irritants in the air—as well as viruses and bacteria—that might inflame. While understanding the workings of the natural endocannabinoid system is still very much a work in progress, it’s thought that one way CBD works to reduce seizures, for example, is indirectly through the large number of CB1 receptors in the brain, says Yu.

CBD is available without a prescription, and is used to treat problems like seizures as well as Parkinson’s, Crohn’s and other conditions where pain and/or inflammation are a major factor. It’s derived from the hemp and cannabis plant, which are essentially the same although hemp has a much lower concentration of the “high” producing THC. Other investigators have shown the calming effect of CBD, for example, can block IL-6 in other models of inflammatory disease.

ARDS is a rapid, severe infection of the lungs that results in widespread inflammation, shortness of breath, rapid breathing and the inability to sustain adequate oxygen levels to the body and brain. Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing are some of the early signs of COVID-19. ARDS is a major cause of death in patients who are critically ill for a variety of reasons, including common sepsis.

Higher dose of green tea supplement increased post-exercise blood flow following an acute resistance exercise bout in resistance-trained men

Auburn University, July 15, 2020

According to news reporting from Auburn University, research stated, “There are animal data suggesting green tea can enhance blood flow. However, human data are lacking. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the acute effects of low and high doses of a green tea-based supplement (GBS) on brachial artery blood flow before and following a resistance exercise bout.”

The news reporters obtained a quote from the research from Auburn University: “In this, double-blinded placebo-controlled trial, college-aged males (n = 18) who self-reported recreationally resistance training for the previous 6 ± 3 years were assigned to one of two studies including a low (300 mg serving) (n = 9) or high dose (600 mg serving) (n = 8; 1 drop) GBS study. During testing sessions, participants reported to the laboratory following an overnight fast and rested in a supine position for 15 min. Thereafter, baseline measurements for resting heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), brachial artery diameter (BAD) and blood flow (BBF) were obtained (PRE). Participants then consumed either their respective GBS dose or a similar placebo dose (microcrystalline cellulose) in a supine resting state. HR, SBP, DBP, BAD and BBF were measured 45 min after placebo or GBS ingestion (PRE2). Participants were then placed in a recumbent position and performed 4 sets of 10 arm curl repetitions using an 11 kg dumbbell. Participants returned to a supine position and HR, SBP, DBP, BAD and BBF were obtained within the first 3 min following exercise (POST), 15 min after exercise (15POST), and 45 min after exercise (45POST). Participants returned to the laboratory 24-48 h later to repeat the same protocol with either GBS or the placebo depending on randomization. Two-way (supplement x time) repeated measures ANOVAs were used to compare dependent variables between testing sessions for Study 1 (300 mg of GBS and placebo) and Study 2 (600 mg of GBS and placebo), and statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. No statistical comparisons were made between studies. As expected, exercise increased BAD and BBF compared to resting baseline measured irrespective of supplementation. In addition, BAD and BBF did not differ between GBS and placebo at any time point after exercise in Study 1. In study 2, however, 600 mg GBS increased baseline-normalized BBF at immediately post exercise compared to placebo (placebo = 211 ± 155% increase, GBS = 349 ± 156% increase; p = 0.012) but not BAD.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “These data suggest a higher dose of GBS can enhance localized blood flow acutely following a resistance exercise bout. However, the long-term implications of these data are unclear, and more well-powered studies are needed to validate efficacy and elucidate potential mechanisms.”

Eating noni leaves can prevent lung cancer

University Putra Malaysia, July 16, 2020

One plant that’s fast emerging as a potent cancer-fighting agent is noni (Morinda citrifolia). Noni is a small tropical tree endemic to Australia and Southeast Asian countries. It thrives best in dark volcanic soil, often being found among solidified chunks of lava.

As a traditional food plant, noni has been used for millennia for both culinary and medicinal purposes. Historically, many parts of the noni tree had been used alone or alongside other herbs to treat inflammation and combat the onset of chronic conditions.

Recently, preliminary research has found that noni is also capable of fighting lung cancer cells and inhibiting tumor formation. A team of scientists from the Universiti Putra Malaysia demonstrated that noni leaf extract stalled metastasis in vitro.

The noni leaf extract also caused no harmful side effects on normal lung cells, unlike mainstream chemotherapeutic drugs. In addition, the extract helped boost antioxidant response to oxidative stress and suppressed inflammation in lung cancer tissues.

To further examine the extract’s cancer-fighting properties, the team tested noni leaf extract against erlotinib, a chemotherapeutic drug often used in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), in vivo.

It appeared that noni leaf extract is more potent in inducing programmed cell death on NSCLS cells than erlotinib. The extract did not affect normal lung cells, nor did it cause side effects common for patients taking erlotinib.

These findings affirm that noni is a potent medicinal plant capable of stalling metastasis and neutralizing lung cancer cells. Plus, besides being more successful at fighting cancer than erlotinib, noni leaf extract does not cause harmful side effects.

Noni juice stalls tumor formation of breast cancer cells

In a 2012 article published in the Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a team of researchers in the U.S. affirmed that the juice of the noni fruit resulted in reduced tumor size and longer tumor doubling time in mice.

In particular, the oral administration of noni juice stalled tumor proliferation in mice. This effect had been noticeable in tumors that are at least 1.5 centimeters in diameter.

It is important to note that tumors this size are considered characteristic of stage 1 breast cancer, the earliest stage of the disease. In this stage, cancer is noticeable, and the cancer cells can be found in limited areas. Breast cancer is also the most treatable during this stage.

That being said, the team cautioned that noni juice did not appear to reduce the risk of breast cancer. Therefore, patients taking it for its other benefits can expect neither an increased nor reduced risk of breast cancer.

New psychedelic research sheds light on why psilocybin-containing mushrooms have been consumed for centuries

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, July 20, 2020

A new study from the Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine provides insight into the psychoactive effects that distinguish psilocybin from other hallucinogenic substances. The findings suggest that feelings of spiritual and/or psychological insight play an important role in the drug’s popularity.

The new study has been published in the journal Psychopharmacology.

“Recently there has been a renewal of interest in research with psychedelic drugs,” explained Roland R. Griffiths, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences who is the corresponding author of the new study.

“Studies from the Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research and elsewhere suggest that psilocybin, a classic psychedelic drug, has significant potential for treating various psychiatric conditions such as depression and drug dependence disorders. This study sought to address a simple but somewhat perplexing question: Why do people use psilocybin?”

“Psilocybin, in the form of hallucinogenic mushrooms, has been used for centuries for the psychoactive effects. Recent US survey studies show that lifetime psilocybin use is relatively modest and quite stable over a period of decades,” Griffiths explained.

“However, the National Institute on Drug Abuse does not consider psilocybin to be addictive because it does not cause uncontrollable drug seeking behavior, does not produce classic euphoria, does not produce a withdrawal syndrome, and does not activate brain mechanisms associated with classic drugs of abuse.”

In the double-blind study, 20 healthy participants with histories of hallucinogen use received doses of psilocybin, dextromethorphan (DXM), and a placebo during five experiment sessions.

“Dextromethorphan was chosen as a comparator to psilocybin because, although it is a hallucinogen with some effects similar to psilocybin, it has a substantially lower rate of non-medical use despite its widespread availability as an over-the-counter cough medicine,” Griffiths told PsyPost.

Each experimental session was separated by about two to seven days. The sessions took place in a living room–like environment, and the participants were instructed to lie down on a couch and listen to music.

The participants completed various assessments during the experimental sessions and wrote a brief description of their experiences afterward. In addition, the participants completed a follow-up questionnaire one week and one month after their last session.

The researchers found that most of the participants reported wanting to take psilocybin again. But only 1 in 4 reported wanting to take DXM again.

“The study showed that several subjective features of the drug experience predicted participants’ desire to take psilocybin again: psychological insight, meaningfulness of the experience, increased awareness of beauty, positive social effects (e.g. empathy), positive mood (e.g. inner peace), amazement, and mystical-type effects,” Griffiths explained.

Nearly half of the participants rated their experience following the highest psilocybin dose to be among the top most meaningful and psychologically insightful of their lives.

“The study provides an answer to the puzzle for why psilocybin has been used by people for hundreds of years, yet it does not share any of the features used to define classic drugs of abuse. The answer seems to reside in the ability of psilocybin to produce unique changes in the human conscious experience that give rise to meaning, insight, the experience of beauty and mystical-type effects,” Griffiths said.

“Future research should determine whether there are other subjective domains of subjective experience or other effects of psilocybin that motivate people to use psilocybin.”

The study, “Subjective features of the psilocybin experience that may account for its self-administration by humans: a double-blind comparison of psilocybin and dextromethorphan“, was authored by Theresa M. Carbonaro, Matthew W. Johnson, Roland R. Griffiths.

Early life stress is associated with youth-onset depression for some types of stress but not others

University of British Columbia, July 15, 2020

A study in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP), published by Elsevier, reports that individuals exposed to early life stress (ELS) were more likely to develop a major depressive disorder (MDD) in childhood or adolescence than individuals who had not been exposed to ELS.

Examining the association between eight different types of ELS and youth-onset depression, the authors found that while some types of ELS (e.g., poverty) were not associated with MDD, other types of stress, including emotional abuse, were associated more strongly with MDD than a broader assessment of ELS.

“Researchers have documented that early life stress increases the risk for developing depression in adulthood. We wanted to know the degree to which it was associated with depression earlier in life — specifically during childhood or adolescence,” said lead author Joelle LeMoult, PhD, a researcher at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. “Given that earlier onsets of depression often mean a more recurrent course across the lifespan. We found that exposure to early life stress more than doubled the likelihood someone will develop youth-onset depression.

“These findings indicate that there is a narrow window between adversity and depression during which we have the opportunity to intervene.”

The findings are based on a meta-analysis of data from 62 journal articles and over 44,000 unique participants. Studies that assessed early life stress and the presence or absence of MDD before the age of 18 years were also included.

Compared to youth who were not exposed to ELS, youth who were exposed to ELS were 2.5 times more likely to develop MDD (OR=2.50; 95% CI [2.08, 3.00]).

The authors also conducted eight additional meta-analyses to examine the association between different types of ELS and a diagnosis of MDD during childhood or adolescence. Sexual abuse, physical abuse, death of a family member, domestic violence, and emotional abuse were associated with significantly higher risk for youth-onset MDD; in contrast, poverty, illness/injury, and exposure to a natural disaster were not.

Several variables moderated the association between ELS and youth-onset MDD. For example, studies that used interview-based assessments or included larger sample sizes reported stronger associations between ELS and depression.

Taken together, findings provide evidence that the adverse effects of ELS on risk for MDD manifests early in development, before adulthood, and varies by type of ELS. Further, findings support recommendations to use best-practice methods in early life stress research.

Increased blood sugar levels may decrease benefits of aerobic exercise

Joslin research in mice and humans shows an adverse effect that begins in pre-diabetes and is independent of obesity

Joslin Diabetes Center (Boston), July 20, 2020

Every doctor recommends regular aerobic exercise, since greater aerobic fitness is important for achieving better overall health. But Joslin Diabetes Center scientists now have discovered that some benefits of aerobic exercise may be dampened by higher-than-normal blood sugar levels, a condition known as hyperglycemia.

These diminished gains are seen in mouse models and humans with chronic hyperglycemia that is in the “prediabetes” range, says Sarah Lessard, PhD, a Joslin assistant investigator in the section of Clinical, Behavioral and Outcomes Research and senior author on a paper in Nature Metabolism that presents the work. The study also showed that this maladaptive trait is independent of obesity and insulin levels in the blood.

Clinical studies have demonstrated that people with diabetes or chronically high levels of blood sugar struggle to improve their aerobic exercise capacity compared to people with normal blood sugar levels. “The idea behind this study was to see if we induce high blood sugar in mice, will we impair their ability to improve their aerobic fitness?” says Lessard, who is an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. The study also aimed to uncover the mechanisms that may lead to low fitness levels in people with hyperglycemia.

Her team used two mouse models that reflect the two major causes of hyperglycemia in humans. One group of mice consumed a Western diet, high in sugar and saturated fat, which caused some weight gain in addition to hyperglycemia. The other group was modified to produce less insulin, which caused similar increases in blood sugar as the Western diet, even though the mice ate a diet lower in sugar and fat, and maintained normal body weight. Both groups were subjected to a training protocol in which they ran in wheels in their cages to boost their aerobic fitness.

In both hyperglycemic groups, animals ran around 500 kilometers over the course of the study but, on average, failed to improve their aerobic exercise capacity compared to mice with lower blood sugar levels, Lessard says.

Looking in more detail at skeletal muscle in these mice, she and her colleagues saw that the muscle was not adapting to the aerobic challenge as muscle normally would.

Muscle tissue can remodel itself, which is one reason why exercise becomes easier when we do it regularly, Lessard says. Over time, aerobic exercise such as running or swimming can alter muscle fibers to become more efficient at using oxygen during exercise. “We also grow new blood vessels to allow more oxygen to be delivered to the muscle, which helps to increase our aerobic fitness levels,” she says.

The scientists propose that high levels of blood sugar may prevent muscle remodeling in part by modifying the “extracellular matrix” proteins in the space between the muscle cells, where blood vessels are formed.

Earlier work by Lessard’s lab had demonstrated that a biological pathway known as the “JNK” signaling pathway can act as a kind of molecular switch to tell muscle cells to adapt to either aerobic or strength training. The scientists found that these JNK pathway signals were getting crossed in the hyperglycemic mice, by activating pathways associated with strength training, even though the mice were performing aerobic exercise. “As a result, the muscles of hyperglycemic animals have bigger fibers and fewer blood vessels, which is more typical of strength training, rather than aerobic training,” Lessard says.

Following up on these animal findings in clinical tests with young adult volunteers, the Joslin scientists found that those who had higher blood sugar levels in response to ingesting glucose, a condition known as impaired glucose tolerance, showed the lowest aerobic exercise capacity. “Looking at how their muscles responded to a single bout of typical aerobic exercise, we also saw that those with the lowest glucose tolerance had the highest activation of the JNK signaling pathway, which blocks aerobic adaptations,” she says.

“The good news is, although our mouse models of hyperglycemia failed to improve aerobic fitness with training, they still achieved other important health benefits from the exercise including decreased fat mass and improved glucose metabolism,” Lessard says. “So, regular aerobic exercise is still a key recommendation for maintaining health in people with or without hyperglycemia.” It is important to note that people with hyperglycemia also can benefit from other forms of exercise, such as strength training, which is recommended for maintaining health, she says.

Overall, the study suggests several approaches that might help people with chronic hyperglycemia eventually overcome the obstacles to building aerobic capacity. One is to adopt a diet designed to keep blood sugar levels low. Another is to take existing diabetes drugs designed to keep blood sugar levels in normal ranges.

“We often think of diet and exercise as separate ways to improve our health,” Lessard says. “But our work shows that there is more interaction between these two lifestyle factors than what was previously known, and suggests that we may want to consider them together in order to maximize the health benefits of aerobic exercise.”

More porn, worse erectile function

University of Antwerp (Belgium), July 17, 2020

A study has shown that the amount of porn a man watches is linked to worse erectile function. Watching porn is also associated with greater dissatisfaction with “normal” sex, with only 65% of respondents rating sex with a partner to be more stimulating than porn. This work is presented at the EAU virtual Congress.

Pornography has been increasingly available via the internet since around 2007. This has led to a rapid uptake in use, but there is little information on how increasing porn use might affect erectile function. Researchers from Belgium, Denmark and the U.K. established an online questionnaire, which was advertised mainly to men in Belgium and Denmark through social media, posters and flyers. 3,267 men replied to the 118 questions, answering questions about masturbation, frequency of porn watching, and sexual activity with partners. The questionnaire concentrated on men who had had sex within the previous four weeks, which allowed the team to relate the effect of porn watching on sexual activity. The questionnaire incorporated questions from standard erectile function and sexual health surveys.

Head researcher Professor Gunter de Win of the University of Antwerp and University Hospital Antwerp said, “We found that there was a big range of responses. In our sample, men watch quite a lot of porn, on average around 70 minutes per week, normally for between five and 15 minutes per time, with obviously some watching very little and some watching much, much more.”

They also found that around 23% of men under 35 who responded to the survey had some level of erectile dysfunction when having sex with a partner. Professor de Win said, “This figure was higher than we expected. We found that there was a highly significant relationship between time spent watching porn and increasing difficulty with erectile function with a partner, as indicated by the erectile function and sexual health scores. People who watch more porn also scored high on porn addiction scales. We need to understand what this work means and doesn’t mean. It is a questionnaire rather than a clinical trial, and it could be that the people who have responded are not completely representative of the whole male population. However, the work was designed to unpick any relationship between porn and erectile dysfunction, and given the large sample size, we can be pretty confident about the findings.”

He continued, “We found that 90% of men fast-forward to watch the most arousing pornographic scenes. There’s no doubt that porn conditions the way we view sex; in our survey, only 65% of men felt that sex with a partner was more exciting than watching porn. In addition, 20% felt that they needed to watch more extreme porn to get the same level of arousal as previously. We believe that the erectile dysfunction problems associated with porn stem from this lack of arousal. Our next step in this research to identify which factors lead to erectile dysfunction, and to conduct a similar study on the effects of porn on women. In the meantime, we believe that doctors dealing with erectile dysfunction should also be asking about watching pornography.”

Professor Maarten Albersen of the University of Leuven, Belgium, who was not involved in conducting the study, said, “This is an interesting study by Prof. De Win and colleagues. The sample consisted mainly of younger men recruited via social media and posters, which may result in a sample biased toward higher online porn consumption rates. All-in-all, the study raises interesting insights, in the fact that porn consumption by men may lead to impaired erectile function and/or sexual satisfaction or confidence during partner-sex. As Professor De Win says, the running hypothesis is that the type of porn watched may come more explicit over time, and partner sex may not lead to the same level of arousal as the pornographic material does. The study contributes to an ongoing debate on the topic; experts have highlighted that porn may have both positive and negative effects, and could, for example, be used as an aid in the treatment of sexual dysfunctions, so this is a controversial area and the last words have not been said on this topic.”

Omega 3 fatty acids may help protect brain from air pollution effects

Columbia University, July 15 2020.

Research reported on July 15, 2020 in Neurology® revealed a protective effect for the intake of fish against damaging effects to the brain caused by fine particulate matter in the air.

“Fish are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids and easy to add to the diet,” commented study coauthor Ka He, MD, ScD, of Columbia University. “Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to fight inflammation and maintain brain structure in aging brains. They have also been found to reduce brain damage caused by neurotoxins like lead and mercury. So, we explored if omega-3 fatty acids have a protective effect against another neurotoxin, the fine particulate matter found in air pollution.”

The study included 1,315 women whose age averaged 70 years. Questionnaires provided information concerning the amount and type of fish consumed each week. Blood tests analyzed red blood cell levels of omega 3 fatty acids. Exposure to air pollution was determined from the participants’ residential addresses. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain measured white matter volume.

Women whose red blood cell omega 3 fatty acids were among the highest 25% had an average white matter volume of 410 cubic centimeters (cm3) while the white matter of those whose omega 3 levels were among the lowest averaged 403 cm3. Having a high level of omega 3 was also correlated with a larger hippocampus, an area of the brain associated with memory.

For each 25% increase in air pollution levels, white matter volume was 11.52 cm3 smaller among those with low omega 3 and just 0.12 cm3 smaller among those whose levels were high. “Our findings suggest that higher levels of omega 3 fatty acids in the blood from fish consumption may preserve brain volume as women age and possibly protect against the potential toxic effects of air pollution,” Dr He concluded.

Lower your risk of kidney disease by supplementing with virgin coconut oil

Cross River and Bowen universities (Nigeria), July 17, 2020

Supplementing with virgin coconut oil (VCO) may help protect the kidneys from the damaging effects of diabetes, suggest researchers from Cross River University of Technology and Bowen University in Nigeria. In their report, published in Folia Medica, the team looked at whether adding VCO in diet can improve kidney function parameters using a diabetes animal model.

High blood glucose can damage the kidneys

Diabetes mellitus, also called diabetes, can lead to major complications, especially in the kidneys. About a quarter of people with diabetes develop diabetic nephropathy, or diabetic kidney disease. Some common symptoms of diabetic nephropathy include high blood pressure or poor blood pressure control, an increased need to urinate, shortness of breath and gastrointestinal complications.

If left untreated, the disease can lead to decreased kidney function, or even total kidney failure, causing unsafe amounts of toxins and harmful substances to accumulate in the blood.

Despite its potentially serious consequences, it is possible to stall the onset of nephropathy and most other kidney problems and complications. Findings from animal-based research, test-tube studies and clinical trials indicate that nutritional treatments, such as those that use health foods and plant medicines, are capable of halting the progression of kidney disease or preventing its onset altogether.

Supplementation improved kidney function parameters

Given how diabetes can affect the kidneys and lead to more serious complications, scientists are considering therapies outside medications and synthetic drugs, in particular, looking into the kidney protective effects of certain diets and health foods. (Related: Easily avoid kidney disease by improving your diet.)

One such health food is VCO, a pure and unrefined edible oil extracted from the meat of mature coconuts. In tropical countries, traditional healers use this oil to treat a range of infections and diseases, from eczema to heart disease. Past studies on coconut oil also affirm that it is a great source of potent antidiabetic and antioxidant compounds, such as tocotrienols, capric acid, caproic acid and lauric acid.

To examine the effects of these compounds on renal function parameters in diabetic rats, the researchers conducted an experiment on 25 male rats. The rats had been divided into five groups: non-diabetic control, diabetes control, diabetes and metformin, diabetes and 10 percent VCO and diabetes and 20 percent VCO.

After diabetes induction in the experimental groups, the rats had to undergo a 72-hour fast to ensure high blood glucose. The researchers then placed all five groups on a normal rat chow diet for eight weeks. After eight weeks, they assessed renal function in the three experimental groups to confirm kidney dysfunction. They then placed the rats in the experimental groups on modified diets that had either 100 milligrams of metformin, an oral diabetes medicine, per kilogram of body weight and 10 or 20 percent VCO for four weeks.

Both the non-diabetes and diabetes control group continued to be fed the normal rat chow diet for the remainder of the trial.

After the remaining four weeks, they collected the rats’ urine and blood samples to assess renal function parameters, including glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and albumin, among others. A low GFR number indicates that the kidneys are not functioning properly. Similarly, low levels of albumin can indicate renal problems.

Their analyses revealed that VCO supplementation prevented the enlargement of the kidney, a common symptom of nephropathy.

The team also found that the GFR in the VCO groups had significant improvements compared to that of the diabetic control group. Additionally, they found a significant increase in the albumin of diabetic rats that received VCO supplementation.

Furthermore, the blood glucose of those in the experimental groups also significantly decreased compared to those in the diabetes control group. That said, their blood glucose was still significantly higher compared to those in the non-diabetic control group. Taken together, their findings affirm that VCO supplementation can enhance renal function parameters and ameliorate the harmful effects of diabetes on the kidneys.

Based on these findings, the researchers thus concluded that VCO supplementation can prevent, reverse and improve the adverse effects of diabetes on kidney physiology and renal function parameters.

Study shows frying oil worsened colon cancer, colitis in mice

University of Massachusetts, July 16, 2020

Recent research published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research shows that heated cooking oil or frying oil can exacerbate preexisting gastrointestinal conditions, too.

Scientists from the University of Massachusetts (UMass) found that consumption of frying oil can complicate colitis (inflammation of the colon), promote gut leakage and trigger tumor formation in the colons of mice.

Guodong Zhang, a corresponding author and an associate professor at UMass, noted that although their research does not prove that frying oil causes cancer, it does establish a link and suggests that patients with colitis and colon cancer should refrain eating fried foods.

Frying changes oil and food composition

Fried foods make up the bulk of junk foods and fast food consumed in the U.S. and around the globe. Recent studies have found that these foods are linked to chronic conditions and earlier death. For the most part, this link is tied to the process of cooking them in oil.

Experts maintain that fried foods are bad for human health because of their fat-laden profile. Trans fats and saturated fats in these foods increase a person’s risk of high cholesterol and heart disease.

But despite the health risks linked to fried foods, cutting back on them is often easier said than done because of their addicting nature. For this reason, more and more consumers are seeking out healthier oils instead of forgoing fried foods altogether.

According to recent reports from the Institute of Food Technologists, so-called healthier oils, like canola, corn and palm oils, accounted for almost 90 percent of all frying oil consumed in the U.S. in 2016.

But experts have found that the process of heating the oil, not the oil itself, is to blame for the health risks that cooking oils are notorious for. They stated that doing so modifies the composition of foods being fried and the oil itself through a number of processes, including oxidation.

The oil itself also degrades upon each use creating more fats and compromising the nutrition profile of the food being fried. (Related: Fried foods, especially overcooked potatoes, dramatically increase cancer risk.)

Frying oil consumption can exacerbate gut problems

Zhang noted that many people who suffer from gastrointestinal conditions like colitis and colon cancer still eat fast food and fried foods. These foods are thought to contribute to preexisting gastrointestinal inflammation, but there is little research to back this up.

In addition, previous studies made on the effects of frying oil consumption on human health have differed in their findings. This has made it difficult to establish guidelines or recommendations for eating fried foods.

In their research, Zhang and his team wanted to see if frying oil consumption exaggerated gastrointestinal conditions in mice.

For their trials, the team obtained a sample of canola oil that had been used to cook falafel at 325 F and took note of its chemical composition. Lead author Jianan Zhang noted that canola oil is one of the most common oils used for frying in the United States.

The team then fed one group of mice a combination of frying oil and fresh or unheated oil to mimic a standard human diet. The mice in the control group, on the other hand, had been fed just the fresh oil.

Based on the test, the researchers found that the consumption of frying oil exacerbated colonic inflammation, colon tumor formation and gut leakage in the mice. In fact, tumors doubled in size in the experimental group, Zhang said.

As part of the study, the team also hypothesized that polar compounds in frying oil contribute to its pro-inflammatory effects. Polar compounds are those formed during the process of heating. In high amounts, these can be extremely unhealthy for the body.

To check their hypothesis, the team isolated these polar compounds from the frying oil and then fed them to the mice. The results of this trial mimicked those of the first, suggesting that polar compounds do trigger and promote inflammation in the gut.

Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that frying oil consumption can complicate colitis, stimulate tumor formation in the colon and damage the gastrointestinal tract itself.

Zhang notes that these findings do not point to frying oil as a definite cancer-causing agent. That being said, he added that colitis patients, colon cancer patients and people prone to inflammatory gastrointestinal conditions ought to eat less fried food.

Lifespan Suffers As REM Sleep Declines

Stanford University, July 17, 2020

Studies suggest that deep sleep is important to good health and well being, and according to a recent study published in JAMA Neurology getting too little of it may be shortening your lifespan.

Rapid Eye Movement sleep is when dreams will typically occur and our body repairs itself from the ravages of the day. According to research for every 5% reduction in REM sleep the mortality rate increases 13-17% among older and middle aged adults, even after adjusting for multiple demographic, sleep, and health variables.

“Numerous studies have linked insufficient sleep with significant health consequences. Yet, many people ignore the signs of sleep problems or don’t allow enough time to get adequate sleep,” said lead researcher Eileen Leary, who is also a senior manager of clinical research at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif.

“In our busy, fast-paced lives, sleep can feel like a time-consuming nuisance. This study found in two independent cohorts that lower levels of REM sleep was associated with higher rates of mortality,” she adds.

Leary notes that how REM sleep is associated with the risk of death is not fully understood, this study couldn’t prove that poor REM causes death only that it is associated with an increased risk of dying early, and that it is too early to make recommendations based on this study.

“The function of REM is still not well understood, but knowing that less REM is linked to higher mortality rates adds a piece to the puzzle,” Leary said. “As we learn more about the relationship, we can begin looking at ways to optimize REM. But that is outside the scope of this project.”

Over 2,600 men with an average age of 76 who were followed for a median of 12 years were included in this study. Data was also gathered on close to 1,400 men and women with an average age of 52 who were followed for a median of 21 years who were part of another study. Findings suggest that REM sleep is linked to early death from any cause as well as death from cardiovascular disease and other diseases; and the links to mortality were similar in both groups.

“REM sleep appears to be a reliable predictor of mortality and may have other predictive health values,” Leary said. “Strategies to preserve REM may influence clinical therapies and reduce mortality risk, particularly for adults with less than 15% of REM sleep.”

“When we sleep, we go through different stages to include REM sleep. REM describes our eye movements during this stage and is also the state associated with when we have dreams,” said Dr. Michael Jaffee, who is an associate professor of neurology at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

Poor sleep is a global concern, according to the CDC less and one third of Americans get 7 hours of sleep per night and an estimated 50-70 million suffer from sleep disorders. World Sleep estimated that sleep deprivation is threatening the health of up to 40% of the global population.

Depending on age it is recommended to get between 7-10 hours of sleep per night; those who get less than 4 or more than 10 can face increased risks for earlier death, and this association has been found to remain for both genders and all races and ethnicities around the world.

“This study shows yet another reason for the importance of proper sleep time—recommendations for adults is seven hours—and a good balance of sleep stages by assuring that any possible conditions, such as obstructive sleep apnea, that can cause a reduction in REM be evaluated and managed,” said Jaffee. “Anyone with difficulty with sleeping or with loud snoring can benefit from discussing this with their physician,” he added.

Brain benefits of exercise can be gained with a single protein

University of California San Francisco Medical Center, July 16, 2020

A little-studied liver protein may be responsible for the well-known benefits of exercise on the aging brain, according to a new study in mice by scientists in the UC San Francisco Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research.

The findings could lead to new therapies to confer the neuroprotective effects of physical activity on people who are unable to exercise due to physical limitations.

Exercise is one of the best-studied and most powerful ways of protecting the brain from age-related cognitive decline and has been shown to improve cognition in individuals at risk of neurodegenerative disease such as Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia even those with rare gene variants that inevitably lead to dementia.

But many older adults are not able to exercise regularly due to physical limitations or disabilities, and researchers have long searched for therapies that could confer some of the same neurological benefits in people with low physical activity levels.

The new study, published July 9, 2020, in Science, showed that after mice exercise, their livers secrete a protein called Gpld1 into the blood. Levels of this protein in the blood correspond to improved cognitive function in aged mice, and a collaboration with the UCSF Memory and Aging Center found that the enzyme is also elevated in the blood of elderly humans who exercise regularly. But the researchers showed that simply increasing the amount of Gpld1 produced by the mouse liver could confer many of the same brain benefits as regular exercise.

“If there were a drug that produced the same brain benefits as exercise, everyone would be taking it. Now our study suggests that at least some of these benefits might one day be available in pill form,” said study senior author Saul Villeda, PhD, a UCSF assistant professor in the departments of Anatomy and of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science.

Saul Villeda, PhD

Villeda’s lab has previously shown that biological factors present in the blood of young mice can rejuvenate the aging mouse brain, and conversely, factors in the blood of older mice can bring on premature age-related cognitive decline in young mice.

These previous results led Villeda lab graduate student Alana Horowitz and postdoctoral researcher Xuelai Fan, PhD, to pursue blood-borne factors that might also confer the benefits of exercise, which is also known to rejuvenate the aging brain in a similar fashion to what was seen in the lab’s “young blood” experiments.

Horowitz and Fan took blood from aged mice who had exercised regularly for seven weeks and administered it to sedentary aged mice. They found that four weeks of this treatment produced dramatic improvements in learning and memory in the older mice, similar to what was seen in the mice who had exercised regularly. When they examined the animals’ brains, they found evidence of enhanced production of new neurons in the region known as the hippocampus, a well-documented proxy for the rejuvenating benefits of exercise.

To discover what specific biological factors in the blood might be behind these effects, Horowitz, Fan and colleagues measured the amounts of different soluble proteins in the blood of active versus sedentary mice. They identified 30 candidate proteins, 19 of which, to their surprise, were predominantly derived from the liver and many of which had previously been linked to functions in controlling the body’s metabolism. Two of these proteins Gpld1 and Pon1 stood out as particularly important for metabolic processes, and the researchers chose to study Gpld1 in more detail because few previous studies had investigated its function.

“We figured that if the protein had already been investigated thoroughly, someone would have stumbled upon this effect,” Villeda said. “I like to say if you’re going to take a risk by exploring something new, you might as well go big!”

The team found that Gpld1 increases in the blood circulation of mice following exercise, and that Gpld1 levels correlate closely with improvements in the animals’ cognitive performance. Analysis of human data collected as part of the UCSF Memory and Aging Center’s Hillblom Aging Network study showed that Gpld1 is also elevated in the blood of healthy, active elderly adults compared to less active elders.

If there were a drug that produced the same brain benefits as exercise, everyone would be taking it. Now our study suggests that at least some of these benefits might one day be available in pill form.

Saul Villeda, PhD

To test whether Gpld1 itself could drive the observed benefits of exercise, the researchers used genetic engineering to coax the livers of aged mice to overproduce Gpld1, then measured the animals’ performance in multiple tests that measure various aspects of cognition and memory. To their amazement, three weeks of the treatment produced effects similar to six weeks of regular exercise, paired with dramatic increases in new neuron growth in the hippocampus.

“To be honest, I didn’t expect to succeed in finding a single molecule that could account for so much of the benefits of exercise on the brain. It seemed more likely that exercise would exert many small, subtle effects that add up to a large benefit, but which would be hard to isolate.” Villeda said. “When I saw these data, I was completely floored.”

“Through this protein, the liver is responding to physical activity and telling the old brain to get young,” Villeda added. “This is a remarkable example of liver-to-brain communication that, to the best of our knowledge, no one knew existed. It makes me wonder what else we have been missing in neuroscience by largely ignoring the dramatic effects other organs might have on the brain, and vice versa.”

Further laboratory experiments have shown that Gpld1 produced by the liver does not pass through the so-called blood-brain barrier, which protects the brain from toxic or infectious agents in the blood. Instead, the protein appears to exert its effects on the brain via pathways that reduce inflammation and blood coagulation throughout the body. Both blood coagulation and inflammation are known to be elevated with age and have been linked to dementia and age-related cognitive decline.

The lab is now working to better understand precisely how Gpld1 interacts with other biochemical signaling systems to produce its brain-boosting effects, in hopes of identifying specific targets for therapeutics that could one day confer many of the protective benefits of exercise for the aging brain.

Assessing the use of aromatherapy in clinical practice

University of Iowa and Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, July 17, 2020

In this study, researchers at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine and Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Minnesota conducted a survey to determine how clinicians viewed the use of integrative approaches, particularly aromatherapy, in clinical practice. They reported their findings in an article published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

The use of essential oils is growing in the U.S., but the attitudes, experience and beliefs of clinicians toward aromatherapy have not yet been studied.
To address this, the researchers surveyed 105 clinician attendees of an integrative medicine continuing education conference using an audience response system to obtain baseline information.
They reported response frequencies for each item and assessed non-parametric correlations by comparing agree/disagree statements with the statement: “In the last 12 months, I have used essential oils for myself and/or my family.”
The researchers found that the majority of the attendees (92.6 percent) personally used integrative medicine approaches besides aromatherapy.
A larger number (96.8 percent) also recommended these approaches to their patients.
More than half (61 percent) of the surveyed clinicians personally used essential oils, but even more (74 percent) expressed a desire to give essential oil recommendations or therapies to their patients.
However, only 21.9 percent felt confident that they can advise their patients well regarding safe use.
Statistical analysis showed that personal use of essential oils was highly correlated with clinician confidence in doling out advice about essential oils.

Based on these data, the researchers concluded that clinicians in the U.S. who are interested in integrative medicine wish to provide aromatherapy recommendations but do not, because of a lack of confidence in their knowledge of safe use.

Blood iron levels could be key to slowing ageing, gene study shows

University of Edinburgh, July 17, 2020

Genes linked to ageing that could help explain why some people age at different rates to others have been identified by scientists.

The international study using genetic data from more than a million people suggests that maintaining healthy levels of iron in the blood could be a key to ageing better and living longer.

The findings could accelerate the development of drugs to reduce age-related diseases, extend healthy years of life and increase the chances of living to old age free of disease, the researchers say.

Scientists from the University of Edinburgh and the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing in Germany focused on three measures linked to biological ageing – lifespan, years of life lived free of disease (healthspan), and being extremely long-lived (longevity).

Biological ageing – the rate at which our bodies decline over time – varies between people and drives the world’s most fatal diseases, including heart disease, dementia and cancers.

The researchers pooled information from three public datasets to enable an analysis in unprecedented detail. The combined dataset was equivalent to studying 1.75 million lifespans or more than 60,000 extremely long-lived people.

The team pinpointed ten regions of the genome linked to long lifespan, healthspan and longevity. They also found that gene sets linked to iron were overrepresented in their analysis of all three measures of ageing.

The researchers confirmed this using a statistical method – known as Mendelian randomisation – that suggested that genes involved in metabolising iron in the blood are partly responsible for a healthy long life.

Blood iron is affected by diet and abnormally high or low levels are linked to age-related conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, liver disease and a decline in the body’s ability to fight infection in older age.

The researchers say that designing a drug that could mimic the influence of genetic variation on iron metabolism could be a future step to overcome some of the effects of ageing, but caution that more work is required.

The study was funded by the Medical Research Council and is published in the journal Nature Communications with DOI 10.1038/s41467-020-17312-3.

Anonymised datasets linking genetic variation to healthspan, lifespan, and longevity were downloaded from the publically available Zenodo, Edinburgh DataShare and Longevity Genomics servers.

Dr Paul Timmers from the Usher Institute at the University of Edinburgh, said: “We are very excited by these findings as they strongly suggest that high levels of iron in the blood reduces our healthy years of life, and keeping these levels in check could prevent age-related damage. We speculate that our findings on iron metabolism might also start to explain why very high levels of iron-rich red meat in the diet has been linked to age-related conditions such as heart disease.”

Dr Joris Deelen from the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing in Germany, said: “Our ultimate aim is to discover how ageing is regulated and find ways to increase health during ageing. The ten regions of the genome we have discovered that are linked to lifespan, healthspan and longevity are all exciting candidates for further studies.”

Plant-Based Diets Promote Healthful Aging

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, July 13, 2020

Adopting a plant-based diet can help promote healthful aging and mitigate the global burden of disease, according to an editorial published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.

Researchers with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine reviewed clinical trials and epidemiological studies related to aging and found that while aging increases the risk for noncommunicable chronic diseases, healthful diets can help. The editorial shows that plant-based diets can reduce the risk of diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cancer, and heart disease by almost 50% and could cut cardiometabolic-related deaths in the United States by half.

“Modulating lifestyle risk factors and adopting a healthful diet are powerful tools that may delay the aging process, decrease age-associated co-morbidities and mortality, and increase life expectancy,” write the authors. The authors cite studies showing that plant-based diets rich in fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes:

Reduce the risk of developing metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes by about 50%.
Reduce the risk of coronary heart disease events by an estimated 40%.
Reduce the risk of cerebral vascular disease events by 29%.
Reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by more than 50%.
May reduce the risk for cognitive diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease by almost 50%.

The researchers also note that plant-based diets have been tied to increased life expectancy, as evidenced by the world’s “Blue Zones,” where populations subsist mostly on plant-based foods rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants that have been associated with longer life expectancy.

“The global population of adults 60 years old or older is expected to double from 841 million to 2 billion by 2050, presenting clear challenges for our health care system,” says study author Hana Kahleova, MD, PhD, director of clinical research for the Physicians Committee. “Fortunately, simple diet changes can go a long way in helping populations lead longer, healthier lives.”

The authors also note that these improvements in health will reduce health care costs caused by chronic diseases. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, lifestyle-related chronic diseases are the leading cause of death and disability in the United States, accounting for the majority of the nation’s annual $3.5 trillion in health care spending.