Protective effect of piceatannol against acute lung injury explored

Jilin University (China), September 21, 2020

According to news reporting originating in Changchun, People’s Republic of China, research stated, “Acute lung injury (ALI) is a common and complex inflammatory lung syndrome with higher morbidity and mortality rate. Piceatannol (PIC) has anti-inflammation and anti-oxidant properties.”

The news reporters obtained a quote from the research from Jilin University, “The study was designed to explore the effect and the action mechanisms of PIC on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI. Twenty-four hours after LPS challenge, mice from different treatment groups were euthanized, and the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissue samples were collected. Then the degree of pulmonary edema, lung pathological changes, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, and the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines were detected. Additionally, the messenger RNA (mRNA) expressions associated with cell adhesion molecules and tight junction were analyzed through quantitative real-time (qRT)-PCR, and the TLR4/NF-kappa B activation was examined by western blot. The results showed that PIC significantly inhibited LPS-induced lung edema, histopathological damage, MPO activity, cell infiltration, and pro-inflammatory cytokines production. Moreover, PIC notably suppressed mRNA expressions associated with inflammation and cell adhesion molecules. Furthermore, PIC also alleviated LPS-induced damage of air-blood barrier through reducing the levels of total proteins in BALF and recovering the expression of occludin and ZO-1 in the lung tissues. We also found that PIC remarkably restrained the LPS-induced TLR4/NF-kappa B pathway activation in lung tissues.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “PIC may be potential to treat LPS-induced acute lung injury (ALI) via regulating air-blood barrier and TLR4/NF-kappa B signaling pathway activation.”

Healthier lifestyles may increase lifespan even in people with multiple chronic conditions

University of Leicester (UK), September 23, 2020

A very healthy lifestyle is associated with up to 6.3 years longer life for men and 7.6 years for women, regardless of the presence of multiple chronic conditions, according to a study published September 22 in the open-access journal PLOS Medicine by Yogini Chudasama of the University of Leicester, and colleagues. As noted by the authors, to their knowledge, this is the first study to quantify whether the risk of death associated with individual and combined risk factors depends on the presence of multiple chronic conditions.

The number of people living with two or more long-term physical or mental health conditions is rapidly increasing in number worldwide, and they have poorer healthoutcomes and a higher mortality risk. A healthy lifestyle has been associated with longer life expectancy, but it has not been clear if this is also the case in individuals with multiple chronic conditions. To address this gap in knowledge, Chudasama and colleagues analyzed data collected between 2006 and 2010 from 480,940 adults (median age of 58 years [range 38-73]) in the UK Biobank. The participants were followed up until 2016. The researchers assessed the presence of 36 chronic conditions and four self-reported lifestyle factors: leisure-time physical activity, smoking, diet, and alcohol consumption. Limitations include the observational nature of the study, which precludes conclusions regarding causality, and the non-representative sample, which was 95% white and more affluent than the general UK population.

In men with multiple chronic conditions, an unhealthy score was associated with a nonsignificant gain of 1.5 life years at 45 years compared to a very unhealthy score, while a healthy score was associated with a statistically significant gain of 4.5 years, and a very healthy score was associated with a statistically significant gain of 6.3 years. Corresponding estimates in women—3.5 years, 6.4 years, and 7.6 years—were all statistically significant gains. A healthier lifestyle was consistently associated with longer life expectancy across various individual risk factors and irrespective of the presence of multiple long-term medical conditions. Among individual lifestyle factors, no current smoking was associated with the largest survival benefit. At 45 years, current smokers had an estimated 5 to 6 years shorter life expectancy versus current non-smokers. The findings suggest that public health recommendations about adopting a healthy lifestyle to reduce the risk of developing chronic long-term conditions apply equally to individuals who already have multiple chronic conditions.

Dr. Chudasama says “More individuals are living with multiple chronic conditions, impacting their health and daily lives. With access to a UK dataset of over 450,000 adults we were able to investigate the benefits of a healthy lifestyle in individuals with multiple illnesses. We found a healthy lifestyle, in particular abstinence from smoking, increased life expectancy by as much as 7 years. Our study has important implications for the public’s health, as we hope our findings have shown that it’s never too late to make vital lifestyle changes.”

Therapeutic potential of gotu kola and its triterpenes

Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, September 23, 2020

According to news reporting originating from Beijing, People’s Republic of China, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “Centella asiatica (also known as Centella asiatica (L.) Urb. or Gotu kola) is a traditional Chinese medicine with extensive medicinal value, which is commonly used in Southeast Asian countries.”

Our news editors obtained a quote from the research from Beijing University of Chinese Medicine: “This study aimed to summarize the effects of C. asiatica and its main components on neurological diseases, endocrine diseases, skin diseases, cardiovascular diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, immune diseases, and gynecological diseases, as well as potential molecular mechanisms, to study the pathological mechanism of these diseases based on the changes at the molecular level. The results showed that C. asiatica and its triterpenoids had extensive beneficial effects on neurological and skin diseases, which were confirmed through clinical studies. They exhibited anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative stress, anti-apoptotic effects, and improvement in mitochondrial function.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “However, further clinical studies are urgently required due to the low level of evidence and lack of patients.”

Drinking at least one sugary drink a day increases your cancer risk

Sorbonne Paris University (France), September 23, 2020

When it comes to beverages that increase your risk of cancer, it turns out that a glass of orange juice may be just as bad as a glass of soda.

This is according to a new study, which found that sugary drinks – including 100 percent fruit juice – were “significantly associated with the risk of overall cancer.”

The study, conducted by researchers from Sorbonne Paris Cite University and published in the journal BMJ, involved 101,257 adults who were followed over a five-year period, during which the researchers monitored their intake, not just of food, but also of sugary and artificially sweetened beverages, such as carbonated soft drinks, powdered juice mixes and fruit juice.

The researchers monitored the participants by requiring each person to complete at least two 24-hour dietary questionnaires every six months throughout their research.

During the study, cancer was diagnosed in 2,193 of the participants, or roughly 22 cases per 1,000 people. Based on the data presented in the study, the majority of those cases were people who regularly consumed sugary drinks.

The researchers found that consuming 100 mL of fruit juice was linked to a 12 percent increased risk of cancer overall. Consuming the same amount of soda and sugar-sweetened drinks, meanwhile, was linked to a 19 percent increase in cancer risk. (Related: Portion control: Eat your fruit, don’t drink it; study finds consumption of fruit juice contributes to weight gain.)

According to the researchers, the drinks’ sugar content may be to blame, with lead researcher Mathilde Touvier noting that the sugar content for fruit juice is the same as the sugar content in carbonated soft drinks.

However, Touvier, who works for the Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, or the French National Institute of Health, said the results of their study do not mean that people should cut off fruit juice and similar beverages from their diets, but rather, balance their intake.

According to Touvier, what consumers should do is abide by the recommendations set forth by several public health agencies, which is to limit one’s intake of sugary beverages to less than one drink per day.

“If you consume from time to time a sugary drink it won’t be a problem, but if you drink at least one glass a day it can raise the risk of several diseases – here, maybe cancer, but also with a high level of evidence, cardiometabolic diseases,” she said.

The researchers also noted that further investigations were needed to solidify the significance of their findings, especially considering its observational nature.

The results of the research came days after several health experts lobbed criticism on the marketing of fruit juice as a “healthy” product despite being packed with sugar.

According to Nikolai Petrovsky, a professor at Flinders University in Australia, the majority of the public is still being conned into thinking that “natural” juices are automatically healthier. In fact, these drinks contain the same – or even higher – amount of sugar as soft drinks.

Quercetin reduces tendon adhesion in rat through suppression of oxidative stress

Yangzhou University (China), September 21, 2020

According to news reporting originating from Yangzhou, People’s Republic of China, research stated, “Tendon adhesion is one of the most common clinical problems, which poses a considerable challenge to orthopedics doctors. Quercetin (QUE) as a popular drug at present, it has various biological functions, including anti-inflammatory, anti-ischemic, anti-peroxidation, and antioxidant.”

Our news editors obtained a quote from the research from the Clinical Medical College of Yangzhou University, “The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of quercetin on tendon adhesion and whether quercetin can inhibit oxidative stress. Thirty-six rats were randomly divided into three groups, including control group, low QUE (50 mg/kg/day) group, and high QUE (100 mg/kg/day) group. After 1 week, the levels of SOD, MDA and GPx were measured. The degree of tendon adhesion was assessed by macroscopic evaluation and histological evaluation. After 4 weeks. Besides, the pharmacological toxicity of quercetin to main organs were evaluated by histological analysis. The extent of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) of tendon tissue in high QUE group was significantly higher than those of low QUE group and control group. And the extent of malondialdehyde (MDA) of tendon tissue in high QUE group was significantly lower than that of low QUE group and control group. By macroscopic evaluation and histological analysis, the extent of tendon adhesion in high QUE group was lower than low QUE group and control group. However, there were no significant changes of the major organs through histological analysis. Quercetin may be a good and safe strategy in preventing tendon adhesion.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “But further clinical research is needed before its recommendation in the prevention and treatment of tendon adhesion.”

Fructose made in the brain could be a mechanism driving Alzheimer’s disease

University of Colorado, September 23, 2020

New research released from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus proposes that Alzheimer’s disease may be driven by the overactivation of fructose made in the brain.

The study was published in the Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience and outlined the hypothesis that Alzheimer’s disease is driven largely by Western culture that has resulted in excessive fructose metabolism in the brain.

The paper brought together an interdisciplinary team of neurologists, neuorscientists and experts on sugar metabolism, and presents evidence from extensive data and research conducted in Alzheimer’s disease that links high fructose levels in the brain to the disease. It also helps explain associations, such as why diabetes and obesity are associated with an increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease.

“In essence, we propose that Alzheimer’s disease is a modern disease driven by changes in dietary lifestyle in which fructose can disrupt cerebral metabolism and neuronal function,” said author Richard Johnson, MD, professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine on the CU Anschutz Medical Campus.

Johnson outlines data that showcases the overactivation of cerebral fructose metabolism that can drive Alzheimer’s disease. The source of fructose is largely from endogenous production in the brain. Thus, the reduction in mitochondrial energy production is hampered by neuronal glycolysis that is inadequate, resulting in progressive loss of cerebral energy levels required for neurons to remain functional and viable.

“By outlining consistent evidence, we’re hoping to inspire researchers to continue exploring the relationship between fructose in the brain and Alzheimer’s disease. New treatments aimed at inhibiting intracerebral fructose metabolism could provide a novel way to prevent and treat this disease,” Johnson adds.

In one of the scenarios outlined by Johnson and his collaborators, glucose hypometabolism increased oxidative stress, and a progressive loss of mitochondria occured, leading eventually to neuronal dysfunction and death. In this scenario, the amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles are part of the inflammatory response and participate in injury, but are not the central factors driving the disease. Johnson mentions that theoretically, inhibiting enzymes in the brain that are involved in fructose production or metabolism might provide novel ways to prevent and treat Alzheimer’s disease.

Royal jelly can also be used as a gentle laxative, research finds

Mukogawa Women’s University (Japan), September 22, 2020

In a recent study, Japanese researchers investigated the effects of royal jelly on the motility of mouse ileum — that is, the portion of the small intestine that absorbs nutrients and water from food and connects it to the colon. The researchers found evidence suggesting that royal jelly is a gentle laxative that could help ileal smooth muscles contract with regular intake.

The researchers discussed their findings in an article published in the Journal of Medicinal Food.

Royal jelly could provide relief from constipation

Royal jelly is widely used as an anti-aging cosmetic ingredient and as a dietary supplement that relieves various ailments, such as dry skin, fatigue, menopause and constipation. However, the mechanisms underlying its effect on intestinal motility and whether it does improve constipation remain unclear.

Using myograph methods, the researchers found that royal jelly dose-dependently induced contractions in segments of isolated mice ilea. These contractions were inhibited by treatment with atropine, a drug that can trigger muscle relaxation at high concentrations.

On the other hand, treatment with the cholinesterase inhibitor (CI), eserine sulfate, enhanced royal jelly-induced contractions. CIs work by preventing the breakdown of acetylcholine, a chemical messenger that helps induce muscle relaxation.

Meanwhile, treatment with royal jelly and acetylcholinesterase, the enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine and turns off muscle contraction, did not induce ileum contraction, suggesting that the latter negates the effects of the former.

In contrast, the researchers reported that the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, N^G-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester, did not affect royal jelly-induced contractions; instead, it enhanced nicotine-induced contractions significantly. Single administration of 300?mg/kg royal jelly did not influence gastrointestinal (GI) transit in normal mice as well as mice with loperamide-induced constipation.

Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that acetylcholine in royal jelly acts on the muscarinic receptors of mice intestinal smooth muscles, making them contract. However, single oral administration of royal jelly is not enough to improve constipation in vivo, suggesting that it is a gentle natural laxative.

Resveratrol helps protect from Alzheimer’s

Georgetown University, September 22, 2020

Clinical studies have shown promising results for the use of resveratrol to help treat Alzheimer’s and lower disease risk.

A study published in the journal Neurology found that high-dosage resveratrol can impact a biomarker of Alzheimer’s.

Researchers from Georgetown University enrolled 119 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s to a one-year supplementation of either a synthetic resveratrol supplement or a placebo. Dosage was gradually increased from 500 mg to 2,000 mg over the course of the experiment period.

After a year, the resveratrol group exhibited little to no change in levels of amyloid-beta40 in the blood and cerebrospinal fluids. Meanwhile, the placebo group had lower levels of amyloid-beta40 compared to their baseline levels.

“A decrease in [amyloid-beta40] is seen as dementia worsens and Alzheimer’s disease progresses,” explained lead researcher R. Scott Turner.

The researchers also found that the brain volume of the resveratrol group decreased, a finding for which they have no adequate explanation yet, admitted Turner. One hypothesis suggests that resveratrol may have reduced brain swelling caused by Alzheimer’s-related inflammation.

Other studies looked into the health benefits of grapes and moderate alcohol consumption.

One study published in the journal Experimental Gerontology administered either a freeze-dried grape powder or a placebo powder to participants with mild cognitive decline. Those who received the grape powder had higher metabolic activity in certain areas of the brain, preserving healthy brain activity. The study, commissioned by the California Table Grape Commission, did not specify what grapes were used for the grape powder.

Meanwhile, a study published in the journal Nature looked at the effects of different doses of alcohol on mice. Those who were administered with low doses of pure alcohol displayed an increased fluid flow through their brains. In turn, this can clear toxins from the brain that may accumulate among people with dementia.

Sitting for too long can change the shape of your heart and increase cardiovascular disease risk

Harvard University and Cardiff Metropolitan University (UK), September 22, 2020

In a major breakthrough, a team of researchers from the US and the UK examined the hearts of more than 160 adult men. For comparison, the group also looked at the hearts of adult male chimpanzees, humans’ closest living relatives in terms of genetic characteristics.

Their findings revealed that humans have evolved to adapt to endurance. In particular, the human participants bore clear differences in terms of the structure of their left ventricle, the thickest of the heart’s four chambers. Those that ran and farmed more often had elongated ventricles that boosted blood circulation.

On the other hand, those that sat for long periods and lacked exercise had thicker ventricles that gave the appearance of rounder hearts. This form of cardiac evolution makes it harder for people to manage high blood pressure and heart disease, the researchers explained.

That being said, the researchers emphasized that changes in heart shape are reversible. Engaging in endurance activities like distance running could help revert the heart back to its normal shape. Their findings appeared online in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Sitting – or running – can change the shape of the heart

To get to the heart of the matter, the researchers used ultrasound imaging to examine the hearts of both the human participants and chimpanzees.

The adult male participants had been grouped into four: long-distance runners; resistance-trained football linemen; the Tarahumara, a group of indigenous farmers hailed for their long-distance running abilities; and sedentary adults.

The researchers found that the long-distance runners and the Tarahumara had thin and elongated ventricles. These characteristics help facilitate the pumping of larger volumes of blood for longer periods.

These groups could have evolved to develop these characteristics as a result of their frequent running activities. Long-distance running, or endurance running, is aerobic in nature, meaning it is intended to stimulate the heart and increase breathing.

Over time, frequent running can help the heart become stronger. In effect, a stronger heart becomes more efficient at pumping and distributing blood. This helps keep blood pressure under control for the long term.

In contrast, the football linemen had shorter and thicker left ventricles, giving the heart a more rounded look. This modified shape helped boost the blood circulation in their brain in order to better maintain consciousness during high-intensity activities.

The last group of participants, those that lacked exercise, had hearts that bore the same rounded shape as those of the football linemen. But unlike the linemen, these participants appeared to have developed the thickening of the left ventricle and, in effect, the same shape, due to a lack of exercise.

These forms of cardiac evolution could have helped ancient humans hunt, farm and gather better. But this means that ancient humans did not face the same problems of high blood pressure and heart disease because of their active lifestyles and their regular engagement in physically demanding activities.

In contrast, today’s modern industrial societies face an unprecedented prevalence of high blood pressure and its complications, such as heart failure and stroke, because people are leading less active lives.

Heart disease and its related complications are reversible

Despite these findings, the researchers are hopeful that the detrimental effects of cardiac changes due to a lack of exercise could still be reversed. In fact, several studies emphasize the importance of proper exercise in reversing damage to sedentary hearts.

In 2018, for instance, researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas found that starting an exercise regimen before the age of 65 could help reduce the risk of heart failure in later life.

The heart is still flexible enough to remodel itself prior to hitting 65, said the researchers. Therefore, it’s important to make the most out of this window before the heart muscle starts to stiffen and high blood pressure, as well as heart failure, sets in.

But there are some caveats. For one thing, the regimen should include exercising four to five times a week in 30-minute sessions, including warm-up and cool-down periods. The group settled on this prescription after earlier studies found that two to three times of exercise a week wasn’t enough to produce significant benefits.

Pre-workout supplementation (creatinine, l-argenine, l-leucine) changes energy system and improves performance during high-intensity intermittent exercise in physically active individuals

São Paulo State University, September 16, 2020

Nutritional ergogenic aids are commonly used to boost physiological adaptations to exercise and promote greater fitness gains. However, there is a paucity of data about multi-ingredient pre-workout supplementation (MIPS). Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the acute effects of MIPS on the oxidative, glycolytic and ATP-CP energy systems contribution, time spent above 90% V̇O2max (T90% V̇O2max), excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) magnitude, number of efforts and time to exhaustion during a high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) session.

Methods

Twelve physically-active and healthy men completed the HIIE sessions that involved running bouts of 15 s on the treadmill at 120% of the maximum aerobic speed (MAS), interspersed with 15 s of passive recovery. Blood lactate was collected at immediately post, 3, 5, and 7 min post exercise. The contribution of ATP-CP, glycolytic and oxidative systems was analyzed at rest, during the HIIE sessions and for 20 min post. Performance variables (time to exhaustion, number of efforts) and oxygen consumption were also analyzed.

Results

MIPS significantly increased the number of efforts performed (MIPS: 41 ± 10 vs Placebo: 36 ± 12, p = 0.0220) and time to exhaustion (MIPS: 20.1 ± 6 min vs Placebo: 17 ± 5 min, p = 0.0226). There was no difference between supplements for both T90% V̇O2max (p = 0.9705) and EPOC (p = 0.4930). Consuming MIPS significantly increased the absolute oxidative energy system contribution by 23.8% (p = 0.0163) and the absolute ATP-CP contribution by 28.4% (p = 0.0055) compared to placebo. There was only a non-significant tendency for a higher glycolytic system contribution after MIPS ingestion (p = 0.0683).

Conclusion

Acute MIPS ingestion appears effective at increasing both aerobic and anaerobic alactic energy contribution and time to exhaustion during a HIIE protocol.

Study links higher level of exercise to 25% to 32% lower risk of all-cause mortality in people with type 2 diabetes

Taichung Veterans General Hospital (Taiwan), September 18, 2020

New research presented at this year’s Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), held online this year, shows that having a greater exercise capacity is associated with a significantly decreased all-cause mortality risk of between 25-33% in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D). The study was conducted by Dr Yun-Ju Lai and colleagues at Puli branch, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Nantou, Taiwan.

Exercise improves insulin sensitivity, reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, and inhibits inflammatory cytokines: types of signalling proteins which trigger an inflammatory response. These cytokines are produced by cells of the immune system and are a vital part of how the body responds to the presence of potential disease-causing agents, but excessive chronic production can contribute to inflammatory diseases (which include diabetes). Despite this, the effect of exercise on all-cause mortality in people with T2D has not been fully explored.

The research was based on data drawn from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and the National Health Insurance research database in Taiwan. The NHIS has taken place every four years from 2001 onwards, and details of individuals participating were obtained at baseline through face to face interviews.

The study used information about the characteristics of each participant, including their socioeconomic status, health behaviours, and exercise habits obtained from surveys performed in 2001, 2005, 2009, and 2013. Comorbidities among individuals taking part in the surveys were confirmed by referencing National Health Insurance research database records from 2000-2016, and their health status was followed-up until 31 December 2016. Finally, the team performed statistical analyses to evaluate the relationship between exercise capacity and all-cause mortality, the latter having been determined by referencing the National Registration of Death System in Taiwan.

The details of 4,859 adult Survey participants with T2D were used in the study; 2,389 (49%) were male, and the mean age was 59.5 years. The authors found that those with a higher exercise capacity had a significantly lower risk of all-cause mortality compared with those who reported no exercise habits. Individuals who performed a moderate amount of exercise (defined as 0-800 kcal/week energy expenditure) had a 25% lower all-cause mortality rate, while participants who were classed as having a high exercise level (more than 800 kcal/week energy expenditure) had a 32% lower all-cause mortality risk.

The team conclude: “Among people with type 2 diabetes, those with increased exercise capacity had a significantly decreased risk of all-cause mortality. Further studies should investigate the type and dose of exercise that is most helpful to promote health and prolong life expectancy.”

Study finds gut microbiome plays important role in sleep regulation

University of Missouri, September 23, 2020

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a chronic sleep condition affecting more than one billion people worldwide. Evidence suggests OSA can alter the gut microbiome (GM) and may promote OSA-associated co-morbidities, including diabetes, hypertension and cognitive problems. Researchers from the University of Missouri School of Medicine and MU Health Care have discovered how OSA-related sleep disturbances affect the gut microbiome in mice and how transplanting those gut bacteria into other mice can cause changes to sleep patterns in the recipient mice.

David Gozal, MD, the Marie M. and Harry L. Smith Endowed Chair of Child Health at the MU School of Medicine, said the study shows the gut microbiome plays a major role in sleep regulation. This ultimately could translate into treatments that target the gut microbiome in humans with OSA.

“By manipulating the gut microbiome, or the byproducts of the gut microbiota, we would be in a position to prevent or at least palliate some of the consequences of sleep apnea,” said Gozal, the lead author of the study. “For example, if we combine continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) with customized probiotics that change the patient’s gut microbiome, we might be able to eliminate some of the tiredness and fatigue and reduce the likelihood of the comorbidities associated with OSA that affect cognition, memory, cardiovascular disease or metabolic dysfunction. If we can do any one of those things, then this is a major movement forward in the way we treat OSA.”

The study exposed male mice to either room air or intermittent hypoxia—a condition in which the body doesn’t get enough oxygen—designed to mimic OSA. After six weeks, researchers collected fecal material from all of the rodents. A third group of mice was divided up and given either a fecal transplant from the mice breathing room air or those exposed to intermittent hypoxia. The transplanted mice underwent sleep recordings for three consecutive days. Researchers found the mice who received transplants from the intermittent hypoxia group slept longer and slept more often during their normal period of wakefulness, suggesting increased sleepiness.

“This is the first study that evaluated sleep in naïve mice subjected to a fecal microbiome transplant from mice exposed to intermittent hypoxia,” Gozal said. “The fecal microbiome analysis showed profile differences between the mice transplanted from intermittent hypoxia donor mice versus those exposed to room air, indicating that the transplant altered the GM of the recipient mice.”

Emerging evidence suggests the GM can influence health and sleep quality through the brain-gut microbiome axis (BGMA). The next step is to study the mechanism involved in the relationship between the brain and the gut to determine how changes in the gut microbiome can affect sleep structure and, in turn, how OSA can contribute to co-morbidities.

First evidence that air pollution particles and metals are reaching the placenta

Queen Mary University London, September 23, 2020

Pollution particles, including metals, have been found in the placentas of fifteen women in London, according to research led by Queen Mary University of London.

The study, funded by Barts Charity and published in the journal Science of The Total Environment, demonstrate that inhaled particulate matter from air pollution can move from the lungs to distant organs, and that it is taken up by certain cells in the human placenta, and potentially the fetus.

The researchers say that further research is needed to fully define the direct effect that pollution particles may have on the developing fetus.

Lead author Professor Jonathan Grigg from Queen Mary University of London said: “Our study for the first time shows that inhaled carbon particulate matter in air pollution, travels in the blood stream, and is taken up by important cells in the placenta. We hope that this information will encourage policy makers to reduce road traffic emissions in this post lock down period.”

Dr. Norrice Liu from Queen Mary University of London added: “Pollution levels in London often exceed annual limits and we know that there is a link between maternal exposure to high pollution levels and problems with the fetus, including risk of low birthweight. However, until now we had limited insight into how that might occur in the body.”

Placentas from 15 consenting healthy women were donated to the study following the birth of their children at The Royal London Hospital. Pollution exposure was determined in 13 of the women, all of whom had exposure above the annual mean WHO limit for particulate matter. The cells in the placentas were analyzed using a range of techniques including light and electron microscopy, X-rays and magnetic analyses.

Black particles that closely resembled particulate matter from pollution were found in placental cells from all fifteen women and these appeared in an average of 1 percent of the cells which were analyzed.

The majority of particles found in the placental cells were carbon-based, but researchers also found trace amounts of metals including silica, phosphorus, calcium, iron and chromium, and more rarely, titanium, cobalt, zinc and cerium.

Analysis of these nanoparticles strongly suggests that they predominantly originated from traffic-related sources. Many of these metals are associated with fossil fuel combustion, arising from fuel and oil additives, and vehicle brake-wear.

Dr. Lisa Miyashita from Queen Mary University of London said: “We have thought for a while that maternal inhalation could potentially result in pollution particlestraveling to the placenta once inhaled. However, there are many defense mechanisms in the lung that prevent foreign particles from traveling elsewhere, so it was surprising to identify these particles in the placental cells from all 15 of our participants.”

Fiona Miller Smith, chief executive of Barts Charity said: “This is an incredibly important study and immensely relevant to mums-to-be in our local community, indeed in any urban community anywhere in the world.

“In the current climate it can be hard to see beyond COVID and so we are particularly proud to have funded this vital work and truly hope that it will lead to greater awareness of the risks of pollution to the unborn child.”

Study shows light therapy is safe and may benefit patients with TBI

Massachusetts General Hospital, September 23, 2020

Light therapy is safe and has measurable effects in the brain, according to a pioneering study by researchers from the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). Senior investigators Rajiv Gupta, MD, Ph.D., director of the Ultra-High Resolution Volume CT Lab at MGH and Benjamin Vakoc, Ph.D., at the Wellman Center led the study, which was supported by a grant from the Department of Defense (DOD) and published in JAMA Network Open September 14th.

This study is one of the first, if not the first, prospective, randomized, interventional clinical trials of near-infrared, low-level light therapy (LLLT) in patients who recently suffered a moderate brain injury. If further trials support these findings, light therapy could become the first widely-accepted treatment for this type of injury.

TBI is the leading cause of traumatic injury worldwide, and an estimated 69 million people experience such an injury every year. However, there are no treatments for this condition yet, largely because the underlying biological mechanisms are not well understood and it is so challenging to do studies with actual patients in the acute stage of trauma.

“The Gulf War put TBI in the headlines,” says Gupta, “because body armor had been greatly improved by then. But there were still brain injuries caused by the shock waves from high powered explosives.” For a variety of reasons, the number of TBIs has increased around the globe since then, but effective treatments are still sorely needed.

For this study, a special helmet had to be designed specifically to deliver the therapy, an undertaking that required a mix of medical, engineering and physics expertise. This multidisciplinary team included Gupta, a neuroradiologist, Vakoc, an applied physicist, and others specializing in the development and translation of optical instrumentation to the clinic and biologic laboratories. Both Gupta and Vakoc are also associate professors at Harvard Medical School.

“For this study, we designed a practical, near-infrared treatment based on Wellman Center research and working directly with DOD on the vexing problem of TBI, a condition faced by so many,” says Rox Anderson, MD, the center’s director.

Another challenge was optimizing the wavelength of the near-infrared LLLT. “Nobody knows how much light you need to get the optimal effect,” explains Lynn Drake, MD, one of the study co-authors and director of business development at the Wellman Center. “We tried to optimize the wavelength, dosing, timing of delivery, and length of exposure.” This was done through a series of pre-clinical experiments led by Anderson. These included multiple preclinical studies led by Michael Hamblin, Ph.D. Anderson and Hamblin are both co-authors on this paper.

Near-infrared LLLT has already been considered for multiple uses, but to date, few if any studies of this technology have been tested and none in patients with TBI. It has been studied in stroke patients and Wellman basic laboratory research suggests it is neuroprotective through a mechanism mediated by specialized intracellular organs called mitochondria. It took several years of research at Wellman to understand the basic mechanism prior to the clinical trial.

The randomized clinical trial included 68 patients with moderate traumatic brain injury who were divided into two groups. One group received LLLT, via the special helmet, which delivered the light. Patients in the control group wore the helmet for the same amount of time, but did not receive the treatment. The helmet was designed by Vakoc’s team at Wellman. During the study, the subjects’ brains were tested for neuroreactivity using quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) metrics and the subjects also underwent neurocognitive function assessment.

MRI was performed in the acute (within 72 hours of the injury), early subacute (2-3 weeks), and late subacute (approximately three months) stages of recovery. Clinical assessments were performed during each visit and at six months, using the Rivermead Post-Concussion Questionnaire, with each item assessed on a five-point scale.

Twenty-eight patients completed at least one LLLT session and none reported any adverse reactions. In addition, the researchers found that they could measure the effects of transcranial LLLT on the brain. The MRI studies showed statistically significant differences in the integrity of myelin surrounding the neurons of treated patients versus the control group. Both these findings support follow-up trials, especially since there are no other treatments for these patients.

The study also showed the light does impact the cells. While it is well established that cells have light receptors, “going into this trial, we had several unanswered questions such as whether the light would go through the scalp and skull, whether the dose was sufficient, and whether it would be enough to engage the neural substrates responsible for repair after TBI,” says Gupta.

It’s important to note, he adds, that for this initial study, the researchers focused on patients with moderate traumatic brain injury. That helped to ensure their study could have statistically significant findings because patients in this category are more likely to demonstrate a measurable effect. “It would be much more difficult to see such changes in patients with mild injuries and it is quite likely that in patients with severe brain injuries the effect of light therapy would be confounded by other comorbidities of severe trauma,” says Gupta.

He adds that researchers are still very early in the development of this therapy, and it is not known if it could be applied to other types of brain injury, such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which has received a lot of public attention over the last few years. CTE is a progressive degenerative disease associated with a history of repetitive brain trauma such as that experienced by certain types of athletes, most notably football players.

This study opens up many possibilities for broader use of photomedicine. “Transcranial LED therapy is a promising area of research, with potential to help various brain disorders where therapies are limited,” says Margaret Naeser, Ph.D., a prominent researcher in photomedicine and research professor of Neurology at Boston University School of Medicine. She was not affiliated with this particular study.

Exercise before menopause is important to optimise health in later years

University of Copenhagen, September 22, 2020

The small blood vessels in muscles of women after menopause are less able to grow compared to young women, according to new research published today in the Journal of Physiology. This means exercising before menopause is all the more important for women in order to develop blood vessels in muscles, and thus the ability to develop muscle strength.

Recent studies have shown that there are some substantial differences in the way the blood vessels, which influences susceptibility to conditions like heart disease and stroke, are affected by aging and physical activity between women and men, a difference which to a large extent is related to the female sex-hormone, estrogen.

Estrogen is protective of the heart and blood vessels in women for about half of their lives, but, at menopause, there is an abrupt permanent loss of estrogen, leading to a decline in the health of our blood vessels.

In this study, the researchers at the University of Copenhagen examined the smallest of blood vessels in muscle, called capillaries. The number of capillaries in skeletal muscle can change a lot and is mainly affected by how much the muscle is used, such as during exercise. This is the first study to isolate and examine cells from skeletal muscle samples of young and old women.

Capillaries in skeletal muscle (as opposed to heart muscle) are very important for skeletal muscle function, physical capacity and health as it is here that oxygen and nutrients, such as sugar and fats, are taken up into muscle when needed. It is known that loss of capillaries in muscle can affect insulin sensitivity and thereby the development of Type II diabetes.

The study also found that, when the aged women completed a period of aerobic exercise training by cycling, they did not achieve an increase in the number of capillaries in muscle, in contrast to what has been repeatedly shown in young and older men.

Aging is known to lead to a loss of capillaries in the muscle, an effect which, in men, has been shown to be counteracted by a physically active lifestyle. This new study suggests that women do not attain capillary growth as readily and that an underlying cause may be a flaw in the cells that make up capillaries.

It is important to underline that both men and women have a vast benefit from being physically active throughout life, regardless of age, but the current study supports the idea that women may benefit from being physically active before menopause, while they still have estrogen, so that they have a good physical starting point as they get older.

The researchers studied older women (over 60 years old) and young (around 25 years old) ones. The women underwent a series of physical tests, and the researchers obtained small samples from their thigh muscles.

The muscle biopsies were used to isolate blood vessel cells and muscle cells for further detailed study in the lab. The older women then also conducted 8 weeks of cycling training, where they trained three times per week at moderate to high intensity.

The women were tested for fitness and several other parameters before and after the training. After the training period samples were again obtained from the thigh muscle and used for analysis of capillary number and specific proteins.

Line Nørregaard Olsen, first author on the study said:

“Another aspect that is worth highlighting is that many people doubted that the older women could handle such intensive training. However, the women, who conducted the cycle exercise training (spinning training) 3 times per week for 8 weeks, with heart rates over 80% of maximal heart rate for more than 60% of the time, were excited and handled the training without problems. This underlines that the popular view of how hard women of that age can train should be revised.”

Greater antioxidant activity may help prevent glaucoma

University of Copenhagen, September 21 2020.

Research reported on September 15, 2020 in the Journal of Clinical Medicine revealed an association between a lower risk of glaucoma and an increase in antioxidant activity and levels of omega 3-derived chemical messengers in the body among individuals believed to be at risk. “The main risk factor for primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is increased intraocular pressure (IOP),” wrote Mia Langbøl and colleagues. “It is of interest that about half of the patients have an IOP within the normal range (normal-tension glaucoma). Additionally, there is a group of patients with a high IOP but no glaucomatous neurodegeneration (ocular hypertension, OHT).”

The study included 16 participants with normal-tension glaucoma, nine participants with ocular hypertension and no evidence of glaucomatous neurodegeneration, and 14 age-matched healthy control subjects. The subjects participated in an experiment in which they were stressed with a fluctuating oxygen supply, which has been associated with the development of glaucoma due to the high oxygen demand of the retina. Oxidative stress molecules, antioxidants and lipid mediators were measured before, during and after the experiment.

Participants with ocular hypertension without glaucoma had greater total antioxidant capacity and higher levels of anti-inflammatory lipid mediators derived from omega 3 fatty acids, which correlate with antioxidant capacity, compared to the other participants. These factors increase protection against the risk of glaucoma.

“We show for the first time that patients with ocular hypertension may exhibit a superior antioxidant protection due to higher antioxidant capacity and abundance of pro-homeostatic lipid mediators in plasma compared to patients with normal-tension glaucoma and controls,” the authors announced. “It is of interest to elucidate in the future whether antioxidants, including pro-homeostatic lipid mediators like 14-hydroxydocosahexaenoic acids and 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids, can become diagnostic biomarkers and open up the exploration of novel therapeutic strategies in glaucoma.”

Supplementation of Blackcurrant Anthocyanins Increased Cyclic Glycine-Proline in the Cerebrospinal Fluid of Parkinson Patients

University of Auckland (New Zealand), September 12, 2020

A new scientific discovery by the University of Auckland has found New Zealand blackcurrants have high levels of a key brain nutrient. The World First Discovery by Associate Professor Dr Jian Guan of the University of Auckland Centre for Brain Research, found New Zealand blackcurrants contain high levels of cyclic Glycine-proline (cGP), a key brain nutrient that normalises the Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (igf -1) function a hormone that is key for total body health and wellness.

I like to call it the maintenance of ageing. This finding about New Zealand blackcurrants is very exciting because it is something completely natural with the ability to maintain the health of an ageing body and mind.

Background: Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) function is impaired in Parkinson disease. Cyclic glycine-proline (cGP), a metabolite of IGF-1, is neuroprotective through improving IGF-1 function. Parkinson disease patients score lower on Hospital-associated Anxiety and Depression Scale after supplementing blackcurrant anthocyanins (BCA), which may be associated with IGF-1 function. We evaluated the changes of cGP and IGF-1 before and after the supplementation.

Methods: Plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were collected from 11 male patients before and after 28 day supplementation of BCA. The concentrations of IGF-1, IGF binding protein (IGFBP)-3, and cGP were measured using ELISA and HPLC-MS assays. The presence of cGP in the BCA was evaluated.

Results: cGP presented in the BCA. BCA supplementation increased the concentration of cGP (p < 0.01), but not IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 in the CSF. CSF concentration of cGP was correlated with plasma concentration of cGP (R = 0.68, p = 0.01) and cGP/IGF-1 molar ratio (R = 0.66, p = 0.01). The CSF/plasma ratio was high in cGP and low in IGF-1 and IGFBP-3.

Conclusion: cGP is a natural nutrient to the BCA. The increased CSF cGP in Parkinson disease patients may result from the central uptake of plasma cGP. Given neurotrophic function, oral availability, and effective central uptake of cGP, the BCA has the potential to be developed to treat neurological conditions with IGF-1 deficiency

It is time to embrace cannabis for medicinal use, say experts

Imperial College London, September 22, 2020

Attitudes towards cannabis products for medicinal use need to change with much greater appropriate use of such products to help alleviate patients’ pain, suggests research published in the journal BMJ Open.

Researchers found that hundreds of thousands of UK patients were self-medicating with illegal cannabis-based products for medicinal use due to the fact that much of the medical and pharmacy professions have so far not embraced and prescribed legal cannabis-based products for their patients.

In November 2018 when the UK made cannabis-based products for medicinal use (CBPMs) legal, most people assumed these would immediately be made available to patients, but this has not happened.

In the year since then, almost no NHS prescriptions have been issued and less than a hundred have been made available from private providers at a cost of at least £1,000 a month.

Consequently, some parents of children with severe epilepsy continue to go overseas to get their children access to the only treatment which has proven to be effective for their condition—cannabinoid medication.

In addition, it is estimated that the vast majority of the estimated 1.4 million medical cannabis users source from the black market with its problems of illegality, unknown quality, content and provenance.

This is despite that fact that there is existing substantial evidence of effectiveness with cannabis products for medicinal use in many disorders as identified in the US National Academy of Sciences review in 2017.

Researchers from Imperial College London, London School of Economics and Drug Science (formerly known as the Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs), therefore, set out to understand why the UK was lagging behind so many other countries which also have legalised medical cannabis.

They consulted with parents and patients, prescribers, pharmacists and decision makers.

They found that there appeared to be a series of distinct barriers to prescribing that needed to be overcome in order to improve patient access to medical cannabis in the UK.

These include concerns about a perceived lack of scientific evidence but the researchers said these concerns were misplaced because many patient-centred approaches including patient reported outcomes, pharmacoepidemiology (study of the uses and effects of drugs) and trials involving a single patient could be applied.

International database evidence suggested this new class of drug offered a significant advance in treatment for many in whom current medicines were either ineffective or poorly tolerated.

Various reasons to explain why there was resistance to use of these drugs were given, such as the fact the use of medicinal cannabis products were something being driven by patients and not doctors, which the latter group might resent.

In addition, the current government insistence that medical cannabis be considered as a “special’ product, meant challenges for prescribers.

For example, they faced additional organisational bureaucracy and the prescriber had to hold responsibility for any untold harm caused unlike any other product for which responsibility lay with the manufacturer.

Another reason for the resistance to prescribing of these products was that for almost 50 years, the medical profession focused on the risks of cannabis with claims of harms, including male sterility, lung cancer and schizophrenia. Though these have now been largely debunked and were generally the result of recreational rather than prescribed medical use, many practitioners may not know this.

The researchers say that the many thousands of UK patients self-medicating with non-regulated cannabis products for medicinal use and the international evidence suggested these new medical products offered an advance in treatment for many people.

They also offered the potential of cost savings to the NHS in terms of reduced hospital stays and less prescribing of other medicines particularly opioids for chronic pain, they argued.

They conclude: “The failure of the medical and pharmacy professions to embrace CBPMs despite their being made ‘legal’ over 18 months ago is a great worry to patients” and may, they say, have led to preventable deaths from conditions such as epilepsy.

“We hope that this paper will help policymakers and prescribers understand the challenges to prescribing and so help them develop approaches to overcome the current highly unsatisfactory situation.”

Lower zinc levels in the blood are associated with an increased risk of death in patients with COVID-19

Hospital Del Mar Barcelona (Spain), September 22, 2020

New research presented at this week’s ESCMID Conference on Coronavirus Disease (ECCVID, held online from 23-25 September) shows that having a lower level of zinc in the blood is associated with a poorer outcome in patients with COVID-19. The study is by Dr Roberto Güerri-Fernández, Hospital Del Mar, Barcelona, Spain, and colleagues.

Increased intracellular zinc concentrations efficiently impair replication/reproduction of a number of viruses. However, the effect of plasma zinc levels on SARS-COV-2 is not yet understood. In this study, the authors explored whether plasma zinc levels at admission are associated with disease outcome in COVID-19 patients.

The authors did a retrospective analysis of symptomatic admitted patients to a tertiary university hospital in Barcelona, Spain over the period from 15th March 2020 to 30th April 2020. Data on demography, pre-existing chronic conditions, laboratory results and treatment were collected. Clinical severity of COVID-19 was assessed at admission. Fasting plasma zinc levels were measured routinely at admission (baseline) in all patients admitted to the COVID-19 Unit. Computer modelling and statistical analyses were used the assess the impact of zinc on mortality.

During this period of study 611 patients were admitted. The mean age was 63 years, and 332 patients were male (55%). During this period total mortality was 87 patients (14%).

This study includes 249 of these patients (of whom 21 [8%]) died. The authors say the 249 patients in this analysis are representative of the whole cohort of 611, and data collection and analysis for the other patients is ongoing – but the continuation of the study has been made difficult by the arrival of the second wave of SARS-CoV-2 in Spain.

Mean baseline zinc levels among the 249 patients were 61 mcg/dl. Among those who died, the zinc levels at baseline were significantly lower at 43mcg/dl vs 63.1mcg/dl in survivors. Higher zinc levels were associated with lower maximum levels of interleukin-6 (proteins that indicate systemic inflammation) during the period of active infection.

After adjusting by age, sex, severity and receiving hydroxychloroquine, statistical analysis showed each unit increase of plasma zinc at admission to hospital was associated with a 7% reduced risk of in-hospital mortality. Having a plasma zinc level lower than 50mcg/dl at admission was associated with a 2.3 times increased risk of in-hospital death compared with those patients with a plasma zinc level of 50mcg/dl or higher.

The authors conclude: “Lower zinc levels at admission correlate with higher inflammation in the course of infection and poorer outcome. Plasma zinc levels at admission are associated with mortality in COVID-19 in our study. Further studies are needed to assess the therapeutic impact of this association.”

Teenage behaviour determines health in later life, research finds

University of Manchester, September 22, 2020

Teenagers whose non-cognitive skills are poorly developed are more likely to suffer from health problems later in life, according to groundbreaking new research by a group of expert from The University of Manchester.

Rose Atkins of the University’s Division of Population Health, Health Services Research & Primary Care—along with colleagues Alex Turner, Tarani Chandola and Matt Sutton—set out to investigate non-cognitive skills as they are one of the least explored determinants of health and well-being, despite the fact that evidence surrounding their importance is growing quickly.

These skills are conscientiousness—an aggregate of how hardworking, cautious, and rigid an adolescent is—and neuroticism—how worried, unhappy, and fearful an adolescent is.

The researchers used data on a cohort of individuals followed throughout their life, and carried out statistical analysis to study the relationship between adolescent non-cognitive skills and later-life health.

The non-cognitive skills were reported by teachers, based on the behavior of students at age 16.

The study found that individuals higher in adolescent conscientiousness cope better with stress in adulthood, and are at a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. In comparison, those higher in adolescent neuroticism have poorer health-related quality of life in adulthood, higher levels of physiological “wear and tear,” and are at a greater risk of cardiovascular disease. For most of these results, they find that effects are largest for individuals with poorer health in adulthood.

The researchers conclude that policies to improve adolescent conscientiousness and reduce adolescent neuroticism would offer the most long-term health benefits to those with the poorest health.

“There is a growing body of evidence that suggests school-based interventions to improve these skills can have lasting positive effects on important life outcomes, such as educational attainment and health,” said Rose. “Extracurricular activities and work experience have also been shown to improve these skills. Having a greater focus on the improvement of non-cognitive skills at both primary and secondary school level would be a positive policy decision. However, these skills are also determined by socioeconomic factors such as family income, parental education, and parental investment. Therefore, more complex public policy is needed to reduce social inequality.”

Nearly one in 1,500 in Japan is a centenarian

Jerusalem Post, September 21, 2020

The number of people in Japan who are over the age of 100 has increased for the 50th consecutive year and reached over 80,000 according to CNN. This is the greatest increase yet.

According to Japan’s Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry, 80,450 people, nearly one in 1,500, is a centenarian.

Far more Japanese women are reaching the age of 100 as women represent 88% of all centenarians in the country. Women’s average age in the country is 87.45 years compared to men’s 81.41.

In 1963, when Japan started tracking the number of citizens over the age of 100, there were only 153. Japan has a rapidly aging society and life expectancy is increasing.

The oldest person in Japan is also the oldest person in the world. Kane Tanaka is 117 years old. Tanaka said that her secrets to a long life include practicing math and eating good food.

Impact of benzodiazepine consumption reduction on future burden of dementia

University of Bordeaux (France), September 18, 2020

According to news reporting originating in Bordeaux, France, research stated, “Dementia is a major public health issue worldwide and chronic use of benzodiazepine, which is very frequent in northern countries, was found to be a risk factor of dementia. This work aims at evaluating the impact of a reduction in chronic use of benzodiazepine on the future burden of dementia in France.”

The news reporters obtained a quote from the research from the University of Bordeaux, “Using estimations of dementia incidence and of benzodiazepine use and nation-wide projections of mortality and population sizes, a Monte Carlo approach based on an illness-death model provided projections of several indicators of dementia burden. With no change in benzodiazepine consumption, the prevalence of dementia between age 65 and 99 in France in 2040 was estimated at 2.16 millions (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.93-2.38), with a life expectancy without dementia at 65 years equal to 25.0 years (24.7-25.3) for women and 23.8 years (23.5-24.2) for men. Assuming a disappearance of chronic use of benzodiazepine in 2020, the prevalence would be reduced by about 6.6% in 2040 and the life expectancy without dementia would increase by 0.99 (0.93-1.06) year among women and 0.56 (0.50-0.62) among men.”According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “To conclude, a modest but significant reduction in future dementia burden could be obtained by applying current recommendation for duration of benzodiazepine use.”

nfluence of a Novel Food-Grade Formulation of Red Chili Extract on Overweight Subjects

St. Thomas College (India), September 12 2020

Abstract

Capsaicinoids from pungent red chilies (Capsicum annum and Capsicum frutescens) have received significant attention as a natural supplement for the management of obesity. However, the consumption of chili extract at physiologically relevant dosage of capsaicinoids is a challenge owing to its pungency and gastrointestinal discomforts. The present study reports the systemic absorption, safety and influence of a novel, food-grade, and sustained-release formulation of capsaicinoids-rich red chili extract using fenugreek dietary fiber (Capsifen®). Twenty-four healthy overweight subjects were randomized into placebo (n = 12) and Capsifen (n = 12) groups and supplemented with 200 mg × 1/day of Capsifen (4 mg capsaicinoids/day) for 28 days. Influence of Capsifen on eating behavior and appetite was followed by Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ) and Council of Nutrition Appetite Questionnaire (CNAQ), respectively. Consumption of Capsifen did not reveal any adverse events or deviations in hematology and biochemical parameters related to safety. However, a significant decrease in body weight (2.1%), w/h ratio (4%) and body mass index (BMI) (2.2%) were observed among Capsifen group when compared to placebo. The TFEQ and appetite analysis revealed a significant improvement in uncontrolled eating and reduction in appetite among Capsifen subjects. The UPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis confirmed the absorption of capsaicinoids from CAP supplementation. The study further demonstrated the safety and tolerability of Capsifen at the investigational dosage. Thus, the significant reduction in anthropometric parameters such as body weight, w/h ratio, and BMI along with the improvement in eating behaviour as well as appetite, indicated the potential body weight management effect of Capsifen.

Study on the effect of rosemary and ginger essential oils against Klebsiella pneumoniae

Damanhour University and Pharos University (Egypt), September 21, 2020

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a nosocomial pathogen in outbreaks of hospital infections. It is one of the major factors for morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients especially those infected with colistin resistant pathogens. Many plant essential oils have antimicrobial activities and have been investigated as natural sources to combat multiple antibiotic resistances. Moreover; recent advances in phytonanotechnology have created exciting opportunities for the management of many infections.

This study aims at investigating the antimicrobial and antibiofilm effect of rosemary and ginger essential oil-based nano-sized formulations on colistin resistant K. pneumonia clinical isolates.

Isolation and identification of 30 K. pneumonia isolates from different human samples was done followed by antibiotic susceptibility testing and detection of biofilm gene (mrkD). Examination of the activity of the tested essential oils and their chitosan nanoparticle formulations against the selected isolates was made by determination of their MICs using broth microdilution method followed by biofilm inhibition test and quantitative real-time PCR for the expression of mrkD gene in the presence of the oils and nanoparticles formulations compared to untreated bacterial isolates.

Our results showed that the minimum inhibitory concentrations of rosemary and ginger oils were found to be 1250 μg/ml, nanostructured lipid carrier-rosemary oil and nanostructured lipid carrier-ginger oil were 625 μg/ml and rosemary oil loaded chitosan nanoparticles and ginger oil loaded chitosan nanoparticles were 156 μg/ml. Results also revealed complete (100%) inhibition for mrkD gene expression when compared to untreated K. pneumonia.

We can conclude that oil loaded chitosan nanoparticles show a high antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity.

The unintended consequence of becoming empathetic

University of Michigan, September 16, 2020

When people say that they want to change things about their personalities, they might not know about the inadvertent consequences these changes could bring. In fact, changes in personality may also lead to changes in political ideologies, say researchers from Michigan State University and the University of Granada, who led the study.

“We found this interesting effect where people wanted to improve on things like being more emotionally connected to others — or, becoming more empathetic,” said William Chopik, assistant professor of psychology at MSU. “But we found that this leads to changes in their political souls as well, which maybe they weren’t intending. We saw that in these personality changes toward greater empathy, people placed a lot more importance upon more liberal ideologies — like how you should treat other people and take others’ perspectives.”

The study, published in the most recent edition of Journal of Research in Personality, is the first to look at shifts in personalities and morals due to volitional change — or, changes one brings upon oneself.

Chopik and co-authors from Southern Methodist University and the University of Illinois asked 414 volunteer participants to take a weekly questionnaire. Such questions included how they would react in certain situations, if they wanted to improve or change themselves, how they felt about helping others and other personality-related queries. Additionally, the researchers measured participants’ “empathic concern” — or, feelings that would arise when they saw someone in need or doing poorly. The researchers continued the weekly questionnaire for four months.

“Among the questions, we asked participants how they felt about five broad moral foundations: care, fairness, loyalty, authority and purity. We tracked sentiments week-to-week,” Chopik said. “While these are common for personality-related assessments, individual moral foundations can also help explain attitudes toward various ideologies, ethical issues and policy debates.”

Generally, liberal and progressive people tend to prioritize two of the five moral foundations: care and fairness; whereas, conservatives draw from all five — including the more binding foundations: loyalty to the ingroup, respect for authority, and observance of purity and sanctity standards, Chopik said.

“Our study shows that when people are motivated to change, they can successfully do so,” he said. “What we were surprised to find was that an upward trajectory for something like perspective-taking aligned with the person’s shift towards the more liberal foundations.”

The researchers did not intend for their study to generalize personality traits of one political party or another, but rather to see if — and how — a person could change themselves and what might be a result of their “moral transformation.”

“Being a better perspective-taker exposes you to all sorts of new ideas, so it makes sense that it would change someone because they would be exposed to more diverse arguments,” Chopik said. “When you become more empathic, it opens up a lot of doors to change humans in other ways, including how they think about morality and ideology — which may or may not have been intended.”

Evidence for Korean Ginseng’s effects on improving bone health

Hospital of Chonbuk National University, Sept. 9, 2019

The Korea Ginseng Association introduced new evidence of Korean Ginseng’s efficacy on bone health.

Korean Ginseng refers to ginsengs produced in Korea. Ginseng’s scientific name, Panax ginseng, is named after the Greek word ‘Panax’, meaning cure for all diseases; indeed, ginseng has been sought after medicine since the ancient times. It has been proven to improve immune system and fatigue previously, and now even for bone health, as seen in recent research released in Korea.

In June of 2019, Rural Development Administration, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience & Biotechnology (KRIBB) and Hospital of Chonbuk National University confirmed the efficacy of Korean ginseng’s efficacy on bone health in a research conducted for 3 years and followed up for another two years. The clinical application study was performed with three groups of female participants over the age of 40 and who suffer from bone loss. There were a total of 90 participants, with 30 participants in each group. The participants in the control group were given placebo, while the other groups were given ginseng extracts (3g per day and 1g per day).

The results indicated that the level of osteocalcin was 11.6 times higher in the test group than the control group; the level of calcium was 3 times higher in the test group with 3g extracts as well. The change in Osteoarthritis rating before and after taking the extract was also significant, indicating ginseng’s efficacy on improving pain and rigidity due to bone loss.

In animal testing, ginseng extract (300mg per kg of mouse body mass) was administered for 8 weeks in Panax that were 112 weeks old. The result also indicated that bone density was 32% higher in the test group. The calcium concentration and bone formation effect were also higher in the test group.

The Korea Ginseng Association’s president Mr. Ban mentioned, “With this new evidence on ginseng’s efficacy on bone health, we have even more pride for our Korean Ginseng. We hope to continue to find scientifically based evidence for the ginseng’s benefits.”

Immune system may have another job—combatting depression

Yale University, September 18, 2020

An inflammatory autoimmune response within the central nervous system similar to one linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) has also been found in the spinal fluid of healthy people, according to a new Yale-led study comparing immune system cells in the spinal fluid of MS patients and healthy subjects. The research, published Sept. 18 in the journal Science Immunology, suggests these immune cells may play a role other than protecting against microbial invaders—protecting our mental health.

The results buttress an emerging theory that gamma interferons, a type of immune cell that helps induce and modulate a variety of immune system responses, may also play a role in preventing depression in healthy people.

“We were surprised that normal spinal fluid would be so interesting,” said David Hafler, the William S. and Lois Stiles Edgerly Professor of Neurology, professor of immunobiology and senior author of the study.

Previous research has shown that blocking gamma interferons and the T cells they help produce can cause depression-like symptoms in mice. Hafler notes that depression is also a common side effect in patients with MS treated with a different type of interferon.

Using a powerful new technology that allows a detailed examination of individual cells, the researchers show that while the characteristics of T cells in the spinal fluid of healthy people share similarities with those of MS patients, they lack the ability to replicate and cause the damaging inflammatory response seen in autoimmune diseases such as MS.

In essence, the immune system in the brains of all people is poised to make an inflammatory immune system response and may have another function than defending against pathogens, Hafler said.

“These T cells serve another purpose and we speculate that they may help preserve our mental health,” he said.

Hafler said that his lab and colleagues at Yale plan to explore how immune system responses in the central nervous system might affect psychiatric disorders such as depression.

Avocado pulp improves cardiovascular and autonomic recovery following submaximal running

Sao Paulo State University (Brazil), August 23, 2020

Abstract

Previous studies have demonstrated that regular avocado consumption presents advantageous effects on cardiovascular system. However, little attention has been paid to the use of avocado as a dietary supplement, in particular, for individuals involved in physical exercise training. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effect of acute avocado pulp intake on cardiovascular and autonomic recovery subsequent to moderate exercise. Using a crossover, randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled trial design, 16 healthy female adults underwent two protocols: Avocado pulp (600 mg in capsule) and placebo (600 mg starch in capsule). After the ingestion of Avocado pulp or placebo, the subjects were seated for 60 min at rest, followed by running on a treadmill at a submaximal level and then remained seated for 60 min during recovery from the exercise. Heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV) [rMSSD, SD1, HF (ms2)] and skin conductance were evaluated before and during exercise, as well as during recovery. HR, systolic blood pressure, HRV and skin conductance recovered faster when subjects were given avocado pulp prior to exercise. In conclusion, avocado pulp improved cardiovascular and autonomic recovery after exercise, suggesting a reduced risk of cardiovascular events after exertion. The current results support the beneficial effects of ingestion of avocado prior to submaximal treadmill running.

Study shows vitamin E needed for proper nervous system development

Oregon State University, September 21, 2020

In research with key ramifications for women of childbearing age, findings by Oregon State University scientists show that embryos produced by vitamin E-deficient zebrafish have malformed brains and nervous systems.

“This is totally amazing – the brain is absolutely physically distorted by not having enough vitamin E,” said Maret Traber, a professor in the OSU College of Public Health and Human Sciences.

The study led by Traber, the Ava Helen Pauling Professor at Oregon State’s Linus Pauling Institute, was published today in Scientific Reports.

Zebrafish are a small freshwater species that go from a fertilized egg to a swimming fish in about five days. They are highly prized for studying the development and genetics of vertebrates.

Zebrafish share a remarkable similarity to humans at the molecular, genetic and cellular levels, meaning many findings are immediately relevant to humans. Embryonic zebrafish are of special interest because they develop quickly, are transparent and are easy to care for.

Vitamin E was discovered in 1922, identified because it was essential for fertilized rat eggs to culminate in live births.

“Why does an embryo need vitamin E? We’ve been chasing that for a long time,” said Traber, a leading authority on vitamin E who has been researching the micronutrient for three decades. “With this newest study we actually started taking pictures so we could visualize: Where is the brain? Where is the brain forming? How does vitamin E fit into this picture?”

In an embryo, a brain primordium and the neural tube appear early and will form the nervous system and “innervate” – supply with nerves – all organs and body structures. Without vitamin E, the zebrafish embryos showed neural tube defects and brain defects.

“They were kind of like folic acid-deficient neural tube defects, and now we have pictures to show the neural tube defects and brain defects and that vitamin E is right on the closing edges of the cells that are forming the brain,” Traber said.

In healthy organisms, neural crest cells drive the creation of facial bones and cartilage and innervate the body, building the peripheral nervous system.

“Acting as stem cells, the crest cells are important for the brain and spinal cord and also go on to be the cells of about 10 different organ systems including the heart and liver,” Traber said. “By having those cells get into trouble with vitamin E deficiency, basically the entire embryo formation is dysregulated. It is no wonder we see embryo death with vitamin E deficiency.”

Traber likens it to the children’s game KerPlunk, in which kids take turns pulling out the straws that support several dozen marbles in a vertical tube. When the wrong straw is pulled out, everything collapses; vitamin E is the straw whose extraction brings down the house on embryo development, especially with the brain and nervous system.

“Now we’re at the point where we’re so close being able to say exactly what’s wrong when there isn’t enough vitamin E but at the same time we’re very far away because we haven’t found what are the genes that are changing,” she said. “What we know is the vitamin E-deficient embryos lived to 24 hours and then started dying off. At six hours there was no difference, by 12 hours you see the differences but they weren’t killing the animals, and at 24 hours there were dramatic changes that were about to cause the tipping point of total catastrophe.”

Vitamin E, known scientifically as alpha-tocopherol, has many biologic roles and in human diets is most often provided by oils, such as olive oil. It is found in high levels in foods such as hazelnuts, sunflower seeds and avocados.

Vitamin E is a group of eight compounds – four tocopherols and four tocotrienols – distinguished by their chemical structure. Alpha-tocopherol is what vitamin E commonly refers to and is found in supplements and in foods associated with a European diet; gamma-tocopherol is the type of vitamin E most commonly found in a typical American diet.

“Plants make eight different forms of vitamin E, and you absorb them all, but the liver only puts alpha-tocopherol back into the bloodstream,” said Traber. “All of the other forms are metabolized and excreted. I’ve been concerned about women and pregnancy because of reports that women with low vitamin E in their plasma have increased risk of miscarriage.”

Joining Traber on the study were Brian Head of the Linus Pauling Institute, Jane La Du and Robyn Tanguay of the OSU College of Agricultural Sciences and Chrissa Kioussi of the OSU College of Pharmacy.

The Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Lab supported the research with technical assistance, and the Ava Helen Pauling Endowment and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences of the National Institutes of Health contributed toward the study’s funding.

Lactobacillus rhamnosus attenuates bone loss and maintains bone health

All India Medical Institute (India), September 18, 2020

According to news reporting based on a preprint abstract, “Osteoporosis is a systemic-skeletal disorder characterized by enhanced fragility of bones leading to increased rates of fractures and morbidity in large number of populations. Probiotics are known to be involved in management of various-inflammatory diseases including osteoporosis.

“But no study till date had delineated the immunomodulatory potential of Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LR) in bone-health.

“In the present study, we examine the effect of probiotic-LR on bone-health in osteoporotic (Ovx) mice model.

“We observed that administration of LR attenuated bone-loss in Ovx mice. Both the cortical and trabecular bone-content of LR treated group was significantly higher than Ovx-group. Remarkably, the percentage of osteoclastogenic-CD4+Ror{gamma}t+Th17 cells at distinct immunological sites such as BM, spleen, LN and PP were significantly reduced, whereas the percentage of anti-osteoclastogenic-CD4+Foxp3+Tregs and CD8+Foxp3+Tregs were significantly enhanced in LR-treated group thereby resulting in inhibition of bone-loss. The immunomodulatory-role of LR was further supported by serum-cytokine data with a significant reduction in proinflammatory-cytokines (IL-6, IL-17 and TNF-) along with enhancement in anti-inflammatory-cytokines (IL-10, IFN-{gamma}) in LR treated-group. Altogether, the present study for the first time establishes the osteoprotective role of LR on bone-health, thus highlighting the potential of LR in the treatment and management of various bone related diseases including osteoporosis.”

Vitamin D supplementation can reduce cancer death risk by 16%, study shows

Cornell University, September 18, 2020

A recent review published in the British Medical Journal analyzed studies on vitamin D supplementation. Researchers from the United States and China found that it reduces the risk of cancer-related death by 16 percent.

Vitamin D linked to reduced risk of cancer death

There are three sources of vitamin D: from one’s diet, from supplements and through sunlight exposure. In the case of the latter, the body naturally produces the micronutrient, leading to its moniker “the sunshine vitamin.”

The cancer-related benefits of vitamin D have been reported numerous times in the past. One of the first studies demonstrated a link between non-skin cancers and the levels of sunlight that fall in different geographic latitudes. According to its lead researcher, Frank Apperly, the sunlight gave “a relative cancer immunity.”

While Apperly’s study was largely ignored during its time, it was rediscovered later on and more studies on the link between cancer and vitamin D appeared. For instance, previous research proposed that vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of colon and prostate cancer.

For the current study, the researchers looked at 52 randomized controlled trials that compared the effects of vitamin D supplementation to those of a placebo or no treatment. About 7,450 participants were included in the studies.

Results showed that vitamin D supplementation reduced cancer death risk by 16 percent. The finding was particular to cancer-related death as all-cause mortality risk remained virtually unchanged after supplementation.

The researchers added that the reduced risk of cancer death was best observed among participants who took supplements of vitamin D3 — what the human body produces naturally upon exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D3 is also found in animal-based foods such as egg yolk and fish oil.

They recommended taking vitamin D3 supplements for at least three years to reap its benefit. They explained that among the trials that they examined, those that involved longer supplementation showed greater evidence for the cancer-related benefit of vitamin D3.

“Another finding from subgroup analysis suggested that […] the benefit of reduced mortality was seen in trials with longer follow-up but not in those with a shorter follow-up. According to these findings, supplementation with vitamin D3 for at least three years should be considered,” wrote the researchers.

More studies on the anti-cancer benefit of vitamin D

Recent studies also found the link between reduced risk of cancer-related death and vitamin D supplementation.

In a recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, researchers looked at previous research that examined the use of vitamin D versus a placebo over at least three years. The studies included almost 80,000 cancer patients with an average age of 68.

They found that those who took vitamin D supplements for three years and more had a 13 percent reduced risk of cancer-related death.

“The difference in the mortality rate between the vitamin D and placebo groups was statistically significant enough that it showed just how important it might be among the cancer population,” said lead author Tarek Haykal of the Michigan State University and the Hurley Medical Center in Flint, Michigan.

In another study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers randomly assigned half of 25,800 participants to vitamin D supplementation and the other half to a placebo. They were followed up for an average of five years.

The researchers found that cancer-related deaths in the vitamin D group were reduced by 17 percent compared to the placebo group. When participants had been taking vitamin D for more than two years, deaths were reduced by 25 percent.

These findings illustrate that vitamin D can help reduce the risk of dying from cancer.

Mango Leaf Extract’s brain-boosting capabilities revealed after 5 year R&D study

Northumbria University (UK), September 16, 2020

A new study has been published that builds upon previous research showing ‘experiential’ benefits from the Zynamite ingredient platform. The new clinical trial, led by Professor David Kennedy, Director of the Brain, Performance and Nutrition Research Centre at Northumbria University and published in Nutrients, suggests a rapid and sustained boost for a wide range of cognitive functions after a single use of the ingredient. Zynamite is a patent-pending, proprietary Mangifera indica extract, standardized to ≥ 60% mangiferin, developed from sustainably harvested mango leaves. A self-affirmed GRAS ingredient, it has a portfolio of safety data and has been the subject of three pre-clinical and now seven clinical studies that demonstrate performance enhancement in both cognitive and physical performance.

The new study is indicative of a robust and continuing program of scientific study supporting Zynamite and underscores its potential as a leading ingredient for cognitive and physical performance. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study, published in 2019, was conducted to determine whether a single dose of Zynamite administered one hour before exercise would increase cycle-sprint performance. Subjects performed three Wingate sprint tests interspaced by 4 minutes and a final 15-second sprint after induced ischemia (blood flow restriction, which simulates exhaustion). Peak power was improved by 3.8% in one hour compared to placebo in subjects who took just one dose of Zynamite. Of note, the amount of quercetin in Zynamite (140 mg) is significantly lower than amounts of quercetin shown to produce ergogenic effects in previous studies, suggesting that this combination may have synergistic effects.

Study links rising stress, depression in US to pandemic-related losses, media

University of California at Irvine, September 19, 2020

Experiencing multiple stressors triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic—such as unemployment—and COVID-19-related media consumption are directly linked to rising acute stress and depressive symptoms across the U.S., according to a groundbreaking University of California, Irvine study.

The report appears in Science Advances.

“The pandemic is not hitting all communities equally,” said lead author E. Alison Holman, UCI professor of nursing. “People have lost wages, jobs and loved ones with record speed. Individuals living with chronic mental and physical illness are struggling; young people are struggling; poor communities are struggling. Mental health services need to be tailored to those most in need right now.”

In addition, the research highlights the connection between mental health and exposure to media coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting the need to step away from the television, computer or smartphone to protect psychological well-being.

“The media is a critical source of information for people when they’re faced with ambiguous, ongoing disasters,” said Roxane Cohen Silver, professor of psychological science and one of the study’s principal investigators. “But too much exposure can be overwhelming and lead to more stress, worry and perceived risks.”

With funding from a National Science Foundation RAPID grant, Holman, Silver, and co-investigators Dana Rose Garfin and Rebecca R. Thompson conducted a national survey of more than 6,500 U.S. residents in March and April 2020, as illness and deaths were rising around the country. Using the NORC AmeriSpeak panel, the study was the first of its kind to examine early predictors of rising mental health problems across the nation. The design let researchers evaluate the effects of the pandemic as it was unfolding in real time.

“Over the course of the study, the size of the pandemic shifted dramatically,” Holman said. Accordingly, people surveyed later in the study period reported the highest rate of acute stress and depressive symptoms.

The UCI team’s findings offer insights into priorities for building community resilience in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic:

Those with pre-existing mental and physical conditions are more likely to show both acute stress and depressive symptoms.
Secondary stressors—job and wage loss, a shortage of necessities—are also strong predictors in the development of these symptoms.
Extensive exposure to pandemic-related news and conflicting information in the news are among the strongest predictors of pandemic-specific acute stress.

“It’s critical that we prioritize providing resources to communities most in need of support right now—the unemployed, poor or chronically ill people, and young people,” Holman said. “We also encourage the public to limit exposure to media as an important public health intervention. It can prevent mental and physical health symptoms and promote resilience.”

Curcumin protects bone properties and microarchitecture in type 2 diabetes with osteoporosis

Zhaoqing Medical College (China) and Inner Mongolia Medical University, September 17, 2020

According to news reporting originating in Guangdong, People’s Republic of China, research stated, “Type 2 diabetic osteoporosis (T2DOP) has become a common secondary cause of osteoporosis that accelerates bone loss and leads to bone fractures. The aim of the current study was to investigate the association between the anti-osteoporotic effect of curcumin (Cur) and the transforming growth factor (TGF)beta /Smads signaling pathway.”

The news reporters obtained a quote from the research from the Department of Pharmacy, “Male Sprague-Dawley rats were used in the experiments. The type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) animals were treated with Cur for 8 weeks and blood lipid markers, bone microstructure and bone biomechanics were then evaluated. The mRNA expression levels of TGF beta 1, type I TGF beta receptor (T beta RI), T beta RII and Smad2/3 were determined using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and immunohistochemistry. The body weight of rats with type 2 diabetes-induced osteoporosis increased (P <0.05), while the lipid (total cholesterol, triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein) and fasting blood glucose levels were decreased by Cur (P <0.05). In addition, Cur significantly improved bone biomechanical properties (maximum load, breaking load, elastic load and the bone rigidity coefficient) and preserved bone microarchitecture (P <0.05). The RT-qPCR and IHC results revealed that Cur increased TGF <beta >1, T beta RI, T beta RII and Smad2/3 expression levels and promoted Smad2/3 phosphorylation in bones.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “The present results also indicated that Cur regulated lipid and glucose levels, improved bone biomechanical properties and preserved bone microarchitecture, and that these effects may be mediated via TGF beta /Smad2/3 pathway activation.”

20 Minutes in Nature a Day Is Your Ticket to Feeling Better

University of Michigan, September 19, 2020

Nature soothes our stressed-out souls. We instinctively know nature is the best prescription, but research is revealing how little time we need to set aside to reap the benefits.

In one study, published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, researchers tried to identify the most effective “dose” of nature within the context of normal daily life. As more doctors prescribe nature experiences for stress relief and other health benefits — sometimes referred to as a “nature pill” — the study’s authors hoped to clarify the details of these treatments. More biophilia is generally better for us, but since not everyone can spend all day in deep wilderness, the study looked for a sweet spot.

“We know that spending time in nature reduces stress, but until now it was unclear how much is enough, how often to do it, or even what kind of nature experience will benefit us,” says lead author MaryCarol Hunter, an associate professor at the University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability, in a statement. “Our study shows that for the greatest payoff, in terms of efficiently lowering levels of the stress hormone cortisol, you should spend 20 to 30 minutes sitting or walking in a place that provides you with a sense of nature.”

A nature pill can be a low-cost, low-risk way to curb the negative health effects of urbanization and indoor lifestyles. To find the most efficient dosage, Hunter and her co-authors asked 36 city dwellers to have nature experiences of at least 10 minutes three times per week over eight weeks. (A nature experience was defined as “anywhere outside that, in the opinion of the participant, made them feel like they’ve interacted with nature,” Hunter explains.) Every two weeks, the researchers collected saliva samples to measure levels of the stress hormone cortisol, both before and after the participants took their nature pill.

The data showed that just a 20-minute nature experience was enough to significantly reduce cortisol levels. The effect was most efficient between 20 to 30 minutes, after which benefits continued to accrue but at a slower rate. Researchers in the United Kingdom who analyzed the routines of roughly 20,000 people came up with a similar prescription: 2 hours a week totalspent in a park or woodland setting will improve your health.

Nature Time Doesn’t Have to Mean Exercise, Either

Those results dovetail with the findings of other studies, one of which found that spending 20 minutes in an urban park can make you happier, regardless of whether you use that time to exercise. That study was published in the International Journal of Environmental Health Research,

“Overall, we found park visitors reported an improvement in emotional well-being after the park visit,” lead author and University of Alabama at Birmingham professor Hon K. Yuen said in a statement. “However, we did not find levels of physical activity are related to improved emotional well-being. Instead, we found time spent in the park is related to improved emotional well-being.”

For this study, 94 adults visited three urban parks in Mountain Brook, Alabama, completing a questionnaire about their subjective well-being before and after their visit. An accelerometer tracked their physical activity. A visit lasting between 20 and 25 minutes demonstrated the best results, with a roughly 64 percent increase in the participants’ self-reported well-being, even if they didn’t move a great deal in the park. That last point is particularly positive since it means almost anyone can benefit from visiting a nearby park, regardless of age or physical ability.

The study’s co-author and another UAB professor, Gavin Jenkins, acknowledges the study pool was small, but its findings illustrate the importance of urban parks.

“There is increasing pressure on green space within urban settings,” Jenkins said in the statement. “Planners and developers look to replace green space with residential and commercial property. The challenge facing cities is that there is increasing evidence about the value of city parks but we continue to see the demise of these spaces.”

In another review published in Frontiers in Psychology, researchers at Cornell University examined the results of 14 studies that focused on the impact of nature on college students. They found that you might not even need the full 20 minutes to reap the benefits of some outdoor time. The studies showed that as little as 10–20 minutes of sitting or walking in nature can help college students feel happier and less stressed.

“It doesn’t take much time for the positive benefits to kick in,” said lead author Gen Meredith, associate director of the Master of Public Health Program and lecturer at the College of Veterinary Medicine, in a statement. “We firmly believe that every student, no matter what subject or how high their workload, has that much discretionary time each day, or at least a few times per week.”

Astaxanthin Supplementation Reduces Depression and Fatigue in Healthy Subjects

BGG North America and BGG, Beijing, August 26 2020

Objective: Natural Astaxanthin from Haematococcus pluvialis microalgae (NAX) has been researched in hundreds of clinical trials, pre-clinical animal studies and in-vitro surveys for various bioactive properties that indicate potential preventive and therapeutic health benefits. Among the most widely-researched properties of astaxanthin in the literature are broad-spectrum anti-inflammato- ry activity and powerful antioxidant capacity. In addition, both human and animal research have revealed a wide range of potential benefits for neurological and eye health, cardiovascular function, exercise endurance, enhancement of the immune response and skin health. This study’s goal was to explore the effects of a daily dose of 12 mg per day of NAX on psychological mood state in healthy subjects.

Abstract

Methods: This study employed placebo control and parallel design under double blind conditions. A total of 28 healthy subjects, half male and half female, with a median age of 42, supplemented with 12 mg per day of NAX or placebo. Before Day 0 and again at the end of the 8-week supplementation period, subjects completed a validated Profile of Mood States (POMS) survey to assess global mood state (GM) and related subscales: Vigor (V), Tension (T), Depression (D), Anger (A), Fatigue (F) and Confusion (C).

Results: Significant improvements were found in the NAX treatment group for positive mood state parameters: GM (+11%, p < 0.05) and V (+5%, NS); and negative mood state parameters: D (-57%, p < 0.05), F (-36%, p < 0.05), T (-20%, NS), A (-12%, NS), and C (-28%, NS).

Conclusions: While previous studies have shown NAX supplementation to improve parameters associated with brain health (neuro- inflammation and cognition), these data are the first to suggest that natural astaxanthin supplementation reduces negative mood state parameters (depression and fatigue) and improves global mood state and thus supports mental wellness.

Excessive exercise may tire your mind and body, reveals study

Pitie Salpetgriere University (France), September 18, 2020

Too much exercise can make your brain tired too, suggests a study published in the journal Current Biology.

French researchers found a form of mental fatigue among athletes subjected to a heavy training load. The athletes acted impulsively, having sought immediate rewards instead of bigger ones that take longer to achieve.

This form of mental fatigue affected a region of the brain that was previously linked to decreased cognitive control, said the researchers.

“The lateral prefrontal region that was affected by sport-training overload was exactly the same that had been shown vulnerable to excessive cognitive work in our previous studies,” said co-author Mathias Pessiglione of Pitie-Salpetriere University Hospital in Paris.

These findings demonstrate that mental and physical activity both require cognitive control, a finding that can benefit not only athletes but also policymakers, economic leaders, students and dieters.

Poorer decision-making due to fatigue

The researchers came up with the study after observing athletes training under the National Institute of Sport, Expertise and Performance in France, a public organization that runs elite sports programs in preparation for the Olympics.

According to the researchers, some athletes experienced an “overtraining syndrome,” in which performance levels drop as a trainee experiences an overwhelming sense of fatigue. The team wanted to know whether the syndrome was caused by the same kind of cognitive fatigue that was linked to excessive intellectual work.

For the study, they enlisted 37 competitive male endurance athletes with a mean age of 35 years. They were assigned either to continue normal training or undergo increased training intensity that went up by 40 percent per session over a three-week period. The team administered physical and behavioral tests and elicited the participants’ subjective experience of fatigue through questionnaires every two days.

Results showed that the athletes subjected to increased training intensity reported feeling more fatigued compared to the control group. They also acted more impulsively in standard tests used to evaluate economic decision-making by favoring immediate over delayed rewards. The researchers examined their brain activity as they made those choices and found diminished activity in the lateral prefrontal cortex.

“Our findings draw attention to the fact that neural states matter: you don’t make the same decisions when your brain is in a fatigue state,” said Pessiglione.

The study’s findings apply to a broad range of disciplines that include sports medicine, economics, politics, education and nutrition. According to the authors, it may be important to monitor fatigue levels in order to prevent bad decisions from being made. In turn, this can help people choose the right foods, improve study habits and manage finances better, among other applications.

Link between fatigue and poor cognitive health

Other studies also found that fatigue may have adverse effects on cognitive health.

One study examined the link between exercise and poor mental health. Participants were asked to self-report the number of days in the previous month when they felt mentally unwell. They were also asked how often they worked out during that period of time.

The researchers found that exercising for 45 minutes a day for three to five times a week offered the best mental health benefit. However, those who exercised for more than three hours a day displayed poorer mental health than even those who did not work out at all.

The researchers commented that people who exercise too much may be working themselves out to the point of exhaustion.

Meanwhile, another study looked at burnout and its effect on cognitive function. Researchers enlisted individuals who were clinically diagnosed with burnout and healthy individuals. All participants went through tests that measured their ability to regulate negative emotions.

The team found that burnout patients had a more difficult time modulating strong negative emotional responses compared to the healthy control group. (Related: Experts determine burnout and depression are closely linked.)

The findings of these studies serve as an important reminder that any physical and mental work should be done in moderation. Exhaustion has serious effects on brain health.

Headstand (Sirshasana) Does Not Increase the Blood Flow to the Brain

Saint-Petersburg State University (Russia) and Ohio State University, September 15, 2020

Abstract

Objectives: Most yoga practitioners believe that headstand (Sirshasana) results in increased cerebral perfusion. This, however, is not consistent with autoregulation of the cerebral blood flow. The intent of this study was to demonstrate the effect of Sirshasana on the blood flow to the brain through ultrasound examination of the internal carotid artery (ICA).

Design, location, and subjects: The ICA blood flow was measured with pulsed Doppler in 20 men and women aged 10 to 59 years (median 43) while performing the headstand (Sirshasana). Seventeen subjects were studied in 2018 in Spain at the altitude of 2,000 m, whereas the other three females were studied at sea level.

Results: Although the diameter of the artery under examination during the headstand remained almost unchanged, the decrease in peak flow velocities in systole and diastole caused a significant decrease in arterial blood flow to the brain, followed by return to baseline values immediately after the antiorthostatic postural effect, likely due to the expected consequences of the cerebral blood flow autoregulation of the cerebral blood supply as well as the intracranial pressure.

Conclusions: Contrary to popular belief, Sirshasana does not increase blood flow to the brain through the ICA, but results in predictable reduction in cerebral blood delivery in compliance with known mechanisms of autoregulation of cerebral blood flow. Moreover, increased ICA blood flow while performing the headstand is likely to be a contraindication to this exercise.