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Omega-3 fatty acid stops known trigger of lupus
Michigan State University, September 29, 2022
A team of Michigan State University researchers has found that consuming an omega-3 fatty acid called DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid, can stop a known trigger of lupus and potentially other autoimmune disorders.
“What we discovered was when lupus was triggered by crystalline silica, a toxic mineral also known as quartz that’s linked to human autoimmunity, DHA blocked the activation of the disease,” said Melissa Bates, one of the study’s lead authors in MSU’s Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition and the Institute of Integrative Toxicology.
The preclinical study looked at the effect of DHA on lupus lesions in the lungs and kidneys of female mice that were already genetically predisposed to the disease. Their results were overwhelmingly positive.
“Ninety-six percent of the lung lesions were stopped with DHA after being triggered by the silica,” said Jack Harkema, another study author and pulmonary pathologist. “I’ve never seen such a dramatic protective response in the lung before.”
Lupus is considered a genetic disease and is triggered not only by inhaling crystalline silica toxicants, but also by other environmental factors such as sun exposure. Quartz is the most common, and most dangerous, form of crystalline silica and is often found in the agriculture, construction and mining industries where workers can breathe in the mineral dust. Lupus is the body’s immune system attacking itself and it can damage any part of the body including skin, joints and organs.
Although it’s still unknown exactly why DHA is able to prevent the onset of lupus, the researchers said this study provides scientists with a better model for looking at just how much DHA is needed to ward off the environmental trigger of the disease.
According to Harkema, the DHA could be changing the way cells, also known as macrophages, react to the silica in the lungs and somehow alter the immune system’s response.
“What we do know is this study is a clear indication that eating DHA can prevent this one type of environmental triggering of lupus,” Pestka said. “It can suppress many of the disease’s signaling pathways, which current drugs on the market now try to target and treat.”
Study offers real-world evidence of vitamin D’s protective effects
German Cancer Research Center, October 12 2022.
A study reported in the Journal of Internal Medicine provides “real-world” evidence of the benefits of vitamin D supplementation.
“Given the increasing importance of real-world evidence in determining the drug effectiveness outside of the strictly defined and controlled situations of randomized controlled trials, it is of great interest how the efficacy data of vitamin D3 supplementation obtained from well-defined and well-controlled clinical trial populations translate into effectiveness in real-world practice,” the authors remarked. “The primary objective of this study was to investigate whether the intake of vitamin D supplements (in the form of a vitamin D preparation or as part of a multivitamin product) is associated with reduced all-cause and cause-specific mortality including cancer mortality, cardiovascular disease mortality and respiratory disease mortality in the large UK Biobank, a nationwide, population-based cohort from the United Kingdom.”
The researchers analyzed information from 445,601 UK Biobank participants. Regular vitamin D supplement use was reported by 4.3% of the participants and multivitamin use was reported by 20.4%.
Vitamin D and multivitamin supplement users had higher median 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels than nonusers. Multivitamin users experienced a 74% reduction in the risk of vitamin D deficiency and users of over-the-counter vitamin D supplements had an 84% lower risk.
During the 11.8-year median follow-up, individuals who used multivitamins had a 5% lower risk of mortality and those who used vitamin D had a 10% lower risk compared to nonusers. Regular vitamin D use was associated with 11% lower risk of dying from cancer and a 29% lower risk of mortality from respiratory disease.
“This large study suggests that in the real world, the efficacy of vitamin D supplements in reducing mortality may be at least as good as observed in randomized clinical trials,” the authors concluded.
What you eat could contribute to your menstrual cramps
North American Menopause Society, October 12, 2022
Despite the fact that menstrual pain (dysmenorrhea) is the leading cause of school absences for adolescent girls, few girls seek treatment. An analysis of relevant studies suggests that diet may be a key contributor, specifically diets high in meat, oil, sugar, salt, and coffee, which have been shown to cause inflammation. Results will be presented during The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) Annual Meeting in Atlanta.
Roughly 90% of adolescent girls experience menstrual pain. Most use over-the-counter medicine to manage the pain but with limited positive results. Evidence has highlighted that diets high in omega-3 fatty acids and low in processed foods, oil, and sugar reduce inflammation, a key contributor to menstrual pain.
This analysis was designed to study the effect of diet on menstrual pain and identify which foods contribute to it and which can reduce it. Research was conducted through a literature review that found multiple studies that examined dietary patterns that resulted in menstrual pain. In general terms, these studies found that diets high in omega-6 fatty acids promote inflammation and foods high in omega-3 fatty acids reduce it. The muscles in the uterus contract because of prostaglandins, which are active in inflammatory responses. When measuring the Dietary Inflammatory Index, it was found that those on a vegan diet (that excluded animal fat) had the lowest rates of inflammation.
“Researching the effects of diet on menstrual pain started as a search to remedy the pain I personally experienced; I wanted to understand the science behind the association. Learning about different foods that increase and decrease inflammation, which subsequently increase or reduce menstrual pain, revealed that diet is one of the many contributors to health outcomes that is often overlooked. I am hopeful that this research can help those who menstruate reduce the pain they experience and shed light on the importance of holistic treatment options,” says Serah Sannoh, lead author of the poster presentation from Rutgers University.
“Since menstrual pain is a leading cause of school absenteeism for adolescent girls, it’s important to explore options that can minimize the pain. Something like diet modification could be a relatively simple solution that could provide substantial relief for them,” said Dr. Stephanie Faubion, NAMS medical director.
Free radicals blamed for toxic buildup in Alzheimer’s brains
Rutgers University, October 10, 2022.
A study reported in Cell Death & Disease revealed a previously unknown mechanism that may contribute to traumatic brain injury and Alzheimer’s disease. While a buildup of the protein amyloid-beta has been hypothesized to be the major driver of Alzheimer’s disease, the study suggests that another protein, after undergoing oxidation by free radicals, could be a causative factor.
“Indeed, scientists have known for a long time that during aging or in neurodegenerative disease cells produce free radicals,” explained lead researcher Federico Sesti, who is a professor of neuroscience and cell biology at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. “Free radicals are toxic molecules that can cause a reaction that results in lost electrons in important cellular components, including the channels.”
Dr Sesti and colleagues determined that oxidation of a potassium channel known as KCNB1 results in a toxic buildup of this protein, leading to increased amyloid-beta production and damage to brain function. “The discovery of KCNB1’s oxidation/build-up was found through observation of both mouse and human brains, which is significant as most scientific studies do not usually go beyond observing animals,” Dr Sesti reported. “Further, KCBB1 channels may not only contribute to Alzheimer’s but also to other conditions of stress as it was found in a recent study that they are formed following brain trauma.”
How much radioactivity is in infant formula?
University of Malaya & University of Surrey (UK), October 10, 2022
Based on measurements of radioactivity in samples of infant formula manufactured and sold around the world, researchers estimate that infants 1 year of age or younger who consume these formulas would ingest a significantly higher radioactivity dose than reported levels, but lower than internationally recommended limits. The researchers report the radioactivity levels for each brand of formula in an article published in Environmental Engineering Science, a peer-reviewed journal.
Onoshohwo Bemigho Uwatse and coauthors, University of Malaya (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), University of Surrey (U.K.), and King Saud University (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia), determined the levels of radioactive radium, potassium, radium, and thorium in 14 brands of powdered infant milk prepared and sold in various regions around the world. Levels of radioactivity in the formula may vary depending on several factors including radioactivity in the soil, grass, or hay from which the cows were fed, in other raw materials used in processing the formula, or due to processing conditions.
“This paper focuses on a topic that has not drawn significant attention but, nonetheless, has important health implications,” says Domenico Grasso, PhD, Editor-in-Chief of Environmental Engineering Science and Provost, University of Delaware.
Using more social media increases depression risk for all personality types, study says
University of Arkansas, October 11, 2022
Public policy and education researchers found that higher social media exposure may contribute to depression, regardless of personality traits.
In their recent study, high neuroticism was associated with an increased risk of developing depression within six months.
On the other hand, low agreeableness was associated with a greater depression risk within that period.
The study’s authors suggest that interventions should encourage reduced social media use for all personality types, especially high neuroticism, and low agreeableness.
Experts have found evidence that suggests that increased social media use (SMU) may increase the risk of developing depression for certain personality characteristics, as the study showed that people low in conscientiousness with high SMU were more likely to perceive social isolation.
A new study led by University of Arkansas researchers further explores how personality traits may influence the development of SMU-related depression. The findings appear in the Journal of Affective Disorders Reports.
Merrill and co-authors used data collected over six months by researchers, using a national sample of 978 people aged 18–30. Merrill explained that her team used the Patient Health Questionnaire to assess depression at baseline and follow-up. The participants in this study reported how much time they spent on 10 leading social media platforms.
The researchers assessed personality traits. They examined data for associations between personality characteristics (neuroticism, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, and extraversion), social media use, and the development of depression over 6 months.
The team found that participants with high agreeableness were 49% less likely to develop depression than those with low agreeableness.
However, individuals with high neuroticism were more than twice as likely to develop depression as people with low neuroticism.