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2. West tells Global South ‘you can’t be neutral’ in Ukraine war: You are either with us, or against us (5:00)
3.Konstantin Kisin DESTROYS the BBC with FACTS & LOGIC (AGAIN!) (5:05)
B vitamins may boost cognitive ability in older adults: Study
Suwon Women’s and Kyung Hee Universities (Korea), February 19, 2023
Supplementation with vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid may improve cognitive function in older people with mild cognitive impairment, says a new study from Korea. Twelve weeks of daily consumption of the B vitamin supplements were also associated with lower levels of depression and decreased levels of the amino acid homocysteine, report scientists from Suwon Women’s University in GyungGi-do and Kyung Hee University in Seoul . Commenting on the practical implications for nursing, the researchers wrote: “Vitamin supplement intake as a nursing intervention can be applied to improve cognitive function, decrease serum homocysteine levels, and alleviate depression in elderly people in aged care facilities. “Furthermore, the results of this study could be utilized to decrease the incidence of cognitive disorders or depression in elderly people in aged care facilities, and could help them better adapt to such facilities and have a better quality of life through vitamin supplement intake.” The study supports a hypothesis that increased concentrations of the amino acid are linked to a higher rate of wasting in the brain, or atrophy, and therefore mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Other epidemiological studies have reported that high levels of homocysteine are associated with suspected or confirmed dementia. Indeed, the Framingham study reported that people with homocysteine levels above 14 micromoles per liter of serum had twice the risk of dementia. Tissue and plasma concentrations of homocysteine are known to be determined by vitamin B status, as they are cofactors for enzymes involved in homocysteine metabolism. The new study suggests there may be potential for B vitamins to impact homocysteine levels and cognitive function in the elderly.
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Sphaeranthus indicus, Mangifera indica increase strength, endurance
Vijaya Institute Medical Sciences College (India), February 27 2023.
A trial reported in Food & Nutrition Research resulted in improvements in muscle strength and endurance among men who received Sphaeranthus indicus (Indian thistle) and Mangifera indica (mango) in comparison with a placebo. Sphaeranthus indicus is a plant that has been used in traditional Indian medicine for many years. Mangifera indica or mango also grows in India and is a source of the antioxidant compound mangiferin.The trial included 40 active men aged 18 to 40 years who received a placebo or 650 milligrams per day of a formulation that contained Indian thistle flower head and mango stem bark extracts for 8 weeks. The men followed a resistance exercise program consisting of four weekly workouts throughout the course of the study. At the beginning of the study and after two, four and eight weeks, strength, endurance, body composition and serum measures of free testosterone, cortisol and other factors were assessed. Participants who received the supplemental combination experienced significantly greater gains in muscle strength, as indicated by bench press, leg press and handgrip assessments, compared to the beginning of the study and compared with the placebo group. Gains in endurance, as evaluated by cable pull-down repetitions and treadmill time to exhaustion, were also significantly greater at the end of the study compared to results obtained at the beginning as well as compared to those who received a placebo. While testosterone slightly declined by the end of the study among those who received a placebo, levels significantly increased among participants who received Sphaeranthus indicus and mango. The supplemented group also had significant gains in mid-upper arm circumferences and lean mass, and a reduction in cortisol and fat mass compared with the placebo. The authors concluded that the supplement combo significantly increased muscle strength and size and improved endurance in healthy men.
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Study: People who regularly use laxatives may have an increased risk of dementia
Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (China), February 22, 2023
People who regularly use laxatives, a common treatment for constipation, may have more than a 50% increased risk of developing dementia than people who do not use laxatives, according to a study published in the online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Researchers also found people who used only osmotic laxatives, a type of laxative that attracts water to the colon to soften stool, had an even greater risk. Other types of laxatives are bulk-forming, stool-softening, and stimulating. The study does not prove that laxatives cause dementia. It only shows an association. “Constipation and laxative use are common among middle-aged and older adults,” said study author Feng Sha, PhD, of the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Guangdong, China. “However, regular laxative use may change the microbiome of the gut, possibly affecting nerve signaling from the gut to the brain or increasing the production of intestinal toxins that may affect the brain. Our research found regular use of over-the-counter laxatives was associated with a higher risk of dementia, particularly in people who used multiple laxative types or osmotic laxatives.” Sha noted that osmotic and stimulant laxatives are not recommended for regular use, yet some people use them regularly. The study involved 502,229 people in the UK biobank database with an average age of 57 who did not have dementia at the start of the study. Of this group, 18,235 people, or 3.6%, reported regularly using over-the-counter laxatives. Regular use was defined as using a laxative most days of the week during the month before the study. Over an average of 10 years, 218 of those who regularly used laxatives, or 1.3%, developed dementia. Of those who did not regularly use laxatives, 1,969 people, or 0.4%, developed dementia. The risk of dementia also increased with the number of laxative types used. For people using one type of laxative, there was a 28% increased risk, compared to a 90% increased risk for people taking two or more types of laxatives. However, among people using only one type, only those taking osmotic laxatives had a heightened risk, with a 64% increase compared to those who did not use laxatives. “Finding ways to reduce a person’s risk of dementia by identifying risk factors that can be modified is crucial,” said Sha.
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Multiple sclerosis: High doses of omega-3 reduce symptoms in animal study
Providence Saint John’s Health Center (US), February 20, 2023
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic condition in which the immune system attacks the fatty layer that’s known as the myelin sheath surrounding nerves. This, in turn, reduces the ability of nerves to carry signals.
Some studies show that diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids are linked to lower MS rates and have beneficial anti-inflammatory and neurological health properties. Recently, researchers investigated how omega-3 fatty acid consumption reduces inflammatory responses in mice. They found that docosahexaenoyl ethanolamide (DHEA), a lipid compound derived from docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) found in fish oil, may reduce immune T cell responses and thus reduce MS-related inflammation. “DHEA has been shown to have immune-regulating properties, and at certain concentrations, be able to significantly suppress the production of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), a cytokine that plays a pivotal role in chronic inflammation associated with autoimmune disease, including MS. This study found that DHEA might also inhibit T-cell responses- another important precursor to MS.” The researchers found that DHEA levels are at their highest concentration in mice when in remission from MS, indicating that DHEA may dampen inflammation linked to the condition. From further experiments, they found that mice who were treated with DHEA had fewer inflammatory markers than controls. The results, noted the researchers, indicate that DHEA likely reduces inflammation and, thus MS symptoms by reducing number of pathogenic T cells in the nervous system. They further noted that treatment with DHEA did not affect the immune response of healthy mice. They wrote that this suggests DHEA influences the immune response outside of the brain in mice with MS, and not in healthy mice. The researchers concluded that DHEA may reduce the severity of MS and thus may be added to diets to complement existing treatments for the condition.
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Tahini Shown to Promote Heart Health Significantly
Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (Iran), February 20, 2023
Tahini, a paste made of sesame seeds, is a staple in many Middle Eastern cuisines. Raw and unprocessed tahini, without any additional oils or additives, could be a superior food-medicine for preventing heart disease and the risk factors associated with it. A study from the Archives of Iranian Medicine reveals tahini as a possible substitution for risky drugs like statins, drugs prescribed for heart health and known to come with potentially dangerous side effects. The study looked at the effects of tahini in type 2 diabetics—people who are known to be at a greater risk of cardiac mortality due to higher than normal blood lipids, high blood sugar, and insulin resistance. A group of 41 patients was divided into two groups. Group A was given two tablespoons (28 grams) of tahini with their breakfast every day for six months. Group B functioned as the control group and didn’t receive tahini at all. Aside from that, the number of calories in their breakfast and throughout the day were kept similar. The groups were tested at the beginning and at six weeks for various cardiovascular risk factors including: blood pressure, triglycerides, and total cholesterol levels. After only six weeks, significant changes were noted: “After six weeks, there were significant decreases in serum TG (15.3 mg/dL) and AIP (39 %) in group A. Moreover, slight decreases in serum TC, LDL-C, and other atherogenic lipid parameters and a mild increase in HDL-C also were observed during Ardeh supplementation. Anthropometric measures and blood pressure were unchanged during the study period in both groups.” A 39% decrease in atherogenic index of plasma is significant, particularly since the only thing that changed in group A was the addition of tahini. The tahini used was “raw” or not combined with any oil or added ingredients—it was pure, ground sesame seeds. This is far from the first study to implicate sesame seeds in positive health changes. Sesame seeds are comparable to NSAIDs (like ibuprofen) in the treatment of knee arthritis—able to reduce pain significantly without any side effects.
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Excessive screen time linked to suicidal behaviors in US preteens
University of Toronto, February 27, 2023
Amidst the worsening teen mental health crisis and new legislation proposing to ban children under 16 from using social media, a new study finds that greater screen time among children 9-11 is associated with a higher risk of developing suicidal behaviors two years later. The study, published in Preventive Medicine, finds that each additional hour of screen timeis associated with a 9% higher risk of reporting suicidal behavior two years later. In particular, each extra hour spent watching videos, playing video games, texting, and video chatting led to a higher risk of suicidal behavior. “Screen usage could lead to social isolation, cyberbullying, and sleep disruption, which could worsen mental health,” said senior author Jason Nagata, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco. “More time on screens often displaces time for in person socializing, physical activity, and sleep.” Suicide is the second leading cause of death among adolescents. The study collected screen time data for 11,633 children 9-11 years who were followed for two years. The children answered questions about their time spent on six different screen time modalities as well as suicidal behaviors. “Screen time can have important benefits such as education and socialization, but parents should try to mitigate adverse mental health risks from excessive screen time. Parents should regularly talk to their children about screen usage and role model screen behaviors,” said Nagata.