Recent Longevity News for the week ending 3/30/16

Coffee Consumption and the Risk of Cirrhosis - Medscape, 3/24/16 - "The pooled RR of cirrhosis for a daily increase in coffee consumption of two cups was 0.56"

Healthy Vitamin C Amount Might Prevent Cataracts - WebMD, 3/24/16 - "The new study included more than 1,000 pairs of 60-year-old British female twins. The researchers found that those who took in high amounts of vitamin C in their diet had a one-third lower risk of cataract over 10 years ... Hammond's team now believes that a person's genetics probably account for 35 percent of the risk of cataract progression, while diet and other environmental factors may account for the other 65 percent"

Exercise May Keep Your Brain 10 Years Younger, Study Suggests - WebMD, 3/23/16 - "physical activity boosts blood flow to the brain, and may enhance the connections among brain cells ... When it came to tests of episodic memory -- remembering words from a list -- less-active and sedentary seniors showed the equivalent of 10 extra years of brain aging ... a casual walk around your neighborhood is not enough to preserve brain function as you age"

People with rage disorder twice as likely to have latent toxoplasmosis parasite infection - Science Daily, 3/23/16 - "It will take experimental studies to see if treating a latent toxoplasmosis infection with medication reduces aggressiveness ... If we can learn more, it could provide rational to treat IED in toxoplasmosis-positive patients by first treating the latent infection"

Potato chips, soft drinks instant noodles accelerated aging high-phosphorus foods - Video but it's in Mandarin

Avoiding Sun as Dangerous as Smoking - Medscape, 3/23/16 - "The results add to the longstanding debate on the role of vitamin D in health and the amount of it people need, but this study doesn't resolve the question"

Chocolate Can Boost Your Workout - New York Times, 3/23/16 - "the scientists provided half of the cyclists with 40 grams (1.4 ounces, or about one and a half squares) per day of Dove brand dark chocolate, which has been found in past tests to contain an above-average amount of epicatechin ... The results were beguiling. Each of the cyclists performed better in most of the physical tests after two weeks of supplementing with dark chocolate, compared to baseline results and after they had eaten white chocolate. The riders utilized less oxygen to ride at a moderate pace, a change that would generally allow them to ride longer or harder before tiring; and they covered more distance during a two-minute, all-out time trial, meaning that their anaerobic, sprinting ability had been enhanced ... more than 40 grams is unlikely to be helpful" - See Ghirardelli Chocolate Intense Dark Squares, Midnight Reverie, 4.12 oz., 86% Cacao (Pack of 4) at Amazon.com.  Each individually wrapped square is 10 grams.  Also see Dove Dark Chocolate Candy Bar, Singles (18 Count) which are 40 gram bars which may have been the ones in this study but it doesn't tell you the percentage of cacao.  Some websites show the old packaging and it says 71% cacao.  I doubt if you find anything with a higher percentage of cacao than the Ghirardelli Chocolate Intense Dark Squares, Midnight Reverie  (86%) so my theory is that you're getting the most cacao for the least calories.  More than one of the 10 gram Ghirardelli bars every two days gives me a headache and I'm not one that gets headaches.

Heavy, persistent pot use linked to economic, social problems at midlife - Science Daily, 3/23/16 - "A research study that followed children from birth up to age 38 has found that people who smoked cannabis four or more days of the week over many years ended up in a lower social class than their parents, with lower-paying, less skilled and less prestigious jobs than those who were not regular cannabis smokers. These regular and persistent users also experienced more financial, work-related and relationship difficulties, which worsened as the number of years of regular cannabis use progressed"

BPA substitute can trigger fat cell formation: Chemical used in BPA-free products exhibits similar endocrine-disrupting effects - Science Daily, 3/22/16 - "Concerns about BPA's health effects have encouraged some consumers to purchase food containers labeled "BPA-free." BPA-free products often contain bisphenol S (BPS) or other substitutes, but researchers have raised concerns that these replacements also interfere with the body's hormones and may pose similar threats to public health ... Our research indicates BPS and BPA have comparable effects on fat cells and their metabolism ... the cells exposed to the smallest amounts of BPS as well as the cells exposed to the highest concentrations exhibited the largest accumulation of lipids, while moderate amounts had a smaller effect ... BPS and BPA have similar effects on fat cell formation, lipid accumulation and expression of genes important for lipid metabolism"

Common chemicals linked to endometriosis, fibroids -- and healthcare costs - CNN, 3/22/16 - "phthalates and DDE, have been particularly strongly linked with common female reproductive conditions, such as fibroids ... The European Union and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have already banned the use of certain endocrine disruptors, such as BPA, in baby bottles, though research suggests alternatives to BPA might not be safe .. They can eat organic, reduce canned food consumption, which reduces exposure to BPA, and avoid packaged or highly processed food, which is a major route for phthalates to enter food. They can also open windows to allow chemical dust, which accumulates on the carpet and electronics, to circulate out of homes"

Diabetes Drugs Have Positive Effect in MS - Medscape, 3/22/16 - "After a mean follow-up of 26.7 months, patients receiving metformin or pioglitazone had a significant decrease in the number of new or enlarging T2 lesions on brain MRI compared with the control group and compared with findings on MRIs performed 2 years before ... This decrease was evident even after 6 months of treatment. The lowest mean number of new or enlarging T2 lesions occurred after 18 months of treatment (metformin, 0.5; pioglitazone, 0.6) and remained low throughout the study ... There was no significant difference between the two treatments ... Although not designed to detect treatment effects, the study did find that fasting glucose levels, fasting insulin levels, insulin resistance, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and systolic blood pressure all declined significantly in both treatment groups after 12 months" - See metformin at The Antiaging Store.

Efficacy of Intravaginal Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on Moderate to Severe Dyspareunia and Vaginal Dryness, Symptoms of Vulvovaginal Atrophy, and of the Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause - Medscape, 3/22/16 - "The daily intravaginal administration of 0.50% (6.5 mg) DHEA (Prasterone) has shown clinically and highly statistically significant effects on the four coprimary parameters suggested by the US Food and Drug Administration. The strictly local action of Prasterone is in line with the absence of significant drug-related adverse events, thus showing the high benefit-to-risk ratio of this treatment based upon the novel understanding of the physiology of sex steroids in women"

Ask Well: Should I Take a Potassium Supplement? - NYTimes, 3/22/16 - "The daily requirement seems particularly difficult to meet by eating potassium rich foods ... The recommended daily intake for adults is 4,700 milligrams, but many Americans fall short because we don’t eat nearly enough fruits and vegetables .. Over-the-counter supplements and multivitamins cannot contain more than 100 milligrams of potassium because the mineral can cause serious side effects in people with kidney disease and may also interact with certain high blood pressure medications and over-the-counter painkillers, as well as laxatives. Since you would have to take a large number of supplements to get a significant amount of potassium, Ms. Angelone said, “It would be better to get potassium naturally.”" - I ignore the experts on this and take 800 mg per day divided up and with meals.  My yearly blood work still shows it a little on the low side.  See potassium citrate at Amazon.com.

Is apple cider vinegar really good for you? - Washington Post, 3/22/16 - "It turns out there is substantial evidence that consuming vinegar can help keep blood sugar under control, which in turn may ultimately decrease the risk of diabetes and heart disease, among other benefits ... “Vinegar appears to inhibit the enzymes that help you digest starch.” When starch is not completely digested, you get a smaller blood sugar (glycemic) response — “20-40% less in healthy people and in diabetics” — after eating a high-glycemic food such as a bagel ... On top of that, undigested starch may have a prebiotic effect, meaning as it passes through the intestines it becomes food for the good bacteria in your gut. Well-fed gut bacteria generally translates to a healthier you because these microorganisms help support good digestion and our immune systems, among other benefits ... Those undigested starch calories may also add up over time to some weight loss ... the active starch-inhibiting ingredient in vinegar is acetic acid, which is in all vinegars" - See Apple cider vinegar at Amazon.com - 1 Source Natural 500 mg tablet equals 2 tsb of vinegar.  4.5 tablets equals about 3 tablespoons by my calculations.

Abstracts from this week:

Effects of telmisartan on fat distribution: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials - Curr Med Res Opin. 2016 Mar 24:1-24 - "The findings suggest that telmisartan affected fat distribution, inducing visceral fat reduction, and thus, could be useful in hypertensive patients with obesity/overweight, metabolic syndrome, or glucose intolerance"

Clinical Evaluation of Effects of Chronic Resveratrol Supplementation on Cerebrovascular Function, Cognition, Mood, Physical Function and General Well-Being in Postmenopausal Women-Rationale and Study Design - Nutrients. 2016 Mar 9;8(3) - "Healthy postmenopausal women were recruited to participate in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled (parallel comparison) dietary intervention trial to evaluate the effects of resveratrol supplementation (75 mg twice daily) on cognition, cerebrovascular responsiveness to cognitive tasks and overall well-being ... This trial provides a model approach to demonstrate that, by optimising circulatory function in the brain, resveratrol and other vasoactive nutrients may enhance mood and cognition and ameliorate the risk of developing dementia in postmenopausal women and other at-risk populations" - See Reserveage Nutrition - Resveratrol with Pterostilbene 500mg, Cellular Age-Defying Formula, 60 veg capsules.

Vitamin D supplement improved testicular function in diabetic rats - Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2016 Mar 19 - "In diabetic rats, prolonged hyperglycemia evaluated inflammatory cytokines, damaged sperm production function and redox balance,diminished serum testosterone. After treated with 1,25(OH)2D3 at two different doses respectively for 12 months, all the alternations were effectively normalized. 1,25(OH)2D3 showed inhibitory effect on excessive inflammatory biomarkers and adjusted the expression reproductive genes and testicular androgen synthesis. It also upregulated Bcl-2 expression, decreased Bax and COX-2 expression and inhibited active caspase cascade (caspase 8 and caspase 3), which may preserved the testicular cells under diabetic condition. It revealed that vitamin D supplement may protect the cells through suppressing inflammation factors and alleviating cell apoptotic death, as well as upregulating the expression of genes related to reproductive and testosterone synthesis" - See vitamin D at Amazon.com.

Association Between Small Decrease in Serum Sodium Concentration within the Normal Range and All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality in Elderly Adults over 5 Years - J Am Geriatr Soc. 2016 Mar;64(3):510-7 - "Participants were divided into corrected sodium groups as follows: 73 (7.7%) in Group 1 (sodium 135.0-138.0 mEq/L), 635 (66.9%) in Group 2 (sodium 138.1-142.0 mEq/L), and 241 (25.4%) in Group 3 (sodium 142.1.0-145.0 mEq/L). There were 34 (46.6%) deaths in Group 1, 124 (19.5%) in Group 2, and 52 (21.6%) in Group 3 (P < .001). In a Cox proportional hazards analysis, a 2-mEq/L higher sodium level reduced the risk of death by 14.9% (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.1-27.4%, P = .048). Group 1 had risk of mortality that was 2.7 times as high as that of Group 2 (95% CI = 1.76-4.11, P < .001)" - Hmm.  Blows a hole in the low sodium theory and several studies back this up.  My sodium has been at 142 for years not matter what I do.  I thought that was a bad thing but I'm exactly between Group 2 and 3.

Relationship Between Circulating Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone, Free Thyroxine, and Free Triiodothyronine Concentrations and 9-Year Mortality in Euthyroid Elderly Adults - J Am Geriatr Soc. 2016 Mar;64(3):553-60 - "Participants with TSH in the lowest quartile had higher mortality than the rest of the population. After adjusting for multiple confounders, participants with TSH in the lowest quartile (hazard ratio = 2.22, 95% confidence interval = 1.19-4.22) had significantly higher all-cause mortality than those with TSH in the highest quartile. Neither FT3 nor FT4 was associated with mortality"

Association between Fish Intake and Depressive Symptoms among Community-living Older Chinese Adults in Singapore: A Cross-sectional Study - J Nutr Health Aging. 2016;20(4):404-7 - "Fish intake was associated with a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms ([odds ratio] OR = 0.60" - See fish oil supplements at Amazon.com.

Fish Oil-Based Fat Emulsion Reduces Acute Kidney Injury and Inflammatory Response in Antibiotic-Treated Polymicrobial Septic Mice - Nutrients. 2016 Mar 15;8(3) - "one of the septic groups was injected IP with a fish oil-based emulsion (FO), while the other two groups were given either a mixed oil emulsion (MO) or saline (SC) ... Compared to the SC group, the group given the fish oil-based emulsion had decreased plasma NGAL by 22% and Treg by 33%. Furthermore, renal gene expressions of MyD88 and TLR4 reduced by 46% and 62%, respectively, whereas heat shock protein 70 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ increased by 158% and 69%, respectively (p < 0.05), at Day 3 after CLP. These results suggest that administration of a fish oil-based emulsion has favorable effects, maintaining blood T cell percentage, downregulating Treg expression, attenuating systemic and local inflammation and offering renal protection under conditions of antibiotic-treated polymicrobial sepsis" - See fish oil supplements at Amazon.com.

Low Urinary Iodine Concentrations Associated with Dyslipidemia in US Adults - Nutrients. 2016 Mar 17;8(3) - "Those with the lowest decile of UIC were more likely to be at risk for elevated total cholesterol (>200 mg/dL) (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.51, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.03-2.23) and elevated LDL cholesterol (>130 mg/dL) (AOR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.11-2.23) and lowered HDL/LDL ratio (<0.4) (AOR = 1.66, 95% CI: 1.18-2.33), compared to those with UIC above the 10th percentile. In US adults, low UIC was associated with increased odds for dyslipidemia" - See Lugol's Iodine Solution(2 oz.) Twin Pack(2 bot.) at Amazon.com. 

Health Focus (Cayenne/Capsicum):