Recent Longevity News for the week ending 11/9/16

Clinical Study Shows AstaReal(R) Astaxanthin Effective in Reducing both Mental and Physical Fatigue - yonhapnews.co.kr, 11/7/16 - "AstaReal® astaxanthin significantly reduced perceived symptoms of mental and physical fatigue compared to the placebo. These included improvements in clarity of thinking, concentration, motivation, and mood. Irritation and feeling of body heaviness were reduced. In the calculation test, an increase in errors observed in the placebo during the second half of the test was almost eliminated in the astaxanthin group. Supplementation with astaxanthin also significantly reduced salivary cortisol, a biomarker for stress" - [Nutra USA] - See astaxanthin at Amazon.com.

Hard to do systems biology when you ignore 99% of us (the microbiome): Expert - Nutra USA, 11/8/16 - "I can tell you with 90% certainty if you're lean or obese based on your microbiome" - See probiotic products at Amazon.com.

Trimming the spare tire: Canola oil may cut belly fat - Science Daily, 11/2/16 - "after one month of adhering to diets that included canola oil, participants had .11 kilograms, or a quarter pound, less belly fat than they did before the diet ... In order to incorporate canola oil into the diet, Kris-Etherton suggests using it when sautéing foods, in baking, adding it to a smoothie and in salad dressings ... Canola oil is high in monounsaturated fatty acids, which have been shown to have beneficial effects on body composition, especially in people with obesity"

Beta-cryptoxanthin, a carotenoid, inhibits nicotine-linked lung cancer development in mice - Science Daily, 11/1/16 - "The team calculated that these doses are equivalent to approximately 0.087 and 0.87 milligrams of daily BCX intake in humans (eating a tangerine or cup of sweet red peppers per day, for example) ... At the end of the experimental period, mice fed BCX developed on average 50 to 60 percent fewer tumors than mice not fed BCX ... The team's findings corroborate human epidemiological studies that have found an association between higher BCX intake and lower risk of lung cancer in current smokers from North America and Asian countries"

'Medical Food' May Slow Brain Atrophy in Patients With Alzheimer's and Related Disorders - Medscape, 10/31/16 - "In a study of 67 participants, those with both HHcy and ADRD who took the L-methylfolate, methylcobalamin, and N-acetyl-cysteine product for 2 years had an adjusted hippocampal atrophy rate more than 4 times slower than that in the participants with ADRD and no HHcy who did not take the prescription medical food. The rate of cortical atrophy was more than 11 times slower in the treatment group ... the reductions in rate of brain tissue loss "were quite dramatic" and he especially didn't expect the cortical finding ... The take-away message…is that elevated homocysteine is common and should be regularly checked for in all persons over 50 years old, and it should be treated when found ... HHcy has a worldwide prevalence of 5.1% to 29% in individuals who are older than 65 years. "Furthermore, the odds of brain atrophy are up to 10 times higher in HHcy patients than in those with normal homocysteine levels,"" - See L-methylfolate, methylcobalamin, and N-acetyl-cysteine at Amazon.com.

Abstracts from this week:

Effects of Ginkgo Biloba Extract EGb-761 on Neuropathic Pain in Mice: Involvement of Opioid System - Phytother Res. 2016 Nov;30(11):1809-181 - "In conclusion, this study suggests that the potential of EGb-761 as a new analgesic for neuropathic pain treatment, and opioid system may be involved in the EGb-761-induced attenuation of thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia" - See ginkgo biloba at Amazon.com.

Molecular evidence that oral supplementation with lycopene or lutein protects human skin against ultraviolet radiation: Results from a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, cross-over study - Br J Dermatol. 2016 Sep 23 - "We examined the capacity of lycopene rich tomato nutrient complex (TNC) and lutein, to protect against UVA/B- and UVA1 radiation at a molecular level ... Assuming the role of these genes as indicators of oxidative stress, photo-dermatoses and photo-aging these results might indicate that TNC and lutein could protect against solar radiation-induced health damage" - [Nutra USA] - See Jarrow Lyco-Sorb (contains Lyco-O-Mato) at Amazon.com and lutein at Amazon.com.

Probiotic With or Without Fiber Controls Body Fat Mass, Associated With Serum Zonulin, in Overweight and Obese Adults—Randomized Controlled Trial - j.ebiom.2016.10.036 - "We investigated the possible effects of Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis 420 (B420) and the dietary fiber Litesse® Ultra polydextrose (LU) on body fat mass and other obesity-related parameters ... For relative change in body fat mass, LU + B420 showed a − 4.5% (−1.4 kg, P = 0.02, N = 37) difference to the Placebo group, whereas LU (+0.3%, P = 1.00, N = 35) and B420 (−3.0%, P = 0.28, N = 24) alone had no effect (overall ANOVA P = 0.095, Placebo N = 35). A post-hoc factorial analysis was significant for B420 (−4.0%, P = 0.002 vs. Placebo). Changes in fat mass were most pronounced in the abdominal region, and were reflected by similar changes in waist circumference. B420 and LU + B420 also significantly reduced energy intake compared to Placebo" - [Nutra USA] - See probiotic products at Amazon.com and polydextrose at Amazon.com. 

Health Focus (Iron):