Recent Longevity News for the week ending 9/4/19

Diet's effect on gut bacteria could play role in reducing Alzheimer's risk - Science Daily, 9/3/19 - "a modified Mediterranean-ketogenic diet produced changes in the gut microbiome and its metabolites that correlated with reduced levels of Alzheimer's markers in the members of both study groups"

A Teen Boy's Diet of Fries and Sausage Led to Blindness, According to a New Case Study - Time, 9/3/19 - "The authors theorize that the boy’s extremely limited diet led to deficiencies in B vitamins and copper, which became severe enough to contribute to nerve damage and vision loss" - Note:  I see a lot of people taking large quantities of just zinc.  Zinc can lower the absorption of copper.  They might argue that a lot of copper can contribute to Alzheimer's but you have to reach a happy medium.  Both Alzheimer's or going blind are not good choices.  See zinc balance at Amazon.com.

It is never too late to start statins for clogged leg arteries - Science Daily, 9/3/19 - "Around 200 million people worldwide have peripheral arterial disease (PAD), a condition in which arteries in the legs are clogged. This restricts blood flow to the legs and raises the chances of stroke and heart attack. Around 30% of patients have pain and cramping in their legs when they walk -- referred to as intermittent claudication -- while others have gangrene in the feet due to poor circulation ... This study examined whether adherence to statin therapy influenced survival in patients with symptomatic PAD ... The dose of drug also increased between the two time periods, which was paralleled by a significant drop in LDL cholesterol from 97 to 82 mg/dL ... Patients who stopped taking a statin had a similar mortality rate (33%) to those who never took the drug (34%). Adhering to statins throughout the 50 months was linked with a 20% rate of death ... Taking high-dose statins throughout the study was linked with the lowest mortality rate (10%), while reducing the dosage during the study was related to the highest death rate (43%) ... All PAD patients should take statins, preferably very potent statins, like rosuvastatin 40 mg or atorvastatin 80 mg, or at the highest tolerable dose. In the rare case of statin intolerance, which was around 2% in our study, alternative lipid lowering therapies must be considered"

Community-Wide Salt Swap Moves BP Needle, Halves Hypertension - Medscape, 9/2/19 - "Replacing regular high-sodium salt with a substitute containing 75% sodium and 25% potassium reduced overall systolic BP by 1.23 mm Hg (P = .004) and diastolic BP by 0.72 mm Hg (P = .022) from a baseline average of 113/72 mm Hg ... Systolic BP fell by 1.92 mm Hg among residents with hypertension and by 2.17 mm Hg in those aged 60 years and older ... even modest decreases in blood pressure at the population level bring us larger gains ... Previous work has shown that even a 2–mm Hg reduction in systolic BP can lower stroke mortality by 10% and mortality from ischemic heart disease or other vascular causes in middle age by 7%. Recent studies also have linked potassium supplementation with reduced BP ... A random 24-hour urine sampling of 600 participants showed that sodium levels remained unchanged from baseline (3.94 g vs 3.95 g) but that potassium levels increased from 1.97 g to 2.60 g ... "This is very important because when considering population use of salt substitute, the first thing that arises in every discussion is, 'What about the risks of hyperkalemia?' " Neal said. "I think those risks are probably greatly overstated because they probably only apply to a small proportion of the population with severe kidney disease, most of whom would be aware they have severe kidney disease and should also avoid potassium-salt substitutes." - Note:  This was only 25% potassium, Lite Salt is over 50% (290 mg sodium, 350 mg potassium] .  See potassium citrate at Amazon.com.

Suggested move to plant-based diets risks worsening brain health nutrient deficiency - Science Daily, 8/29/19 - "To make matters worse, the UK government has failed to recommend or monitor dietary levels of this nutrient -- choline -- found predominantly in animal foods ... Choline is an essential dietary nutrient, but the amount produced by the liver is not enough to meet the requirements of the human body ... Choline is critical to brain health, particularly during fetal development. It also influences liver function, with shortfalls linked to irregularities in blood fat metabolism as well as excess free radical cellular damage ... The primary sources of dietary choline are found in beef, eggs, dairy products, fish, and chicken, with much lower levels found in nuts, beans, and cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli ... In 1998, recognising the importance of choline, the US Institute of Medicine recommended minimum daily intakes. These range from 425 mg/day for women to 550 mg/day for men, and 450 mg/day and 550 mg/day for pregnant and breastfeeding women, respectively" - See citicholine at Amazon.com.

In Vivo Effectiveness and Safety of Probiotics on Prophylaxis and Treatment of Oral Candidiasis - Medscape, 8/29/19 - "Probiotics were superior to the placebo and blank control in preventing and treating oral candidiasis in the elderly and denture wearers" - See probiotic products at Amazon.com.

'This Ain't Your Mother's Marijuana.' Federal Health Officials Issue National Warning on Pot - Time, 8/29/19 - "Frequent marijuana use by teenagers is associated with changes in parts of the brain that are involved with attention, memory, decision-making and motivation"

Surgeon general advises pregnant people, youth against marijuana use - Politico, 8/29/19 - "The surgeon general Thursday issued an advisory cautioning young people and pregnant people against using marijuana, warning it poses risks to developing brains ... HHS officials said the best science available suggests no amount of marijuana use during pregnancy or for youth is known to be safe."

Is alkaline water really better for you? - Washington Post, 8/28/19 - "Though enhanced water may have some minerals or other nutrients added to it, ionized or processed alkaline water that has been distilled or filtered via reverse osmosis may not contain any minerals, making it less nutritious; the World Health Organization advises against regularly consuming water that has low mineral content because it could negatively affect your digestive system and cause mineral loss. Naturally alkaline water or spring water are better choices because they typically contain minerals ... Alkaline water isn’t necessarily better. Instead, you should focus on consuming water that’s filtered and contains minerals and making sure you’re getting enough of it. According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, healthy sedentary men need about 15.5 cups of fluid and women need 11.5 cups of fluid each day — and you get only about 20 percent of that from food"

Alternate-Day Fasting in Short Term Safe, Has Metabolic Benefits - Medscape, 8/27/19 - "The metabolic findings suggest that ADF may be safer than CR, which is more widely practiced ... CR was previously associated with concerns about bone metabolism or immune cell function. Neither in our short-term randomized, controlled study nor in the 6-months ADF cohort did we observe adverse effects on bone mass, total white blood cell count, or abundance of immune cell subtypes, red blood cell counts, or iron metabolism ... The metabolic findings suggest that ADF may be safer than CR, which is more widely practiced ... The apparent safety of ADF may arise from its mimicking eating patterns of our hunter-and-gatherer forebears ... Our physiology is familiar with periods of starvation followed by food excesses ... For example, starvation sets in motion autophagy, in which cells dismantle and recycle damaged parts, such as organelles and proteins, associated with aging. "Autophagy improves the metabolic functions of cells, and it is switched on after 36 hours of fasting," he said."

Gene linked to autism undergoes changes in men's sperm after pot use - Science Daily, 8/27/19 - "the researchers said the findings do not establish a definitive link between cannabis use and autism, but the possible connection warrants further, urgent study, given efforts throughout the country to legalize marijuana for recreational and/or medicinal uses"

Teens are using a highly potent form of marijuana - Science Daily, 8/26/19 - "Among nearly 50,000 eighth, 10th, and 12th graders from the 2018 Arizona Youth Survey, a biennial survey of Arizona secondary school students, one-third (33%) had tried some form of marijuana, and nearly a quarter (24%) had tried marijuana concentrate ... Marijuana concentrates have about three times more THC ... This is concerning because higher doses of THC have been linked to increased risk of marijuana addiction, cognitive impairment and psychosis ... teens who used concentrates had more risk factors for addiction ... teens who had used marijuana concentrates were worse off on every addiction risk factor ... frequent marijuana use from adolescence through adulthood is associated with IQ decline. Pardini's prior research has linked regular marijuana use during adolescence with the emergence of persistent subclinical psychotic symptoms" - [WebMD]

Emerging Role of the Gut Microbiome in the Progression of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Potential Therapeutic Implications - Medscape, 8/26/19 - "Multiple pathophysiologic pathways connect the gut microbiome with the pathophysiology of NAFLD. Therefore, therapeutics that effectively target the gut microbiome may be beneficial for the treatment of patients with NAFLD" - See probiotic products at Amazon.com.

How diabetes can increase cancer risk: DNA damaged by high blood sugar - Science Daily, 8/25/19 - "Exposure to high glucose levels leads to both DNA adducts and the suppression of their repair, which in combination could cause genome instability and cancer" - Note:  I suspected that a long time ago which is why I take diabetes medications (metformin and generic Actos) even though I'm not diabetic.  It's been said for a long time that sugar fuels cancer.

Ginkgo biloba may aid in treating type 2 diabetes - Science Daily, 8/22/19 - "In diabetic rats Ginkgo biloba had a very good effect on the beta cells of Langerhans -- cells in the pancreas responsible for insulin secretion -- by creating a restorative effect similar to what we see in healthy non-diabetic rats" - See Ginkgo biloba at Amazon.com.

Dietary zinc protects against Streptococcus pneumoniae infection, study finds - Science Daily, 8/22/19 - "mice with lower zinc intake succumbed to infection up to three times faster because their immune systems had insufficient zinc to aid in killing the bacteria ... Pneumonia accounts for more than one million deaths every year, with the greatest health burden in countries where zinc deficiency frequently remains a major social challenge" - See Jarrow Zinc Balance at Amazon.com.

Antibiotic Use and Increased Risk of Colon Cancer - Medscape, 8/21/19 - "Even a single course of antibiotics was found to be associated with an increase in the risk of developing colon cancer nearly a decade later ... oral exposure to anti-anaerobic antibiotics produced the most significant effect on colon cancer risk is intriguing ... these agents "markedly disrupt" the gut microbiome, which is predominantly composed of anaerobes ... The primary message of this study is the importance of antibiotic stewardship: not treating common viral infections with antibiotics, using them for the shortest time period possible, and using targeted antibiotics rather than broad spectrum ones"

Abstracts from this week:

Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus inhibits behavioral deficits induced by sleep deprivation and chronic unpredictable mild stress via increased signaling of brain-derived neurotrophic factor - Phytother Res. 2019 Aug 30 - "sleep deprivation (SD) and Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus (SCF) ... chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) ... These results indicated that the antidepressant-like effect of SCF in the CUMS depends on the activation of BDNF and the modulation of TrkB/CREB/ERK and PI3K/AKT/GSK3β/mTOR signaling cascades, and SD (12 hr) shared a common etiology consisting of complex bidirectional interactions with SCF" - See schizandra at Amazon.com.

• Brain-derived neurotrophic factor - wikipedia.com - "BDNF acts on certain neurons of the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system, helping to support the survival of existing neurons, and encourage the growth and differentiation of new neurons and synapses.[9][10] In the brain, it is active in the hippocampus, cortex, and basal forebrain—areas vital to learning, memory, and higher thinking.[11] BDNF is also expressed in the retina, kidney, saliva, prostate, motor neurons and skeletal muscle.[12][13] ... BDNF itself is important for long-term memory"

Differential effects of red yeast rice, Berberis aristata and Morus alba extracts on PCSK9 and LDL uptake - Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2019 Jun 14 - "The novel nutraceutical combination containing red yeast rice (monacolin K 3.3 mg), Berberis aristata cortex extract (Berberine 531.25 mg) and Morus alba leaves extract (1-deoxynojirimycin 4 mg) is effective in the management of elevated plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels ... LDL receptor (LDLR) expression ... B. aristata cortex extract (BCE), red yeast rice (RYR) and M. alba leaves extract (MLE) ... The positive effect of MLE on PCSK9 supports the rationale of using the nutraceutical combination of RYR, BCE and MLE to control hyperlipidemic conditions" - See red yeast rice at Amazon.com, berberine at Amazon.com and Morus alba at Amazon.com.

The Relationship between Nutritional Status, Anemia and Other Vitamin Deficiencies in the Elderly Receiving Home Care - J Nutr Health Aging. 2019;23(7):677-682 - "With or without malnutrition, iron deficiency anemia, vitamin B12 deficiency and vitamin D deficiency were common in the home care elderly patients" - See  iron supplements at Amazon.com, vitamin B12 at Amazon.com and vitamin D at Amazon.com.

The effects of lycopene supplement on the permatogram and seminal oxidative stress in infertile men: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial - Phytother Res. 2019 Aug 30 - "44 infertile men with oligozoospermia were randomly divided into two groups: The experimental group was supplemented with 25 mg of lycopene, and the control group received placebo for 12 weeks ... At the end of the study, there was a significant increase in total sperm count and concentration in the lycopene group, and the latter total count remained significant after adjustment (p < .05). Intragroup analysis showed a significant increase in ejaculate volume, total sperm count, concentration total motility, nonprogressive, and nonmotility in lycopene group (p < .05). The TAC changes, in both groups, remained significant after adjustment (p < .05). Also, within-group analysis showed a significant increase in TAC levels (p < .05). Lycopene supplement can improve sperm parameters and oxidative stress biomarkers in oligozoospermia infertile men" - See lycopene at Amazon.com.

Panax notoginseng saponins suppress lipopolysaccharide-induced barrier disruption and monocyte adhesion on bEnd.3 cells via the opposite modulation of Nrf2 antioxidant and NF-κB inflammatory pathways - Phytother Res. 2019 Aug 30 - "Dysfunction of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a prerequisite for the pathogenesis of many cerebral diseases. Oxidative stress and inflammation are well-known factors accounting for BBB injury. Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS), a clinical commonly used drug against cerebrovascular disease, possess efficient antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity ... The results showed that PNS mitigated the decrease of Trans-Endothelial Electrical Resistance, increase of paracellular permeability, and loss of tight junction proteins in bEnd.3 BBB model. Meanwhile, PNS suppressed the THP-1 monocytes adhesion on bEnd.3 monolayer. Moreover, PNS prevented the pro-inflammatory cytokines secretion and reactive oxygen species generation in bEnd.3 cells stimulated with LPS. Mechanism investigations suggested that PNS promoted the Akt phosphorylation, activated Nrf2 antioxidant signaling, and inhibited the NF-κB activation. All the effects of PNS could be abolished by PI3K inhibition at different levels. Taken together, these observations suggest that PNS may act as an extrinsic regulator that activates Nrf2 antioxidant defense system depending on PI3K/Akt and inhibits NF-κB inflammatory signaling to attenuate LPS-induced BBB disruption and monocytes adhesion on cerebral endothelial cells in vitro" - See Panax ginseng at Amazon.com.

Probiotics for the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes: A Review of Randomized Controlled Trials - Diabetes Metab Res Rev. 2019 Aug 29 - "Based on the evidence reviewed, multi-strain probiotics that contain seven million to 100 billion colony forming units of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, and/or Bifidobacterium lactis administered for six to twelve weeks may be efficacious for improving glycemic control in adults with T2DM" - See probiotic products at Amazon.com.

The effect of omega-3 and vitamin E on oxidative stress and inflammation: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials - Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 2019 Aug 23:1-1 - "The present meta-analysis found that omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E co-supplementation significantly decreased hs-CRP and increased NO and TAC" - See omega-3 supplements at Amazon.com and vitamin E products at Amazon.com.

Probiotic treatment improves the impaired spatial cognitive performance and restores synaptic plasticity in an animal model of Alzheimer's disease - Behav Brain Res. 2019 Aug 28 - "Studies demonstrate that damage to gut microbiota is associated with some brain disorders including neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Accordingly, supporting gut microbiota has been considered as a possible strategy for AD treatment ... Two groups of Alzheimeric animals were treated by either vehicle (Alz) or probiotics (Pro + Alz) ... long-term potentiation (LTP) ... We found that while the Alz animals displayed a weak spatial performance, probiotic treatment improved the maze navigation. Whereas basic synaptic transmission remained unchanged in the Alz rats, LTP was suppressed in this group. Probiotic treatment significantly restored LTP in the Pro + Alz group and further enhanced it in the Pro + Con rats. The intervention also showed a favorable effect on balance of the anti-oxidant/oxidant biomarkers in the Pro + Alz rats. This study provides the first proof on positive effect of probiotics on synaptic plasticity in an animal model of AD" - See probiotic products at Amazon.com.

Vitamin D Deficiency in Middle Childhood Is Related to Behavior Problems in Adolescence - J Nutr. 2019 Aug 20 - "Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is associated with depression and schizophrenia in adults ... VDD and low DBP in middle childhood are related to behavior problems in adolescence" - See vitamin D at Amazon.com.

Associations of dairy product consumption with mortality in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Italy cohort - Am J Clin Nutr. 2019 Aug 21 - "In this Italian cohort characterized by low to average milk consumption, we found no evidence of a dose-response association between milk consumption and mortality and also no association of consumption of other dairy products investigated with mortality"

Associations between calcium and magnesium intake and the risk of incident gastric cancer, a prospective cohort analysis of the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study - Int J Cancer. 2019 Aug 31 - "We used Cox proportional hazard modeling to estimate the association between calcium and magnesium intakes with risk of incident gastric adenocarcinoma (GA) overall and by anatomic location, noncardia (NCGA) and cardia (CGA). A total of 536,403 respondents (59% males, 41% females) were included for analysis, among whom 1,518 incident GAs (797 NCGA, 721 CGA) occurred. Increasing calcium intake was associated with lower risk of GA overall (p-trend = 0.05), driven primarily by the association with NCGA, where above median calcium intakes were associated with a 23% reduction in risk compared to the lowest quartile (p-trend = 0.05). This magnitude of NCGA risk reduction was greater among non-white races and Hispanics (HR 0.51, 95% CI: 0.24-1.07, p-trend = 0.04), current/former smokers (HR 0.58, 95% CI: 0.41-0.81), obese individuals (HR 0.54,95% CI: 0.31-0.96), and those with high NCGA risk scores (HR 0.50, 95% CI: 0.31-0.80). Among men only, increasing magnesium intake was associated with 22-27% reduced risk of NCGA (p-trend = 0.05), while for the cohort, dietary magnesium intake in the highest versus lowest quartile was associated with a 34% reduced risk of NCGA (HR 0.66, 95% CI: 0.48-0.90). These findings have important implications for risk factor modification and personalized prevention" - See magnesium supplements at Amazon.com.

A Chirality-Dependent Action of Vitamin C in Suppressing KRAS Mutant Tumor Growth by the Oxidative Combination: Rationale for Cancer Therapeutics - Int J Cancer. 2019 Aug 31 - "Kirsten rat sarcoma (KRAS) mutant cancers, which constitute the vast majority of pancreatic tumors, are characterized by their resistance to established therapies and high mortality rates ... our results demonstrate that the oxidizing combination of arsenic trioxide and D-VC is a promising approach for the treatment of KRAS mutant human cancers" - See vitamin C products at Amazon.com.

Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. Leaf Extract Improves Erectile Dysfunction in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats by Protecting Endothelial Function and Ameliorating Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal Axis Function - Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2019 Jul 29;2019:1782953 - "Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a major complication of diabetes mellitus. Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. is used as a traditional medicine for male impotence, but no systematic study has examined its effect on diabetes-associated ED. In this study, we investigated the effects of Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. leaf extract (EULE) on restoring erectile function in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats model. After 16 weeks of treatment, EULE administration had significantly increased intracavernosal pressure, nitric oxide (NO) levels, and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) concentrations. Serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) levels were markedly higher and serum malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were lower in the EULE-treated groups than in the diabetic model group. EULE restored NO biosynthesis by significantly increasing protein kinase B (Akt) and endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) activation. Furthermore, EULE is likely to benefit the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, as it increased gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and testosterone (T) concentrations as well as hormone receptors Gnrhr, Fshr, and Lhr expression levels ... These results suggest that EULE may represent a new therapeutic avenue for diabetes-associated ED" - See Eucommia ulmoides at Amazon.com.

Effect of omega-3 fatty acids and fish oil supplementation on multiple sclerosis: a systematic review - Nutr Neurosci. 2019 Aug 28:1-11 - "These studies showed the beneficial roles of fish oil supplementation and omega-3 fatty acids in improving the quality of life of MS patients. These roles were attributed to their beneficial effects on inflammatory markers, glutathione reductase, reducing the relapsing rate, and achieving balanced omega-6 to omega-3 ratios. Conclusion: Omega-3 and fish oils supplementations have beneficial effects on reducing the relapsing rate, inflammatory markers, and improving the quality of life for MS patients" - See omega-3 supplements at Amazon.com.

Novel Hydrolyzed Chicken Sternal Cartilage Extract Improves Facial Epidermis and Connective Tissue in Healthy Adult Females: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial - Altern Ther Health Med. 2019 Jun 13 - "The intervention consisted of twice daily oral administration of a supplement containing BioCell Collagen, a chicken sternal cartilage derived dietary ingredient composed of a naturally-occurring matrix of hydrolyzed collagen type-II (≥300 mg), chondroitin sulfate (≥100 mg), hyaluronic acid (≥50 mg) ... For the 113 participants completing the study, the dietary supplementation compared to a placebo: (1) significantly reduced facial lines and wrinkles (P = .019) and crow's feet lines and wrinkles (P = .05), (2) increased skin elasticity (P = .008) and cutaneous collagen content (P < .001) by 12%, (3) improved indicators associated with a more youthful skin appearance based on visual grading and wrinkle width (P = .046), and (4) decreased skin dryness and erythema. No difference existed between the supplement and the placebo for skin-surface water content or retention. The supplement was well tolerated, with no reported adverse reactions" - [Nutra USA] - See BioCell Collagen at Amazon.com, collagen UC-II at Amazon, hyaluronic acid at Amazon.com and chondroitin sulfate at Amazon.com.

Effects of macular xanthophyll supplementation on brain-derived urotrophic factor, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and cognitive performance - Physiol Behav. 2019 Aug 16:11265 - "we investigated the effect of the dietary carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, along with the zeaxanthin isomer meso-zeaxanthin (collectively the "macular xanthophylls" [MXans]) on systemic brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and anti-oxidant capacity (AOC), and the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β ... 59 young (18-25 yrs.), healthy subjects participated in a 6-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the effects of MXan supplementation on the aforementioned serum parameters and cognitive performance. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three groups: placebo, 13 mg, or 27 mg/day total MXans; all measures were taken at baseline and 6 months ... Change in serum lutein was found to be significantly correlated to change in verbal memory (r = 0.41; p < .001), composite memory (r = 0.31; p = .009), and sustained attention (r = 0.28; p = .036). Change in serum zeaxanthin isomers was significantly correlated with change in verbal memory (r = 0.33; p = .017). Lastly, change in AOC was significantly associated with verbal memory (r = 0.34; p = .021), composite memory (r = 0.29; p = .03), and sustained attention (r = 0.35; p = .016). No significant relational changes in any cognitive parameter were found for the placebo group" - [Nutra USA] - See xanthophyll at Amazon.com.

Oral Supplementation Using Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid and Whey Protein Improves Whole Body Fat-Free Mass in Men After Resistance Training - J Clin Med Res. 2019 Jun;11(6):428-434 - "Oral gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) supplementation increases growth hormone (GH) serum levels and protein synthesis. Therefore, post-exercise supplementation using GABA and protein may help enhance training-induced muscle hypertrophy ... Twenty-one healthy men (26 - 48 years) were randomized to receive whey protein (WP; 10 g) or whey protein + GABA (WP + GABA; 10 g + 100 mg) daily for 12 weeks ... After 12 weeks, the WP + GABA group exhibited significantly greater increase in whole body fat-free mass than the WP group" - [Nutra USA] - See GABA at Amazon.com and whey protein at Amazon.com.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids for the Management of Hypertriglyceridemia: A Science Advisory From the American Heart Association - Circulation. 2019 Aug 19 - "In a 2002 American Heart Association scientific statement, the omega-3 fatty acids (n-3 FAs) eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were recommended (at a dose of 2-4 g/d) for reducing triglycerides in patients with elevated triglycerides. Since 2002, prescription agents containing EPA+DHA or EPA alone have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for treating very high triglycerides; these agents are also widely used for hypertriglyceridemia ... In treatment of very high triglycerides with 4 g/d, EPA+DHA agents reduce triglycerides by ≥30% with concurrent increases in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, whereas EPA-only did not raise low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in very high triglycerides. When used to treat hypertriglyceridemia, n-3 FAs with EPA+DHA or with EPA-only appear roughly comparable for triglyceride lowering and do not increase low-density lipoprotein cholesterol when used as monotherapy or in combination with a statin. In the largest trials of 4 g/d prescription n-3 FA, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein B were modestly decreased, indicating reductions in total atherogenic lipoproteins. The use of n-3 FA (4 g/d) for improving atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk in patients with hypertriglyceridemia is supported by a 25% reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events in REDUCE-IT (Reduction of Cardiovascular Events With EPA Intervention Trial), a randomized placebo-controlled trial of EPA-only in high-risk patients treated with a statin" - [Nutra USA] - See omega-3 supplements at Amazon.com.

The effect of curcumin supplementation on circulating adiponectin: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials - Diabetes Metab Syndr. 2019 Jul 30;13(5):2819-2825 - "Out of 313 records, 6 trials that enrolled 652 subjects were included. The pooled results showed that curcumin supplementation significantly increased adiponectin concentrations in comparison with placebo" - [Nutra USA] - See curcumin products at Amazon.com.

Effectiveness of polypill for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases (PolyIran): a pragmatic, cluster-randomised trial - Lancet vol 394, issue 10199, P672-683, AUGUST 24, 2019 - "Two formulations of polypill tablet were used in this study. Participants were first prescribed polypill one (hydrochlorothiazide 12·5 mg, aspirin 81 mg, atorvastatin 20 mg, and enalapril 5 mg). Participants who developed cough during follow-up were switched by a trained study physician to polypill two, which included valsartan 40 mg instead of enalapril 5 mg. Participants were followed up for 60 months ... When restricted to participants in the polypill group with high adherence, the reduction in the risk of major cardiovascular events was even greater compared with the minimal care group (adjusted HR 0.43" - [NYT}

Association between vitamin D supplementation and mortality: systematic review and meta-analysis BMJ. 2019 Aug 12;366:l4673 - "Vitamin D supplementation reduced the risk of cancer death by 16%. Additional large clinical studies are needed to determine whether vitamin D3 supplementation is associated with lower all cause mortality" - [Nutra USA] - See vitamin D at Amazon.com.

Neat Tech Stuff / "How To's":

Garmin's new Fenix 6 watches are prettier and last longer - engadet, 8/29/19 - "It's only available on the pricey $999 Fenix 6X Pro Solar and uses what Garmin is calling Power Glass -- a transparent solar charging lens that sits on top of the watch face. This converts the sun's rays into energy to extend battery life by up to three days. Without solar charging enabled, the 6X Pro Solar still lasts an impressive 21 days ... Compared to their predecessors, the Fenix 6 and 6X have larger 1.3-inch and 1.4-inch faces respectively, while retaining the same size as before. All three new models will have the Pulse Ox bloody oxygen sensor whereas it was only available on the most expensive Plus model on the Fenix 5. The new Fenix range starts at $599, with pricing changing depending on the finishes and straps you pick. It's nice to see Garmin roll out a more comprehensive set of styles for a line of watches that has traditionally looked bulky and masculine. With the new designs and features, the Fenix 6 lineup looks like a compelling watch for those considering a serious, yet stylish GPS watch." - See Fenix 6 at Amazon.com.

Health Focus (Tinnitus):