Recent Longevity News for the week ending 6/10/20

High Serum Levels of 'Forever Chemicals' Tied to Earlier Menopause - Medscape, 6/4/20 - "PFAS have been widely used in many consumer and industrial products such as nonstick cookware, stain-repellent carpets, waterproof rain gear, microwave popcorn bags, and firefighting foam ... These have been dubbed "forever chemicals" because they do not degrade. Household water for an estimated 110 million Americans (one in three) may be contaminated with these chemicals, according to an Endocrine Society press release ... PFAS are everywhere. Once they enter the body, they don't break down and [they] build up over time"

Daily Dairy Doesn't Improve Bone Strength in Midlife Women - Medscape, 6/2/20 - "Women were classified into four dairy groups based on this cumulative average dairy intake," Wallace and colleagues note. Intake was grouped into < 0.5 servings/day; 0.5 to < 1.5 servings/day; 1.5 to < 2.5 servings/day, and ≥ 2.5 servings/day ... They found no significant differences for baseline age, BMI, femoral neck and lumbar spine BMD, calcium supplement use, or fracture history by dairy intake group"

Extra choline may help pregnant women decrease negative effects of COVID-19 on their newborns - Science Daily, 6/1/20 - "It's important for the healthcare community, and soon to be mothers, to be aware that a natural nutrient can be taken during pregnancy, just like folic acid and other prenatal vitamins, to protect fetuses and newborns from brain development issues. Later on in life, these development issues can lead to mental illness ... researchers analyzed the effects on infant behavior if the mother had contracted a respiratory virus by measuring the infant's IBQ-R Regulation dimension -- which looks at the development of infant attention and other self-regulatory behaviors. Lower IBQ-R Regulation at one year of age is associated with problems in attention and social behavior in later childhood, including decreased reading readiness at age four years and with problems in concentration, and conscientiousness in children through seven years of age ... The results from the study: Infants of mothers who had viral infections and higher choline levels had significantly increased 3-month IBQ-R scores on the Regulation dimension and specifically the Attention scale in the Regulation dimension, compared to infants of mothers who had viral infections and had lower choline levels ... Choline levels sufficient to protect the fetus often require dietary supplements ... The study highlights that in conjunction with the CDC's current advice on COVID-19's effects in pregnancy, phosphatidylcholine or choline supplements along with other prenatal vitamins may help buffer the fetal brain from the possible detrimental impact of the current pandemic and decrease the risk of the children's future mental illness ... Previous pandemics have resulted in significantly increased levels of mental illnesses including schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit disorder in the offspring" - See choline at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Users of high-potency cannabis four times more likely to report associated problems - Science Daily, 5/29/20 - "We know that people who use cannabis are more likely to report mental health problems than those who don't use cannabis, but we don't fully understand how recent increases in the strength and potency of cannabis affects this. This study gives us an estimate of the increased likelihood of mental health problems from use of high-potency cannabis, compared to use of lower-potency cannabis, and we are able to account for the effect that people's early adolescent mental health symptoms may have on this relationship"

Metformin Linked to Better Motor Function in Parkinson's - Medscape, 5/29/20 - "A small retrospective study showed that patients with PD and diabetes who took the antihyperglycemic agent performed significantly better on tests of motor and nonmotor function than their counterparts who did not ... compared with the patients not taking metformin, those taking the drug had a significantly better Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) total score (P = .04) and Benton Judgement of Line Orientation score, which assesses visuospatial function ... These patients also did significantly better on certain measures of cognitive impairment, including the Symbol Digit Modalities Test score (P = .03) and the Semantic Fluency total score (P = .003). A higher metformin cumulative dose was associated with the MDS-UPDRS rigidity score." - ReliableRxPharmacy carries metformin.

The Association Between Hormone Therapy and Sarcopenia in Postmenopausal Women - Medscape, 5/29/20 - "The present study showed that the prolonged use of HT was associated with high muscle mass and a low prevalence of sarcopenia in postmenopausal women"

Abstracts from this week:

Energy Requirement Is Higher During Weight-Loss Maintenance in Adults Consuming a Low- Compared With High-Carbohydrate Diet - J Nutr 2020 May 29 - "The study reports secondary outcomes from a feeding study in which the primary outcome was total energy expenditure (TEE). After attaining a mean Run-in weight loss of 10.5%, 164 adults (BMI ≥25 kg/m2; 70.1% women) were randomly assigned to Low-Carbohydrate (percentage of total energy from carbohydrate, fat, protein: 20/60/20), Moderate-Carbohydrate (40/40/20), or High-Carbohydrate (60/20/20) Test diets for 20 wk. Calorie content was adjusted to maintain individual body weight within ± 2 kg of the postweight-loss value ... Mean EER was higher in the Low- versus High-Carbohydrate group in models of varying covariate structure involving ITT [ranging from 181 (95% CI: 8-353) to 246 (64-427) kcal/d; P ≤0.04] and PP [ranging from 245 (43-446) to 323 (122-525) kcal/d; P ≤0.02]. This difference remained significant in sensitivity analyses accounting for change in adiposity and possible nonadherence"

Hexane Extract of Garcinia quaesita Fruits Induces Apoptosis in Breast Cancer Stem Cells Isolated From Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cell Line MDA-MB-231 - Nutr Cancer 2020 Jun 1;1-11 - "Development of therapy resistance is a major clinical issue in breast cancer treatments. Breast cancer stem cells (bCSCs) have a clearly defined role in the development of breast cancer therapy resistance and tumor recurrence. Therefore, discovery of new treatment strategies to circumvent cancer therapy resistance and tumor recurrence by targeting bCSCs is desperately needed. Fruits of many Garcinia species are edible and, possess a range of health benefits. Garcinia quaesita, a species in the genus Garcinia, is endemic to Sri Lanka. Dried fruits of G. quaesita are commonly used to flavor dishes in Sri Lanka. The present study assessed the potential anticancer and apoptotic properties of G. quaesita fruit extracts in bCSCs using WST-1 cell proliferation assay, sphere formation assay, caspase 3/7 assay, real-time PCR and fluorescent and phase-contrast microscopy. DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate), ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) and FRAP (Ferric Reducing Anti-oxidant Power) assays were used as anti-oxidant assays. The hexane extract of G. quaesita fruits was found to mediate cytotoxicity in bCSCs through induction of apoptosis. Furthermore, the hexane extract showed free radical scavenging ability. This pilot investigation provides a rationale to consume G. quaesita fruits as an anticancer dietary supplement for breast cancer patients"

DNA Damage Is Inversely Associated to Blood Levels of DHA and EPA Fatty Acids in Brazilian Children and Adolescents - Food Funct 2020 May 20 - "This study aimed to investigate the association between DNA damage and blood levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), retinol, beta-carotene and riboflavin in Brazilian children and adolescents. Subjects (n = 140) were healthy boys and girls aged 9 to 13 years in Ribeirão Preto (SP, Brazil). Data collection included anthropometry, assessment of energy intake and blood sampling ... Principal component analysis (PCA) ... PCA explained 69.4% of the inverse relationships between DNA damage and blood levels of DHA, EPA, retinol, and beta-carotene. Results were confirmed by ANCOVA and multiple regression analyses for DHA and EPA. In conclusion, omega-3-fatty acids were inversely associated with DNA damage in Brazilian children and adolescents and may be a protective factor against the development of future diseases" - [Nutra USA] - See omega-3 supplements at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Serum Phosphorus Levels Are Associated With Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Asymptomatic Postmenopausal Women - Menopause 2020 Jun 1 - "Serum phosphorous is a significant risk factor for increased carotid intima-media thickness. Increased thickness of the carotid intima is a known cause of cardiovascular disease. Coronary heart disease is a significant cause of mortality and morbidity in postmenopausal women ... We examined asymptomatic postmenopausal female patients with age range between 56 and 66 (N = 361) who underwent measurement of carotid intima-media thickness by B-mode ultrasonograph ... carotid intima-media thickness was significantly associated with age (r = 0.192, P < 0.001), mean blood pressure (r = 0.116, P = 0.029), diastolic blood pressure (r = 0.146, P = 0.029), serum phosphorous (r = 0.134, P = 0.012), and lactate dehydrogenase (r = 0.106, P = 0.047). On the basis of age-adjusted multivariate linear regression analysis, carotid intima-media thickness was significantly correlated with serum phosphorous levels (β = 0.273, P = 0.022) in asymptomatic menopausal women. Increased carotid intima-media thickness (cut-off 1.5 mm) was detected, although serum phosphorous was within the normal range (2.8-4.5 mg/dL) ... Serum phosphorus concentration is significantly associated with carotid intima-media thickness in asymptomatic menopausal women"

Very Long-Term Treatment With a Lactobacillus Probiotic Preparation, Lactobacillus casei Strain Shirota, Suppresses Weight Loss in the Elderly - Nutrients 2020 May 29 - "To reveal the potential benefit of long-term lactic acid, the effects of bacteria-based probiotics for health maintenance were examined. This observational study included the participants from a previous clinical study designed to evaluate the effects of wheat bran biscuits or Lactobacillus preparation, 3 g/day biolactis powder (BLP), in preventing colorectal tumor. The participants were provided an option to continue treatment with BLP on an outpatient basis after completion of the study. The 380 patients who completed the study were contacted and asked to participate in the present study and those who consented were surveyed for cancer incidence, treatment compliance, lifestyle, weight, and other variables ... The mean follow-up period was 7913 days (21.7 years). Cancer developed in 24 of 128 (18.8%) patients in the BLP extension group and 24 of 109 (22.0%) patients in the non-BLP extension group (risk ratio 0.88 [95% confidence interval 0.53-1.47]). Although no significant difference was observed, the cumulative cancer incidence rose at a slightly lower rate in the BLP extension group. Both groups showed a significant weight decrease over the course of 20 years, although the decrease in the BLP extension group was only 1.4 kg, compared with 2.8 kg in the non-BLP extension group. Very long-term treatment with a Lactobacillus probiotic preparation suppressed weight loss in the elderly." - See probiotic supplements at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Acute and Chronic Effects of Green Oat ( Avena sativa) Extract on Cognitive Function and Mood During a Laboratory Stressor in Healthy Adults: A Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study in Healthy Humans - Nutrients 2020 May 29 - "Previous research has demonstrated improvements in cognitive function following a single dose of these extracts, but not following chronic supplementation. Additionally, whilst green oat extracts contain phytochemicals that may improve mood or protect against stress, for instance species-specific triterpene saponins, to date this possibility has not been examined. The current study investigated the effects of a single dose and four weeks of administration of a novel, Avena sativa herbal extract (cognitaven®) on cognitive function and mood, and changes in psychological state during a laboratory stressor. The study adopted a dose-ranging, double-blind, randomised, parallel groups design in which 132 healthy males and females (35 to 65 years) received either 430 mg, 860 mg, 1290 mg green oat extract or placebo for 29 days ... both a single dose of 1290 mg and, to a greater extent, supplementation for four weeks with both 430 mg and 1290 mg green oat extract resulted in significantly improved performance on a computerised version of the Corsi Blocks working memory task and a multitasking task (verbal serial subtractions and computerised tracking) in comparison to placebo. After four weeks, the highest dose also decreased the physiological response to the stressor in terms of electrodermal activity. There were no treatment-related effects on mood. These results confirm the acute cognitive effects of Avena sativa extracts and are the first to demonstrate that chronic supplementation can benefit cognitive function and modulate the physiological response to a stressor" - See Avena sativa at Amazon.com and iHerb.

The Combination of Sulforaphane and Fernblock ® XP Improves Individual Beneficial Effects in Normal and Neoplastic Human Skin Cell Lines - Nutrients 2020 May 30 - "we investigated in vitro the antioxidant/antineoplastic efficacy and anti-aging activity of a dietary supplement containing sulforaphane (SFN), a sulfur-isothiocyanate present in broccoli, combined with the patented extract Fernblock® XP (FB), obtained from the tropical fern Polypodium leucotomos. We evaluated the effect of SFN and FB, alone or in combination, on migration ability, matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) production, neoangiogenic potential and inflammasome activation in human WM115 and WM266-4 melanoma cells. Moreover, the effects on MMPs and reactive oxygen species production, and IL-1β secretion were studied in human normal keratinocytes. The SFN/FB combination inhibited melanoma cell migration in vitro, MMP-1, -2, -3, and -9 production, inflammasome activation and IL-1β secretion more efficiently than each individual compound did. In normal keratinocytes, SFN/FB was more efficient than SFN or FB alone in inhibiting MMP-1 and -3 production and IL-1β secretion in the presence of a pro-inflammatory stimulus such as TNF-α. The potential use of SFN/FB based supplements for the prevention of skin aging and as adjuvants in the treatment of advanced melanoma is suggested" - See Fernblock at Amazon.com.  See sulforaphane at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Cholecalciferol or Calcifediol in the Management of Vitamin D Deficiency - Nutrients 2020 May 31 - "cholecalciferol has more scientific evidence with positive results than calcifediol in musculoskeletal diseases and that it is the form of vitamin D of choice in the most accepted and internationally recognized clinical guidelines on the management of osteoporosis. Cholecalciferol, unlike calcifediol, guarantees an exact dosage in IU (International Units) of vitamin D and has pharmacokinetic properties that allow either daily or even weekly, fortnightly, or monthly administration in its equivalent doses, which can facilitate adherence to treatment. Regardless of the pattern of administration, cholecalciferol may be more likely to achieve serum levels of 25(OH)D (25-hydroxy-vitamin D) of 30-50 ng/mL, an interval considered optimal for maximum benefit at the lowest risk. In summary, the form of vitamin D of choice for exogenous supplementation should be cholecalciferol, with calcifediol reserved for patients with liver failure or severe intestinal malabsorption syndromes" - Note: Cholecalciferol is vitamin D3, calcifediol is vitamin D2.  See vitamin D at Amazon.com and vitamin D at iHerb.

Perinatal Exposure to omega-3 Fatty Acid Imbalance Leads to Early Behavioral Alterations in Rat Pups - Behav Brain Res 2020 May 31 - "Polyunsaturated long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (n3-PUFAs) are crucially involved in brain development and function. Inadequate n3-PUFA intake in rats during the perinatal period leads to behavioral deficits in adulthood, but early behavioral changes have not yet been investigated ... Female Sprague Dawley rats were fed an n3-PUFA-enriched or an n3-PUFA-deficient diet throughout mating, pregnancy, and lactation. Controls were fed an n6/n3-PUFA-balanced diet ... Female Sprague Dawley rats were fed an n3-PUFA-enriched or an n3-PUFA-deficient diet throughout mating, pregnancy, and lactation. Controls were fed an n6/n3-PUFA-balanced diet. We observed maternal behavior from postnatal day (PND) 2 to PND 13 and tested pups in the isolation-induced ultrasonic vocalization (USV) emission task at PNDs 3, 5, 9 and 13 to evaluate the impact of perinatal n3-PUFA on early emotional traits. Both the n3-PUFA-enriched and n3-PUFA-deficient diets profoundly decreased maternal behavior. At PNDs 3 and PND 5, pups of the n3-PUFA-deficient or -enriched diet groups emitted significantly fewer USVs compared with control pups. Further, the sonographic pattern of the USVs was altered in the test pups compared with the control pups at PND 9 and PND 13. The present findings indicate that both n3-PUFA deficiency and supplementation induce alterations in mother-infant interaction and early behavioral disturbances in the offspring" - See omega-3 supplements at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Melatonin Prevents Deterioration of Erectile Function in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats via sirtuin-1 Expression - Andrologia 2020 Jun 1 - "The objective of this study was to evaluate the protective effects of melatonin for erectile function with sirtuin-1 protein expression in type 1 diabetic rat models. Fifty male Sprague Dawley rats were placed into five groups. Except for those in the control group (C), each animal received a single dose (60 mg/kg) of streptozotocin to induce diabetes. The animals were placed into the diabetes (D) group, insulin (I) group (6 U/kg/day), melatonin (Mel) group (10 mg kg-1 day-1 ) and combined treatment (I + Mel) group. Ten weeks later, the serum testosterone levels, intracavernosal pressure (ICP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), malondialdehyde (MDA), cyclic guanosine monophosphate (c-GMP), 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), nitric oxide synthase (NOS), caspase-3 activity, sirtuin-1 and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) protein expression and histological findings were assessed. The mean ICP/MAP ratio for the D group was lower than the mean ratios for the other groups. The treatment groups, particularly the I + Mel group, exhibited lower 8-OHdG and MDA levels and caspase-3 activity than the D group. The sirtuin-1 and eNOS expression and cavernosal tissue (CT) histology seemed to have been preserved by the melatonin and/or insulin therapy. These results were indicative of a profound protective effect of melatonin by the activation of sirtuin-1 protein expression against hyperglycemia-induced oxidative CT injury" - See melatonin at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation on the Incidence of Diabetes Mellitus - J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2020 Jun 3 - "In trials testing moderate to high doses of supplementation (≥1000 IU/d), all conducted among participants with prediabetes, the RR for vitamin D compared with placebo was 0.88 (95% CI, 0.79-0.99). In contrast, the trials testing lower doses, which were conducted in general population samples, showed no risk reduction (RR, 1.02 [95% CI, 0.94-1.10]); P, interaction by dose = 0.04" - See vitamin D at Amazon.com and vitamin D at iHerb.

Association Between Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution and Thyroid Function in Korean Adults - J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2020 Jun 3 - "The annual average exposure to NO2 and CO was significantly associated with an elevated TSH and reduced FT4 concentration after adjusting for possible confounding factors (all p < 0.05). In men, in addition to these two pollutants, PM10 exposure was positively associated with TSH level (p = 0.03). Age-stratified analysis showed stronger effects of NO2 and CO exposure in older than in younger adults. Exposure to these air pollutants was related to serum TSH and FT4 concentrations in people with overweight or obesity but not in those of normal weight"

Vitamin D 3 Reduces Risk of Cardiovascular and Liver Diseases by Lowering Homocysteine Levels: Double-Blinded, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial - Br J Nutr 2020 Jun 1 - "Subjects were randomly divided into two groups: the placebo (n = 50) and the vitamin D (n = 50) which received 50,000 IU vitamin D3 per week for 2 months ... the tHcy, CRP, AST, ALT, and eGFR levels after the second month of vitamin D3 intervention were significantly (p < 0.001) decreased and the 25(OH)D, urea, and creatinine levels were significantly (p < 0.001) increased in the treatment group. In the placebo group, no significant changes were identified throughout the follow up period. In conclusion, vitamin D3 intervention with a treatment dose of 50,000 IU per week for at least 2 months may help in lowering homocysteine and CRP levels and may improve liver function tests, which in turn might help in minimizing the risk of CVD and liver diseases among overweight women but negatively affect kidney function" - See vitamin D at Amazon.com and vitamin D at iHerb.

• Note:  I've been taking 10,000 IU of D-3 a day for about 10 years and here's my creatinine:

Long-Term Effects of Early Adolescent Marijuana Use on Attentional and Inhibitory Control - J Stud Alcohol Drugs 2020 Mar;81(2):164-172 - "High levels of early marijuana use at ages 12-14 significantly predicted low levels of adolescent attentional control at ages 18-21 (β = -.20, p < .05), above and beyond early attentional control, early alcohol use, and antisocial problems"

The Effect of Fish Oil Supplementation on the Promotion and Preservation of Lean Body Mass, Strength, and Recovery From Physiological Stress in Young, Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review - Nutr Rev 2020 Jun 1 - "Military personnel are subjected to physiologically stressful environments during combat and its associated training. Evidence suggests that fish oil-derived n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (FO n-3 PUFAs) may affect military personnel's performance by promoting or preserving lean body mass, strength, and power, while enhancing recovery from training-associated muscle damage ... Overall, FO n-3 PUFA supplementation likely preserves strength and very likely enhances recovery from physiological stress in young, healthy adults. However, FO n-3 PUFAs' role in promoting or preserving lean body mass or promoting strength is unclear and warrants additional investigation" - See omega-3 supplements at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Combined Cranberry Supplementation and Weight Loss Diet in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Randomized Clinical Trial - Int J Food Sci Nutr 2020 Apr 1 - "Participants were randomly allocated to receive either a cranberry supplement or a placebo for 12 weeks. Both groups were assigned to follow a weight loss diet. At the end of the study, alanine aminotransferase and insulin decreased significantly in both groups (p < .05); however, this reduction was significantly greater in the cranberry group than in the placebo group (p < .05). Significant improvements in insulin resistance were observed in the cranberry group and between the two groups (p < .001 and p = .020, respectively). Also, there was an improvement in steatosis grade and anthropometric measurements in both groups (p < .05), and there was no significant difference between the two groups in regard to these factors (p > .05). It seems that 288 mg of cranberry extract might improve managing NAFLD, which is equivalent to 26 g of dried cranberry" - [Nutra USA] - cranberry extract at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Supplementation with Matured Hop Bitter Acids Improves Cognitive Performance and Mood State in Healthy Older Adults with Subjective Cognitive Decline - J Alzheimers Dis 2020 May 26 - "matured hop bitter acid (MHBA) ...  randomly assigned into placebo (n = 50) and MHBA (n = 50) groups, and received placebo or MHBA capsules daily for 12 weeks ... Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) score assessing divided attention at week 12 was significantly higher (p = 0.045) and β-endorphin at week 12 was significantly lower (p = 0.043) in the subjects receiving MHBA. Transthyretin in serum, a putative mild cognitive impairment marker, was significantly higher at week 12 in the MHBA group than in the placebo group (p = 0.048). Subgroup analysis classified by the subjective cognitive decline questionnaire revealed that in addition to improved SDMT scores, memory retrieval assessed using the standard verbal paired-associate learning tests and the Ray Verbal Learning Test at week 12 had significantly improved in the subgroup with perceived subjective cognitive decline and without requirement for medical assistance in the MHBA group compared with that in the placebo group ... This study suggested that MHBA intake improves cognitive function, attention, and mood state in older adults" - [Nutra USA] - See hops supplements at Amazon.com.

Association of Dietary Vitamin K and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in Middle-Age Adults: The Hordaland Health Study Cohort - BMJ 2020 May 21 - "During a median follow-up time of 11 years, we documented 112 incident CHD cases. In the adjusted analyses, there was no association between intake of vitamin K1 and CHD (HRQ4vsQ1 = 0.92 (95% CI 0.54 to 1.57), p for trend 0.64), while there was a lower risk of CHD associated with higher intake of energy-adjusted vitamin K2 (HRQ4vsQ1 = 0.52 (0.29 to 0.94), p for trend 0.03). Further adjustment for potential dietary confounders did not materially change the association for K1, while the association for K2 was slightly attenuated (HRQ4vsQ1 = 0.58 (0.28 to 1.19)) ... A higher intake of vitamin K2 was associated with lower risk of CHD, while there was no association between intake of vitamin K1 and CHD" - [Nutra USA] - See vitamin k2 at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Oral Intake of Hydrangea serrata (Thunb.) Ser. Leaves Extract Improves Wrinkles, Hydration, Elasticity, Texture, and Roughness in Human Skin: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study - Nutrients 2020, 12(6) - "Participants (n = 151) were randomly assigned to receive either WHS 300 mg, WHS 600 mg, or placebo, once daily for 12 weeks ... Compared to the placebo, skin wrinkles were significantly reduced in both WHS groups after 8 and 12 weeks. In both WHS groups, five parameters (R1–R5) of skin wrinkles significantly improved and skin hydration was significantly enhanced when compared to the placebo group after 12 weeks. Compared with the placebo, three parameters of skin elasticity, including overall elasticity (R2), net elasticity (R5), and ratio of elastic recovery to total deformation (R7), improved after 12 weeks of oral WHS (600 mg) administration. Changes in skin texture and roughness were significantly reduced in both WHS groups. No WHS-related adverse reactions were reported. Hence, WHS could be used as a health supplement for skin anti-aging" - [Nutra USA] - See Hydrangea serrata supplements at Amazon.com.

Effect of a Combination of Citrus Flavones and Flavanones and Olive Polyphenols for the Reduction of Cardiovascular Disease Risk: An Exploratory Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study in Healthy Subjects - Nutrients 2020 May 19 - "A single-center, randomized, double-blind controlled trial was conducted to assess the efficacy of a food supplement based on a combination of grapefruit, bitter orange, and olive extracts administered for eight weeks (n = 51) versus placebo (n = 45) on reduction of cardiovascular risk in healthy volunteers ... In the active product group, there were statistically significant within-group differences at eight weeks as compared with baseline in FMD, systolic and diastolic BP, total cholesterol, LDL-C, LDL-oxidase, oxidized/reduced glutathione ratio, protein carbonyl, and IL-6. Significant between-group differences in these variables were also found. Significant changes in anthropometric variables and quality of life were not observed in the study groups. Changes in the level of physical activity were not recorded. Treatment with the active product was well tolerated. All these findings, taken together, support a beneficial effect of supplementation with a mixture of grapefruit, bitter orange fruits, and olive leaf extracts on underlying mechanisms that may interact each other to decrease the cardiovascular risk in healthy people" - [Nutra USA] - See citrus extracts at Amazon.com and iHerb and olive leaf extract at Amazon.com and iHerb.

In vitro inhibitory effect of two commercial probiotics on chromogenic actinomycetes - Eur Arch Paediatr Dent 2020 Feb 7 - "Streptococcus salivarius M18 and Lactobacillus reuteri were tested against Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Actinomyces naeslundiiusing their cell-free fermentative broth in a planktonic growth inhibition test." - [Nutra USA] - See probiotic supplements at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Does Streptococcus Salivarius Strain M18 Assumption Make Black Stains Disappear in Children? - Oral Health Prev Dent 2020;18(2):161-164 - "This randomised controlled study evaluated the effectiveness of an oral probiotic, Streptococcus salivarius M18 (SsM18), in children with black stains (BSs) in order to counteract their reformation ... BSs formation in children could be prevented by administering S. salivarius M18" - [Nutra USA] - See probiotic supplements at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Neat Tech Stuff / "How To's":

Good reviews but I don't think these lens will fit the Canon 90D:

Sigma Lenses RESCUED CANON | 16mm, 30mm, 56mm f/1.4 Review - YouTube 23:04

REVIEW of the SIGMA 16mm f/1.4 EF-M on the CANON M50 / Worth buying? - YouTube, 17.04

REVIEW of the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 vs Canon 32mm f/1.4 EF-M / Which is the better buy? - YouTube, 23.04

Canon M50 Best Video Settings | Part 1 - YouTube, 15.39

Canon M50 | CINEMATIC LOOK | Tutorial! Part 2 - YouTube, 22.49

Health Focus (Indole-3-Carbinol (I3C)) - Note:  For about eight years now, the hair on my arms and legs have disappeared.  I even saw a dermatologist and endocrinologist about it and they basically said I was just getting old.  All of a sudden, it's all grown back with a vengeance.  I've been trying to figure out what I'm doing different.  That only thing I can think of was that two months prior, I started talking I3C again after years of not taking it.