Recent Longevity News for the week ending 7/8/20

Common hypertension medications may reduce colorectal cancer risk - AHA, 7/6/20 - "those who took hypertension medications such as ACE-i or ARBs had a 22% lower risk of developing colorectal cancer in the subsequent three years"

SAVE-ICD: For Some, Sacubitril/Valsartan May Obviate Need for ICD - Medscape, 7/3/20 - "After 6 months of therapy with the combination drug sacubitril/valsartan (S/V; Entresto, Novartis), one quarter of primary prevention patients with left heart failure and an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) had a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) > 35% with no arrhythmic events"

Marijuana use while pregnant boosts risk of children's sleep problems - Science Daily, 7/2/20 - "analyzed baseline data from the landmark Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, which is following 11,875 youth from age 9 or 10 into early adulthood ... Mothers who said they had used cannabis while pregnant were significantly more likely to report their children having clinical sleep problems ... Those who used marijuana frequently were more likely to report somnolence symptoms (symptoms of excess sleepiness) in their children, such as trouble waking in the morning and being excessively tired during the day"

Vitamin D Tied to Lower Risk for Immunotherapy-Induced Colitis - Medscape, 7/2/20 - "Taking vitamin D before starting immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy may decrease the risk for treatment-related colitis ... Results from animal studies suggest that vitamin D may modulate the immune system and protect against inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn disease. ICI colitis shows similarities with inflammatory bowel disease, which may account for why vitamin D may be protective against ICI colitis ... Vitamin D use was linked to 65% decreased odds of developing ICI colitis (odds ratio [OR], 0.35; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.1 – 0.9; P = .01) ... For the confirmatory cohort of patients from Massachusetts General, results were similar: 29% (49/169) developed ICI colitis, and vitamin D intake was tied to 54% decreased odds of colitis" - See vitamin D at Amazon.com and vitamin D at iHerb.

The Effect of Vitamin D Treatment on Clinical and Biochemical Outcomes of Primary Aldosteronism - Medscape, 7/1/20 - "Primary aldosteronism (PA) contributed to the cardiovascular disease and metabolic alterations independent of the blood pressure level ... About 70% of our PA subjects have low vitamin D levels at baseline. Three months following treatment, there were significant: (a) improvement in 25(OH)D levels; (b) reduction in systolic blood pressure and plasma aldosterone concentration; and (c) improvement in the eGFR. The vitamin D deficient subgroup has the greatest magnitude of the systolic blood pressure reduction following treatment ... This study demonstrated significant proportion of PA patients has vitamin D insufficiency. Vitamin D treatment improves these interrelated parameters possibly suggesting interplay between vitamin D, aldosterone, renal function and the blood pressure" - See vitamin D at Amazon.com and vitamin D at iHerb.

• Primary aldosteronism - Wiki - "Primary aldosteronism (PA), also known as primary hyperaldosteronism or Conn's syndrome, refers to the excess production of the hormone aldosterone from the adrenal glands, resulting in low renin levels.[1] This abnormality is caused by hyperplasia or tumors. Many suffer from fatigue, potassium deficiency and high blood pressure which may cause poor vision, confusion or headaches.[1][2] Symptoms may also include: muscular aches and weakness, muscle spasms, low back and flank pain from the kidneys, trembling, tingling sensations, numbness and excessive urination.[1] Complications include cardiovascular disease such as stroke, myocardial infarction, kidney failure and abnormal heart rhythms"

Study finds exercise increases benefits of breast milk for babies - Science Daily, 6/29/20 - "reduces a baby's lifelong risks of serious health issues such as diabetes, obesity and heart disease ... those who had more steps per day had an increased amount of a compound known as 3SL in their breast milk, which they believe is responsible for these health benefits ... This human milk oligosaccharide had a significant impact on offspring healthy. Being able to add this into formula could provide benefits for babies when women aren't able to breastfeed"

Abstracts from this week:

Acute Effects of Beetroot Juice Supplements on Resistance Training: A Randomized Double-Blind Crossover - Nutrients 2020 Jun 28;12(7):E1912 - "A higher number of repetitions were recorded with BJ compared to those with PLA (13.8 ± 14.4; p < 0.01; effect size (ES) = 0.6). Differences were found at 60% 1-RM (9 ± 10; p < 0.05; ES = 0.61) and 70% 1-RM (3.1 ± 4.8; p < 0.05; ES = 0.49), however, no differences were found at 80% 1-RM (1.7 ± 1; p = 0.12; ES = 0.41). A greater number of repetitions was performed in back squat (13.4 ± 13; p < 0.01; ES = 0.77), but no differences were observed in bench press (0.4 ± 5.1; p = 0.785; ES = 0.03). No differences were found for the rest of the variables (p > 0.05). Acute supplementation of BJ improved muscular endurance performance in RT" - [Nutra USA] - See beet root capsules at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Iron and Physical Activity: Bioavailability Enhancers, Properties of Black Pepper (Bioperine ®) and Potential Applications - Nutrients 2020 Jun 24 - "Black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) has been employed in medicine (epilepsy, headaches, and diabetes), where its effects are mainly attributed to a nitrogen alkaloid called piperidine (1-(1-[1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl]-1-oxo-2,4 pentenyl) piperidine). Piperine co-administered with vitamins and minerals has improved its absorption ... athletes have risk factors for Fe depletion, Fe deficiency, and eventually, anemia, mainly from mechanical hemolysis, gastrointestinal disturbances, and loss of Fe through excessive sweating. Declines in Fe stores have been reported to negatively alter physical capacities such as aerobic capacity, strength, and skeletal muscle recovery in elite athletes. Thus, there is a need to maintain Fe storage, even if Fe intake meets the recommended daily allowance (RDA), and Fe supplementation may be justified in physically active individuals, in states of Fe deficiency, with or without anemia. Females, in particular, should monitor their Fe hematological profile. The recommended oral Fe supplements are ferrous or ferric salts, sulfate, fumarate, and gluconate. These preparations constitute the first line of treatment; however, the high doses administered have gastrointestinal side effects that reduce tolerance and adherence to treatment. Thus, a strategy to counteract these adverse effects is to improve the bioavailability of Fe. Therefore, piperine may benefit the absorption of Fe through its bioavailability enhancement properties. Three research studies of Fe associated with black pepper have reported improvements in parameters related to the metabolism of Fe, without adverse effects" - See Bioprene black pepper extract at Amazon.com and iHerb and Iron supplements at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Effects of Creatine Supplementation During Resistance Training Sessions in Physically Active Young Adults - Nutrients 2020 Jun 24 - "The purpose was to examine the effects of creatine supplementation during resistance training sessions on skeletal muscle mass and exercise performance in physically active young adults. Twenty-two participants were randomized to supplement with creatine (CR: n = 13, 26 ± 4 yrs; 0.0055 g·kg-1 post training set) or placebo (PLA: n = 9, 26 ± 5 yrs; 0.0055 g·kg-1 post training set) during six weeks of resistance training (18 sets per training session; five days per week) ... The creatine group experienced a significant increase (p < 0.05) in leg press, chest press and total body strength and leg press endurance with no significant changes in the PLA group. Both groups improved total body endurance over time (p < 0.05), with greater gains observed in the creatine group. In conclusion, creatine ingestion during resistance training sessions is a viable strategy for improving muscle strength and some indices of muscle endurance in physically active young adults" - See creatine at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Creatine Supplementation Improves Performance, but Is It Safe? Double-blind Placebo-Controlled Study - J Sports Med Phys Fitness 2020 Jul - "Eighteen males performing resistance training three times per week were supplemented with 0.3 g/kg per day creatine monohydrate for 7 days and compared with matched controls supplemented with dextrosol ... Creatine monohydrate supplementation did not cause adverse events and, as expected, promoted an increase of the performance and body weight. No modification of red blood cells parameters, white blood cells profile, blood lipid profile, metabolic and urine markers, hepatic and renal function were observed in the supplemented group ... Despite the expected weight increase, the creatine monohydrate supplementation is safe for health and no detrimental effects on different organs and physiological systems were observed in our cohort of volunteers" - See creatine at Amazon.com and iHerb.

A Proposed Mechanism for the Possible Therapeutic Potential of Metformin in COVID-19 - Diabetes Res Clin Pract 2020 Jun 24 - "The whole world is facing a tough time these days struggling against the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). There is not any specific effective drug for this viral infection. Thus, we are trying to treat patients with non-specific drug cocktails. Metformin, as a strong base, a potential regulator of Vacuolar ATPase (V-ATPase) and endosomal Na+/H+ exchangers (eNHEs), additionally a regenerative agent for lung fibrosis, seems to be beneficial for patients in acute, chronic and recovery phases of COVID-19" - ReliableRxPharmacy carries metformin.

OXYTOCIN IN THE ANTERIOR CINGULATE CORTEX IS INVOLVED IN HELPING BEHAVIOUR - Behav Brain Res 2020 Jun 27 - "Empathy toward the distress of others is thought to motivate helping behaviour, in the form of voluntary action to eliminate that distress. Neuropeptide oxytocin is associated with various social cognitive abilities, including empathy and prosocial behaviour. The anterior cingulate cortex is known to be one of the brain regions underlying empathy, and one in which oxytocin receptors are expressed. However, the relationship between helping behaviour and oxytocin in the anterior cingulate cortex is still unclear. The present study investigated whether oxytocin in the anterior cingulate cortex is involved in rats' helping behaviour. In Experiment 1, we examined the influence of blockading the oxytocin receptors in the anterior cingulate cortex on helping behaviour. Impeding oxytocin in the anterior cingulate cortex delayed learning of the helping behaviour. In Experiment 2, we examined immunofluorescent colocalization of oxytocin receptors and c-fos proteins in the anterior cingulate cortex, the anterior insular cortex, and the amygdala in rats that acquired helping behaviour. We found increased c-fos expression in oxytocin receptor-containing neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex and amygdala when the rats acquired helping behaviour. In addition, the change in neural activation was found in the late phase of the learning. These results suggest that the oxytocin in the cingulate-amygdala pathways may play an important role in helping behaviour" - See oxytocin at Amazon.com.

Higher 25-hydroxyvitamin D Level Is Associated With Increased Risk for Behçet's Disease - Clin Nutr 2020 Jun 11 - "Previous studies showed a vitamin D deficiency in patients with Behçet's disease, suggesting potential benefits of vitamin D supplementation in the prevention and treatment of Behçet's disease ... The inverse variance weighted estimate showed that genetically increased 25(OH)D level was associated with a higher risk of Behçet's disease. In the Chinese cohort, the odds ratio for Behçet's disease in one standard deviation increase of natural log-transformed 25(OH)D level was 3.82 (95% CI: 1.27-11.42). Data from Turkish cohort confirmed the association with Behçet's disease (OR, 95% CI: 4.18, 1.15-15.12). In overall combination of Chinese and Turkish cohorts, the odds ratio for Behçet's disease per standard deviation increase of natural log-transformed 25(OH)D level was estimated to be 3.96"

• Behçet's disease - Wiki - "Behçet's disease (BD) is a type of inflammatory disorder which affects multiple parts of the body.[1] The most common symptoms include painful mouth sores, genital sores, inflammation of parts of the eye, and arthritis.[2][1] The sores typically last a few days.[1] Less commonly there may be inflammation of the brain or spinal cord, blood clots, aneurysms, or blindness.[2][1] Often the symptoms come and go"

Resveratrol Treatment Is Associated With Lipid Regulation and Inhibition of Lipoprotein-Associated Phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) in Rabbits Fed a High-Fat Diet - Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2020 May 20 - "This paper aimed to investigate the influence of resveratrol on atherosclerosis (AS). Twenty-four New Zealand male rabbits were randomly and equally assigned to the normal diet group (NDG), fat diet group (FDG), and fat diet with resveratrol group (80 mg/kg/d, RFG) ... Comparisons of weight, ALT, AST, CREA, TG, TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, and Lp-PLA2 among the three groups showed no significant difference at baseline. However, at the end of 3 months, significant differences were observed in AST, CREA, TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, and Lp-PLA2 between the three groups (P < 0.05). In pairwise comparison, CREA, TC, LDL-C, and Lp-PLA2 had significant differences between any two groups (P < 0.05). In addition, there were significant differences in the AST and HDL-C levels between RFG and NDG groups (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the HDL-C levels were also significantly different between the FDG and NDG groups (P < 0.01). The histologic analysis also showed that the thickness of the aortic intima and the ratio of the intima and aortic tunica media (P < 0.05) significantly decreased in RFG compared to FDG. Resveratrol may have an antiatherosclerosis effect on a rabbit model of AS" - See resveratrol products at Amazon.com and resveratrol at iHerb.

Carnosine and Histidine-Containing Dipeptides Improve Dyslipidemia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials - Nutr Rev 2020 Jun 28 - "Carnosine and other histidine-containing dipeptides (HCDs) have exerted positive effects on cardiovascular risk factors and diseases in animal and human studies ... Carnosine and other HCDs may have a role in improving lipid profiles" - See carnosine at Amazon.com and iHerb and histidine at Amazon.com.

Effects of Fortetropin® on the Rate of Muscle Protein Synthesis in Older Men and Women: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Study - J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2020 Jun 29 - "Fortetropin is a proteo-lipid complex made from fertilized egg yolk and, in young men, has been shown to increase lean body mass ... The overall magnitude of the difference in muscle protein FSR of Fortetropin from placebo was 18%, with multiple gene ontologies affected. While these results should be confirmed in larger cohorts, they suggest that Fortetropin supplementation is effective for promoting muscle protein synthesis in older people" - See Fortetropin at Amazon.com.

Effect of Oral Supplement “Lycopene” On Reducing the Signs of Skin - Clin Pharmacol Biopharm 2020, 9:2 - "Results indicated a statistically significant increase in skin carotenoid levels in subjects who ingested Lycoderm, but no remarkable change in the placebo group. There was also a significant reduction in the appearance of lines and wrinkles in subjects using Lycoderm. The subjects noticed multiple skin benefits such as skin brightness and tonality, skin hydration and overall skin condition after using Lycoderm. Based on the confines and conditions of this study oral supplementation with Lycoderm resulted in significant increase in skin carotenoid level as well as tangible benefits to skin" - [Nutra USA] - See lycopene at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Further Evidence of Benefits to Mood and Working Memory from Lipidated Curcumin in Healthy Older People: A 12-Week, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Partial Replication Study - Nutrients 2020 Jun 4;12(6):E1678 - "Eighty participants aged 50–80 years (mean = 68.1, SD = 6.34) were randomised to receive Longvida© (400 mg daily containing 80 mg curcumin) or a matching placebo ... Compared with placebo, curcumin was associated with several significant effects. These included better working memory performance at 12-weeks (Serial Threes, Serial Sevens and performance on a virtual Morris Water Maze), and lower fatigue scores on the Profile of Mood States (POMS) at both 4 and 12-weeks, and of tension, anger, confusion and total mood disturbance at 4-weeks only. The curcumin group had significantly elevated blood glucose. These results confirm that Longvida© improves aspects of mood and working memory in a healthy older cohort. The pattern of results is consistent with improvements in hippocampal function and may hold promise for alleviating cognitive decline in some populations" - [Nutra USA] - See Longvida curcumin supplements at Amazon.com.

Neat Tech Stuff / "How To's":

There are a lot of videos on YouTube telling you that you can now get Google Maps and Waze in CarPlay.  What they don't tell you is that you can bring it up via Siri by saying something like: "Siri, take me to Timbuctoo using Google Maps [or Waze]".  If it's a name in your iPhone contacts list, it uses the address in that contacts list.  Also, with Google Maps you have an another option but it doesn't work via Siri.  You can select "Add destination" on the Google Maps CarPlay screen and select "Saved" and you can use the destinations you've saved in Google Maps.  I like it because you can save a location on your PC then when you bring up CarPlay, that destination is in your Google Maps saved list.  When you search for a destination, click save.  You'll find the saved locations in "Your Places > Saved" on the PC.  See the below pictures.  Then, to find them in CarPlay Google Maps, select "Add destination > Saved".  There's also a third way with Google Maps.  On the iPhone, search for the destination.  Then in "Share", select "Copy".  Then paste that URL into Safari.  Then add that Safari page to your Home Screen.  Then when you select that icon on your iPhone, it will show up on Google Maps in CarPlay.

How To Get Google Maps on Apple CarPlay - YouTube

Health Focus (First line medications for hypertension):