Recent Longevity News for the week ending 7/22/20

Magnesium: Why you need this mineral for better sleep, mood and more - CNET, 7/20/20 - "Magnesium is important for so many aspects of health. The mineral is involved in more than 300 enzymatic reactions in the body. It's important for bone health, helping to keep your blood sugar levels stable, helping your muscles and nerves to properly function, and keeping your blood pressure at healthy levels ... Magnesium levels also affect your brain and your mood, which is why low levels of magnesium are associated with mood disorders ... Magnesium L-threonate: "This is a specific type of magnesium that's been proven to have cognitive benefits. It was discovered by MIT researchers, and you can get it in supplement form. Research suggests that it may help improve brain plasticity, which may have positive effects on memory, learning and cognition,"" - See magnesium supplements at Amazon.com.

'Love hormone' oxytocin could be used to treat cognitive disorders like Alzheimer's - Science Daily, 7/20/20 - "oxytocin―the hormone that we commonly know to induce feelings of love and well-being―can also effectively reverse some of the damage caused by amyloid plaques in the learning and memory center of the brain in an animal model of Alzheimer's ... Oxytocin was recently found to be involved in regulating learning and memory performance, but so far, no previous study deals with the effect of oxytocin on Aβ-induced cognitive impairment ... This is the first study in the world that has shown that oxytocin can reverse Aβ-induced impairments in the mouse hippocampus" - See Oxytocin at Amazon.com but the nasal spray has bad ratings.  If you Google it, a lot of places are selling the injectable for animals.  You might be able to get the injectable.  You might be able to get the injectable from a place like this but I'm betting the prescription costs an arm and a leg.  A vial is only $23 if you can get the prescription.  The version for pets is only $10.

Turmeric could have antiviral properties - Science Daily, 7/17/20 - "curcumin can prevent Transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) -- an alpha-group coronavirus that infects pigs -- from infecting cells. At higher doses, the compound was also found to kill virus particles ... curcumin affects TGEV in a number of ways: by directly killing the virus before it is able to infect the cell, by integrating with the viral envelope to 'inactivate' the virus, and by altering the metabolism of cells to prevent viral entry ... Curcumin has been shown to inhibit the replication of some types of virus, including dengue virus, hepatitis B and Zika virus. The compound has also been found to have a number of significant biological effects, including antitumor, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities" - See curcumin at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Garlic Supplements, H Pylori Treatment Tied to Lower Gastric Cancer Mortality - Medscape, 7/17/20 - "Participants were randomly assigned to vitamin and garlic supplementation, H. pylori treatment, or a placebo and followed for up to 22.3 years starting at a mean age of 47.1 years ... Garlic supplements were associated with lower gastric cancer mortality risk (0.31) among participants with H. pylori who never drank alcohol" - See garlic supplements at Amazon.com and garlic at iHerb.com.

Blood iron levels could be key to slowing aging, gene study shows - Science Daily, 7/16/20 - "The international study using genetic data from more than a million people suggests that maintaining healthy levels of iron in the blood could be a key to ageing better and living longer." - See iron supplements at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Doctors Say Their COVID-19 Protocol Saves Lives. Others Want Proof - Medscape, 7/16/20 - "MATH+ stands for methylprednisolone, ascorbic acid, thiamine, and heparin. The "+" holds a place for additional therapies like vitamin D, zinc, and melatonin. The protocol originated as a variation of the "HAT therapy," a combination of hydrocortisone, ascorbic acid, and thiamine, which critical care specialist Paul Marik, MD, created for treating critically ill patients with sepsis." - See Vitamin C products at Amazon.com and vitamin C at iHerb.com and Jarrow Zinc Balance at Amazon.com and iHerb and melatonin at Amazon.com and iHerb and vitamin D at Amazon.com and vitamin D at iHerb.

How long should you fast for weight loss? - Science Daily, 7/15/20 - "Participants in the 4-hour time-restricted feeding diet group were asked to eat only between the hours of 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Participants in the 6-hour time-restricted feeding diet group were asked to eat only between the hours of 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. ... participants in both daily fasting groups reduced calorie intake by about 550 calories each day simply by adhering to the schedule and lost about 3% of their body weight. The researchers also found that insulin resistance and oxidative stress levels were reduced among participants in the study groups when compared with the control group. There was no effect on blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol or triglycerides."

Omeprazole-induced and Pantoprazole-induced Asymptomatic Hyponatremia - Medscxape, 7/16/20 - "Hyponatremia is the most common electrolyte disorder. Thiazides, antidepressants, antipsychotic drugs, and antiepileptic drugs are well-known causes of hyponatremia ... Hyponatremia is worrisome and awareness of medication-induced hyponatremia, especially due to proton pump inhibitors, is needed. In our case, sequential hyponatremia occurred with two different proton pump inhibitors, suggesting a class effect. Therefore, when syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion due to a proton pump inhibitor is diagnosed, preferably no other medication from the same class is prescribed. When after consideration another proton pump inhibitor is prescribed, serum sodium concentrations should be monitored"

Less REM Sleep Tied to Higher Mortality - Medscape, 7/14/20 - "over a 12-year period, each 5% reduction in REM sleep was associated with a 13% increase in mortality rate"

Women taking beta blockers for hypertension may have higher risk of heart failure with acute coronary syndrome - AHA, 7/13/20 - "women had a 4.6% higher rate of heart failure than men when presenting to the hospital with acute coronary syndrome"

Scientists may have found one path to a longer life - Science Daily, 7/10/20 - "feeding mifepristone to the fruit flies that have mated blocks the effects of sex peptide, reducing inflammation and keeping the female flies healthier, leading to longer lifespans than their counterparts who did not receive the drug"

New Insight into Neurobehavioral Effects of Legalized Cannabis - Medscape, 7/10/20 - "although cannabis consumption did not affect most short-term neurobehavioral measures, it delayed recall memory and impaired balance ... It does not appear that the potency being used matters that much ... Extended exposure to THC may also negatively affect brain regions that are associated with the control of coordinated movement, and create brain-activation deficits in motor control regions that persist well beyond the effects of short-term intoxication"

Expert: Face Masks Reduce Wearer's COVID Infection Risk by 65% - Medscape, 7/10/20 - "a "standard rectangular surgical mask ... will decrease the risk of infection to the person wearing the mask by about 65%" and that homemade masks also "should work quite well." - Note:  I've found the following to be the most comfortable plus they don't make your face itch.  I bought two 5-packs and keep them in the center console of the car.  Each day, I put the used one on the washing machine for the next wash.  My Maytag washer has a two hour allergen setting which I used for everything.

Medical Societies Advise on Vitamin D in Midst of COVID-19 - Medscape, 7/10/20 - "Six medical societies from across the globe are emphasizing the importance of individuals obtaining the daily recommended dose of vitamin D" - See vitamin D at Amazon.com and vitamin D at iHerb.

Study: Sterilize N95 Masks With a Microwave - WebMD, 7/9/20 - "The materials include water, a glass container, mesh, a rubber band, and a 1,100- or 1,150-watt microwave. The researchers filled the container with 60 milliliters of water, then secured the mesh material over the top of it with a rubber band. They then placed the N95 mask on the mesh and microwaved it for 3 minutes. This effectively killed all viruses, including coronavirus, they say"

Flu Drug Blocks Household Spread by 86% - Medscape, 7/9/20 - "Among placebo recipients, 13.6% developed the flu themselves. But among those who took a baloxavir pill instead, only 1.9% fell ill"

Among older adults, statin use tied to decreased risk of early death - Science Daily, 7/7/20 - "those who were not treated with statins. The risk of dying from a cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack or stroke, was lower by 20 percent"

Higher fruit, vegetable and whole grain intake linked to lower risk of diabetes - Science Daily, 7/9/20 - "a team of European researchers examined the association between blood levels of vitamin C and carotenoids (pigments found in colourful fruits and vegetables) with risk of developing type 2 diabetes ... Compared with people who had the lowest composite biomarker score, the risk in people whose biomarker score was in the top 20% of the population was 50% lower. The risk in those with biomarker scores between these two extremes was intermediate ... The researchers calculate that every 66 grams per day increase in total fruit and vegetable intake was associated with a 25% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes ... In the second study, researchers in the United States examined associations between total and individual whole grain food intake and type 2 diabetes ... After adjusting for lifestyle and dietary risk factors for diabetes, participants in the highest category for total whole grain consumption had a 29% lower rate of type 2 diabetes compared with those in the lowest category"

How good gut bacteria help reduce the risk for heart disease - Science Daily, 7/8/20 - "Eubacterium limosum ... The chemical linked to the clogged arteries that characterize atherosclerosis is called trimethylamine, or TMA. It is produced during metabolism when some intestinal microbes -- generally the bacteria considered unhelpful to humans -- interact with certain nutrients from food. Among those nutrients is L-carnitine, a chemical compound found in meat and fish that is also used as a nutritional supplement to improve recovery after exercise ... Up until now, the only known gut microbial reactions with L-carnitine involved converting it into its bad form. We've discovered that a bacterium known to be beneficial could remove a methyl group and send the resulting product down another pathway without making any other harmful compounds in the process ... In these interactions, L-carnitine functions as a growth substrate -- a compound consumed so the organism can live and grow, and also a target for enzyme activity. In the study, the researchers fed E. limosum cultures an assortment of potential substrates, including L-carnitine. Only when offered L-carnitine did the microbe synthesize the MtcB protein specifically to lop off L-carnitine's methyl group -- in essence, MtcB is part of the bacteria's natural way to consume the nutrient" - See probiotic supplements at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Probiotics alone or combined with prebiotics may help ease depression - Science Daily, 7/6/20 - "The studies varied considerably in their design, methods used, and clinical considerations, but all of them concluded that probiotic supplements either alone or in combination with prebiotics may be linked to measurable reductions in depression ... And every study showed a significant fall or improvement in anxiety symptoms and/or clinically relevant changes in biochemical measures of anxiety and/or depression with probiotic or combined pre-probiotic use ... Probiotics may help reduce the production of inflammatory chemicals, such as cytokines, as is the case in inflammatory bowel disease, suggest the researchers. Or they may help direct the action of tryptophan, a chemical thought to be important in the gut-brain axis in psychiatric disorders" - [Nutra USA] - See probiotic supplements at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Higher manganese levels in early pregnancy linked to lower preeclampsia risk - Science Daily, 7/7/30 - "These new findings are especially relevant, considering that preeclampsia rates are increasing and we still lack any good strategy for preventing it ... higher manganese levels in the first trimester were associated with a lower risk of preeclampsia later in the pregnancy, depending on the dose. This suggests that incrementally more manganese would bring incrementally less risk. The researchers divided the women into three equally sized groups according to their measured manganese levels -- low, medium, and high -- and found that those in the high-manganese group had just half the risk of preeclampsia, compared to those in the low-manganese group" - See manganese at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Popular Heartburn Drugs Linked to Heightened COVID-19 Risk - Time, 7/7/20 - "respondents who said they used proton pump inhibitor (PPI) medications to treat their heartburn had anywhere from two to nearly four times the risk of testing positive for COVID-19, compared to people not using such medications. PPI drugs, which are available by prescription and over the counter, work by turning off the pumps in cells that release acid into the stomach. They can be taken once or twice a day; people taking PPI medications twice a day had a higher risk of infection compared to those taking them once a day."

Abstracts from this week:

Dietary recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic - Nutr Rev 2020 Jul 12 - "The majority of documents encouraged the consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grain foods. Thirty-one percent of the guidelines highlighted the importance of minerals and vitamins such as zinc and vitamins C, A, and D to maintain a well-functioning immune system. Dietary supplementation has not been linked to COVID-19 prevention. However, supplementation with vitamins C and D, as well as with zinc and selenium, was highlighted as potentially beneficial for individuals with, or at risk of, respiratory viral infections or for those in whom nutrient deficiency is detected" -

Pyrroloquinoline quinone can prevent chronic heart failure by regulating mitochondrial function - Card Diag Ther Jun 2020 - "Myocardial mitochondrial dysfunction is the leading cause of chronic heart failure (CHF). Increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, disruption of mitochondrial biogenesis and mitochondrial Ca2+([Ca2+]m) homeostasis and reduction of the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) cause myocardial mitochondrial dysfunction ... These results show that PQQ can prevent [Ca2+]m overload by increasing NCLX expression and thereby reducing ROS production and protecting the ΔΨm. At the same time, PQQ can increase PGC-1α and TFAM expression to regulate mitochondrial biogenesis. These factors can prevent mitochondrial dysfunction, thereby reducing cardiac damage caused by pressure overload and preventing the occurrence of CHF" - [Nutra USA] - See pyrroloquinoline quinone at Amazon.com and iHerb.

The Role of the Curcumin for Inducing Apoptosis in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cells: A Systematic Review - Nutr Cancer 2020 Jul 13 - "Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a hematological malignancy of lymphoid progenitor cells associated with excessive proliferation of lymphocytes. Curcumin, a polyphenolic compound, is known to possess anticancer activity ... According to six articles that were selected, curcumin could enhance the antitumor activity of chemotherapy drugs such as L-asparaginase. Curcumin induces apoptosis in Pre B- ALL and T- ALL cells by decreased NF-kB levels, increased p53 levels, PARP-1 cleavage. Also, the induction of growth-arrest and apoptosis in association with the blockade of constitutively active JAK-STAT pathway suggests this be a mechanism by curcumin. Curcumin could be used for the treatment of cancer like ALL" - See curcumin at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Combination of Curcumin and Metformin Inhibits Cell Growth and Induces Apoptosis without Affecting the Cell Cycle in LNCaP Prostate Cancer Cell Line - Nutr Cancer 2020 Jul 13 - "The viability of cells treated with curcumin, metformin, and their combination was significantly (P < 0.05) reduced with increasing the concentration and prolonging the treatment time. Meanwhile, the combination showed a synergistic effect within 48 h. In the curcumin treated group, the expression of Bcl-2 and hTERT genes diminished. In the metformin treated group, the expression of Bax and PUMA genes was enhanced while the expression of Bcl-2, hTERT, mTOR, and p53 genes declined. Although all treatments induced apoptosis, the combination of curcumin and metformin showed the maximum level of apoptosis, cytotoxicity, and expression of Bax gene. The combination of curcumin and metformin showed synergistic effects within 48 h. This combination could be a potential therapeutic candidate for prostate cancer to be further investigated" - See curcumin at Amazon.com and iHerb and metformin at ReliableRX.

Targeting the Intestinal Microbiota to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes and Enhance the Effect of Metformin on Glycaemia: A Randomised Controlled Pilot Study - Nutrients 2020 Jul 9 - "Probiotics may act as an adjunctive to metformin by increasing the production of butyrate, which may consequently enhance glucose management" - See probiotic supplements at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Beta-blockers in hypertension: overview and meta-analysis of randomized outcome trials - J Hypertens 2020 Jul 6 - "Compared with other antihypertensive agents, beta-blockers appear to be substantially less protective against stroke and overall mortality. However, they exhibit a substantial risk-reducing ability for all events when prescribed to lower BP in patients with modest or more clear BP elevations, and therefore can be used as additional agents in hypertensive patients"

The influence of amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) dietary nitrates on the aerobic capacity of physically active young persons - "J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2020 Jul 13 - "Recent evidence indicates that elevating plasma nitrites through dietary nitrates (NO3-) supplementation is associated with enhanced muscle efficiency, fatigue resistance and performance. Beetroot (in various forms) is the dominant source of dietary NO3- primarily due to its vast availability and the simple form of preparation suitable for final consumption. After a few years of research and experimentation, our scientific team identified alternative source rich with dietary NO3- as possible nitric oxide precursor, amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) with a standardized concentration 9-11% of NO3-. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of single-dose (±400 mg of dietary NO3-) and long-term (6 days) supplementation of amaranth concentrate derived dietary NO3- on aerobic capacity in physically active young people ... The peak power of the ICE, the maximum oxygen consumption and the first ventilatory threshold were significantly increased after long-term consumption of dietary amaranth (from 4.44 ± 0.50 to 4.55 ± 0.43 W/kg; from 37.7 ± 2.7 to 41.2 ± 5.4 mL/kg/min and from 178.6 ± 30.3 to 188.6 ± 35.2 W, p < 0.05; respectively) in experimental group" - See beet root capsules at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Combined anthocyanins and bromelain supplement improves endothelial function and skeletal muscle oxygenation status in adults: a double-blind placebo-controlled randomized crossover clinical trial - Br J Nutr 2020 Jul 14 - "Anthocyanins and bromelain have gained significant attention due to their antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. Both have been shown to improve endothelial function, blood pressure (BP), and oxygen utility capacity in humans, however the combination of these two and the impacts on endothelial function, BP, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and oxygen utility capacity have not been previously investigated. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impacts of a combined anthocyanins and bromelain supplement (BE) on endothelial function, BP, TAC, oxygen utility capacity, and fatigability in healthy adults. Healthy adults (n=18, age 24±4) received BE or placebo in a randomized crossover design. Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD), BP, TAC, resting heart rate, oxygen utility capacity, and fatigability were measured pre-and post-BE and placebo intake. The BE group showed significantly increased FMD, reduced systolic BP, and improved oxygen utility capacity compared placebo group (p<0.05). Tissue saturation and oxygenated hemoglobin significantly increased following BE intake while deoxygenated hemoglobin significantly decreased (p<0.05) during exercise. Additionally, TAC was significantly increased following BE intake" - See anthocyanins at Amazon.com and iHerb and bromelain at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Alterations in Systemic Inflammatory Response Following a Half-Marathon Race with a Combined Curcumin and Pomegranate Supplement: A Feasibility Study - J Diet Suppl 2020 Jul 13 - "Endurance running training can lead to gradual accumulation of inflammation and soreness ultimately resulting in overuse injuries. Management of soreness and inflammation with pharmaceuticals (i.e. non-prescription pain relievers) during long-term training is not a suitable solution due to known side effects (e.g. gastrointestinal complications, etc.). Dietary polyphenols (i.e. curcumin, pomegranate, etc.) have been purported to reduce inflammation and muscle soreness, without these negative side effects making them ideal for use in an exercise model ... Pathway classification of these biomarkers indicated supplementation may be associated with a more favorable muscle recovery profile. Our findings support the notion that combined curcumin and pomegranate supplementation may represent a useful addition to a comprehensive exercise training plan" - See curcumin at Amazon.com and iHerb and pomegranate extract at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Melatonin pretreatment alleviates renal ischemia-reperfusion injury by promoting autophagic flux via TLR4/MyD88/MEK/ERK/mTORC1 signaling - FASEB J 2020 Jul 14 - "Autophagy is an important mechanism for cellular homeostasis and survival during pathologic stress conditions in the kidney, such as ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. In this study, renal IR was induced in female C57BL/6 mice after melatonin administration ... The administration of melatonin resulted in significantly preserved renal function, and the protective effect was associated with ameliorated oxidative stress, limited pro-inflammatory cytokine production, and neutrophil and macrophage infiltration. Moreover, autophagic flux was increased after melatonin administration while the apoptosis levels were decreased in the melatonin-pretreated mice. Using TAK-242 and CRX-527, we confirmed that MyD88-dependent TLR4 and MEK/ERK/mTORC1 signaling participated in melatonin-induced autophagy in IR mice. Collectively, our results provide novel evidence that antecedent melatonin treatment provides protection for the kidney against IR injury by enhancing autophagy, as regulated by the TLR4/MyD88/MEK/ERK/mTORC1 signaling pathway. Therefore, melatonin preconditioning offers a potential therapeutic approach to prevent renal IR injury related to various clinical conditions" - See melatonin at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Omega-3 Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Intake by Ethnicity, Income, and Education Level in the United States: NHANES 2003–2014 - Nutrients 2020, 12(7), 2045 - "This analysis was designed to provide an updated assessment of fish and n-3 LCPUFA intake (eicosapentaenoic (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and EPA+DHA) in the United States adult population, based on education, income, and race/ethnicity, using data from the 2003-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (n = 44,585). Over this survey period, participants with less education and lower income had significantly lower n-3 LCPUFA intakes and fish intakes (p < 0.001 for all between group comparisons). N-3 LCPUFA intake differed significantly according to ethnicity (p < 0.001), with the highest intake of n-3 LCPUFA and fish in individuals in the “Other” category (including Asian Americans). Supplement use increased EPA + DHA intake, but only 7.4% of individuals consistently took supplements. Overall, n-3 LCPUFA intake in this study population was low, but our findings indicate that individuals with lower educational attainment and income are at even higher risk of lower n-3 LCPUFA and fish intake" - [Nutra USA] - See omega-3 supplements at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Phytoestrogenic effect of fenugreek seed extract helps in ameliorating the leg pain and vasomotor symptoms in postmenopausal women: A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study - PharmaNutrition, 9 July 2020 - "The present randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study investigated the effect of a unique extract of fenugreek (FHE), at a dose of 250 mg × 2/day for 42 days on hormone balance and postmenopausal discomforts. Postmenopausal women (n = 48) having characteristic postmenopausal symptoms, as assessed by MRS questionnaire, were randomized either to FHE (n = 24) or placebo (n = 24) groups ... The FHE-treated participants reported the feel of well-being within two weeks of supplementation and further improvement, in somatic, psychological and urogenital scores towards the end of the study period. There were 2.9, 4.2 and 7.2 times reduction respectively in hot flashes, night sweats and pain on leg muscles and joints with significant improvement in irritability and vaginal dryness when compared to placebo. Hormone analysis revealed significant increase in estradiol, free testosterone, progesterone and decrease in FSH, SHBG and CTX-1 concentrations, though within the safe range, indicating the trend towards attaining a hormonal balance" - [Nutra USA] - See fenugreek at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Neat Tech Stuff / "How To's":

I knew Amazon had something up their sleeve when they bought out Ring. Their "Key" service allows packages to be delivered into your garage but to have a video of it, it only works with Ring. You also need one of these: https://amzn.to/2WblNc4 (but it's not compatible with everything) or a Chamberlain door with built-in MyQ such as https://amzn.to/3fnQAKi. Here's a cheap Ring camera that will work: https://amzn.to/2Oko6Fn.  The MyQ app will also automatically shut your garage door if you forget plus it can tell you whether it's open or closed from anywhere in the world plus you can open or close it from anywhere in the world.

If you want the garage door to work through CarPlay via Siri, you also need a bridge which is much cheaper directly from the company: https://www.liftmaster.com/myq-home-bridge/p/G819LMB but the Siri feature only works if you're on the same WiFi.  For Siri to work outside the Wi-Fi range, you need to link the Home app to either an Apple TV, an iPad or a Homepod.  That said, it is a neat feature.  When you're a block away from your house, you just press the microphone button on you CarPlay installed automobile and say "Siri, open the garage door".

The procedure is easy, you download the MyQ app on your smartphone.  Using the MyQ app, you follow the walkthrough to add the MyQ hub.  Also, using the MyQ app you follow the directions to add the Liftmaster Bridge (Liftmaster and Chamberlain are the same company).  Then you use the iPhone 'Home' app to add the Liftmaster Bridge.  Then the iPhone 'Home' app again to add the Apple TV hub.

Health Focus (HDL Cholesterol):