Recent Longevity News for the week ending 9/2/20

Effect of Increased Levothyroxine Dose on Depressive Mood in Older Adults Undergoing Thyroid Hormone Replacement Therapy - Medscape, 9/1/20 - "Depressive mood improves with increased LT4 dose, without significant hyperthyroid symptoms or signs, in older adults undergoing thyroid hormone replacement. These findings suggest the potential for varying the treatment target for hypothyroidism based on mood status and that low-dose LT4 treatment might be an ancillary treatment for depression."

Cholesterol drug combinations could cut health risk - Science Daily, 8/28/20 - "even among patients who are already receiving optimal doses of statins, greater use of other, non-statin cholesterol-lowering drugs could help to further reduce cholesterol levels and potentially improve health outcomes for those most at risk ... After diet and lifestyle, cholesterol lowering with medications is a key approach to lowering risk of heart disease and strokes ... But a number of other classes of cholesterol-lowering drugs are available, which act on different elements of the body's cholesterol-metabolism. These treatments, such as ezetimibe, bempedoic acid, or PCSK9 inhibitors, can be used in combination with statins to further reduce LDL-cholesterol levels ... overall, less than half of patients were achieving the most recent cholesterol-lowering goals set out by guidelines. Among patients receiving high-intensity statins, 2019 LDL-C goals were achieved in 22% of patients with established cardiovascular disease. However, among the patients receiving statins with a PCSK9 inhibitor about two thirds attained the new" - Note:  I take half the prescribed statin dose and add Sytrinol, policosanol and red yeast rice.  Synergy!

Statins Linked to Reduced Mortality in COVID-19 - Medscape, 8/28/20 - "The four studies — one of "moderate" quality and three of "good" quality — included a total of 8990 COVID-19 patients ... In the pooled analysis, there was a significantly reduced risk for fatal or severe COVID-19 with use of statins compared to non-use of statins (pooled HR, 0.70"

Exercise May Boost Your Vaccine Response - NYT, 8/26/20 - "Together, the two studies tell us that being in shape is likely to increase our protection from a vaccination, no matter how intensely or when we work out before the shot"

How vitamin C could help over 50s retain muscle mass - Science Daily, 8/27/20 - "studied data from more than 13,000 people aged between 42-82 years, who are taking part in the EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) Norfolk Study ... people with the highest amounts of vitamin C in their diet or blood had the greatest estimated skeletal muscle mass, compared to those with the lowest amounts" - See vitamin C products at Amazon.com and iHerb.com.

Gut microbes could unlock the secret to healthy aging - Science Daily, 8/27/20 - "Bacteria and other microorganisms in the digestive tract are linked with dozens of health conditions including high blood pressure, high blood lipids, and body mass index (BMI) according to research presented today at ESC Congress 2020 ... The researchers found that higher levels of eleven bacteria (estimated from genetic data) were associated with a total of 28 health and disease outcomes. These included chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), atopy (a genetic tendency to develop allergic diseases like asthma and eczema), frequency of alcohol intake, high blood pressure, high blood lipids, and BMI ... To take one example, higher levels of the genus Ruminococcus were linked with increased risk of high blood pressure ... Regarding alcohol consumption, Dr. Groot said: "What we eat and drink is connected to microbiome content, so we studied the links with meat, caffeine, and alcohol. We observed a relationship between raised levels of Methanobacterium and drinking alcohol more often. It is important to stress that this is an association, not a causal relation, and more research is needed.""

Moderna coronavirus vaccine shows strong immune response in older adults - Science Daily, 8/26/20 - "two months after receiving the second of two vaccine doses, participants had antibody levels higher than those of people who have recovered from Covid-19"

COVID-19 Is Transmitted Through Aerosols. We Have Enough Evidence, Now It Is Time to Act - Time, 8/25/20 - "The evidence in favor of aerosols is stronger than that for any other pathway, and officials need to be more aggressive in expressing this reality if we want to get the pandemic under control ... There are three possible ways the virus is transmitted, of which two have been emphasized by the WHO and the CDC. The first is through “fomites,” objects that are contaminated with the virus (which could include someone else’s skin). Early in the pandemic, concern over fomite transmission drove some people to bleach groceries and packages. The CDC now says fomites are a possible means of transmission, but likely not one that is major. For example, an intensive handwashing program in the UK led to only a 16% reduction in transmission. Significantly, other viruses that, like SARS-CoV-2 (the one that causes COVID-19), have a lipid envelope, do not survive long on human hands. That means someone would need to touch their eyes, nostrils, or mouth a short time after touching a contaminated surface in order to contract the novel coronavirus ... The second possibility for how COVID-19 spreads is through droplets, small bits of saliva or respiratory fluid that infected individuals expel when they cough, sneeze, or talk. Droplets—which the WHO and CDC maintain is the primary means of transmission of COVID-19—are propelled through the air, but fall to the ground after traveling 3-6 feet. However, published research, which has been replicated, shows that droplets are only important when coughing and sneezing. But when it comes to talking in close proximity, which appears to play a major role in COVID-19 transmission, droplets are less important than the third potential pathway: aerosols. Many diseases, including COVID-19, infect most effectively at close proximity. Since droplets are visible and fall to the ground between 3-6 feet, we can readily see and understand this route of infection. In fact, it was thought for decades that tuberculosis was transmitted by droplets and fomites, based on ease of infection at close proximity, but research eventually proved that tuberculosis can only be transmitted through aerosols. I believe that we have been making a similar mistake for COVID-19 ... “Aerosol” (sometimes referred to as “airborne”) transmission is similar to droplet transmission, except that the bits of fluid are so small that they can linger in the air for minutes to hours"

Blood pressure medication improves COVID-19 survival rates, research finds - Science Daily, 8/24/20 - "Covid-19 patients with high blood pressure who were taking ACEi/ARB medications were 0.67 times less likely to have a critical or fatal outcome than those not taking these medications"

Dozens of COVID-19 vaccines are in development. Here are the ones to follow - National Geographic, 8/21/20 - "Moderna Therapeutics ... Name: mRNA-1273 ... Who: A Massachusetts-based biotech company, in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health ... What: This vaccine candidate relies on injecting snippets of a virus’s genetic material, in this case mRNA, into human cells. They create viral proteins that mimic the coronavirus, training the immune system to recognize its presence. This technology has never been licensed for any disease. If successful, it would be the first mRNA vaccine approved for human use. (Here’s how mRNA vaccines work.) ... Status: On July 27, Moderna announced it had started the third phase of its clinical trials, even as it continues to monitor phase two results. Preliminary findings from phase one have shown that healthy subjects produced coronavirus antibodies and a reaction from T-cells, another arm of the human immune response. Phase three will test the vaccine in 30,000 U.S. participants. Moderna says it is on track to deliver at least 500 million doses per year beginning in 2021, thanks in part to the deal it has struck with Swiss manufacturer Lonza that will allow it to manufacture up to one billion doses a year."

Stop the PPI to Lower COVID-19 Risk? - Medscape, 8/19/20 - "The odds ratios for COVID-19 associated with daily or twice-daily PPI use vs no use were 2.15 and 3.67, respectively"

More Evidence Links Gum Disease and Dementia Risk - Medscape,  8/19/20 - "Over a 20-year period, investigators prospectively followed more than 8000 individuals around the age of 63 years who did not have cognitive impairment or dementia at baseline, grouping them based on the extent and severity of their periodontal disease and number of lost teeth ... Results showed that 14% of participants with healthy gums and all their teeth at baseline developed dementia, compared with 18% of those with mild periodontal disease and 22% who had severe periodontal disease. The highest percentage (23%) of participants who developed dementia was found in those who were edentulous (toothless)"

Multivitamin, mineral supplement linked to less-severe, shorter-lasting illness symptoms - Science Daily, 8/18/20 - "Older adults who took a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement with zinc and high amounts of vitamin C in a 12-week study experienced sickness for shorter periods and with less severe symptoms than counterparts in a control group receiving a placebo"

Hydroxychloroquine ineffective as a preventive antiviral against COVID-19, study finds - Science Daily, 8/17/20 - "Researchers have added to the growing body of understanding about how hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is not a possible defense against COVID-19"

Abstracts from this week:

Associations of Omega-3 Fatty acids with Interstitial Lung Disease and Lung Imaging Abnormalities Among Adults - Am J Epidemiol 2020 Aug 17 - "Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, attenuates interstitial lung disease (ILD) in experimental models but human studies are lacking. We examined associations of circulating levels of DHA, and other polyunsaturated fatty acids, with hospitalization and death due to ILD over 12 years in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA, n=6,573). We examined cross-sectional associations with CT lung abnormalities in MESA (2000-2012), Framingham Heart Study (2005-2011), and Age Gene/Environment Susceptibility (2002-2006) Study (total n=10,193). Polyunsaturated fatty acid levels were from fasting blood samples and extracted from plasma phospholipids (MESA and Age Gene/Environment Susceptibility) or red blood cell membranes (Framingham Heart Study). Higher DHA levels were associated with a lower risk of hospitalizations due to ILD (adjusted rate ratio 0.69 per standard deviation increment (95% CI 0.48, 0.99) and a lower rate of death due to ILD (adjusted hazard ratio 0.68 per standard deviation increment, 95% CI 0.47, 0.98). Higher DHA was associated with less interstitial lung abnormalities on CT (pooled adjusted odds ratio 0.65 per natural log increment; 95% CI 0.46, 0.91). Higher DHA levels were associated with a lower risk of hospitalization and death due to ILD and less lung abnormalities on CT in a meta-analysis of population-based cohorts." - [Nutra USA] - See docosahexaenoic acid at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Homocysteine-Lowering by B Vitamins Slows the Rate of Accelerated Brain Atrophy in Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Controlled Trial - PLoS One 2010 Sep 8 - "An increased rate of brain atrophy is often observed in older subjects, in particular those who suffer from cognitive decline. Homocysteine is a risk factor for brain atrophy, cognitive impairment and dementia. Plasma concentrations of homocysteine can be lowered by dietary administration of B vitamins ... Participants were randomly assigned to two groups of equal size, one treated with folic acid (0.8 mg/d), vitamin B(12) (0.5 mg/d) and vitamin B(6) (20 mg/d), the other with placebo; treatment was for 24 months ... The mean rate of brain atrophy per year was 0.76% [95% CI, 0.63-0.90] in the active treatment group and 1.08% [0.94-1.22] in the placebo group (P = 0.001). The treatment response was related to baseline homocysteine levels: the rate of atrophy in participants with homocysteine >13 µmol/L was 53% lower in the active treatment group (P = 0.001). A greater rate of atrophy was associated with a lower final cognitive test scores. There was no difference in serious adverse events according to treatment category ... The accelerated rate of brain atrophy in elderly with mild cognitive impairment can be slowed by treatment with homocysteine-lowering B vitamins. Sixteen percent of those over 70 y old have mild cognitive impairment and half of these develop Alzheimer's disease. Since accelerated brain atrophy is a characteristic of subjects with mild cognitive impairment who convert to Alzheimer's disease, trials are needed to see if the same treatment will delay the development of Alzheimer's disease" - [Nutra USA] - See B complex supplements at Amazon.com and iHerb.

The Effect of Leucine-Enriched Essential Amino Acid Supplementation on Anabolic and Catabolic Signaling in Human Skeletal Muscle after Acute Resistance Exercise: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel-Group Comparison Trial - Nutrients 2020 Aug 12 - "These data indicated that LEAA supplementation augments the effect of resistance exercise by enhancing mTORC1 signal activation after exercise" - See leucine products at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Vitamin D can be effective on the prevention of COVID-19 complications: A narrative review on molecular aspects - Int J Vitam Nutr Res 2020 Aug 19 - "An arguable role in autophagy or apoptosis control has been suggested for VD through calcium signaling at the mitochondrial and ER levels. 1,25(OH)2D3 is also an immunomodulator that affects the development of B-cells, T-cells, and NK cells in both innate and acquired immunity. The production of some anti-microbial molecules such as defensins and cathelicidins is also stimulated by VD. The overexpression of glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase, and down-regulation of NADPH oxidase are induced by VD to reduce the oxidative stress. Moreover, the multi-organ failure due to a cytokine storm induced by SARS-CoV2 in COVID-19 may be prevented by the immunomodulatory effects of VD. It can also downregulate the renin-angiotensin system which has a protective role against cardiovascular complications induced by COVID-19. Given the many experimental and molecular evidences due to the potential protective effects of VD on the prevention of the COVID-19-induced morbidities, a VD supplementation is suggested to prevent the lethal side-effects of the infection. It is particularly recommended in VD-deficient patients or those at greater risk of serious or critical effects of COVID-19, including the elderly, and patients with pre-existing chronic diseases, especially those in nursing homes, care facilities, and hospitals" - See vitamin D at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Grain and dietary fiber intake and bladder cancer risk: a pooled analysis of prospective cohort studies - Am J Clin Nutr 2020 Aug 10 - "Higher intakes of total whole grain and total dietary fiber are associated with reduced risk of BC individually and jointly"

Effects of Bang® Keto Coffee Energy Drink on Metabolism and Exercise Performance in Resistance-Trained Adults: A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Crossover Study - J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2020 Aug 24 - "consumption of the energy drink had minimal effects on lower-body muscular performance and subjective factors in the context of a laboratory setting. However, the beverage was found to significantly increase energy expenditure compared to placebo immediately following ingestion as well as during the recovery period after an exercise bout, suggesting that active individuals may improve acute metabolic outcomes via consumption of a caffeine- and protein-containing energy drink" - See Bang Keto coffee at Amazon.com and iHerb.

The Merits and the Pitfalls of Low Carbohydrate Diet: A Concise Review - J Nutr Health Aging 2020 - "there are untoward side effects especially when carbohydrates are severely restricted (< 50 gm a day) to induce ketosis. The latter curbs appetite but also may cause nausea, fatigue water and electrolyte losses and limits exercise capacity. In addition, observational studies suggest that low carbohydrate diets (< 40% energy form carbohydrates) as well as very high carbohydrate diets (> 70% energy from carbohydrate) are associated with increased mortality. The available scientific evidence supports the current dietary recommendations to replace highly processed carbohydrates with unprocessed carbohydrates as well as limiting added sugars in the diet"

Different effects of metformin on hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis activity in levothyroxine-treated and levothyroxine-naïve women with non-autoimmune hypothyroidism - J Clin Pharm Ther 2020 Aug 21 - "Thirty-two women (16 in each treatment arm) completed the study. At baseline, both groups differed only in free and total thyroxine levels. Metformin reduced glucose levels and glycated haemoglobin, improved insulin sensitivity and decreased thyrotrophin levels. The impact on insulin sensitivity and thyrotrophin was stronger in women simultaneously treated with levothyroxine than in women not receiving this hormone. In levothyroxine-treated patients, metformin slightly reduced prolactin levels. In both study groups, metformin treatment exerted a neutral effect on free and total thyroxine and triiodothyronine. The thyrotrophin-lowering effect of metformin correlated with the improvement in insulin sensitivity and in levothyroxine-treated women with the changes in prolactin levels ... The obtained results suggest that metformin/levothyroxine combination therapy may be an interesting treatment option in women with non-autoimmune hypothyroidism poorly tolerating high-dose levothyroxine treatment" - See metformin at ReliableRX.

Curcumin Suppresses Aldosterone-Induced CRP Generation in Rat Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells via Interfering with the ROS-ERK1/2 Signaling Pathway - Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2020 Aug 7 - "The results provide new evidence for the potential anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular protective effects of curcumin" - See curcumin at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Coffee Consumption and Invasive Breast Cancer Incidence among Postmenopausal Women in the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort - Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020 Aug 14 - "Neither total, caffeinated nor decaffeinated coffee consumption were associated with invasive breast cancer risk; HRs (95% CIs) comparing consumption of ≥2 cups/day to <1 cup/month were 0.99 (0.89-1.11), 0.96 (0.87-1.06), and 1.06 (0.95-1.19), respectively. Similarly, coffee consumption was not associated with risk of hormone receptor positive (ER+ or PR+) or hormone receptor negative (ER- and PR-) breast tumors"

Daily supplementation with aronia melanocarpa (chokeberry) reduces blood pressure and cholesterol: a meta analysis of controlled clinical trials - J Diet Suppl 2020 Aug 14 - "Daily supplementation with aronia berry extracts for 6-8 weeks significantly reduces systolic blood pressure, which is a key risk factor for cardiovascular disease, as well as total cholesterol. These effects are most significant in adults over the age of 50 years. Supplementation with aronia berry is a safe and effective way to reduce total cholesterol and systolic blood pressure, with even larger effects among adults over the age of 50 years." - [Nutra USA] - See aronia berry extract at Amazon.com and iHerb.

The effects of varying doses of caffeine on cardiac parasympathetic reactivation following an acute bout of anaerobic exercise in recreational athletes - J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2020 Aug 20 - "Caffeine ingestion increases resting cardiac autonomic modulation and accelerates post-exercise autonomic recovery after a bout of anaerobic exercise in recreationally active young men. However, no differences between caffeine doses on cardiac autonomic reactivity were observed." - [Nutra USA]

Ginseng, good for bone health, registered as a publicly recognized functional ingredient - The Rural Development Administration, 7/27/20 - "40 Older women 90 People 30 In groups of three 12 Weekly progress. contrast Group Fake medicine (Placebo) of, The rest of the groups were each using ginseng extract OneWork 1g, 3gEach To eat ... 8 weekly 300mg/kgTibia of old rat group treated with ginseng extract of (Shin bone) Serum osteocalcin content significantly increased inand, It was confirmed that serum calcium was also significantly increased" - Note:  It's in Korean, you have to select 'Translate'. [Nutra USA] - See ginseng at Amazon.com and iHerb.

Neat Tech Stuff / "How To's":

Health Focus (Advance Glycation End Products):