Recent Longevity News for the week ending 3/30/22

Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction: New Treatments Provide 'Hope' - Medscape, 3/28/22 - "That is, those individuals in PARAGON-HF who had ejection fractions slightly on the lower end of "normal" tended to benefit more from this medication as well. That differentiated by sex. This is a controversial aspect of the field and it is something that's evolving on a day-to-day or month-to-month basis ... Sacubitril-valsartan, I think, would be a medicine that could be of particular benefit in this patient. That was the first of the next few trials in HFpEF that started to yield potential new drug classes for HFpEF. ... The next drug class is one with which all aspects of cardiology have become more and more aware, and the HFpEF field is no stranger. With the results of the EMPEROR-Preserved trial we have, in the history of HFpEF clinical trials, our first positive trial, and a monumental moment. A trial evaluating the efficacy of empagliflozin (a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 [SGLT2] inhibitor) vs placebo in HFpEF. This is the ideal patient who may benefit from this medicine ... EMPEROR-Preserved demonstrated a reduction in a composite endpoint of heart failure hospitalization and cardiovascular death. As you mentioned, Clyde, this efficacy was driven by a reduction in heart failure hospitalization. The class of SGLT2 inhibitors would be, certainly, a medicine that would provide much benefit not only from a reduction in heart failure hospitalization perspective, but a marked improvement in symptoms" - See empagliflozin at ihouseepharmacy.

Low Vitamin D Link With Obesity, Overweight Among Men - Medscape, 3/28/22 - "Compared to men with normal weight, men with overweight were more likely to have vitamin D inadequacy (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.2; P = .03), as were men with obesity (adjusted OR, 1.4; P = .001), after adjusting for age, sex, place of residence, education, physical activity, alcohol consumption, and smoking" - See vitamin D at Amazon.com.

Sleep Deprivation Sends Fat to the Belly - Science Daily, 3/28/22 - "randomized, controlled study of 12 healthy, nonobese people randomized to controlled sleep restriction — 2 weeks of 4 hours of sleep a night — or controlled sleep of 9 hours a night, followed by a 3-day recovery period. The study was conducted in the hospital, monitored participants' caloric intake, and used accelerometry to monitor energy expense. Participants ranged in age from 19 to 39 years ... What we found was that at the end of 2 weeks these people put on just about a pound, 0.5 kg, of extra weight, which was significant but still very modest ... The average person who sleeps 4 hours a night thinks they're doing OK if they only put on a pound ... The problem is ... that when you do a more specific analysis you find that actually with the 1 pound the significant increase of the fat is in the belly area, particularly inside the belly"

Left Atrial Dysfunction Linked to Future Dementia Risk - Medscape, 3/27/22 - "Individuals with the lowest quintiles of various measures of left atrial function had a 43%-98% greater risk of developing dementia than those in the highest quintiles of the same measures ... The hazard ratios for the lowest vs highest quintile for reservoir strain were 1.98; conduit strain 1.50; contractile strain 1.57; emptying fraction 1.87; and for active emptying fraction 1.43, all values being statistically significant. Left atrial passive emptying fraction was not significantly associated with dementia ... diagnosed AF accounted for less than 2% of the association between left atrial dysfunction and dementia ... The editorialists suggest several mechanisms that may explain the association of atrial myopathy and dementia risk. These include an effect mediated through ischemic stroke, subclinical embolism, altered cardiac output causing a reduction in cerebral perfusion, a role of inflammatory markers, and shared risk factors between atrial myopathy and dementia"

New Trial Data Show Hair Growth in More Alopecia Areata Patients - Medscape, 3/26/22 - "Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) ... At baseline, patients enrolled in the trial had a mean SALT score of 85.5. After 52 weeks, 39.0% of patients who received 4 mg of baricitinib had at least 80% scalp coverage. Of this group, nearly three out of four (74.1%) had at least 90% scalp coverage ... At baseline, patients enrolled in the trial had a mean SALT score of 85.5. After 52 weeks, 39.0% of patients who received 4 mg of baricitinib had at least 80% scalp coverage. Of this group, nearly three out of four (74.1%) had at least 90% scalp coverage, or a SALT score ≤ 10 ... In patients who received 2 mg of baricitinib, 22.6% had a SALT score ≤ 20 (at least 80% scalp hair coverage) at 52 weeks, and two thirds of that group (67.5%) had at least 90% scalp hair coverage at 52 weeks" - Note: The annual cost of baricitinib is $18,000 for the 2 mg. Maybe if you're Elon Musk.

Oleic acid -- a key to activating the brain's 'fountain of youth' - Science Daily, 3/22/22 - "Many people dread experiencing the cognitive and mood declines that often accompany reaching an advanced age, including memory disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and mood conditions like depression ... oleic acid produced in the brain is an essential regulator of the process that enables learning and memory and supports proper mood regulation ... Years ago, scientists thought that the adult mammalian brain was not able to repair and regenerate. But research has shown that some brain regions have the capacity of generating new neurons, a process called neurogenesis. The hippocampus region of the adult mammalian brain has the ongoing capacity to form new neurons, to repair and regenerate itself, enabling learning and memory and mood regulation during the adult life ... oleic acid regulates TLX activation has major therapeutic implications ... TLX has become a 'druggable' target, meaning that knowing how it is activated naturally in the brain helps us to develop drugs capable of entering the brain and stimulating neurogenesis" - Note: Oleic acid is omega-9 like in olive oil. This article is confusing though. It's implying that your brain can make oleic acid. I doubt if that's true.

Even Moderate Exercise Offers Strong Shield From COVID-19 - Medscape, 3/25/22 - "with COVID-19 infection, people with high vs low physical activity had: 34% lower risk for hospitalization (risk ratio [RR], 0.66 ... 41% lower risk for ICU admission ... 45% lower risk of requiring ventilation ... 42% lower risk for death ... Even moderate physical exercise, below the recommended guidelines of at least 150 minutes per week, was associated with benefits: 13% lower risk for hospitalization ... 20% lower risk for ICU admission ... 27% lower risk of requiring ventilation ... 21% lower risk for death ... It also suggests that the protective benefit of exercise extends to HIV-positive patients and those with rheumatoid arthritis"

Scientists develop coated probiotics that could be effectively delivered into the human gut - Science Daily, 3/25/22 - "In the NTU-study, the probiotics, gut-friendly Lacticaseibacillus bacteria, are spray-coated with alginate, a carbohydrate derived from brown algae, protecting them from the harsh acidic conditions in the stomach" - Note: But they've been claiming that for decades.

Good news for coffee lovers: Daily coffee may benefit the heart - Science Daily, 3/24/22 - "Drinking coffee -- particularly two to three cups a day -- is not only associated with a lower risk of heart disease and dangerous heart rhythms but also with living longer ... Participants' average age was 57 years and half were women. In general, having two to three cups of coffee a day was associated with the greatest benefit, translating to a 10%-15% lower risk of developing coronary heart disease, heart failure, a heart rhythm problem, or dying for any reason ... The second study included 34,279 individuals who had some form of cardiovascular disease at baseline. Coffee intake at two to three cups a day was associated with lower odds of dying compared with having no coffee. Importantly, consuming any amount of coffee was not associated with a higher risk of heart rhythm problems, including atrial fibrillation (AFib) or atrial flutter, which Kistler said is often what clinicians are concerned about. Of the 24,111 people included in the analysis who had an arrhythmia at baseline, drinking coffee was associated with a lower risk of death. For example, people with AFib who drank one cup of coffee a day were nearly 20% less likely to die than non-coffee drinkers ... coffee beans actually have over 100 biologically active compounds. These substances can help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, improve insulin sensitivity, boost metabolism, inhibit the gut's absorption of fat and block receptors known to be involved with abnormal heart rhythm ... In a third study, researchers looked at whether there were any differences in the relationship between coffee and cardiovascular disease depending on whether someone drank instant or ground coffee or caffeinated or decaf. They found, once again, two to three cups a day to be associated with the lowest risk of arrhythmias, blockages in the heart's arteries, stroke or heart failure regardless of whether they had ground or instant coffee ... Decaf coffee did not have favorable effects against incident arrhythmia but did reduce cardiovascular disease, with the exception of heart failure" - [Medscape]

Lipid and glucose levels at age 35 associated with Alzheimer's disease - Science Daily, 3/23/22 - "lower HDL (the good cholesterol) is predictive of AD in early (35-50 years) and middle (51-60 years) adulthood and that high glucose in the blood (a precursor of diabetes) during mid-adulthood is also predictive of AD "These findings show for the first time that cardiovascular risk factors, including HDL which has not been consistently reported as a strong risk factor for AD, contribute to future risk of AD starting as early as age 35," ... careful management of these factors starting in early adulthood can lower one's risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, as well as Alzheimer's."Intervention targeting cholesterol and glucose management starting in early adulthood can help maximize cognitive health in later life,"" -

Higher Vitamin D3 Levels Link to Less Insulin Resistance - Medscape, 3/24/22 - "Data from five sequential National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) reports using US population samples in 2009-2018 showed each 1-unit increase in serum levels of vitamin D3 (25-hydroxyvitamin D3) (measured as nmol/L) was significantly associated with an 11% lower risk of developing insulin resistance ... This association between higher serum vitamin D3 levels and a reduced risk for insulin resistance was strongest in people with a body mass index (BMI) of 24 to 28 kg/m2 (overweight). The association was weaker in people with BMIs below and above this range" - See vitamin D at Amazon.com.

Post-COVID Cognitive Sequelae Affect >20% of Patients Long After Infection -  Medscape, 3/24/22 - "More than 20% of persons aged 18-65 years with PCR confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection had lasting symptoms at 6-12 months post-COVID that considerably interfered with their daily life activities" - Note: The logic of the anti-vaxxers eludes me. They're afraid of something that has a six month side affect of nearly zero why they don't have any problems with something that has as six-month side effect risk nearly infinitely higher.

Study suggests association between consuming artificial sweeteners and increased cancer risk - Science Daily, 3/24/22 - "enrollees consuming larger quantities of artificial sweeteners, particularly aspartame and acesulfame-K, had higher risk of overall cancer compared to non-consumers (hazard ratio 1.13, 95% confidence interval 1.03 to 1.25). Higher risks were observed for breast cancer and obesity-related cancers"

Researchers discover intake of FDA-approved drug modulates disease progression in Alzheimer’s disease mode - Science Daily, 3/23/22 - "Niacin, which sustains metabolism throughout the body, is mainly obtained through a typical diet; it also can be taken in supplements and cholesterol-lowering drugs ... After the Alzheimer's disease animal models received niacin, they ended up with fewer plaques and they have improved cognition ... Past epidemiology studies of niacin and Alzheimer's disease showed that people who had higher levels of niacin in their diet had diminished risk of the disease ... Niacin is also currently being used in clinical trials in Parkinson's disease and glioblastoma" - See niacin at Amazon.com.

Do older adults using statins have lower risk of developing Parkinsonism later? - Science Daily, 3/22/22 - "Out of 936 people taking statins, 418 people, or 45%, developed parkinsonism six years later, compared to 1,014 out of 1,905 people, or 53%, of those who had not been taking statins ... After controlling for age, sex and vascular risks like smoking and diabetes that could affect risk of parkinsonism, researchers found that people who had been taking statins, on average, had 16% lower risk of developing parkinsonism six years later compared to those who had not been taking statins. About 79% of people on statin therapy were taking moderate or high intensity statins. Researchers found that people taking higher intensity statins had a 7% lower risk of developing parkinsonism compared to those on low intensity statins ... those who had been using statins had, on average, 37% lower odds of having atherosclerosis compared to those who had not been using statins" - See red yeast rice at Amazon.com.

Self-monitoring blood oxygen at home can help COVID patients spot early warning signs, study finds - Science Daily, 3/22/22 - "with medical guidance, home pulse oximetry can act as a safety net, reducing unnecessary emergency and hospital admissions for patients who can safely stay at home, while spotting early signs of deterioration and escalating care in those who need it. This would help to save stretched resources, and reduce further potential spread of the virus from contact in health settings ... the study recommends the use of a defined cutoff point in blood oxygen levels (92%), which will enable healthcare professionals to determine when a patient needs to go to hospital for treatment, or whether they can rule out the need for further care at the time" - See oximetry at Amazon.com.

Ivermectin and COVID: Is a Microscopic Worm the Key? - Medscape, 3/22/22 - "There are the ivermectin proponents, many of whom have amassed hundreds of thousands of Twitter followers which must be worth, I don't know, at least $30, based on the promise that it is a miracle cure — often touting small studies from developing countries, some of which have been proven fraudulent ... And then there are the scientists and researchers, and I admit that I fall into this group, who point out that the best data we have suggest that ivermectin has no meaningful effect on clinical outcomes in COVID-19 ... The authors conclude, "No evidence was found to suggest that ivermectin has any role in preventing mortality in patients with COVID-19 in regions where strongyloidiasis is not endemic." ... beware the ecologic fallacy. We have 12 data points to work with; the relationship to Strongyloides prevalence is nice in terms of biological plausibility, but we still need to worry that some of these studies are small, not peer-reviewed, and published in an incredibly high-stakes environment where a positive result might lead to fame... or infamy. Several supposed trials of ivermectin turned out to be frauds, and it is not impossible that more will be retracted with greater scrutiny. (Authors of these studies, please release your data publicly if you stand behind it.)"

Study shows effectiveness of pill form of remdesivir to treat COVID-19 in mice - Science Daily, 3/22/22 - "A three-day course resulted in an 87% lower risk of hospitalization and death"

100g of cranberries a day improves cardiovascular health, study finds - Science Daily, 3/22/22 - "men who consumed whole cranberry powder equivalent to 100g of fresh cranberries per day (9 g powder) or a placebo for one month. Those consuming cranberry had a significant improvement in flow-mediated dilation (FMD), which signals improvement of heart and blood vessel function. FMD is considered a sensitive biomarker of cardiovascular disease risk and measures how blood vessels widen when blood flow increases" - See cranberry extract at Amazon.com.

How sugar promotes inflammation - Science Daily, 3/22/22 - "People who consume sugar and other carbohydrates in excess over a long period of time have an increased risk of developing an autoimmune disease. In affected patients, the immune system attacks the body's own tissue and the consequences are, for example, chronic inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, type 1 diabetes and chronic inflammation of the thyroid gland ... excessive consumption of glucose directly promotes the pathogenic functions of certain cells of the immune system and that, conversely, that a calorie-reduced diet can have a beneficial effect on immune diseases. Based on these findings, they also identified new targets for therapeutic interventions: A specific blockade of glucose-depended metabolic processes in these immune cells can suppress excessive immune reactions ... Immune cells need large amounts of sugar in the form of glucose to perform their tasks. With the help of specialized transporters at their cell membrane, they can take up glucose from the environment ... blocking GLUT3-dependent synthesis of acetyl-CoA by the dietary supplement hydroxycitrate, which is used to treat obesity, can mitigate the pathogenic functions of Th17 cells and reduce inflammatory-pathological processes" - See hydroxycitrate at Amazon.com. It would seem like my three sugar sweetener method might work also. In recipes requiring glucose, substitute a third inulin (glycemic index 14), an third trehalose (glycemic index 32) and maybe 3/8th xylitol (glycemic index 7). You're still getting more sweetness with less calories and a much lower glycemic index.

Novel heart ultrasound measures can be used to predict risk of developing dementia - Science Daily, 3/22/22 - "When comparing the lowest to the highest quintile of left atrial function measures (reservoir strain, conduit strain, and contractile strain), the lowest quintile was significantly associated with 1.5 to 2.0-fold higher risk of developing dementia. These associations were independent of cardiovascular disease and atrial fibrillation. The research team found that the more common measures of left atrial size were not significantly associated with dementia"

A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Pharmacological Treatment of Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction - Medscape, 3/21/22 - "In patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction, the estimated aggregate benefit is greatest for a combination of ARNi, BB, MRA, and SGLT2i"

Little evidence on how psilocybin therapy interacts with existing psychiatric treatments, review finds - Science Daily, 3/18/22 - "They found a total of 40 studies dating back to 1958, including 26 from randomized controlled studies, 11 case reports and three epidemiologic studies ... one study that examined how psilocybin interacts with antidepressant medications. Further, Sarparast noted that all of the clinical trials were conducted with healthy volunteers who were administered a psychiatric medication and a psychedelic at the same time -- a clear sign of the need for further research on the clinical outcomes of combining pharmaceutical medications with psilocybin ... Patients with mental health conditions may well benefit from psilocybin therapy, but Sarparast said he worries about the implications of stopping existing psychiatric treatment in order to receive psilocybin services. This may force vulnerable people into choosing between their existing medical treatment or psilocybin services ... people attempting to navigate Oregon's psilocybin services in the context of ongoing psychiatric treatment should work closely with knowledgeable professionals"

Marijuana for medical use may result in rapid onset of cannabis use disorder - Science Daily, 3/18/22 - "individuals at greatest risk of developing the addictive symptoms of CUD were those seeking relief from anxiety and depression, suggesting the need for stronger safeguards over the dispensing, use, and professional follow-up of people who legally obtain cannabis through MMCs"

Lithium may decrease risk of developing dementia - Science Daily, 3/27/22 - "Lithium is a mood stabiliser usually prescribed for conditions such as bipolar affective disorder and depression ... Bipolar disorder and depression are considered to put people at increased risk of dementia ... After controlling for factors such as smoking, other medications, and other physical and mental illnesses, lithium use was associated with a lower risk of dementia, both for short and long-term users. However, since the overall number of patients receiving lithium was small and this was an observational study, larger clinical trials would be needed to establish lithium as a potential treatment for dementia" - See lithium supplements at Amazon.com.

Free Thyroxine, Brain Frailty and Clock Drawing Test Performance in Patients With Acute Minor Stroke or Transient Ischaemic Attack - Medscape, 3/17/22 - "clock drawing test (CDT) ... Our findings suggested that a higher FT4 level was associated with a higher brain frailty score and poorer CDT performance, and brain frailty might play an important effect on the association between FT4 and cognitive decline" - Note: It's another reason to consider taking the t3/t4 combo vs. t4 alone but getting a prescription for the combo is like trying to get a prescription for cocaine. I don't think doctors are current in this area. Burns me up. They think their patients are stupid and that they know everything.

Empagliflozin Scores Topline Win in EMPA-KIDNEY Trial - Medscape, 3/17/22 - "EMPA-KIDNEY is the third major trial of an agent from the sodium-glucose co-transport 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor class tested in patients with CKD to be stopped early because of positive results that met a prespecified termination rule ... The success of empagliflozin in EMPA-KIDNEY follows its positive results in both the EMPEROR-Reduced and EMPEROR-Preserved trials, which collectively proved the efficacy of the agent for patients with heart failure regardless of their left ventricular ejection fraction and regardless of whether they also had diabetes" - See empagliflozin inhousepharmacy.vu.

Trial testing cocoa flavanol supplement shows promise for reducing cardiovascular risk - Science Daily, 3/16/22 - "smaller, short-term trials have found cardiovascular benefits for cocoa flavanols on blood pressure and blood vessel dilation ... cocoa flavanols reduced total cardiovascular events by 10 percent, but this was not statistically significant. However, several secondary analyses provided broader support for a potential benefit of cocoa flavanols on cardiovascular events. First, those receiving the cocoa flavanol supplement had a significant 27 percent reduction in death from cardiovascular disease. Second, when the study team took adherence to study pills into account (by looking at those taking their study pills regularly), the team saw a stronger, 15 percent reduction in total cardiovascular events and a 39 percent reduction in death from cardiovascular disease. Third, a composite endpoint of major cardiovascular events (heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular deaths), although not a trial focus, was also significantly reduced ... A daily multivitamin had no significant effect on total or individual cardiovascular events. There were no safety concerns for either cocoa flavanols or a multivitamin ... COSMOS concluded after about 3.6 years, which was likely too short to detect whether the supplements could have affected cancer risk. Although a daily multivitamin improved levels of several nutritional biomarkers, it had no significant effect on total invasive cancer, the primary outcome for the multivitamin analyses. Cocoa flavanols also had no significant effect on total invasive cancer" - See chocolate at Amazon.com.

Excess sugar consumption costs Canada’s health-care system $5 billion each year, study finds - Science Daily, 3/16/22 - "They peg the economic burden of excessive sugar consumption in Canada at $5 billion a year, thanks to the direct and indirect costs related to 16 chronic disease ... They then established risk estimates for 16 diet-related chronic conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, kidney disease and low back pain. They calculated avoidable direct health-care costs such as doctors, hospitals and drugs, along with indirect costs like productivity losses due to illness and disability" - Note: For the sugar part of my recipes, I replace it with a third inulin, a third trehalose and a third and little of a third with xylitol. See inulin at Amazon.com, trehalose at Amazon.com and xylitol at Amazon.com. Inulin has a glycemic index of 14, trehalose is 32 and xylitol is 7.

Just One Extra Drink a Day May Change the Brain - Medscape, 3/16/22 - "Previous research has found that people with alcohol use disorder have structural changes in their brains compared to healthy people's brains, such as reduced gray matter and white matter volume. But those findings were in people with a history of heavy drinking, defined by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism as more than four drinks a day for men and more than three drinks a day for women ... In line with past studies, the researchers found a negative association between alcohol consumption and gray and white matter volume. That is, as a person's alcohol intake increased, their gray matter and white matter volume decreased, getting worse the more weekly drinks they had ... But the researchers also noted that they could tell the difference between brain images of people who never drank alcohol and those who drank just 1 or 2 drinks a day."

Mechanism linking type 2 diabetes to Alzheimer’s disease - Science Daily, 3/15/22 - &" detected in blood is secreted from peripheral tissues (pancreas, adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, liver, etc.) that are sensitive to glucose and insulin ...First, as AD is caused by the accumulation of Aβ in the brain, it is thought that Aβ levels in the blood reflect the pathology in the brain and are currently used as a diagnostic marker. However, Aβ is generated from the amyloid precursor protein (APP) through the function of two enzymes, β- and γ-secretases, and this mechanism is expressed in many of the body's peripheral tissues, not only in the brain, causing the origin of blood Aβ to remain unknown. Second, epidemiological studies have shown type 2 diabetes to be a strong risk factor for the development of AD, yet the mechanism linking these two diseases has eluded researchers as well"

More on my series of why  people prefer lies. I've been getting hate mail from Trumpers so i have to rub it in. I'm well away that I'm losing half my audience. So that's probably costing me an extra $6 per month, which isn't worth selling my soul. My biggest pet peeve is Tucker Carlson spreading Putin's propaganda. My gripe with Dr. John Campbell is the he sways people away from things that work, such as vaccines, masks and monoclonal antibodies and leads them to questionable at best cures such as ivermectin plus he's selling health while he's 64 years old and looks like he's 85 and deranged. He's got people thinking that the vaccine is the bogeyman while he pushes meds that have no where's near the research or proven efficacy. He feeds on peoples' ignorance while throwing them under the bus just to make money. People like Dr. Campbell and Tucker don't even believe the BS they put out themselves. I'm sure they consider their audiences "useful idiots".

• Why older adults become fraud victims more often - Science Daily, 12/3/12 - "an important clue may lie in a particular region of the brain that influences the ability to discern who is honest and who is trying to deceive us ... Older people, more than younger adults, may fail to interpret an untrustworthy face as potentially dishonest ... a brain region called the anterior insula, which is linked to disgust and is important for discerning untrustworthy faces, is less active in older adults"
• Low scam awareness in old age may be an early sign of impending cognitive decline and dementia - Science Daily, 4/15/19 - "Older adults frequently are targeted by con-artists and are highly vulnerable to scams and fraud, particularly those that are financial in nature. However, little is known about whether scam awareness predicts transitions from normality to mild cognitive impairment and dementia ... low scam awareness was a harbinger of adverse cognitive outcomes. Low scam awareness was also associated with Alzheimer disease pathology in the brain. According to the researchers, these findings suggest that low scam awareness is an early sign of impending mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Further, they conclude that evaluation of behaviors such as scam awareness may help to identify individuals at risk for dementia before cognitive symptoms manifest."
• Saving America from itself: Trump is a symptom, not the disease - Garry IQ of 190 Kasparov, 5/6/18 - “The populist nationalism he represents is like an opportunistic infection that takes advantage of an immune system weakened by years of poor diet and heavy smoking”
• Stephen Hawking Issues One Perfect Sentence On Donald Trump And His Supporters - good.is - "So how do you explain Trump’s continued popularity? Perhaps the physicist can shed some light on the situation? ... “I can’t,” Stephen Hawking said, after being asked in a interview with CNN affiliate ITV to explain Trump’s unprecedented political ascension ... For someone who has the ability to explain the unexplainable, this observation is a bit disappointing. However, the (arguably) smartest person on Earth did go on to offer his personal take on the man: “He is a demagogue, who seems to appeal to the lowest common denominator.”" - Note: Hawking had an IQ of 160, same as Einstein
• “The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” - Albert Einstein
• Ivermectin Did Not Reduce COVID Hospitalizations, Study Shows - WebMD, 3/21/22 - "Researchers at McMaster University in Ontario studied around 1,358 COVID patients who were at risk for severe disease because they had diabetes or other conditions, The Wall Street Journal reported. Half the patients were given a course of ivermectin pills for three days and the other half a placebo. Researchers then tracked the patients to see if any of them had been hospitalized ... “There was no indication that ivermectin is clinically useful ... Several previous studies found ivermectin is ineffective against COVID, and last month a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine said it does not help treat mild to moderate COVID-19 ... This is the first large, prospective study that should really help put to rest ivermectin and not give any credibility to the use of it for Covid-19 ... Ivermectin products for animals are dangerous for humans, and the ivermectin tablets for humans are not effective against COVID, the FDA says" - Note: No matter how many studies show that it doesn't work, people still want to believe the big pharma conspiracists such as Dr. Campbell who cherry picks the data. Someone sent me this: https://www.bmj.com/content/376/bmj.o702. I’m not saying that the pharmaceutical industry isn’t dishonest. I’m saying that the conspiracists carry it too far to the point that they think snake oil such as ivermectin is better than the vaccine and all the vaccine trials are a hoax. I was in the Moderna vaccine trial. I doubt if they fudged the data. If they knew which was the placebo group, some whistleblower would have exposed it by now. Conspiracists won't believe that data but they'll believe some long-haired old hippy freak French doctor pushing hydroxychloroquine when his study had more holes than Swiss cheese. Then there's Trump pushing hydroxychloroquine and implying that we should inject Clorox and his cult thinks he's a genius. Follow me on Facebook: htps://www.facebook.com/ben92128 . I'm not a fan of Biden either. He's made a lot of mistakes on Ukraine. Polls show that 70% agree with me on that. Too many people have their heads buried in tribes to the point that they ignore all logic. I'm not left or right. What was the philosopher that said that no one is hated more than those who tell the truth?
• My wife is a guilty as anyone. Someone on the internet sold her on geofencing. So you buy a course for $500 which includes a couple rods worth about a dollar and you walk around the house with these rods and geofence your house giving you a tremendous amount of energy. It's a different kind of geofence, the other type is like where you keep your kids in the backyard without putting up a physical fence. GPS. It's just one more reason that I'm so hard on hucksters. One the geofense tape, most people could spot in 10 seconds that the lady selling it was a con-artist. Also, she'll get a call from someone claiming they're the IRS and she will believe it. When I was a kid, my grandfather Johnstone would always say that there was a sucker born every minute along with two to take his money. Tucker, Dr. Campbell, Mark Levin, etc. are the two taking your money.
• Here's How Much Money Americans Lose to Online Scammers at Every Age - NBC, 3/20/22 - "Young people are falling victim to online scams at a higher rate than ever before, but older generations are losing the most money to them"
• Why people latch on to conspiracy theories, according to science - National Geographic, 1/8/21 - &"People use cognitive shortcuts—largely unconscious rules-of-thumb to make decisions faster—to determine what they should believe. And people experiencing anxiety or a sense of disorder, those who crave cognitive closure, may be even more reliant on those cognitive shortcuts to make sense of the world, says Marta Marchlewska, a social and political psychologist who studies conspiracy theories at the Polish Academy of Sciences." - Like the people who used the "big pharma" line where the vaccine is a conspiracy, therefore they should go with something that has weak at best evidence such as ivermectin.
• Videos inside Heaven's Gate house reveal those lured into cult: 20/20 ‘The Cult Next Door’ Preview - YouTube - This is another example of how people will believe anything. Heavy Gates was a cult in San Diego. 25 years ago, the cult leader convinced all 39 members of the cult that if they all committed suicide at once, they'd be beamed up into a spacecraft and taken to heaven. They believed it.
• Jonestown Cult Suicides - The True Story - Documentary - YouTube - Another extreme example of people being brainwashed by crazies. Modern day crazies are still out there in the form of Dr. Campbell, Tucker, etc. It's a cult.
• GGOP Revives Anti-Vax, Pro-Ivermectin Measure in Kansas - Medscape, 3/17/22 - "She said during a meeting earlier this month: "It's really scary to think that we're in a society that's going to bring back measles and polio and whooping cough, et cetera."" - Again, feeding on people ignorance for money and power.
• COVID-19 Patient Who Spent 128 Days in the Hospital Has a Message – ‘Get Vaccinated' - NBC, 3/25/22 - "The 33-year-old Hesperia resident says he is still on the COVID-19 roller coaster of recovery"
• Bottom line, I nearly died on 3/8/22 while waiting in the E.R. for a room because of the brainwashed anti-vaxxers not to mention that the period before and after my ablation, if I had contracted Covid, it would have most like been do to and anti-vaxxer and I would have died. I'm mad as hell. It was probably an anti-vaxxer that killed Colin Powell (sins of omission and sins of commission).  Someone from a solid, brainwashed red state said that I was judging. Damned right I'm judging. You'll never change the mind of a cult but that doesn't mean I can't tell them off. If everyone did that, they'd be shy about recruiting new members into their cult. Tucker, Dr. Campbell, Trump, Hannity, AOC, Omar, Bernie, etc. are cults. Anyone pulling this crap that I'm a radically left liberal, I registered Republican and a centrist but I've been doing write-ins for the last six years. I'm fed up with the lies and I'm insulted when someone tries to bullshit me. There are way too many people susceptible to brainwashing out there plus I don't like people who take advantage of those who are susceptible to brainwashing.

Abstracts from this week:

Relationship between Vitamin C Deficiency and Cognitive Impairment in Older Hospitalised Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study - Antioxidants (Basel) 2022 Feb 26 - "Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and facilitates neurotransmission. This study explored association between vitamin C deficiency and cognitive impairment in older hospitalised patients ... Logistic regression analysis suggested that vitamin C deficiency was 2.9-fold more likely to be associated with cognitive impairment after adjustment for covariates (aOR 2.93, 95% CI 1.05–8.19, p-value = 0.031). Vitamin C deficiency is common and is associated with cognitive impairment in older hospitalised patients" - [Nutra USA] - See vitamin C products at Amazon.com.

Hesperidin protects against cisplatin-induced cardiotoxicity in mice by regulating the p62-Keap1-Nrf2 pathway - Food Funct 2022 Mar 24 - "Hesperidin (HES) is an abundant and economical dietary bioflavonoid, and it has several pharmacological properties such as antioxidant activity and powerful cardiac protection ... cisplatin (CP) ... HES treatment reduced CP-induced cardiac pathologic damage and leakage of the myocardial markers cardiac troponin I (cTnI), creatine kinase (CK), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). HES treatment reduced levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA), which is an oxidative product, and increased antioxidant marker levels including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH). HES also reduced the CP-induced release of the inflammatory factors tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-6 ... These findings suggest that HES may be a promising protective agent against CP cardiotoxicity in future anticancer clinical practice" - See hesperidin at Amazon.com.

Daily consumption of cranberry improves endothelial function in healthy adults: a double blind randomized controlled trial - Food Funct 2022 Mar 24 - "Previous studies indicate cardiovascular health benefits of cranberry juice consumption. However, whether daily consumption of whole cranberries will have sustained vascular benefits in healthy individuals is currently unknown ... Acute and daily consumption of whole cranberry powder for 1 month improves vascular function in healthy men and this is linked with specific metabolite profiles in plasma" - See cranberry extract at Amazon.com.

Alpinetin inhibits macrophage infiltration and atherosclerosis by improving the thiol redox state: Requirement of GSk3β/Fyn-dependent Nrf2 activation - FASEB J 2022 Apr - "Alpinetin is a plant flavonoid isolated from Alpinia katsumadai Hayata with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Monocyte infiltration into the intima promotes atherosclerotic development and causes plaque instability at the later stage, which is profoundly influenced by various oxidant ... Altogether, these findings indicated that alpinetin improved Nrf2-mediated redox homeostasis, which consequently inhibited macrophage infiltration and atherosclerosis, suggesting a useful compound for treating atherosclerosis" - See alpinetin at Amazon.com. Note: I don't think it's sold as a separate supplement. You'll probably have to go with a mixed flavonoid supplement.

Urolithin A ameliorates diabetic retinopathy via activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway - Endocr J 2022 Mar 24 - "UA can ameliorate DR by repressing inflammation and oxidative stress via the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, which suggests that UA could be an effective drug for clinical DR treatment" - See urolithin a supplement at Amazon.com.

Liver failure caused by intravenous amiodarone and effective intervention measures: A case report - J Clin Pharm Ther 2022 Mar 23 - "Amiodarone is a highly effective antiarrhythmic agent for the treatment and prevention of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. Acute liver damage after intravenous amiodarone is rare but potentially harmful. Amiodarone loading should be adapted to the necessity of an immediate effect of the drug, and liver function should be monitored closely in critically ill patients. Timely stopped suspected drug and anti-inflammatory liver therapy may reduce the occurrence of drug-induced diseases"

Beneficial cardiovascular and remodeling effects of SGLT2 inhibitors: pathophysiologic mechanisms - Expert Rev Cardiovasc Ther 2022 Mar 23 - "The analysis of data clearly demonstrated that the use of the SGLT2 inhibitors besides their antidiabetic effects, provide additional protection against CVD, CAD, and HFrEF and HFpEF, and death, but not stroke, in both diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Therefore, they should be preferably used for the treatment of patients with T2DM with preexisting CVD, CAD, and HFrEF and HFpEF"  - See empagliflozin at ihouseepharmacy.

Association Between Use of Sodium-Glucose Co-Transporter-2 (SGLT2) Inhibitors and Cognitive Function in a Longitudinal Study of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes - J Alzheimers Dis 2022 Mar 21 - "Our findings revealed a previously unobserved association between ≥3 years SGLT2i use and improved cognitive scores globally and in language domain and executive function" - See empagliflozin at ihouseepharmacy.

Low serum levels of zinc and 25-hydroxyvitmain D as potential risk factors for COVID-19 susceptibility: a pilot case-control study - Eur J Clin Nutr 2022 Mar 23 - "Low serum zinc and 25-hydroxyvitmain D levels appear to be risk factors for COVID-19 affliction; thus, the treatment of individuals with such deficiencies is recommended" - See zinc supplements at Amazon.com and vitamin D at Amazon.com.

Ginsenoside Rk1 regulates glutamine metabolism in hepatocellular carcinoma through inhibition of the ERK/c-Myc pathway - Food Funct 2022 Mar 22 - "Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ... ginsenoside Rk1 could be a promising candidate for the clinical treatment of HCC" - See ginseng at Amazon.com.

Melatonin in ventricular and subarachnoid cerebrospinal fluid: Its function in the neural glymphatic network and biological significance for neurocognitive health - Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2022 Mar 17 - "After the ventricular melatonin enters the subarachnoid and Virchow-Robin spaces it is taken into the neural tissue where it functions as a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. Experimental evidence indicates that it removes pathogenic toxins, e.g., amyloid-β and others, from the brain to protect against neurocognitive decline. Melatonin levels drop markedly during aging, coincident with the development of several neurodegenerative diseases and the accumulation of the associated neurotoxins" - See melatonin at Amazon.com.

Sulforaphane protects myocardium from ischemia-reperfusion injury by regulating CaMKIIN2 and CaMKIIδ - Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2022 Mar 4 - "Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury poses a significant threat to human health. High level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and calcium overload are the foremost causes of myocardial damage in I/R. Sulforaphane (SFN) is known for its promising antioxidant effect ... this study demonstrated that SFN exerts cardioprotective effect toward I/R injury through upregulating CaMKIIN2 and down-regulating CaMKIIδ" - See sulforaphane at Amazon.com.

Apigenin Suppresses the Warburg Effect and Stem-like Properties in SOSP-9607 Cells by Inactivating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR Signaling Pathway - Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2022 Mar 9 - "Osteosarcoma (OS) is a prevalent primary malignant bone tumor that commonly occurs in children and adolescents. Apigenin (4',5,7-trihydroxyflavone) is one of the most researched phenolic compounds that exhibits antitumor effects in several cancers ... Collectively, these results indicate that apigenin suppresses the Warburg effect and stem-like properties in SOSP-9607 cells, which may be mediated by PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling, thus, providing a novel strategy for OS treatment" - See apigenin at Amzon.com.

Oleanolic acid and ursolic acid: therapeutic potential in neurodegenerative diseases, neuropsychiatric diseases and other brain disorders - Nutr Neurosci 2022 Mar 21 - "Brain disorders such as neurodegenerative diseases and neuropsychiatric diseases have become serious threatens to human health and quality of life. Oleanolic acid (OA) and ursolic acid (UA) are pentacyclic triterpenoid isomers widely distributed in various plant foods and Chinese herbal medicines. Accumulating evidence indicates that OA and UA exhibit neuroprotective effects on multiple brain disorders" - See ursolic acid at Amazon.com.

• Oleanolic acid - Wkipedia - "Oleanolic acid can be found in olive oil" - It's omega-9.

Biological properties and therapeutic applications of garlic and its components - Food Funct 2022 Mar 7 - "It has been attributed with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory capacities. Garlic, in particular its organosulfur compounds, can maintain immune system homeostasis through positive effects on immune cells, especially by regulating cytokine proliferation and expression. This may underlie their usefulness in the treatment of infectious and tumor processes. These compounds can also offer vascular benefits by regulating lipid metabolism or by exerting antihypertensive and antiaggregant effects" - See garlic supplements at Amazon.com.

Empagliflozin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - Diabetes Res Clin Pract 2022 Mar 18 - "In patients with T2DM and CVD, COPD increased the risk of mortality and cardiorenal outcomes, including HF. Empagliflozin consistently reduced these outcomes versus placebo regardless of COPD, suggesting that empagliflozin's benefits in patients with T2DM and CVD are not mitigated by the presence of COPD" - See empagliflozin inhousepharmacy.vu.

Ginkgo biloba extract ameliorates atherosclerosis via rebalancing gut flora and microbial metabolism - Phytother Res 2022 Mar 21 - "The Ginkgo biloba leave extract (GbE) is widely applied in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases in clinical practice. However, its mechanism of actions has not been totally elucidated. In this study, we confirmed the beneficial effects of GbE in alleviating hypercholesterolemia, inflammation and atherosclerosis in Ldlr-/- mice, which were fed 12 weeks of Western diet (WD). Moreover, 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that GbE treatment reshaped the WD-perturbed intestinal microbiota, particularly decreased the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio and elevated the abundance of Akkermansia, Alloprevotella, Alistipes, and Parabacteroides. Furthermore, GbE treatment downregulated the intestinal transcriptional levels of proinflammatory cytokines and enhanced the expression of tight junction proteins, exerting the roles of attenuating the intestinal inflammation as well as repairing the gut barrier. Meanwhile, the targeted metabolomic analysis displayed that GbE treatment significantly reversed the dysfunction of the microbial metabolic phenotypes, including promoting the production of short chain fatty acids, indole-3-acetate and secondary bile acids, which were correlated with the atherosclerotic plaque areas. Finally, we confirmed GbE-altered gut microbiota was sufficient to alleviate atherosclerosis by fecal microbiota transplantation" - See Ginkgo biloba at Amazon.com.

MMelatonin induces fat browning by transdifferentiation of white adipocytes and de novo differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells - Food Funct 2022 Mar 11 - "The role of melatonin in obesity control is extensively accepted, but its mechanism of action is still unclear. Previously we demonstrated that chronic oral melatonin acts as a brown-fat inducer, driving subcutaneous white adipose tissue (sWAT) into a brown-fat-like function (beige) in obese diabetic rats ... Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) ... melatonin increases brown fat in obese diabetic rats by both adipocyte transdifferentiation and de novo differentiation. Furthermore, it promotes beige MSC adipogenesis in humans. This may contribute to the control of body weight attributed to melatonin and its metabolic benefits in human diabesity" - See melatonin at Amazon.com.

Krill oil prevents lipopolysaccharide-evoked acute liver injury in mice through inhibition of oxidative stress and inflammation - Food Funct 2022 Mar 11 - "Acute liver injury is a life-threatening syndrome that often results from the actions of viruses, drugs and toxins. Herein, the protective effect and potential mechanism of krill oil (KO), a novel natural product rich in long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids bound to phospholipids and astaxanthin, on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-evoked acute liver injury in mice were investigated ... KO or fish oil (FO) ... KO pretreatment significantly ameliorated LPS-evoked hepatic dysfunction indicated by reduced serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities and attenuated hepatic histopathological damage. KO pretreatment also mitigated LPS-induced hepatic oxidative stress, as evidenced by decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) contents, elevated glutathione (GSH) levels, and elevated catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities. Additionally, LPS-evoked overproduction of pro-inflammatory mediators in serum and the liver was inhibited by KO pretreatment. Furthermore, KO pretreatment suppressed LPS-induced activation of the hepatic toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB)/NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) signaling pathway. Interestingly, the hepatoprotective effect of KO was superior to that of FO. Collectively, the current findings suggest that KO protects against LPS-evoked acute liver injury via inhibition of oxidative stress and inflammation" - See krill oil products at Amazon.com.

In vitro bioactivity evaluation of mulberry leaf extracts as nutraceuticals for the management of diabetes mellitus - Food Funct 2022 Mar 17 - "There is an increasing need for new options to treat diabetes mellitus at its early stage and natural remedies have been recently reassessed as potential candidates owing to their low-cost and effectiveness. Genus Morus plants contain many active compounds with hypoglycaemic, hypolipidemic, and antioxidant effects ... Antiglycative and hypoglycaemic effects of leaf extracts were evaluated using different in vitro models. The results indicate that the inhibitory effect on carbohydrate digestive enzymes was likely mediated by 1-deoxynojirimycin, kaempferol, quercetin, and chlorogenic acid, acting in a synergistic way. Besides, the combined antiglycative and carbonyl trapping capacities, tested here for the first time, may help in preventing long-term complications related to AGEs in diabetic patients" - See mulberry leaf extract at Amazon.com.

Effects of β-hydroxy β-methylbutyrate (HMB) supplementation on muscle mass, function, and other outcomes in patients with cancer: a systematic review - J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle 2022 Mar 17 - "Low muscle mass is prevalent among patients with cancer and a predictor of adverse clinical outcomes. To counteract muscle loss, β-hydroxy β-methylbutyrate (HMB) supplementation has been proposed as a potential therapy for older adults and various diseases states ... Studies prescribed HMB combined with amino acids (73.3%), HMB in oral nutritional supplements (20.0%), or both supplement types (6.7%); Ca-HMB doses of 3.0 g/day were provided in 80.0% of the studies. Four studies had high risk of bias across all outcome domains. Considering the higher-quality studies, evidence of a beneficial effect of HMB supplementation was found in four of four studies for muscle mass, two of two for muscle function, three of three for hospitalization, and five of seven for survival. In contrast, no beneficial effects of HMB on quality of life or body weight was found in two of four and three of five studies, respectively. A limited number of higher-quality studies evaluating the impact of HMB on cancer therapy-related toxicity, inflammation, and tumour response were observed. No serious adverse effects directly related to the nutrition intervention were reported. Although limited, current evidence suggests that HMB supplementation has a beneficial effect on muscle mass and function in patients with cancer" - See HMB at Amazon.com.

Therapeutic and prophylactic effect of flavonoids in post-COVID-19 therapy - Phytother Res 2022 Mar 18 - "Based on articles published from 2003 to 2021, we summarize the flavonoids-based molecular mechanisms associated with the post-COVID-19 syndrome and simultaneously provide a complex view regarding their prophylactic and therapeutic potential. Review clearly sorts out the outcome of post-COVID-19 syndrome according particular body systems. The conclusion is that flavonoids play an important role in prevention of many diseases. We suggest that flavonoids as critical nutritional supplements, are suitable for the alleviation and shortening of the period associated with the post-COVID-19 syndrome. The most promising flavonoid with noteworthy therapeutic and prophylactic effect appears to be quercetin" - See quercetin at Amazon.com.

Caffeine intake and its influences on heart rate variability recovery in healthy active adults after exercise: A systematic review and meta-analysis - Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis 2022 Jan 2 - "CAF intake did not affect heart rate variability recovery after exercise"

Association between hemoglobin A 1c and asymptomatic carotid intima-media thickness in middle-aged and elderly populations without diabetes - Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis 2022 Feb 18 - "Carotid atherosclerosis, including carotid artery intima-media thickness, plaques, and stenosis, is an important risk factor for stroke. However, the association between hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) was inconsistent ... In this large-scale and cross-sectional study, high-normal HbA1c was associated with the risk of increased asymptomatic cIMT in a rural Chinese population without diabetes, especially in individuals aged <60 years"

Comparative effectiveness and safety of non-vitamin K antagonists for atrial fibrillation in clinical practice: GLORIA-AF Registry - Clin Res Cardiol 2022 Mar 16 - "Patients treated with dabigatran had a 41% lower risk of major bleeding compared with rivaroxaban, but similar risks of stroke, MI, and death. Relative to apixaban, patients treated with dabigatran had similar risks of stroke, major bleeding, MI, and death. Rivaroxaban relative to apixaban had increased risk for major bleeding, but similar risks for stroke, MI, and death"

Resveratrol benefits on sperm DNA, chromatin structure and reproductive outcomes of varicocelized rats - Andrologia 2022 Mar 16 - "In varicocele, the main cause of sperm DNA damage is oxidative stress (OS). Resveratrol, a polyphenol with antioxidant properties, can protect cells from injuries caused by OS. We investigated the benefits of resveratrol against reproductive damage caused by experimental varicocele induced from peripuberty. Eighty peripubertal male rats were distributed into 4 groups: sham-control (S), varicocele (V), resveratrol (R) and varicocele treated with resveratrol (VR) ... The V group showed reduction of sperm vitality, altered chromatin protamination and sperm DNA integrity and high levels of OS. The VR group showed an improvement of oxidative status, sperm vitality, DNA integrity and chromatin structure, and an enhancement in the gestational index and embryonic quality. Therefore, we showed in this experimental model that resveratrol is a promising nutraceutical adjuvant and should be deeply studied to mitigate subfertility in varicocele" - See resveratrol products at Amazon.com.

6-C-(E-Phenylethenyl)-naringenin, a Styryl Flavonoid, Inhibits Advanced Glycation End Product-Induced Inflammation by Upregulation of Nrf2 - J Agric Food Chem 2022 Mar 17 - "Styryl flavonoids can be formed during the thermal processing of meats and flavonoid-enriched foods, showing high potentials in the prevention of different diseases. In this study, the protective effects of several styryl flavonoids against advanced glycation end product (AGE)-induced inflammation were evaluated, with 6-C-(E-phenylethenyl)-naringenin (6-PN) showing the strongest activity among them. The results indicated that 6-PN significantly ameliorated AGE-induced damages in human umbilical vein endothelial cells, including inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production through downregulating the protein levels of the receptor for AGEs (RAGE) and NADPH oxidase. Notably, 6-PN possessed a much higher bioavailability than its parental compound, naringenin. Furthermore, 6-PN also promoted the activation of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway that was suppressed by AGEs, and the anti-inflammatory effects of 6-PN disappeared when the cells were treated with ML385, a Nrf2 inhibitor. Hence, 6-PN might inhibit AGE-induced inflammation by the RAGE/ROS/Nrf2 signaling pathway" - See styryl flavonoids at Amazon.com.

The role of microbiota in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) - Eur J Clin Invest 2022 Mar 16 - "NAFLD is the most frequent liver disease worldwide. Gut microbiota can play a role in the pathogenesis of NAFLD since dysbiosis is associated with reduced bacterial diversity, altered Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, a relative abundance of alcohol-producing bacteria, or other specific genera. Changes can promote disrupted intestinal barrier and hyperpermeability, filtration of bacterial products, activation of the immune system, and pro-inflammatory changes in the intestine, in the liver, and at a systemic level. Microbiota-derived molecules can contribute to the steatogenic effects. The link between gut dysbiosis and NAFLD, however, is confused by several factors which include age, BMI, comorbidities, dietary components, and lifestyle. The role of toxic chemicals in food and water requires further studies in both gut dysbiosis and NAFLD. We can anticipate that gut microbiota manipulation will represent a potential therapeutic tool to delay or reverse the progression of NAFLD, paving the way to primary prevention measures" - See probiotic supplements at Amazon.com.

Effect of cocoa flavanol supplementation for prevention of cardiovascular disease events: The COSMOS randomized clinical trial - Am J Clin Nutr 2022 Mar 16 - "Participants were randomly assigned to a cocoa extract supplement (500 mg/d flavanols, including 80 mg (-)-epicatechins) or placebo ... Cocoa extract supplementation did not significantly reduce total cardiovascular events among older adults but reduced CVD death by 27%" - See cocoa at Amazon.com.

5-Heptadecylresorcinol Protects Against Atherosclerosis in Apolipoprotein E-deficient mice by Modulating SIRT3 Signaling: The Possible Beneficial Effects of Whole Grain Consumption - Mol Nutr Food Res 2022 Mar 17 - "Whole grain consumption has been proven to be inversely associated with the risk of cardiovascular diseases. As a biomarker for whole grain dietary intake, 5-heptadecylresorcinol (AR-C17) has attracted increased attention due to its potential health-improving activity. However, the beneficial effect of AR-C17 on atherosclerosis prevention and the underlying mechanism remain unclear. High-fat diet fed ApoE-/- mice were administrated with or without AR-C17 (30 and 150 mg/kg) for 16 weeks. Histological staining was performed for plaque analysis. Immunofluorescence, western blot and seahorse cell analysis were carried out to investigate the action of mechanism of AR-C17. The results indicated that AR-C17 supplementation lowered serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, VLDL-C and LDL-C levels. Moreover, the atherosclerotic plaques in the aortic root region of mice heart were significantly reduced by AR-C17 intervention compared with ApoE-/- control group. In addition, AR-C17 treatment alleviated endothelial cell damage and apoptosis by improving mitochondrial function via SIRT3 signaling pathway both in ApoE-/- mice and oxidized-LDL-treated HUVECs. AR-C17 might be applied as a promising grain-based dietary bioactive ingredient for atherosclerosis prevention. Meanwhile, as a mitochondrial protective agent, it can offer support for the suggested health claim of whole grain diet" - Note: My most frequent meal is whole grain rice noodles using salt free chicken broth with some chicken, vegetables and Morton Lite salt added. See brown rice pasta at Amazon.com.

SHBG, bone mineral density and physical function among injection drug users with and without HIV and HCV - J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2022 Mar 16 - "Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) is a glycoprotein that regulates the bioavailability of sex hormones and is higher in people with HIV (PWH) and hepatitis C (HCV). SHBG is associated with aging-related diseases, including osteoporosis and frailty in the general population. However, the relationship between SHBG concentration and bone mineral density (BMD) and physical function among PWH and HCV is unclear ... Higher SHBG concentrations are associated with the presence of HIV and HCV viremia. Among women, but not men, higher SHBG concentrations were associated with lower grip strength, higher odds of frailty, and lower lumbar spine BMD" - Note: The thing is, SBHG binds to testosterone, DHT and estrogen. I believe the binding to estrogen is what contributes to bone loss. I haven't found an endocrinologist yet that will treat it. I have one more appointment with one more doctor at UCSD and if that doesn't work, I'm taking it to small claims court to see if they can force them to treat it. It's treatable. See the formula on my SHBG page but they refuse to even work with me on it. It's like pulling teeth just to get them to check it. They've got a bad case of thinking that they're God. When you tell an endocrinologist that you have high SHBG, it's like you said leprosy and they treat you like a disease. I look at General Petraeus and I'm betting that's what happened to him.

• Sex hormone-binding globulin in osteoporosis - Joint Bone Spine 2010 Jul - "Together with estradiol, SHBG plays a key role in the genesis of bone loss and osteoporotic fractures"
• SHBG Blood Test, Symptoms of High Levels & How to Lower - Written by Carlos Tello, PhD (Molecular Biology) - "Symptoms of High SHBG Levels ... In men, they include [19, 20]: ... Arrested sexual development (in teenagers) ... Infertility ... Decreased sperm concentration and motility ... Decreased sex drive ... Impotence ... Reduced testicle size ... Breast growth ... Decreased body hair ... Hot flashes ... Reduced bone and muscle mass ... Decreased energy and motivation"

Empagliflozin and decreased risk of nephrolithiasis: A potential new role for SGLT2 inhibition? - J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2022 Mar 15 - "Diabetes mellitus is a risk factor for nephrolithiasis. A recent observational study found that SGLT2 inhibitor use by type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients was associated with a 49% lower risk of nephrolithiasis, compared to GLP-1 receptor agonist ... Compared to placebo, empagliflozin therapy was associated with an approximate 40% reduced risk of urinary tract stone events in T2D patients" - See empagliflozin inhousepharmacy.vu.

• Kidney stones - Mayo Clinic - "Kidney stones (also called renal calculi, nephrolithiasis or urolithiasis) are hard deposits made of minerals and salts that form inside your kidneys"

The Association of Consumption Time for Food With Cardiovascular Disease and All-Cause Mortality Among Diabetic Patients - J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2022 Mar 15 - "Higher intake of potato or starchy vegetable in forenoon, whole grain in the afternoon, and dark vegetable and milk in the evening and lower intake of processed meat in the evening was associated with better long-term survival in people with diabetes"

Vitamin C intake and multiple health outcomes: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses - Int J Food Sci Nutr 2022 Mar 15 - "Dose-response analysis showed that vitamin C intake was associated with reduced risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease (CVD), oesophageal cancer, gastric cancer, cervical cancer and lung cancer with an increment of 50-100 mg per day. Beneficial associations were also identified for respiratory, neurological, ophthalmologic, musculoskeletal, renal and dental outcomes. Harmful associations were found for breast cancer and kidney stones for vitamin C supplement intake. The benefits of vitamin C intake outweigh the disadvantages for a range of health outcomes" - See vitamin C products at Amazon.com.

A low n-6 to n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio diet improves hyperinsulinemia by restoring insulin clearance in obese youth - Diabetes Obes Metab 2022 Mar 17 - "A low n-6 to n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) ratio diet reduces hyperinsulinemia in insulin-resistant adolescents even in the absence of change in body weight and glucose metabolis ... We demonstrated that a 12-week low n-6:n-3 PUFA ratio diet improves hyperinsulinemia by increasing fasting and post-load insulin clearance in obese youth, independently of weight loss, glucose concentrations and insulin secretion"

EPA and DHA differentially coordinate the crosstalk between host and gut microbiota and block DSS-induced colitis in mice by a reinforced colonic mucus barrier - Food Funct 2022 Mar 17 - "Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the colon with a continuously remitting and relapsing course. Its etiology is closely related to abnormal interactions between host and gut microbiota. The mucus barrier lining the gastrointestinal tract is necessary to coordinate host and gut microbiota interaction by nourishing and modulating the microbiota. Differential effects of the anti-inflammatory fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) on UC progression in mice were firstly addressed by our previous work; here, the mechanism for their respective effects were further uncovered from host-microbiome crosstalk based on mucus barrier modulation to pave the way for UC therapy ... EPA and DHA differentially coordinate the interaction between the host and the gut microbiota and relieve mucus barrier disruption in DSS-induced colitis. EPA may develop into a promising adjunctive therapy for UC" - See omega-3 supplements at Amazon.com.

Chondroitin Sulfate Enhances Proliferation and Migration via Inducing β-Catenin and Intracellular ROS as Well as Suppressing Metalloproteinases through Akt/NF-κB Pathway Inhibition in Human Chondrocytes - J Nutr Health Aging 2022 - "Chondroitin sulfate (CS) is found in humans' cartilage, bone, cornea, skin, and arterial wall. It consists of the foundation substance in the extracellular matrix (ECM) of connective tissue. The oral supplement form of CS is clinically used in treating osteoarthritis (OA) ... reactive oxygen species (ROS) ... CS induced cell proliferation and migration of chondrocytes by inducing β-catenin and enhancing ROS production. Moreover, our studies demonstrated that CS can increase the activity of chondrocytes and help patients with osteoarthritis to restore cartilage function" - See chondroitin sulfate at Amazon.com.

Antioxidant Potential, DNA Damage, Inflammation, Glycemic Control and Lipid Metabolism Alteration: A Mediation Analysis of Islamic Sunnah Intermittent Fasting on Cognitive Function among Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment - J Nutr Health Aging 2022 - "changes in antioxidant function, DNA damage, inflammation and a limited set of metabolic biomarkers (insulin and HDL cholesterol) may mediate improvements in cognitive function among older participants with MCI who practice Islamic Sunnah IF"

Efficacy of Off-Label Therapy for Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Improving Non-invasive and Invasive Biomarkers: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials - Front Med (Lausanne) 2022 Feb 25 - "To evaluate the effects of vitamin E, pioglitazone, sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) ... The outcome measures included changes in non-invasive tests [alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), controlled attenuation parameter (CAP), enhanced liver fibrosis (ELF) score, liver fat content (LFC), and keratin-18 (K-18)] and invasive tests ... δ-Tocotrienol was superior to placebo in decreasing the GGT level. Semaglutide, ipragliflozin, and pioglitazone induced a significantly higher decrease in the ALT level than a placebo. Semaglutide, pioglitazone, and dapagliflozin were superior to placebo in decreasing the AST level. Tofogliflozin and pioglitazone induced a significantly higher decrease in the K-18 level than a placebo. Liraglutide was superior to placebo in decreasing CAP. Liraglutide, pioglitazone, and vitamin E induced a significantly higher increase in resolution of NASH than a placebo. As for pairwise comparisons, semaglutide and pioglitazone were superior to liraglutide in decreasing the ALT level. Semaglutide induced a significantly higher decrease in the ALT level than dulaglutide. Semaglutide was obviously superior to empagliflozin, liraglutide, dulaglutide, and tofogliflozin in decreasing the AST level. Pioglitazone induced a significantly higher decrease in the GGT level than ipragliflozin. δ-Tocotrienol was superior to liraglutide in decreasing the GGT level. Tofogliflozin and pioglitazone induced a significantly higher decrease in the K-18 level than dulaglutide. Pioglitazone was superior to vitamin E in increasing the resolution of NASH. Furthermore, liraglutide treatment had the highest SUCRA ranking in decreasing CAP and ELF scores and increasing the resolution of NASH. Pioglitazone treatment had the highest SUCRA ranking in decreasing LFC and fibrosis scores. Tofogliflozin treatment had the highest SUCRA ranking in decreasing K-18, while dapagliflozin treatment had the highest SUCRA ranking in decreasing the GGT level. Semaglutide treatment had the highest SUCRA ranking in decreasing the levels of ALT and AST" See delta tocotrienol at Amazon.com.

Dapagliflozin Improves Body Fat Patterning, and Hepatic and Pancreatic Fat in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes in North India - Int J Food Sci Nutr 2022 Mar 9 - "Excess hepatic and pancreatic fat may contribute to hyperglycemia ... Patients (n, 30) were given dapagliflozin 10mg/day (on top of stable dose of metformin and/or sulphonylureas) for a period of 120 day ... After 120 days of treatment with dapagliflozin, a significant reduction in weight, body mass index (BMI), body fat, circumferences, and all skinfold thickness was seen. A significant reduction in blood glucose, hemoglobin A1c, hepatic transaminases, fasting insulin, homeostatic model assessment -insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and postprandial C-peptide was noted while HOMA-beta, post parandial insulin sensitivity and fasting adiponectin were significantly increased. There was no change in lean body mass. Compared to baseline there was a significant decrease in mean liver fat fraction (from15.2 to 10.1%, p <0.0001) and mean pancreatic fat fraction (from 7.5 to 5.99%, p <0.0083). Reduction in liver fat was significant after adjustment for change in body weight" - See dapagliflozin at reliablerxpharmacy.com.

Empagliflozin Improves Cognitive Impairment in Frail Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes and Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction - Diabetes Care 2022 Mar 14 - "This study is the first to show significant beneficial effects of the SGLT2 inhibitor empagliflozin on cognitive and physical impairment in frail older adults with diabetes and HFpEF" - See empagliflozin inhousepharmacy.vu.

Cardiorenal protective effects of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibition in combination with angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockade in salt-sensitive Dahl rats - J Hypertens 2022 Mar 11 - "Inhibition of SGLT2 in combination with an angiotensin II receptor blocker effectively improved BP salt sensitivity by reducing renal expression levels of sodium transporters including NHE3 and NKCC2, which eventually led to improvement of BP salt sensitivity and cardiorenal protection" - See empagliflozin inhousepharmacy.vu.

Health Focus (Mediterranean Diet):