Recent Longevity News for the week ending 5/11/22

COVID-19 Infection Has More Than 50 - Medscape, 5/6/22 - "According to the latest evidence, 9 out of 10 COVID-19 patients (87%) discharged from hospital experience at least one symptom 60 days after illness onset, with 32% reporting one or two symptoms and 55% presenting three or more. Additionally, more than 50% of symptomatic cases have at least one symptom of the disease 1 year after infection ... Another study found that 12.8% of the infected study participants continued to have dyspnea after 6 months, even in the absence of a pneumonia diagnosis" - Note: Yet you have the snake-oil salesmen (Dr. Campbell!!!) and the right-wingers on YouTube trying to scare you with the one and a million chance of a problem with the vaccine.

• WHO: 14.9 Million Died Because of COVID in 2020–2021 - Medscape, 5/6/22 - "14.9 million people died "directly or indirectly" because of coronavirus between January 2020 and December 2021" - Note: How many people died from the vaccine? Nowhere near that.
• Flu Vaccine Linked to Lower Risk for Stroke: INTERSTROKE - Medscape, 5/6/22 - "having had an acute febrile illness in the previous 4 weeks was more commonly reported in the patients with an acute ischemic stroke (8.7%) than in control patients (5.6%). After adjustment for confounding factors, this gives an adjusted risk ratio of 1.18, which was of borderline statistical significance"

Higher antioxidant levels linked to lower dementia risk - Science Daily, 5/4/22 - "The study found that people with the highest levels of the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin and beta-cryptoxanthin in their blood were less likely to develop dementia decades later than people with lower levels of the antioxidants. Lutein and zeaxanthin are found in green, leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, broccoli and peas. Beta-cryptoxanthin is found in fruits such as oranges, papaya, tangerines and persimmons" - See mixed carotenoids at Amazon.com.

Cognitive impairment from severe COVID-19 equivalent to 20 years of aging, study finds - Science Daily, 5/3/22 - "Cognitive impairment as a result of severe COVID-19 is similar to that sustained between 50 and 70 years of age and is the equivalent to losing 10 IQ points"

Longer Use of Proton Pump Inhibitors Tied to Diabetes Risk - Medscape, 5/4/22 - "The risk of diabetes increased from 19% to 56% as treatment duration increased from 8 weeks to more than 2 years, and prolonged treatment was associated with an even higher risk of diabetes in the youngest patients (age 40-65) and those with the most comorbidities"

New study reviews anti-cancer activity of sustained release capsaicin formulations - Science Daily, 5/4/22 - "The nutritional agent capsaicin displayed robust growth-inhibitory activity in a diverse array of human cancers. However, the clinical applications of capsaicin as a viable anti-cancer agent were hindered by three factors -- poor solubility, low bioavailability and spicy flavor ... Oral use of capsaicin is associated with unfavorable side effects such as stomach cramps, nausea, a burning sensation in the gut and gastrointestinal irritation ... A strategy to overcome these drawbacks is the development of different delivery systems, such as encapsulating capsaicin in long-acting sustained release drug delivery systems could allow for more consistent capsaicin levels that could be more efficient as anti-cancer agents" - See capsicum at Amazon.com.

Forever Chemicals' Linked to Liver Damage - Medscape, 5/4/22 - ""Meta-analyses of human studies found that higher levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were significantly associated with exposure to three of the older chemicals - PFOA, PFOS, and PFNA"

B12 deficiency harms young children's development, and the food relief we provide isn't good enough - Science Daily, 5/3/22 - "A lack of vitamin B12 doesn't just potentially lead to anaemia, it can damage the nervous system. And for young children, B12 is crucial for brain development ... B12 deficiency is one of the most overlooked problems out there when it comes to malnutrition. And unfortunately, we can see that the food relief we provide today is not up to the task" - See vitamin B12 at Amazon.com.

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals may impair bone health in male teens - Science Daily, 5/3/22 - "Endocrine-disrupting chemicals are chemicals or mixtures of chemicals that interfere with the way the body's hormones work. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals used in nonstick cookware, clothing and food packaging, and are increasingly being found in U.S. water supplies. Phthalates are used in personal care products, food processing and children's toys ... The researchers leveraged urine and blood samples from 453 boys and 395 girls from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and found higher levels of PFAS and phthalates may be associated with lower bone mineral density in adolescent males. The researchers did not find the same effect in girls"

Apple Watch ECG App, Still Experimental, Reveals Asymptomatic Low LVEF - Medscape, 5/2/22 - "Applied to 421 patients with recent, clinically indicated echocardiograms for comparison, the app-based technique identified 13 of the 16 with ejection fractions of 40% or lower, for a predictive accuracy of almost 88% based on area-under-the curve (AUC) assessment. Its sensitivity and specificity were both about 81% ... It's very promising and very impressive" that the AI-based system could pick up LV dysfunction from a single-lead ECG ... The system's predictive accuracy was "very similar to what you would get from a 12-lead, clinically done ECG" - See Apple watches at Amazon.com.

• Take an ECG with the ECG app on Apple Watch - Apple.com - "An electrocardiogram (also called an ECG or EKG) is a test that records the timing and strength of the electrical signals that make the heart beat. By looking at an ECG, a doctor can gain insights about your heart rhythm and look for irregularities ... How to use the ECG app ... The ECG app can record your heartbeat and rhythm using the electrical heart sensor on Apple Watch Series 4, Series 5, Series 6, or Series 7* and then check the recording for atrial fibrillation (AFib), a form of irregular rhythm ... The ECG app records an electrocardiogram which represents the electrical pulses that make your heart beat. The ECG app checks these pulses to get your heart rate and see if the upper and lower chambers of your heart are in rhythm. If they’re out of rhythm, that could be AFib"

Not all dietary fibers are equal - Science Daily, 4/28/22 - "the physiological, microbial, and molecular effects of individual fibers differ substantially ... High-fiber diets reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular disease. They act by lowering cholesterol and promoting a healthier lipid profile for people eating a Westernized diet. Dietary fibers are carbohydrates that are selectively metabolized by gut microbes but are otherwise indigestible by humans ... they investigated the physiological effects of dietary supplementation with two common and structurally distinct soluble fibers: arabinoxylan (AX), which is common in whole grains, and long-chain inulin (LCI), which is found in onions, chicory root, and Jerusalem artichokes ... On average, AX consumption was associated with a significant reduction in low-density lipoprotein (LDL), known as the bad cholesterol, and an increase in bile acids, which may be contributing to the cholesterol reduction. Yet individual responses varied, and some participants saw little to no change in cholesterol levels ... Meanwhile, LCI was associated with a modest decrease in inflammation markers and an increase in the abundance of Bifidobacterium -- a generally beneficial type of gut microbe known to produce healthy short-chain fatty acids. But at the highest dose, there was an increase in inflammation and levels of a liver enzyme called alanine aminotransferase, suggesting that too much of this fiber may be harmful"

Seven hours of sleep is optimal in middle and old age, say researchers - Science Daily, 4/28/22 - "both insufficient and excessive sleep duration were associated with impaired cognitive performance, such as processing speed, visual attention, memory and problem-solving skills. Seven hours of sleep per night was the optimal amount of sleep for cognitive performance, but also for good mental health, with people experiencing more symptoms of anxiety and depression and worse overall wellbeing if they reported sleeping for longer or shorter durations"

Gut microbiome may alter response to cancer therapy - Science Daily, 4/28/22 -"Other studies suggest that diet and probiotics -- live bacterial species that can be ingested -- as well as antibiotic medications and bacteriophages can influence the composition of the gut microbiome and, in turn, a response to immunotherapy. In particular, the authors highlight recent studies on the effects of ketogenic diets for patients with cancer ... There is strong evidence that the gut microbiome can have a positive influence on cancer therapies ... There remain exciting possibilities to explore, including the influence of healthy diet, probiotics, novel therapies, and more" - See probiotic supplements at Amazon.com.

Why Are We Still Prescribing Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors? - Medscape, 4/28/22 - "The reason that many continue prescribing ACE inhibitors in hypertension may well be that, years ago, our attending taught us that this drug class exerted unique cardioprotective properties. There is no question that this drug class has been shown to have more cardiovascular benefit than harm in placebo-controlled trials ... However, today's attending will teach us that efficacy and outcomes are similar for ACE inhibitors and ARBs, but adverse events are not. For practicing clinicians, this means that there is no longer any good reason to subject patients to the adverse effects of ACE inhibitors. ACE inhibitors may rapidly become a drug class of historical interest only"

Unvaccinated People Create Higher Risk for Vaccinated, Study Says - WebMD, 4/27/22 - "The decision to get vaccinated can’t be framed as just a matter of personal choice because it has implications for the safety of other people in the community" - Note: The "me, me" Karen anti-vaxxers think it's all about them. They're selfish and self-centered. It was most likely an anti-vaxxer that killed Colin Powell. People lose their loved one's to their selfishness and ignorance.

Abstracts from this week:

Association of Egg Consumption with Risk of All-Cause and Cardiovascular Disease Mortality: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-analysis of Observational Studies - J Nutr 2022 May 7 - "Egg consumption was linearly associated with a modestly risk of all-cause mortality and, in older participants, Americans, studies with longer follow-up or adjustments for hyperlipidemia, CVD mortality. These findings suggest that it may be prudent to avoid high egg consumption"

Sacubitril/Valsartan vs. ACEi/ARB at Hospital Discharge and 5-Year Survival in Older Patients with Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction: A Decision Analysis Approach - Am Heart J 2022 May 4 - "Even after accounting for "real world" rates of drug discontinuation, discharge on sacubitril/valsartan after conferred a small, but significant, survival advantage which does not appear to wane with increasing age"

Associated between Dietary Antioxidant Index (DAI) and Odds of Breast Cancer and Correlation between DAI with Pathobiological Markers: Hospital-Based Incidence Case-Control Study - J Am Nutr Assoc 2022 Apr 22 - "Dietary antioxidant index (DAI) is a reliable nutritional tool that evaluates total nutritional antioxidant capacity and is validated with serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and Malondialdehyde (MDA) ... Modeling with multivariable regressions adjusting for major confounders including age, education, body mass index, occupation, alcohol, smoking, pregnancy, history of cancer, menarche age, metabolic equivalent of task, hormone replacement therapy, and total energy intake, there was a significant association between odds of BrCa and DAI (odds ratio = 0.18 ... Our study supports the hypothesis that dietary antioxidants intake is associated with a reduced odds of BrCa. Evidently, DAI can reveal these relationships better than a single study of antioxidants"

Acute Supplementation with Beta-Alanine Improves Performance in Aerobic-Anaerobic Transition Zones in Endurance Athletes - J Am Nutr Assoc 2022 Feb 15 - "Both 30 and 45 mg·kg-1 of BA increased physical performance at maximal aerobic speed in endurance athletes. The acute intake formats described in the present investigation may be helpful for endurance athletes training and competing in aerobic-anaerobic transition zones" - See beta-alanine at Amazon.com.

Essential Amino Acid and Tea Catechin Supplementation after Resistance Exercise Improves Skeletal Muscle Mass in Older Adults with Sarcopenia: An Open-Label, Pilot, Randomized Controlled Trial - J Am Nutr Assoc 2022 Feb 23 - "Tea catechins (TCCs) have gained significant attention owing to their health effects. However, evidence is limited regarding the benefit of TCC and essential amino acids (EAAs) ingestion plus that of TCC ingestion after resistance exercise (RE) among older individuals with sarcopenia. We aimed to evaluate whether a 24-week nutritional program involving EAA and TCC supplementation after RE improved skeletal muscle mass (SMM) among older adults with sarcopenia ... A 24-week resistance exercise program was carried out twice weekly, with an intake of 3,000 mg and 540 mg of EAA and TCC supplements, respectively ... These results suggest that supplementation with EAA and TCC after RE, compared to RE only, improves SMM in older people with sarcopenia" - See tea catechins at Amazon.com and essential amino acids at Amazon.com.

Efficacy and Safety of Aflapin®, a Novel Boswellia Serrata Extract, in the Treatment of Osteoarthritis of the Knee: A Short-Term 30-Day Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Study - J Am Nutr Assoc 2022 Feb 15 - "Aflapin®, also known as AprèsFlex® was developed as an enhanced bioavailable extract of Boswellia serrata gum resin, standardized to 20% 3-O-acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid ... Sixty-seven subjects completed the study. Aflapin conferred significant improvements in pain scores as early as five days of treatment. Post-trial, VAS, LFI, WOMAC pain, WOMAC stiffness, WOMAC function, and total WOMAC scores decreased in the Aflapin group by 45%, 40.9%, 44.4%, 66.3%, 44.4%, and 48%, respectively. Aflapin supplementation also reduced circulating MMP-3, TNFα, hsCRP, and C2C" - See Aflapin® at Amazon.com.

Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Trial of Freeze-Dried Strawberry Powder Supplementation in Adults with Overweight or Obesity and Elevated Cholesterol - J Am Nutr Assoc 2022 Feb 23 - "Low-dose supplementation with freeze-dried strawberry powder, equivalent to ~1 serving/day of fresh strawberries, improved cholesterol in adults with overweight or obesity, compared to both the high-dose (~3 servings/day of fresh strawberries) and control, but did not alter other markers of CVD" - [Nutra USA] - See strawberry powder at Amazon.com.

Influence of Chronic Nitrate-Rich Beetroot Juice Supplementation on the Endurance Performance of Active Winter Triathletes: A Randomized Controlled Trial - J Am Nutr Assoc 2022 Feb 15 - "There was a significant decrease in the oxygen uptake, respiratory exchange ratio, and blood lactic acid level (p < 0.05) between the BRJ and PL treatment groups during V3 speed running (males: 13.3 km.h-1, females: 11.6 km.h-1). BRJ treatment also remarkably increased the time to exhaustion (TTE) during cycling exhaustion testing (males: p = 0.02, females: p = 0.04). No significant differences were observed in medium- or low-speed submaximal treadmill runs and 10-km XC skiing performance" - See beet root powder at Amazon.com.

Hypoglycemic Effect of Nobiletin via Regulation of Islet β-Cell Mitophagy and Gut Microbiota Homeostasis in Streptozocin-Challenged Mice - J Agric Food Chem 2022 May 6 - "Our results indicated that nobiletin could significantly suppress the high blood glucose in STZ-challenged mice. In addition, nobiletin could effectively activate the mitophagy and inhibit the inflammatory pathways in NIT-1 cells. The mitochondria membrane potential dysbiosis induced by glucotoxicity in NIT-1 cells was restored after treatment by nobiletin. Further investigation revealed that the hypoglycemic effect of nobiletin was mainly through regulation of gut microbiota dysbiosis, activation of mitophagy flux, inhibition of inflammasome expression, and restoration of islet morphological destruction in the pancreas of STZ-challenged mice. Our study revealed that nobiletin could be used as a functional food or drug candidate for the treatment of diabetes" - See nobiletin at Amazon.com.

Adherence to a cholesterol-lowering diet and the risk of prostate cancer - Food Funct 2022 May 6 - "The score was derived from seven dietary indicators which have been reported to lower cholesterol levels: high intake of non-cellulosic polysaccharides (viscous fibres), monounsaturated fatty acids, legumes, seeds/corn oil; low intake of saturated fatty acids, dietary cholesterol, and glycaemic index. Odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated through the unconditional logistic regression model. Although most of the dietary indicators alone were not significantly associated with reduced PCa risk, men who fulfilled 5 to 7 dietary indicators (187 cases and 281 controls) showed a 43% reduction in PCa risk compared to those with 0 to 2 indicators (OR: 0.57"

Association of Serum Antioxidant Vitamins and Carotenoids With Incident Alzheimer Disease and All-Cause Dementia Among US Adults - Neurology 2022 May 4 - "Incident all-cause dementia was inversely associated with serum lutein+zeaxanthin and β-cryptoxanthin levels" - See mixed carotenoids at Amazon.com.

First-Line Catheter Ablation of Monomorphic Ventricular Tachycardia in Cardiomyopathy Concurrent with Defibrillator Implantation: The PAUSE-SCD Randomized Trial - Circulation 2022 May 4 - "Among patients with cardiomyopathy of varied etiologies, early catheter ablation performed at the time of ICD implantation significantly reduced the composite primary outcome of VT recurrence, cardiovascular hospitalization, or death. These findings were driven by a reduction in ICD therapies"

Metformin Treatment Among men With Diabetes and the Risk of Prostate Cancer - Am J Epidemiol. 2022 - "With 666,553 person-years of follow-up, 1,592 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer. Metformin exposure in the previous year was positively associated with prostate cancer risk (per defined daily dose; without adjustment for glucose control, hazard ratio (HR) = 1.53 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.19, 1.96); with adjustment, HR = 1.42 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.94)). However, exposure during the previous 2–7 years was negatively associated with risk (without adjustment for glucose control, HR = 0.58 (95% CI: 0.37, 0.93); with adjustment, HR = 0.60 (95% CI: 0.33, 1.09)). These positive and negative associations with previous-year and earlier metformin exposure, respectively, need to be confirmed and better understood"

The effect of krill oil supplementation on skeletal muscle function and size in older adults: A randomised controlled trial - Clin Nutr 2022 Apr 20 - "randomised to either control or krill oil supplements (4g/day) for 6 months in this double blind randomised controlled trial ... Six months supplementation with krill oil resulted in, an increase in knee extensor maximal torque, grip strength and vastus lateralis muscle thickness, relative to control ... Increases in erythrocyte fatty acid profile were seen with krill oil for EPA 214% (95%CI: 166, 262%), DHA 36% (95%CI: 24, 48%) and the omega-3 index 61% (95%CI: 49, 73%), relative to control ... Krill oil supplementation for 6 months results in statistically and clinically significant increases in muscle function and size in healthy older adults" - See krill Oil products at Amazon.com.

Decreased Risk of Stroke in People Using Red Yeast Rice Prescriptions (LipoCol Forte®): a Total Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Study - Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2022 Apr 23 - "Compared with the non-RYR cohort, patients who received RYR prescriptions had a decreased risk of stroke (HR 0.65, 95% CI 0.59-0.71), including hemorrhagic stroke (HR 0.60, 95% CI 0.44-0.83), ischemic stroke (HR 0.49, 95% CI 0.43-0.57), and other types of strokes (HR 0.53, 95% CI 0.42-0.67). The association between RYR prescription and stroke risk was significant in both sexes and in people aged more than 40 years, as well as in those individuals with various medical conditions. The frequency of RYR prescription (HR 0.57, 95% CI 0.50-0.64) was associated with a decreased risk of stroke with a dose-response relationship (p for trend<0.0001). This study showed a potentially positive effect of RYR on the risk of stroke. However, compliance with medication use should be cautioned" - See red yeast rice at Amazon.com.

Angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors for hypertension-hemodynamic effects and relevance to hypertensive heart disease - Hypertens Res 2022 May 2 - "The angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor sacubitril/valsartan has been shown to effectively reduce ambulatory 24-h blood pressure in patients with hypertension, and improvements in many aspects of hemodynamic function have also been reported ... Overall, angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors regulate blood pressure and pulse pressure via multiple mechanisms and provide cardiovascular protection. This provides an option for effective intervention early in the vicious cycle of elevated blood pressure and central pressures with progression toward heart failure that should help to address the growing worldwide heart failure epidemic"

The Protective Effect of Ginsenoside Rg1 on Apoptosis in Human Ankle Joint Traumatic Arthritis Chondrocytes - Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2022 Apr 22 - "The ankle biomechanics is easily changed due to the acute injury of the tissue around the ankle joint and the damage of the ankle joint structure, such as ankle instability and joint surface imbalance. When the mechanical load of the ankle changes, it can cause ankle regeneration and remodeling processes such as cartilage loss, bone remodeling, and degenerative changes ... a specific concentration of Rg1 could promote the proliferation of IL-1β-induced HAC cells and inhibit apoptosis. At the same time, Rg1 treatment with specific concentration can reduce the content of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in HACs and improve the related expression of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). Furthermore, qRT-PCR and western blot results showed that Rg1 could improve the low expression of Bcl-2 and inhibit the high expression of Bax, caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9, FasL, AIF, and Cyto c in IL-1β-induced cells. In summary, Rg1 can inhibit IL-1β-induced apoptosis of HAC cells by decreasing the activity of PI3K/Akt/mitochondrial signaling pathway, and Rg1 has a protective effect on apoptosis of HAC cells." - See Panax ginseng at Amazon.com.

Metformin induced vitamin B12 deficiency can cause or worsen distal symmetrical, autonomic and cardiac neuropathy in the patient with diabetes - Diabetes Obes Metab 2022 May 2 - "Metformin blocks the absorption of vitamin B12 through a mechanism that has not been established but could be due to interference with the calcium-dependent binding of the intrinsic factor- vitamin B12 complex to the cubam receptor in the terminal ileum. The subsequent deficiency of vitamin B12 may cause or accelerate distal symmetrical and autonomic neuropathy in the diabetic patient. Several observational studies and meta-analyses have reported a significant association between metformin utilization and vitamin B12 deficiency. Prospective studies have shown that not only do metformin utilizers have lower vitamin B12 levels but they also have higher frequencies of distal symmetrical polyneuropathy and autonomic neuropathy (including cardiac denervation which is associated with increased incidences of cardiac arrythmias, cardiac events and mortality) ... If serum vitamin B12 levels are borderline, measuring methylmalonic acid (MMA) and homocysteine levels can detect vitamin B12 deficiency at its earliest stage. Therapies include prophylactic calcium and vitamin B12 supplements, metformin withdrawal, replenishing vitamin B12 stores with intramuscular or oral vitamin B12 therapy and regular monitoring of vitamin B12 levels and vitamin B12 supplements if metformin continues to be utilized. With adequate vitamin B12 replacement, while symptoms of neuropathy may or may not improve, objective findings of neuropathy stabilize but do not improve" - See vitamin B12 at Amazon.com.

Fucoxanthin, a Marine Carotenoid, Suppresses Mycoplasma pneumoniae-Triggered Inflammatory Cytokine Production and Promotes Bacterial Clearance in a Murine Model - Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2022 Apr 21 - "Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP), an atypical bacterium, is a common pathogenetic organism of respiratory infection in children. In the present study, we analyzed the beneficial role of fucoxanthin (Fx), a marine carotenoid, in a murine model of MP ... this may be the first study to report the protective role of Fx against M. pneumoniae infection, providing a potential therapeutic agent for MP" - See fucoxanthin products at Amazon.com.

Combination of Vitamin C and Curcumin Safeguards Against Methotrexate-Induced Acute Liver Injury in Mice by Synergistic Antioxidant Effects - Front Med (Lausanne) 2022 Apr 14 - "Methotrexate (MTX), an antineoplastic and immunosuppressive drug, widely used in the treatment of different types of cancers and the management of chronic inflammatory diseases. However, its use is associated with hepatotoxicity. Vitamin C (VC) and curcumin (CUR) exhibit anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects ... Pretreatment with VC, CUR or their combination reduces the MTX-induced hepatotoxicity by antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. However, the combined effect of VC and CUR provided a synergistic hepatoprotective effect that surpasses pretreatment with CUR alone but seems to be similar to that of VC 200 mg/kg/day. Therefore, VC and CUR combination or a large dose of VC could be effective against MTX-induced hepatotoxicity" - See vitamin C products at Amazon.com and curcumin at Amazon.com.

Impact of early ablation of atrial fibrillation on long-term outcomes: results from phase II/III of the GLORIA-AF registry - Clin Res Cardiol 2022 Apr 29 - "A total of 25,963 patients (11733 [45.2%] females; median age 71 [IQR 64-78] years; 17424 [67.1%] taking non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants [NOACs]) were included. Over a follow-up period of 3.0 (IQR 2.3-3.1) years, after adjustment for confounders, early AF ablation was associated with a significant reduction in the composite outcome of all-cause death, stroke and major bleeding (HR 0.50 [95% CI 0.30-0.85]) and all-cause death (HR 0.45 [95% CI 0.23-0.91]). There were no statistical differences between the groups in terms of CV death, non-CV death, stroke and major bleeding"

DHEA on sexual function in Sheehan Syndrome: A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled cross-over trial - J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2022 Apr 27 - "Majority of women with Sheehan syndrome (SS) suffer from sexual dysfunction. Severe androgen deficiency is a major contributory factor. DHEA supplementation has been reported to have variable efficacious in improving female sexual dysfunction (FSD) in several trials ... DHEA supplements (25mg twice daily) or matched placebo ... There was significant improvement in FSFI score from baseline to end of the study in the DHEA group as compared to the placebo group (p=0.006). Mean FSFI score and most of the individual domains of FSD improved with DHEA significantly in both groups (p=0.001 for each group with DHEA). Those who received DHEA first followed by placebo, FSFI declined significantly after placebo (p=0.041), but remained at an acceptable level of sexual functioning. Serum DHEAS increased significantly with DHEA treatment. No significant changes in glycemic index, lipid profile and liver enzymes were noted with DHEA treatment" - See Pure Encapsulations DHEA 25 mg at Amazon.com.

• Sheehan syndrome - NIH - "Sheehan syndrome is caused by severe blood loss or extremely low blood pressure during or after childbirth. This leads to lack of blood flow to the front part of the pituitary gland, which enlarges during pregnancy. This damages the hormone-producing tissue so that the gland cannot function properly"

Taurine Alleviates Trimethylamine N-Oxide-Induced Atherosclerosis by Regulating Bile Acid Metabolism in ApoE -/- Mice - J Agric Food Chem 2022 Apr 29 - "Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) widely exists in seafood and is associated with the atherosclerosis progress, but dietary seafood reduced the cardiovascular risk. This intimates that there may be some ingredients in seafood to offset the cardiovascular risk caused by TMAO. Taurine is a marker ingredient in seafood ... These results indicate that taurine alleviated TMAO-induced atherosclerosis via regulating bile acid metabolism" - See taurine at Amazon.com.

Apigenin alleviated PA-induced pyroptosis by activating autophagy in hepatocytes - Food Funct 2022 Apr 28 - "Apigenin is a kind of natural flavonoid that abundantly exists in fruits and vegetables. Pyroptosis is a new, pro-inflammatory type of programmed necrosis cell death, and the NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is the key molecule to induce pyroptosis. Excessive hepatic pyroptosis results in liver injury ... On the one hand, apigenin eliminated damaged mitochondria by activating autophagy, thereby clearing reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and inhibiting the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, and on the other hand, activation of autophagy could directly degrade the NLRP3 inflammasome. Our study provides a new idea and target for the use of functional factors in food to alleviate liver injury" - See apigenin at Amzon.com.

Multimodal strategy to rescue the brain in mild cognitive impairment: ketogenic oral nutrition supplementation with B vitamins and aerobic exercise - Eur J Clin Invest 2022 Apr 30 - "Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is characterized by a decline in cognition and is associated with a higher risk of progression to dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD) ... Recent evidence shows that interventions such as exercise, in particular aerobic exercise (AE), exogenous sources of ketones (namely ketogenic medium-chain triglyceride [kMCT]), and supplementation with vitamins B12 , B6 and folic acid may positively impact cognitive performance in MCI and AD" - See B complex supplements at Amazon.com.

The Effects of Multi-Nutrient Formulas containing a Combination of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and B vitamins on Cognition in the older adult: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis - Br J Nutr 2022 Apr 27 - "The meta-analysis results found a significant benefit of nutrient formulas, which included both omega-3 PUFAs and B vitamins alongside other nutrients, versus placebo on global cognition assessed using composite scores from a neuropsychological test battery (G=0.23, P=0.002), global cognition using single measures of cognition (G=0.28, P=0.004) and episodic memory (G=0.32, P=0.001). The results indicate that providing a combination of omega-3 PUFA and B vitamins as part of a multi-nutrient formula benefits cognition in older adults versus a placebo" - See omega-3 supplements at Amazon.com and B complex supplements at Amazon.com.

Controversies in the Use of Omega-3 Fatty Acids to Prevent Atherosclerosis - Curr Atheroscler Rep 2022 Apr 30 - "REDUCE-IT showed that addition of icosapent ethyl, a highly purified form of EPA, can reduce risk of cardiovascular events among statin-treated individuals with high triglycerides. Additional supportive evidence for EPA has come from other trials and meta-analyses of omega-3 FA therapy. In contrast, trials of mixed EPA/DHA products have consistently failed to improve cardiovascular outcomes. Discrepancies in results reported in RCTs could be explained by differences in omega-3 FA products, dosing, study populations, and study designs including the placebo control formulation. Evidence obtained from highly purified forms should not be extrapolated to other mixed formulations, including "over-the-counter" omega-3 supplements. Targeting TG-rich lipoproteins represents a new frontier for mitigating ASCVD risk. Clinical and basic research evidence suggests that the use of omega-3 FA, specifically EPA, appears to slow atherosclerosis by reducing triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and/or inflammation, therefore addressing residual risk of clinical ASCVD" - See omega-3 supplements at Amazon.com.

Effect of vitamin E supplementation in rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis - Eur J Clin Nutr 2022 Apr 25 - "Vitamin E's ability to restore the intestinal barrier and improve the gastrointestinal tract may be linked to the prevention and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Vitamin E supplements used on a regular basis can help individuals with RA reduce joint discomfort, edema, and stiffness, as well as enhance their overall quality of life" - See vitamin E at Amazon.com.

Accelerated and personalized therapy for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction - Eur Heart J 2022 Apr 25 - "The optimal alternative sequences included sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibition and a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist as the first two therapies" - See empagliflozin inhousepharmacy.vu.

• Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists for Treatment of Hypertension and Heart Failure - Methodist Debakey Cardiovasc J. 2015 Oct-Dec - "Spironolactone and eplerenone are both mineralocorticoid-receptor antagonists. These compounds block both the epithelial and nonepithelial actions of aldosterone, with the latter assuming increasing clinical relevance. Spironolactone and eplerenone both affect reductions in blood pressure either as mono- or add-on therapy; moreover, they each afford survival benefits in diverse circumstances of heart failure and the probability of renal protection in proteinuric chronic kidney disease. However, as use of mineralocorticoid-blocking agents has expanded, the hazards inherent in taking such drugs have become more apparent. Whereas the endocrine side effects of spironolactone are in most cases little more than a cosmetic annoyance, the potassium-sparing effects of both spironolactone and eplerenone can prove disastrous, even fatal, if sufficient degrees of hyperkalemia emerge. For most patients, however, the risk of developing hyperkalemia in and of itself should not discourage the sensible clinician from bringing these compounds into play. Hyperkalemia should always be considered a possibility in patients receiving either of these medications; therefore, anticipatory steps should be taken to minimize the likelihood of its occurrence if long-term therapy of these agents is being considered"
• Spironolactone - dermcoll.edu.au - "Spironolactone is an anti-male hormone (anti-androgen) medication. It blocks the male hormone receptor and reduces the level of the male hormones, testosterone and DHEAS ... Spironolactone has a diuretic (“fluid tablet”) effect and increases urine production. This medication lowers blood pressure and reduces fluid retention seen in conditions such as heart failure and chronic liver disease. Spironolactone can be used to treat low potassium levels (hypokalaemia)" - Note: Lowering testosterone sounds like it would do more harm then good. I can cite studies to back if up. Maybe what needs to be lowered is SHBG:
• Sex hormone-binding globulin: a new marker of disease severity and prognosis in men with chronic heart failure - Rev Esp Cardiol 2009 Dec - "Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) is a key regulator of the actions of anabolic steroids. Chronic heart failure (HF) has been associated with anabolic steroid deficiency, but its relationship with SHBG is not known ... At enrolment, the SHBG level (median 34.5 nmol/L, IQR 27-50 nmol/L) was correlated with the N-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide level (r=0.271, P=.005), LVEF (r=-0.263, P=.007), body mass index (r=-0.199, P=.020) and total testosterone level (r=0.332, P=.001). The median SHBG level was higher in the 16 patients (15.4%) who died, at 48.5 nmol/L (IQR 36-69.5 nmol/L) vs. 33 nmol/L (IQR 25.3-48.7 nmol/L; P=.001), and a high level was associated with an increased risk of death (hazard ratio [HR]=1.045, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.021-1.069; P< .001). The association remained significant after adjustment in Cox multivariate regression modeling, at HR=1.049 (95% CI 1.020-1.079; P=.001). Analysis by SHBG tertiles showed mortality was 30% in the third tertile, 14% in the second, and 4% in the first (log rank 0.007; HR=3.25 ... The SHBG level correlated with measures of HF severity and was associated with a higher risk of cardiac death"
• Oxidative stress and inflammation are associated with age-related endothelial dysfunction in men with low testosterone - J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2021 Oct 1 - "middle-age and older (MA/O) men ... Healthy MA/O men with low testosterone appear to have greater age-associated endothelial dysfunction, related in part to greater oxidative stress and inflammation. These data suggest that low testosterone concentrations may contribute to accelerated vascular aging in men"
• Testosterone Replacement Shows CV Benefit in Hypogonadal Men - Medscape, 7/12/21 - "12 weeks, there were improvements in classical cardiovascular risk factors, such as obesity, lipid level, and inflammatory markers, whereas among those who chose not to take testosterone (control patients), all of these factors worsened ... In addition, there were only 16 deaths among patients in the TRT group, and none of the deaths were from myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke ... In contrast, there were 74 deaths among the control patients, as well as 70 cases of MI and 59 strokes"

Neat Tech Stuff / "How To's":

I just bought one of these. Sometimes you need an electrical outlet at your car.

Health Focus (Memory and Hypertension):