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News flashes are posted here frequently to keep you up-to-date with the latest advances in health and longevity. We have an unparalleled track record of breaking stories about life extension advances.

Omega-3 improves cardiometabolic blood values in sulfonylurea-treated patients

November 29 2023. A randomized trial found that the addition of omega-3 fatty acids to a medication used to treat diabetes resulted in greater improvements in glucose, lipids and other factors compared with drug treatment alone. The findings were published November 25, 2023, in BMC Endocrine Disorders.

The trial included 70 men and women with type 2 diabetes who were assigned to receive the sulfonylurea drug glimepiride plus 1000 milligrams fish oil (a source of omega-3 fatty acids) or glimepiride plus a placebo daily for three months. Blood samples obtained before and after the treatment period were analyzed for glucose, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fasting insulin, lipids (total, LDL and HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides), atherogenic index of plasma (a marker of cardiovascular disease), serum irisin and sirtuin-1 (a protein involved in metabolic regulation).

Among participants who received glimepiride plus omega-3, the declines in fasting blood glucose and HbA1c were greater compared with those who received glimepiride with a placebo. Total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides decreased more, and HDL increased more among those who received omega-3 in comparison with the placebo group.

Irisin, a hormone that rises in response to exercise and improves the metabolic rate of fat and muscle cells, increased to a greater extent in the omega-3 group than the placebo group. The authors remarked that increased irisin levels have been associated with improved glucose tolerance and weight loss. Atherogenic index of plasma was lower at the end of the study in the omega-3 group and higher among those who received a placebo. Sirtuin-1 increased nonsignificantly among participants who received omega-3.

"The present study found that supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids might dramatically enhance blood irisin levels, as well as improve glycemic control and lipid profile in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients using glimepiride," authors Rehab H. Werida and colleagues concluded.

—D Dye

Nicotinamide riboside prevents hearing loss progression in mice

November 27 2023. A form of vitamin B3 known as nicotinamide riboside halted the progression of age-related hearing loss in mice in a study reported in the September 2023 issue of Aging Cell.

Nicotinamide riboside (NR) is a precursor of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), a coenzyme found in all living cells that supports energy metabolism. Oral intake of NR, which occurs in vegetables and other foods, increases NAD+ levels in tissues and organs that include the heart and brain.

"Age-related hearing loss is the most common type of sensorineural hearing loss," Mustafa N. Okur of the University of California Irvine and colleagues wrote. "The slow progression of age-related hearing loss adds to the challenge for intervention because it requires treatment approaches safe for long-term use."

"NR can be administered orally and has no known serious side effects," they added.

Comparison of NAD+ levels in an area of the inner ear known as the cochlea in two-month-old and twelve-month old mice revealed lower levels in the older animals. However, twelve-month-old mice that received NR had higher cochlear NAD+ levels than old animals that did not receive NR. In old mice that normally suffered from age-related hearing loss, long-term administration of NR reduced hearing loss progression at high frequencies. Loss of ability to hear high frequencies is characteristic of the decline in the ability to hear that occurs in older humans.

In a subset of animals, NR not only prevented the progression of hearing loss but improved the ability to hear high frequencies. Nicotinamide riboside was also effective at reducing the progression of hearing loss in another strain of mice.

"Our study demonstrates the therapeutic potential of NAD+ repletion, using NR, for the treatment of age-related hearing loss via improving the synaptic transmission in the cochlea," the authors concluded.

—D Dye

PQQ may boost brain folate

November 24 2023. Research reported November 20, 2023, in Fluids and Barriers of the CNS found a role for pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) in the maintenance of brain levels of the B vitamin folate.

"Folates (vitamin B9) are critical for normal neurodevelopment and function, with transport mediated by three major pathways: folate receptor alpha (FRα), proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT), and reduced folate carrier (RFC)," authors Vishal Sangha and colleagues at the University of Toronto explained. "Cerebral folate uptake primarily occurs at the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier through concerted actions of FRα and PCFT, with impaired folate transport resulting in the neurological disorder cerebral folate deficiency. Increasing evidence suggests that disorders associated with cerebral folate deficiency also present with neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction, however the role of brain folate deficiency in inducing these abnormalities is not well-understood."

Building on the findings of previous research, the team evaluated the effects of PQQ in cultured brain cells known as glial cells that were exposed to folate deficient conditions. In folate deficient cells, gene expression of proton-coupled folate transporter was reduced in comparison with control cells that were not exposed to folate deficient conditions. Treatment with PQQ increased both reduced folate carrier and proton-coupled folate transporter. It also reversed the expression of genes involved with inflammation, lowered reactive oxygen species and increased mitochondrial DNA content.

In another experiment, mice were given a normal diet or a diet that was deficient in folate for five weeks, after which they received PQQ or saline for 10 days. Animals that were given PQQ had a significant increase in reduced folate carrier and proton-coupled folate transporter gene expression. Compared to folate-deficient mice treated with saline, those that received PQQ showed a decrease in brain markers of inflammation and oxidative stress.

"Our in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrate the direct effects of PQQ attenuating the effects of folate deficiency in the absence of folate re-supplementation," the authors concluded.

—D Dye

Higher vitamin D levels linked with lower risk of cancer deaths

November 22 2023. An article published November 18, 2023, in Nutrition and Cancer reported a reduced risk of mortality from cancer or any cause during a 70-month follow-up period among cancer patients who had higher vitamin D levels compared with those whose levels were lower.

"Although numerous studies have investigated the relationship between vitamin D and cancer in healthy individuals or have longitudinally tracked cancer-related deaths, there remain incongruities in existing clinical studies," Yu Bai and colleagues wrote. "In this study, we postulated that higher serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels could correspond to decreased mortality rates for patients with cancer."

The researchers analyzed data from 2,463 men and women with cancer who were enrolled in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007–2018 and had information available concerning their serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels. During follow-up through 2019, 567 deaths occurred, among which 194 were caused by cancer.

Vitamin D deficiency, defined as a 25(OH)D level of less than 20 ng/mL, was significantly associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality. Individuals whose vitamin D levels were among the highest 25% and second highest 25% of participants had respective 41% and 40% adjusted lower risks of death from any cause compared with patients whose levels were among the lowest 25%. For deaths from cancer, the greatest reduction in risk occurred among those whose levels were among the second highest 25% of participants, while those among the highest 25% also had a decrease in risk compared with the lowest 25%. "The results showed that the risk of death decreased steeply with increasing vitamin D concentrations up to 75 nmol/L [30 ng/mL]," the authors reported.

"These study results indicate that monitoring 25(OH)D levels has important clinical significance for the mortality of patients with cancer," they concluded.

—D Dye

Mediterranean diet metabolites associated with lower risk of cognitive decline

November 20 2023. A study reported October 24, 2023, in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research showed that the presence of serum metabolites associated with Mediterranean diet components is an indicator of a lower risk of cognitive decline.

"Within the framework of the study, a dietary metabolomic index has been designed—based on biomarkers obtained from the participants' serum—on the food groups that form part of the Mediterranean diet," coauthor Cristina Andrés-Lacueva of the University of Barcelona explained.

"The use of dietary pattern indices based on food-intake biomarkers is a step forward towards the use of more accurate and objective dietary assessment methodologies that take into account important factors such as bioavailability," coauthor Mercè Pallàs added.

The study included 418 men and women over the age of 65 who resided in Bordeaux and 422 same-aged adults who were residents of Dijon, France. A Mediterranean diet metabolomic score was calculated from serum biomarkers related to food groups that included plant foods (vegetables, fruits, legumes and cereals), fish, dairy products, and monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids. Participants' adherence to a Mediterranean diet was scored from 0 to 14. (Palmitic acid, a biomarker of saturated fatty acid intake, had a negative impact on scores.)

After adjustment for several factors, a high Mediterranean diet metabolomic score of at least 7 points was associated with a 10% lower risk of developing cognitive decline during a 12-year period among the Bordeaux group and a 9% lower risk in the Dijon group in comparison with a lower score.

"These results support the use of these indicators in long-term follow-up assessments to observe the health benefits associated with the Mediterranean diet or other dietary patterns and therefore, guide personalized counselling at older ages," first author Alba Tor-Roca concluded.

—D Dye

Fish oil boosts exercise benefits among postmenopausal women

November 17 2023. Results from a study reported October 25, 2023, in Nutrients indicate that adding fish oil to resistance exercise may enhance muscle function and lower cardiometabolic risk factors in postmenopausal women.

The study included 20 women of an average age of 65.65 years who were assigned to a twice-per-week resistance exercise training regimen for eight weeks. Half of the participants received fish oil with each meal, while the remainder received a placebo. The fish oil capsules provided 2.1 grams of EPA and 0.72 grams of DHA per day. Strength (evaluated by handgrip), physical function related to leg strength and activities of daily living, blood pressure, triglycerides, markers of oxidative stress (malondialdehyde and 8-OHdG) and markers of inflammation (interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha) were assessed before and after the eight-week intervention.

Both groups experienced improvement in physical function by the end of the treatment period. Participants who received fish oil had a 5.7% increase in handgrip strength compared with the beginning of the study in contrast with a 2% increase in the placebo group. Systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6, malondialdehyde and 8-OHdG were reduced in the fish oil group while remaining essentially unchanged among those who received a placebo.

"The present study illustrates that fish oil administration over an eight-week period of programmed resistance exercise training amplifies the beneficial effects of resistance exercise training on muscle strength," authors Sang-Rok Lee and Dean Directo of New Mexico State University wrote. "Simultaneously, it helps mitigate risk factors linked to cardiometabolic disorders in older females. Particularly, the combination of fish oil administration with resistance exercise training exhibits potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, providing potential protection against the onset of various geriatric syndromes linked to chronic low-grade inflammation and/or aberrant oxidative stress in older women."

—D Dye

Reducing systolic pressure to below 120 mmHg lowered cardiovascular events in trial

November 15 2023. Findings presented on November 13 at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2023 support the recommendation of achieving a systolic blood pressure of less than 120 mmHg to help protect against cardiovascular events.

"Our study provides evidence to support targeting systolic blood pressure to less than 120 mmHg in hypertensive patients with high cardiovascular risk and normal or mild-reduced kidney function, regardless of their diabetes status (type 1, type 2 or none) or history of stroke," stated lead author Jing Li, MD, PhD, of the National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases in Beijing.

The ESPRIT trial randomized 11,255 men and women to receive intensive blood pressure therapy with a goal of less than 120 mmHg systolic blood pressure, or standard treatment with a target systolic pressure of less than 140 mmHg during a period of three years. Coronary heart disease, prior stroke or diabetes was present among 28.9%, 26.9% and 38.7% of the participants, respectively. Those in the intensive treatment group were prescribed several classes of drugs and received higher doses than the standard treatment group.

After two years, intensive treatment was found to prevent 12% of heart attacks, stroke, revascularization procedures, death from cardiovascular causes, or hospitalization or emergency department visits for heart failure compared with standard treatment. Intensive treatment was associated with a 39% reduction of mortality from cardiovascular causes and 21% decrease in mortality from any cause.

"These results provide evidence that intensive hypertension treatment focused on achieving systolic blood pressure of less than 120 mm Hg is beneficial and safe for individuals with high blood pressure and increased cardiovascular risk factors," Dr Li concluded. "Implementing this intensive treatment strategy for high-risk adults has the potential to save more lives and reduce the public health burden of heart disease worldwide."

—D Dye

Molecule shows promise for aging-related disorders

November 13 2023. Research conducted at the Buck Institute, reported November 13, 2023, in Nature Aging, identified mitophagy-inducing coumarin (MIC) as a molecule able to extend life in the roundworm C. elegans. The compound also improved mitochondrial function in cells obtained from mice.

Mitophagy is a process in the body that recycles damaged mitochondria, which are the cells' power plants. Defective mitophagy occurs in neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson disease.

MIC is a type of coumarin, a compound occurring in plants (including some types of cinnamon), which has anticoagulant, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anticancer, antioxidant and other properties.

Julie Andersen, PhD, and colleagues identified MIC when seeking mitophagy enhancers in a mouse model of Parkinson disease. "Coauthor Shankar Chinta, PhD, started screening natural compounds in neuronal cells and MIC came up as a major hit," she reported. Dr Anderson and colleagues determined that MIC enhanced the expression of a protein known as TFEB.

TFEB regulates genes involved in autophagy and other functions. Similar to mitophagy, autophagy occurs when cells recycle damaged proteins. "Mitophagy is a selective and very significant form of autophagy," coauthor Malene Hansen, PhD, explained. "The field has recognized TFEB as a player when it comes to quality control in mitochondria. This study provides a possible translational route to induce mitophagy in a TFEB-dependent fashion."

Roundworms given MIC lived longer than normal and the compound prevented mitochondrial dysfunction in mouse cells.

"There's a bottleneck in efforts to develop potential therapeutics in the field of geroscience, and the bottleneck is that we don't have enough molecules in the pipeline," senior coauthor Gordon Lithgow, PhD, noted. "MIC is a great candidate to bring forward given its therapeutic effect across multiple models and the fact that it is a naturally occurring molecule."

—D Dye

Melatonin may improve athletic recovery

November 10 2023. A systematic review reported October 21, 2023, in Nutrients found a decrease in oxidative stress, muscle damage and inflammatory markers in association with melatonin use among professional soccer players.

Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland in the brain and other areas of the body. The hormone's ability to induce sleep may help support recovery from sports and other activities.

"In the world of professional soccer, there are several factors that affect players' sleep and rest, such as game schedules, which vary greatly and sometimes occur later than 8:00 pm, exposure to artificial light, alcohol consumption, or fatigue after travel," Antonio Almendros-Ruiz and colleagues wrote. "All of this creates an environment of sleep deprivation, which can impair recovery processes."

Researchers reviewed 8 studies that compared the effects of melatonin to a placebo or no melatonin among 152 male soccer players. The studies evaluated the hormone's effect on physical performance, blood markers and other factors. Dosages ranged from 5 to 8 milligrams.

Five of the studies found a reduction in oxidative stress after sports practice in association with melatonin. (Despite the essential benefits of exercise, it increases oxidative stress.) Three studies found improvement in inflammation, which can also be generated by exercise. Muscle damage as assessed by creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenate levels, was reduced in three of the studies. One study resulted in improvement in liver damage and markers of kidney function. Melatonin did not improve athletic performance, likely because of its potential drowsiness-inducing effect.

"Exogenously administered melatonin seems to attenuate some of the effects derived from physical exercise, such as oxidative stress, inflammation, and muscle damage, in professional football players, and since it has no potential adverse effects, it could be interesting to apply it in this population," the authors concluded.

—D Dye

Greater magnesium intake linked with lower risk of mortality following stroke

November 08 2023. People who consumed a higher amount of magnesium had a reduced risk of dying from any cause during a median 5.3-year period following a stroke compared with individuals whose intake of the mineral was lower.

"Magnesium deficiency is associated with an increased risk of a wide range of diseases, including hypertension, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, coronary heart disease, and stroke," Mengyan Wang of The First People's Hospital of Linhai, China and colleagues wrote. "Magnesium deficiency is also associated with an increased risk of mortality."

The study included 917 adults enrolled in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007–2018 who had a history of stroke. Twenty-four hour dietary recall interview responses were analyzed for magnesium content, including magnesium from food and or magnesium provided by capsules or tablets. Mortality status was determined using National Death Index (NDI) death certificate records from the first dietary recall interview through December 2019.

During a median follow up period of 5.3 years, 277 deaths occurred. Each 1 milligram per 100 calorie per day increase in total magnesium intake was associated with a 3% lower adjusted risk of death during follow-up. Individuals whose magnesium intake was among the top 25% of subjects had a 40% lower risk of dying from any cause at the end of follow-up compared with those whose intake was among the lowest 25%.

"We found that magnesium intake is inversely associated with the risk of all-cause mortality in stroke survivors, especially total magnesium intake," the authors concluded. "Considering that insufficient magnesium intake is common in stroke patients, improving magnesium intake in stroke survivors is warranted."

—D Dye

Higher biologic age predicts increased risk of neurologic disorders

November 06 2023. Findings reported November 6, 2023, in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry revealed that individuals whose biologic age is greater than their chronologic age have an increased risk of neurologic disorders, including dementia and stroke.

While chronologic age refers to the number of times the earth has circled the sun since a person's birth, biologic age is determined by evaluating physical biomarkers which, in this study, included blood lipids, glucose, blood pressure, lung function and body mass index. "Because people age at different rates, chronological age is a rather imprecise measure," noted lead researcher Sara Hägg, PhD, who is an associate professor at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden.

Data was obtained from 325,870 men and women enrolled in the UK BioBank. Subjects were between the ages of 40 and 70 at the time of their initial evaluation. Eighteen biomarkers were used to determine biologic age.

At the end of a nine-year average follow-up, higher biological age in relation to chronologic age was linked to a significantly greater risk of ischemic stroke, dementia and vascular dementia, even after adjustment for genetic, lifestyle and socioeconomic factors. No association was found between higher biologic age and an increase in the risk of Parkinson's disease.

"If a person's biological age is five years higher than their actual age, the person has a 40 per cent higher risk of developing vascular dementia or suffering a stroke," reported researcher Jonathan Mak, who is a doctoral student at the Karolinska Institutet's Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics.

Although association does not prove causation, the findings suggest that improvement of biomarkers associated with aging could help delay the onset of some diseases or conditions. "Several of the values can be influenced through lifestyle and medications," Dr Hägg stated.

—D Dye

Higher carotenoid levels linked with lower breast cancer risk

November 03 2023. A review and meta-analysis of prospective studies reported October 28, 2023, in Advances in Nutrition adds evidence to previous findings of a lower risk of developing breast cancer among women with higher serum levels of carotenoids, which are pigments such as beta-carotene that occur in fruit and vegetables.

"Carotenoids can play their anticancer role through DNA protection and repair, singlet oxygen deactivating, suppressing cell proliferation, inducing apoptosis, and inhibiting angiogenesis," Maryam Karim Dehnavi and colleagues at Tehran University of Medical Sciences wrote.

The review and meta-analysis included fifteen publications that reported seventeen case-control studies and one cohort study. Breast cancer was diagnosed in 7,608 women among a total of 20,188 participants during median follow-up periods of eight months to 21 years.

Comparison of women whose serum levels of total carotenoids were highest with those whose levels were lowest revealed a 24% lower risk of developing breast cancer. Participants who had the highest levels of the individual carotenoids alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutein had respective 23%, 20%, 15%, 14% and 30% lower risks of breast cancer compared with women whose levels were lowest.

For every ten microgram per deciliter increase of total carotenoids, alpha-carotene, beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin, participants had a respective 2%, 22%, 4% and 10% lower risk of developing breast cancer.

In their discussion of the findings, the authors remarked that beta-carotene and lycopene are carotenoids that counteract reactive oxygen species (potentially damaging free radicals that contain oxygen), thereby protecting against genetic damage that can cause cancer cell growth. They also promote the activation of antioxidant enzymes among other functions.

"Total circulating carotenoids, alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutein seem to be related to a decreased risk of breast cancer," they concluded. "Our findings could have practical importance for public health."

—D Dye

Nicotinamide riboside improves genetic disorder

November 01 2023. A study reported October 29, 2023, in Movement Disorders found improvement in motor coordination and eye movement among ataxia telangiectasia patients who received nicotinamide riboside, a form of vitamin B3. Ataxia telangiectasia is a genetic disorder characterized by neurodegeneration, poor immune function, an increased risk of developing cancer and premature aging. The majority of individuals with the disease lose their ability to walk without assistance by the age of ten years.

Previous research, conducted in animals in which the genetic defects that cause ataxia telangiectasia were induced, revealed decreased cellular levels of NAD+, a coenzyme needed for mitochondrial formation and maintenance. (The mitochondria are the energy-producing organelles of the cells.) Giving the animals nicotinamide riboside (NR), which is a precursor of NAD+, was found to reduce neuromuscular function loss and extend life.

The current two-year study included ten adults and children with ataxia telangiectasia who were given NR. The participants were compared with ataxia telangiectasia patients for whom historical data was available. Those who received NR experienced rapid increases in blood NAD+ that stabilized at a higher level compared to levels measured at the beginning of the study. Neuromotor tests conducted after 18 months revealed improvement in motor coordination and eye movements among those who received NR in comparison with control patients. Progression of some neuromotor symptoms was slower among the NR-treated group than among control patients as indicated by historical data.

"We present results from the longest-running dietary supplementation study with NR in ataxia telangiectasia," authors Rebecca Presterud, MD, of the University of Oslo and colleagues concluded. "We discovered that NR was bioavailable and safe, and it alleviated key clinical symptoms of ataxia telangiectasia as evidenced by enhanced motor coordination and improved eye movements in all age groups of individuals with ataxia telangiectasia."

—D Dye

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