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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.

High-dose nicotinamide riboside found safe in trial of Parkinson's disease patients

December 29 2023. Findings from randomized, double-blind, phase I trial reported November 28, 2023 in Nature Communications suggest the safety of consuming a high dose of nicotinamide riboside, a precursor of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), among men and women with Parkinson's disease.

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, a metabolite of nicotinamide riboside, is a coenzyme involved in metabolic reactions needed to produce energy. NAD replenishment may target processes associated with Parkinson's disease, such as mitochondrial function and energy metabolism, DNA repair, neuroinflammation and more. A previous trial conducted by the current study’s research team showed that the intake of 1,000 mg per day of nicotinamide riboside for one month increased brain levels of NAD in Parkinson's disease patients.

The study included 20 Parkinson's disease patients who received 1,500 mg nicotinamide riboside or a placebo twice per day for four weeks. NAD metabolite levels and disease severity were assessed at the beginning and end of the trial.

No moderate or severe adverse effects were reported during the trial. Mild adverse events were not significantly different between participants who received nicotinamide riboside and those who received a placebo. Those who received nicotinamide riboside had higher levels of nicotinamide riboside metabolites including an increase in NAD+, at the last trial visit. They also had better disease rating scale scores; however, they had a shorter average interval since their last dose of levodopa, the standard therapy for Parkinson's disease, by the end of the study.

“Our study met its primary outcome and established that orally administered nicotinamide riboside at a dose of 3000 mg daily is well tolerated in Parkinson's disease over a course of 4 weeks,” the authors concluded. “Our results support extending the dose range of nicotinamide riboside in phase II clinical trials to 3000 mg per day, with appropriate safety monitoring.”

—D Dye

Flavonoid improved knee replacement recovery

December 27 2023. The March 20, 2024, issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery reported the finding of less postoperative pain and swelling among total knee arthroplasty (knee replacement surgery) patients who received the flavonoid diosmin in comparison with patients who did not receive diosmin.”

Diosmin has been used along with the flavonoid hesperidin among patients who experience swelling associated with vein disorders. “Diosmin is a semisynthetic flavonoid that is often utilized to treat swelling and pain caused by chronic venous insufficiency,” Qiuru Wang, MD, of Sichuan University and colleagues explained.

The randomized, controlled trial included 330 patients scheduled for knee replacement surgery. All participants received standard pain medication. Starting on the day following the surgery, some of the patients received 900 milligrams of diosmin twice per day for four weeks while a control group did not receive diosmin. Lower extremity swelling was evaluated one, two, three and fourteen days after the surgery. Postoperative pain, range of motion, levels of inflammatory biomarkers that included C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, and any complications were also determined.

Diosmin was associated with significantly less swelling of the thigh, upper kneecap and calf at all assessed time points in comparison with the control group. Postoperative pain scores during motion were also better among diosmin-treated individuals.

While the findings suggest that diosmin is safe and effective, further research is needed to determine diosmin’s mechanism of action since no difference in markers of inflammation was observed between treated and placebo groups. "This negative result may reflect the efficacy of the other anti-inflammatory drugs that were administered to both groups," Dr Wang and colleagues suggested.

“The use of diosmin after total knee arthroplasty reduced lower-extremity swelling and pain during motion and was not associated with an increased incidence of short-term complications involving the outcomes studied,” they concluded.

—D Dye

Greater antioxidant intake linked with lower risk of glaucoma

December 20 2023. Research reported November 22, 2023, in Frontiers in Nutrition revealed an association between consuming a diet that has a high antioxidant content and a lower risk of glaucoma.

Glaucoma is an eye disease that causes deterioration of the optic nerve, resulting in visual impairment. It is among the leading causes of irreversible blindness.

"Some studies have suggested that oxidative stress has taken part in the pathology development of glaucoma," authors Wenwei Li and Bin Wang of Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province in Hangzhou, China wrote. "In theory, antioxidants may have a positive effect on patients suffering from glaucoma."

The study included 6,128 men and women aged 40 and older who participated in the 2005-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a database created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to evaluate the health status of U.S. residents. Three hundred ninety-three participants in the current investigation were told by an ophthalmologist that they had glaucoma. Two-day 24-hour dietary questionnaire responses were analyzed for levels of the antioxidant nutrients vitamins A, C and E, magnesium, selenium and zinc, which were used calculate Dietary Antioxidant Index scores. (The Dietary Antioxidant Index is a representation of the overall antioxidant content of an individual's diet.)

Each unit increase in Dietary Antioxidant Index was associated with an adjusted 6% lower risk of having been diagnosed with glaucoma. Those whose Dietary Antioxidant Index scores were among the top one-third of study subjects had a 53% lower risk of glaucoma than subjects whose scores were among the lowest third.

"According to the findings of our research, which was based on data from the 2005–2008 NHANES population, the higher dietary antioxidant indices were related with a decreased risk of glaucoma," the authors concluded.

—D Dye

Meta-analysis affirms benefits of added nutrients in PCOS

December 18 2023. A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials published November 13, 2023, in PeerJ compared the effectiveness of nutrients added to the diets of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a condition characterized by ovarian dysfunction and excessive production of male hormones that affects up to 15% of reproductive-aged women. "The pathogenesis of PCOS is not fully understood, but it may be associated with hyperandrogenism, insulin resistance, obesity, metabolic abnormalities, and inflammation," authors Xinyin Hu of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and colleagues wrote.

Hu and associates selected 41 articles that reported the findings of randomized, controlled trials involving specific nutrients, which included a total of 2,362 women for the meta-analysis. They determined that carnitine, inositol and probiotics were associated with lower body weight and body mass index in comparison with a placebo, with carnitine having the greatest benefit. Adding omega-3 fatty acids to the diet was associated with lower fasting blood glucose and chromium was associated with a reduction in fasting insulin. Both omega-3 and chromium improved insulin resistance, and chromium's effect was superior. Selenium was associated with improvement in insulin sensitivity.

Coenzyme Q10 was associated with lower total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and triglycerides. Chromium was also associated with lower total cholesterol and triglycerides. Additionally, vitamin D was associated with a reduction in total cholesterol. The use of probiotics was associated with a reduction in triglycerides.

"Carnitine was relatively effective in reducing body mass, while chromium, omega-3, and selenium were beneficial for improving glucose metabolism," the authors concluded. "Meanwhile, coenzyme Q10 was more efficacious for improving lipid metabolism."

They suggested that the meta-analysis' findings may assist clinicians in the selection of nutritional treatments for PCOS patients based on their individual differences and goals.

—D Dye

Low vitamin D associated with increased inflammation in IBD

December 15 2023. Findings from a study reported October 13, 2023, in Medicine revealed an association between lower vitamin D levels and increased markers of inflammation in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The study also revealed high prevalences of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency among IBD patients compared with healthy individuals.

Inflammatory bowel disease includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Malabsorption and reduced food intake by people with IBD are contributors to vitamin D insufficiency. "Insufficient vitamin D levels in IBD patients are known to heighten relapse risks and disease recurrence, potentially resulting in complications like osteoporosis and calcium deficiency due to its impact on inflammation and IBD development," observed first author Antonia Topalova-Dimitrova, MD, of University Hospital St Ivan Rilsk in Sophia, Bulgaria. "Our study aimed to investigate serum vitamin D levels in patients with IBD compared to healthy individuals and evaluate the relationship between vitamin D and inflammatory markers."

The study included 92 patients diagnosed with IBD and 14 healthy control participants. Vitamin D insufficiency, defined as serum vitamin D levels of 12–30 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL), was detected among 66.3% of IBD patients, and deficiency, defined as levels of less than 12 ng/mL, occurred in 32.6%. Among healthy participants, 57.1% had insufficiency and 7% were deficient. Lower vitamin D levels were associated with higher levels of inflammatory markers that included erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, fecal calprotectin, white blood cells and platelets.

"It is strongly advised to evaluate vitamin D levels in individuals with IBD due to the associated risks of disease relapse, surgical interventions, osteoporosis, calcium deficiency, and reduced responsiveness to biologic treatments," Dr Topalova-Dimitrova concluded. "Enhancing vitamin D levels can be pursued through dietary improvements, increased sunlight exposure (though challenging for those with IBD), or oral supplementation."

—D Dye

Study suggests it’s never too late to start dieting

December 13 2023. Study findings from the University of Connecticut reported December 8, 2023, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showed that late-life transition from a high-calorie diet to one that is low in calories decreased the rate of aging in fruit flies and extended life. The research team also found the reverse is true: switching from a calorie restricted diet to a high-calorie diet in old age increased the mortality rate and shortened life span.

"Our studies were performed in flies aged on a high-calorie diet, akin to obese individuals, suggesting that late-life diet shift in obese humans might have remarkable beneficial impact on health," stated senior author Blanka Rogina, of the University of Connecticut's Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences and the Institute for Systems Genomics.

Old male flies raised on a high calorie diet had increased fat in their bodies and used more energy in the defense against reactive oxygen species. While most of these flies died by 50 to 60 days, switching the survivors to a low-calorie diet at this age resulted in a significant drop in deaths and longer lives. Gene expression analysis revealed differences in genes that control physical and metabolic adaptation. "The remarkable finding of this study is that even after living a significant portion of their lives on a high calorie diet, flies can gain the benefits of life span extension by simply switching to a low-calorie diet," coauthor Brent Graveley stated.

"As the beneficial effects of calorie restriction on physiology and lifespan are conserved across many organisms, our study provides framework to study underlying mechanisms of calorie restriction interventions that counteract the detrimental effects of high-calorie diets and reduce rate of aging even when initiated later in life," the authors concluded.

—D Dye

Review supports exercise plus nutrients for menopausal women

December 11 2023. Findings from a systematic review reported November 23, 2023, in the Journal of Clinical Medicine concluded that exercise and adding nutrients to the diet is a healthy way for women to improve aging-related challenges experienced during the menopausal years.

"Climacteric is the transitional period between the reproductive stage and menopause, during which changes occur in a woman's body: increased blood pressure due to decreased arterial elasticity and increased stiffness and, thus, increased risk of stroke; decreased glucose tolerance and, thus, increased risk of type II diabetes; coagulation problems; increased levels of low-density lipoprotein and decreased levels of high-density lipoprotein; weight gain; and metabolic slowing," Juan Carlos Sánchez-García and colleagues wrote. "Menopause is directly linked to osteoporosis, with estrogen deficiency being a major contributor to the increased risk of this disease, which results in a decrease in bone mineral density due to osteoclast-mediated bone resorption and an increased risk of fractures."

The review included 10 clinical trials or meta-analyses that examined the effects of exercise plus nutrients among 6,765 menopausal women. Exercise regimens in the treatment groups included strength training, strength and endurance training, high-intensity strength training, aerobic training, anaerobic training using body weight, dynamic strength, machines or a combination, and vibration platform training. The studies compared the effects of a placebo to calcium and vitamin D, isoflavones, omega-3 fatty acids, whey protein and the herb Zataria multiflora.

Studies examined the effects of the regimens on bone density, oxidative stress, cholesterol, interleukin-8, body fat, blood pressure, triglycerides, muscle mass, strength, glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, arterial elasticity and/or plasma apelin.

The researchers concluded that strength and aerobic training, and calcium and vitamin D increase bone mineral density. Strength and resistance training benefits muscle as well as the cardiovascular system. Exercise has a synergistic effect with calcium, isoflavones or omega-3 fatty acids.

—D Dye

Cocoa could benefit individuals with low diet quality

December 08 2023. Findings from a study reported December 7, 2023, in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggest that adding cocoa to the diet could boost healthy cognition among older men and women who have suboptimal diets.

The current investigation analyzed data from the Cocoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS), which compared the effects of a placebo to daily cocoa extract that provided 500 milligrams flavanols per day and/or a multivitamin-mineral among 21,442 individuals aged 60 years and older. Among this group, 492 participants completed cognitive tests that evaluated global cognition, episodic memory and executive function and attention at enrollment and at a two-year follow-up.

Among the current group, cocoa extract was not associated with significant improvements in two-year changes in global cognition, episodic memory or executive function/attention in comparison with a placebo. However, participants who had poor diet quality or low flavanol intake at the beginning of the study experienced cognitive benefits in association with cocoa.

The current findings add to those of an earlier investigation involving COSMOS participants that was reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study determined that cocoa consumed by participants who had low diet quality or poor flavanol intake at the beginning of the study was associated with improved memory that was dependent upon the hippocampal area of the brain (involved in learning and memory). The authors of the report wrote that "Our results allow dietary flavanols to be considered in the context of a depletion–repletion paradigm and suggest that low flavanol consumption can act as a driver of the hippocampal-dependent component of cognitive aging."

The authors of the current article concluded that "Possible cognitive benefits of cocoa extract among those with poorer diet quality warrant further study."

—D Dye

Omega-3 helps support healthy inflammatory response and more in marathon runners

December 06 2023. A study reported in 2023 in the Journal of Human Kinetics found that the intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) by long distance runners protected against an increased inflammatory response to exercise-induced injury and supported healthy lipid levels.

In their introduction to the article, Marzena Jaworska and colleagues noted that marathon runners are at risk of muscle injury and heart arrhythmias and dysfunction. Research has found that endurance training is associated with a reduction in erythrocyte (red blood cell) omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid-derived lipid mediators released in response to exercise-induced muscle damage promote inflammation. Furthermore, indicators of cardiac damage increase following marathon participation. Although these markers return to normal within 48 hours, repetitive increases may have long term adverse effects.

The study included 24 long distance runners who received 3,000 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids or a placebo daily for three weeks. Cardiac markers and inflammatory cytokines were measured in blood obtained before, immediately after, one hour after and 24 hours after exercise tests that were conducted before and at the end of the three-week treatment period. Omega-3 levels and lipids were measured prior to and after the treatment period.

The Omega-3 Index, erythrocyte membrane omega-3 and HDL levels were higher, and triglycerides were lower in the omega-3 group after three weeks compared with levels measured prior to the treatment period. In comparison with post-exercise levels measured prior to the treatment period, inflammation mediators and markers of cardiac damage measured in this group were reduced and adiponectin increased following the exercise test.

"The increased omega-3 PUFA content in the erythrocyte membrane and lower blood concentrations of cardiac damage markers and inflammation mediators in distance runners supplemented for three weeks with omega-3 PUFA suggest that the cardiovascular function has been improved," the authors concluded.

—D Dye

Green tea extract associated with improved body composition, adiponectin, total antioxidant capacity

December 04 2023. Results from a review and meta-analysis reported November 30, 2023, in the British Journal of Nutrition add evidence to an association between consuming green tea extract and improvements in body composition measurements and other factors in men and women.

Omid Asbaghi and colleagues selected 59 randomized, controlled trials that provided a total of 3,802 participants for the meta-analysis. Trials targeted healthy adults or those who were overweight, obese or had type 2 diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease or other conditions. The investigators examined the association between green tea extract intake and body mass, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, fat mass, body fat percentage, obesity-related hormones adiponectin, ghrelin and leptin, malondialdehyde (a marker of oxidative stress) and total antioxidant capacity.

Meta-analysis of the trial findings revealed a significant association between consuming green tea extract and reductions in body mass, BMI and body fat percentage. Nonsignificant decreases in waist circumference and fat mass were also observed in association with green tea.

The adipose tissue-derived hormone adiponectin increased in association with the intake of at least 1,000 milligrams per day green tea extract in overweight individuals or men, which the authors suggest may be a consequence of body mass loss. Adiponectin is secreted by fat cells and helps regulate glucose levels, insulin sensitivity and lipid metabolism.

Total antioxidant capacity also improved among men who received green tea extract. The authors remarked that green tea has a known antioxidant effect that is attributed to its catechin content.

They concluded that green tea extract "significantly decreased body mass, BMI, body fat percentage, and malondialdehyde, while increasing total antioxidant capacity and adiponectin."

"An optimal dose of green tea extract can alleviate cardiometabolic risk factors in the present study."

—D Dye

Hair loss linked to vitamin D insufficiency

December 01 2023. The results of a systematic review and meta-analysis reported November 27, 2023, in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology revealed an association between non-scarring alopecia (hair loss) and low serum levels of vitamin D.

Non-scarring alopecia includes androgenetic alopecia (hair loss related to male hormones), female pattern hair loss, alopecia areata (an autoimmune condition), telogen effluvium (excess shedding related to stress), anagen effluvium (caused by injury) and other types of hair loss.

Researchers at West China Hospital at Sichuan University in Sichuan, China selected 23 case-control studies that provided 3,374 subjects with non-scarring alopecia and 7,296 control patients for the review and meta-analysis. All articles reported serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels.

The research team found an association between having non-scarring alopecia and decreased serum 25(OH)D concentrations. Vitamin D deficiency, defined as a 25(OH)D level of less than 20 nanograms per milliliter, was associated with more than three times the risk of androgenic alopecia or telogen effluvium, four times the risk of female pattern hair loss and a 60% greater risk of diffuse hair loss compared with healthy controls.

"This is the first meta-analysis to evaluate 25(OH)D levels of non-scarring hair loss, encompassing not only alopecia areata but also androgenetic alopecia, female pattern hair loss, telogen effluvium, and other non-scarring hair loss conditions," Yuling Chen, MD, and colleagues announced.

In their discussion of the findings, they observed that while the causes of hair disorders differ, vitamin D insufficiency appears to be a common factor in many cases.

"Patients with non-scarring alopecia (including alopecia areata, female pattern hair loss, androgenetic alopecia and telogen effluvium) have insufficient serum level of 25(OH)D and increased incidence of vitamin D deficiency," they concluded. "Vitamin D supplementation and monitoring for vitamin D deficiency may be helpful in treating non-scarring alopecia."

—D Dye

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