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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.

Eating more broccoli associated with decreased risk of premature mortality

January 31 2024. A study reported January 8, 2024, in Frontiers in Nutrition found an association between greater broccoli consumption and a lower risk of dying during up to 16 years of follow-up. Broccoli intake was also associated with lower markers of inflammation.

The study included 5,556 men and women who were 20 years and older upon enrollment in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2006. Dietary questionnaire responses provided at the beginning of the study were used to determine broccoli consumption, which was classified as never, infrequent (less than once per week), occasional (one to two times weekly) and regular (three or more times per week). The subjects were followed though 2019, during which 1,405 deaths occurred, including 504 from cardiovascular disease, 292 from cancer, 107 from lung and chronic respiratory diseases, 49 from diabetes, 38 from accidents, 36 from kidney disease and 379 from miscellaneous causes.

Compared with individuals who never consumed broccoli, those who consumed it infrequently had an adjusted 18% lower risk of mortality during follow-up. Among those who occasionally and regularly consumed it, the risks of mortality were respectively 28% and 15% lower in comparison with no broccoli consumption.

Mortality from cardiovascular disease was an adjusted 18% lower among the group who rarely consumed broccoli, 34% lower among those who occasionally consumed it and 11% lower among those who regularly consumed it compared with no intake. The risk of dying from cancer was 28% lower among subjects who rarely or occasionally consumed broccoli, and 31% lower in association with regular intake.

"Moderate and frequent consumption of broccoli may reduce the risks of all-cause and cause-specific mortality," Xiangliang Liu of The First Hospital of Jilin University and colleagues concluded. "Optimal intake frequencies may differ by gender."

—D Dye

N-acetylcysteine could decrease the need for pain relief following surgery

January 29 2024. A Short Communication published in the October 2023 issue of in Pain Management suggests a role for N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in the relief of pain following surgery. In phase II of a randomized clinical trial, patients who received NAC during spinal surgery subsequently requested fewer opioid drugs and had lower pain scores than those who received a placebo.

"Can we stop giving opiates completely?" first author Sylvia Wilson, MD, of the Medical University of South Carolina asked. "Likely not. Can we decrease the amount patients need? We should try."

Thirty participants were given large intravenous doses of NAC or a placebo during surgery in addition to standard pain medication. Within the two days following the surgery, patients who received NAC received an average of 19% fewer opioid doses compared with the placebo group. NAC-treated patients waited longer to request pain medication following their surgeries and had lower pain scores. The effects of NAC appeared to be longer lasting. "We've seen the impact of giving this medication persisting, and I think that's significant," Dr Wilson stated. "We're not seeing a rebound effect when that medication wears off."

"For heroin addiction, we had seen in NAC preclinical studies that protection against relapse vulnerability is long lasting," added senior author Michael Scofield, PhD, of the Medical University of South Carolina. "Certainly, the hope is that it's something that has a long duration."

The investigators are planning to further study NAC's effect on pain by conducting a larger trial involving patients scheduled to receive minimally invasive hysterectomies. "To change practice, you need many large clinical trials with different settings, different types of surgeries to show that you're going to cause benefit, not harm," Dr Wilson noted. "We want to show good clinical efficacy, but also safety in that situation."

—D Dye

Searching within for the Fountain of Youth

January 24 2024. Research conducted at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York showed that a type of immune cell known as T cells could be programmed to destroy damaging senescent cells in mice.

Senescent cells are aged cells that stop dividing. Instead of being destroyed by the body, these cells linger to cause chronic inflammation. Current treatments known as senolytic therapies involve small molecules that need to be continuously administered.

"CAR T cells are a form of cellular therapy that redirects T cell specificity toward cells expressing a specific cell-surface antigen," Corina Amor Vegas, MD, PhD, and colleagues wrote. "Unlike small molecules, CAR T cells only require that the target antigen is differentially expressed on target cells compared to normal tissues; moreover, as 'living drugs,' these therapeutics have the potential to persist and mediate their potent effects for years after single administration."

The researchers developed CAR T cells that targeted the senescence-associated protein urokinase plasminogen activator receptor. Mice that received one dose showed lifelong effects. "If we give it to aged mice, they rejuvenate," Dr Vegas reported. "If we give it to young mice, they age slower. No other therapy right now can do this."

"T cells have the ability to develop memory and persist in your body for really long periods, which is very different from a chemical drug," she added. "With CAR T cells, you have the potential of getting this one treatment, and then that's it. For chronic pathologies, that's a huge advantage. Think about patients who need treatment multiple times per day versus you get an infusion, and then you're good to go for multiple years."

The findings were reported January 24, 2024, in the journal Nature Aging.

—D Dye

Adding zinc to the diet associated with reduced risk of Alzheimer disease

January 22 2024. A study published January 4, 2024, in Frontiers in Nutrition found an association between consuming additional zinc and a lower risk of Alzheimer disease.

Xianwen Shang at Southern Medical University in Guangzhou, China and colleagues evaluated data from 494,632 men and women who were between the ages of 40 and 71 years upon enrollment in the UK Biobank, which enrolled over half a million adults from 2006–2010. Participants' vitamin and mineral use was obtained from responses to touch-screen questionnaires. Antioxidants were defined as vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium and zinc.

Over a median 11.9-year follow-up period, 7,128 new cases of dementia were diagnosed, among which 2,772 were Alzheimer disease and 1,397 were vascular dementia. While no association was observed between antioxidant use and vascular dementia, adding zinc to a nutritional regimen was associated with a 29% lower risk of Alzheimer disease compared with no additional zinc.

As potential mechanisms, the authors noted that zinc protects brain cells known as neurons from oxidative stress and lowers neuroinflammation, acts as a cofactor for enzymes and transcription factors that play a role in the plasticity of connections between neurons, and helps regulate neurotransmitters.

Notably, subjects with cataracts who used zinc had 66% lower risk of all-cause dementia and those without cataracts had a 13% lower risk. Shang and remarked that cataracts have been associated with a higher risk of dementia.

They announced that the current study is the first to evaluate the association between taking antioxidants and the incidence of dementia and concluded that adding zinc to one's diet could help lower the risk of dementia and Alzheimer disease in middle-aged or older adults.

—D Dye

Daily multivitamin = better cognitive function

January 19 2024. On January 18, 2024, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported findings from the COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS) of a significant association between better cognitive function and multivitamin-mineral use.

“These findings will garner attention among many older adults who are, understandably, very interested in ways to preserve brain health, as they provide evidence for the role of a daily multivitamin in supporting better cognitive aging,” senior author Olivia Okereke, MD, SM, of Massachusetts General Hospital stated.

COSMOS is a trial that evaluated the association between the use of a daily multivitamin-mineral and/or cocoa extract supplying 500 milligrams flavonols per day for the prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease among 21,442 men and women aged 60 years and older.

The current study, COSMOS-Clinic, is the third study to analyze the relationship between cognition and multivitamin-mineral use among COSMOS participants. The investigation included 573 individuals who received in-person neuropsychological assessments of cognitive function. COSMOS-Clinic found better global cognition and episodic memory among participants who received a multivitamin-mineral for two years in comparison with a placebo.

The researchers additionally performed a meta-analysis of data obtained from the three studies, which “showed clear evidence” of the effects of multivitamin-minerals on global cognition as well as episodic memory. They estimated that the effect of multivitamin-minerals was equivalent to decreasing cognitive aging by two years. “The meta-analysis of three separate cognition studies provides strong and consistent evidence that taking a daily multivitamin, containing more than 20 essential micronutrients, helps prevent memory loss and slow down cognitive aging,” first author Chirag M. Vyas, MBBS, MPH, of Massachusetts General Hospital stated.

“These findings within the COSMOS trial support the benefits of a daily MVM in preventing cognitive decline among older adults,” Vyas and colleagues concluded.

—D Dye

Oxidative stress in macular degeneration

January 17 2024. Research reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences explored the role of oxidative stress in age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Macular degeneration occurs when an area of the eye responsible for central vision degenerates. Dry AMD, characterized by thinning of the retina due to cell death, can lead to wet macular degeneration, which is caused by blood vessels that grow and leak fluid within the eye.

“It has previously been reported that antioxidant vitamins can help reduce the risk of vision loss associated with progression to advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of visual impairment among the elderly,” the authors noted.

Previous research identified oxidative stress (caused by an excess of free radicals) and the protein hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1, which is involved in the response to low oxygen) as involved in AMD development. In the current study, researchers investigated oxidative stress-induced changes in cultures of retinal pigment epithelium (which filters light and protects the retina) and nerve cells known as retinal photoreceptors.

By inducing oxidative stress in retinal pigment epithelium cells, the team observed an overproduction of HIF-1 and the protein vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which promotes blood vessel growth such as occurs during wet AMD. Exposing the cells to low oxygen environments resulted in a greater increase in both proteins. “This may be why oxidative stress in older patients, who also have other predisposing factors to low oxygen in the retina, leads to the wet form of age-related macular degeneration,” coauthor Akrit Sodhi, MD, PhD, explained.

In retinal photoreceptors, HIF-1 and cell death increased upon exposure to oxidative stress. When HIF-1 was removed and oxidative stress was induced, cell death markedly increased, indicating a protective role for HIF-1. “This is an early step towards understanding molecular mechanisms whereby HIF-1 contributes to both wet and dry AMD,” Dr Sodhi remarked. “Our studies demonstrate how two cell populations react to oxidative stress: both alter HIF-1 levels, but in one cell this response can promote wet AMD and in the other it can protect against advanced dry AMD.”

—D Dye

Progress slow in improving vitamin D adequacy

January 15 2024. A study reported December 28, 2023, in Nutrients concluded that, despite an increase in vitamin D testing and increased usage of the vitamin, many people may still have inadequate vitamin D levels.

The investigation included 6,912 patients who attended endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism clinics in Greece and had serum vitamin D measurements available. Eight hundred twenty-six individuals were current users of vitamin D, 533 were former users and 5,553 had never used the vitamin. The majority of people in the study were women.

Testing for vitamin D levels increased from 42.1% in 2014 to 92.7% in 2022, while the use of vitamin D increased from 14.8% to 25.5%. Just 21.9% of the study’s subjects had adequate vitamin D levels, defined as at least 30 ng/mL. Among those who were current vitamin D users, 44.8% had adequate vitamin D levels, while adequacy was 23.2% and 15.6% among former and never users, respectively. Those who used vitamin D for at least one year and consumed a high dose, defined as an average of more than 3,000 IU per day, had a higher percentage of adequacy.

“The most significant finding in the present study is that vitamin D sufficiency is low in all subgroups of patients, whether on or off vitamin D supplements, and it only goes up to 67% when vitamin D supplements are used continuously for greater than 12 months in mean daily doses greater than 3,000 IU,” authors Rodis D. Paparodis, MD, and colleagues wrote.

“Overall, these real-world data raise concerns about the true status of vitamin D adequacy policies in the entire Greek and Southern European regions,” they concluded. “Based on this work, future studies should aim to assess the effectiveness of strategies employed to achieve and maintain vitamin D adequacy.”

—D Dye

Higher vitamin C levels associated with lower kidney disease risk

January 12 2024. A study reported January 8, 2024 in Renal Failure revealed a reduction in the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in association with higher serum levels of vitamin C.

“It is widely acknowledged that oxidative stress and inflammation substantially contribute to CKD development,” Chunli Wang of the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China and colleagues wrote. “Given the elevated levels of oxidative stress in chronic kidney disease patients, antioxidant therapy involving vitamin C presents itself as a viable strategy for enhancing outcomes.”

The study included 4,969 men and women enrolled in the 2017–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey who had data available concerning vitamin C levels, urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (which is used in the diagnosis of chronic kidney disease) and other factors. Chronic kidney disease was identified based on decreased estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR) or elevated urine albumin.

Chronic kidney disease was present among 15% of the current investigation’s subjects. When the subjects were divided into four groups according to their vitamin C levels, those in the third 25% had a 37% lower risk of high urinary albumin, a 47% lower risk of low eGFR and a 46.6% reduction in the risk of CKD compared with those among the lowest 25% of vitamin C. For individuals aged 65–80 years, those in the third 25% had a 59% lower risk and subjects the top 25% had a 47% lower risk in comparison with the lowest group.

“Our findings reveal a correlation between elevated serum vitamin C levels and a decreased risk of developing albuminuria, low eGFR, and CKD,” Wang and colleagues concluded. “Appropriately increasing serum vitamin C levels may hold promise in protecting renal function, particularly among older individuals.”

—D Dye

Elite athletes may benefit from vitamin D

January 10 2024. A systematic review published in the January 2024 issue of the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine concluded several benefits for additional vitamin D among elite male and female athletes.

"To our knowledge, no previous systematic review has synthesized multiple placebo-controlled randomized controlled trials investigating the effect of vitamin D supplementation on fitness and sport performance in athletes," Phillip B. Wyatt, DPT, and colleagues at Virginia Commonwealth University wrote.

The researchers evaluated data from 14 randomized trials that examined the effects of vitamin D3 capsules or drops among 482 athletes. Men and women included in the studies participated in soccer, rugby, rowing, taekwondo, swimming, diving and ultramarathon running. Vitamin D doses ranged from 2,000 international units (IU) to 7,142.86 IU per day administered for at least two weeks.

Participants who received vitamin D had higher serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels at the end of the trials in comparison with those who received a placebo. Only one adverse event was reported by one participant (constipation). "The National Academy of Medicine (formerly known as the Institute of Medicine) has defined the tolerable upper limit of vitamin D supplementation as 4000 IU/day," the authors observed. "However, the no-observed-adverse-effects level has been found to be 10,000 IU/day, established by the same group."

Of three studies that evaluated aerobic capacity, two found improvements in maximal oxygen uptake and physical working capacity in association with vitamin D. Five out of the seven studies that evaluated anaerobic power and strength resulted in vitamin D-associated improvements. Among four studies that evaluated bone health, one demonstrated increased bone mineral density in association with vitamin D compared with the control group.

The authors concluded that the greatest benefits of vitamin D among athletes may be improving aerobic endurance, anaerobic power and strength.

—D Dye

Black cumin seed lowers insulin, markers of inflammation in overweight women

January 08 2024. Overweight and obese women had decreased insulin levels and a healthier inflammatory response after receiving black cumin seed (Nigella sativa) oil in comparison with a placebo in a randomized trial. The findings were reported January 5, 2024, in BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies.

In the crossover trial, 46 participants received either 2,000 milligrams black cumin seed oil or a placebo daily for eight weeks, followed by a four-week period during which neither black cumin seed nor placebo were given. The participants' treatments were then switched during another eight-week period. Blood samples obtained at the beginning and end of each treatment period were analyzed for serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1B and interleukin-6, as well as insulin and leptin. While leptin has some beneficial effects, elevated levels are associated with increased inflammation. "Leptin's role beyond appetite regulation involves signaling potential resistance patterns in obesity," authors Elham Razmpoosh, PhD, and coauthors wrote.

In addition to serum analysis, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs: white blood cells known as lymphocytes and monocytes) were analyzed for interleukin-1B, interleukin-6 and leptin gene expression. "Literature suggests that PBMCs reflect the effects of dietary modifications at the gene expression level," Dr Razmpoosh and colleagues explained.

Following the periods during which black cumin seed oil or a placebo was administered, participants who received black cumin seed oil had reductions in serum levels and gene expression of interleukin-1B, interleukin-6 and leptin compared with levels measured before treatment and compared with the placebo group. Serum insulin also decreased following treatment with black cumin compared to pretreatment and placebo values. However, Dr Razmpoosh and associates noted that "The clinical significance of present findings regarding improvements in obesity-related pro-inflammatory markers must be interpreted with caution due to some observed medium-low effect sizes."

—D Dye

Omega-3 may slow pulmonary fibrosis

January 05 2024. Research reported October 20, 2023, in the journal Chest revealed a potential benefit for omega-3 fatty acids in slowing the progression of pulmonary fibrosis, an interstitial lung disease in which the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide is impaired.

"We found that higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the blood, which reflects several weeks of dietary intake, were linked to better lung function and longer survival," John S. Kim, MD, of UVA Health and the University of Virginia School of Medicine stated. "Our findings suggest omega-3 fatty acids might be a targetable risk factor in pulmonary fibrosis."

The study included 309 pulmonary fibrosis patients from the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation Patient Registry and groups from the University of Virginia and University of Chicago. The majority of patients were men and had pulmonary fibrosis of undetermined cause. Omega-3 Index values provided information concerning plasma levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Changes in forced vital capacity and diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide, which are markers of lung function, were tracked during a 12-month period. Additionally, the University of Chicago measured their patients' telomere length. Telomeres are genetic material that cap the ends of chromosomes and shorten during cell aging.

Higher omega-3 index levels were associated with better diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide and longer lung transplant-free survival. Among participants with shorter telomere length, longer transplant-free survival was associated with higher plasma EPA. "Higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids were predictive of better clinical outcomes in pulmonary fibrosis," Dr Kim concluded. "These findings were consistent whether you had a history of cardiovascular disease, which suggests this may be specific to pulmonary fibrosis."

"Similar to other chronic diseases, we hope to determine whether nutrition related interventions can have a positive impact on pulmonary fibrosis," he added.

—D Dye

Vitamin D sufficiency associated with lower in-hospital and one-year mortality risk in rehab inpatients

January 03 2024. Findings from a study reported November 30, 2023, in The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging revealed a protective effect for sufficient levels of vitamin D against the risk of premature mortality among geriatric rehabilitation patients.

The study included 1,328 men and women with a median age of 83.9 years who were a part of the REStORing health of acutely unwell adulTs (RESORT) study of inpatients admitted to geriatric rehabilitation wards in Australia. The most common cause for admission was musculoskeletal in nature. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were categorized as sufficient if greater than 21.6 ng/mL, insufficient at 10.4 to 21.6 ng/mL and deficient at less than 10.4 ng/mL. Extra vitamin D was taken by 74.2% of the patients.

In comparison with individuals who had sufficient vitamin D levels, those who were deficient had an 88% higher risk of institutionalization, greater than three times the risk of dying in the hospital and a 77% higher risk of one-year mortality. There was no association found between serum vitamin D status and three-month mortality. Those with vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency who did not use additional vitamin D had significantly greater in-hospital mortality in comparison with those who added vitamin D to their regimen.

"To our knowledge, this is the first study that investigated the associations of 25(OH)D status and supplementation with institutionalization and, in-hospital and post-discharge mortality in a large cohort of geriatric rehabilitation inpatients with varying reasons of hospital admission, enhancing the generalizability of the findings to general hospitalized populations," L. Guan of the University of Melbourne and colleagues announced.

"The findings underscore the importance to monitor the vitamin D status during hospitalization in geriatric rehabilitation inpatients," they concluded.

—D Dye

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