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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.

Melatonin supports DNA repair in night shift workers

February 28 2025. A randomized, placebo-control trial resulted in improved oxidative DNA damage repair capacity in night shift workers who were given melatonin for four weeks.

The trial was reported February 24, 2025, in Occupational & Environmental Medicine.

Melatonin is a hormone released by the pineal gland in the brain in response to darkness. The hormone initiates sleep, supports immune function and has antioxidant properties that help protect DNA. Working at night suppresses normal nighttime melatonin secretion, leaving night shift workers with diminished DNA damage repair that increases the risk of cancer.

The study included 20 night shift workers who were given 3 milligrams melatonin and 20 who received a placebo, to be consumed prior to daytime sleep periods for four weeks. Wrist actigraphs worn by the participants during day sleep periods before and near the end of the study collected data that was used to evaluate sleep. Urine samples collected before and after sleep prior to and toward the end of the treatment period were analyzed for a marker of melatonin levels and for 8-OH-dG, a marker of DNA oxidative damage repair capacity. Higher 8-OH-dG levels correlate with better repair.

At the end of the treatment period, melatonin levels during day sleep were higher those of the placebo group. There was a 1.8-fold increase in urinary 8-OH-dG levels of borderline statistical significance among participants who received melatonin compared with the placebo, indicating improved DNA repair.

"This trial is the first of its kind to evaluate the impact of melatonin supplements on oxidative DNA damage among night shift workers," authors Umaimah Zanif of BC Cancer Research Institute in Canada and colleagues announced. "Our findings warrant larger-scale trials considering multiple doses of melatonin, interindividual variability in melatonin bioavailability, and the impacts of long-term use."

—D Dye

Fish MS benefit may be due to omega-3, taurine

February 26 2025. A study reported February 25, 2025, in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry uncovered a link between greater intake of lean and oily fish and a lower risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) disability progression.

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks and damages the myelin sheaths that surround nerves. This may result in eventual disability, although progression varies according to disease type.

"While omega-3 fatty acids, predominantly found in oily fish, may contribute to reduced disability progression, the beneficial effects observed from lean fish consumption suggest that other factors may also play a significant role," Eva Johansson of the Karolinska Institutet and colleagues wrote. "One such factor is taurine, an amino acid found in significant amounts in fish and seafood."

The study included 2,719 men and women with MS enrolled in the Epidemiological Investigation of MS study. Individuals included in the current study had information available concerning fish intake and disability status and were followed for up to 15 years after being diagnosed.

People who consumed the highest amount lean and oily fish upon being diagnosed with MS had the most significant reduction in the risk of disability worsening during follow-up. The authors of the report observed that fish is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been associated with lower inflammation in MS. They added that the amino acid taurine, also found in fish, is the most abundant amino acid in the brain and has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that protect cells. Furthermore, eating fish might help support a healthy microbiome.

"Our findings suggest that higher fish consumption is associated with a reduced risk of disability progression in MS, likely due to the anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties of nutrients found in fish," the authors concluded. "These results highlight the potential importance of dietary habits in managing MS."

—D Dye

Ultra-processed food associated with faster biologic aging

February 24 2025. The December 2024 issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published the finding of Moli-sani study investigators of an association between greater consumption of ultra-processed food and a faster rate of biologic aging.

Biologic aging is an assessment aging based upon measurement of biomarkers in the body. In contrast, chronologic aging refers to the number of years a person has lived.

"Ultra-processed foods are mostly industrial formulations designed to maximize palatability and consumption through a combination of calorie-dense ingredients and chemical additives with a cosmetic function and have been associated with increased risk of mortality and noncommunicable diseases in numerous cohorts," Simona Esposito and colleagues explained. "Ultra-processed foods tend to have a poor nutritional quality, being high in sugar, salt, saturated fats but low in fiber, minerals, and vitamins, although their harmful impact on human health is likely to be at least partly independent of their low nutritional content."

The study included 22,495 men and women aged 35 years and older who enrolled between 2005 and 2010 in the Moli-sani Study, which investigated degenerative disease risk factors. Dietary questionnaire responses provided information concerning the intake of 188 foods. Biologic aging was assessed by measuring 36 blood biomarkers.

Higher intake of processed foods, corresponding to greater than 14% of total calorie intake, was associated with more rapid biologic aging compared with lower intake. Individuals who had the lowest intake of processed foods had a biologic age that was 4.1 years less than their chronologic age, while those who had the highest intake had a biologic age that was 1.6 years older.

"A diet rich in ultra-processed foods was associated with an acceleration of biological aging in a large sample of Italian adults," the authors concluded. "The poor nutritional composition of highly processed foods weakly accounted for this association, suggesting that biological aging could be adversely influenced by nonnutrient characteristics of these foods."

—D Dye

Many at risk of recently identified syndrome

February 21 2025. A cluster of chronic health conditions known as cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome affects a significant number of U.S. adults, according to the American Heart Association. The syndrome is characterized by a combination of heart disease, kidney disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity. The risk of CKM may be lowered by the American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8™ health factors that include controlling cholesterol and managing blood sugar, weight and blood pressure. Life's Essential 8 also includes four health behaviors: eating better, being more active, quitting tobacco and getting healthy sleep.

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol should be lower than 100 mg/dL and triglycerides, the most common type of fat in the body, should be below 150 mg/dL. Mediterranean or DASH diets, which are plant-based and provide a high amount of fiber and a low amount of fat, support healthy levels of these lipids.

Diabetes occurs when people have a fasting blood glucose level greater than 125 mg/dL and a hemoglobin A1c level of 6.5% or more.

High blood pressure is a leading cause of heart disease and kidney disease. Blood pressure should be lower than 120/80 mmHg. Consuming a diet that is centered around vegetables, fruit, whole grains and low-fat dairy products may help normalize blood pressure.

Obesity can also be improved by a plant-based, low-fat diet, in combination with regular physical activity.

"The concept of cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic health reinforces how the four health factors are related to each other and how a holistic approach is needed for optimal health," explained Sadiya S. Khan, MD, MSc, FAHA, who is a member of the science advisory group for the American Heart Association's Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Health Initiative." This builds on the American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8 measures, which highlight the importance of the four health factors and four health behaviors to maintain cardiovascular health."

—D Dye

More on calcium and colorectal cancer risk

February 19 2025. Fresh on the heels of a large study published January 8, 2025, in Nature Communications that found a reduced risk of developing colorectal cancer among women who consumed a high amount of calcium compared with a low amount, a new study published in the American Medical Association journal JAMA Network Open found a similar association across all tumor sites and calcium sources.

A team from the National Cancer Institute analyzed data from 471,396 participants who enrolled in the National Institutes of Health–AARP Diet and Health Study from October 1995–May 1996. Responses to dietary questionnaires were analyzed to determine calcium intake from food as well as from added nutrients such as tablets or capsules. The subjects were followed through 2018, during which 10,618 were diagnosed with colorectal cancer.

Individuals whose intake of calcium from food was among the top 20% of participants had a 16% lower risk of developing colorectal cancer compared with those whose intake was among the lowest 20%. For participants whose added calcium intake was at least 1,000 milligrams per day, the risk of the disease was 20% lower than the risk experienced by individuals who reported less than 400 milligrams added calcium per day. When total calcium intake was examined, the top 20% had a 29% lower risk of developing colorectal cancer compared with the lowest 20%. The association of higher total calcium intake with a lower risk of colorectal cancer was similar among tumor sites and between men and women.

"To our knowledge, this cohort study investigating calcium source and tumor site was the most extensive analysis to date on the association of calcium intake with incident colorectal cancer risk," the authors announced. "Increasing calcium intake, particularly among population subgroups with lower intakes, may be associated with reductions in avoidable differences in colorectal cancer risk."

—D Dye

Pro-inflammatory diet associated with increased heart disease risk

February 17 2025. A study reported January 30, 2025, in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology linked a higher risk of coronary heart disease with greater intake of foods that promote inflammation.

The investigation included 51,889 participants in the UK Biobank, a database of residents in the UK. The researchers used dietary questionnaire responses to calculate empirical dietary inflammatory pattern (EDIP) scores from the intake of 32 food groups. Polygenic (genetic) risk scores for coronary heart disease were calculated from UK Biobank participants' genetic data. There were 1,346 cases of coronary heart disease during a median 11-year follow-up period.

Greater intake of olive oil, nut-based spreads, nuts and seeds, high-fiber bread, and stewed and dried fruit, was associated with lower inflammatory marker levels. Conversely, increased consumption of fat-based spreads, table sugar, preserves, low-fat cheese and processed meat, was associated with higher levels of inflammatory markers.

Compared with individuals who had empirical dietary inflammatory pattern scores among the lowest one-third of subjects, those among the highest third had an adjusted 26% greater risk of experiencing coronary heart disease during follow-up. High empirical dietary inflammatory pattern scores combined with genetic risk scores for coronary heart disease that were among the top 20% of subjects was associated with over three times the risk of coronary heart disease compared with risk associated with having the lowest scores.

"Inflammation may be an important underlying mechanism of low-quality diets in the development of coronary heart disease," authors Bangquan Liu of Harbin Medical University and colleagues wrote.

"High dietary inflammatory potential was associated with a higher coronary heart disease risk, especially in those with high polygenic risk scores, suggesting that a comprehensive assessment of inflammatory diet and genetic factors may be beneficial in the prevention of coronary heart disease," they concluded.

—D Dye

Antioxidants, shorter sedentary time linked with longer life

February 14 2025. A report that appeared on February 12, 2025, in BMC Public Health described a study that found longer life and a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease among people who consumed a high amount of antioxidants and spent less time engaged in sedentary activity compared with individuals with low antioxidant intake and prolonged sedentary behavior.

The study included 16,019 men and women enrolled in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007–2014. Responses to questionnaires concerning diet and additional nutrient intake were analyzed by the research team to determine Composite Dietary Antioxidant Index scores. Sedentary behavior, defined as activities accomplished while sitting or lying during the waking day that require minimal energy expenditure, was categorized as prolonged at eight hours per day or more, or nonprolonged at less than eight hours. Mortality was documented through 2019.

During an 8.5-year average follow-up period, there were 1,894 deaths, among which 482 were attributable to cardiovascular disease. Compared with people who had low Composite Dietary Antioxidant Index scores and prolonged sedentary behavior, those with high antioxidant intake and nonprolonged sedentary behavior had a 40% lower risk of death from all causes during follow-up and a 49% lower risk of cardiovascular mortality. Even those with a low antioxidant diet combined with nonprolonged sedentary behavior experienced a 37% reduction in the risk of dying and a 46% lower risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease. However, the effect on mortality of prolonged sedentary behavior was not rescued by a high antioxidant diet.

"Participants with both high-antioxidant diet and nonprolonged sedentary behavior had the lowest all-cause and CVD mortality," Dingyuan Tu and colleagues concluded. "Additionally, nonprolonged sedentary behavior can help counteract the harms of low-antioxidant diet, whereas a high-antioxidant diet fails to offset the deleterious effect of prolonged sedentary behavior."

—D Dye

People who drink more green tea have fewer brain white matter lesions

February 12 2025. A report published January 7, 2025, in the Nature journal npj Science of Food documented an association between drinking a greater number of cups of green tea and having fewer cerebral white matter lesions, which are an indicator of cerebral small vessel disease and are associated with Alzheimer disease and vascular dementia. (The cerebrum is the part of the brain involved in higher mental functions.)

The study enrolled 8,766 men and women who participated in the Japan Prospective Studies Collaboration for Aging and Dementia from 2016–2018. Dietary questionnaire responses provided information concerning coffee and green tea consumption. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain measured total brain volume, cerebral white matter lesion volume and volume of the hippocampus, an area of the brain involved in memory.

Individuals who consumed a high amount of green tea each day were likelier to be older and female. While green tea intake was not associated with brain or hippocampal volume, increased consumption of the beverage was associated with lower cerebral white matter lesion volume in comparison with those who consumed amounts. No associations were found with coffee, nor were any associations between green tea and cerebral white matter lesions observed in depressed individuals.

In their discussion of the findings, Shutaro Shibata and colleagues remarked that hypertension is the major risk factor for the development of white matter lesions and drinking green tea has been found to lower blood pressure.

"This study revealed that increased green tea consumption was associated with reduced cerebral white matter lesions," they concluded. "Given that cerebral white matter lesions are closely related to vascular dementia and Alzheimer disease, our findings indicate that drinking green tea, especially three or more glasses per day, may help prevent dementia."

—D Dye

Fiber, magnesium associated with lower long-term mortality risk among diabetics

February 10 2025. Analysis of the diets of people with diabetes revealed that higher intake of fiber and magnesium was associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular mortality and mortality from all causes during up to 20 years of follow-up. The findings were reported February 7, 2025, in the Nature journal Scientific Reports.

The retrospective study included 5,060 men and women with diabetes who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999–2018. The participants' dietary intake was analyzed for 35 items that included total calories, protein, total fat, individual fatty acids, cholesterol, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, dietary fiber, alcohol and caffeine.

There were 997 deaths, including 219 attributed to cardiovascular disease, during follow-up. Compared with survivors, individuals who died from all causes tended to consume fewer calories and carbohydrates, and less fiber, fat, saturated fat, monounsaturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, beta-carotene, vitamin B1, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin E, magnesium, zinc, selenium, caffeine, linoleic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, stearidonic acid, arachidonic acid, EPA, DPA, omega-6 fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids.

When those who died from cardiovascular disease were evaluated, they also tended to consume fewer calories and carbohydrates, as well as less fiber, fat, saturated fat, monounsaturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, cholesterol, beta-carotene, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin E, magnesium, selenium, linoleic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, stearidonic acid, arachidonic acid, EPA, DPA, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), omega-6 PUFA and omega-3 PUFA.

Using two models that isolated the key nutrients that predicted long-term mortality, researchers Fang Wang and colleagues determined that higher dietary fiber and magnesium intake were associated with lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortality risk during follow-up. "More observational studies involving consumption of different food samples in different countries and regions are needed to provide evidence that dietary fiber and magnesium are important, rather than the specific foods containing these substances," they remarked.

—D Dye

L-cysteine could boost vitamin D levels

February 07 2025. A report published December 30, 2024, in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health documented the results of a clinical trial which found that the amino acid L-cysteine improved bioavailable vitamin D levels in African American men and women.

The African American population has a significantly greater incidence of vitamin D deficiency compared with European Americans. The addition of a beneficial nutrient such as L-cysteine to a vitamin D regimen could help improve the nutritional gap.

Ninety-six African American participants between 18 and 65 years of age completed the trial. Twenty-three participants received 2,000 IU vitamin D plus a placebo, 30 participants received 1,000 milligrams L-cysteine and a placebo, 21 participants received both nutrients and 22 were given a placebo daily for six months. Blood samples collected at the beginning and end of the study were analyzed for total, free and bioavailable 25-hydroxyvitamin D, insulin, testosterone, markers of inflammation and other factors.

At the study's conclusion, participants who received vitamin D and L-cysteine had significantly less insulin resistance, higher levels of free to total testosterone and lower levels of the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein, vitamin D-binding protein and hemoglobin A1c (a marker of long-term glucose control). As opposed to bioavailable vitamin D, which was higher in men and women who received both nutrients, total 25-hydroxyvitamin D was higher only in men.

"This pilot study suggests that compared with supplementation with vitamin D-alone, vitamin D + L-cysteine cosupplementation could be a better approach for increasing the levels of total 25-hydroxyvitamin D in men and the bioavailable 25-hydroxyvitamin D in both sexes while reducing inflammation among African Americans," authors Sushil K. Jain and colleagues wrote."Further clinical trials are needed to investigate whether L-cysteine cosupplementation with vitamin D could be used to successfully treat vitamin D deficiency."

—D Dye

Omega-3, vitamin D slow aging clocks

February 05 2025. A letter published in Nature Aging reported that omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D and engaging in an exercise program during a three-year period modestly slowed biologic aging as measured by aging clocks. These "clocks" use DNA methylation measurements to estimate biologic aging, whereas chronologic aging is based on the number of years one has lived. "There is no generally accepted gold standard for measuring biological age," lead researcher Heike Bischoff-Ferrari remarked. "However, we analyzed the best currently validated epigenetic clocks, which reflect the state of the art."

Dr Bischoff-Ferrari and colleagues analyzed data from the DO-HEALTH trial, in which 2,157 participants were assigned to 2,000 IU vitamin D per day, 1 gram omega-3 daily, a simple home exercise program to be performed three times per week, vitamin D3 plus omega-3, vitamin D3 plus exercise, omega-3 plus exercise, all three treatments or a placebo for three years. DNA was extracted from blood collected at the beginning and end of the study and at one and two years. DO-HEALTH found that the treatments were associated with a lower risk of falls, and helped prevent premature frailty and cancer compared with a placebo. "These results inspired us to measure the direct influence of these three therapies on the biological aging process in the Swiss DO-HEALTH participants," Dr Bischoff-Ferrari explained.

The current analysis of DNA from 777 DO-HEALTH participants found that omega-3 slowed three DNA methylation clocks, indicating decreased biologic aging. In one clock, all three treatments showed additive benefits. The reductions in biologic aging ranged from 2.9 to 3.8 months.

"This result extends our previous findings from the DO-HEALTH study, in which these three factors combined had the greatest impact on reducing the risk of cancer and preventing premature frailty over a three-year period, to slowing down the biological aging process," Dr Bischoff-Ferrari concluded.

—D Dye

Increased risk of late-life brain disorders associated with short telomeres

February 03 2025. Study findings scheduled for presentation at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2025, revealed that men and women with short telomeres—genetic material that caps and protects the ends of our chromosomes—have a greater risk of brain diseases associated with aging, including dementia, stroke and depression that occurs later in life. However, brain-healthy lifestyles could modify this association.

Telomeres gradually shorten as cells age. Shorter telomeres have been associated with a greater risk of disease and premature mortality compared with longer telomeres.

"No studies have examined the impact of leukocyte telomere length on a composite outcome of age-related brain diseases that include stroke, dementia and late-life depression," abstract coauthor Tamara N. Kimball, MD, of Massachusetts General Hospital announced. "All three conditions are linked to cerebral small vessel disease, a condition associated with aging and accumulation of vascular risk factors."

"In a clinical setting, leukocyte telomere length could help identify people who may need more intensive monitoring or preventive measures," she added.

Researchers analyzed data from 356,173 participants in the UK Biobank, a database of UK residents. Brain Care Scores were calculated from participants' modifiable lifestyle risk factors. Individuals who had the shortest white blood cell telomere length had a 19% greater risk of dementia, an 8% greater risk of stroke and a 14% higher risk of late-life depression compared with individuals whose telomeres were longest. Among subjects with a high Brain Care Score, which indicates improved lifestyle choices, short telomeres were not associated with a greater risk of aging-related brain disease. "This suggests that adopting healthier lifestyles and improving modifiable risk factor profile may lower the negative effects of shorter leukocyte telomeres," Dr Kimball stated. "In short, it is never too late to start taking better care of your brain."

—D Dye

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