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Sugar Processing in the Brain
Insights at the molecular level suggest that obesity may have neuronal origins in an area of the brain called the nucleus accumbens, giving us a new perspective on the causes of obesity.
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Microbiota & Seasonal Allergies
First introduced in 1989, the “hygiene hypothesis” proposed that exposure to specific microbes, perhaps during crucial windows of development, educates the immune system in a way that modifies the risk for allergic, inflammatory, and autoimmune diseases. Initially, this was proposed in response to the observation that the position of a child in a family (their…
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Estrogen Levels & Arrhythmias
A study has found that the sex hormone estrogen may have a negative impact on heartbeat regulation, according to an experimental study published in the journal, Science Advances. The study explored the reason why women are more likely to suffer from long-QT syndrome (LQTS), where changes in the heart’s electrical system lead to potentially life-threatening…
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A Golden Gem for Brain Health
We are constantly stressed with deadlines and pressured to produce tasks faster and with more efficiency. In today’s workforce, our mental clarity plays a major role in delivering quality work. Practices to help think more clearly may include better sleep, controlled anxiety, and brain supplements. One such “brain supplement” with research bragging rights is curcumin,…
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Dietary Associations with Miscarriage
Results of a recent meta-analysis and systematic review were recently published in Fertility and Sterility, describing the links between pre-conception diets among healthy women and rates of miscarriage. Researchers from the University of Birmingham included 20 studies, 6 of which were suitable for analysis (2 cohort, 4 case-control), including over 13,000 women.
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Importance of Arterial Elasticity
As the prevalence of metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and diabetes continues to grow, a recent publication sheds light on the temporal sequence of events that may contribute to their development and progression. Specifically, arterial stiffness has emerged as a possible precursor for subsequent events, including hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance, at least in a younger population.
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T2D Remission & Retinopathy
A paper published recently in the Journal of Insulin Resistance makes the case that putting type 2 diabetes into remission could have a powerful impact on preventing or slowing progression of diabetic retinopathy, and that primary care physicians can play a role in making this happen.
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Troubleshooting GI Issues with Keto
As ketogenic diets become more popular and more people adopt this way of eating, it’s inevitable that some of them will encounter issues that cause them to rethink whether keto is right for them. Often these unexpected issues don’t result from keto, per se, but rather, from how the diet is implemented. When it’s done…
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FSH & Reproduction
A recent study has furthered understanding of the relationship between follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR), which may help support the design of more targeted approaches to fertility and other FSHR-related issues.
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Senescent Cells & Longevity
The senescence-centric view of aging posits that cellular senescence is central to the aging process itself, and over time the accumulation of senescent cells contributes to the age-related loss of vital functions and regenerative processes we associate with declining physical and mental capacity, and ultimately a shortened healthspan and lifespan. Cellular senescence occurs when a…
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HRT & Cognitive Health
Recent research suggests that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may have a positive impact on brain volume and reduce the rate of cognitive decline in women carrying the APOE4 genotype, the most common genetic determinant of the risk of cognitive decline.
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Beware the Vitamin N Deficiency
For the first time in history, the majority of the world’s population now live in urban settings rather than rural settings. This trending switch has taken us away from nature, which has taken a collective toll on our health.
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Magnesium & Brain Volume
More evidence of the likely neuroprotective effect of magnesium was recently published in the European Journal of Nutrition. This study comes on the heels of an analysis of NHANES data published last year in Alzheimer’s & Dementia which found that a higher total intake (diet and supplemental) of magnesium was associated with better cognitive function…
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The Impact of Sleep on CVD
It is difficult to overestimate the importance of sufficient quality and duration of sleep on nearly every body system, and multiple recent trials emphasize the critical role it plays in cardiovascular health, including implications for causality to both peripheral and coronary artery disease.
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Omega-3s & Blood Pressure
A dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials on omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and blood pressure (BP) has shown that specific doses of around 3 grams are optimal for lowering blood pressure in the general population.
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Vitamin D & Dementia
Results of a large prospective cohort study were recently published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia, describing the association between vitamin D supplementation and dementia incidence within the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC) cohort. As the authors point out, there is considerable interest in vitamin D as a potential modifier of risk, as dementia affects 50 million…
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Watermelon & Hepatic Gene Expression
An interesting study has found that the consumption of watermelon may positively impact hepatic gene expression and upregulate lipid metabolism in obese mice.
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Berberine: The Gut-Brain-Heart Connection
Most of us have heard about the gut-brain connection, how nearly 90% of the body’s serotonin is actually made in the digestive tract, and how the gut-brain axis is the missing link in depression. Gut health and the landscape of the gut microbiota influence many aspects of our health, so it is no surprise that…
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Phytoestrogens & Mortality
A recent study has found that a higher intake of foods containing dietary phytoestrogens may be associated with a lower risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality from certain conditions.
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Slow or Stalled Weight Loss on Keto
5 Causes of Slow or Stalled Weight Loss on Keto Diets People adopt ketogenic diets for many different reasons, but weight loss is near the top of the list. And while some people drop weight seemingly effortlessly when they cut carbs, others struggle to shed excess pounds. Let’s look at the five most common reasons…
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Vitamin D & Pregnancy
In a 2021 double-blind randomized trial which enrolled pregnant women in Northern Ireland, the primary outcome was the effect of vitamin D supplementation on levels of both maternal and umbilical 25-hydroxyvitamin D ([25(OH)D]), as well as the secondary goal of evaluating any impact of obesity. Two hundred and forty women (166 completed the study) were…
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Tea Consumption & Mortality
A recent prospective cohort study of nearly half a million tea drinkers from the UK found that intake of tea at a level of 2 or more cups per day may be associated with lower mortality risk, regardless of genetic variations in caffeine metabolism.
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Legumes & Mortality
A recent study has found a link between higher legume intake and lower all-cause mortality and stroke. However, no association was found to lower mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD) or coronary heart disease (CHD).
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Butyric Acid & Metabolic Health
Results of a randomized clinical trial were published in JAMA Network Open in December 2022, the first trial to examine supplementation with butyric acid as a treatment for obesity in children. Butyrate is among the short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) known to have a role in energy metabolism and which are produced by bacterial fermentation (mostly…
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Exogenous Ketones
As interest grows in ketogenic diets to address a wide range of medical issues far beyond weight loss, research is expanding into the use of exogenous ketones. A recent paper in Experimental Physiology explored the small but growing body of research assessing the therapeutic potential of these interesting compounds across an array of applications.
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BMI & the Vitamin D Response
Results of a cohort study were recently published in JAMA Network, with the potential to profoundly affect our understanding of vitamin D supplementation. Despite extensive epidemiological data implicating low vitamin D status as a risk factor for many chronic diseases, controlled trials of supplementation have not always been as encouraging. This trial may help to…
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Butyrate & Biliary Atresia
A recent study on pregnant mice has shown that the mother’s butyrate had a positive effect on the mortality rate of her pups after their exposure to the infection that induces fatal biliary atresia. Butyrate is a food supplement yet it is also naturally produced during the fermentation of dietary fibers by the body’s intestinal…
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Sleep: Your Night Job
Any health news junkie can see that the importance of sleep has come to center stage. Our collective interest in this shut-eye time grew when studies started linking a lack of sleep to obesity. Ghrelin, an appetite regulatory hormone, became known as the “carb gremlin” with nutritionists reminding us that fewer hours of sleep resulted…
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Nitrate & Muscle Performance
Researchers from the University of Exeter Medical school recently published results of a small randomized crossover study, detailing the metabolic fate and physiological significance of supplementation with nitrate, both at rest and before exercise. Participants were randomized to either a stable isotope tracer (K15NO3) or placebo, allowing the detection of both nitrate and nitrite in…
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How Relationships Impact Heart Health
As we celebrate Valentine’s Day, it’s an important reminder to think about the influence that relationships and social connections have on the health of the heart. Especially, the important role that the quality of our relationships has on overall well-being, particularly on cardiovascular health.