“It has attracted interest for its potential to activate mitophagy, the process cells use to clear out damaged mitochondria. In this Aliquot, I explain why mitochondrial cleanup matters for aging, why urolithin A production varies, and what early human studies suggest about its potential benefits.”
“Recent discoveries in the field of epigenetics suggest we might be able to slow aging, based on the realization that not everyone ages at the same rate. Evidence suggests that drugs or other medical procedures can slow epigenetic aging, but other factors, such as diet and disease states influence it too.”
“And one potential strategy for mitigating our risk for Alzheimer's disease as we age is a "cognoscopy" – a battery of assessments that measures some of the key biomarkers associated with the disease and can inform the trajectory of treatment.”
“Traditional vaccines take many years to develop. A recent innovation in vaccine technology involves exploitation of messenger RNA, or mRNA, to facilitate rapid scaling of vaccines and expedite their modification if the virus mutates significantly.”
“Poor sleep reduces the body's insulin sensitivity and changes a person's appetite, increasing the preference for high carbohydrate foods like pizza, pasta, and sweets. Lack of sleep also alters the gut microbiota and impairs immunity, putting us at risk for developing acute illnesses like colds and flu.”
“In the setting of COVID-19, vitamin D deficiency drives poor outcomes. Treating patients with calcifediol, a prescription vitamin D analog, might be more effective at increasing vitamin D to therapeutic levels.”
“Cholesterol is vital to human health, but an oversimplified view of cholesterol — that high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is good, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is bad — has led to a gross misunderstanding of the nuances that define the differences in cholesterol-containing lipoproteins.”
“Airplanes are closed, cramped spaces that seem ideal for COVID-19 transmission. Even so, surprisingly few COVID-19 infections have been reported from air travel, likely due to measures like refreshing and recirculating cabin air through specialized filters.”
“A growing body of evidence indicates that the fasting-mimicking diet may be beneficial in treating autoimmune disorders. In these Aliquot segments, Dr. Rhonda Patrick and Dr. Valter Longo describe the roles that diet and fasting play in maintaining or restoring proper immune function.”
“Eating a typical Western diet – high in processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages – raises blood glucose and insulin levels, promotes inflammation, and contributes to many neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease.”