Losing weight can mean losing lean tissue along with fat, an increasing concern as muscle mass and strength tend to decline with age. A clinical trial tested whether creatine could improve that balance, both alongside a training program and without structured exercise. Researchers recruited 73 adults aged 45–65 for a 12-week trial, with 64 completing the study. Participants first chose whether to join an exercise program, then were randomly assigned within each group to creatine monohydrate (5 grams twice daily) or placebo. Exercisers completed supervised resistance and aerobic training three ... aging creatine exercise muscle strength weight loss
Read moreDietary fiber refers to the indigestible components of plant-based foods. A growing body of evidence indicates that eating a fiber-rich diet decreases the risks of many chronic diseases, such as coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension (https://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f6879.full), diabetes (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10654-013-9876-x), and some types of cancer, including breast cancer (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0923753419387320) and colon cancer (https://www.bmj.com/content/343/bmj.d6617). Findings presented in a 2015 report suggest that fiber... fiber
Read moreSleep scientists generally categorize the various phases of human sleep as REM (rapid-eye movement – the period when dreams occur) and NREM (non-rapid-eye movement – the period typically described as "deep sleep"). Subjective perceptions of sleep and sleep quality or "depth" vary, however. Findings from a recent study suggest that some people's perceptions of how deeply they sleep don't align with objective measures of their sleep. Objective measures of sleep quality are based on multiple physiological and neurological parameters that gauge the depth, quality, and duration of a person's sleep... sleep diagnostics
Read moreMild cognitive impairment is an intermediary stage between normal cognitive functioning and dementia and may be treatable with diet and lifestyle interventions. Mushrooms contain a number of bioactive compounds, such as hericenones and erinacines, that increase nerve growth factor production and ergothione, an antioxidant and cytoprotective compound. One group of researchers examined the relationship between mushroom consumption and mild cognitive impairment in older adults. Previous research has shown that mushroom intake improved cognitive performance (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2055074... brain mushroom dementia
Read more...HDL particle number compared to baseline. The researchers concluded that the cholesterol-lowering effects of a Mediterranean dietary pattern were not diminished by the inclusion of up to 2.5 ounces of lean, unprocessed beef. They noted that future research should test a similar diet in patients with ... diet heart disease
Read more...Hypogonadism, a disorder in which dysfunction of the ovaries or testes results in the diminished production of sex hormones, is a growing concern, demonstrated by a marked increase in prescriptions for testosterone replacement. Previous ... testosterone sugar
Read moreSugar-sweetened beverages are the largest source of added sugar in the American diet. The over consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is linked to insulin resistance and to multiple diseases including obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and gout. One group of investigators aimed to determine the relationship between sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and serum testosterone. Testosterone is essential for masculine development during puberty and reproductive capacity in adult males. Epidemiological evidence has revealed higher serum testosterone levels in males without diabete... testosterone sugar
Read moreExercise puts a demand on skeletal muscle cells to produce energy at a faster rate than at rest. To do this, the body increases the delivery of fats to the muscle mitochondria while increasing the mitochondrial capacity to metabolize fats, a process called beta-oxidation. Researchers of a new study aimed to illuminate the cellular mechanisms of mitochondrial fat metabolism following moderate intensity aerobic exercise. Mitochondria are cellular structures responsible for the production of energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The inner membrane of mitochondria possess a series of... exercise fat
Read morePolyphenols are a group of bioactive compounds found in plant-based foods that have beneficial effects in the body. Bacteria in the human gut break down polyphenols into smaller compounds to increase their absorption. Authors of a recent study aimed to measure the relationship between gut health and the absorption of beneficial polyphenols in older adults. As humans age, the quality of the population of microbes that comprise the gut microbiota decreases, leading to poor gut barrier integrity and causing contents of the gut to leak into the bloodstream, a condition commonly referred to as "lea... gut microbiome polyphenol intestinal permeability
Read more[toc position='left'] Fasting – the voluntary abstinence from food and drink – is an ancient tradition long believed to be vital to humans' physical and spiritual health. Practiced for millennia by various cultures and religious groups, fasting is now widely appreciated for its beneficial effects on human metabolism and healthspan.[ref doi='10.1194/jlr.P020867'] [ref doi='10.1016/j.cmet.2015.05.012'] [ref doi='10.1093/cdn/nzz044.P08-053-19'] A growing body of evidence suggests that in the absence of ready supplies of glucose and fats from meals, fasting flips a metabolic "switch," liberating f... obesity fasting nutrition diet aging circadian rhythm autophagy
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