The effects of lost sleep on memory may depend partly on how well brain cells control inflammation and maintain their energy supply. Researchers tested whether urolithin A, a compound made by gut microbes from food components, could protect memory in mice when given before sleep deprivation. Researchers randomly assigned 3-month-old and 12-month-old mice to saline control injections or urolithin A injections at 2.5 or 10 mg per kilogram of body weight for seven days before 24 hours of sleep deprivation. An intermittently moving treadmill kept the animals awake, while rested groups receiving th... inflammation mitochondria sleep urolithin a
Read moreXanthan gum is a food additive used to thicken and stabilize many processed foods. Although it is widely used, animal research has raised questions about whether regular intake could affect gut health. A new study examined whether xanthan gum could promote inflammation and alter the intestinal barrier. The study included 32 adult male rats divided into four groups. For 10 weeks, one group ate a control diet, while the other three ate the same diet supplemented with 462.5, 925, or 1,850 milligrams of xanthan gum per kilogram of food. After the feeding period, researchers examined tissue from t... gut inflammation intestinal permeability ultra-processed foods
Read morePublic health research often counts physical activity as either meeting guidelines or not, even though most people change behavior in smaller steps. A new analysis asked a practical question: if adults moved just a little more, or sat a little less, how much might population mortality shift? The researchers analyzed data from 135,046 adults aged 40 years and older. Their primary analysis pooled data from 40,327 participants in cohorts from Norway, Sweden, and the United States that used similar designs and hip-worn accelerometers (wearable devices that record movement). A further 94,719 partic... exercise mortality
Read moreDr. Rhonda Patrick dives into the science of protein and discusses intake requirements, its ties to longevity, and debunks several protein-related myths. ... protein nutrition muscle
Watch nowFrom the article: > The neurotransmitter brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) acts in the muscle, so that during strength training endurance muscle fiber number is decreased. Researchers at the University of Basel's Biozentrum have more closely investigated this factor, from the group of myokines, and demonstrated that it is produced by the muscle and acts on both muscles and synapses. [...] > This factor is produced by the muscle itself and remodels the neuromuscular synapses, the neuronal junctions between the motor neurons and muscle. BDNF not only causes the strength muscles to ... exercise performance bdnf strength
Read morePeople with higher levels of cortisol (a hormone linked to stress) in the blood performed worse on memory and other cognitive tasks and had smaller brain volumes than peers of the same age with average cortisol levels. Blood serum cortisol, which varies in level throughout the day, was measured in the early morning (between 7:30 and 9 a.m.) in each fasting participant. The study featured a relatively young sample of male and female participants (mean age 48.5). Memory loss and brain shrinkage were found in the study's middle-age participants before the onset of any symptoms. People with higher... brain aging memory cortisol
Read moreFTA: > Previous studies have shown the paracetamol can inhibit the development of the male sex hormone testosterone in male foetuses, thus increasing the risk of malformation of the testicles in infants. [...] > "We have demonstrated that a reduced level of testosterone means that male characteristics do not develop as they should. This also affects sex drive. In a trial, mice exposed to paracetamol at the foetal stage were simply unable to copulate in the same way as our control animals. Male programming had not been properly established during their foetal development and this could be... nsaid 23andme testosterone development
Read moreInterview style article. Here is the key takeaway: > RG: What did you find? > Nielsen: We found there were quite a few animal studies (nineteen in total) that examined the synergistic effects of opioids and cannabinoids, and almost all of these confirmed that by combing opioids and cannabinoids, much lower doses of opioids are needed for effective pain relief. For example, the dose of morphine needed was four times lower when cannabinoids were given at the same time, and for codeine it was ten times lower. While this is very powerful, we often find that results in humans are quite differ... cannabinoid addiction opioid
Read moreFTA: > When we want to listen carefully to someone, the first thing we do is stop talking. The second thing we do is stop moving altogether. This strategy helps us hear better by preventing unwanted sounds generated by our own movements. [...] > "We were sending a 'Hey I'm moving' signal to the auditory cortex," Schneider said. Then the effect of playing a tone on the auditory cortex was much the same as if the animal had actually been moving -- a result that confirmed the importance of [the secondary motor cortex] in modulating the auditory cortex. On the other hand, turning off [the se... exercise neurons moringa
Read more