Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) involves difficulties with social interaction and communication, but evidence on whether and how supplements might support treatment remains limited. Researchers in Taiwan tested whether a mixture of dietary nutrients could improve brain function and behavior in mouse models of autism. The team studied male mice that carried a mutation in one of three autism-associated genes (Tbr1, Nf1, or Cttnbp2) along with littermates without the corresponding mutation. Some mice received a nutrient blend from the juvenile stage until they reached adulthood and completed the ... autism supplements
Read moreFrom the article: > Scientists have found that six weeks of intense exercise -- short bouts of interval training over the course of 20 minutes -- showed significant improvements in what is known as high-interference memory, which, for example, allows us to distinguish our car from another of the same make and model. [...] > They also found that participants who experienced greater fitness gains also experienced greater increases in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that supports the growth, function and survival of brain cells. > "Improvements in this type of memory ... brain performance memory aerobic bdnf
Read moreFrom the article: > Bouchier-Hayes and colleagues recruited 15 healthy smokers aged 20 to 37 and 15 healthy non-smoking volunteers. The smokers were given either two grams per day of vitamin C for five days or 1.5 grams per day of taurine. [...] > The researchers report that taurine restored normal vessel function according to [flow mediated dilation (FMD)] measurements. At baseline, non-smokers' blood vessel diameter was 3.39 mm and smokers' diameter was 3.33. Before treatment, FMD increased dilation in non-smokers to 3.7 mm, while smokers' vessels were virtually unchanged at 3.36 mm ... vitamin c inflammation taurine
Read moreCooked vegetable oil worsened inflammation in the colon, enhanced tumor growth, promoted gut leakage, and caused harmful bacterial products to leak into the bloodstream in mice. This study used canola oil which is high in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) as are other vegetable oils such as soy and corn. PUFAs are prone to oxidation which was shown to be the mechanism causing damage in this study. Other cooking oils and fats that are not high in PUFAs such as avocado oil, olive oil, coconut oil, and butter are not likely to have the same effect. One thing to keep in mind is that olive oil ha... gut inflammation polyunsaturated fat
Read moreA single 25-min sauna session was comparable to moderate physical exercise with respect to heart rate elevation/blood pressure effects. Heart rate/blood pressure elevated during sauna or exercise but dropped below the participant's baseline levels after. This study compared the effect of either moderate exercise on an exercise bike or a 25-minute sauna session on heart rate and blood pressure in healthy participants. The participants' blood pressure and heart rate reached the same levels during the sauna session as they did with a load of about 100 watts during the exercise test. After either ... heart disease heat stress blood pressure
Read moreHigh doses of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) like ibuprofen for 8 weeks inhibit muscle growth by 2-fold in young, healthy individuals. The high dose of NSAID was 1,200 mg of ibuprofen and one a relatively low dose (75 mg acetylsalicylic acid) every day for eight weeks. During the same period, the participants also engaged in supervised weight-training exercises for the thigh muscles two to three times a week. The group that took the ibuprofen had two fold less muscle mass than the group that took the aspirin after 8 weeks. Most NSAIDs with the exception of aspirin inhibit the en... inflammation nsaid muscle
Read moreMice were fed diets of skeletal muscle meat from young and old farmed red deer (3 years old versus 25). The diet consisting of meat from old deer shortened the lifespan of female mice by 10%. The lifespan of male mice was shortened but was not statistically significant. The researcher thinks this is because he did not have a large enough sample size of male mice. Also, the mice were fed a normal diet until 1 year of age (basically middle age for mice) then were shifted to the meat from old vs. young deer. There may be a stronger effect if they were fed the meat from birth. The same thing was f... diet aging protein
Read moreA few take-home points from the article: The broccoli-sprout beverage also increased the levels of the lung irritant acrolein, another common air pollutant, in the subjects' urine. The beverage had the equivalent to about 1.5 cups of broccoli. Article suggests sulforaphanes are higher in broccoli sprouts than broccoli. Reddit comment tied to the article states that 100g of broccoli only has 171mg of sulforaphanes, whereas the same amount of sprouts has about 1,153mg (http://www.reddit.com/r/science/comments/28fy1t/broccoli_loves_us_new_cancerprevention_research/cianz13). Study participants th... cancer diet sulforaphane
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