Inflammation during pregnancy can increase the risk of complications for both mother and baby. Researchers in Canada explored whether an often underconsumed nutrient, choline, might be linked to lower levels of inflammation late in pregnancy. The study drew on data from 1,300 participants in the Alberta Pregnancy Outcomes and Nutrition cohort. At about 32.5 weeks of pregnancy, each participant completed a detailed 24-hour dietary recall and provided a nonfasting blood sample. Researchers measured high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP, a sensitive blood marker of inflammation), choline i... choline inflammation pregnancy

Autism spectrum disorder affects around one percent of children worldwide and has few established preventive strategies. A new synthesis of existing research examined whether commonly recommended prenatal supplements might influence this risk by comparing autism diagnoses in children whose mothers did or did not take them. Researchers in Australia carried out an umbrella review, a study that reanalyzes findings from multiple systematic reviews and meta-analyses. They identified eight reviews covering 101 primary studies and more than three million mother-child pairs worldwide. The team compar... autism folate supplements

Elevated homocysteine levels often slip under the radar during routine checkups, yet they quietly raise our risk... ... vitamin b12 heart disease folate nitric oxide homocysteine blood pressure aliquot

[toc position='left'] Introduction Micronutrient deficiencies are widespread. Up to 70% of Americans don’t get enough vitamin D, nearly 50% fall short of their magnesium needs, and 35% have an insufficient intake of calcium. These deficiencies and insufficiencies ravage our health. Inadequate vitamin D increases mortality risk. A magnesium deficiency can accelerate biological aging. Folate deficiency by itself can produce a level of DNA damage that is equivalent to or in excess of an acute exposure to radiation (https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/nutrition-research-reviews/article/nutrit... vitamin a micronutrients brain vitamin d vitamin c vitamin e vitamin b12 vitamin k mortality aging omega-3 biomarkers multivitamin cognition

Depression and anxiety are neuropsychiatric diseases characterized by neurological dysfunction and poor mental health. Oxidative stress, which is caused by an imbalance in the concentration of reactive oxygen species and antioxidant compounds, may be one driver of neurological damage in the development of depression and anxiety. Findings of a new report demonstrate the ability of methyl donor supplementation to reduce oxidative stress in the brain and relieve depression and anxiety symptoms in rats eating a high-sugar diet. Methyl donors (e.g., choline, betaine, folate, vitamin B12) are nutrie... brain depression anxiety

Age-related diseases like heart disease, diabetes, dementia, and cancers are on the rise, placing a significant burden on the healthcare system and economy. Interventions that can slow the aging process by just two years could save almost $7 trillion over 50 years and increase health and quality of life. Authors of a recent report tested the effects of a diet and lifestyle intervention on the reversal of epigenetic aging. Epigenetic aging is a way to predict an individual’s risk of age-related disease by biological means instead of just chronology. Epigenetics is a biological mechanism that re... epigenetics aging

In this clip, Tim Ferriss discusses his MTHFR status and his experience with vitamin supplementation. ... folate diet biomarkers genetics homocysteine supplements

Telomere length is a biomarker for the aging because they get shorter every year. However, this study suggests that maternal nutrition may actually play a role in determining the length of telomeres that we have to start with. There's clearly more to this topic than meets the eye… looking forward to (hopefully) doing a podcast with an expert on telomere research soon! Folate is required to make precursors for the DNA nucleotide, thymine, and for methyl groups, which play a role in epigenetics. Leafy greens are high in folate so eat your spinach! ... diet aging pregnancy micronutrients