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News flashes are posted here frequently to keep you up-to-date with the latest advances in health and longevity. We have an unparalleled track record of breaking stories about life extension advances.

Umbrella meta-analysis adds evidence to black cumin’s association with healthy inflammatory response

December 30 2024. An umbrella meta-analysis of seven meta-analyses affirmed that adding Nigella sativa (black cumin) seed to the diet is associated with antioxidant effects and a healthy inflammatory response. The findings were published in the January 2025 issue of Prostaglandins & Other Lipid Mediators.

In their introduction, Xinyu Lan and Yongliang Xia remarked that the oil of black cumin seed is frequently used as a natural remedy and contains riboflavin (vitamin B2), calcium, iron, copper, zinc, and omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, as well as the active ingredient thymoquinone, which may be responsible for many of black cumin's positive effects.

Black cumin is used to help treat or prevent gastrointestinal disorders, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes and asthma. The seven meta-analyses analyzed in the umbrella review included a total of 55 human studies that included evaluation of black cumin's effects on markers of oxidation and inflammation, which are involved in numerous disease processes.

Lan and Xia's analysis of the data affirmed that black cumin lowered levels of the inflammatory markers serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha as well as the marker of oxidative stress known as malondialdehyde. It was simultaneously associated with improvements in total antioxidant capacity and levels of the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD).

"Generally, N. Sativa is recognized as a harmless herbal medicine and no serious side effect was reported among included meta-analyses," they noted.

"To the authors' knowledge, this is the first umbrella review meta-analysis on this issue," they announced. "The present review indicated that the administration of N. Sativa considerably reduced serum tumor necrosis-alpha, malondialdehyde, and C-reactive protein levels, and meaningfully increased total antioxidant capacity and SOD levels."

—D Dye

Coffee, tea drinking associated with lower risk of head and neck cancers

December 27 2024. In addition to a lower risk of such disorders as type 2 diabetes, frailty and hip fracture, head and neck cancer can be added to the list of conditions found less often among people who drink coffee or tea.

"Coffee and tea are two popular beverages consumed worldwide, containing bioactive compounds with potential antioxidant, anticancer, and anti‐inflammatory effects," Timothy Nguyen and colleagues wrote.

The findings were reported December 23, 2024, in the journal Cancer.

The study compared data from 14 case-control studies that included 9,548 men and women with head and neck cancer and 15,783 people without the disease. Interview or questionnaire responses provided information concerning coffee and tea consumption.

Pooled analysis of the data found that drinking more than four cups of non-decaffeinated coffee was associated with a 17% lower risk of head and neck cancer compared with no intake. This amount of coffee was associated with a 30% lower risk of oral cavity cancer and a 22% reduction in the risk of oropharyngeal (middle throat or pharynx) cancers. Decaffeinated coffee consumption was associated with a 25% lower risk of cancer of the oral cavity.

Tea drinking or drinking 3-4 cups non-decaffeinated coffee were associated with respective 29% and 41% lower risks of hypopharyngeal (lower throat) cancer.

"While there has been prior research on coffee and tea consumption and reduced risk of cancer, this study highlighted their varying effects with different sub-sites of head and neck cancer, including the observation that even decaffeinated coffee had some positive impact," senior author Yuan-Chin Amy Lee, PhD, stated. "Coffee and tea habits are fairly complex, and these findings support the need for more data and further studies around the impact that coffee and tea can have on reducing cancer risk."

—D Dye

Research adds evidence to a bile acid as mediator of calorie restriction benefits

December 25 2024. Findings from a study reported December 18, 2024, in Nature revealed a bile acid as a link between a low-calorie diet and the diet's associated benefits. The compound, known as lithocholic acid, helps digest fat and is made by bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. In the current research, giving lithocholic acid to fruit flies and roundworms extended their lives.

AMPK, an enzyme activated in the body during calorie restriction, is a mediator of calorie restriction's benefits. Prior to the current research, it had not been known whether specific compounds that change in abundance in the body during calorie restriction are responsible for AMPK activation.

Sheng-Cai Lin at Xiamen University and colleagues showed that serum derived from calorie-restricted mice activated AMPK in cultured cells. Intravenous administration of the serum into mice that were allowed to eat as much as they wanted activated AMPK in muscle and liver.

Analysis of compounds in serum that increase during calorie restriction found that lithocholic acid activated AMPK in different types of cultured cells at a low concentration. Giving lithocholic acid to fruit flies and roundworms (which do not synthesize lithocholic acid) resulted in AMPK activation and extended life spans.

Mice that received the compound did not live longer but showed activation of AMPK, better muscle composition and strength, and other improvements.

"We provided multiple lines of evidence to show that lithocholic acid acts as a calorie restriction mimetic, recapitulating the effects of calorie restriction, including AMPK activation and rejuvenating and anti-aging effects," the authors wrote.

They concluded that the effects observed in animals treated with lithocholic acid under normal feeding conditions imply that consuming a low-calorie diet is not necessary to obtain calorie restriction's benefits.

—D Dye

Higher antioxidant intake associated with reduced fatty liver disease risk

December 23 2024. A study reported December 19, 2024, in BMC Gastroenterology found a lower risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) among individuals with a high composite dietary antioxidant index.

Antioxidants are compounds, many of which are found in common foods, that inhibit oxidation: a chemical reaction that causes damaging oxidative stress in the body.

The investigation included 18,163 participants in the 2013–2014, 2015–2016 and 2017–2020 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a population-based survey concerning the health and nutrition of U.S. residents. The current study included 13,969 men and women with MAFLD and 4,194 individuals without the disease. Participant responses to two dietary recall interviews were analyzed for intake levels of the antioxidants vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, selenium and zinc, which were used to calculate the composite dietary antioxidant index (CDAI).

Men and women whose CDAIs were among the top 25% of subjects had a 27% lower risk of developing MAFLD than those whose CDAI was among the lowest 25%. For women with a CDAI among the top 25%, the risk was 34% lower and for men, the risk was 23% lower. Greater age was associated with a higher likelihood of MAFLD, while having more education, never being married and being physically active were associated with lower risk.

“It had been reported that the main pathogenesis of MAFLD was oxidative stress and inflammation,” authors Jia-Xin Dong and colleagues wrote. They explained that these factors damage liver cells, triggering inflammatory and fibrotic pathways.

“Collectively, these findings underscored the importance of optimizing dietary habits and lifestyle, with a particular focus on enhancing the CDAI, particularly through the consumption of vitamin C and vitamin E, as a potentially effective strategy for preventing MAFLD,” they concluded.

—D Dye

Study finds improvement in aging-related decline

December 20 2024. Popular sayings such as "70 is the new 60" appear to be valid when it comes to people’s level of functioning and independence, according to a study reported December 19, 2024, in Nature Aging.

John R. Beard, MBBS, PhD, of Columbia University and colleagues utilized data from 14,710 participants in the English Longitudinal Study of Aging and 11,411 participants in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study to evaluate changes in intrinsic capacity: physical and mental abilities that enable us to function. They found that more recent participants reached older ages while retaining higher levels of intrinsic capacity, particularly in the areas of cognition, motor function and vitality. "For example, a 68-year-old participant of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing born in 1950 had higher capacity than a 62-year-old born 10 years earlier," Dr Beard explained.

Better nutrition, education and sanitation, as well as medical advances that occurred during the past century were suggested as reasons for much of the improvement.

"This is a powerful article," aging expert Jay Olshansky of the University of Illinois commented. "It shows that intrinsic capacity—what really matters to people as they age—is inherently modifiable. With this evidence, we see that medical science can enhance intrinsic capacity, providing a hopeful message for the future."

"We were surprised by just how large these improvements were, particularly when comparing people born after World War Two with earlier-born groups," Dr Beard stated. "But there is nothing to say we will continue to see the same improvements moving forward, and changes such as the increasing prevalence of obesity may even see these trends reverse. It is also likely that more advantaged groups will have experienced greater gains than others. But overall, the trends were very strong and suggest that, for many people, 70 really may be the new 60."

—D Dye

Flavonoids activate GLP-1

December 18 2024. Findings reported November 5, 2024, in Current Research in Food Science reveal an ability of polyphenol compounds known as flavonoids, which occur in plant foods such as green tea and berries, to trigger the release of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a hormone that helps manage blood glucose and weight.

The current research investigated the effects of polyphenols on bitter taste receptors, which are located not only on the tongue, but in the gastrointestinal tract as well. Since polyphenols often have a bitter taste, the researchers focused on T2R46, which is among the type 2 taste receptors (T2Rs) for bitterness.

"Polyphenols are known to have cardiovascular disease prevention and cognitive function maintenance effects, but the mechanism behind these effects has remained a mystery for a long time," corresponding author Naomi Osakabe of the Shibaura Institute of Technology in Japan remarked. "Therefore, we are focusing on the taste of polyphenols to elucidate their mechanism of action."

The research team found that numerous polyphenols activated T2R46 in the gastrointestinal tract and that flavonoids outperformed other polyphenols. T2R46 stimulates the release of GLP-1 as well as cholecystokinin (CCK), which improves digestion and help suppress appetite.

"Our findings show that polyphenols are more than just antioxidants—they are functional compounds capable of directly influencing gut hormone secretion," Professor Osakabe stated. "Our study bridges the gap between nutrition and medicine, showing how simple dietary changes can positively impact public health."

—D Dye

Phase II trial finds fish oil reduces prostate cancer progression in men undergoing active surveillance

December 16 2024. Men who were being monitored for low-grade prostate cancer experienced a significant reduction in a marker of cancer progression after consuming fish oil (a source of omega-3 fatty acids) and a low omega-6 fatty acid diet for one year.

Western diets typically have a high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids, which may contribute to excess inflammation.

The phase II randomized trial included 100 men with grade 1 or 2 prostate cancer who had chosen to be regularly monitored for disease progression rather than undergo aggressive therapies associated with side effects. (Physicians frequently recommend active surveillance to older men with slow-growing prostate cancer that has not metastasized.) Half of the participants received dietary counseling and were given fish oil capsules that provided 2.2 grams of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA daily for one year. The remainder of the participants received no treatment. The men provided dietary intake information at the beginning of the trial and at six and twelve months.

Biopsies of the prostate were performed at the beginning and end of the trial. Ki-67, a marker of cell proliferation, was measured in tumor samples at both time points. Men who received fish oil combined with a low omega-6 fatty acid diet showed a decrease in Ki-67 index from 1.34% to 1.14% at one year, while Ki-67 index increased from 1.23% to 1.52% in the control group.

"A high omega-3, low omega-6 diet with fish oil for 1 year resulted in a significant reduction in Ki-67 index, a biomarker for prostate cancer progression, metastasis, and death," authors William Aronson of the University of California Los Angeles and colleagues concluded.

The findings were reported December 13, 2024, in the Journal of Clinical Oncology®.

—D Dye

Antioxidant nutrients benefit athletes

December 11 2024. A review of studies that evaluated the effects of adding antioxidant nutrients to the diets of soccer players documented improvements in muscle damage, inflammation, oxidative stress and/or performance. The findings were reported November 6, 2024, in the journal Nutrients.

"Soccer is linked to an acute inflammatory response and the release of reactive oxygen species (ROS)," authors Athanasios Poulios and colleagues at the University of Thessaly in Greece wrote. They noted that antioxidants "have shown promising effects in reducing muscle damage and oxidative stress and enhancing the recovery process after eccentric exercise."

The investigators determined that coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), astaxanthin, red orange juice, L-carnitine, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), beetroot, turmeric root (the source of curcumin) and tangeretin (from tangerines) reduced muscle damage.

For supporting a healthy inflammatory response, tangeretin, the omega-3 fatty acid DHA, turmeric and Aronia melanocarpa (chokeberry, a source of a type of flavonoid known as anthocyanins) were helpful.

For lowering oxidative stress, CoQ10, DHA, astaxanthin, tangeretin, lemon verbena, quercetin, turmeric, red orange juice, Aronia melanocarpa, L-carnitine, vitamins C and E, green tea and soursop tea showed effectiveness.

Beetroot and N-acetylcysteine supported performance in the areas of endurance, jumping, speed and strength.

Variations were found between short-term or long-term effectivity of the antioxidants examined. Acute (short-term) consumption of red orange juice, beetroot or turmeric prior to exercise was associated with less muscle damage, while astaxanthin, CoQ10, tangeretin and vitamins C and E were effective long-term. Performance improvements occurred following acute administration of NAC, beetroot, turmeric and L-carnitine, and long-term consumption of turmeric root or quercetin. A healthy inflammatory response was supported by long-term intake of tangeretin, turmeric and chokeberry.

"Further research is needed to determine the main mechanism and the acute and long-term impacts of antioxidant supplements in soccer," the authors concluded.

—D Dye

Higher vitamin C levels associated with lower risk of mortality from Alzheimer's disease during 12-year median

December 09 2024. A study reported November 12, 2024, in Nutritional Neuroscience found that people with Alzheimer's's disease who had higher serum concentrations of vitamin C had a lower risk of dying from the disease during a median follow-up period of 12 years.

"The use of serum vitamin C seems to be more objective and accurate to evaluate vitamin C status compared with dietary survey," authors Li Zhou and colleagues at Wuhan University of Science and Technology wrote in their introduction to the article.

The study included 4,864 participants aged 60 years and older in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III 1988–1994. Participants in the current study were limited to those who had available measurements of serum vitamin C.

NHANES data documented 158 deaths from Alzheimer's disease through 2019. In comparison with men and women with deficient vitamin C levels of less than 53 micromoles per liter, the adjusted risk of dying from Alzheimer's disease was 38% lower among those with adequate vitamin C levels of 53–70 micromoles per liter. Similarly to individuals with adequate vitamin C levels, those with levels of greater than 70 micromoles per liter had an adjusted risk that was 36% lower than the risk experienced by men and women with vitamin C deficiency.

"To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the association of serum vitamin C with Alzheimer's disease mortality," Dr Zhou and colleagues announced.

"In this nationally representative sample of US adults, higher serum vitamin C was significantly associated with lower risk of Alzheimer's disease mortality," they concluded. "These findings suggest that maintaining adequate vitamin C status may aid in lowering Alzheimer's disease mortality risk."

—D Dye

Increasing polyunsaturated fatty acid intake, including omega-3, associated with longer life

December 06 2024. A study that evaluated changes in fatty acid intake over time, reported November 16, 2024, in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found a reduction in mortality in association with increased intake of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids and decreased intake of trans fatty acids during 1994–2020.

The study included 65,179 men and women enrolled in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study and the Nurses' Health Study. Fatty acid intake was calculated from responses to questionnaires completed by the participants every four years. From 1994–2020, 20,571 deaths occurred.

A change to greater total fat intake as percentage of total calories was associated with an adjusted 5% lower risk of dying compared with having a stable intake. For individuals whose intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids increased, the risk of mortality was 17% lower and among those whose monounsaturated fat intake increased, the risk was 9% lower.

Positive changes in the intake of linoleic acid, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids from fish and monounsaturated fatty acids from plants were all associated with reduced mortality during follow-up. Replacing 5% of calories derived from saturated fatty acids with polyunsaturated fatty acids was associated with a 19% reduction in mortality and replacing 3% of calories derived from saturated fatty acids with fish-sourced omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids was associated with an 11% lower risk. An increase of just 1% in trans fatty acid intake was associated with a 10% increase in the risk of mortality.

“Our findings support dietary guidance to replace saturated fatty acids with polyunsaturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids from plant sources to prevent chronic disease,” Yuxi Liu and colleagues concluded. “Our findings also support the elimination of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, the primary source of trans fatty acids, and a higher intake of marine omega–3 polyunsaturated fatty acids to prevent premature death and major chronic diseases.”

—D Dye

Vitamin C shows promise for treatment of pancreatic cancer

December 04 2024. A randomized trial that compared the effects of chemotherapy plus vitamin C to chemotherapy alone resulted in better overall survival and progression-free survival among pancreatic cancer patients who received the vitamin. The findings were reported in the November 2024 issue of Redox Biology.

The trial included 34 men and women who were intravenously administered the chemotherapies gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel weekly for three weeks of a four-week cycle. Eighteen participants also received 75 grams intravenous vitamin C three times per week during each week of the cycle. Questionnaire responses provided information concerning the participants' quality of life and symptoms. Participants received the treatments until disease progression, participant withdrawal, toxicity or death occurred.

Individuals who received vitamin C had higher serum levels of the vitamin compared with the control group who did not receive vitamin C. Median overall survival was 16 months in the vitamin C group compared with 8.3 months among the control participants. Median survival during which the disease did not progress was 6.2 months among participants who received vitamin C versus 3.9 months in those who did not receive the vitamin.

Authors Kellie L. Bodeker and colleagues suggested that increased tolerance to chemotherapy may have contributed to the greater overall and progression-free survival among those who received vitamin C.

"We did it in cells, it worked great. We did it in mice, it worked great. Then our phase one trials looked very promising," senior author Joseph J. Cullen, MD, of the University of Iowa enthused. "For example, in one of our phase 1 trials for pancreatic cancer, where we combine high-dose, IV vitamin C with radiation, we still have three long-term survivors. They're out nine years at this point, which is far beyond the typical survival range."

—D Dye

Nighttime leg cramps reduced by vitamin K2

December 02 2024. Painful leg cramps that interfere with restful sleep were reduced in frequency, duration and pain among people who received vitamin K in comparison with a placebo in a trial reported in the American Medical Association journal JAMA Internal Medicine on October 28, 2024.

People who experienced leg cramps were previously treated with quinine, which is associated with side effects and is no longer recommended.

The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial included 310 men and women aged 65 years and older who experienced two or more episodes of nocturnal leg cramps during a two-week screening period. One-hundred-three participants were assigned capsules that contained 180 micrograms of the menaquinone-7 form of vitamin K2, and 96 participants received a placebo, to be consumed daily. Leg cramp frequency, duration and severity were tracked during the eight-week treatment period.

Among participants who received vitamin K2, leg cramps were reduced from an average of 2.6 to 0.96 cramps per week, while cramps increased in the placebo group from 2.71 to 3.36 per week. The difference in frequency between the vitamin K and placebo groups at the end of the study was statistically significant. Participants who received vitamin K2 also had a greater reduction in leg cramp severity and duration of cramping in comparison with the placebo group.

"This study was based on our previous research, which revealed the efficacy of vitamin K2 in relieving hemodialysis-related muscle cramps," authors Jian Tan, MD, of The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu and colleagues wrote. "To our knowledge, this is the first study that explored the use of vitamin K2 specifically for treating nocturnal leg cramps. Our results demonstrated that daily vitamin K2 supplementation alleviates muscle cramps in older individuals affected by nocturnal leg cramps, manifested by decreased frequency, shortened duration, and weakened intensity."

—D Dye

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