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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.

TMG: exercise in a pill?

June 30 2025. Findings from research reported June 25, 2025, in the journal Cell suggest that trimethylglycine (TMG, also known as betaine) could provide some of the aging-protective effects of long-term exercise.

"Combined with its known antioxidant and methyl donor functions, betaine emerges as a promising candidate for future interventions targeting aging and age-related diseases," Lingling Geng of Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University in Beijing and colleagues wrote. "Our study delineated the molecular blueprint through which exercise reshapes human physiology, providing mechanistic insights into its health benefits. The identified exercise-induced factors, including betaine, offer potential for developing "exercise in a pill" to promote healthy aging.

Geng and associates studied the effects of short-term and long-term exercise in 13 healthy men during a six-year period. Genetic, protein, metabolic and microbiome changes were examined when the participants were at rest at the beginning of the study, after a 5-kilometer run (acute exercise) and during a 25-day running regimen (chronic exercise).

While acute exercise caused transient effects including an increase in inflammation, chronic exercise induced adaptive changes, including supporting a healthy inflammatory response, enhancing betaine production and metabolism, and decreasing cellular senescence (which occurs when cells cease dividing and remain to secrete factors that damage surrounding tissue). Betaine was, according to the authors of the report, "the top upregulated metabolic adaptation unique to long-term exercise."

To evaluate betaine's effects, the team conducted experiments in cells and mice. Among other findings, they discovered that betaine replicated some of exercise's benefits and supported a healthy inflammatory response partially through inhibition of an immune enzyme known as TBK1, a regulator of inflammation which may drive cellular and organ aging.

"This redefines 'exercise as medicine'," co-corresponding author Liu Guang-Hui stated. "This study gives us a fresh way to turn how our body works into something we can target with chemicals. It opens the door to geroprotective treatments that can tweak how multiple organs work together."

—D Dye

How vitamin C supports skin regeneration

June 27 2025. Researchers in Japan determined that vitamin C supports skin renewal via stimulation of genetic pathways involved in repair and growth. The findings were published April 20, 2025, in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.

"Vitamin C seems to influence the structure and function of epidermis, especially by controlling the growth of epidermal cells," lead researcher Akihito Ishigami, PhD, of Toyo University explained. "In this study, we investigated whether it promotes cell proliferation and differentiation via epigenetic changes."

The epidermis is the top layer of the skin which prevents water loss and protects against damage caused by such agents as ultraviolet rays, microorganisms and chemicals. During aging, these protective functions can become diminished, which makes the skin more susceptible to damage. Thinning of the epidermis is a symptom of skin aging and studies have uncovered decreased vitamin C levels in aged skin.

Using a lab-grown model of human skin, the research team evaluated two concentrations of vitamin C that are typical of those delivered by blood into the epidermis. After seven days, the administration of vitamin C was associated with a thicker inner epidermal layer compared with untreated skin. At fourteen days, the outer layer, consisting of dead cells, was thinner in association with both concentrations and epidermal cell layer thickness was increased in cells treated with the higher vitamin C concentration. This suggests that the vitamin supports the formation of keratinocytes (which 90% of epidermal cells consist of) and their replication. It was additionally determined that vitamin C reactivated genes associated with cell proliferation by the removal of methyl groups from DNA.

"We found that vitamin C helps thicken the skin by encouraging keratinocyte proliferation through DNA demethylation, making it a promising treatment for thinning skin, especially in older adults," Dr Ishigami concluded.

—D Dye

Taurine lowers blood pressure, improves vascular function in people with type 2 diabetes

June 25 2025. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial reported in the June 20, 2025, issue of the Cell Press journal iScience found a reduction in systolic blood pressure and improved endothelial function among adults with type 2 diabetes who were given the amino acid taurine.

The trial included 144 men and women aged 18–75 years with type 2 diabetes. Sixty-six participants received 2.4 grams of taurine and 78 participants received a placebo daily for 12 weeks. Flow-mediated dilation and nitroglycerin-mediated dilation (which evaluate vascular function), and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (a marker of arterial stiffness) were assessed at the beginning and end of the trial. Further assessments included body weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, carotid intima-media thickness (which measures plaque in neck arteries that deliver blood to the brain), body mass index, and blood values of hemoglobin A1c, fasting glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol and serum uric acid.

At the end of the trial, participants who were given taurine had a significant 7 mmHg average reduction in systolic blood pressure and a significant decrease in serum uric acid compared with the beginning of the trial, while these values did not improve in the placebo group. Endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent relaxation of blood vessels (as assessed by flow-mediated dilation and nitroglycerin-mediated dilation) and brachial-ankle pulse-wave velocity also significantly declined among participants who received taurine while remaining relatively the same among those who received a placebo. Taurine was additionally found to inhibit platelet calcium influx (associated with vascular dysfunction in people with diabetes and peripheral artery disease) and increase plasma hydrogen sulfide, which helps relax the blood vessels.

"Taurine may exert beneficial effects on blood pressure and vascular dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes," authors Yingsha Li and colleagues concluded.

—D Dye

Umbrella review affirms vitamin D supports endothelial function

June 23 2025. A review of 16 meta-analyses of clinical trials concluded that vitamin D significantly improved assessments related to endothelial function. The findings were published in the July 2025 issue of Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Diseases.

"Different meta-analysis studies have found contradictory results," authors Yirui Chen of Hangzhou Medical College and colleagues in Hangzhou, China, remarked. "Different inclusion criteria (dose, duration, study population, type of administered vitamin D) and sample size could be the cause of these contradictory results. Therefore, performing current umbrella meta-analysis by pooling previous findings seemed necessary to obtain an accurate conclusion."

Endothelial function refers to the functioning of the inner lining of the arteries (endothelium), which becomes dysfunctional in people with cardiovascular disease. One of the endothelium’s roles is the production of nitric oxide that aids in the relaxation of blood vessels and supports healthy blood flow within the arteries. Poor endothelial function leads to diminished nitric oxide production, oxidative stress and other adverse effects.

The umbrella review included data from 16 meta-analyses that included a total of 22,891 men women who participated in randomized, controlled trials that evaluated the association between adding vitamin D to the diet and pulse-wave velocity, flow-mediated dilation and/or augmentation index, which are assessments used to evaluate arterial stiffness and endothelial function. The highest dose of vitamin D evaluated in the trials was equal to 5,447.2 IU per day.

The analysis determined that vitamin D significantly improved flow mediated dilation and significantly (but modestly) improved pulse wave velocity. Chen and associates suggested that vitamin D may influence vascular health by promoting nitric oxide production, supporting a healthy inflammatory response, regulating calcium and vascular smooth muscle tone, influencing the renin-angiotensin system that regulates blood pressure, and directly affecting vascular cells.

—D Dye

Rapamycin has similar longevity benefits as calorie restriction

June 20 2025. Findings from a meta-analysis reported June 18, 2025 in the journal Aging Cell suggest that the drug rapamycin extends lifespan to a similar degree as dietary restriction, a technique that involves reduced calorie consumption which has extended the lifespan of laboratory animals.

"Dietary restriction - for example through intermittent fasting or reduced calorie intake - has been the gold standard for living longer," noted co-lead researcher Zahida Sultanova of the University of East Anglia's School of Biological Sciences. "But it's difficult for most of us to maintain long-term."

"We wanted to know if popular anti-aging drugs like rapamycin or metformin could offer similar effects without the need to cut calories."

Rapamycin is a drug that was developed as an immunosuppressant which has been used to help prevent the rejection of transplanted organs. Metformin is a popular drug used to treat diabetes which is associated with numerous other health benefits.

For the meta-analysis, the researchers selected 167 studies that assessed the effects of calorie restriction, metformin or rapamycin in dogs, rats, mice, lemurs, rhesus monkeys and fish. While the results of the analysis suggested "overall weak support for metformin as a drug to extend lifespan in vertebrates," rapamycin produced similar degrees of lifespan extension as dietary restriction across all species studied. "Our findings show that drug repurposing is a promising approach to improving people's health and lifespan," Dr Sultanova remarked.

"These findings don't suggest we should all start taking rapamycin," co-lead researcher Edward Ivimey-Cook of the University of Glasgow cautioned. "But they do strengthen the case for its further study in aging research and raise important questions about how we approach longevity therapeutics."

—D Dye

Study suggests vitamin D supports testosterone’s cardiometabolic benefits

June 18 2025. A pilot study reported March 13, 2025, in Nutrients revealed that men treated with testosterone who had insufficient serum levels of vitamin D failed to obtain the same cardiometabolic benefits from the hormone as men whose vitamin D levels were higher.

Testosterone is a hormone that declines during aging. Low levels in men are associated with reduced muscle mass and strength, decreased insulin sensitivity, and cardiovascular and other symptoms.

The study included men aged 40–75 years with low testosterone who were given testosterone injections every three weeks for six months. Participants consisted of 22 men with insufficient vitamin D levels of 20–30 ng/mL, 22 men with vitamin D levels of 30–60 ng/mL who were receiving 2,000–4,000 vitamin D per day because of previously low vitamin D measurements, and 21 men with vitamin D levels of 30–60 ng/mL who were not treated with vitamin D. Measurement of vitamin D and other factors was conducted prior to treatment with testosterone and at six months.

Both groups who had higher vitamin D levels experienced improved insulin sensitivity and decreased LDL cholesterol, uric acid, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP, a marker of inflammation), homocysteine, fibrinogen, urinary albumin to creatinine ratio and Framingham Risk Score (an assessment of cardiovascular disease risk). These testosterone-induced changes were correlated with 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. In contrast, men with insufficient vitamin D levels experienced only small reductions in HDL cholesterol and hs-CRP.

"The obtained results suggest that even discrete abnormalities in calciferol homeostasis may impair the cardiometabolic response to testosterone replacement therapy in men with late-onset hypogonadism," Robert Krysiak and colleagues at the Medical University of Silesia in Poland wrote. "The study results suggest that the cardiometabolic effects of exogenous testosterone in men with testosterone deficiency may be determined by vitamin D status."

—D Dye

French maritime pine bark improves cellulite in women

June 16 2025. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study resulted in a reduction in cellulite among women who received an extract of French maritime pine bark for three months. The findings were reported in the August 25, 2025, issue of Phytomedicine Plus.

Cellulite is a condition characterized by denting and dimpling of the skin that most often occurs in the legs, buttocks and abdomens of women. Although there do not appear to be health risks associated with cellulite, women's dissatisfaction with the condition has led to the marketing of topical and other treatments that are often ineffective. Disordered skin architecture, female sex, chronic inflammation and/or venous insufficiency are possible contributors.

"This is the first randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study successfully comparing the efficacy of . . . French maritime pine bark extract with antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and microcirculation-improving capacities to a placebo employing a validated clinical cellulite score," authors Qi Liu and colleagues announced.

Thirty Chinese women with moderate cellulite were given 50 milligrams French maritime pine bark extract to be consumed in the morning and 100 milligrams to be consumed in the evening daily for three months. An additional 30 women with moderate cellulite received a daily placebo. Thigh circumference, Hexsel Cellulite Severity Score and other factors were evaluated at the beginning of the study and at 28, 56 and 84 days.

"The data indicate a significant improvement in the clinical cellulite score after two and three months by 12.2 % and 13.6 % in the verum [French maritime pine bark extract] group, which was associated with clinical remediation shown by photographs and a significant decrease in the upper thighs' circumference after three months," the authors reported. No significant improvements were observed in the placebo group.

—D Dye

Greater choline intake associated with lower Alzheimer dementia risk

June 13 2025. A study reported May 28, 2025, in The Journal of Nutrition revealed a link between increased intake of choline and a lower risk of developing Alzheimer disease-associated dementia.

Choline is an essential nutrient that occurs in egg yolk and other animal products, as well as beans, cruciferous vegetables, nuts, seeds and grains. Choline is used by the body to form the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which facilitates the transmission of impulses between nervous system cells known as neurons and is needed for memory, attention and learning.

"Numerous age-associated defects in the cholinergic system have been characterized in Alzheimer disease and this has led to the development of the 'cholinergic hypothesis' of cognitive aging and Alzheimer disease," Tasija Karosas and colleagues at Tufts University wrote. "The hypothesis originates from the observation that acetylcholine synthesis and cholinergic receptor functioning are disturbed in the cortex and numerous other regions of the brain in patients with Alzheimer disease.

The study examined the daily choline intake of 991 men and women enrolled in the Rush Memory and Aging Project prospective cohort. The participants, whose age averaged 81.4 years at the beginning of the study, were followed for an average of 7.67 years, during which 266 participants were diagnosed with Alzheimer dementia.

Compared with those whose intake of choline was lowest at less than 200 mg per day, participants whose intake was highest at over 350 milligrams per day had a 51% lower risk of developing Alzheimer dementia. An intake of 251 mg–300 mg was associated with a 40% lower risk and 301 mg–350 mg was associated with a 38% reduction.

"Dietary choline intake of approximately 350 mg/day was associated with the lowest risk of clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer dementia in older adults," Karosas and associates concluded.

—D Dye

Nicotinamide riboside improves symptoms in people with premature aging disease

June 11 2025. Following on the heels of the publication of findings from a laboratory study that uncovered a potential role for a form of vitamin B3 known as nicotinamide riboside (NR) in Werner syndrome, researchers at Chiba University reported the outcome of a small trial that revealed a benefit for NR in Werner syndrome patients. Nicotinamide riboside is a precursor of the molecule NAD+, which is used in by the body in energy production.

Werner syndrome, a hereditary condition characterized by defective DNA metabolism, causes early signs of aging and results in death at an average age of 59 years. The syndrome is associated with an increased risk of diabetes, unhealthy lipids, cardiovascular disease and cancers, as well as diminished muscle and subcutaneous tissue, skin ulcers, low body weight and short stature.

The double-blind, randomized, crossover, placebo-controlled trial included nine individuals with Werner syndrome who received 1,000 milligrams NR or a placebo for 26 weeks, followed by a period in which NR and the placebo were switched for another 26 weeks.

The administration of NR was associated with an increase of blood NAD+ levels of approximately 140% in contrast with an approximate 4% decline in association with the placebo. Heel pad thinning and skin ulcer area were reduced with NR intake, and cardiovascular health, which included arterial stiffness and number of large HDL particles, also improved. No participants reported serious adverse events in association with NR consumption.

"We hope our work will accelerate studies on not only Werner syndrome but also other premature aging disorders and common age-related diseases—ultimately helping to extend health span and improve quality of life in both patients and the broader population," corresponding author Masaya Koshizaka of Chiba University stated.

The findings were reported June 3, 2025, in Aging Cell.

—D Dye

L-carnitine may help support kidney function

June 09 2025. Research reported May 22, 2025, in the journal JCI Insight suggests a benefit for L-carnitine in people with diabetic kidney disease.

"Diabetic kidney disease is the leading cause of end stage kidney disease," authors Sakuya Ito of Kurume University School of Medicine and colleagues noted. "Kidney tubular cells have a high energy demand, dependent on fatty acid oxidation. Although carnitine is indispensable for fatty acid oxidation, the pathological role of carnitine deficiency in diabetic kidney disease is not fully understood."

Kidney disease can result in abnormal lipid (fat) deposits within the kidneys. Carnitine, which is made in the body and contained in animal-sourced foods, is needed for the transport of long-chain fatty acids into the cells' power plants (known as mitochondria), where they are oxidized to produce energy. In a prospective observational study, accumulation of lipids caused by impaired fatty acid oxidation was increased in the kidneys of people with diabetic kidney disease and associated with lower kidney function.

To determine whether L-carnitine could slow kidney injury, the researchers conducted a randomized, controlled trial that included 28 men and women being treated with peritoneal dialysis. Thirteen participants were assigned to 750 milligrams L-carnitine three times per day for six months and a control group of 15 individuals receive no L-carnitine. While blood urea nitrogen (a marker of kidney function that increases during kidney disease) rose in the control group, it remained unchanged among participants who completed six months of treatment. Residual kidney function was increased at the end of the trial among those who received L-carnitine, which was correlated with serum free carnitine levels. Those who received L-carnitine also experienced increased urine volume associated with improvement in kidney tubular injury, and a decrease in lipid peroxidation.

The authors concluded that L-carnitine may be a treatment strategy for diabetic kidney disease.

—D Dye

Current vitamin C recommendations inadequate for many people

June 06 2025. The authors of an article published June 6, 2024, in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition concluded that an "expectedly increasing proportion of the world population is unable to achieve an adequate target plasma concentration with the current recommended daily intakes of vitamin C."

Anitra C. Carr of the University of Ontago in New Zealand and colleagues analyzed data obtained from 18,185 participants in the European Prospective Investigation of Cancer–Norfolk (EPIC-Norfolk) and 2,027 individuals enrolled in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) who had data available concerning blood plasma or serum levels of vitamin C. The analysis revealed associations in both groups between rising body weight and declining plasma or serum vitamin C.

Approximately two-thirds of the people analyzed had an adequate plasma vitamin C level of 50 micromoles per liter in association with consuming at least the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin C. The RDA is the amount needed to provide 97.5% of the population with an adequate intake of a nutrient and is typically based on the needs of a 154-pound male. The UK RDA for vitamin C for adults is 40 mg per day and the U.S. RDA is 90 mg per day for men and 75 mg per day for women. No more than half of the study populations achieved adequacy by consuming the RDA plus or minus 10%.

The authors remarked that national and international authorities failed to consider the obesity pandemic when calculating current vitamin C requirements. "The problems encountered in reaching adequate vitamin C status are significantly related to increased body weight, where individuals living with higher weight need substantially higher intakes to achieved plasma concentrations similar to those required for a young male reference," they concluded. "These results should be taken into account when revising public health nutrient recommendations in the future."

—D Dye

Coffee drinking linked with healthy aging

June 04 2025. Findings from a study presented June 2, 2025, at the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition revealed an association between consuming more coffee and improved chances of healthy aging.

The study included 47,513 women enrolled in the Nurses' Health Study. Information concerning health and diet was collected every four years. Healthy aging was defined as living to the age of 70 years or older, maintaining physical function, absence of 11 major chronic diseases, being in good mental health, and having no cognitive impairment or memory loss. "While past studies have linked coffee to individual health outcomes, our study is the first to assess coffee's impact across multiple domains of aging over three decades," presenting author Sara Mahdavi, PhD, noted.

The women were followed for 30 years. In 2016, 3,706 women met all requirements for healthy aging. This group consumed an average of 315 milligrams caffeine per day, which is equal to the amount provided by three small cups of coffee. Each additional cup of non-decaffeinated coffee (up to five cups) was associated with a 5% greater chance of healthy aging and a 2%-5% greater chance of meeting each healthy aging component. Decaffeinated coffee and tea consumption had no associations with healthy aging, and cola was associated with a 19% lower risk of healthy aging per glass consumed.

"These results, while preliminary, suggest that small, consistent habits can shape long-term health," Dr Mahdavi remarked. "Moderate coffee intake may offer some protective benefits when combined with other healthy behaviors such as regular exercise, a healthy diet and avoiding smoking. While this study adds to prior evidence suggesting coffee intake may be linked with healthy aging, the benefits from coffee are relatively modest compared to the impact of overall healthy lifestyle habits and warrant further investigation."

—D Dye

Diet, exercise help prevent colon cancer recurrence

June 02 2025. Research findings reported June 1, 2025, at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Boston revealed that improvements in diet and exercise levels may help protect against the recurrence of colon cancer and improve survival among individuals treated for the disease.

"One of the most common questions that patients ask is what they should do after treatment to maximally reduce their risk of cancer recurrence and improve survival," first author Dr Sara Char of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute noted. "These findings add to the published literature about the importance of dietary patterns and physical activity in outcomes of patients with colorectal cancer."

The study utilized data from a trial which sought to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence among 2,526 individuals treated for colon cancer with surgery and chemotherapy. The current investigation, which analyzed data from 1,625 trial participants, revealed that those whose intake of proinflammatory foods was among the top 20% of participants had an 87% greater risk of mortality compared with those whose intake was among the lowest 20%. Proinflammatory foods included red meat, processed meats, refined grains and sugar-sweetened beverages.

Compared with those who had low activity levels and consumed more proinflammatory foods, participants who had higher levels of physical activity and consumed more anti-inflammatory foods, such as coffee, tea and vegetables, had a 63% lower risk of death.

"This study provides additional evidence that diet may be important for improving outcomes and survival in patients with stage III colon cancer," stated coauthor Kimmie Ng, MD, MPH, of the Division of Gastrointestinal Oncology at Dana-Farber. "Further studies are needed to tailor specific dietary recommendations for patients with colon cancer, and to understand the biological mechanisms underlying the relationship between proinflammatory diets and survival."

—D Dye

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