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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.

Lifestyle interventions improve cognitive function among adults at risk of cognitive decline

July 30 2025. Findings from a randomized trial reported July 28, 2025, in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) revealed improvements in cognitive function in men and women who completed a two-year lifestyle intervention.

The trial included 2,111 individuals who were at risk of cognitive decline due to suboptimal diet, sedentary lifestyle, and two or more additional risk factors that included family history of impaired memory, cardiometabolic risk, older age, race and ethnicity, and sex. Participants were randomly assigned to structured or self-guided interventions that included a healthy diet, physical and cognitive activity, social engagement and cardiovascular health monitoring. The 1,056 participants assigned to the structured lifestyle intervention received dietary counseling to support adherence to the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet, aerobic activities at a moderate-to-intense level of exertion, weekly cognitive exercise involving computer-based training and facilitated group meetings and guideline-based health coaching to promote improved management of cardiometabolic risk revealed by abnormal laboratory results. The self-guided lifestyle intervention assigned to 1,055 individuals involved group meetings two-to-three times yearly to encourage healthy lifestyle practices and annual health monitoring that included blood testing and measurement of blood pressure, weight and lipids.

Both the structured and the self-guided intervention groups experienced yearly increases in average global cognitive composite scores. Improvement was greater among participants assigned to the structured intervention. Participants with lower cognition scores at the beginning of the study experienced greater improvement compared with those who had higher scores.

"Among older adults at risk of cognitive decline and dementia, a structured, higher-intensity intervention had a statistically significant greater benefit on global cognition compared with an unstructured, self-guided intervention," authors Laura D. Baker, PhD, of Wake Forest University School of Medicine's Department of Internal Medicine and colleagues concluded.

—D Dye

Wake up with coffee and live longer

July 28 2025. A study reported in the February 21, 2025, issue of the European Heart Journal revealed a significant reduction in the risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease or all causes during a median follow-up of 9.8 years among morning coffee drinkers. The association was found only among men and women who drank coffee in the morning, rather than among those who consumed the beverage all day.

Xuan Wang, MD, PhD, and colleagues evaluated data from 40,725 men and women enrolled in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2018 and 1,463 adults who participated in the Women 's and Men's Lifestyle Validation Study. The subjects' dietary records were analyzed for coffee drinking timing.

During the 9.8-year follow-up, 4295 deaths, including 1,268 from cardiovascular disease and 934 from cancer, occurred. Individuals who consumed coffee in the morning had a 16% lower adjusted risk of death from all causes and a 31% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease compared with the risk experienced by people who did not drink coffee. Among individuals with a morning coffee drinking pattern, consuming 0–1 cups was associated with a 15% lower risk of mortality, 1–2 cups with a 16% lower risk, 2–3 cups with a 28% lower risk and more than 3 cups with a 21% lower risk than those who did not drink coffee. Coffee was not significantly associated with mortality risk among people who consumed it all day.

"Coffee has long been used to improve wakefulness and relieve drowsiness due to the stimulating effects of caffeine on the central nervous system," Dr Wang and her associates wrote. "However, drinking coffee later in the day may disrupt the daily circadian rhythms and thus modify the association between the amount of coffee intake and health outcomes."

—D Dye

Adding flavonoids to diet decreased PSA, prostate cancer risk

July 25 2025. A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical studies revealed a reduction in prostate specific antigen (PSA) and a lower risk of developing prostate cancer among men who added flavonoids to their diets. Prostate specific antigen is a blood marker which, when elevated, may suggest the presence of prostate cancer.

"The prevalence of prostate cancer exhibits significant geographical variations, mostly attributed to disparities in dietary patterns," Abdul Azis of Hasanuddin University in Indonesia and colleagues wrote in Archivio Italiano di Urologia e Andrologia. "Essential nutrients, encompassing fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and polyphenols, may influence the onset and advancement of prostate cancer."

"Chemoprevention is an approach that uses naturally occurring substances found in fruits and vegetables to slow disease progression or even prevent cancer development."

For their analysis, Azis and associates reviewed nine randomized, controlled studies that included a total of 420 men. One hundred eighty-six participants had prostate cancer, 218 men were at risk of the disease and 16 men had undergone radical prostatectomy less than three years prior to experiencing an increase in serum PSA. The studies evaluated the effects of purified isoflavone rich-food, isoflavones in capsules or tablets, or capsules that contained EGCG, commonly found in green tea. The studies' duration ranged from three to 48 weeks.

The team observed a reduction in total PSA in men who received flavonoids. Flavonoid use for at least 12 weeks was associated with a greater decrease in PSA compared with less than 12 weeks. Among four studies that included men who were clinically at risk of prostate cancer, those who received flavonoids had with a 59% lower risk of developing the disease compared with the placebo or control groups.

"The findings of this study indicate that flavonoids and their respective subclasses may contribute to the reduction of prostate cancer risk," the authors concluded.

—D Dye

Antioxidant-rich diets linked with lower glaucoma risk

July 23 2025. A study reported July 8, 2025, in the Nature journal Eye uncovered an association between improved antioxidant status in men and women and a lower risk of glaucoma, a disease of the eye in which oxidative stress caused by atoms or molecules known as free radicals plays a role.

The investigation included 4,909 individuals aged 20 years and older who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2005 to 2008. Three hundred twenty-five participants were diagnosed with glaucoma. Responses to interviews concerning dietary intake were analyzed to obtain Dietary Oxidative Balance Scores. Dietary Oxidative Balance Score components included carotenoids, riboflavin, niacin, total folate, vitamins B6, B12, C and E, fiber, calcium, magnesium, selenium, zinc, copper, total fat and iron.

Each unit increase in Dietary Oxidative Balance Scores was associated with a 4% reduction in glaucoma risk. Men and women whose Dietary Oxidative Balance Scores were among the top 25% of participants had a 61% lower risk of glaucoma than those among the lowest 25%. The association between dietary oxidative balance and glaucoma was greater among men, smokers and former smokers, and other subgroups.

In their discussion of the findings, Yugi Yang of China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University and colleagues remarked that oxidative stress can damage cellular components resulting in harm to the eyes via multiple mechanisms. This includes damage to cells that help maintain normal pressure within the eye (elevated intraocular pressure occurs in approximately half of individuals with glaucoma.)

"Antioxidant-rich diets may be effective in reducing the incidence of glaucoma by reducing oxidative stress and protecting retinal nerve cells," Yang and associates concluded. "This finding highlights the potential efficacy of healthy dietary patterns in the prevention of glaucoma."

—D Dye

Krill oil plus alternate-day fasting helps protect against loss of fat-free mass, muscle strength

July 18 2025. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial reported July 16, 2025, in the journal Obesity revealed a protective effect for krill oil against the loss of fat-free mass and muscle strength that could result from alternate-day fasting.

Fat-free mass, also known as lean body mass, includes the mass of muscle, organs, bones and water. "Diet-induced weight loss leads to reductions in both fat mass and fat-free mass, with about 25%–30% of body mass loss attributed to the decrease in fat-free mass," authors Mansour Alblaji, PhD, of the University of Glasgow and colleagues explained. "This decline in fat-free mass is primarily associated with reduced muscle mass, potentially leading to diminished muscle strength."

Alternate-day fasting is a type of calorie restriction that consists of one day of unrestricted eating followed by a day of fasting. In this study, participants consumed a 500-calorie meal plus noncaloric beverages such as water and tea on fasting days and were advised concerning prevention of overeating on non-fasting days.

The trial included 16 men and 25 women of an average age of 39 years. Twenty-one participants were assigned to eight weeks of alternate-day fasting with the addition of four capsules per day of krill oil that provided 285 mg of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA per capsule. The remaining 20 participants were assigned to alternate-day fasting plus a placebo.

While participants who received a placebo had a reduction in fat-free mass and handgrip strength (a measure of muscle strength) at the end of eight weeks, those who received krill oil experienced no losses.

"Krill oil during body weight loss in individuals living with overweight and obesity attenuates the decline in fat free mass and parameters of muscle function and, therefore, is a valuable strategy to mitigate some of the adverse effects of diet-induced weight loss," Dr Alblaji and associates concluded.

—D Dye

Evidence for over-the-counter products against depression

July 16 2025. A scoping review published July 14, 2025, in Frontiers in Pharmacology found evidence in support of over-the-counter nutrients used to help alleviate depression.

Rachael Frost, PhD, of Liverpool John Moores University and colleagues examined 209 clinical trials that evaluated 64 over-the-counter products used for depression for at least one week. The studies included men and women between the ages of 18 and 60 years who had depressive symptoms or were diagnosed with depression.

St John's wort, probiotics, vitamin D and saffron, which were classified as having substantive evidence by being evaluated in more than ten trials, were likelier to lower symptoms of depression compared with a placebo. Among these, St John's wort and saffron showed results that were similar to those of prescription antidepressants.

Among products with emerging evidence (having been evaluated in two to nine trials), folic acid, lavender, zinc, lemon balm, Rhodiola and tryptophan showed promising results. Bitter orange, chamomile, and Persian lavender revealed benefits in two trials each. Mixed effects were found for melatonin, magnesium, curcumin, cinnamon, echium, vitamin C and calcium with vitamin D.

Other herbal products commonly reported as being used for depressive symptoms included gingko, ginseng, lime flowers, orange blossom and peppermint; however, Dr Frost noted that no studies had evaluated their use.

Dr Frost and colleagues listed support of a healthy inflammatory response, decreased oxidative stress, alteration of the microbiota-gut-brain axis, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hyperactivity suppression and neurotransmitter regulation as possible mechanisms for the nutrients found to be effective.

"It's good news that very few safety concerns arose from any of these products, whether they were taken alone or in combination with antidepressants," Dr Frost remarked in a guest editorial. "However, a healthcare professional should always be consulted on whether a product might interact with something else you are taking."

—D Dye

Spermidine, protein restriction increase longevity in fruit flies

July 14 2025. Research findings reported June 7, 2025, in the journal Aging revealed that the addition of spermidine to the diets of aging fruit flies resulted in better memory, protection against aging-related decline in movement and longer life. Researchers Yong Tian Liang of Freie Universität Berlin and colleagues found similar effects in association with a protein-restricted diet.

In this study, fruit flies' protein intake was modified by varying the amounts of yeast in the diet. "Both dietary restriction, such as limiting protein intake, and fasting, which restricts the timing of food consumption, have been proposed as strategies to delay aspects of aging," Liang and associates noted. "Recent studies suggest that intermittent fasting effects are mediated by the endogenous polyamine spermidine."

By feeding female fruit flies diets that contained 1%, 2%, 5% or 12% yeast as a protein source, the researchers observed that a diet that contained 2% yeast was associated with the longest lifespan. Compared with a diet that contained 12% yeast, 2% yeast extended life by 25%. The 2% yeast diet improved mitochondrial function in the brains of aging flies and partly protected against aging-related movement decline. (Mitochondria are the cells' power plants.)

Spermidine extended lifespan, improved locomotion and restored memory performance in flies that received either 2% or 12% yeast diets. Among flies that received the higher protein diet, spermidine was associated with greater reproductive capacity. The authors concluded that protein restriction and spermidine have additive health benefits attributable to distinct, independent mechanisms.

"Our findings suggest that protein restriction and spermidine promote healthy aging through distinct and complementary mechanisms," they wrote. "Combining these interventions may offer enhanced benefits, providing valuable insights into potential dietary and pharmacological strategies to mitigate age-related cognitive and physiological decline."

—D Dye

Getting creatine into the brain

July 11 2025. Creatine is a popular nutrient used by bodybuilders and other sports enthusiasts because of its ability to support muscle mass and function. Less well known are creatine's functions in the brain, where it reacts with phosphoric acid to produce the energy molecule adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Creatine also affects neurotransmitter systems, such as inhibitory pathways that utilize gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA, which limits the excitability of nervous system cells known as neurons). Research suggests that creatine may itself work as a neurotransmitter.

"Creatine is very crucial for energy-consuming cells in skeletal muscle throughout the body, but also in the brain and in the heart," noted researcher Chin-Yi Chen, of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's Fralin Biomedical Research Institute.

The addition of creatine to the diet can improve muscle mass with resultant weight gain in people with creatine deficiency disorders. Nevertheless, these individuals continue to experience neurodevelopmental deficits due to inhibition of creatine's passage into the brain by the blood-brain barrier. However, a research team led by Fralin Biomedical Research Institute Assistant Professor Cheng-Chia Wu, MD, PhD, is studying how to use focused ultrasound to deliver creatine across this barrier.

"Through the partnership between Virginia Tech and Children's National Hospital, I was able to present our work in focused ultrasound at the Children's National Research & Innovation Campus," Dr Wu stated. "There, I met Dr. Seth Berger, a medical geneticist, who introduced me to creatine transporter deficiency. Together, we saw the promise that focused ultrasound had to offer."

It is hoped that research using focused ultrasound to deliver creatine across the blood-brain barrier will help restore normal brain mass in models of creatine.

—D Dye

Higher fiber intake linked with greater gray matter volume in area of brain related to memory

July 07 2025. An article published June 16, 2025, in Frontiers in Nutrition reported an association between greater fiber consumption and increased gray matter volume in the hippocampus area of the brain. Gray matter is responsible for memory, emotional regulation, muscle control and movement.

"The hippocampus is particularly vulnerable to gray matter loss in neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's, which is characterized by symptoms such as memory loss and cognitive decline," report authors Raghav Pallapothu and colleagues at the University of South Carolina explained. "Recent findings suggest that diet, particularly dietary fiber intake, may play a significant role in protecting hippocampal integrity and function."

The investigation included 158 healthy men and women who participated in the University of South Carolina's Aging Brain Cohort study. Participant responses to the 2015 National Health Interview Survey were analyzed for the intake of fiber. Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores were used as an indicator of cognitive status. Hippocampal gray matter volume was measured with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Fiber intake was mainly driven by the consumption of cereals, which highlights the importance of breakfast in obtaining fiber. A significant correlation was observed between higher fiber intake and greater gray matter volume of the right hippocampus and right parahippocampal gyrus areas. Increased dietary fiber intake was additionally associated with better Montreal Cognitive Assessment attention/concentration and language scores.

"These data are compatible with the hypothesis that dietary fiber may exert neuroprotective effects, and this may have implications for dietary recommendations aimed at reducing the risk of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias," Pallapothu and associates concluded.

—D Dye

CoQ10 may improve new daily persistent headache

July 02 2025. The annual meeting of the American Headache Society held June 19–22 was the site of the presentation of the findings of a retrospective study in which pediatric patients who reported using coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) experienced resolution of new daily persistent headaches, which are characterized by the sudden onset of daily, unremitting head pain lasting for longer than three months. The condition often has features that overlap with tension and migraine headaches, and effective treatment options are limited.

The study included 182 males and females of an average age of 15.5 years who were diagnosed between 2016 and 2022 with new daily persistent headache. Researchers Mrinmayee Takle and colleagues from Children's National Hospital examined patient medical records to analyze the efficacy of various therapies used by those included in the study.

Headache resolution occurred among 47% of individuals in the current study. While the use of magnesium, botulism toxin injections, exercise five times per week and the drug topiramate were associated with a trend toward effectiveness, the researchers determined that coenzyme Q10 was the only treatment that significantly improved headache resolution. Seventeen percent of those who experienced resolution used CoQ10 compared with 4% of those whose headaches persisted. No significant differences occurred in association with water intake, sleep duration or meal frequency.

"CoQ10 supplementation may play a role in new daily persistent headache resolution, with potential benefit from topiramate, magnesium, and exercise approaching significance," Tackle and associates concluded. "Further prospective studies and randomized controlled trials are needed to establish causality and to optimize treatment strategies for pediatric new daily persistent headache.

—D Dye

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