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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.

Omega-3 helps protect against hyperinflammatory response in critically ill patients

September 29 2025. A meta-analysis of 41 randomized, controlled trials determined that critically ill individuals who received polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids experienced lower biomarkers of a hyperinflammatory response, fewer secondary infections, decreased risk of sepsis or septic shock; and a reduced risk of mortality during a 28-day period compared with control groups who received standard medical care and/or other therapies.

Intensive care unit (ICU) patients may respond to injuries with a hyperinflammatory state and develop systemic inflammatory response syndrome characterized by the release of proinflammatory blood factors. "Circulating white blood cells show increased levels of transcription factors that enhance the expression of multiple genes linked to inflammation," Ting Liu and colleagues of the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University in Suzhou, China explained. "This leads to an intensified inflammatory response, characterized by elevated levels of cytokines such as interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) in the bloodstream."

"Patients who survive this stage may subsequently develop the Compensatory Anti-Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CARS), characterized by the suppression of cell-mediated immunity and an increased risk of sepsis, secondary infections, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), multiple organ dysfunction (MODS), and potentially death."

For the meta-analysis, Liu and associates identified 41 trials that compared critically ill men and women who received omega-3 fatty acids to control groups who received standard medical care or other treatments. The trials included a total of 3,152 participants. The researchers determined that patients who received omega-3 fatty acids had lower proinflammatory blood factors, a reduction in the sequential organ failure assessment score, a lower risk of secondary infections and new sepsis or septic shock, a shorter ICU stay and a lower rate of 28-day mortality.

The findings will appear in the February 2026 issue of Intensive and Critical Care Nursing.¹

—D Dye

Younger brain age linked with healthy lifestyle factors

September 26 2025. Research reported September 11, 2025, in Brain Communications has found that having specific behavioral and psychosocial factors is associated with having a brain that is biologically younger than the brains of individuals who had fewer protective factors. Not using tobacco, having a healthy waist circumference, optimism, positive affect, less perceived stress, social support and adequate sleep were factors associated with younger brains.

"These are things that people have some level of control over," first author Jared J. Tanner, PhD, of the University of Florida noted. "You can learn how to perceive stress differently. Poor sleep is very treatable. Optimism can be practiced."

The current investigation included 128 middle-aged and older men and women with chronic pain who participated in a previous study that included receiving magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain. Most of the participants had chronic knee pain and osteoarthritis or were at risk of the disease.

Higher chronic pain stage and socioenvironmental risk were associated with an increased brain age gap, defined as the difference between chronologic age (number of years lived) and predicted brain age. Having greater socioenvironmental risk was associated with a brain age that was approximately three years older than the brain age of participants who had less risk. However, people who had a greater number of behavioral and psychosocial protective factors had brains that were more than three years younger than the brains of those with fewer protective factors.

"The message is consistent across our studies, health-promoting behaviors are not only associated with lower pain and better physical functioning, they appear to actually bolster health in an additive fashion at a meaningful level," senior author Kimberly Sibille, PhD, of the University of Florida stated. "Literally for every additional healthy promoting factor there is some evidence of neurobiological benefit.

"Our findings support the growing body of evidence that lifestyle is medicine," she concluded.

—D Dye

Pu-erh tea and tea compounds show promise for weight management

September 24 2025. Findings from a study reported on May 20, 2025, in Beverage Plant Research suggest a role in maintaining healthy weight for Pu-erh tea made from fermented tea leaves combined with the tea compounds theanine and catechin.

The study included five groups of mice, among which four groups received a high-fat diet for 14 weeks and one group was given a normal diet. After six weeks of the high-fat diet, three groups of the mice that received the diet were given low, medium or high doses of a combination of solid Pu-erh tea extract, catechin and theanine for the remaining eight weeks. Body weight, organ indices, lipid profiles, inflammatory cytokines, antioxidant capacity, colon barrier integrity, gut microbiota composition and other factors were assessed before and after the eight-week treatment period.

At the end of the study, weight gain was less in high-fat diet-fed mice that received the tea combination than in untreated high-fat diet-fed animals. Mice that were treated with the highest dose showed the least gain. Indicators of dyslipidemia, including serum total and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and liver total cholesterol and triglycerides were significantly lower in tea-treated animals, and markers of liver function were more favorable compared with the untreated high-fat diet-fed group. While inflammation and oxidative stress markers dose-dependently declined in treated animals, antioxidant enzymes were higher at the end of the study. Furthermore, the tea combination improved intestinal microbiome species and colon barrier integrity.

"The negative impact of obesity caused by a high-fat diet on the body is not simply the increase in body size," the authors wrote. "Our study found that Pu-erh tea composite solid beverage alleviated obesity symptoms in high-fat diet mice by regulating lipid deposition and intestinal flora disorders, and its improvement effect was dose-dependent."

—D Dye

Gynostemma pentaphyllum: K-beauty for the hair

September 22 2025. An article published this year in the journal Nutrients reported the findings of a South Korean trial that revealed enhanced hair elasticity, density and diameter among men and women with moderate hair damage who were given an extract of Gynostemma pentaphyllum.

"Gynostemma pentaphyllum, a traditional medicinal herb containing a diverse array of pharmacologically active constituents, including gypenosides, flavonoid compounds, and complex polysaccharides, has demonstrated significant therapeutic utility in traditional Chinese medicine for managing various chronic pathologies, including hypertension, dyslipidemia, and glucose metabolism disorders," Jihyun Lee and colleagues wrote. "It demonstrates remarkable antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, positioning it as a promising intervention for addressing hair health."

The randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial included 47 adults who received 340 milliliters orally administered Gynostemma pentaphyllum per day and an equal number who received a placebo. Hair diameter, density, elasticity and glossiness, as well as subjective participant satisfaction were evaluated at the beginning of the trial and every eight weeks through the trial's 24-week duration.

At the end of the trial, participants who were given Gynostemma pentaphyllum had a significant threefold increase in hair density and elasticity and a fourfold increase in hair diameter in comparison with men and women who received a placebo. When subjective satisfaction scores were evaluated, participants who received Gynostemma pentaphyllum reported less damage and dryness than the placebo group. No severe adverse events were reported.

"This study provides compelling evidence of the efficacy of Gynostemma pentaphyllum extract in enhancing hair health, demonstrating both significant functional improvements and an excellent safety profile," Lee and associates concluded. "The findings substantiated Gynostemma pentaphyllum extract's potential as a functional food, not only offering an innovative approach to hair care but also providing a safer alternative and a scientific basis for the treatment of hair loss and related conditions."

—D Dye

More evidence for protective effect of vitamin B3 against skin cancer

September 19 2025. Findings from a study reported September 17, 2025, in the American Medical Association journal JAMA Dermatology support a protective effect for nicotinamide, a form of vitamin B3, against the development of skin cancers that included basal cell carcinoma and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

"Nicotinamide is a vitamin B3 derivative that is sold as an over-the-counter (OTC) medication and has shown promise in skin cancer chemoprevention, with up to 75% of dermatologic surgeons reporting using nicotinamide for this indication," authors Kimberly F. Breglio, MD, and colleagues noted.

The retrospective study included 33,766 veterans whose medical information was obtained from the Veterans Affairs Corporate Data Warehouse. Twice daily intake of 500 mg nicotinamide for at least 30 days was documented among 12,287 men and women. These individuals were matched by the researchers with 21,479 veterans who had not used nicotinamide.

The researchers observed a 14% reduction in the development of new skin cancers after starting treatment with nicotinamide in comparison with the rate experienced by individuals who did not use the vitamin. When nicotinamide was initiated after the first skin cancer diagnosis, the reduction in the risk of subsequent skin cancers was 50% compared with non-use; however, this protective effect declined when nicotinamide was initiated after further skin cancer diagnoses. The greatest reduction in risk was observed in association with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

"There are no guidelines for when to start treatment with nicotinamide for skin cancer prevention in the general population," corresponding author Lee Wheless, MD, PhD, remarked. "These results would really shift our practice from starting it once patients have developed numerous skin cancers to starting it earlier. We still need to do a better job of identifying who will actually benefit, as roughly only half of patients will develop multiple skin cancers."

—D Dye

Can nutrients delay menopause?

September 17 2025. A study reported September 10, 2025, in the journal Nutrients found a greater age at natural menopause among women who added fish oil, vitamins and antioxidant mixtures to their diets in comparison with nonusers.

Early menopause has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, depression, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and premature mortality.

Shekhinamary Jebaraj and Valentine Nlebedim at the University of Leeds, England evaluated data from 3,566 participants in the UK Women's Health Study who had undergone natural menopause that was not associated with medical or surgical interventions. Responses to questionnaires completed by the participants provided information concerning diet, type and frequency of additional nutrient use, lifestyle factors and reproductive history.

Women who added nutrients to their diets had an average age at menopause of 51 years in comparison with nonusers whose age at menopause averaged 50 years. Those who used fish oil, a source of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, had a 95% lower risk of earlier menopause compared with nonusers. B vitamin use was associated with a 52% lower risk, vitamin C with a 25% lower risk and antioxidants with a 46% lower risk of earlier menopause. High red meat consumption, long smoking duration and lower educational attainment were associated with an increased risk of earlier menopause.

"Our results corroborate previous pooled analyses and prospective cohorts, which identified a later menopause associated with increased omega-3 fatty acid intake, suggesting fish oil's anti-inflammatory effect," Jebarj and Nlebedim wrote. "The associations observed with antioxidant intake match Japanese studies, which indicated a later age at natural menopause among women consuming higher amounts of carotenoid-rich and green-yellow vegetables."

"These findings add to the growing evidence that lifestyle and nutritional factors, which can be modified, play a crucial role in reproductive aging."

—D Dye

Noncommunicable disease death rates decline

September 15 2025. Findings from a study reported September 10, 2025, in The Lancet revealed a drop in mortality from noncommunicable diseases in men living in 147 of 185 of the world's countries and among women in 152 of these countries during 2010 to 2019.

While the finding is positive, the decline is less than that observed during the previous decade.

"To our knowledge, this is the first analysis not only to report change in noncommunicable disease mortality at the national level across time for all countries but also to benchmark national performance against each country's own historical performance and against regional best performers," James E. Bennett and colleagues announced.

Noncommunicable diseases include cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, endocrine, blood and immune disorders, noninfectious respiratory, digestive and genitourinary diseases, neurologic conditions, mental and substance use disorders, congenital anomalies, and sense organ, musculoskeletal, skin, and dental or oral conditions.

Men in Singapore and Switzerland had the lowest chance of dying from a noncommunicable disease and those from Kiribati and Eswatini had the highest risk. For women, residing in South Korea or Japan was associated with the lowest noncommunicable disease mortality risk and living in Afghanistan or Lesotho conferred the greatest risk.

Nearly two-thirds of the countries analyzed had a slowdown in the rate of decline during the past decade compared with the previous decade. The United States showed the smallest improvement. "Around the beginning of the millennium, we saw significantly lowered mortality rates, but despite political attention suddenly over the last decade, things are not doing as well as before," report coauthor Majid Ezzati of Imperial College London observed.

Heads of States and Government will meet this year at the UN General Assembly to establish a Political Declaration concerning the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases and the promotion of future mental health and wellbeing.

—D Dye

Higher selenium intake linked with lower risk of premature mortality in people with diabetic kidney disease

September 12 2025. Findings from a study published July 1, 2025, in the International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research found a protective effect for selenium against mortality from all causes during follow-up among people with diabetic kidney disease. Kidney disease is a complication of diabetes which results in a rate of mortality that is thirty times higher than that of people with diabetes who have normal kidney function.

"By mimicking insulin action, reducing insulin resistance, and enhancing glucose metabolism, selenium may offer beneficial effects for individuals with diabetic kidney disease," authors Xiaona Wang and colleagues at the Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in China noted.

Wang and associates analyzed data from 2,183 men and women with diabetic kidney disease who enrolled in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2001 and 2014. Dietary recall interview responses by the participants were analyzed for average selenium intake. Mortality was ascertained through 2015.

During an average follow-up period of eight years, 1,063 deaths occurred. Individuals whose intake of selenium was among the top 25% of subjects at greater than 121 micrograms per day had an adjusted 29.5% lower risk of mortality during follow-up in comparison with individuals whose levels were among the lowest 25% at less than 60.4 micrograms per day.

"This study represents the first investigation into the relationship between dietary selenium intake and all-cause mortality among individuals with diabetic kidney disease," Wang and colleagues announced. "This association remained independent of established risk factors, including diet and lifestyle, as well as interventions aimed at reducing blood glucose and lipid levels."

"Our findings suggest that optimizing selenium intake in diabetic kidney disease patients could reduce all-cause mortality risk."

—D Dye

Meta-analysis affirms benefit of CoQ10 for male infertility

September 10 2025. The outcome of systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized studies published August 27, 2025, in The World Journal of Men’s Health added evidence to a benefit for coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in the treatment of infertility in men.

Researchers selected eight studies that included a total of 781 men with infertility of unidentified cause. Four hundred thirty men received CoQ10, and 351 men received a placebo or other control comparison (multivitamin, glutathione or Chinese herbal). Coenzyme Q10 doses ranged from 100 mg–200 mg per day in the five studies that evaluated the effects of CoQ10 as a single nutrient and the remainder of the studies used antioxidant combinations that contained lower CoQ10 doses.

The meta-analysis revealed a significantly higher sperm concentration among men who received CoQ10 when compared with a placebo control. No significant differences in results occurred between participants who were given CoQ10 singly or in combination with other nutrients. Among studies that evaluated seminal volume, men who received CoQ10 had significantly higher volume than control group participants. Again, no significant differences were found between men who received CoQ10 as a single nutrient and those who received it as part of a combination. Sperm motility, which is reduced in infertile men, was also higher in CoQ10-treated men compared with the control participants, with no differences observed in association with duration of the studies or between single and combination CoQ10 formulations.

The two studies that evaluated seminal CoQ10 levels revealed higher levels of CoQ10 compared with control group participants. Two other studies, which documented pregnancy rate outcomes, found a significantly higher rate in women whose partners received CoQ10.

The authors concluded that CoQ10 "significantly improves sperm concentration, seminal volume, total motility, and seminal CoQ10 levels, particularly when administered for six months."

—D Dye

Arginine could protect against adverse impact of sucralose on cancer immunotherapy

September 08 2025. Research findings reported July 30, 2025, in the American Association for Cancer Research journal Cancer Discovery suggest that the essential amino acid arginine could help protect against the negative impact of the artificial sweetener sucralose on cancer immunotherapy, which harnesses the body's immune system to attack cancer.

Abigail E. Overacre, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh and colleagues discovered that sucralose changed the composition of the gastrointestinal microbiome of mice and increased bacterial species that degrade arginine. Arginine is essential for the function of immune system cells known as T cells, which is boosted by immune checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapies including anti-PD1. Giving the mice arginine resulted in restoration of immunotherapy's effectiveness.

"When arginine levels were depleted due to sucralose-driven shifts in the microbiome, T cells couldn't function properly," Dr Overacre reported. "As a result, immunotherapy wasn't as effective in mice that were fed sucralose."

The researchers evaluated dietary questionnaire responses of people with cancer who received anti-PD1 immunotherapies for non-small cell lung cancer or melanoma. "We found that sucralose impeded the effectiveness of immunotherapies across a range of cancer types, stages and treatment modalities," senior author Diwakar Davar, MD, of the University of Pittsburgh stated.

"It's easy to say, 'Stop drinking diet soda,' but when patients are being treated for cancer, they are already dealing with enough, so asking them to drastically alter their diet may not be realistic," Dr Overacre observed. "We need to meet patients where they are. That's why it's so exciting that arginine . . . could be a simple approach to counteract the negative effects of sucralose on immunotherapy."

—D Dye

Zeaxanthin boosts anticancer immunity

September 03 2025. Study findings reported September 1, 2025, in Cell Reports Medicinedocumentedan ability for zeaxanthin, a member of a family of compounds known as carotenoids that occur in fruit and vegetables, to increase the cells' anticancer immune function.

Zeaxanthin is consumed by many health-conscious individuals to support eye health and protect against age-related macular degeneration. The carotenoid concentrates in the central macula of the human retina where it helps protect against blue and ultraviolet light-induced oxidative stress. "We were surprised to find that zeaxanthin, already known for its role in eye health, has a completely new function in boosting anti-tumor immunity," senior author Jing Chen, PhD, of the University of Chicago stated. "Our study shows that a simple dietary nutrient could complement and strengthen advanced cancer treatments like immunotherapy."

Dr Chen's research team found that zeaxanthin boosts the activity of CD8+ immune cells, which kill tumor cells. In groups of mice in which melanoma or colon cancer tumors were induced, orally administered zeaxanthin slowed tumor growth. When given with a type of cancer immunotherapy known as immune checkpoint inhibitors, zeaxanthin enhanced the therapy's effect. Zeaxanthin also improved the anticancer effect of human T cells that were engineered to recognize certain tumor antigens, resulting in better ability of the cells to kill cancer cells that included glioblastoma, melanoma and multiple myeloma cells. "Our data show that zeaxanthin improves both natural and engineered T-cell responses, which suggests high translational potential for patients undergoing immunotherapies," Dr Chen affirmed.

"Our findings open a new field of nutritional immunology that looks at how specific dietary components interact with the immune system at the molecular level," he added. "With more research, we may discover natural compounds that make today's cancer therapies more effective and accessible."

—D Dye

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