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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.

Meta-analysis affirms cardiometabolic benefits of garlic

February 11 2026. A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials published in the January 2026 issue of Nutrition Reviews concluded that garlic consumption supports healthy cardiovascular risk factors and inflammatory biomarkers in men and women.

"Allium sativum, known as garlic, is a commonly used herb for enhancing flavors and has been historically employed as a form of traditional medicine, particularly within regions of Asia," Vahideh Behrouz, PhD, of Kerman University of Medical Sciences and colleagues wrote. "Various garlic products, such as garlic tablet, aged garlic extract (AGE), garlic powder, garlic oil, black garlic, and raw garlic are commercially accessible and have demonstrated efficacy in diminishing mortality rates and cardiovascular risk."

The research team identified 108 randomized, controlled trials that included a total of 7,137 adults for the meta-analysis. Trials evaluated cardiometabolic effects of different forms of garlic and the garlic compound allicin on metabolic and cardiovascular blood markers. Fourteen trials involved healthy participants while the remainder included participants who had metabolic or other conditions.

Compared with control group participants, the meta-analysis showed that men and women who received garlic had significantly improved serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, fasting blood glucose, insulin, insulin resistance, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, aspartate aminotransferase (AST, an enzyme that occurs in liver, heart, kidneys and muscle), C-reactive protein (CRP, a marker of inflammation), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (a proinflammatory protein), total antioxidant capacity, and malondialdehyde (a marker of oxidative stress). Garlic did not affect weight or body mass index.

"This meta-analysis demonstrates that garlic intake significantly improves key cardiovascular risk markers, including lipid profiles, glycemic indices, blood pressure, oxidative stress, and inflammatory biomarkers, particularly in adults with unfavorable baseline risk factors," Dr Behrouz and associates concluded. "These findings suggest that garlic may enhance cardiovascular health in high-risk populations."

—D Dye

Higher vitamin D levels linked with improved marker of biologic aging

February 09 2026. A meta-analysis published February 6, 2026, in Medicine revealed an association between higher levels of vitamin D and longer telomeres: bits of genetic material that cap and protect the ends of chromosomes and shorten during cellular aging. Rapid telomere shortening has been associated with such aging-related diseases as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, as well as decreased lifespan.

"Optimal vitamin D levels could protect against telomere shortening through various mechanisms, including its anti-inflammatory effects, reduction of oxidative stress, improvement of telomerase activity, regulation of cellular differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis, as well as promotion of genomic stability," Jie Shen and colleagues wrote.

The researchers analyzed data from 21 studies that ascertained serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and leukocyte (white blood cell) telomere length among a total of 185,191 participants. They found a significant association between serum vitamin D levels in adults, women and individuals with deficient levels of the vitamin. Shen and colleagues noted that men usually have shorter telomeres compared with women, which could explain a lack of a significant association between telomere length and vitamin D in men observed in the current meta-analysis. Estrogen, which is higher in women than in men, can stimulate the production of telomerase, an enzyme that maintains telomere length, and estrogen also has a protective antioxidant effect.

"This meta-analysis highlights a positive association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and leukocyte telomere length in specific subgroups, including women, adults, and individuals with vitamin D deficiency," the authors concluded. "These findings suggest that vitamin D may play a role in maintaining telomere length in these populations. However, no significant associations were observed in men, children, or individuals with sufficient vitamin D levels, indicating that the relationship between vitamin D and leukocyte telomere length may vary based on demographic and health factors."

—D Dye

Large study finds 38% of cancers preventable

February 06 2026. In a study published February 3, 2026, in Nature Medicine, researchers estimated that 38% of cancers worldwide are preventable. Not surprisingly, smoking was revealed to be the leading contributor to preventable cancers, followed by infections and alcohol consumption. Avoidance of these risk factors is "one of the most powerful ways that we can potentially reduce the future cancer burden," first author Hanna Fink of the World Health Organization commented.

Among 18.7 million new cancer cases that occurred in 2022, which included 36 cancer types in 185 countries, 7.1 million were attributable to 30 modifiable factors, including tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, high body mass index, insufficient physical activity, smokeless tobacco and areca nut, insufficient breastfeeding, air pollution, ultraviolet radiation, 13 occupational exposures and nine infectious agents (particularly human papilloma virus which causes cervical cancer). Lung, cervical and stomach cancers made up nearly half of preventable cancers.

For men, 4.3 million new cancer cases were determined to be preventable and among women, the figure was 2.7 million. Smoking was the leading preventable cancer risk factor for men and infections were the leading risk factor for women.

"In summary, nearly 4 in 10 cancer cases worldwide in 2022 could have been prevented by eliminating exposure to the risk factors considered in this study," Fink and colleagues concluded. "Our results reinforce the call for effective cancer prevention, which requires sustained political commitment and investment tailored to the specific risks of populations worldwide."

Fink encourages the current study's findings to be utilized for cancer prevention strategies based on the strongest risk factors for men and women in various regions. "It's not a one-size-fits-all approach," she noted.

—D Dye

Ubiquinol improves insulin sensitivity in prediabetic adults

February 04 2026. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study that evaluated the effects of the ubiquinol form of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in men and women with prediabetes resulted in improvement in insulin resistance among those who were given CoQ10 compared with participants who received a placebo. The findings were published in the April 2026 issue of Clinical Nutrition Open Science.

"Prediabetes, defined as a state of elevated glucose levels that do not meet the diagnostic criteria for diabetes, is a nonnegligible condition," authors Pasita Palakornkitti and colleagues at Dhurakij Pundit University noted. "Not only does it pose a certain risk of developing diabetes, but it is also associated with the development of cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, neuropathy and retinopathy."

The trial enrolled 20 prediabetic individuals who were between 18–60 years of age. Ten participants were given one 100-milligram capsule of ubiquinol in medium chain triglyceride oil while the remainder received a placebo daily for 12 weeks. Laboratory values, including homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), glucose, hemoglobin A1c and lipids, were measured at the beginning and end of the trial.

After 12 weeks, participants who received CoQ10 had significantly lower insulin resistance compared with the placebo group. No side effects were reported. Although moderate-to-large beneficial effects were found for hemoglobin A1c and fasting plasma glucose and insulin, statistical analysis did not determine the reductions to be of significance. "These findings may suggest potential metabolic benefit of ubiquinol supplementation; however, the limited sample size of this pilot study likely resulted in insufficient statistical power to detect significant differences for these outcomes," the authors commented.

"One hundred milligrams ubiquinol for 12 weeks improves insulin sensitivity for prediabetic patients with a favorable safety profile," they concluded, suggesting that the effects are worthy of investigation in larger trials.

—D Dye

Meta-analysis supports ability of B vitamins to lower homocysteine

February 02 2026. A systematic review and meta-analysis published January 30, 2026, in Cardiology & Cardiovascular Disorders concluded that the addition of B-vitamins to the diet is linked with a significant reduction in serum levels of homocysteine, a potentially toxic amino acid which, when elevated, has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. "Our study aimed to determine whether multivitamin therapy offers greater homocysteine-lowering benefits than single-vitamin approaches," authors Liping Guo and colleagues explained.

For the meta-analysis, Guo and associates identified 13 randomized, controlled studies that included a total of 14,539 men and women with coronary heart disease. The studies included 7,301 control group members and 7,228 participants who were given the vitamins folate with vitamin B6 and/or B12, which regulate homocysteine metabolism. Serum total homocysteine was measured at various timepoints.

The meta-analysis showed that B-vitamin-treated individuals experienced significantly reduced serum total homocysteine compared with the control participants. No effects for the vitamins on cardiovascular events or mortality were found in this analysis.

Treated individuals also experienced a reduction in the risk of vascular restenosis: re-narrowing of a diseased artery that has been previously opened with bypass surgery or other treatments. "By lowering homocysteine levels, the treatment appears to mitigate endothelial injury and slow the progression of atherosclerosis, which is consistent with clinical observations," the authors remarked.

"Our findings highlight the synergistic role of folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 in achieving optimal regulation of homocysteine levels.," they concluded. "Future research should focus on identifying specific subgroups (e.g. patients with severe homocysteine elevation or early-stage coronary heart disease) to further clarify its clinical value."

—D Dye

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