Gary‘s Daily Health News - Vol. 6

PQQ supplementation associated with improved cognitive function among older individuals

Teikyo University (Japan) and Texas Southern University, August 27 2021. 

A trial reported on August 20, 2021 in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition resulted in better memory and cognitive function among middle aged and older men and women who received supplements containing pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) disodium salt in comparison with a placebo.

PQQ is an antioxidant found in cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, apples, bananas, green tea and other foods. PQQ supports the growth of new mitochondria, which are the cells’ energy-producing power plants. PQQ also protects nerve cells by increasing the expression of nerve growth factor and its receptors, as well as by suppressing the aggregation of amyloid beta.

The trial included 58 participants between the ages of 40 and 80 years with aging-associated cognitive impairment who received 12 weeks of 21.5 milligrams PQQ per day or a placebo. Cognitive performance was evaluated before the treatment period and at 6 and 12 weeks. A questionnaire that obtained information concerning subjective forgetfulness was also administered at these time points. 

At the end of the trial, significant improvement was observed among the group that received PQQ in areas of cognitive function that included composite memory, verbal memory, reaction time, complex attention, cognitive flexibility, and executive function (judgement) compared to the placebo. Motor speed was also better in the PQQ group after 12 weeks. Subjective forgetfulness was improved at 6 and 12 weeks in PQQ treated participants in comparison with the placebo. Reported adverse effects were mild in both groups.

Authors Yoshiaki Shiojima and colleagues cited several mechanisms that contribute to PQQ’s observed benefits. They concluded that the “study demonstrates that supplementation of PQQ disodium salt is useful in improving memory, attention, judgment, and cognitive function, in middle-aged to elderly population, who feel they have become more forgetful because of aging.”

 

 

Green neighbourhoods linked with better heart health

University of Miami, 28 Aug 2021

People who live in green neighbourhoods are less likely to develop cardiovascular disease, according to research presented at ESC Congress 2021.1,2

“Higher levels of greenness were associated with lower rates of heart conditions and stroke over time, both when an area maintained high greenness and when greenness increased,” said study author Dr. William Aitken of the University of Miami, US. “It was remarkable that these relationships appeared in just five years, a relatively short amount of time for a positive environmental impact.”

Making streets and neighbourhoods greener has many benefits and this study investigated whether it had any relationship with rates of heart disease. The researchers also examined whether planting more vegetation in a locality would be accompanied by reductions in heart disease over time.

The study included 243,558 US Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older who lived in the same area of Miami during 2011 to 2016.3 Medicare records were used to obtain the incidence of new cardiovascular conditions during the five-year study including heart attack, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, ischaemic heart disease, hypertension, and stroke/transient ischaemic attack.

Satellite images were used to assess the amount of visible and near-infrared (i.e. invisible) sunlight reflected from the Earth’s surface. Chlorophyll from plants typically absorbs visible light and reflects near-infrared light, so measuring both indicates the amount of vegetation. The greenness of city blocks was then classified as low, medium or high.

Participants were categorised based on whether they lived in low, medium or high greenness blocks in 2011. The process was repeated for those same residents and the greenness of their blocks in 2016. During that period of time Miami-Dade County Parks conducted tree planting programmes so, for example, there was the possibility that someone in a low greenness block in 2011 could be living in a high greenness block in 2016.

The researchers analysed the odds of developing any new cardiovascular disease, and the number of new cardiovascular conditions, based on block-level greenness. The analyses were adjusted for other factors that could be related to new-onset heart disease: age, sex, race/ethnicity, number of baseline cardiovascular conditions, and neighbourhood characteristics including median household income and walkability.

The researchers first compared heart health among those continually living in high versus low greenness areas during the five-year study. Residents of high greenness blocks throughout the study had a 16% lower odds of developing any new cardiovascular conditions compared to those in low greenness blocks (odds ratio [OR]=0.84; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.79–0.90; p<0.001). Among participants who developed a cardiovascular condition during follow-up, those in high greenness areas developed 4% fewer new diseases compared with those in low greenness blocks (OR=0.96; 95% CI 0.92–0.99; p<0.05).

The researchers then compared heart health in participants whose neighbourhood became greener versus those who continued to live in areas with low vegetation. When compared to residents of low greenness areas throughout the study, those living in areas that increased their greenness from low in 2011 to high in 2016 had 15% lower odds of developing new cardiovascular conditions (OR=0.85; 95% CI 0.75–0.97; p<0.001). Among participants who developed a cardiovascular condition during follow-up, those whose neighbourhood became greener developed 9% fewer new cardiovascular conditions compared to residents of localities with continually low levels of greenness throughout the study (OR=0.91; 95% CI 0.83–0.99; p<0.05).

Dr. Aitken said: “We suspect that multiple factors may account for these observations. For instance, people living in greener areas may do more outdoor exercise and might feel less stressed due to being surrounded by nature. In addition, vegetation could provide some protection from air and/or noise pollution. This is an area for further exploration.”

He added: “Tree planting and greening of neighbourhoods is associated with multiple benefits and offers a relatively low-cost investment to enhance health and well-being in many circumstances. For the cost of one emergency room visit for a heart attack, trees could be planted in a neighbourhood with 100 residents and potentially prevent ten heart diseases in this group.”

 

 

Curcumin shows potential against malignant meningiomas

Qingdao University, August 28, 2021

According to news originating from Qingdao, People’s Republic of China, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “Meningiomas, which are the most common primary intracranial tumors, have highly aggressive cells in malignant cases. Due to its extensive antitumor effects, curcumin is widely used in experimental and clinical studies.”

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from the Department of Nephrology, “However, the role of curcumin during the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in meningioma has not been established. We found that curcumin blocks hepatocyte growth factor- (HGF-) induced proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT of human malignant meningioma cells by regulating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. In addition, treatment of human malignant meningioma cells with the tyrosine protein kinase (c-MET) inhibitor (SU11274) or the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor (LY294002) suppressed HGF-induced migration and EMT. Furthermore, we found that curcumin inhibited tumor growth and HGF-induced EMT in mice subjected to subcutaneous xenotransplantation. These findings indicate that HGF regulates EMT in human malignant meningioma cells through c-MET/PI3K/Akt/mTOR modulation.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “Curcumin inhibits HGF-induced EMT by targeting c-MET and subsequently blocking the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway.”

 

 

Reducing sugar in packaged foods can prevent disease in millions

A new health and economic model clearly shows why it’s imperative that food manufacturers reduce the amount of added sugar in their products

Massachusetts General Hospital, Tufts University & Harvard University, August 27, 2021

Cutting 20% of sugar from packaged foods and 40% from beverages could prevent 2.48 million cardiovascular disease events (such as strokes, heart attacks, cardiac arrests), 490,000 cardiovascular deaths, and 750,000 diabetes cases in the U.S. over the lifetime of the adult population, reports a study published in Circulation.

A team of researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), the Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy at Tufts University, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOH) created a model to simulate and quantify the health, economic, and equity impacts of a pragmatic sugar-reduction policy proposed by the U.S. National Salt and Sugar Reduction Initiative (NSSRI). A partnership of more than 100 local, state and national health organizations convened by the NYC DOH, the NSSRI released draft sugar-reduction targets for packaged foods and beverages in 15 categories in 2018. This February, NSSRI finalized the policy with the goal of industry voluntarily committing to gradually reformulate their sugary products.

Implementing a national policy, however, will require government support to monitor companies as they work toward the targets and to publicly report on their progress. The researchers hope their model will build consensus on the need for a national-sugar reformulation policy in the US. “We hope that this study will help push the reformulation initiative forward in the next few years,” says Siyi Shangguan, MD, MPH, lead author and attending physician at MGH. “Reducing the sugar content of commercially prepared foods and beverages will have a larger impact on the health of Americans than other initiatives to cut sugar, such as imposing a sugar tax, labeling added sugar content, or banning sugary drinks in schools.”

Ten years after the NSSRI policy goes into effect, the U.S. could expect to save $4.28 billion in total net healthcare costs, and $118.04 billion over the lifetime of the current adult population (ages 35 to 79), according to the model. Adding the societal costs of lost productivity of Americans developing diseases from excessive sugar consumption, the total cost savings of the NSSRI policy rises to $160.88 billion over the adult population’s lifetime. These benefits are likely to be an underestimation since the calculations were conservative. The study also demonstrated that even partial industry compliance with the policy could generate significant health and economic gains.

The researchers found that the NSSRI policy became cost-effective at six years and cost-saving at nine years. The policy could also reduce disparities, with the greatest estimated health gains among Black and Hispanic adults, and Americans with lower income and less education—populations that consume the most sugar as a historical consequence of inequitable systems.

Product reformulation efforts have been shown to be successful in reducing other harmful nutrients, such as trans fats and sodium. The U.S., however, lags other countries in implementing strong sugar-reduction policies, with countries such as the UK, Norway, and Singapore taking the lead on sugar-reformulation efforts. The US may yet become a leader in protecting its people from the dangers of excessive sugar consumption if the NSSRI’s proposed sugar-reduction targets are achieved. “The NSSRI policy is by far the most carefully designed and comprehensive, yet achievable, sugar-reformulation initiative in the world,” says Shangguan.

Consuming sugary foods and beverages is strongly linked to obesity and diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of mortality in the U.S.  More than two in five American adults are obese, one in two have diabetes or prediabetes, and nearly one in two have cardiovascular disease, with those from lower-income groups being disproportionately burdened.

“Sugar is one of the most obvious additives in the food supply to reduce to reasonable amounts,” says Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, DrPH, co-senior author and dean of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. “Our findings suggest it’s time to implement a national program with voluntary sugar reduction targets, which can generate major improvements in health, health disparities, and healthcare spending in less than a decade.”

 

Healthy dietary intake associated with lower brain iron, better cognition in older adults

University of Kentucky, August 26, 2021

Research conducted at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine suggests that higher intake of specific nutrients is associated with lower brain iron concentration and better cognitive performance in older adults.

The study was recently published in the Neurobiology of Aging and highlights the important balance of non-heme iron for optimal neuronal function. Excess non-heme brain iron has been associated with neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease. High levels of brain iron can also be seen in normal aging, where they have been correlated with poor cognitive performance.

A key question is whether age-related increases in brain iron and related cognitive declines can be slowed by environmental factors, such as healthy dietary intake. To explore this question, the research team evaluated the relationship between nutritional intake, brain iron and cognitive performance in a group of healthy, older adults between 61 and 86 years old.

The team was able to address the question using a variety of methods including computer assessments to quantify working memory performance, questionnaires to obtain nutrition information and an in vivo MRI technique called quantitative susceptibility mapping to measure iron concentration in brain tissue.

Consistent with previously published work, the results indicated that increasing age was associated with higher levels of brain iron concentration and poorer working memory performance. However, those older adults with high dietary intake of nutrients commonly found in nuts, soybeans, olive oils, and fish (such as vitamin E, lysine, DHA omega-3 and LA omega-6 PUFA) tended to have lower brain iron and better working memory performance than expected for their age.

“Our results suggest that these nutrients may offer protection against brain iron accumulation and cognitive decline in older adults,” said Valentinos Zachariou, Ph.D., a researcher in the UK Department of Neuroscience and first author of the publication.

“Our promising correlational findings provide motivation for follow-up clinical trials to assess whether specific nutrition can slow brain iron accumulation in older adults,” said Brian Gold, Ph.D., professor of neuroscience and principal investigator of the study.

 

 

Probiotic supplementation may improve bone health

Tehran University of Medical Sciences (Iran), August 28, 2021

According to news reporting originating from the Obesity and Eating Habits Research Center , research stated, “Despite the proposed role of the gut microbiota-bone axis, findings on the association between probiotic consumption and bone health are conflicting. This systematic review aimed to assess the effect of probiotic consumption on bone health parameters.”

Financial supporters for this research include Tehran University of Medical Sciences.

Our news reporters obtained a quote from the research from Obesity and Eating Habits Research Center: “A systematic literature search of relevant reports published in PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, SCOPUS, EMBASE, and Google scholar before December 2020 was conducted. All clinical trials or experimental studies, which examined the relationship between probiotic consumption and bone health parameters, were included. No limitation was applied during the search. After screening articles based on inclusion criteria, 44 studies remained. In clinical trials, probiotic consumption affects bone health parameters such as serum calcium levels (3.82; 95% CI: 1.05, 6.59 mmol/l), urinary calcium levels (4.85; 95% CI: 1.16, 8.53 mmol/l), and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels (-5.53; 95% CI: -9.83, -0.86 ng/l). In most studies, Lactobacillus species such as L. helveticus, L. reuteri, and L. casei were consumed and women aged 50 years or older were assessed. Spinal and total hip bone mineral density (BMD) was not affected significantly by probiotic consumption. In 37 animal experiments, probiotic or symbiotic feeding mostly had effects on bone health parameters. Some strains of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus including L. reuteri, L. casei, L. paracasei, L. bulgaricus, and L. acidophilus have indicated beneficial effects on bone health parameters.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “In conclusion, this systematic review and meta-analysis indicate that probiotic supplementation might improve bone health. Further studies are needed to decide on the best probiotic species and appropriate dosages.”

 

 

Lower mortality in heart failure trial patients given CoQ10

Yulin Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital (China), August 30 2021. 

 

A meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials concluded that supplementation with coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) was associated with a lower risk of mortality and better exercise capacity during the course of the trials. The results were reported in BMC Cardiovascular Disorders.

“Our research is the newest meta-analysis that analyzes the efficacy of coenzyme Q10 in heart failure patients,” authors L. Lei of Yulin Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital and Y. Liu of Yulin Second Hospital in Yulin, China announce.

For their analysis, Drs Lei and Liu selected 14 randomized trials that compared the effects of CoQ10 to a placebo among a total of 2,149 heart failure patients. Over the course of the trials, 55 participants who received CoQ10 and 83 placebo subjects died, resulting in a 31% lower risk of mortality among those who were given CoQ10.

In four trials that reported the endpoint of exercise capacity, participants who received CoQ10 experienced greater improvement in this area compared to the placebo group. No significant differences were observed between the groups in left heart ejection fraction (a determinant of systolic heart failure severity) and New York Heart Association cardiac function classification.

“Supplementary oral administration of coenzyme Q10 has been found to increase coenzyme Q10 levels in plasma, platelets, and white blood cells,” the authors observe. “Studies also evidenced that the concentration of coenzyme Q10 in the plasma of patients with heart failure is an independent predictor of heart failure death.”

“Conducting more rigorous, large-sample, international trials is needed to confirm our results,” they conclude.