Nighttime Light Exposure Linked to Higher Mortality Risk

Individuals exposed to light more often during the night may face an increased risk of death. Bright nights and dim days disrupt circadian rhythms, leading to health risks. However, a new study indicates that longer daylight exposure may reduce mortality risk.

Disturbances in the body’s circadian rhythms are connected to the onset of diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and obesity, and are also strongly associated with cardiometabolic conditions like stroke, heart attack, and high blood pressure.

In a study involving 89,000 participants between the ages of 40-69, researchers collected over 13 million hours of light exposure data using wrist sensors over a week. The National Health Service monitored participant mortality over approximately an eight-year period. Using motion data, researchers estimated sleep duration, sleep quality, and midsleep timing, while cardiometabolic mortality covered deaths related to circulatory, endocrine, and metabolic conditions.

The findings revealed that high exposure to light at night increases mortality risk by 21-34%, whereas greater light exposure during the day decreases it by 17-34%. This suggests that disrupted circadian rhythms from increased nighttime light and reduced daylight can lead to negative health outcomes. Daylight appears to strengthen circadian rhythms, helping to guard against the harmful health effects of circadian irregularities.

The findings highlight the importance of keeping the environment dark during late night and early morning hours, when the body’s central circadian clock is most sensitive to light. Protecting light conditions may be particularly crucial for vulnerable individuals, such as those in intensive care or senior facilities.

Minimizing night light exposure and increasing daylight are highly recommended to promote better health and longevity, offering a simple, practical, and affordable approach.

To view the original scientific study click below:
Brighter nights and darker days predict higher mortality risk: A prospective analysis of personal light exposure in >88,000 individuals

Plant Compounds Can Strengthen Immunity

Fruits and vegetables high in plant polyphenols are proving to be effective in decelerating the aging process, enhancing brain health, and warding off diseases associated with aging. Their robust antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities provide a natural method for promoting healthier aging and lessening reliance on medications.

A recent review article explored the effects of dietary plant polyphenols on aging. As individuals grow older, they become more susceptible to metabolic disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer. These risks can be influenced by environmental factors, lifestyle choices, and genetics. Finding strategies to decelerate aging and enhance life quality for the elderly is crucial.

The research showed that a higher intake of polyphenols from the Green-MED diet not only slowed down biological aging but also decreased visceral and intrahepatic fat, enhanced insulin sensitivity, and positively affected brain function. The Green-MED diet, a low-calorie regimen, features foods such as green tea, walnuts, and Mankai, an aquatic plant rich in polyphenols. This diet focuses on plant-based foods while minimizing processed and red meats.

Polyphenols could safeguard against oxidative stress and bolster immune response, metabolism, gut health, and cognitive abilities, thereby lowering the incidence of cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, and cardiovascular diseases. Their protective effects against oxidative stress and enhancements to immune function, metabolism, gut health, and cognitive performance might decrease the likelihood of these serious health issues.

A practical guideline is to incorporate colorful fruits and vegetables into your diet. To benefit from a diverse range of polyphenols, include an array of plant foods such as strawberries, pomegranates, green tea, broccoli, apples, walnuts, and onions on your plate. Foods rich in polyphenols are often also high in fiber, which can help reduce the risk of heart disease and colon cancer.

To view the original scientific study click below:
Phytonutrients in the promotion of healthspan: a new perspective

Aging Reversed / ABC News

Now researchers have found a way not just to stop, but, reverse the aging process. The key is something called a telomere. We all have them. They are the tips or caps of your chromosomes. They are long and stable in young adults, but, as we age they become shorter, damaged and frayed. When they stop working we start aging and experience things like hearing and memory loss.

In a recent study published in the peer reviewed journal Nature scientists took mice that were prematurely aged to the equivalent of 80-year-old humans, added an enzyme and essentially turned their telomeres back on. After the treatment they were the physiological equivalent of young adults. You can see the before and after pictures in the videos above. Brain function improved, their fertility was restored it was a remarkable reversal of the aging process. In the top video the untreated mouse shows bad skin, gray hair and it is balding. The mouse with it’s telomeres switched back on has a dark coat color, the hair is restored and the coat has a nice healthy sheen to it. Even more dramatic is the change in brain size. Before treatment the aged mice had 75% of a normal size brain like a patient with severe Alzheimers. After the telomeres were reactivated the brain returned to normal size. As for humans while it is just one factor scientists say the longer the telomeres the better the chances for a more graceful aging.

The formal study Telomere dysfunction induces metabolic and mitochondrial compromise was published in Nature.

Additional information published by Harvard can be found in the following articles.

Scientists Find Root Molecular Cause of Declining Health in the Old

Decoding Immortality – Smithsonian Channel Video about the Discovery of Telomerase

While scientists are not yet able to accomplish the same results in humans we believe we have developed a nutraceutical to help prolong youth and possibly extend life until age reversal therapy for humans becomes available.

Exposure to Metals Can Elevate Cardiovascular Disease Risk

A study has shown that environmental metal pollution is linked to enhanced calcium accumulation in coronary arteries, a condition that rivals traditional risk factors like diabetes and smoking in its impact. This makes metal exposure a critical risk factor for developing atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.

Metals are present in our environment and exposure often occurs unintentionally through air, water, soil, and the food we consume, largely due to their extensive use in industry and everyday products. These metals can build up in the body, persisting in bones and organs for many years and disrupt critical biological processes.

The study highlighted in the report discovered that elevated urine levels of arsenic, along with increased concentrations of lead and cadmium in the blood, correlated with a 15%-85% heightened likelihood of developing stroke and heart disease. While environmental toxicants have not traditionally been considered risk factors for heart disease, the emerging field of environmental cardiology is recognizing exposure to these pollutants as risks that can be managed.

The team examined data from over 6,000 adults, aged 45 to 84, who took part in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. For two years, starting in July 2000, these participants provided urine samples and had their arterial calcium levels measured initially and then four additional times over the next decade. None of the participants had clinical cardiovascular disease at the start of the study.

Their results offered sufficient evidence that exposure to metals could be linked to the development of atherosclerosis over a decade by promoting coronary calcification. The connections between metal exposure and the progression of coronary artery calcium were found to be similar to traditional risk factors like smoking, diabetes, and high cholesterol.

Given the widespread distribution of these metals, this study emphasizes the need for enhanced awareness and stricter regulatory measures to minimize exposure and protect cardiovascular health.

To view the original scientific study click below:
Urinary Metal Levels and Coronary Artery Calcification: Longitudinal Evidence in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Stem Cell Secret’s of 115 Year Old Woman

New evidence that adult stem cells are critical to human aging has recently been published on a study done on a super-centenarian woman that lived to be 115 years. At death, her circulating stem cell pool had declined to just two active stem cells from stem cell counts that are typically more than a thousand in younger adults. Super-centenarians have survived all the normal diseases that kill 99.9% of us before 100 years of age, so it has been a mystery as to what actually kills these hardy individuals. This recent data suggest that stem cell decline may be the main contributor to aging. If so, stabilizing stem cells may be the best thing one can do to slow your rate of aging.

There are many theories of aging that have been proposed. For example, damage to cells and tissues from oxidative stress has been one of the most popular fundamental theories of aging for more than half a century. Yet antioxidant substances or genes that code antioxidant enzymes have proven largely ineffective in slowing aging when tested in model animals. Thus, interest by scientists has shifted to other hypotheses that might provide a better explanation for the slow declines in function with age.

Stem cells provide one such promising mechanism of aging. Of course, we all know that babies are young and vigorous, independent of the age of their parents. This is because adults have embryonic stem cells that can generate young new cells needed to form a complete young baby. Indeed, these embryonic stem cells are the product of continuously evolving stem cell populations that go back to the beginning of life on earth over 3.5 billion years ago!

In adults, the mostly immortal embryonic stem cells give rise to mortal adult stem cells in all the tissues of the body. These adult stem cells can regenerate your cells and tissues as they wear out and need replacement. Unfortunate, adult stem cells also age, which leads to fewer cells and/or loss of function in cell replacement. As functional stem cells decline, skin and organs decline with age.

Blood from world’s oldest woman suggests life limit

Time Magazine: Long-Life Secrets From The 115-Year-Old Woman

Somatic mutations found in the healthy blood compartment of a 115-yr-old woman demonstrate oligoclonal hematopoiesis

Abstract
The somatic mutation burden in healthy white blood cells (WBCs) is not well known. Based on deep whole-genome sequencing, we estimate that approximately 450 somatic mutations accumulated in the nonrepetitive genome within the healthy blood compartment of a 115-yr-old woman. The detected mutations appear to have been harmless passenger mutations: They were enriched in noncoding, AT-rich regions that are not evolutionarily conserved, and they were depleted for genomic elements where mutations might have favorable or adverse effects on cellular fitness, such as regions with actively transcribed genes. The distribution of variant allele frequencies of these mutations suggests that the majority of the peripheral white blood cells were offspring of two related hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) clones. Moreover, telomere lengths of the WBCs were significantly shorter than telomere lengths from other tissues. Together, this suggests that the finite lifespan of HSCs, rather than somatic mutation effects, may lead to hematopoietic clonal evolution at extreme ages.

Balancing on One Leg Is a Key Indicator of Health

A new study reveals that individuals over 50 who can balance on one leg for 30 seconds, especially on their weaker leg, are showing signs of graceful aging. This simple balance test outperformed traditional measures like hand grip strength, knee strength, and walking stride in assessing healthy aging. Balance is an essential measure because it relies not only on muscle strength but also on visual input. Poor balance increases the risk of falls, regardless of movement, and falls pose significant health risks with potentially serious consequences.

Researchers recruited 40 healthy, individuals over 50 to participate in a series of physical tests that involved walking, balance, grip strength and knee strength. The group was evenly split, with half under 65 and the other half aged 65 and older.

To complete the balance test, participants were asked to stand on one leg for 30 seconds on each side, with the option to hold up the non-standing leg if they preferred, while keeping their eyes open. Participants also performed a test standing on both feet with their eyes open and then closed.

The study revealed a marked decrease in the capacity to maintain balance on one leg with increasing age. Consequently, researchers concluded that this skill is a reliable and gender-neutral indicator of neuromuscular aging in both men and women.

Balance indicates the effectiveness of the body’s systems. Maintaining good balance enables individuals to perform daily activities confidently and securely. Being able to carry out these activities signifies a high quality of life and healthy aging.

To view the original scientific study click below:
Age-related changes in gait, balance, and strength parameters: A cross-sectional study

Older Adults Can Boost Their Visual Processing With Exercise

It is established that cardiorespiratory fitness safeguards against cognitive deterioration in the elderly. Research has demonstrated that engaging in physical activity and maintaining fitness levels are advantageous for preserving executive functions, which are essential for sustaining independence into later life.

The research aimed to explore the impact of physical health on aging, particularly on two key aspects of executive function: attentional control and response inhibition. These functions involve the capacity to concentrate solely on pertinent stimuli and to prevent instinctive reactions, respectively. The flanker task, a specific exercise used in the study, tests these abilities by requiring participants to respond only to a disk with a specific central color, ignoring surrounding disks of different colors.

Following an initial screening to confirm participants’ capability to undertake the task and to exclude any with disqualifying conditions, the study ultimately included 115 participants, who averaged 82.4 years old. To assess their cardiorespiratory fitness, participants performed a step test that involved rapidly lifting their knees to a predetermined height for a duration of two minutes. Additionally, their brain activity was monitored using electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings, which were then analyzed in relation to their performance in the study.

The flanker test was administered in three distinct modes: congruent, where the flanking discs matched the color of the central disc; neutral, where the flanking discs were a completely different color; and incongruent, where the flanking discs were of a contrasting color. Consistent with expectations, subtle variations were observed in the participants’ EEG findings across these three test conditions.

Through a mediation analysis, it was discovered that physical fitness enhanced performance across all three versions of the test. A closer look at the EEG data revealed that this enhancement was attributed to improved early visual processing abilities. Individuals with higher fitness levels demonstrated quicker initial response times. Additionally, they exhibited more robust motor-related potentials in the cortex, although this did not appear to directly correlate with better performance on the tasks.

The researchers hypothesize that their findings indicate the necessity for regular engagement of specific brain areas to sustain performance levels in the “oldest old” group. Essentially, they suggest that the superior motor-related and early visual processing capabilities observed in more physically active older individuals could stem from their consistent use of these functions. They further theorize that to preserve the brain regions associated with more complex cognitive tasks, engaging in mentally stimulating activities is crucial.

To view the original scientific study click below:
Cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with cognitive performance in 80 +- year-olds: Detangling processing levels

How Your Beverage Choice Affects Your Stroke Risk

Your beverage choices can significantly affect your cardiovascular health, particularly the health of your blood vessels. Recent research highlights the importance of selecting the right drinks for reducing stroke risk, with tea and water emerging as the most beneficial options, outperforming soda and coffee. The research points to a higher risk of stroke associated with consuming carbonated beverages, fruit juices, fruit drinks, and more than four cups of coffee each day.

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that supplies the brain is either blocked by a clot or ruptures. This disruption stops blood and oxygen from reaching parts of the brain, leading to the death of brain cells. Stroke ranks as a major cause of death in the United States.

The study revealed that consuming just one carbonated drink daily, regardless of it being sugar-sweetened or artificially sweetened, was associated with a 22% higher risk of stroke. This risk escalated significantly for those drinking two or more such beverages per day. Similarly, having up to one fruit juice or drink each day was connected to a 37% higher stroke risk, which tripled with the consumption of two fruit juices or drinks daily.

The research suggests that moderate coffee consumption, defined as less than four cups per day, does not elevate stroke risk. Additionally, drinking green or black tea appears to offer protective benefits against strokes and consuming over 56 ounces of water daily was also associated with an 18% reduction in stroke risk.

The high sugar levels in regular carbonated beverages are linked to obesity, diabetes, and hypertension, each a significant risk factor for stroke. Likewise, added sugars in fruit drinks can lead to quick increases in blood sugar and insulin, promoting inflammation and adversely affecting vascular health and the function of blood vessels.

Balance is essential in your choice of beverages. An occasional glass of fruit juice, which can provide vital vitamins, is unlikely to affect your stroke risk significantly. For coffee enthusiasts, it’s advisable to limit intake to no more than four cups per day.

To view the original scientific study click below:
Carbonated Beverage, Fruit Drink, and Water Consumption and Risk of Acute Stroke: the INTERSTROKE Case-Control Study

How Strength Influences Aging

Grip strength is essential for numerous everyday tasks, and recent research suggests that enhancing your grip could have long-term benefits. Studies have shown a correlation between forearm strength and longevity, with a strong grip often recognized as a predictor of a longer lifespan. In fact, grip strength is a more reliable indicator of overall and cardiovascular mortality than blood pressure measurements.

The study involved assessing the grip strength of more than 14,000 individuals, both men and women aged 50 and older in the United States. Their hand grip strength was measured at various threshold levels. A person was considered generally weak if their strength fell below all three established cutoff points.

Dropping below the absolute strength threshold was notably more harmful, with a risk ratio of 1.45, compared to 1.39 for weakness adjusted for BMI and 1.33 for weakness adjusted for body weight. Across all three measures, those categorized as ‘weak’ faced a significantly increased likelihood of early mortality from any cause. Notably, those in the lowest strength quartile had over twice the risk of dying within the following decade.

A weak grip often reflects insufficient muscle strength across the body, typically due to minimal or absent physical activity. Grip strength tends to decline with age, especially after 50, and this decline accelerates after 65. To enhance grip strength, incorporating exercises like hammer curls, walking while carrying weights, and repeated ball squeezing can be effective in strengthening the hand and forearm muscles.

Weakness, as identified through both absolute and body-size-adjusted measures of strength, offers a strong prediction of lifespan, underscoring the significance of maintaining muscle strength as we age. Additional research is necessary to pinpoint the factors that influence muscular strength and to determine if enhancing strength can lower mortality and cardiovascular disease risks.

To view the original scientific study click below:
Collective Weakness Is Associated With Time to Mortality in Americans

How 40 Minutes of Exercise Can Neutralize a Day of Sitting

Sitting for prolonged periods, such as 10 hours a day without significant movement, can elevate your risk of chronic illnesses like high cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels. These conditions are major risk factors for heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States.

Recent research indicates that daily vigorous exercise lasting 30 to 40 minutes may mitigate the adverse health impacts of prolonged sitting. This conclusion draws on data from more than 44,000 individuals participating in nine distinct studies. The study identifies lack of exercise as a widespread concern, noting that many people spend considerable time sitting each day. It points out that as levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity decline, the risk of death correspondingly increases.

Research utilizing fitness trackers suggests aiming for 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75-150 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity each week to offset sedentary habits. In line with this, the American Heart Association (AHA) advises a weekly regimen of either 150 minutes at moderate intensity, 75 minutes at vigorous intensity, or a combination of the two, to promote heart health.

Exercise is beneficial across all age groups. The mantra ‘never slow down’ holds true even for individuals in their 70s and 80s. For older adults, incorporating a mix of aerobic and strength training activities can enhance bone health and aid in the prevention of osteoporosis. It is advised to complement aerobic exercises with moderate to high-intensity muscle-strengthening activities, like resistance training or weightlifting, at least two days a week.

The study suggests engaging in activities such as boxing and pickleball, which deliver the intensity needed to work up a sweat. Additionally, for those unable to dedicate a full 40 minutes to exercise, the research provides the news that any form of physical activity, from walking a pet to gardening can still offer health advantages.

To view the original scientific study click below:
Joint associations of accelerometer-measured physical activity and sedentary time with all-cause mortality: a harmonised meta-analysis in more than 44 000 middle-aged and older individuals