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

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.

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.

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

Add Flavonoid-Rich Foods to Your Diet To Lower Dementia Risk

Recent research indicates that increasing the intake of flavonoid-rich foods significantly reduces the risk of dementia, particularly among those already at high risk. According to the study, adding six servings per day of items like berries and tea could decrease dementia risk by 28%.

Flavonoids are active compounds mainly found in a variety of plant-based foods, including fruits and vegetables. They offer a variety of health benefits due to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. These compounds are associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, and are known to enhance cognitive function. Additionally, flavonoids contribute to health by reducing inflammation, enhancing the function of blood vessels, and possibly supporting the growth of new brain cells.

In a large cohort study, dietary data from more than 120,000 adults aged 40 to 70 years, sourced from the UK Biobank, were analyzed by researchers. The findings bolster previous studies highlighting the impact of flavonoids in slowing cognitive decline. The results suggest that adding more flavonoid-rich foods to one’s diet may be an effective strategy for lowering the risk of dementia.

The global prevalence of dementia is increasing rapidly. At present, there are no effective treatments or cures for the disease. As a result, preventive measures aimed at enhancing health and quality of life, and reducing social and economic burdens, remain a critical public health priority.

To view the original scientific study click below:
Flavonoid-Rich Foods, Dementia Risk, and Interactions With Genetic Risk, Hypertension, and Depression

Cellphone Use Linked to Increased Heart Disease Risk

A recent study discovered that frequent mobile phone use is linked to an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. With smartphones becoming a permanent part of our lives, it’s crucial to understand their effects on our health.

The goal of the study was to evaluate the potential link between frequent mobile phone use and the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, while also exploring the influence of sleep and mental health. Currently, much of the research focuses on how social media apps or chat platforms influence mental health, rather than examining the direct impact of cellular technology.

To conduct their study, the researchers analyzed data from 444,027 individuals enrolled in the UK Biobank. Participants provided self-reported information on the amount of time they spent on phone calls. The researchers categorized regular phone users as those making or receiving at least one call per week, a group that included over 85% of participants. The remaining individuals were classified as non-regular users.

The study found that as the time spent making phone calls each week increased, so did the risk of a cardiovascular event, such as a stroke or heart failure. Individuals who used their mobile phones regularly faced a significant 21% greater risk of developing cardiovascular diseases compared to those who used their phones less frequently.

The researchers noted that the association between phone usage and cardiovascular disease risk was most significant in smokers and individuals with diabetes. This indicates that RF-EMF exposure from mobile phones, combined with smoking and diabetes, may have a stronger impact on increasing the risk of cardiovascular conditions.

The findings suggest that sleep patterns, psychological distress, and neuroticism could be key factors linking mobile phone use to cardiovascular diseases. Disrupted sleep and poor mental health may negatively contribute to the onset of cardiovascular conditions. They suggested that extended phone use could raise stress and anxiety levels, which in turn might lead to elevated blood pressure and increased inflammation, both known contributors to cardiovascular disease. Nonetheless, the study has several limitations, and further research is necessary to draw more definitive conclusions.

To view the original scientific study click below:
Regular Mobile Phone Use and Incident Cardiovascular Diseases: Mediating Effects of Sleep Patterns, Psychological Distress, and Neuroticism

More Calcium at Breakfast Could Decrease Heart Risk

Research indicates that it might be beneficial to shift that evening glass of milk to breakfast time. A new study involving over 36,000 American adults indicates that high levels of calcium consumption in evening meals might be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. The concept that consuming calcium-rich foods during dinner could contribute to heart disease is complex, involving a close analysis of diet, cardiovascular health, and how calcium is processed in the body.

Calcium, a critical mineral, is essential for maintaining muscle functionality, healthy bones, blood clotting, and nerve communication. Yet, the link between calcium intake and heart health remains controversial, with various studies yielding conflicting results. Calcium absorption varies based on age, gender, hormones, and diet. Incorporating calcium-rich items like dairy, greens, and fortified products helps fulfill daily calcium needs. Yet, excessive use of calcium supplements may surpass the body’s regulatory capacity, potentially harming cardiovascular health.

The research included more than 36,000 men and women, among whom 4,040 were diagnosed with cardiovascular diseases. Their calcium consumption in morning and evening meals was categorized into five groups. The study revealed that from a circadian rhythm standpoint, calcium absorption could be more efficient during daytime hours. This is because the hormones necessary for calcium metabolism are generally more prevalent when it’s light outside.

Researchers concluded that distributing calcium consumption across breakfast and dinner optimally reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. They discovered that maintaining a constant total calcium intake while shifting 5% of the evening’s calcium to the morning was linked to a 6% decreased risk of cardiovascular disease.

The body’s reaction to calcium suggests the need for smaller servings. Since vitamin D boosts calcium absorption, taking calcium in the morning could be advantageous, allowing for vitamin D exposure from sunlight throughout the day. Alternatively, splitting the calcium intake into smaller doses consumed with meals could be effective, as the body can only process a certain amount of calcium at once.

To view the original scientific study click below:
Association of dietary calcium intake at dinner versus breakfast with cardiovascular disease in U.S. adults: the national health and nutrition examination survey, 2003–2018