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University of Granada (Spain), April 17 2024 (Life Extension) 

Findings from a study reported in Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy indicated that melatonin, a hormone that induces sleep, may be helpful in the prevention of obesity.

The study included 32 six-week-old rats that were bred to develop obesity and diabetes and 32 lean rats of the same age. 

Obese rats that received melatonin gained less weight and had less visceral fat (central obesity) compared with obese untreated animals at the end of the 12-week period. Melatonin-treated rats also had less obesity-induced muscle fiber atrophy and showed increased mitochondrial activity, which may contribute to the decrease in weight gain observed in these animals. Additional research showed that melatonin increased a thermogenic response to cold exposure, which helps burn fat. 

"During the day, it is good to expose yourself to natural light, do adequate physical activity, choose low-calorie diets loaded with unprocessed foods and replace these additives with thermogenic spices and herbs, avoid eating between meals, do not wear insulating clothing and keep the heating at a comfortable and cool temperature of around 17⁰ C, as well as showering with cool water," senior author Ahmad Agil of the University of Granada School of Medicine recommended.

University of Gothenburg (Sweden), April 18, 2024 (Eurekalert) 

Dietary treatment is more effective than medications in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). These are the findings of a study conducted at the University of Gothenburg. With dietary adjustments, more than seven out of ten patients had significantly reduced symptoms. 

The current study, published in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology, compared three treatments: two dietary and one based on use of medications. The participants were adult patients with severe or moderate IBS symptoms at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg.

The first group was given traditional IBS dietary advice, focusing on eating behavior combined with low intake of fermentable carbohydrates, known as FODMAPs. These include e.g. products with lactose, legumes, onions, and grains, which ferment in the colon and can cause pain in IBS.

The second group received a dietary treatment low in carbohydrates and proportionally high in protein and fat. In the third group, the best possible medication was given based on the patient's most troublesome IBS symptoms.

Of those who received traditional IBS dietary advice and low content of FODMAPs, 76% had significantly reduced symptoms. In the group receiving low carbohydrates and high protein and fat, the proportion was 71%, and in the medication group 58%.

Dartmouth College, April 17, 2024 (Study Finds)

A new study out of Dartmouth College suggests that seafood from succulent lobster to flaky cod may come with an unseen risk: exposure to a class of persistent, man-made toxins known as PFAS.

PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a family of chemicals that have been widely used in consumer products since the 1950s. You might know them best for their role in making non-stick cookware and stain-resistant fabrics, but they’re also found in a host of other items, from food packaging to firefighting foams. PFAS are incredibly resistant to breaking down in the environment. They can linger for years, even decades, accumulating in soil, water, and living organisms. This persistence is particularly concerning because exposure to certain PFAS has been linked to a range of health issues, including cancer, thyroid problems, and reproductive disorders.

Dartmouth researchers conducted a two-pronged study, published in the journal Exposure and Health. First, they analyzed fresh seafood samples purchased from a coastal New Hampshire market, testing for 26 different PFAS compounds. They focused on some of the most commonly consumed species in the region: cod, haddock, lobster, salmon, scallops, shrimp, and tuna. Several PFAS compounds were detected in the seafood samples, with the highest levels found in shrimp and lobster. 

New Hampshire’s children between two and 11 years-old in the state eat about a fifth of an ounce of seafood daily, putting them at the top end of the range for kids nationwide.

University of Liverpool (UK), April 18, 2024 (BioRxiv)

Post-acute sequelae after SARS-CoV-2 infection (long COVID) and after COVID-19 vaccination are characterized by micro blood clotting . The work of Scheim et al suggests the majority of syndromes in both cases are due to Spike protein mediated hemagglutination and then the development of small clots that serve the major organs in the body.  

Nattokinase, from the Japanese fermented food natto, is a protease with fibrinolytic activity that can thus degrade conventional blood clots.

In some cases, however, including in Long COVID, fibrinogen can polymerise into an anomalous amyloid form to create clots that are resistant to normal fibrinolysis and that we refer to as fibrinaloid microclots. 

The study shows that recombinant nattokinase is effective at degrading the fibrinaloid microclots in vitro. This adds to the otherwise largely anecdotal evidence, that we review, that nattokinase might be anticipated to have value as part of therapeutic treatments for individuals with Long COVID and related disorders that involve fibrinaloid microclots.

Salk Institute, April 18, 2024 (Medical Xpress)

One in every 10 individuals above the age of 65 develops an age-related neurological disorder like Alzheimer's or Parkinson's, yet treatment options remain sparse for this population. Scientists have begun exploring whether cannabinoids—compounds derived from the cannabis plant, like well-known THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol)—may offer a solution. A third, lesser-known cannabinoid called CBN (cannabinol) has recently piqued the interest of researchers, who have begun exploring the clinical potential of the milder, less psychoactive substance.

In a new study, scientists at the Salk Institute help explain how CBN protects the brain against aging and neurodegeneration, then use their findings to develop potential therapeutics. The researchers created four CBN compounds that were more neuroprotective than the standard CBN molecule

The findings, published in Redox Biology, suggest promise for CBN in treating neurological disorders like traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease, and also highlight how further studies of CBN's effects on the brain could inspire the development of new therapies for clinical use.

New research, published in Nature Communications, finds that the macronutrient balance in the diet of male mice affects the level of anxiety-like behaviour of sons and the metabolic health of daughters.

The research provides a step towards understanding how the effect of diet can transmit from one generation to the next via a father’s sperm. It could ultimately inform dietary guidelines for fathers-to-be, with the goal of lowering the risk of metabolic disease and mood disorders in the next generation.

At the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre in Australia researchers fed male mice one of ten diets differing in the proportions of protein, fats, and carbohydrates, then allowed them to mate with females reared on standard diet. The behaviour and physiology of the resulting pups were then studied.

The scientists discovered that male mice fed low protein and high carbohydrate diets were more likely to have male offspring with higher levels of anxiety, as measured by time spent in the safety zones of their maze. They also found that male mice that were fed high fat diets were more likely to have daughters with higher levels of body fat and markers of metabolic disease.

“Our study shows that the type of diet eaten before conception can program specific characteristics of the next generation,” says co-senior author and leader of the GECKO consortium Professor Romain Barrès, from the University of Copenhagen and Université Côte d’Azur, Nice.

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