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Doctors prescribe a diabetes drug known as metformin to encourage the cellular processing of glucose in type-2 diabetes patients with insulin resistance. Metformin accomplishes this by inhibiting cellular respiration. (Respiration, you say? Like breathing? Yes — mitochondrial cells “breathe” in the sense of taking up oxygen from the blood, using it to produce energy, and then releasing carbon dioxide into the blood as a waste product.) Recently, scientists have shown that metformin also extends lifespan in animal models. Diabetes patients treated with the drug tend to enjoy longer lives as well. But it’s unclear whether that’s just because it helps with their disease, or whether they might be benefiting from a more general anti-aging property of the drug. Might the drug be able to extend the lives of non-diabetic patients? Clinical trials are now under way to answer that question. But there’s a caveat after close examination of the animal studies. The studies that show an anti-aging benefit from metformin focused on animals treated with the drug from young adulthood, whereas studies in older animals found either no benefit or a harmful toxicity. This observation led a team of researchers from Germany to more closely examine whether metformin affects cells differently depending on their stage of life. In a paper published last month in Nature Metabolism, the German team studied metformin’s effects in different age cohorts of roundworms and human cell cultures. The topline finding from the paper is that “metformin shortens lifespan when provided in late life, contrary to its positive effects in young organisms.” In elderly organisms “it exacerbates ageing-associated mitochondrial dysfunction, causing respiratory failure.” More specifically, the researchers divided their roundworms into 10 age cohorts, and their metformin treatment into three dosage levels. In the four youngest cohorts, all three dosage levels increased the animals’ median and maximal lifespan. In the eighth (middle-aged) cohort, however, only the lowest dose reliably increased lifespan, while higher doses had mixed effects. And in the tenth (oldest) cohort, metformin proved toxic at all dosage levels, “with a large population of drug-exposed animals dying within first 24h of treatment.” The researchers concluded that “Our tests thus revealed an age-dependent decrease in metformin tolerance, which culminated in late-life toxicity of all metformin doses tested, indicating possible safety risks of late-life metformin administration.” The researchers used human skin-cell cultures to study at a molecular level how this works. Mitochondria use oxygen to produce ATP, the molecular “fuel” consumed in nearly all biological processes. When metformin restricts oxygen intake in younger human cells, the cellular metabolism adapts by kicking ATP production into a higher gear. As a result, ATP levels remain steady. But as we age and our mitochondria deteriorate, our cells lose their adaptability. As a result, in late-life cells exposed to metformin, the German team observed a strong decline in levels of ATP. Deprived of ATP, the cells died. Think of metformin like one of those altitude-training masks that runners wear. Just as the mask promotes the runner’s cardiovascular health by restricting intake of oxygen, so metformin seems to promote mitochondrial health by restricting the cell’s intake of oxygen. But what works for the young might be dangerous to the elderly, which is why you don’t often see eighty-year-olds running around in altitude-training masks. Their cardiovascular health is too fragile for such rigorous work. The German team’s findings on metformin have implications for other anti-aging treatments that work by inducing stress. The researchers note that metformin works by the same mechanism as “dietary restriction” (DR), a lifestyle practice often touted for its anti-aging benefits. Recent research has suggested that DR, like metformin, may be less effective ...

Researchers at Trinity College, in collaboration with clinical teams at Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital and Mater Hospital, have developed a new gene therapy. The approach offers promise for one day treating dominant optic atrophy (DOA). It's an eye disease that leads to a progressive loss of vision and affects thousands of people across the globe. There is currently no way to prevent or cure DOA. The new therapy is described in a study published in Frontiers in Neuroscience. It also has implications for a much wider suite of neurological disorders associated with aging. “We used a clever lab technique that allows scientists to provide a specific gene to cells that need it using specially engineered non-harmful viruses,” said research co-leader Dr. Daniel Maloney. A gene called OPA1 provides instructions for making a protein crucial to the proper functioning of mitochondria, which are the energy producers in cells. Mutations in OPA1 cause malfunctioning of mitochondria. That's followed by the onset and progression of DOA. The new research development permits providing working versions of OPA1 to cells. “Having worked together with patients over many years who live with visual and neurological disorders it would be a privilege to play a role in a treatment that may one day help many,” added research co-leader Prof. Jane Farrar. At the same time, Farrar cautioned against excessive expectations for the short term. “We are very excited by the prospect of this new gene therapy strategy, although it is important to highlight that there is still a long journey to complete from a research and development perspective before this therapeutic approach may one day be available as a treatment,” she said. This can and should be said for all medical research breakthroughs. They typically take a long time to progress from research labs to clinical applications. But, eventually, research advances mature and help patients. Also, in breaking news, DeepMind has just announced that the Artificial Intelligence (AI) system AlphaFold is able to solve the protein folding problem. According to Nature, this is a gigantic leap and a game changer for life sciences and medicine. More in next week’s Pulse. New Drug Guides Stem Cells to Damaged Tissue Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute have created a drug, called SDV1a. It can guide stem cells to damaged tissue and improve the efficacy of stem cell treatments. The discovery is described in a research paper published in PNAS. It could improve current stem cell therapies designed to treat neurological disorders. Examples include spinal cord injury, stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and other neurodegenerative disorders. The discovery could also expand the use of stem cell therapies to other medical conditions, such as heart disease or arthritis. According to the scientists, this is a scientific first and a major advance for the field of regenerative medicine. Programming Super Immune Cells Against Cancer Researchers at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center have reprogrammed immune-system T cells into regenerative stem cell-like memory (TSCM) cells. They are long-lived, highly active “super immune cells” with strong antitumor activity. A paper is published in Nature Immunology. It shows that reprogramming T cells into TSCM cells can significantly improve T cell immunotherapies for cancer patients. In T cell immunotherapy, immune-system T cells are separated out from a patient's blood. Then they are engineered and expanded with special tumor-targeting capabilities. And finally, they are infused back into the patient to fight cancer. The new research results also show that drugs already approved for human use may significantly enhance currently available immune therapeutic approaches. This may lead to better and more durable anti-cancer responses. Cancer Vaccine Combined Immunotherapy Drug Scientists led by Ohio State University have proposed a potential ...

Scientists at Tel Aviv University and Shamir Medical Center have shown that hyperbaric oxygen treatments in healthy aging adults can stop the aging of blood cells and reverse the aging process. In the biological sense, the blood cells actually grow younger as the treatments progress. The scientists studied the impact of hyperbaric oxygen treatments (HBOT) on 35 healthy persons aged 64 or over. They aimed to discover whether such treatments can slow down, stop, or even reverse the normal aging process at the cellular level. The study results, published in Aging, indicate that the treatments actually reversed the aging process in two of its major aspects: The telomeres at the ends of the chromosomes grew longer instead of shorter, at a rate of 20-38 percent for the different cell types. The percentage of senescent cells in the overall cell population was reduced significantly, by 11-37 percent depending on cell type. "Senescent cells have been linked to many of the chronic conditions associated with old age, including arthritis, osteoporosis, diabetes and dementia," explains The Times. "Aging also shows itself through the shortening of pieces of DNA... known as telomeres... Longer telomeres are thought to guard against some illnesses." "Today telomere shortening is considered the 'Holy Grail' of the biology of aging," said research co-leader Shai Efrati. "Researchers around the world are trying to develop pharmacological and environmental interventions that enable telomere elongation. Our HBOT protocol was able to achieve this, proving that the aging process can in fact be reversed at the basic cellular-molecular level." "Until now, interventions such as lifestyle modifications and intense exercise were shown to have some inhibiting effect on telomere shortening," added research co-leader Amir Hadanny. "But in our study, only three months of HBOT were able to elongate telomeres at rates far beyond any currently available interventions or lifestyle modifications. With this pioneering study, we have opened a door for further research on the cellular impact of HBOT and its potential for reversing the aging process." A Popular Mechanics headline reads, " It Sure Looks Like Humans Have Found a Way to Reverse Aging." CRISPR Gene Editing Destroys Cancer Cells Researchers at Tel Aviv University have demonstrated that the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing system is very effective in treating metastatic cancers in laboratory mice. This could be a significant step on the way to finding a cure for cancer. The researchers developed a novel nanoparticle-based delivery system. It is described in a paper published in Science Advances. The system specifically targets cancer cells and destroys them by CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. The researchers emphasize that this is the first study to prove that the CRISPR genome editing system can be used to treat cancer effectively in a living animal. There are no severe side effects like in chemotherapy. And the technology opens numerous new possibilities for treating other diseases. Synthetic Organic Compounds Kill Cancer Cells Scientists at Tokyo University of Science are developing drugs that can kill cancer cells. A research paper is published in ACS Omega. The scientists found ways to synthesize organic compounds called "phenazines." The compounds have cellular toxicity effects that can be directed against cancerous cells. The synthetic compounds are more than four times more selectively toxic to cancer cells than normal cells. The scientists are persuaded that their research can assist in the creation of new anticancer drugs with minimal side effects. Antidepressant Inhibits Growth of Cancer Cells Researchers at KU Leuven have shown that the antidepressant sertraline helps to inhibit the growth of cancer cells. The substance acts on a metabolic addiction that allows different types of cancer to grow. Cancer cells produce large amounts of serine and glycine, two amino acids. And this stimulates the growth of ca ...

Many articles recently have discussed the immune supporting benefits of vitamin D. But did you know there are also studies suggesting it supports muscle recovery too? There are vitamin D receptors on most cells of the body. So inadequate levels can affect many systems. There is disagreement on the ideal level of vitamin D. And, this week, we have a study suggesting that there may be benefits to supplementation even if blood levels are already high. In this case, "high" means above the 20 mg/ml level recommended by the Institute of Medicine, or the 30 mg/ml recommended by the Endocrine Society. Vitamin D Enhances Running Recovery New Study: The effect of vitamin D supplementation on serum total 25(OH) levels and biochemical markers of skeletal muscles in runners Eccentric muscle contraction is when tension is applied to a muscle as it lengthens. This occurs when walking down stairs or running downhill. Eccentric exercises increase the chance of muscle injury and delayed onset muscle soreness. Vitamin D is involved with muscles. A deficiency has been found to increase the risk of muscle myopathy, weakness, and fatigue. One goal of further research is to find ways to help muscle cells amplify recovery mechanisms. This study looked at the effect of vitamin D supplements on biomarkers of inflammation and injury. Twenty four male ultramarathon runners received a placebo or 1,000 IU vitamin D twice a day for 3 weeks. All had blood vitamin D levels above the recommended 30 mg/ml. The participants completed a standard treadmill test. Then they performed a 30-minute downhill run test, as the eccentric exercise. The supplement group experienced an increase in blood vitamin D levels by about 5 ng/ml, though the group still averaged less than 50 ng/ml. They also experienced a drop in muscle damage indicators, troponin and creatine kinase at rest. Their troponin was lower immediately after exercise. And their creatine kinase was lower 24 hours post exercise. Perhaps most notable, there was a significant negative association between vitamin D blood levels and myoglobulin and troponin levels 24 hours after exercise. This suggests that, when vitamin D blood levels were brought to a higher level, the skeletal muscles were quicker to heal. The researchers concluded, "Three weeks of supplementation had a beneficial effect on certain parameters of skeletal muscle function." And "lower serum levels of biomarkers of skeletal muscle damage and vitamin D status improvement might, in turn, have significantly decreased the individual recovery time from eccentric exercise." Combine B Vitamins for Cognitive Enhancement New Study: Effects of Folic Acid and Vitamin B12, Alone and in Combination on Cognitive Function and Inflammatory Factors in the Elderly with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Single-blind Experimental Design This study sought to determine whether folic acid and vitamin B12 supplements can help improve cognitive performance. The thought is that these vitamins are associated with reducing inflammation. And inflammation is suspected to impair cognitive function. The study involved 240 people with mild cognitive impairment. They took nothing, folic acid alone (400 micrograms), vitamin B12 alone (25 micrograms), or folic acid (400 micrograms) plus vitamin B12 (25 micrograms) for 6 months. After 6 months, the group that took both folic acid and vitamin B12 experienced greater improvements in serum folate and vitamin B12. They also had a greater reduction in the inflammatory markers homocysteine, IL-6, TNF-α, and MCP-1. The group with the combined supplement also showed improvement in full scale IQ, verbal IQ, information, and digit span scores. These results suggest memory benefits. The combination of folic acid and vitamin B12 was significantly superior to either folic acid or vitamin B12 alone. Similar Caffeine Effects for All CYP1A2 Genotypes New Study: CYP1A2 genotype and acute effects of caffeine on resistance exercise, jumping, and sprintin ...

According to a new study out of the Cleveland Clinic, melatonin is associated with lower rates of infection with SARS-CoV-2, commonly known as coronavirus or COVID-19. Published in PLoS Biology, the study applies statistical techniques to large datasets in an effort to identify likely and promising therapies. The study belongs to the emerging discipline of bioinformatics. This is an emerging interdisciplinary field that sits at intersections of biology, computer science, and mathematics. The Cleveland Clinic study compares datasets of the proteins implicated in various diseases, including COVID-19. This allows the researchers to create a network map showing COVID-19’s pathological similarity or “proximity” to other diseases. The network map helps the researchers explain co-morbidities and identify drugs that might be repurposed to treat COVID-19. For instance, asthma is a major risk factor for COVID-19. Looking at their network map, the researchers see that asthma and COVID-19 target some of the same cells and increase expression of some of the same genes. COVID-19 also decreases levels of metabolites known to protect against asthma. These are thus the likely biological pathways of comorbidity between asthma and COVID-19. Network analysis also shows a significant proximity between COVID-19 and inflammatory bowel disease. IBD is not a significant risk factor for COVID-19 diagnosis. But apparently the two diseases operate on some of the same intestinal proteins, which helps explain why diarrhea is a common symptom of COVID-19. Network Analysis of Melatonin and COVID-19 Medical researchers working on COVID-19 have sought to find drugs already approved by the FDA to treat other diseases that might be repurposed to fight COVID-19. The Cleveland Clinic researchers reason that we should focus on drugs designated for those diseases with the highest network proximity to COVID-19. These are drugs and diseases that affect the same pathways and proteins as COVID-19. The researchers computationally analyzed 3,000 FDA-approved or investigational drugs. And they were able to identify 16 drug candidates and 3 drug combinations that should be given high priority as trial therapies for COVID-19. From a non-practitioner’s perspective, the most exciting part of the Cleveland Clinic study is its analysis of data on 26,779 individuals from a COVID-19 registry. The researchers find that melatonin usage in this population "is significantly associated with a 28% reduced likelihood of a positive laboratory test result for SARS-CoV-2." The association is particularly large among African Americans, "with a 52% reduced likelihood of a positive laboratory test result for SARS-CoV-2." No conclusions can be drawn about melatonin as a treatment for any disease. But this correlation in a large-scale patient dataset is promising. And it suggests that "randomized controlled clinical trials are urgently needed to test meaningfully the effect of melatonin for COVID-19." This is particularly urgent for older patients. The body produces melatonin naturally in the pineal gland and throughout the gastrointestinal tract. But melatonin levels decrease with age. And older patients are at particular risk from COVID-19. Fortunately, several randomized controlled trials testing melatonin’s effect on COVID-19 are already under way. Hopefully, we'll soon have a better idea of whether increased melatonin use can help. And ideally, we'll learn more about the amount of melatonin and the method of administration that would be required. Health Benefits of Melatonin Supplements Although melatonin is not a treatment for any disease, research does point to a role for melatonin supplements in support of healthy immune system function. According to the Cleveland Clinic, studies showed that "melatonin suppresses NLRP3 inflammasome activation induced by cigarette smoking and attenuates pulmonary inflammation." Another study observes that "melatonin enhances both innate and cellular i ...

Psychologists at University of British Columbia have analyzed how people use three major social platforms: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. And they analyzed how that use can impact a person's overall well-being. A study is published in Journal of Happiness Studies. It argues that, while most people gain happiness from interacting with others face-to-face, some come away from using social media with a feeling of negativity, for a variety of different reasons. For example, many social media users report that the more they compare themselves to others while using social media, the less happy they feel. But the study also reveals how people can use social media positively. According to Associate Professor Derrick Wirtz, people should avoid passively scrolling and resist comparing themselves to other social media users. Instead, people should use social media "to enable direct interactions and social connectedness - for example, talking online synchronously or arranging time spent with others in-person, when possible and with proper precautions." "If we all remember to do that, the negative impact of social media use could be reduced - and social network sites could even have the potential to improve our well-being and happiness," adds Wirtz. "In other words, we need to remember how we use social media has the potential to shape the effects on our day-to-day happiness." Pfizer Announces Data for COVID-19 Vaccine “Drugmaker Pfizer said Monday an early look at data from its coronavirus vaccine shows it is more than 90 percent effective - a much better than expected efficacy if the trend continues,” CNN reports. A press release has been issued by Pfizer. It announces that the vaccine candidate BNT162b2 has demonstrated evidence of efficacy against COVID-19 in participants without prior evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This is based on the first interim efficacy analysis. It was conducted on November 8, 2020 by an external independent Data Monitoring Committee (DMC) from the Phase 3 clinical study. The case split between vaccinated individuals and those who received the placebo indicates a vaccine efficacy rate above 90 percent. Llama Antibodies as Weapon Against COVID-19 Researchers at University of Pittsburgh have developed a new method to extract tiny but extremely powerful SARS-CoV-2 antibody fragments from llamas. A study is published in Science. The study indicates that these special llama antibodies, called "nanobodies," are much smaller than human antibodies and many times more effective at neutralizing the SARS-CoV-2 virus. They're also much more stable. A llama was infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. After two months, the animal's immune system produced mature nanobodies against the virus. The nanobodies could be fashioned into inhalable therapeutics with the potential to prevent and treat COVID-19. New Promising Treatment for Alzheimer's Disease Scientists at Uppsala University have described a new treatment method for Alzheimer's disease. In this disease, a protein forms clumps in the brain and causes sufferers to lose their memory. The new treatment is detailed in a research paper published in Theranostics. It increases the body's ability to degrade the building blocks that lead to these protein clumps. The scientists fused somatostatin to a brain transport protein which allows the somatostatin to enter the brain. Somatostatin is known to improve the body’s ability to degrade the harmful protein clumps. This has proven very effective in laboratory mice. “Ultrapotent” Candidate Vaccine Against COVID-19 Researchers at University of Washington have developed an “ultrapotent” nanoparticle candidate vaccine against COVID-19. The new candidate vaccine was developed using computer-based vaccine design techniques invented at University of Washington. It is described in a paper published in Cell. The vaccine is based on a self-assembling protein nanoparticle loaded with the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein. Man ...

The dietary supplement, SF 180 Brain Pills, claims to be a proven dietary formula to boost blood circulation and increase oxygen levels sent to the brain. SF 180 further claims to boost brain power, to help people think faster, focus better, reduce brain fog, enhance memory, and more. But it’s just another scam. SF 180 does cite a study to back up their claims. The study states that ginkgo biloba, an ingredient in SF 180, will increase blood flow and hence oxygen saturation to brain cells. An ad in eturbonews.com informs consumers that it takes a period of time from 2 to 3 months to possibly see the maximum brain enhancement benefit of taking SF 180's smart pill daily as directed on the label. However, for maximum brain function, 120-240 mg of ginkgo biloba should be taken 1-4 hours before desired cognitive performance. For adults suffering short term memory decline, 40-120 mg should be taken three times daily. When taken as directed, SF 180 only provides 100 mg of ginkgo biloba daily. The etrubonews.com ad states no negative side effects have been seen. This statement is followed by, “should you have any suspicions, click on any button or picture on this page to see if there is a free trial.” The repeated offers of a free trial on SF 180's website are reminiscent of Amazin Brain. SF180 Brain Supplement Website SF180 Brain Supplement Reviews The Better Business Bureau (BBB) does not have information for the vendor SF 180 Brain. However, it does have a listing for Natural Cleanse Plus SF 180, which happens to have the same Florida address as the vendor Amazin Brain. The Natural Cleanse Plus SF 180 vendor shows a pattern of complaints of continued billing without customer knowledge. A customer review on Amazon informs the public how SF 180 operates their 30-day free trial. The customer pays for the shipping of their free trial with a bank card. If the customer does not request a free extension within fourteen days after ordering at SF 180's toll-free number, SF 180 will automatically enroll the user in a subscription and charge the card accordingly. The most troubling thing about SF180 is its similarity to other supplement scams that Thrivous has reviewed in the past. They use similar websites, with the same fake reviews. And they employ similar manipulative and deceptive marketing and sales tactics. Check out our review of Apollo Mental Clarity for several examples. SF180 Brain Formula Ingredients Along with ginkgo biloba, SF 180 brain formula contains: B Vitamins (6.6 mg Vitamin B6, 266.66 mcg Folic Acid, 20 mcg Vitamin B12) – Deficiencies can lead to cognitive impairment. Bacopa Monnieri (300 mg) – Bacopa is used as a memory enhancer and to alleviate stress and anxiety. Eleutherococcus Senticosus (150 mg) – There’s some evidence for a minor benefit to the body's natural ability to handle stress. GABA (66.6 mg) – GABA regulates downers in the brain, but doesn’t have much effect when taken orally. Alpha Lipoic Acid (33.4 mg) – This is far below a standard dose of 300-600 mg, which can support brain health. Amazon sells SF 180 Brain for $36.40 per bottle containing 60 capsules. Slimfit180.com sells the same 60 capsules for $72.00. Thrivous Offers Superior Options If you’re looking for a healthy brain supplement, Thrivous offers far superior options without the scam. All of the product reviews on our website are from real customers with verified purchases. We never charge our customers without their consent. And we have an A+ rating at the BBB. The science that backs Thrivous formulas is exceptional. In consultation with our science advisor board, we review decades of clinical research from scientists around the world. Our algorithms rank hundreds of nutrients according to evidence, efficacy, and safety. And our formulas include only the best nutrients, with doses that reflect multiple human studies. The quality of Thrivous formulas is also exceptional. Our supplements pass through multiple rounds of rigorous quality control. ...

Amazin Brain is a dietary supplement that claims to boost memory and brain power while reducing stress and anxiety. They promote this product as giving the user a genius-level boost when tired, when having symptoms of brain fog, or even after a hard night drinking. But watch out! It may be dangerous and has all the signs of a scam. Amazin Brain paid for a product review ad with AP News. In the ad, they claim the supplement “keeps your brain focused and healthy always and prevents brain cells damages due to free radicals.” However, nowhere in the ad or on Amazin Brain's website do they give evidence for their claims. In the ad, they state that overdosing on the formula must be avoided due to negative health effects, but they don’t identify possible side effects. Amazin Brain Ingredients The supplement facts label is available on Amazon. It says that Amazin Brain pills contain 2 mg of Folic Acid. Folic Acid helps manage depression and memory loss associated with aging. However, the Amazin Brain product uses 500% of the recommended daily amount (RDA) of folic acid. The RDA of folic acid is 400 mcg. Prolonged exposure at 250% of folic acid's RDA has been linked to an increased rate of cancer, especially colon cancer. Amazin Brain also contains 50 mcg of vitamin B12. Studies estimate 5-60% of people over age 65 are deficient in vitamin B12. A vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to anemia, damage to peripheral nerves, and cognitive impairment. Amazin Brain also contains eight ingredients lumped together inside 640 mg. Because the individual amount of each of these eight ingredients is unknown, safe dosages cannot be determined. These eight ingredients include: Bacopa Monnieri is used in Ayurvedic medicine to boost brain function and improve memory power. Ginkgo Biloba helps improve blood flow to the brain. And studies suggest that it may support brain health during aging. DMAE is found in fish oil and is a natural fatty acid. A study of DMAE found that it did little to improve cognitive function for aging persons. Phosphatidylserine is a fatty substance that covers and protects brain cells along with transmitting messages between brain cells. Amazon sells Amazin Brain for $29.97 per a bottle containing 60 capsules. The label instructs users to take two capsules per day or as directed by your medical provider. If taking two capsules per day, as recommended, this supplement costs a dollar a day. Amazin Brain Website Amazin Brain Reviews The Better Business Bureau (BBB) reports a pattern of complaints against the vendor of Amazin Brain. The complaints are twofold. First, consumers signed up for what was promoted as a free trial to find unexpected charges on their credit card. Second, Amazin Brain is using fake celebrity endorsements in its advertising on Facebook and Costco. The BBB contacted Amazin Brain in March 2020 to address these complaints. They have not yet received a response. The Amazin Brain website design looks a lot like the designs of scam websites that Thrivous has reviewed in the past. It contains similar fake reviews. And the AP News ad is similar to the use of fake news to promote other scam websites. For an example, take a look at the review of Apollo Mental Clarity. Thrivous Is Better If you’re looking for science-backed health supplements, Thrivous is a far better alternative. We develop nootropic supplements to enhance mental ability and geroprotector supplements to promote healthy aging. Each ingredient and each dose is based on multiple human studies. And each ingredient and their combination passes through multiple rounds of rigorous quality control. Notably, Thrivous is completely transparent about science and quality. For each product, we publish a summary of clinical studies that provides citations and links to primary research. And we publish a certificate of analysis and quality that provides all test results from our suppliers, manufacturing, and third-parties. These are exceptional practices in the suppl ...

Psychologists have found that people who feel enthusiastic and cheerful are less likely to experience memory decline as they age. Psychologists call this "positive affect." The findings are published in Psychological Science. And they add to a growing body of research on positive affect's role in healthy aging. The psychologists analyzed data from 991 middle-aged and older U.S. adults. They participated in national studies conducted during three time periods: 1995 to 1996, 2004 to 2006, and 2013 to 2014. The psychologists examined the association between positive affect and memory decline. And they accounted for age, gender, education, depression, negative affect, and extraversion. "Our findings showed that memory declined with age," said senior author Claudia Haase, an associate professor at Northwestern University, in a press release issued by Association for Psychological Science. "However, individuals with higher levels of positive affect had a less steep memory decline over the course of almost a decade," added lead author Emily Hittner, a PhD graduate of Northwestern University. This is good news for those people who tend to feel enthusiastic and cheerful. But what about other people? One could think that this is a basic temperamental trait that can’t be "fixed." But I think a positive outlook can be encouraged and fostered. That certainly seems to be the case for children, and probably also for adults to a more limited degree. This would have an important positive impact on healthy aging. Ultra-fast Radiation to Treat Cancer Better Scientists at UC Irvine and Lausanne University Hospital are developing ways to treat cancer without debilitating side effects. A research paper is published in Clinical Cancer Research. It reports that the scientists used an ultra-high dose rate of “Flash” radiation therapy (Flash-RT) to eliminate brain tumors in mice. The new therapy bypasses key side effects usually caused by cranial irradiation. Traditional radiation therapy exposes a tumor and nearby normal tissue to radiation for several minutes at a time. But Flash-RT allows delivery of the same dose in only tenths of seconds. This significantly decreases side effects. Flash-RT has also been used to treat lung, skin, and intestinal cancers. The scientists think that, in 10 years, Flash-RT may become a widespread option for radiotherapy patients worldwide. Exercise Boosts Body's Ability to Inhibit Cancer Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have found a likely explanation of why exercise helps slow down cancer growth in mice. There are many indications that physical activity activates the immune system and thereby bolsters the body's ability to prevent and inhibit cancer growth. But how this works in detail is unknown. Now a new study is published in eLife. It indicates that physical activity changes the metabolism of cytotoxic T cells. These are the immune system’s cells that kill cancer cells. And this change in metabolism improves their ability to attack cancer cells. Exercise affects the production of several molecules and metabolites that activate cancer-fighting immune cells and thereby inhibit cancer growth. The researchers are persuaded that these research results could inform the development of new immunotherapies against cancer. Cells From COVID-19 Patients May Protect Others Scientists led by Children's National Hospital have found that immune T cells, taken from the blood of people who recovered from a COVID-19 infection, can help treat other COVID-19 patients. A research paper is published in Blood. It shows that these T cells can be successfully multiplied in the lab. And they maintain the ability to effectively target proteins that are key to the virus's function. The scientists are persuaded that this can be an effective way to protect vulnerable people with compromised immune systems from COVID-19. And they are seeking approval from the U.S. FDA for a clinical trial. In the trial, COVID-19-specific T-cells would be ...

It was previously thought that brain cell creation stops once we reach adulthood, but exciting new developments show that brain cells continue to regenerate thought your adult life. Not only is neurogenesis possible, but researchers have identified methods you can use to actively promote new brain cell growth. All the original neurons in your brain will be replaced by the time you turn 50. Adult neurogenesis was initially thought to occur only the striatum and the hippocampus, but there is evidence that suggests brain cells can grow in other parts of the brain like the hypothalamus, the amygdala, and maybe even the cerebral cortex. Many neurotransmitters are involved in adult neurogenesis, but the most important chemicals for inducing brain cell regeneration are the nerve growth factor (NGF) and the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). NGF has the power to protect nerve cells and stimulate the growth of new cells in the nervous system and the brain. And BDNF has been called “Miracle-Gro” for the brain because it encourages growth through a variety of mechanisms. Normal stress can lead to a decrease in BDNF. So we can probably all benefit from techniques that may help us regenerate brain cells. How to Boost Brain Cell Production with Diet Researchers have discovered that diet affects brain cell regeneration. Eating less often and eating fewer calories can increase neurogenesis by increasing BDNF and decreasing inflammation. These benefits can be achieved by practicing intermittent fasting, where you restrict eating times to certain eating windows. It has also been found that foods that make you chew more vigorously can increase brain cell formation. An increase in Omega-3 fatty acids can help promote new neuron growth. And while fats are essential for a healthy brain, diets that contain high levels of saturated fat can impede neurogenesis. Flavonoids, the potent antioxidant found in blueberries, green tea, and cocoa are very effective at promoting the formation of brain cells. And curcumin, the main component in the spice turmeric can increase BDNF and stimulate cell growth in the hippocampus. Staying Mentally Active to Grow New Brain Cells It turns out London cab drivers have been able to boost neurogenesis with mental workouts. Using MRIs, researchers found that cabbies who give their brain a super workout with street memorization have a significantly larger hippocampus than non-taxi drivers in London. Fortunately, you don’t have to memorize 30,000 streets to pump-up your hippocampus. Challenging your brain with any new complex information can help stimulate new brain cells. Sleep and Brain Cell Regeneration Getting regular restful sleep is one of the best things you can do for your mental well-being and brain health. Sleeping clears away debris and helps the brain repair, reorganize, and grow new brain cells. While the occasional sleepless night doesn’t affect brain cell regeneration, chronic lack of sleep has the power to stop the formation of new brain cells. So, make sure to get your rest. Final Thoughts Not very long ago we thought that new brain cell growth didn’t occur after we reached adulthood, but now we know that the brain constantly regenerates itself. There is a lot you can do to stimulate the process, and it can benefit everyone. If you want to make the most of your brain power, take the time to give your body and your mind regular workouts, get enough sleep, and eat healthy foods that promote growth factors like NGF and BDNF. Take care of your brain and it will take care of you.