UF Health Podcasts

There’s nothing funny about dealing with depression, but new research suggests that laughing gas could provide short-term relief for those struggling with the illness.

About 21 million Americans adults have had at least one major depressive episode. And for those diagnosed with treatment-resistant depression, there are often debilitating symptoms — with little to no options for relief.

A new study offers hope by revealing how nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, might provide fast relief for those struggling with one of the most difficult forms of depression.

The study showed that a single session of clinical nitrous oxide at 50% concentration resulted in notable reductions in symptoms of depression within 24 hours. While the positive results generally faded after one week, repeated treatments provided longer term benefits, suggesting a course of multiple treatments could provide sustainable relief.

Study authors believe the nitrous oxide acts on glutamate receptors in a way that is similar to ketamine, another drug that has been shown to provide relief from depressive symptoms.

As a potential groundbreaking development, the team is interested in conducting more studies on the effects of nitrous oxide, possibly leading to a new generation of fast-acting treatments for some of the most difficult-to-treat types of depression.

They noted this further research is essential to understanding the long-term safety of nitrous oxide and how clinicians can best incorporate the treatment into existing regimens.

In a roundabout way, it seems like laughter really could be the best medicine.

They say age is just a number. But some days we all wish that number was lower.

Humans have been exploring ways to slow down or even reverse aging for thousands of years. It’s only natural … our mortality reveals itself to us on a regular basis.

But what if you could be four years younger with minimal cost and effort? A new brain study reveals that this is possible, in a way.

According to a new study, engaging in everyday physical tasks like walking the dog and taking out the trash can give a healthy boost to our brain’s processing speed.

The study participants’ cognitive processing speed, the speed at which our brains receive and process information, was on par with a person four years younger on the days they engaged in physical activity. Researchers found the same positive results whether participants went for a short walk or an intense jog.

Researchers said the study did not show enhancements to working memory, the ability to retain and analyze information, but the response time on working memory tasks improved.

While the study reveals the positive short-term effects of physical activity, it did not measure improvements over time, something future studies may explore.

Ultimately, researchers say the study shows the important role that movement plays in our brain health, even if it’s through small, everyday tasks.

Walk the dog, mow the lawn, take out the trash — these activities may not quite be as exciting as stumbling across a flowing fountain of youth, but they still give our brains a healthy boost.

Age may be just a number, but if we can reverse that number just a little bit, why not?

You pick up your phone and open your favorite social media app. The doomscrolling begins, and you descend into a cacophony of content.

Whether it’s Instagram, Tik Tok or Facebook, social media continues to dominate both our minds and our free time — for better or for worse.

Well, research now suggests it’s actually for the worse.

According to a study published in JAMA, decreasing social media usage for as little as a week can reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression and insomnia in young adults.

The pool of participants included nearly 300 volunteers ages 18 to 24. Each individual was instructed to stay off of their go-to apps as much as possible.

On average, the group limited use from 30 minutes to two hours per day. The biggest impact of this social media sabbatical?

Participants reported decreased symptoms in instances of severe depression. However, feelings of loneliness did not experience a positive or negative outcome.

A detox can be helpful to avoid problematic behaviors, like addictive use of social media and negative feelings about oneself brought on by comparison.

Additionally, public panic for certain topics can be deafening on social media, creating an echo chamber of anxiety and negative sentiments.

People dealing with feelings of depression experienced the biggest improvements, suggesting that a week or even a fortnight break from social media can be an effective way to support yourself during a time when you’re feeling particularly anxious.

And, be warned: Experts say if you fall back into your habitual social media scroll and usage, the detox won’t have long-lasting effects.

What’s making you anxious? Maybe it’s a looming deadline at work. A nail-bitingly close Little League match. Driving in the snow. A standing dinner with the in-laws, perhaps.

And, just maybe, it’s a dip in the unassuming essential nutrient, choline (pronounced KOE-leen).

A new study from University of California Davis Health researchers analyzed data from 25 studies and looked at the chemicals created during brain metabolism. Once authors distilled results from the meta-analysis, they noticed a chemical pattern present in brains with anxiety disorders.

In people with anxiety disorders, which accounts for about 30% of the United States, choline was about 8% lower than in those without. Though it may seem like a small number, researchers say that when it comes to the brain, it matters.

Anxiety disorders can include phobias, panic disorders and generalized anxiety disorder, and affect how “accurately” your brain can assess the true danger or safety of a situation at hand.

One of the hallmarks of anxiety disorders is an unregulated fight-or-flight response, which researchers suggest might lead to the brain calling upon choline more frequently, leading to that pesky lower level.

The essential nutrient supports everything from your cell membranes to your muscle control and mood.

Interestingly, although choline does occur in the body, it is most often sourced from diet, and commonly found in foods like egg yolks, chicken, fish, soybeans and milk.

Like most prospective treatments, further research is needed before we advise you to tackle any incessant feelings of trepidation by drinking a glass of milk.

For most of us, leading a healthy lifestyle requires some form of self-discipline. You’re steering clear of the colorful aisles of sugary breakfast cereal. You’re waking up with the sun to hit the gym before your morning commute to the office. You’re setting out a carefully curated vegetable platter in addition to potato chips ahead of the game.

You’ve heard of text to talk, which helps break down communication barriers to support accessibility. How about text to therapy?

A JAMA Network study shows it might be just as helpful for those battling depression. In fact, the convenience of text therapy, which allows users to respond and interact with their therapist throughout the day, is shown to be just as effective as video-based therapy.

Text-based therapy has grown increasingly more popular. Platforms like BetterHelp and Talkspace pair users with licensed therapists for live chat and texting sessions. It allows for a stream of reframing and support over the course of a day, rather than a timed video or in-person session once a week.

In this study, researchers looked at 850 adults with mild to moderate depression. Each participant was assigned randomly to a weekly video therapy session or an unlimited, as-needed messaging with a therapist. After 12 weeks, the researchers found the impact of text-based therapy was similar to that of video therapy on depression symptoms.

Now, that’s not to say that if you or a loved one has suicidal thoughts or psychosis that text therapy is best. The study purposefully excluded those individuals from participating.

Text therapy also had a higher retention of patients than video-based therapy. Conversely, video sessions built a stronger bond between patient and therapist. The face-to-face time, albeit through a screen, was conducive to compassion, warmth and emotional empathy.

Regardless if it’s in-person, video-based or text therapy, your mental health deserves the support that works best for you … even if that might include an emoji option.

If you’ve tried every trick in the book to fall asleep — counting sheep, cutting caffeine and a packet of sleepytime tea — it might be time to turn to something sweeter.

Research suggests fruits like cherries, kiwis and grapes are bursting with natural hormones and antioxidants that can help your body relax. They’re rich in melatonin, the hormone that regulates your circadian rhythms, and tells your body when to start winding down.

Though small in size, the tart cherry packs a punch of tryptophan, an amino acid that helps your body produce two hormones that prepare you for a night of easy sleep: serotonin and melatonin.

And kiwis? This fuzzy fruit is more than your average vitamin C booster. Studies find eating a kiwi before bed can help you fall asleep faster and more soundly. The antioxidants and serotonin in kiwis support your body’s ability to relax and remain asleep through the night.

Grapes also contain melatonin. Dietitians recommend whole grapes rather than juice or raisins, though, since processing strips away their nutritional benefits. Grapes are also fairly low in calories, meaning your late-night snack comes with none of the guilt and all of the benefits.

Sleep experts say these foods are especially helpful as the days get shorter and we’re exposed to less sunlight, causing our melatonin production to dip. Pairing a fruity evening snack with good bedtime habits, like dimming lights and staying off electronics at night, can make all the difference.

So next time you’re tossing and turning, skip the supplements and reach for nature’s dessert. A handful of cherries, a sliced kiwi or a few grapes might be the sweetest way to even sweeter dreams.

The health worries you have after smoking can last for years after you stubbed out your final cigarette.

It all depends, a new research study from South Korea shows, on how long a person smoked and how heavily.

Cardiovascular disease is not the only toll smoking takes, but it’s one of the deadliest. It can lead to heart attacks, strokes and heart failure.

The study looked at more than 5.3 million South Koreans. They took a deep dive into the health records of the mostly male participants, who had an average age of almost 46. Roughly 16% were current smokers, almost 2% had quit and 82% had never smoked.

Researchers tracked the participants an average of four years and two months, monitoring cardiovascular disease development. They recorded each participant’s smoking history.

Depending on how much and how long someone smoked, they found, the path to cardiovascular health could take a few years to more than 20.

The study’s “tipping point” was eight so-called “pack years” of smoking. They calculated a pack-year by multiplying the number of packs smoked per day by the number of years a person smoked.

Smoking one pack a day for eight years would equal eight pack years. So would smoking two packs a day for four years.

Those who quit smoking before eight pack years are lucky. Their cardiovascular risk drops quickly and their heart health returns to that of someone who never smoked between five and 10 years.

For smokers with more than eight pack years, it takes about 25 years to equal the heart disease risk of a never-smoker.

So don’t start smoking. If that ship has sailed, quit as soon as you can. Every extra puff counts.

You might want to avoid sitting down for this news.

A recent study found that it isn’t enough to be cardiovascularly fit. Sitting can apparently undo what we usually think exercise ensures — good health.

British researchers found that being in good shape still carries the same risk of blood-vessel damage as occurs in less fit individuals after just two hours of daily sitting.

The study involved men ages 18 to 45. So, scientists do not yet know if the same holds true for older adults or women.

Modern society demands a lot of sitting. We sit at our computers. Truck drivers sit behind the wheel for hours. We sit in office cubicle farms. And, of course, we sit while watching television.

Many use standing desks at work. However, they aren’t an option for everyone due to the cost. And frankly, not everyone wants to stand all day.

Researchers measured study participants’ heart rate and blood pressure. The well-conditioned men had lower resting heart rates and blood pressure than those who were unfit. After two hours of sitting, however, measures of blood vessel health were comparable to those of less fit individuals.

That’s a problem for many people. According to one estimate, young adults spend six hours a day sitting.

Surprisingly, scientists found that participants who drank high-flavanol cocoa preserved their blood vessel function. Flavanols are a natural compound found in plant-based foods. They can protect cells from damage and support heart health.

So, stand down. You don’t want to be sedentary. But a hot cocoa might be a good drink of choice if you’re going to be sitting for a while.

Cockroaches don’t get a lot of love. Scourge of humanity and seemingly impossible to eradicate, they and their forebearers have thrived for more than 300 million years.

Many scientists are fascinated by the creatures. Did you know they can produce their own antibiotics? Or that they can run up to 3 miles per hour? Scale that up for humans, and the winner of the 100-yard dash would be racing 200 miles per hour.

We humans, however, find them less fascinating when we spot a few in our homes, and with good reason.

A new study by U.S. and Canadian researchers shows that a common household pest, the German cockroach, produces endotoxins. These are inflammatory compounds from gut bacteria that amplify the allergic reaction to the roaches.

The scientists say a female of the species can generate 5,000 units of endotoxins through its feces daily. Multiply that by the thousands of roaches in a typical infestation, and homes are infested with millions of the toxins. That gets picked up by dust and distributed around a home.

Researchers collected roach poop from males and females to calculate how many of the toxins they produce. Don’t envy that job.

They also monitored 37 apartments, sorted between homes with and without infestations. Scientists tested dust from floors, in addition to heating and air conditioning filters.

The infested homes had many times the levels of roach allergens and endotoxins as roach-free apartments.

These results might help explain why cockroaches are one of the strongest risk factors for childhood asthma in low-income households.

So, don’t ignore a roach crawling in your kitchen — or the fact that you might be breathing its gut bacteria.