The iLabs Singularity Summit was held this past weekend in Milan, Italy - it's always good to see more of this sort of event happening on that side of the Atlantic. There was a strong focus on longevity science:

Biological ageing is a progressive, degenerative process. As a side-effect of the everyday metabolic activities, cells in our body are damaged: year after year, the cumulative effect of this micro-damages considerably diminishes the overall efficiency of the system, leading eventually to death. ... We die mainly because of ignorance: we do not know how to measure our health, we do not understand completely the side-effects of our therapies and we can't explain the complex interplay between mind and body.

Doing something about these technological and scientific inadequacies should be far higher on most people's to-do lists than it in fact is - we all age, we all suffer the degenerations caused by low-level biological damage. We should all be highly motivated to deal with the problem before it sucks away our ability to live, and then kills us. Alas, the present state of affairs is far from this ideal, and most people do not know or believe that the defeat of aging really is within reach. But it won't happen soon enough unless a great many more people work hard to make it happen.

Amongst the presenters at the summit was the familiar face of Aubrey de Grey, biomedical gerontologist, SENS Foundation cofounder, and outspoken advocate for the development of rejuvenation biotechnology. Here is a video interview made by David Orban and thoughtfully uploaded to YouTube:

Another in a series of articles on this topic from Singularity Hub: "The blind in Europe have reason to rejoice, the world's most advanced artificial retina has just received the CE Mark, approved for use in new patients. The Argus II, developed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and marketed by Second Sight, is on sale in the EU, but still awaiting FDA approval here in the US. Luckily, clinical trials are already underway and we could get the amazing device here soon. With the Argus II, blind patients use an external camera to pick up video that is wirelessly transmitted to an electrode array surgically implanted in the eye. While full vision is not restored, the 60+ electrodes allow for some distinction of outlines and other basic shapes. Definitely an improvement over blindness. ... a camera embedded in a pair of glasses records the world in front of the patient. A wearable computer takes that image and transforms it into a basic series of impulses. That pattern is transmitted to the Argus II implant which rests inside the eye, and which is attached to the back of the eye through an electrode array. ... Although software improvements may arrive first, hardware upgrades are also on the horizon. The Argus II operates with about 60 electrodes in its array. That's 60 points of data for your eye to interpret. The Argus III, currently under development at LLNL, should have 200+ electrodes. Perhaps considerably more. It will take a thousand or so to make out human faces accurately, but the Department of Energy is pushing LLNL towards that goal, and beyond. As slow as the progress in artificial retinas has been, it shows no sign of stopping. There are other projects outside of the Argus series, at least two (one in MIT, another in Germany) show serious promise, and even have superior qualities to the Argus in some respects. I have no doubt that we could, eventually, reach a resolution that equals that of the human eye. Perhaps, with a different kind of interface, we could even see in greater detail than nature intended."

Link: http://singularityhub.com/2011/03/08/artificial-retina-that-lets-the-blind-see-again-more-great-videos-of-the-argus/

Via ScienceDaily: "Even long after it is formed, a memory in rats can be enhanced or erased by increasing or decreasing the activity of a brain enzyme. ... Our study is the first to demonstrate that, in the context of a functioning brain in a behaving animal, a single molecule, PKMzeta, is both necessary and sufficient for maintaining long-term memory. ... Unlike other recently discovered approaches to memory enhancement, the PKMzeta mechanism appears to work any time. It is not dependent on exploiting time-limited windows when a memory becomes temporarily fragile and changeable - just after learning and upon retrieval - which may expire as a memory grows older. ... This pivotal mechanism could become a target for treatments to help manage debilitating emotional memories in anxiety disorders and for enhancing faltering memories in disorders of aging. ... In their earlier studies, [researchers] showed that even weeks after rats learned to associate a nauseating sensation with saccharin and shunned the sweet taste, their sweet tooth returned within a couple of hours after rats received a chemical that blocked the enzyme PKMzeta in the brain's outer mantle, or neocortex, where long-term memories are stored. In the new study, they paired genetic engineering with the same aversive learning model to both confirm the earlier studies and to demonstrate, by increasing PKMzeta, the opposite effect. They harnessed a virus to infect the neocortex with the PKMzeta gene, resulting in overexpression of the enzyme and memory enhancement. Conversely, introducing a mutant inactive form of the enzyme, that replaced the naturally occurring one, erased the memory - much as the chemical blocker did."

Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110304092111.htm

As you might recall, naked mole rats are interesting to researchers not just because they live nine times longer than similarly sized rodents of other species, but because they don't seem to suffer cancer. At all. There's a primer or two on naked mole rats and cancer back in the Fight Aging! archives:

Naked Mole Rats Do Not Suffer From Cancer

No naked mole rat has been observed to suffer from cancer, a fact that is attracting interest from the cancer research community as this species becomes more widely studied. If the biochemistry that leads to this feat can be understood, it is possible there exists an economical way to port that cancer immunity to humans.

Mechanisms of Naked Mole Rat Cancer Immunity

Like many animals, including humans, the mole rats have a gene called p27 that prevents cellular overcrowding, but the mole rats use another, earlier defense in gene p16. Cancer cells tend to find ways around p27, but mole rats have a double barrier that a cell must overcome before it can grow uncontrollably.

It will be interesting to see whether this line of research pans out into something that looks like a gene therapy for humans. On this topic I see that there's a general interest article on mole rats and their cancer immunity in yesterday's Washington Post:

In the past few years, researchers have been teasing out the biological bases for this cancer resistance, which they say may help explain how naked mole rats manage to live almost 10 times longer than their house mouse and street rat cousins. When Old Man, the oldest known naked mole rat on the planet, died at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio in November, he was 32 years old.

...

Getting old without the usual diseases and diminishments of the aging process has always been an intriguing idea. Vera Gorbunova, a biologist and cancer researcher at the University of Rochester in New York, is among those scientists trying to find out how naked mole rats do it.

...

For many of the experiments her team wanted to do, they needed to grow naked mole rat cells in laboratory dishes, but this proved to be difficult. Whenever the cells touched one another, they stopped replicating. This was frustrating, but it also presented Gorbunova with a clue. She knew that normal mouse and human cells exhibit a less pronounced type of "contact inhibition" and that cancer cells grow into masses because they lack this inhibition.

"In naked mole rat cells," Gorbunova surmised, "we are seeing super contact inhibition." She wondered if there might be a linkage with the mole rats' immunity to cancer.

...

As Gorbunova sees it, living a long time and disease-thwarting mechanisms such as super contact inhibition go hand in hand. Mice are valuable animal models for studying cancer precisely because they get the disease so easily, she notes, and naked mole rats should become just as important for cancer research precisely because they never get the disease.

A similar line of thinking can be applied to the study of whales, species that must also be highly resistant to cancer, given their massive size and life spans that stretch out to more than 200 years in some cases:

Blue whales can weigh over a thousand times more than a human being. That's a lot of extra cells, and as those cells grow and divide, there's a small chance that each one will mutate. A mutation can be harmless, or it can be the first step towards cancer. As the descendants of a precancerous cell continue to divide, they run a risk of taking a further step towards a full-blown tumor. To some extent, cancer is a lottery, and a 100-foot blue whale has a lot more tickets than we do.

There is potentially much that can be learned from the mammalian species - like naked mole rats and the great whales - that share similar cellular biologies but nonetheless manage to be far more resilient or far longer lived than we humans.

A study published by The Cochrane Collaboration revealed that taking zinc supplements can reduce the severity of cold symptoms and shorten the length of the illness.

Your Body’s Natural Defense

The body is naturally built with its defense mechanism against infection and diseases. From the day that we were born, the immune system is already a little familiar with the things that can harm the body. After the detection of such threats, the immune cells immediately act to destroy and remove the threat from the body. This process of familiarization with the different disease-causing bacteria, virus and other antigens will take time. In the case of the common cold, for example, you would oftentimes need to get sick first before the immune system can effectively fight the virus causing the illness. But there are hundreds of cold strains and new strains evolve from old strains every time that it is impossible to come up with a universal vaccine that would repeal all cold viruses. The best approach is to keep the immune system in pristine condition in order to reduce the severity and length of the symptoms if the illness cannot entirely be avoided.

How Common is Common Cold?

The common cold is considered as a seasonal epidemic that can be transmitted through direct contact with droplets from an infected person, objects and surfaces. People are advised to avoid contact with people and surfaces that could possibly be infected with the common cold virus, especially during an outbreak. Keeping the body healthy, on the other hand, will serve as your first line of defense. Proper diet and sufficient exercise will help strengthen the immune system and help it better fight infection. Certain nutrients from food can also help boost the immune system. A study from The Cochrane Collaboration observed that the supplementation of zinc can reduce the severity and length of the common cold symptoms.

Zinc Against The common cold

The Cochrane Collaboration published a study suggesting that the intake of zinc-enriched syrup, tablets and lozenges during the onset of the common cold can reduce the length and severity of the symptoms. The study consisted of 15 clinical trials and found that, after a week, study participants who took zinc supplementation had cleared their common cold symptoms compared to the group taking placebo pills.

Head researcher Meenu Singh of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in India said that the results of their study indicated that the intake of zinc supplements within 24 hours from catching the common cold reduced the severity and duration of the symptoms. He added that taking the supplement for no less than five months can reduce the incidence of the condition, use of antibiotics and school absenteeism in children. The results of the study further provided evidence of the efficacy of zinc as a treatment for common cold. But Singh also added that it is difficult to recommend zinc at the present due to the lack of studies regarding optimum dose, length of treatment and formulation.

Health Benefits of Zinc

The production of more than 300 enzymes relies on the sufficient amount of zinc in the body. With the deficiency of this micro-mineral, health conditions like connective tissue disorder can develop. A study conducted by researchers from UC Davis found that pregnant mice with deficient amounts of zinc produced offspring with a dysfunctional immune system. Deficient levels of zinc has also been linked to cataracts, muscular degeneration, defective connective tissue, acne, high risk of  pneumonia, diarrhea, short stature and dwarfism, mental lethargy, rough skin, subsequent infection, slow skeletal maturation and weight loss. Though a few of these observations were acquired in animal studies, zinc deficiency still poses as a great threat to human health.

The various health benefits of zinc, on the other hand, include the prevention and reduction of the severity of flu. Several studies have found that zinc has the ability to enhance the function of immune cells and reduce the body’s susceptibility to infection. Zinc is also essential in maintaining taste and smell sensitivity, preventing osteoporosis, promoting healthier skin, better weight management, keeping a balanced blood sugar level, promoting healthy eyesight, and preventing prostate diseases.

The richest natural source of zinc are oysters, peas, nuts, chicken, eggs, liver, meats, mushrooms, oats, sardines, whole grain, wheat germ and bran and soy beans. The RDA or Recommended Dietary Allowance of zinc for adults is 10 to 15 milligrams. Anything in excess to this can result to zinc poisoning. Too much zinc in the system can lead to gastrointestinal disturbances, chills and uncontrollable shaking, fever, liver dysfunction and skin irritation.

Natural Ways to Prevent and Reduce the Incidence of the Common Cold

The key to common cold prevention is living healthy – nutritious diet, regular exercise and avoiding unhealthy habits. The Centers for Disease Control said that people with the highest risk of catching cold are pregnant women, children aged 5 years and younger, older adults aged 50 years and above, people with chronic medical conditions like diabetes and asthma, people living in long-term care facilities like nursing home, and health-care workers who are frequently in contact with flu-infected individuals.

Proper nutrition and eating foods rich in vitamins and other nutrients that had been found to help protect the body from infection is essential in keeping the body cold-free. Eating food with cold-fighting nutrients is more effective than taking dietary supplements. This way, you are getting all of the health benefits that the food has to offer; you’ll just have to know which foods are rich in what nutrient. Green vegetables, oranges and other citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C which has been proven to help in boosting the immune system’s ability to repeal diseases.

Getting enough exercise also strengthens the immune system. People without or with less exercise had been found to get sick more often that those who exercise in most days of the week. In addition, The National Sleep Foundation has found that people with poor sleeping habits are more likely to get sick than those who always get a good night’s sleep. And lastly, being defensive about getting in contact with the virus is essential in keeping you cold-free. Wash your hands with soap or use a sanitizer as often as you can.

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A study published in the Phytotheraphy Research journal showed that the daily supplementation of fenugreek extract can maintain normal testosterone level and boost libido in men.

Your Sex Drive

Although testosterone is not the only enzyme that is responsible for a man’s performance and sex drive, low testosterone can lead to sexual problems like erectile dysfunction which can have a direct negative effect on a man’s self-esteem and his relationships. The first and most common approach to treating sexual problems is by increasing the amounts of testosterone in the body; male libido and testosterone goes hand in hand.  Knowing the various negative effects of low libido will help in better understanding and accepting the problem as a medical condition that needs expert medical attention.

Keep Your Pistons Going

People don’t usually talk about sex as an important aspect in keeping a relationship, and marriage, alive. Clinical psychologist Kevin Leman said in his book Sheet Music: Uncovering the Secrets of Sexual Intimacy in Marriage that intimacy between two married individuals is very important. He also addressed the problems of most married people who have become too stressed and tired to have a love life. The lack of intimacy can begin when the man starts to lose his libido which tends to naturally decline as the person ages. Other sexual problems like erectile dysfunction can become a huge hindrance in maintaining an intimate relationship.

Most men will refuse to see a doctor to treat their sexual problems. Knowing that there are various natural herbs and food supplements that promise to bring back their sex drive tends to make them believe that they can treat the problem alone. But sometimes, these over-the-counter natural food supplements may contain certain compounds that have not been proven to be safe for human consumption.

Proper nutrition and regular exercise will help in keeping your sex drive going and can aid in maintaining sufficient levels of testosterone in the body. Studies show that low testosterone levels will not only affect your libido but it may lead to other more serious sexual problems. Other factors like stress can also affect a person’s sex drive.

Low testosterone and Common Sexual Problems in Men

The body needs more than 300 nanograms of testosterone per deciliter of blood in order to keep the sex drive going and avoid other problems like mood fluctuations, sleeping disturbances and erectile dysfunction. Though a few men with low testosterone levels do not experience any sex-related symptoms, the greater percentage suffers from its adverse effects. In cases wherein low testosterone is affecting the person’s quality of life, medical experts will recommend testosterone replacement. This is done by using patches, oral tablets, skin gels and injections that introduce more testosterone in the body. The known long-term effects of low testosterone include the higher risk of cardiovascular disease, depression, diabetes and obesity. These health conditions are also some of the risk factors of erectile dysfunction.

Erectile dysfunction is commonly caused by atherosclerosis or the hardening of the arteries. The small blood vessels that drive and hold blood in the male genital area, when they are damaged, will fail to dilate and maintain a strong blood flow. The main causes of atherosclerosis are high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol levels.

A study conducted by researchers from Massachusetts had found that 28 percent of men with low testosterone levels had decreased libido. And the study participants who were found to have this condition had an average age 47 years. The other causes of low libido are chronic medical illnesses, depression, lack of sleep and stress.

Fenugreek to Boost Sex Drive and Testosterone Levels in Men

A study conducted by researchers from the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Clinical Trials, and the Applied Science and Nutrition found that the daily supplementation of fenugreek extract can improve the male libido and help in keeping normal levels of testosterone in the body. The formulation containing minerals ad fenugreek extract was found to improve libido of more than 80 percent of study participants while more than 60 percent reported an improvement in their sexual performance after taking the supplement.

The researchers from Australia gathered a group of 60 healthy participants aged 25 to 52 and randomly asked them to take the supplement containing fenugreek extract or a placebo pill everyday for a period of 6 weeks. Note that none of the study participants had erectile dysfunction at the start of the study. In addition to the primary findings of the study, 56 percent of the participants also reported an improvement in overall well-being and 82 percent had higher energy levels. The results were published in the Phytotheraphy Research journal.

Health Benefits of Fenugreek

Fenugreek is a strong aromatic plant that belongs to the legume family. It is rarely used in cooking but it is more often applied as an herbal treatment for certain health conditions. The most active components of fenugreek are protein, fiber, lysine, steroidal saponins, flavonoids, phosphates, vitamin C, vitamin B1, Vitamin A and iron. The sapogenins in fenugreek can help in preventing the synthesis and absorption of cholesterol. At the same time, it contains diosgenin that act like steroidal hormones and estrogen. The soluble fiber in fenugreek also helps in maintaining healthy glucose metabolism. It contains 50 percent fiber that can inhibit the rate of postprandial glucose absorption.

The medicinal property of fenugreek is traditionally considered as a laxative, expectorant, demulcent, carminative, and stomachic. It is used as a topical treatment for ulcerations of the skin, gout, eczema, burns, boils and abscesses due its anti-inflammatory benefits. People with diabetes have also been using fenugreek seeds as a natural alternative to orally taking insulin.

Top Things that can Impair Your Libido

• Stress is the number one killer. If you have been taking too much load at work and are noticing a decline in your sex life, you might as well link them together and find a way to fight the stress. Find healthy avenues to release your stress like going to the spa regularly, participating in sports activities more often or anything that you find effective in relieving stress. Seeking the advice of doctors and counselors in finding a suitable stress management technique will also help you a lot.

• Avoid too much alcohol. Drinking alcoholic drinks will not always put you in the mood. It can kill your sex drive and make you less interested about sex. This is also true for recreational drugs.

• Insufficient sleep and sleeping disorders can decrease your sex drive. The factors that are preventing you from getting enough sleep are also interfering with your used-to-be healthy sex drive. You can seek the assistance of a medical expert on how you can conquer both problems.

• Some other sex drive killers are low self-esteem, certain medications like oral contraceptives, antihistamines, blood pressure medications and antidepressants, as well as relationship problems, obesity and depression.

Sources
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askmen.com
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Researchers from the University of British Columbia found that roasting coffee beans can further improve its antioxidant content.

Drinking too much coffee can be harmful to your health. This can result to insomnia, heart palpitations and anxiety. But the moderate intake of coffee can offer some preventive health benefits. Studies have found that drinking a few cups of coffee in a day can reduce the risk of certain cancer and even dementia.

Researchers from the University of British Columbia found that dark roasted coffee beans offer the most antioxidants than other coffee varieties. They observed that roasting the coffee beans releases their antioxidant content. The researchers added that antioxidants are important because they inhibit the oxidative processes and protect cells from the damage caused by unstable free radicals; the damage caused by free radicals can lead to chronic diseases and cancer.

The study was headed by David Kitts and Yazheng Liu, and is scheduled to be published in the Food Research International. The researchers found that when raw green coffee beans are browned by exposing them to high temperatures, a chemical process called the Maillard reaction occurs which optimizes the antioxidant content of roasted Java coffee beans.

The Various Health Benefits of Coffee

More than 90 percent of the world’s population drinks coffee, and there is a reason behind this. Coffee is a rich source of essential nutrients and strong antioxidants. It also contains compounds that help in keeping people awake and alert, especially while at work. Health professionals recommend limiting coffee intake. There are several studies showing that too much caffeine can lead to health complications like increased blood pressure. But moderate drinking of coffee can actually produce beneficial health results. Studies show that the antioxidants and other compounds in coffee can counter the risk factors of stroke and heart attack like heart rhythm disturbances and diabetes.

Against Arrhythmia. A study consisting of around 130,000 Kaiser Permanente health plan members found that study participants who drank around 1 to 3 cups of coffee in a day are 20 percent less likely to be hospitalized for arrhythmia or abnormal heart rhythm than non-coffee drinkers. A study on 83,700 nurses enrolled in the Nurse’s health study found that participants who drink two or more cups of coffee in a day can lead to a 20 percent lowered risk of stroke than those who drink less. This finding was independent of other risk factors like diabetes, high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure.

Against Liver Cancer. Japanese researchers found that people who drink coffee are less likely to develop liver cancer.  The study consisted of more than 61,000 participants. The researchers believed that this is due to the chlorogenic acid content of coffee. Arabica coffee contains up to seven percent of chlorogenic acid while robusta coffee contains up to 10 percent. With the help of caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid protects the cells and cerebral neurons from the damage caused by oxidation.  It also normalizes colon function and promotes cellular differentiation. This effect has also been found to inhibit the growth and induce the death of breast cancer cells.

French chemist Louis-Camille Maillard was first to investigate the effects of heat towards proteins, sugars and carbohydrates in food; thus, the process was named after him. During the heating process, different flavored compounds are produced and are broken down to form other compounds. Different foods produce different compounds during the Maillard reaction. As for roasting coffee beans, it produces more antioxidants.

Researchers said that other studies suggest that the antioxidants in coffee can be traced to its chlorogenic acid and caffeine content that is found in green coffee beans. But he added that the Maillard reaction is responsible for creating coffee’s antioxidant content.

Against Prostate Cancer. According to their findings, drinking dark roasted java coffee supplies the body with more antioxidants than other coffee varieties. The benefits of coffee include cancer and chronic disease prevention. A study conducted by a team of researchers from Harvard University found that drinking coffee can reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer. They observed that men who drank the most amount of coffee are 60 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer that those who were not in the habit of drinking coffee.

Against Alzheimer’s Disease. A study published in the January issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease revealed than drinking coffee can have a long-term effect in maintaining cognitive function and reducing the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia at old age. The researchers from Finland randomly selected study participants from a population-based cohort who previously participated in a related study. The participants were observed for an average of 21 years. More than 1400 participants who were 65 to 79 years old completed the study. They observed that coffee drinkers had lower risk of developing dementia at midlife and Alzheimer’s disease at old age. Participants who were in the habit of drinking 3 to 5 cups in a day had a 65 percent lesser chance of developing dementia of Alzheimer’s disease.

Against Depression. A related study published in the Nutrition and Neuroscience investigated the link between coffee consumption and people’s cooperative behavior and sociability. The researchers gathered a group of 77 moderate coffee drinkers and were asked to play a game with an imaginary person. After drinking coffee, the participants displayed fewer signs of sadness and were more open and responsive to their imaginary player. Other studies had found that men and women who drank coffee are less likely to develop depressive symptoms and have lower tendencies of committing suicide.

Coffee: A Richer Source of Antioxidants

Researchers had found that coffee is the primary source of antioxidants of Americans. Studies show that there are more antioxidants in a normal serving of coffee than in a typical serving of oranges, raspberries, grape juice and blueberries. In addition, a cup of coffee has four times more antioxidants than a cup of green tea.

A Fair Warning to Coffee Drinkers

Despite the piling evidence showing that coffee is a rich source of antioxidants, James Lane from Duke University Medical Center said that there hasn’t been any study investigating whether the antioxidants from coffee can indeed reach the bloodstream. He, however, added that there is enough proof to show that caffeine from coffee can reach the blood stream and can lead to hypertension and increase levels of adrenaline.

Sources
naturalnews.com
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A study found that the high intake of foods rich in trans fat can result to an increased risk of depression while eating foods rich in healthy fats like olive oil helps in reducing the risk.

Trans Fat

Trans fats can come from different sources and they naturally occur in meats and dairy products. They are commonly formed when vegetable oil is partially hydrogenated which converts it into semi-solids for a variety of uses and food applications. Food manufacturers have been using trans fat since it has a more stable flavor and longer shelf life. But different studies had found out that trans fat can increase the levels of bad cholesterol in the blood and result to health problems like hypertension, cardiovascular disease, chronic illnesses and obesity.

A few cities in the United States, including New York, had banned the use of trans fat in the preparation of food in restaurants and other food establishments. In addition to the known adverse effects of trans fat, a study from Spain includes a higher risk of depression to the list.

Trans Fat Can Increase the Risk of Depression

Researchers from the University of Navarra in Spain found that the consumption of foods and other source rich in trans fat can result to an increased risk of depression while eating foods rich in healthier fatty acids like olive oil can have the opposite effect. The study was based on the results of the SUN project which consisted of the more than 12,000 Spanish volunteers. The researchers found that study participants with the most amount of trans fat intake had a 48 percent greater risk of developing depression than participants who had less or no trans fat consumption. Their findings were published in the open online access journal PloS One. The study also found that monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats like olive oil can lower the risk of depression.

The study was led by a professor of preventive medicine, Miguel Martinez. He noted that their study was based on a population with a very low trans fat intake. He added that, despite their limited trans fat consumption, they showed higher risk of suffering depression of about 50 percent. The trans fat consumption of the study participants only amounted to 0.4 percent of the total energy intake. Martinez explained that their findings are important especially to countries with high trans fat consumption like the United States which is at 2.5 percent.

The study participants consisted of more than 7000 women and 5000 men, whose ages averaged at 37. 5 years old. They were all part of the SUN project of the University of Navarra. The data gathered from the participants showed a strong link between trans fat intake and the risk of depression. The researchers said that the link was persistent and robust in each variation of the study. They were also able to observe the effects of healthier fats like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids from olive oil to the risk of depression and found that these can help in lowering the risk. But despite the promising results, Martinez and his team said that their study will need further support from more studies and trials.

Depression

Depression is a serious health condition that causes drastic changes in mood, behavior and physical well-being. It has been found to significantly affect a person’s life as well as the lives of other people around him.  It is thought to be caused by different environmental, psychological and physical factors. In most cases, depression develops after physical and/or psychological trauma. But it can also happen for no apparent reason. Most people experience depression only once in their entire lifetime but others may suffer from a series of episodes with short intervals in between. For severe cases, medication may need to be taken permanently. Though depression can cripple a person’s ability to function properly, it is relatively more treatable than other psychological conditions.

The symptoms of depression includes unexplainable physical problems like headaches and back pain, sudden urge to cry for no clear reason, suicidal thoughts, difficulty in remembering, making decisions, concentrating and thinking, feelings of guilt and worthlessness, moments of self-pity and self-blame, tiredness, fatigue and lack of energy, edginess and increased indecisiveness, restlessness and agitation, excessive sleeping or insomnia, reduced sex drive, and feelings of frustration, unhappiness and sadness due to small things. The symptoms can vary depending on the person’s age and gender.

Medical professionals look at different possible causes of depression. The condition can be caused by changes in brain chemistry, dysfunction of neurotransmitters, hormonal imbalance, genetic make-up, early childhood trauma and sad life events like the loss of a loved one.

Health Benefits of Olive Oil

Olive oil is good for the heath. It is one of the richest sources of healthy fatty acids like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. People living in the Mediterranean regions who have high olive oil consumption had been found to have better health and healthier hearts than people from other regions.

A study consisting of more than 5600 study participants found that following a Mediterranean diet can lower the risk of death from all natural causes. The researchers followed the participants for more than 6 years. They observed that people who are following a Mediterranean diet had 50 percent lower mortality rate than those who consumed foods rich in trans fat. They concluded that diet plans for the elderly needs to include more olive oil to promote longevity.

In 2004, the US Federal Drug Administration permitted the publication of claims saying that using olive oil can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Olive oil is not only rich in healthy fatty acids but it also contains health-promoting nutrients like phenolic compounds and antioxidants. The other compounds in olive oil like oleic acid and vitamin E prevents the oxidation of cholesterol and prevents it from creating plaques on the walls of the arteries. Olive oil also reduces the amount of free radicals in the body and the occurrence of inflammation. Health professionals recommend the regular use of olive for those with hypertensive conditions and people with high risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Olive oil has also been found to improve the cell’s response to insulin, making it a good recommendation for people with diabetes.

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A study conducted by a team of researchers from Illinois found that poor sleep can increase the risk of disability due to rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

The immune system is responsible for protecting the body from viruses and other pathogenic organisms. But a disorder in the immune system can cause it to confuse healthy tissues and cells as foreign materials. This results to an autoimmune disease which leads to the development of autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis. RA, or rheumatoid arthritis, is a condition that causes the inflammation of joints and the tissues surrounding it. It can also affect other organs in the body.

Rheumatoid arthritis can happen at any age.  However, women are more often affected compared to men. RA usually affects the joints of the ankles, feet, knees, fingers and wrists. The severity and course of the disease can vary on a case-to-case basis. The primary contributors of the disease are hormones, certain genetic markers and infection. Various studies also show that certain habits like the lack of sleep can contribute to the development of rheumatoid arthritis.

Poor Sleep Can Increase the Likelihood of Disability from Rheumatoid Arthritis

A study published in the February issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine revealed that poor sleep is linked with higher risk of depressive symptoms, higher levels of pain and fatigue, and more functional disability in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The researchers suggest treating sleeping problems through the help of behavioral and other forms of intervention to better overcome the painful symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

The study aims to investigate the relationship between functional disability in more than 16 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and their quality of sleep. The study participants had an average age of around 58 years and over 70 percent of them were women. All of the study participants were clinically diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis for no less than 2 years, and they all had been suffering from rheumatoid arthritis for 14 years on an average.

The researchers asked the study participants to complete the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Medical Outcomes Study Short Form, the Health Assessment Questionnaire, and the Beck Depression Inventory. The results provided much needed information regarding the study participants’ quality of sleep, pain severity, functional disability, fatigue, and their depression levels. The participants were also asked to give their medical history and socio-demographic information.

The results of the study showed that a person’s quality of sleep has an indirect effect on functional disability after removing other factors like age, number of co-morbidities and gender. The results of the PSQI showed that more than 61 percent of the patients had poor sleep and 33 percent reported sleeping disturbances caused by joint pain in most days of the week.

Lead researcher from the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Nursing, Faith Luyster, said that the primary result of their study suggests that poor sleep was linked to worse cases of rheumatoid arthritis. She added that it is important to properly address the sleeping problems of rheumatoid arthritis patients through pharmacological and behavioral intervention.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disease that affects more than 1.3 million American adults and which causes stiffness, swelling, pain and loss of function in the joint area. People with rheumatoid arthritis normally complain about sleep disruptions and poor quality of sleep. Luyster added that not being able to sleep well at night can contribute to the severity of fatigue and pain which, in turn, bi-directionally affects their quality of sleep.

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Risk Factors

It has been found that women are more at risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis than men. Adults aged 40 to 60 years are more likely to be infected with the condition. Genetic inclination and family history also plays a major role in the development of rheumatoid arthritis. Though medical experts say that the disease can’t be directly inherited, predispositions to rheumatoid arthritis can be passed on. Lastly, one of the adverse effects of smoking is a higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.

Natural Ways to Fight Rheumatoid Arthritis Risk

Though the real cause of rheumatoid arthritis remains unknown, medical experts say that the key to preventing the disease is protecting the joints from damage. The joints are built to perform the stress of basic tasks but joints with arthritis cannot take the stress of twisting, pulling and pushing.

A tip to protecting the joints from too much strain is by moving the joint to its full range of motion. This can help maintain the active motion of your joints. But remember not to overdo the exercise and keep the movement to where it is pain-free and in the range of your flexibility. Keep the movements gentle and slow. Forcing the joints to make movements beyond its range of motion can only result to damage and injury.

Doing basic tasks will, more often than not, require the movement of the joints. Another tip to prevent the risk of rheumatoid arthritis is knowing which tasks cause joint pain and by finding a way to avoid it. Lifting heavy objects can cause sudden jolts of pain. And if this happens, try to find a better way of doing it without experiencing the same pain, especially with tasks that you do every day. Remember to observe proper body mechanics when doing things.  This will not only make the task easier to complete, but it helps you avoid injuries as well.

Rheumatoid arthritis pain is common in the hand area. The hands are full of joints and pain in this area can result to functional disability. Try to use your hands more carefully. Avoid tasks that will need prolonged pinching and gripping. The motion of the fingers needs to be in the direction of the thumb and not the little finger. Opening jars for example will direct the force to the palm instead of just in the fingers. Try to use jar openers rather than doing it barehanded. Using tools with ergonomically designed handles will help prevent the onset of pain.

Different joints can endure different levels of tasks. The joints in the fingers can only do so much but other joints can do so much more. When doing certain heavy tasks for example, try to use your strongest joints. Avoid keeping the joints in the same position for an extended period of time. When writing, try to give your hands some rest for 10 to 15 minutes. When driving long distances, try to stop for a few minutes. Move out and stretch your joints.

Sources
eurekalert.org
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
medicinenet.com
mayoclinic.com
mayoclinic.com
mayoclinic.com

Discuss this post in Frank Mangano’s forum!

The UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency found that a certain brand of traditional Chinese medicine contains an unspecified and unauthorized pharmaceutical ingredient.

Looking beyond the obvious, having excess weight contributes to a higher risk of developing certain diseases like diabetes and chronic illnesses. Different weight loss products and food supplements promise fast results without the need for exercise and restricted diet. This is alarming since some people are putting their trust on products that has not been duly recognized as 100 percent safe by medical experts.

Most weight loss supplements are commonly bought and used by people without the advice of physicians. It is alarming to find out that these health dangers are sold over-the-counter, with no prescriptions needed, and with no questions asked. The weight loss supplements market has become a multi-billion dollar industry and almost everyone seems to want to jump in and join the bandwagon.  Because of this, despite the strict regulations, some manage to sneak past laid out rules – and this explains the availability. This can be dangerous especially to people with pre-existing health conditions.

The UK Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Agency ordered for the recall of the product Herbal Xenical, or also known as Herbal Flos Lonicerae, after a doctor reported the hospitalization of a patient after taking the product.

MHRA Warns Public from Taking Non-prescribed Weight Loss Supplements

After taking the product Herbal Xenical, a patient from UK reported gastritis, palpitations, insomnia and abdominal pain, and was hospitalized for severe symptoms. The UK MHRA ordered the immediate recall of the product. Though they refused to name the contaminant responsible for producing the effects, previous reports had sibutramine to blame. The MHRA said that they will be subjecting the product for lab testing to determine the real cause of the patient’s complaints.

The MHRA has also issued a warning to people who are taking the product to stop using the product and to consult a doctor. The MHRA also took the opportunity to promote the THMPD or the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive which aims to more effectively regulate weight loss supplements.  Richard Woodfield from the MHRA said that since 2005, their department has discovered more than 280 weight loss food supplements that contain significant amounts of pharmaceutical substances that produces adverse effects to the body. He added that situations like what happened to the person taking Herbal Xenical is the reason why they are promoting the Traditional Herbal Registration to the EU in order to better regulate herbal weight loss food supplements. He also said that people have the right to know what they are taking in and that they are not treating a certain health condition only to result to a more severe side effect.

In a recent update, the MHRA confirmed that Herbal Xenical highly contains a banned pharmaceutical ingredient called sibutramine. The tests revealed that the product contains twice the amount of sibutramine that is allowed by the EU before the ingredient was totally banned due to alarming findings such as the increased risk of stroke, heart attack, seizures and hypertension. The UK agency strongly encouraged people who had bought the product prior to the recall to stop using it. They also appealed to people who had experienced side-effects to report to the MHRA through its Yellow Card Scheme.

Sibutramine has been found in botanical products sold as herbal weight loss food supplements long with other harmful substances like lignocaine, vardenafil, tadalafil, glibenclamide and sildenafil. These substances had also been promoted to fight erectile dysfunction.

Natural Ways to Lose Weight

Not all natural weight loss products are safe for the body. Numerous clinical studies had found that certain herbal weight loss supplements contain compounds that can be harmful to a person’s health and which can also increase the risk of certain health conditions like hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and even stroke. There is too little evidence showing that these products can be effective without resulting to severe side effects. Medical experts and health professionals encourage people who want to lose weight to just rely on the tried and tested natural means and methods.

The best approach to losing weight is by exercising more and by eating healthy foods. Limiting your calorie intake to a healthy level prevents the further storage of fat in your body and encourages stored fats to be used. Certain diet plans may work for others but this will not be the case for everyone. It’s easy to make your own diet plan as long as you know your body’s nutritional needs, the nutritional and calorie content of different foods, and the calorie restriction to help you lose weight without making you feel weak. Make sure to keep every meal low in calorie but rich in nutrition. Eating fruits and vegetables that are rich in minerals, vitamins and fiber can be the best option.

But the burning of fats and shedding of excess weight can’t happen without the help of exercise. Finding time and the right motivation is key to helping yourself stick to the habit. Some people will often lose their enthusiasm to exercise in most days of the week. But with the right approach and reason to keep on moving, you’ll be reaching your weight goal even before you start noticing it.

Make a commitment to yourself. But before anything else, understand that losing weight will take time and a lot of effort. Make permanent changes to your lifestyle and do it for the right reasons. Be focused and stay committed to your weight loss plan. For your plans to work, you will need to have the physical and mental energy to change your habits. You may also need to address certain stressors that are probable contributors to your gaining weight.

Setting a realistic goal can also help in making it happen. Aiming to lose a few pounds per week is better than hoping to lose so much in a month. Initially setting out short-term goals will help you understand your goals and your ability to lose weight. You can always make adjustments but try to set a threshold and set the bar higher each time.

Consistency is the key. Be consistent with your diet plan, exercise habits, and lifestyle change and understand that it is not a temporary commitment that you can abandon once you reached your desired weight.

Sources
nutraingredients.com
nutraingredients.com
nutraingredients-usa.com
altmedicine.about.com
mayoclinic.com
mayoclinic.com

Discuss this post in Frank Mangano’s forum!

Yes, prevention of aging is within our grasp - in the sense that a package of foreseeable medical technologies could enable repair of the low-level biochemical damage that causes aging, and those technologies might take only twenty years or so to develop. Unfortunately, that timeline is dependent on a large amount of funding and a dedicated research community, neither of which presently exists for many of the essential parts of this research program. While the regenerative medicine and cancer research communities are populous, well funded, and achieving progress, very few researchers are presently working on other goals necessary to halt the aging process - such as repair of mitochondrial DNA.

So when I say "within our grasp," I mean "if we all get up and do our part to make it happen." It takes a wave of public interest and advocacy to steer the scientific community and large funding institutions - and they presently need steering towards repair-based strategies to deal with aging, otherwise the first working rejuvenation therapies will arrive too late for those in middle age today.

Here is an article from Ageing Research with a different take on "within our grasp":

Slowly but steadily knowledge about the human body has progressed and new ideas of animal ageing have immerged. The classic model of ageing, based on "accumulation of errors" has become an outdated notion. Instead, evidence suggests that ageing, at least in part, is likely the result of a failure in the function of cells (such as stem cells) required for cellular regeneration. Replacing impaired stem cells with fully functional stem cells should thus prevent/treat age-associated pathologies allowing us to live healthier longer lives.

This sort of viewpoint I see as a dangerous path of complacence. While it is true that (a) regenerative medicine and stem cell science are racing ahead, and (b) the ability to replace tissue, whole organs, or damaged stem cell populations will do much to help, you can't fix aging with stem cells alone.

I've had to make this point with a number of folk who are enthusiastic about progress in regenerative medicine and think that it will enable great extension of human life. Unfortunately this is not the case, as a great deal of degenerative aging is built atop a build-up of waste biochemicals and the body is an integrated system - the health of each of its subsystems impact the others. You can't fix problems in isolation; you can't drop new stem cells into age-damaged stem cell niches, and you can't put a new heart into a body with corroded arteries and expect it to be just fine. If you replace some failing tissue with fresh tissue, that fails to solve a range of other eventually fatal problems.

This is another aspect of the well known factoid regarding cancer research - if you cured cancer and made no other advance in medicine, that state of affairs would add only a couple of years to overall human life expectancy. The people who survived cancer thanks to the miracle therapy would soon be cut down by other conditions of aging. All of the life-span-limiting forms of biological damage have to be repairable before we can greatly extend our lives. There are no short cuts: it doesn't matter how well regenerative medicine is progressing, the other branches of longevity science must also progress rapidly if we are to live longer.

Given that those branches are for the most part not well funded, nor the focus of large and vigorous research communities, this means that we have work to do.

One strand of stem cell research is learning how to construct exactly the type of cell needed: "researchers for the first time have transformed a human embryonic stem cell into a critical type of neuron that dies early in Alzheimer's disease and is a major cause of memory loss. This new ability to reprogram stem cells and grow a limitless supply of the human neurons will enable a rapid wave of drug testing for Alzheimer's disease, allow researchers to study why the neurons die and could potentially lead to transplanting the new neurons into people with Alzheimer's. ... These critical neurons, called basal forebrain cholinergic neurons, help the hippocampus retrieve memories in the brain. In early Alzheimer's, the ability to retrieve memories is lost, not the memories themselves. There is a relatively small population of these neurons in the brain, and their loss has a swift and devastating effect on the ability to remember. ... Now that we have learned how to make these cells, we can study them in a tissue culture dish and figure out what we can do to prevent them from dying. ... This technique to produce the neurons allows for an almost infinite number of these cells to be grown in labs, allowing other scientists the ability to study why this one population of cells selectively dies in Alzheimer's disease. ... The ability to make the cells also means researchers can quickly test thousands of different drugs to see which ones may keep the cells alive when they are in a challenging environment. ... [Researchers] demonstrated the newly produced neurons work just like the originals. They transplanted the new neurons into the hippocampus of mice and showed the neurons functioned normally. The neurons produced axons, or connecting fibers, to the hippocampus and pumped out acetylcholine, a chemical needed by the hippocampus to retrieve memories from other parts of the brain."

Link: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-03/nu-hsc030211.php

Interesting research reported via ScienceDaily: "Unexpected results from a [recent study] could completely alter scientists' ideas about Alzheimer's disease - pointing to the liver instead of the brain as the source of the 'amyloid' that deposits as brain plaques associated with this devastating condition. The findings could offer a relatively simple approach for Alzheimer's prevention and treatment. ... The product of [the mouse gene corresponding to a gene known to predispose humans carrying particular variations of it to develop early-onset Alzheimer's disease], called Presenilin2, is [involved] in the generation of pathogenic beta amyloid. Unexpectedly, heritable expression of Presenilin2 was found in the liver but not in the brain. Higher expression of Presenilin2 in the liver correlated with greater accumulation of beta amyloid in the brain and development of Alzheimer's-like pathology. ... This finding suggested that significant concentrations of beta amyloid might originate in the liver, circulate in the blood, and enter the brain. If true, blocking production of beta amyloid in the liver should protect the brain. ... mice were administered imatinib [which] has poor penetration of the blood-brain barrier in both mice and humans. ... Because it doesn't penetrate the blood-brain barrier, we were able to focus on the production of amyloid outside of the brain and how that production might contribute to amyloid that accumulates in the brain, where it is associated with disease. ... the drug dramatically reduced beta amyloid not only in the blood, but also in the brain where the drug cannot penetrate. Thus, an appreciable portion of brain amyloid must originate outside of the brain, and imatinib represents a candidate for preventing and treating Alzheimer's."

Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110303134435.htm

Interesting research reported via ScienceDaily: "Unexpected results from a [recent study] could completely alter scientists' ideas about Alzheimer's disease - pointing to the liver instead of the brain as the source of the 'amyloid' that deposits as brain plaques associated with this devastating condition. The findings could offer a relatively simple approach for Alzheimer's prevention and treatment. ... The product of [the mouse gene corresponding to a gene known to predispose humans carrying particular variations of it to develop early-onset Alzheimer's disease], called Presenilin2, is [involved] in the generation of pathogenic beta amyloid. Unexpectedly, heritable expression of Presenilin2 was found in the liver but not in the brain. Higher expression of Presenilin2 in the liver correlated with greater accumulation of beta amyloid in the brain and development of Alzheimer's-like pathology. ... This finding suggested that significant concentrations of beta amyloid might originate in the liver, circulate in the blood, and enter the brain. If true, blocking production of beta amyloid in the liver should protect the brain. ... mice were administered imatinib [which] has poor penetration of the blood-brain barrier in both mice and humans. ... Because it doesn't penetrate the blood-brain barrier, we were able to focus on the production of amyloid outside of the brain and how that production might contribute to amyloid that accumulates in the brain, where it is associated with disease. ... the drug dramatically reduced beta amyloid not only in the blood, but also in the brain where the drug cannot penetrate. Thus, an appreciable portion of brain amyloid must originate outside of the brain, and imatinib represents a candidate for preventing and treating Alzheimer's."

Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110303134435.htm

Moderately skilled and experienced operators can make money by creating and maintaining a website on a particular topic. The degree to which money can be made by doing this is, at the highest level, a function of the level of interest in that topic - complicated by how much money flows in associated industries, but in general it is a measure of public interest and engagement.

Out there in the very fluid ecosystem comprised of small-scale entrepreneurs, online advertising networks, and the browsing population, you'll find an ever-changing and adapting group of websites associated with almost any topic that you find interesting. You have the basement level of automated spam blogs and tiny content sites, bottom feeders produced with minimal effort to generate a tiny amount of revenue each - but there are millions of them. Above that there are the institutional versions of those automated spam systems: companies that churn out terrible, banal content according to metrics that measure present interest in particular topics. Above that, the mix of old and young online journalism that does much the same thing, only more slowly and with a more idiosyncratic flavor.

Then you have the entrepreneurs who build and sell websites over the course of years in much the same way that some people buy, renovate, and sell houses. There is a well-established formula: you work on good (or rather good enough) content, pull in an audience, demonstrate worth, and then sell to another player in that marketplace. None of this implies that the entrepreneur has any interest whatsoever in the topic covered by the website - it helps if they do, but it isn't necessary.

This ecosystem, coupled with the vast sums of money that flow through the "anti-aging" marketplace, explains why 99% of the material out there on the topic of human longevity is junk, nonsense, machine-generated, or only present in the hopes that you'll click on a high-value ad. It is worthless garbage, produced by people who have no interest whatsoever in actually attaining the goal of longer lives through medical science. Over the past few years it seems the search engines have largely given up, their indexes clogged with useless pages created by ignorant outsiders for gain that push down the relevance of useful pages created by knowledgeable insiders.

This state of affairs is been a plague upon our houses, a blanket of lies and misdirection that has long made it extremely hard for newcomers to find any sane starting point in learning about longevity science. Discussion of fundraising and serious research can't get a word in edgeways around the jabbering of supplement-pushers and machine-generated sales pitches for the "anti-aging" products of magical thinking.

I mention all of this as I've noticed a slight shift in the strategy of the site-building entrepreneurs over the past year or so. I should mention that it is often the case that it is hard to tell the difference between one of their sites and a spam system, and their modus operandi in matters of aging and longevity has typically been to follow on the coattails of the "anti-aging" marketplace to push whatever expensive, unproven, and ultimately useless supplement is all the rage. Even sites run by people who are genuinely interested in radical life extension have largely made money through supplements - as that, so far as I can see, is the only game in town.

This becomes at some point a self-fulfilling prophecy: the vast majority of the ecosystem spews forth discussion of supplements and "anti-aging" nonsense - and so this is what the community hears, expects, and looks for. The for-profit websites are just as much a tool for education and advocacy as this site is, and sad to say they are generally far more effective at propagating the message they eventually settle on.

But of late, I've been seeing more site-building that incorporates the messages of rejuvenation biotechnology and modern, serious longevity science. Pulling in quotes from well known aging researchers, for example, talking about the Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence, and cutting back on the supplement-pushing. I'm not sure where the various entrepreneurs are going with this, but it seems to be a sign that the right sort of message is further spreading thanks to the efforts of advocates in the healthy life extension community. It is, after all, hard to talk up a $20 pitch while selling a $1 technology that looks pretty weak beside the ongoing work that the scientist next door is busy explaining.

Here are a couple of sites I've noticed of late - see if you can decipher the longer-term motivations of the builders. In each case, these are small-scale commercial ventures at various stages of their inception and progress; and I provide no assurances that any of the content you'll find is true, straightforward, or anything other than a hook aimed at your wallet.

Ageless Zoom

For most of my adult life I've had the sense that I was to participate in bringing in the future. But I never clearly knew what that meant. Now we are able, if we choose, to live longer than any life-span humans have ever imagined. That's not mere possibility, it's real and at hand. I think of it as a second lifetime. And for me it's a very real opportunity to move from chance to choice.

Extreme Longevity

Extreme Longevity is an Internet publication dedicated to finding and presenting the latest developments in human longevity research. ... Each day thousands of scientists and researchers around the world are working to gain a greater understanding of what processes make living things age and seek to determine methods to slow down, stop, or even reverse this process. ... At Extreme Longevity you can expect the latest research to be presented regularly in concise easy-to-understand articles which emphasisze how best to put these learnings in to practice.

Immortal Humans

The latest news and developments about humankind's drive towards biological immortality.

That last one is a good example of a site that can be hard to tell apart from a spam blog - but the entrepreneur responsible for it emerged to comment back a ways when I first noted its existence.

There are others I could point out, but a representative set of three is more than enough. Take them for what they are, and ponder what their existence indicates in terms of the present strength and propagation of the message on scientific longevity.

You might recall that studies of centenarians turned up an association between reaching that age and levels of HDL, high density lipoprotein, a form of cholesterol transport mechanism. Here is another study demonstrating the same correlation for younger old people: "No previous researchers have sought to determine whether high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels are associated with survival to 85 years of age in a prospective cohort of aging men. We selected 652 men (mean age 65 years) enrolled in the VA Normative Aging Study who had [at least one] HDL cholesterol level documented during the study and who were old enough on the date of HDL cholesterol measurement to reach 85 years of age by [2008]. ... We used proportional hazards to determine hazard ratios (HRs) for mortality before age 85 years for each category of initial HDL cholesterol compared to the reference adjusting for co-morbidities, calculated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, medications, smoking, body mass index, and alcohol consumption. Treating HDL cholesterol as a continuous predictor, we also determined the HR for each 10-mg/dl increment in HDL cholesterol. ... Each 10-mg/dl increment in HDL cholesterol was associated with a 14% [decrease] in risk of mortality before 85 years of age. In conclusion, after adjusting for other factors associated with longevity, higher HDL cholesterol levels were significantly associated with survival to 85 years of age." Which leads to the thought that if HDL is so good, why not test to see if artificially creating more of it in the body is beneficial?

Link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21296318

One group of researchers believe that every tissue in the body is supported by a left-over population of fully pluripotent stem cells that might be easily accessible for use in therapies: "From the point of view of regenerative potential, the most important cells are pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). Such cells must fulfill certain in vitro as well as in vivo criteria that have been established by work with PSCs isolated from embryos, which are known as embryonic stem cells (ESCs). According to these criteria, pluripotent stem cells should: (i) give rise to cells from all three germ layers, (ii) complete blastocyst development, and (iii) form teratomas after inoculation into experimental animals. Unfortunately, in contrast to immortalized embryonic ESC lines or induced PSCs (iPSCs), these last two criteria have thus far not been obtained in a reproducible manner for any potential PSC candidates isolated from adult tissues. There are two possible explanations for this failure. The first is that PSCs isolated from adult tissues are not fully pluripotent; the second is that there are some physiological mechanisms involved in keeping these cells quiescent in adult tissues that preclude their 'unleashed proliferation', thereby avoiding the risk of teratoma formation. In this review we present an evidence that adult tissues contain remnants from development; a population of PSCs that is deposited in various organs as a backup for primitive stem cells, plays a role in rejuvenation of the pool of more differentiated tissue-committed stem cells (TCSCs), and is involved in organ regeneration. These cells share several markers with epiblast/germ line cells and have been named very small embryonic-like stem cells (VSELs). We suggest that, on one hand, VSELs maintain mammalian life span but, on the other hand, they may give rise to several malignancies if they mutate. We provide an evidence that the quiescent state of these cells in adult tissues, which prevents teratoma formation, is the result of epigenetic changes in some of the imprinted genes."

Link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21339038