They come from small red berries and evergreen forests, but these skin-care ingredients can go head-to-head with their lab-grown peers. Meet the natural wonders that are generating buzz and transforming complexions.

Youve probably seen headlines like: I Washed My Face With Honey and It Was the Most Amazing Thing Ever. Though we dont actually drizzle the stuff on our face as if its a parfait, honey as a skin-care ingredient specifically manuka honey from New Zealand or Australia is, in fact, amazing. Unlike the antioxidants in other honey varieties, the ones in manuka honey are very strong, so they dont get destroyed as easily, says Jeannette Graf, a dermatologist in Great Neck, New York. Add to that the fact that manuka honey is super moisturizing and suddenly smearing it on directly from the jar doesnt seem so crazy after all. Its also antibacterial, which means its good for acne, says Graf. Kiehls Pure Vitality Skin Renewing Cream relies on the ingredients high polyphenol content to protect the skin barrier while moisturizing, and Kate Somerville Goat Milk De-Puffing Eye Balm ($38) pairs manuka honey with peptides to soften lines and leave skin dewy.

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Also known by whats surely a Balderdash word (kinnikinnick), the bearberry plant is one of natures most potent skin brighteners. In addition to antioxidants, bearberry extract contains arbutin, which acts a lot like hydroquinone (the most effective ingredient for fading dark spots). Both inhibit the tyrosinase enzyme involved in pigment production, says Jordana Herschthal, a dermatologist in Boca Raton, Florida. Although naturally occurring arbutin isnt quite as potent as hydroquinone, it may be safer, she says. (You shouldnt use hydroquinone when youre pregnant or nursing.) Bearberry should help fade dark spots in about four to six weeks. Since brightening ingredients are more effective when theyre paired with a retinoid, products with both (like Allies of Skin Bright Future Overnight Facial , $114, and Dr. Dennis Gross Ferulic Acid + Retinol Brightening Solution , $88) will get you glowier, faster.

You may have heard us mention retinol, oh, once or twice. The magical ingredient has been smoothing lines, fading spots, and busting acne since before most millennials were born. Well: Bakuchiol is like a natural version of retinol, says cosmetic chemist NiKita Wilson, who likes it in Whish Recovering Night Cream ($72). The extract comes from the babchi herb, which is used in Chinese medicine to treat skin conditions. The data is really impressive, says Wilson. You get similar efficacy from bakuchiol [as retinol], without the drying side effects. And bakuchiol is an antioxidant, so it can be a better choice when you want both anti-aging and skin brightening, adds cosmetic chemist Ginger King.

Were not talking about any old evergreen. The pine that will transform skin must be the French maritime variety that grows in the Mediterranean region. Research has suggested that extract from the bark of Pinus pinaster can accelerate wound healing and reduce scar formation. Because it offers powerful antioxidant protection from free radical damage, its also great for smoothing aging and photodamaged skin, says cosmetic chemist Joseph Cincotta. (Try Perricone MD High Potency Eye Lift , $100.) If youre concerned more about breakouts than crows-feet, this specific pine is also astringent and mattifies oily skin. (Try Boscia Luminizing Black Mask , $34.) When ingested like in the supplement pycnogenol it delivers a megadose of antioxidants to calm inflammation, protect collagen, and improve hydration levels in the skin, says Cincotta.

Laying seaweed on your face isnt going to do anything except make you smell weird. You have to isolate botanical extracts to change your skin and pulsing an avocado in a Vitamix wont do the trick, says Graf. The exceptions: six raw ingredients that you can pick up at Whole Foods and smear right on your face for effective DIY skin care.

1. To calm breakouts: East Indian sandalwood oil is an essential oil thats antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and ideal for shrinking pimples, says Graf. It can be irritating if you put it directly on skin, though, so dilute one or two drops in six ounces of skin-soothing almond oil.

2. To plump wrinkles and rehab dry skin: Rose hipseed oil contains a natural form of retinol to help improve fine lines, says Marius Morariu, a cofounder of Tracie Martyn skin care. Evening primrose oil is high in omega-6, which is great for severely chapped skin.

3. To get a glow: Many essential oils are too irritating to apply right on your skin, but jojoba, almond, and apricot oils are gentle and absorb easily, making them ideal for moisturizing.

Many women switch to natural skin-care products when theyre pregnant or breastfeeding to avoid exposing their baby to certain synthetic and potentially harmful ingredients. But seeing plant extracts or essential oils on an ingredient list doesnt guarantee safety: There are natural ingredients, like peppermint oil, clary sage oil, rosemary oil, and juniper oil, [in bath soaks and face serums] that have been shown to cause issues with lactation and early labor, says Herschthal, who has studied the effects of skin-care ingredients on pregnant women. If you want to use natural products when youre pregnant, stay away from those ingredients, she says.

All products in this story meet Allures natural standards: no parabens, petroleum, mineral oil, phthalates, aluminum, talc, sodium laurel sulfate, triclosan, formaldehyde, toluene, or chemical sunscreens.

A version of this article originally appeared in the July 2017 issue of Allure . To get your copy, head to newsstands or subscribe now .

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4 Natural Skin-Care Ingredients That'll Transform Your Skin - Allure Magazine

I am standing inside an upright tank, my head sticking out the top. Im wearing skivvies, booties and glovies. A dry-ice-like fog of liquid nitrogen wafts, swirling under my chin. The temperature is quickly dropping, on its way to a brisk 190 degrees below zero.

Questions arise in my mind. Will I survive the full three minutes, or will I tap out? The tank has an escape door, but what if it freezes shut? Was there a fur-lined cup they forgot to have me put on? Im trying to keep a stiff (but not frozen) upper lip, I dont want to become known as the guy who put the cry in cryotherapy.

Here we go, says Amanda, the cryo tank operator, cheerfully. Gleefully? Three minutes!

I wonder if thats what they said to Ted Williams, whose head is cryogenically frozen in a tank in Arizona. What if my family learned I have a terminal disease, but they dont want to tell me, and this is their way of tricking me into being frozen until a cure is found?

They say the Kentucky Derby is the most exciting two minutes in sports. Cryotherapy, at least the first time, is the most exciting three minutes.

Am I overdramatizing? Probably.

Whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) is increasingly popular and, as far as my research shows, without serious risk. Athletes love the treatments. Warriors Stephen Curry, Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston get tanked. Several As are users, and Jalen Richard, the Raiders second-year running back and kick returner, told me that roughly one-third of the Raiders use WBC. The Raiders as a team have open accounts at several Bay Area cryo studios.

WBC is not new. It was developed more than 30 years ago by a Japanese fellow seeking an effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. In recent years it has become a full-blown fad in sports, for elite athletes and weekend warriors.

In theory, WBC works like an ice bath, but (some say) better. Three minutes in the cryo tank knocks down inflammation and speeds healing of sore muscles and assorted injuries.

Commercial cryo spas, along with touting the anti-inflammation aspect, claim user benefits such as weight loss, skin and hair rejuvenation, anti-aging, sleep enhancement, metabolism boost and a natural buzz.

These spas claim that rather than freezing your assets off, you will freeze your liabilities off.

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Scott Ostler tries the latest in sports health therapy at a Bay Area cryotherapy treatment center.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Scott Ostler tries the latest in sports health therapy at a Bay Area cryotherapy treatment center.

Cryotherapy: Is it the coolest thing in sports medicine?

Maybe, maybe not. The website Skeptoid said in 2014, P.T. Barnum would be proud of cryosauna and cryotherapy. Save your money.

The same website did allow that WBC, in treating sore muscles and inflammation, is at least as effective as ice baths and cold-water swims, albeit more expensive. Are the skeptics too skeptical? The jury is out. The FDA does not endorse or monitor WBC.

But what many athletes believe they find in cryotherapy is a safe, fast and effective treatment for pain and inflammation. If ice bags strapped to knees are effective post-workout treatment, why not a super-duper-cold dry-ice-down quickie for the whole body?

When I go in now and Im real sore, theres definitely a soothing feeling, said Richard, who gets his cryo on several times a week. Its more soothing and relaxing to me than it is freezing cold, like ice baths are.

Richard can recite the alleged scientific theory behind cryo. Basically, the intense cold tricks your brain into survival mode. Heavier blood flow is directed to the bodys core, sending extra oxygen and nutrients to the brain and other organs. Once you escape uh, emerge from the cryo tank, the blood immediately starts returning to the skin and extremities, accelerating (allegedly) cell renewal in the skin.

The process also (allegedly) releases endorphins, boosting your mood.

When I get out of there, Richard said, within a couple of minutes I start feeling great, like Im brand new all over again.

For the sake of journalism, I decided to give it a whirl. My wife had been gifted a three-week course by a co-worker, and she passed it along to me. I went nearly every day. Im probably not a good guinea pig, since Im not a stressed and battered athlete. I do have rheumatoid arthritis, but its controlled by meds, so if cryo did help knock down my RA, I wouldnt really feel it.

Still, lets see what its all about. By coincidence, for a week before the first treatment, I suffered a bout of sciatica, a nerve condition that made it painful to sit in a car or at a desk.

There is a fear factor call it trepidation as I approach my first treatment. Later, Richard told me he was nervous the first time, too. I dont want to chicken out. When you soak a sore foot or ankle in ice water, the cold can be intense and painful. What if its like that over my whole body, and I wimp out?

Inside the storefront studio in Walnut Creek I am instructed to step into a dressing room, strip down to undershorts, put on gloves and rubber booties, and a robe. Then I step into the cryo chamber, hand Amanda my robe, and she cranks up her high-tech ice-cream churn.

It is cold almost instantly. But at no point is there a painful, whimper-inducing shock, like a plunge into a cold ocean. Its minus-190 or so, but hey, its a dry cold.

Amanda engages me in small talk, which definitely helps. Then, Halfway there, doing OK?

Diversion is the key. I try to come up with a Cryotherapy All-Star team. I get George Iceman Gervin, Red The Wheaton Iceman Grange, the old Pirates infielder Gene Freese, Vida Blue, Larry Burright, Stone Cold Steve Austin, J.T. Snow, Cool Papa Bell and Chili Davis.

Every 20 seconds or so Amanda instructs me to take a quarter turn. To get a nice, even blue skin tone, I guess.

The last minute is the coldest, but my overcoming-childish-fear endorphins are kicking in and I know Ill make it.

All done, Amanda says, hitting the kill switch. The robe goes back on, I step out, Amanda shoots a laser at my leg to register skin temp.

Am I now desperate to sprint to the nearest hot tub, sauna or hot-chocolate dispenser? No, once out of the tank, I feel fine. No lingering cold.

What about the cryo-buzz from that endorphin stampede? Again, Im probably the wrong guy. I dont get endorphin rushes from exercise. But now I do feel energetic and wide awake.

Driving home, I notice that I am sitting with little discomfort. About a week later the sciatica symptoms are gone. Coincidence? I dont know.

Within a few days I work up to Level 3, Ted Williams neighborhood. Richard told me that he not only does Level 3 but that he also jacks the temp even lower by having the attendant pre-cool the chamber. I did that once, and it got my attention. The last 30 seconds, I went to my Lamaze breathing.

Does cryotherapy work? Is it a miracle cure? Other than the sciatica relief, I seemed to feel a little less creaky in the joints, and a bit energized after the sessions. If not miraculously healed, I felt way cooler.

Scott Ostler is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: sostler@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @scottostler

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Cryotherapy: Is it the coolest thing in sports medicine? - San Francisco Chronicle

MONTCLAIR, N.J., June 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --"The mission of the Sinclair Lab is exactly in line with the mission of our foundation," says Dr. Vincent Giampapa, founder of the Global Foundation for Human Aging Research, "and that's why we've donated $50,000 to its ongoing efforts." The Sinclair Lab website states it studies the processes that drive aging and age-related diseases, and works toward discovering methods for slowing down or reversing these processes. Work ranges from dissecting novel pathways and identifying target genes, to assessing small molecules that may slow the pace of aging and increase healthspan.

Dr. Giampapa met Harvard Medical School Department of Genetics faculty member and Sinclair Lab founder Dr. David Sinclair earlier this year and was impressed with his work on NMN a molecule that appears to protect against DNA degradation and positively impact aging in mice. According to the Harvard Gazette, human trials of NMN could begin this year.

"I believe the faculty at the Sinclair Lab is doing first rate work that will have major global impact, and that's why the foundation is supporting their mission," says Dr. Giampapa. "Shifting our health care system into a 'prevention and wellness' mode will require new technologies and treatments, and those treatments must go beyond symptom suppression. Dr. Sinclair's work with NMN is an example of this forward-thinking approach."

The major challenges facing health care systems in the future will be demographic in nature, which underscores the need for a paradigm shift on how medical professionals think about aging. According to the Pew Research Center, global population growth will slow significantly between now and 2050. Consequently, the share of people over age 65 will increase. Some regions will feel this more than others; East Asia, for instance, is already facing stiff challenges in how to care for its aging populations. For his part, Dr. Giampapa sees the Sinclair Lab's work as part of the solution to this slow-motion crisis.

Using Dr. Sinclair's "ICE Mice Model," which measures a compound's anti-aging effects even at the genetic level, Dr. Giampapa believes companies have a promising, accelerated way of testing natural compounds' potency and efficacy without having to wait a lifetime for human tests. Many natural compounds may have significant effects on slowing human aging, which makes this accelerated testing methodology critical.

"I look forward to witnessing new technologies help the world's aging population experience a better quality of life, lower health care costs, and reduced dependence on prescription drugs," concludes Dr. Giampapa.

About the Global Foundation for Human Aging ResearchThe Global Foundation for Human Aging Research is a nonprofit organization working to support the front lines of medical research and development related to the biology of human aging with the goal of improving healthspan for aging populations worldwide. It contributes funds to other non-profit institutions, universities, and companies that are working in line with its mission. It was founded by renowned anti-aging medicine pioneer Dr.Vincent Giampapa, M.D., F.A.C.S.

Contact:Laura Martinez 862-333-4180163990@email4pr.com

Related Linkshttp://www.globalhumanaging.org

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dr-vincent-giampapas-global-foundation-for-human-aging-research-donates-50000-to-the-sinclair-lab-at-harvard-medical-school-300477335.html

SOURCE Global Foundation for Human Aging Research

http://www.globalhumanaging.org

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Dr. Vincent Giampapa's Global Foundation for Human Aging Research Donates $50000 to The Sinclair Lab at Harvard ... - PR Newswire (press release)

Posted on June 20, 2017, 6 a.m. in Longevity Genetic Research Genetics

According to a new study, a deletion in d3-GHR, a growth hormone receptor gene, is linked to an average of ten extra years of life among men.

Pinpointing specific genetic factors tied to longevity in human beings has been quite the challenge. A recent study shows that whether or not there has been a deletion of the growth hormone receptor genes exon 3 (d3-GHR) may play an important role.The research results were recently published this past Friday in the journalScience Advances.

Details About the Finding

About 840 individuals from long-lived populations were studied.The researchers found that males with the mutation deletions in d3-GHR tend to live an average of 10 years longer than those without the mutation. It is interesting to note this effect was limited to men. There was no difference noted in the women.

The deletion of d3-GHR still allows for the existence of a functional protein that boosts longevity. The study's co-author, Gil Atzmon, describes the finding as phenomenal. Atzmon is a geneticist at Albert Einstein's College of Medicine as well as the University of Haifa, located in Israel. Atzmon states the result is more accurate and globally translated as his colleagues observed the same pattern across nearly half a dozen different populations. They include those who participated in the Cardiovascular Health Study, those who participated in the French Long-Lived Study, the Old Order Amish and Ashkenazi Jews. The director of genome informatics with the Scripps Translational Science Institute, Ali Torkamani, commented that the results look convincing from his perspective.

What was of particular interest, is that Atzmon and his research team determined the men with two replicas of the d3-GHR deletion were an average of an inch taller than other men. This is the exact opposite of what the research team expected. They suspect the mutation alters the receptor's response to increases in growth hormone during instances such as pubertal growth spurts. They also suspect the mutation limits the responses to growth hormone as one passes into the adult years, spurring a slower division of cells and reducing the rate at which aging occurs.

Why the Results Matter

The research results raise the question of whether it is prudent to prescribe growth hormone to patients in an effort to restore or maintain a body that is more youthful. The study's co-author, Nir Barzilai, a geneticist with the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, has expressed concern that providing such treatments might actually be more likely to produce the opposite result of what was originally intended.

Excerpt from:
Longer Life Span with Genetic Mutation - Anti Aging News

Men's Health

Tim Ferriss Reveals the Anti-Aging Secrets You Must Know Men's Health The following recommendations are a reflection of the lessons, research, and real-life applications I've picked up from the smartest scientists, doctors, trainers, and anti-aging experts. But before I go on, remember that I'm not a doctor and don't ...

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Tim Ferriss Reveals the Anti-Aging Secrets You Must Know - Men's Health

Posted on June 20, 2017, 6 a.m. in Longevity Genetic Research Genetics

According to a new study, a deletion in d3-GHR, a growth hormone receptor gene, is linked to an average of ten extra years of life among men.

Pinpointing specific genetic factors tied to longevity in human beings has been quite the challenge. A recent study shows that whether or not there has been a deletion of the growth hormone receptor genes exon 3 (d3-GHR) may play an important role.The research results were recently published this past Friday in the journalScience Advances.

Details About the Finding

About 840 individuals from long-lived populations were studied.The researchers found that males with the mutation deletions in d3-GHR tend to live an average of 10 years longer than those without the mutation. It is interesting to note this effect was limited to men. There was no difference noted in the women.

The deletion of d3-GHR still allows for the existence of a functional protein that boosts longevity. The study's co-author, Gil Atzmon, describes the finding as phenomenal. Atzmon is a geneticist at Albert Einstein's College of Medicine as well as the University of Haifa, located in Israel. Atzmon states the result is more accurate and globally translated as his colleagues observed the same pattern across nearly half a dozen different populations. They include those who participated in the Cardiovascular Health Study, those who participated in the French Long-Lived Study, the Old Order Amish and Ashkenazi Jews. The director of genome informatics with the Scripps Translational Science Institute, Ali Torkamani, commented that the results look convincing from his perspective.

What was of particular interest, is that Atzmon and his research team determined the men with two replicas of the d3-GHR deletion were an average of an inch taller than other men. This is the exact opposite of what the research team expected. They suspect the mutation alters the receptor's response to increases in growth hormone during instances such as pubertal growth spurts. They also suspect the mutation limits the responses to growth hormone as one passes into the adult years, spurring a slower division of cells and reducing the rate at which aging occurs.

Why the Results Matter

The research results raise the question of whether it is prudent to prescribe growth hormone to patients in an effort to restore or maintain a body that is more youthful. The study's co-author, Nir Barzilai, a geneticist with the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, has expressed concern that providing such treatments might actually be more likely to produce the opposite result of what was originally intended.

Link:
Longer Life Span with Genetic Mutation | Worldhealth.net Anti-Aging ... - Anti Aging News

Goji berries are fairly new to the Western world, but theyve actually been around for more than 2,000 years. Legend claims they were favored by monks who lived high in the Himalayan mountains. Steeped in water, these miraculous berries were reputed to help in meditation and deliver health, energy, vitality and longevity to those who consumed them. Who doesnt want that?

The Chinese called them wolfberry fruit, and used them for their medicinal properties since around 200 B.C. Their benefits are detailed in the oldest known book on Chinese medicine, which records the medicinal knowledge and practices of the mythical Chinese emperor, Shen Nong.

The myriad of reputed attributes of goji berries have persisted through the centuries and withstood the scrutiny of science. We now know that goji berries which boast plenty of fiber, an abundance of antioxidants and more than 20 different vitamins and minerals can naturally treat all sorts of health concerns.

Goji berries are loaded with antioxidants, whose claim to fame is their ability to neutralize free radicals those un-neighborly molecules that, missing an ion, attack nearby molecules to steal one.

Of course, that leaves a robbed molecule with an uneven number of ions, turning it into another free radical and launching a frenzied, destructive chain reaction of molecule attacks.

Because free radical damage is a major cause of aging and disease, antioxidants are essential for good health and longevity. The goji berry is rich in health-promoting, antioxidant carotenoids: beta-carotene, lycopene, beta-cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin and lutein.

The ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) table measures the antioxidant value of fruits and vegetables. The ORAC shows one ounce of goji berry juice has 10 times more free-radical destroying ability than most other fruits and vegetables. Comparatively, goji berries outstrip oranges for vitamin C, carrots for beta carotene and steak for iron. They have four times more potassium than bananas, and theyre loaded with vitamin C and zinc, both powerful health protectors.

The goji berrys ORAC score puts it in the same class as other superhero, super fruits such as Acai berries, Hawaiian Noni and Mangosteen.

Goji berries contain 18 amino acids, 21 trace minerals (zinc, iron, calcium selenium and phosphorus) and five unsaturated fatty acids (including linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids).

The antioxidants found in goji berries may protect you not only against free radicals but also against oxidative stress and inflammation (the damage free radicals cause). The vitamin C content of goji berries not only helps the common cold but helps wrinkled and sagging skin, cholesterol, blood flow, blood sugar plus, heart, cell and eye health.

Carotenoids convert to vitamin A, which boosts your immune system, eye health and helps build strong bones and teeth.

By preventing damage from UV light exposure and free radicals, the antioxidants zeaxanthin and lutein protect against age-related blindness.

The power of goji berry juice can protect your skin from free radical damage caused by sun exposure. It even provides photoprotection for those who are vulnerable to developing diseases of the skin.

Combined with a healthy diet, goji berries provide a natural approach to blood sugar by helping insulin. For people with blood sugar concerns, dried goji berries provide a preferable snack alternative to high-sugar processed foods.

Goji berries also improve liver and kidney detoxification, energy levels and fertility.

Want more? This super fruit can help support weight loss, boost energy levels, increase your resistance to fatigue, improve focus, strengthen your immune system and enhance sleep quality.

The next time you want a snack, pass on the potato chips and give your body a bonanza of health benefits by choosing dried goji berries. Or get your antioxidant boost every day by taking a high-quality supplement like Peak ResV+ Superfruits. It contains, not only Goji berry but Resveratrol, Acai, Hawaiian Noni, Mangosteen and six other super fruit, superheroes.

Sources: Axe, J. Goji Berry Benefits: Antioxidant & Anti-Inflammatory Superfruit. Dr.Axe.com. draxe.com/ goji-berry-benefits.

Benefits of Goji Berries: The Chinese Longevity Fruit. Antioxidants-for-Health-and-Longevity. antioxidants-for-health-and-longevity.com/benefits-of-goji-berries.html.

Chinese Wolfberry Benefits & Doses. SFGate. healthyeating.sfgate.com/chinese-wolfberry-benefits-doses-8671.html.

Rupavate, S. 15 ways Vitamin C keeps you healthy and fit! The Health Site. thehealthsite.com/fitness/health-benefits-of-vitamin-c-sh214/. Aug. 3, 2015

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World's oldest super fruit delivers super anti-aging protection - Personal Liberty Digest

Empire Medical Training is excited to announce their attendance at the American Association of Nurse Practitioners 2017 National Conference. Those interested may visit booth 375 for more information on all of the Continuing Medical Education courses that Empire Medical Training has to offer.

Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) June 19, 2017

The Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA will be holding the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) 2017 National Conference from June 20-25, 2017. Empire Medical Training has announced they will be in attendance and will have an information booth at the event.

Empire Medical Training invites attendees to visit booth 375 to learn more about their 32 accredited CME courses and the variety of locations that are offered. With topics like "Revolutionizing Health Care," Empire Medical Training is proud to offer their workshops to help medical professionals continue to expand their business.

As President and Founder of Empire Medical Training, Dr. Stephen Cosentino, DO, states, "We have over 27 trained physicians and other specialists in key areas, so Empire Medial Training is able to offer a unique curriculum for topics including aesthetics, pain management, and anti-aging." With over 19 years in the business, Empire Medical Training is offering American Medical Association and Physician's Recognition Award Category 1 accredited programs nationwide.

Empire Medical Training has been training Physicians and Health Care Practitioners since 1998, longer than any other procedural training institution. With over 45,000 graduates in specialties such as Aesthetics, Anti Aging/Weight Management Medicine, and Pain Management, Empire Medical Training is renowned throughout the United States and abroad as the premier academy for providing academic excellence. Dr. Stephen Cosentino pioneered ways to add new procedures and services as well as business strategies to a practice and improve patient care. With Dr. Cosentino's commitment and dedication to the specialty and the field of medicine, Empire Medical Training is steadfast to developing new training programs and topics to broaden the scope of the primary care practitioner. All Empire courses are created through mainstream medicine using the most current technologies and standards of care.

For more information on attending the AANP 2017 National Conference please visit their website and for more information on Empire Medical Training call 866-366-1576.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2016/06/prweb13514018.htm

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Empire Medical Training Attends the AANP 2017 National ... - Benzinga

Zanthosyn, an Astaxanthin product marketed by Cardax

The proprietary Cardax astaxanthin compound CDX-085 developed by the University of Hawaii at Mnoa John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) and Hawaii based life sciences company Cardax, Inc. was selected by the National Institute on Aging for its anti-aging Interventions Testing Program. The institute is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Getting into the Interventions Testing Program with the National Institute on Aging is a game-changer, said Bradley Willcox, professor and director of research at JABSOMs Department of Geriatric Medicine. It puts CDX-085, Cardaxs proprietary astaxanthin compound, into a very elite club of compounds that have the potential to become true anti-aging therapies. Willcox is principal investigator of the NIH-funded Kuakini Hawaii LIFESPAN and HEALTHSPAN Studies and Cardax Scientific Advisory Board member.

In March of this year, JABSOM and Cardax jointly announced that CDX-085 showed the ability to significantly activate the FOXO3 gene in mice, which plays a proven role in longevity.

Out of all the compounds they could have chosen, they chose ours, said David G. Watumull, Cardax CEO. Its an important validation of the work that weve done here in Hawaii.

The National Institute on Aging ranked the proposal submitted by Willcox and Richard Allsopp, associate professor at JABSOMs Institute for Biogenesis Research, a high priority, its highest ranking.

The information we get from the ITP is going to be quite significant and should greatly enhance our knowledge of how astaxanthin/CDX-085 affects aging, said Allsopp.

The National Institute on Aging funds the rigorous and extensive studies included in the ITP, which are conducted at several labs across the country.

The ITP will build upon the research by JABSOM and Cardax demonstrating the ability of CDX-085 to activate the important anti-aging gene FOXO3 in mice. CDX-085, like the companys first generation dietary supplement, ZanthoSyn, delivers astaxanthin to the bloodstream with optimal absorption and purity.

Read more about the astaxanthin research at the JABSOM website.

Link:
Potential anti-aging Cardax Astaxanthin compound selected for NIH research - UH System Current News

Posted on June 16, 2017, 6 a.m. in Sleep Cardio-Vascular

Social jet lag, which occurs when you go to bed and wake up later on weekends than during the week, is associated with negative health outcomes.

What is social jet lag? That occurs when you purposely go to bed later and wake up later on the weekends compared with during the week. It has been found to be associated with increased sleepiness, fatigue, being in a worse mood, and poorer health consequences. Every hour is also associated with an 11 percent increase in the possibility of heart disease. These effects are independent of sleep duration and symptoms of insomnia, which are related to both social jet lag and health.

Study Research

Social jet lag was studied by a research team headed by Michael A. Grandner, PhD, MTR, the Sleep and Health Research Program director and the senior author of the study. Data was utilized from the Sleep and Healthy Activity, Diet, Environment, and Socialization (SHADES) study, which analyzed the responses given by 984 adults who were between 22 and 60 years old.

The Sleep Timing Questionnaire subtracted weekday from weekend sleep. Overall health used a standardized scale and was self-reported. Survey questions assessed sleep duration, sleepiness, fatigue, insomnia, cardiovascular disease, and more. Recommendations

To promote optimal health, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) strongly suggests that adults sleep seven or more hours each night on a regular basis. Healthy sleep also requires good quality and appropriate timing. AASM promotes high quality, patient-centered care through its membership of 10,000 accredited member sleep centers, physicians, scientists, other health care professionals, and individual members.

Presentation

The research abstract was presented on June 5 in Boston at SLEEP 2017, the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC 's 31st Annual Meeting, a joint venture of the Sleep Research Society and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Conclusion

Sierra B. Forbush, an undergraduate research assistant in the University of Arizona's Sleep and Health Research Program and the study's lead author, states that the study results suggest that an inexpensive, simple, and preventative treatment for heart disease and other health problems is a regular sleep schedule. Sleep regularity plays a significant role in our over-all health.

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Health Risks of Sleeping in on Weekends - Anti Aging News

There's a lot of confusing messaging when it comes to health, nutrition, and weight loss . Imagine my surprise when I read that several foods listed under the headline 30 Foods Never to Eat After Age 30 were also in a story called 10 Foods to Boost Libido. As a thirtysomething woman, I really wondered if the wellness industry was trying to tell me something.

(Whatever it is, you can tell it to my medicine cabinet full of antiaging skin-care products and my armoire of sex toys . Yes, I have a literal armoire. Who needs a list of libido boosters anyway?)

With all the conflicting information floating around the Internet, its no wonder we have so much confusion about what we should eat, how much of it, and how to stay healthyand why we're convinced that some foods are good, some are bad, and some you absolutely shouldnt eat.

The easy answer is that you shouldnt eat raw chicken , anything that you have a diagnosed allergy to, and any overpriced magical brew claiming it will detox you . Other than that, if you want to know how and what to eat for health, you can learn about the basics and figure out from there what works for you.

In the scientific sense, a calorie is the unit of energy needed to raise 1 gram of water 1 degree Celsius. When you think of calories, think of them like that: as energy. The stuff that keeps you going. Dont overfill your tank and flood the engine, but youre going to have a lot of problems trying to run on empty.

Calories come from three main macronutrients: protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Everything you eat is some combination of macronutrients (except maybe mushroomsand whatever Gwyneth Paltrow lives on). They all have uses in the body in appropriate amounts, even cholesterol , which is a type of fat, and sugar, which is a carbohydrate. Each macronutrient can be used as an energy source, and technically each produces the same unit of energy per calorie. That being said

The macronutrients all have very different chemical structures and complex sets of jobs in your body. Let's take a look at each one.

At 4 calories per gram, we generally think of carbohydrates mainly as a source of energy, and thats pretty accurate. Theyve gotten a bad rep in the last few decades or so, but your brain lives on sugar . Remember eating Cocoa Pebbles before big exams? Fine, maybe that was just me, but it actually was based on sound science. If youre active, carbs are a great source of energy. The "problem" with carbs, which isn't actually a problem, but rather just a question of math, is that when you're not active, or you eat way more simple carbohydrates than your body can use for energy, it gets stored as fat. And the truth is, yeah, a lot of us eat a lot more carbs than our bodies need.

You also may have read recently that sugar is as addictive as cocaine, which sounds bad, but actually isn't the case. While the lure of sugar can be strong for some people, current science just doesnt seem to support that headline-friendly notion. Really, when was the last time someone sold their possessions for a cronut? A 2014 study from the University of Edinburgh found that people could show addiction-type patterns around eating, but that sugar and fat themselves did not promote addictive behavior. So enjoy carbohydrates in the right amount for your activity level.

Fat has multiple uses in the body. Its used in cell wall repair, hormone regulation, and storage of fat-soluble vitamins. An extreme lowfat diet can impede any one of these. The reason why fat gets a bad reputation is that it packs 9 calories per gram, and a lot of high-fat foods are not extremely nutrient-dense. You dont need to be scared of bacon (because bacon), but moderation is key when it comes to keeping your caloric intake from fatty foods in line with what your body needs for fuel.

And speaking of bacon, lets talk protein, that thing were never quite sure if were getting enough of but are strangely lured in by if we see the number of grams of it on a label. Protein is responsible for a lot of the little repairs your body needs done on a daily basis and, of course, building muscle. Like carbohydrates, protein has 4 calories per gram. But unlike carbs, a huge advantage of protein is that its the best macronutrient for satiety, according to a meta-analysis from a 2016 study from Purdue University. A lot of people worry about getting enough protein , but all reports show that youre getting plenty of it just by eating a varied diet. Dont be dragged in by the labels that say added protein unless youre trying to grow biceps on your biceps.

Yes , but your body can also convert protein and fat into sugar. When needed, there are pathways for each calorie source to be converted to a usable form of fuel. Conversely, every calorie source can be converted and stored as fat if you have an excess of calories in your system. Busting a related myth, you do not convert fat into muscle when you lose weight. You can lose fat and gain muscle simultaneously giving the impression that this happens, but fat deposits cannot be converted directly into muscles.

It really depends on your caloric needs, but in general terms foods that we consider healthy tend to have a high ratio of micronutrients (i.e., vitamins and minerals) per calorie. Vegetables, lean meats, fruits, berries, whole grains, and lentils are all examples of foods that easily meet this criteria.

Theres no morality with food or calories. The food simply is, and its up to you to make intelligent choices with the food and your health and once in a while, with your taste buds, because godammit, cronuts exist. Moderation, but get the veggies first!

A lot of that comes down to personal preference. Nobody is great at tracking calories not even registered dietitians because we all tend to incorrectly estimate our intake. So how do we manage this? Find what works for you. Long term, theres no advantage to a low-carb diet versus a lowfat diet for weight loss, because both work the same way: by inducing a caloric deficit. For every story like Supersize Me , theres a guy who loses 56 pounds eating nothing but McDonald's while meticulously counting calories. Every diet plan will work if you stick to it because, no matter what, diets work by inducing a caloric deficit. Truly, the best diet plan is one that you can stick to. (Not that sticking to a diet is an easy featit isn't, and dieting can be a complicated journey. But that's another story.)

Fruits and vegetables are mainly carbohydrate, fiber, and water. Lentils are protein and carbs. Meats are protein and fat. And processed foods, well, read the labels and find out. But theres nothing intrinsically wrong with any of them, not even candy. Theyre all just combinations of calories. If you want to enjoy something thats a dense source of calories, enjoy it. If youre trying to lose or maintain your weight, just keep track of it. And never let an online list tell you that there are caloriesor anythingthat youre too old to enjoy.

Yvette d'Entremont holds a B.S. in chemistry,B.A. in theatre,and a master's degreein forensic science with a concentration in biological criminalistics. She worked for eight years asananalytical chemist before her blog focused on debunking bad science, scibabe.com , turned into a full-time job in science communications. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook .

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Are All Calories the Same? - SELF

Posted on June 13, 2017, 6 a.m. in Women's Health Botanical Agents Sleep

Study confirms the benefits of fennel in reducing postmenopause symptoms such as sleeplessness, hot flashses, vaginal dryness, and anxiety.

A recent study has confirmed that fennel helps minimize postmenopause symptoms. This herbal medicine is rapidly growing in popularity as it has helpedcountless women across the globe manage their postmenopause symptoms. Women love the fact that fennel doesnot have any serious side effects.

About Fennel

Fennel is an herb commonly used in cooking. It has an anise flavor that is quite pleasing to the palate. The herb has long been valued for providing an array of health benefits for all sorts of issues ranging from digestion problems to premenstrual symptoms. Fennel has essential oils and phytoestrogenic properties. Similar to estrogen-like chemicals found in plants, phytoestrogens are used to successfully treat myriad menopause symptoms.

The New Study

The study referenced above confirms fennel is quite effective in managing postmenopause symptoms like anxiety, sleeplessness, hot flashes, irritability, depression, joint discomfort and vaginal dryness. The study results were recently published in The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) online journal Menopause.

Women have made use of alternative and complementary medicine for menopause symptom management across the past decade-plus. There has been a steady movement away from hormone therapy (HT) as it has its fair share of side effects. Though HT is a highly effective means of treating the majority of menopause symptoms, women are turning to herbal medicine in droves. Some are not candidates for HT while others are fearful of the side effects.

The study was conducted in Tehran, Iran. Women who live in Tehran reach menopause at a younger age (48.2 years) than women who reside in the United States (51 years). Soft capsules with 100 mg of fennel were provided to Iranian women between the ages of 45 and 60. The capsules were consumed two times per day over an 8-week period. The study was comprised of 79 women, some of whom were in a placebo group.

The intervention and placebo groups were compared at the following intervals: four, eight and 10 weeks. A major statistical difference was noted. Fennel proved to be an effective and safe means of decreasing menopause symptoms without inducing major side effects. This is one of the first clinical studies to determine if the benefits of fennel for the management of menopause symptoms had merit. Fennel was previously studied to determine if it was effective in managing premenopause symptoms. It was determined that fennel helped in managing these symptoms.

The Findings

The study determined that consuming fennel two times per day alleviated the severity of menopause symptoms. The placebo had minimum effect. It is still necessary to conduct a longer and larger randomized study yet these findings make it clear that fennel is quite effective for reducing postmenopausal symptoms.

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Fennel Reduces Postmenopause Symptoms - Anti Aging News

According to Greek mythology, when you consume ambrosia, the blood running through your veins is replaced with ichor, a golden fluid. Ambrosia, consumed only by gods and goddesses, grants immortality.

Ambrosia is also the name of a startup that aims to combat aging. Rather than golden fluid flowing through the veins of gods, the company's product is the blood of the young actual blood, donated by adults up to age 25 which it will inject in customers 35 and older who have $8,000 to spare.

The question remains: Do young blood injections actually work? Are we just a needle prick away from sweet, fresh-faced longevity?

"I know what you're thinking," said Ambrosia founder Jesse Karmazin in an interview. "Is it all just, like, Silicon Valley tech people?"

It's true: Silicon Valley has a fascination with immortality. Investors have poured billions into longevity research and startups. Venture capitalist Peter Thiel, the billionaire Facebook board member and adviser to Trump, has invested millions into anti-aging medicine. Ambrosia hasn't raised any capital yet, and Karmazin told me that the company has no affiliation with Thiel.

Actually, Karmazin said, Ambrosia's client base is "a real mix of different types of people."

Karmazin said that it's mostly Americans currently undergoing the treatment, with slightly more men than women. He said the company has treated doctors, lawyers, biotech CEOs, someone with a theater background and other individuals from a variety of different industries.

A quote from Jesse Karmazin

Ambrosia currently has two clinics, one in Florida and one in San Francisco. "The treatment is large: It's two liters, which is a pretty significant amount of blood. It's like four pints if you use the American measuring system."

Still, for $8,000 a pop, blood injections are meant for customers who tend to have a little more disposable income. Ambrosia may not be affordable for everyone, but the pricing is reportedly at cost for now; Ambrosia isn't making any money from it yet.

The company gets its spritely plasma from blood donors. It buys blood from blood banks, an industry Karmazin noted is both heavily regulated and expensive.

Karmazin said that the company has both subjective and objective evidence that its treatment is conclusive. He mentioned clients who looked younger after the treatment, as well as people having more energy, sleeping better and feeling stronger. He also noted that people have had "dramatic improvements in Alzheimer's disease."

From an objective standpoint, Karmazin said the Ambrosia treatment can improve cholesterol, amyloid levels plaques in the brain and cancer risk.

"I want to be clear, at this point, it works," Karmazin said. "It reverses aging. We're pretty clear at this point. This is conclusive. We are probably done with the clinical trial. It worked so well, we're going to start treating people. We're pretty amazed with this. Yeah, no, it works, there's really no question whether it works or not."

"I want to be clear, at this point, it works," Karmazin said. "It reverses aging. We're pretty clear at this point. This is conclusive. There's really no question."

But the lack of science casts doubt on Karmazin's confidence.

Evidence on the Ambrosia website includes a handful of links to both human clinical trials and mouse experimental studies. Of the six total human clinical trials included, one is sponsored by Ambrosia. The study was first received in June of 2016. The longest trial dates back to September 2014. The trials aren't yet completed. Some of then haven't even started enrolling yet. And they're small one has just 18 people. Phuoc V. Le, an assistant professor in the school of Public Health at University of California Berkeley and associate professor of Internal Medicine at UC San Francisco School of Medicine, said a clinical trial of this size is "minuscule" and just a first step to make sure there aren't any adverse reactions.

"Something like this needs to have large clinical trials for years before they can make claims as hefty as what they're making," Le told Mic. He added that "this is years and years away" and that that is something consumers need to be aware of. "This is an unproven remedy."

A quote from Phuoc V. Le

Nir Barzilai, a professor of endocrinology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the director of Einstein's Institute for Aging Research, also agreed that Ambrosia's treatment can't be called conclusive just yet.

There would have to be clinical trials where some elderly participants receive infusions of something else rather than the blood from younger people because the placebo effect in such trials is high, he said.

Derek Huffman, assistant professor of molecular pharmacology and medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, said in an email that the willingness to treat individuals with transfusions for aging at this point is, in his view, "a distortion of the studies it is based on, and an example of an idea getting too far ahead of the science." He added that "this is not to say that this burgeoning area of science is not promising, and that related strategies will not one day come to fruition to successfully target aging, but they will require a much more targeted and fine-tuned approach than is being suggested here.

Le noted that for vulnerable populations, such as people suffering from stroke or early-onset Alzheimer's or dementia, they can't and don't want to wait, so it's dangerous for Ambrosia to make promises of reversal or amelioration of their conditions that are inconclusive, and at a considerable cost.

"For example, if I had early-onset dementia and I lived in Palo Alto and I'm a retiree and I'm living off of social security but I saved up $8,000, and I've seen my parents die of dementia, and saw how bad it was, I might consider spending essentially my savings on something that is unproven," Le said. "Although they are selling it as, not a cure-all, but potentially life-altering and so I worry that it's clearly not coercion but I worry that that people will fall into this trap of spending big bucks and not getting approving benefits."

It's also important to consider the ethical implications of companies like Ambrosia. As Karmazin mentioned, the company gets it plasma by purchasing blood from blood banks. If this type of treatment were to scale up, and companies had millions of people using it, the demand for young blood would be astronomical.

"Could we see a day when young people are selling their blood on the open market for companies like Ambrosia?" Le hypothesized. "And then what do we do in terms of balancing the public good? Meaning, if I were a patient in a hospital and I required plasma because I have a really bad medical condition, but maybe the Red Cross can't get any, because people would rather sell their blood to a company than to donate their blood because it's a limited public good."

Le compared this commodification of blood to the organ black markets in developing countries, noting how this can disproportionately coerce and hurt the poor while benefiting the wealthy. Someone can donate their kidney to a rich person and, as he noted, the type of individual to do this is someone extremely impoverished.

If large clinical trials do bear out, great. But Le believes there could be more benefits yielded from that type of research than just an outpatient elective treatment like Ambrosia. He said that we should f
igure out what is in plasma that actually confers the benefits, and potentially try and isolate that.

Le said that perhaps medical experts can make plasma synthetically, from animals or in a way that doesn't commodify a public good like blood. That way, it "can provide benefit not just to the rich or to the extremely desperate but also make it available equally to all people."

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Inside Ambrosia: Could infusions of millennial blood make you young again? Scientists have doubts. - Mic

Theres no better place to confess indulging in weird or off-the-wall beauty treatments than in the presence of Gwyneth Paltrow at the Goop Health Summit. Miranda Kerr did just that over the weekend when she sat on a star-studded panel of beauty and lifestyle expertsincluding Cameron Diaz, Nicole Richie, Tory Burch and Paltrow herselfand spoke about her experience with leech therapy.

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Ive had a leech facial, said Kerr. I kept the leeches, theyre in my koi pond. Youre not allowed to reuse them, and if you dont take them home, then she kills them, and I didnt like that idea. The model and KORA Organics beauty brand owner also admitted to using leech therapy on her tailbone.

Surprisingly enough, Paltrow, the queen ofbizarre beauty treatments(including bee sting treatments and vaginal steaming) confessed that even she hadnt tried leeches yet. Wow! I thought I was batscrazy!, she said.

So whats so special about leeches? Although the Food and Drug Administration approved them as medical devices in 2004, their primary use in medicine has been in reconstructive surgery and microsurgery to help severed veins regain blood flow. Leech therapy has been around for a very long time, but the use of leeches as an anti-aging treatment is a rather recent, celebrity-driven trend (Demi Moore and The Real Housewives of Orange Countys Heather Dubrow are also fans). The idea is that when leeches bite their prey, they feed on the blood while simultaneously injecting numerous substances with a variety of bioactive peptides.

We asked Greenwich, CT, dermatologist Lynne Haven, MD, if leech facials are effective and if they can really make a difference for your skin. According to Dr. Haven, there are far better ways to anti-age than employing the use of blood sucking leeches. Historically, leeches have been used because they have an anticoagulant, so theyve been used for bloodletting, or to increase blood flow to a skin flap or graft, she says. If youre a normal, healthy person there is no medical reason to use a leech. And I think that leech facials dont make any sense.

If youre looking for the best anti-aging treatments, Dr. Haven says youre likely to achieve better results with some tried-and-true skin care services that dont involve slimy, blood sucking creatures: I would not recommend a leech facial, some people can have an allergic reaction to the anticoagulant they produce called hirudin. Theres really no proven benefit and we have so many proven techniques, therapies and topicals with science behind them, that theres really no reason to follow this fad. For overall anti-aging, I would prefer a fractionated laser, topical retinoids, antioxidants and other proven treatments that have been shown to really make a difference in lines and wrinkles.

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A Top Dermatologist Weighs in on Miranda Kerr's Leech Facial - NewBeauty Magazine (blog)

Demand for a form of traditional Chinese medicine is putting the donkey population at risk in South Africa and other parts of the continent.

In recent years, the market in ejiaoa product made from boiled-down donkey skins mixed with herbs and other ingredientshas grown massively in China, putting millions of donkeys at risk of slaughter or poaching.

In South Africa, poor farmers who rely on donkeys as beasts of burden and modes of transport have reported having their animals stolen, only to later find their skinless carcasses.

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South Africas Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has confiscated more than 1,000 donkey hides en route to China in the past year, chief inspect Mpho Mokoena told Voice of America (VOA). Mokoena fears that the growing trade in donkey skins could signal the extinction of the animal in South Africa. In two years there wont be [any] donkeys in South Africa, she told VOA.

Donkey skins dry in the sun at a licensed specialized slaughterhouse in Baringo, Kenya, on February 28. The trade in donkey skins is legal in some countries, but is putting donkey populations in parts of Africa at risk. TONY KARUMBA/AFP/Getty

The slaughter of donkeys and trade in their skins is on an upward trend in other parts of Africa, too. A January report by U.K.-based charity the Donkey Sanctuary found that demand for donkeys in Africa has risen so much that, in the West African country of Burkina Faso, the cost of a single animal almost doubled from 60 ($76) in 2014 to 108 ($137) in 2016.

Read more: Take Two Herbs and Call Me in the Morning

The global donkey population stands at around 44 million, the vast majority of which are working animals, but the Donkey Sanctuary report estimated that global demand for donkey skins is between 4-10 million, with at least 1.8 million donkey skins being traded per year.

Four African countriesBurkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Senegalhave banned donkey exports, as well as Pakistan. The consumption of donkey meat is also considered haram (forbidden) in Islam, meaning that the slaughter of donkeys in many countries with large Muslim populations is frowned upon.

Donkeys are under threat largely due to the rise in popularity of ejiao, according to the report. In China, some believe that ejiao has various health benefits, from anti-aging properties to boosting sex drive, and it is even marketed as a gynecological treatment that can reduce reproductive diseases in women. Demand is so high that ejiao can sell for up to 300 ($382) per kilogram, according to the Donkey Sanctuary report.

Traditional medicine in China and other parts of East Asia is associated with the decline of other animal populations and wildlife agencies have said that wild rhinoceros could be wiped out within a decade as a result of increased poaching. Rhino horn can sell for up to $60,000 per kilogrammore valuable by weight than gold or diamondsdue to myths that it can solve a wide range of medical ailments, including cancer and hangovers.

Tiger bones are also reputed to be a remedy for arthritis in traditional medicine, while ivory from elephant tusks is also used in some medications, as well as being prized for ornamental purposes in China.

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Chinese Medicine is Using Donkey Skins to Boost Libidoand Africa's Animals Are at Risk - Newsweek

Russian researchers have provided a new method of determining human biological age. The group hails from the Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Russian Clinical Research Center for Gerontology, the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, and other prestigious research centers. The survey was carried out at the National Research Center for Preventive Medicine, as well as the Center for Gerontology. The article was published in the journal Aging. The researchers emphasize determining biological age will play a major role in the development of anti-aging medicine.

Biological age is a concept used to describe the state of a human organism. An average healthy individual has their biological age no different from their chronological age, i.e., the age on their ID. However, with age, these two indicators are likely to become mismatched due to different reasons: environmental factors, bad habits, manifestations of hereditary diseases, etc. So far, there is no established method of predicting biological age. Both medical and scientific researchers are looking for a marker that could accurately and consistently reflect if not the general state of the body then at least that of its systems.

The study is based on a combination of carotid ultrasound and tonometry data. Using machine learning, a model was developed capable of determining the biological age of healthy men and women with a mean absolute error of 6.9 and 5.9 years, respectively. The test set also included subjects with hypertension and Type 2 diabetes, whose biological age turned out to be, on average, three years greater than their actual age.

"Researchers have been trying to find a means to estimate human biological age for decades. The most accurate of the existing techniques are based on DNA analysis (the so-called "epigenetic clock") and can predict human age with the median error of three years. However, they require expensive equipment and skilled laboratory personnel, which is the reason why they are still not widely used in medical practice. Our method relies on a type of patient-related data any modern health care facility can obtain," says Alexey Moskalev, who heads the Laboratory of the Genetics of Aging and Longevity at MIPT's Center for Living Systems.

In their study, the authors relied on information about the cardiovascular system, namely, a set of predictors, all of which reflect its functioning: minimum middle layer thickness of the carotid artery tissue, pulse wave velocity, carotid artery diameter (the degree of stenosis), and augmentation index (the difference between the second and first pressure peaks in a pulse wave). Individually, all of them are established markers used for diagnosing atherosclerosis, hypertension, calcinosis, diabetes, and other conditions. The choice was made after performing a correlation analysis, which is a technique used to measure the association between variables.

The main result of the study is that a model (a formula) has been developed in which biological age is derived from the four clinical parameters stated above. Coefficients for each of the parameters were calculated using machine learning, namely robust regression. For this study, a total of 303 subjects (199 women and 104 men) were selected, their age varied from 23 to 91. All of them had visited the National Research Center for Preventive Medicine in Moscow, Russia, back in 2012. Robust regression analysis provides an alternative to the least squares method, which we remember well from school. It is essentially an attempt to approximate the observed dependence using a formula. In other words, the method seeks to pick the variables in a formula so as to make sure the resulting curve fits experimental data. There are, however, certain fundamental differences between the two alternatives which make robust regression preferable. Machine learning methods have long been used to evaluate biological age. Recent years have seen a rise in popularity of deep neural networks, which enable researchers to build high-accuracy models. And yet their application is not always justifiable as they, among other things, require a large number of tests and parameters, which is not always feasible in clinical practice.

Alexander Fedintsev, a bioinformatics specialist from the Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology of RAS, the first author of the article, clarifies: "We used nonlinear robust regression, since it does not rely on a priori assumptions of the distribution of the dependent variable and therefore is robust to outliers. Since the number of factors is limited, the model can be taught using a relatively small amount of data. In addition to being fairly accurate, it also provides an easy interpretation of the results: We can tell for sure how the predicted age will change if the measured parameters are varied. It is worth noting, though, that qualitative data was at the heart of this research. Thanks to a large database with a variety of biomarkers, we managed to select the most important factors, which helped us maintain a low error rate while predicting age despite the fact that we were using a rather simple and compact model."

To test the validity of the new method, the researchers compared their biological age estimates with the data obtained through other techniques for evaluating the state of an organism. Correlation of predicted biological age with Framingham CVD Prediction Scores -- an algorithm which estimates a patient's risk of developing cardiovascular disease and is not based on carotid ultrasound imaging -- exceeded that with chronological age. Also, the method was compared with other data processing techniques: The findings were contrasted with those obtained using the Klemera-Doubal statistical method. Again, correlation with biological age exceeded that with chronological age.

Olga Tkacheva, director of Russian Clinical Research Center for Gerontology, who co-authored the article, comments: "Since we used cardiovascular system as our only source of information, additional research that would consider other factors is necessary to refine biological age estimates. However, recent research has shown that the relationship between the state of blood vessels and biological age appears to be even stronger than between the state of blood vessels and chemical composition of blood."

Considering that according to WHO statistics heart disease is the leading age-related cause of death, it seems only natural to claim that the technique developed by the researchers is an effective means of determining biological age. The possibility of doing it rapidly and accurately is indeed crucial to the success of the battle against aging.

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Carotid Artery Gives Away Human Biological Age - Bioscience Technology

June 6, 2017 The roundworm, C. elegans, is a popular model in aging research because its short lifespan allows scientists to quickly assess the effects of anti-aging interventions, including genetic manipulation and drug therapies. Scientists at the MDI Biological Laboratory used C. elegans as a model to identify markers of healthy aging. The study will help scientists assess the tradeoffs between lifespan and health span in humans. Credit: MDI Biological Laboratory

Exactly when does old age begin? Which health markers best predict who will live a long and healthy life versus a life spent in poor health?

Developing metrics to help answer these questions and to understand the tradeoffs between lifespan and health span is the subject of a recent paper by MDI Biological Laboratory scientists in Journals of Gerontology: Biological Sciences, a publication of the Gerontological Society of America.

The authors studied various parameters of health in short-lived strains of the roundworm, C. elegans, with the goal of developing an empirical definition of the onset of old age, and of teasing out which health markers are most predictive of a long and healthy life.

With the development of new genetics tools, scientists are getting closer to developing therapies to extend human lifespan, but the effect of such therapies on health span (the proportion of life spent in good health) is unclear. While it used to be thought that therapies to extend lifespan would also extend health span, new research is showing that may not always be true.

The growing number of anti-aging therapies on the horizon creates a need for the development of new parameters to assess healthy aging. Instead of striving to only to prolong longevity, as has been the case in the past, the use of such tools will allow scientists to focus their efforts on lifespan-enhancing therapies with the greatest positive effects on health.

"All anti-aging interventions aren't created equal," said post-doctoral researcher Jarod Rollins, Ph.D., one of the study's lead investigators. "A recent study in C. elegans found, for instance, that the proportion of life spent in a frail state is longer in long-lived mutants than in wild-type animals. Our research is aimed at developing tools to help scientists assess the effect of lifespan-enhancing interventions on health span."

The molecular mechanisms of aging are a focus of research at the MDI Biological Laboratory, located in Bar Harbor, Maine, which is pioneering new approaches to regenerative medicine focused on the development of drugs to increase healthy lifespan by enhancing the body's innate ability to repair and regenerate lost or damaged tissues and organs.

Rollins works in the laboratory of Aric Rogers, Ph.D., the lead author of the study, in the institution's Kathryn W. Davis Center for Regenerative Biology and Medicine.

C. elegans is a popular model in aging research because its short lifespan of only two to three weeks allows scientists to quickly assess the effects of anti-aging interventions, including genetic manipulation and drug therapies. The tiny, soil-dwelling roundworm also has other advantages for research: it shares many of its genes with humans and its health markers roughly correspond to those in humans.

One marker that the MDI Biological Laboratory scientists found to be predictive of a healthy lifespan in C. elegans was movement speed. Movement speed corresponds to walking speed in humans, which studies have found to be an accurate predictor of longevity. One of the scientists' next steps will be to further develop movement speed as a marker for assessing the effect of anti-aging interventions in C. elegans.

"As science closes in on the mechanisms underlying aging, the tradeoffs between lifespan and health span become a greater cause for concern," said Kevin Strange, Ph.D., president of the MDI Biological Laboratory. "The scientists in the Rogers laboratory are at the forefront of developing metrics to assess the impact of anti-aging interventions on quality of life."

Explore further: Research sheds light on mechanisms underlying aging

More information: Jarod A. Rollins et al. Assessing Health Span in Caenorhabditis elegans: Lessons From Short-Lived Mutants, The Journals of Gerontology: Series A (2017). DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glw248

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Too much caffeine caused the death of a 16-year-old high school student from South Carolina who collapsed during class last month, according to the county coroner. Davis Allen Cripe died from a caffeine-induced cardiac event causing a probable arrhythmia.

During an arrhythmia, or abnormal heart rhythm, the heart may not be able to pump enough blood to the body, and lack of blood flow affects the brain, heart and other organs. The teen consumed three caffeine-laced drinksa cafe latte, large Diet Mountain Dew and an energy drinkin a two-hour period before collapsing in his classroom at Spring Hill High School on April 26, Watts said.

So where does this tragic news leave adultjava lovers?

How much caffeine can I drink a day? Most people can safely take in about 400 milligrams of caffeine daily or about 4 cups of coffee, says Dr. Christopher Calapai D.O., a New York City Osteopathic Physician board certified in family and anti-aging medicine.

He adds that the limit varies from person to person. Its difficult to assign an exact amount for everyone because people can have different sensitivities or reactions to caffeine based on age, medical history, and tolerance. However, there is enough research available to make a recommendation based on an individuals weight.

To keep it safe, health experts recommend a maximum daily dose of 400 mg. To see what this means for you, check out the caffeine in some of these common drinks:

Starbucks Coffee (16 fl oz): 320 mg caffeine 5-hour energy (1.93 fl oz): 207 mg caffeine Dunkin Donuts regular (16 fl oz): 203 mg caffeine Starbucks Latte (16 fl oz): 150 mg caffeine Coffee, brewed (8 fl oz): 133 mg caffeine Red Bull Energy Shot (2 fl oz): 80 mg caffeine Red Bull (8 fl oz): 80 mg caffeine Tea (8 fl oz): 53 mg caffeine

But how, exactly, can the worlds most popular drug kill? Like other stimulants, caffeine raises blood pressure, boosts heart rate and temporarily shrinks blood vessels.

Dr. Calapai explains, In excess, the effects can be deadly by causing a heart attack, stroke or other cardio-vascular-related problem. Researchers think daily caffeine intake can increase the risk of coronary heart disease, but the results so far have been inconclusive.

Its also important to realize that medical conditions can affect sensitivity to caffeine. If you have anxiety, panic disorder, heart arrhythmia, high blood pressure, diabetes, take medication or have any sort of medical condition, then you may tolerate less caffeine and should speak to a doctor, says Dr. Calapai.

Here are crucial caffeine overdose symptoms to watch for: Jitters, Restlessness, and Nervousness Increased heartbeat Nausea Anxiety Heart palpitations (cardiac arrhythmia) Insomnia Sweating Dizziness Vomiting Cardiac arrest

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Can You Actually Die From Too Much Caffeine? - BOSS Magazine

Exactly when does old age begin? Which health markers best predict who will live a long and healthy life versus a life spent in poor health?

Developing metrics to help answer these questions and to understand the tradeoffs between lifespan and health span is the subject of a recent paper by MDI Biological Laboratory scientists in Journals of Gerontology: Biological Sciences, a publication of the Gerontological Society of America.

The authors studied various parameters of health in short-lived strains of the roundworm, C. elegans, with the goal of developing an empirical definition of the onset of old age, and of teasing out which health markers are most predictive of a long and healthy life.

With the development of new genetics tools, scientists are getting closer to developing therapies to extend human lifespan, but the effect of such therapies on health span (the proportion of life spent in good health) is unclear. While it used to be thought that therapies to extend lifespan would also extend health span, new research is showing that may not always be true.

The growing number of anti-aging therapies on the horizon creates a need for the development of new parameters to assess healthy aging. Instead of striving to only to prolong longevity, as has been the case in the past, the use of such tools will allow scientists to focus their efforts on lifespan-enhancing therapies with the greatest positive effects on health.

All anti-aging interventions arent created equal, said post-doctoral researcher Jarod Rollins, Ph.D., one of the studys lead investigators. A recent study in C. elegans found, for instance, that the proportion of life spent in a frail state is longer in long-lived mutants than in wild-type animals. Our research is aimed at developing tools to help scientists assess the effect of lifespan-enhancing interventions on health span.

The molecular mechanisms of aging are a focus of research at the MDI Biological Laboratory, located in Bar Harbor, Maine, which is pioneering new approaches to regenerative medicine focused on the development of drugs to increase healthy lifespan by enhancing the bodys innate ability to repair and regenerate lost or damaged tissues and organs.

Rollins works in the laboratory of Aric Rogers, Ph.D., the lead author of the study, in the institutions Kathryn W. Davis Center for Regenerative Biology and Medicine.

C. elegans is a popular model in aging research because its short lifespan of only two to three weeks allows scientists to quickly assess the effects of anti-aging interventions, including genetic manipulation and drug therapies. The tiny, soil-dwelling roundworm also has other advantages for research: it shares many of its genes with humans and its health markers roughly correspond to those in humans.

One marker that the MDI Biological Laboratory scientists found to be predictive of a healthy lifespan in C. elegans was movement speed. Movement speed corresponds to walking speed in humans, which studies have found to be an accurate predictor of longevity. One of the scientists next steps will be to further develop movement speed as a marker for assessing the effect of anti-aging interventions in C. elegans.

As science closes in on the mechanisms underlying aging, the tradeoffs between lifespan and health span become a greater cause for concern, said Kevin Strange, Ph.D., president of the MDI Biological Laboratory. The scientists in the Rogers laboratory are at the forefront of developing metrics to assess the impact of anti-aging interventions on quality of life.

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Living long and living well: Is it possible to do both? - ScienceBlog.com (blog)

The fountain of youth may be a matter for mythology; however, considerable scientific research goes into seeing whether the aging process can be slowed down. A discovery that had any kind of true anti-aging effect (as opposed to questionable anti-wrinkle creams) would represent a major step forwards in scientific understanding as well as being, if it could be commercialized, highly lucrative. The openings of an anti-aging treatment could exist with a chemical called methylene blue. As well as a stain for the microscopic examination of fungi, methylene blue is a common and relatively inexpensive antioxidant. The chemical has been used in the clinical treatment of many ailments, but not, until now anti-aging. The possible breakthrough comes from the University of Maryland and here researchers have been investigating the effect of methylene blue on human skin. Methylene blue Methylene blue (methylthioninium chloride) is both a medication and dye. As a medication it is used to treat methemoglobinemia (a blood disease leading to shortness of breath). In the past it was used for cyanide poisoning and urinary tract infections. When required medically, the drug is administered by injection into a vein. With people aging (sometimes spelled ageing) represents the accumulation of changes in a person over time. These changes include the physical, psychological, and social. Variations are seen with things like reaction time as well as physical changes, especially to the skin. Speaking with Science Alert, lead researcher Kan Cao explains about the research: Our work suggests that methylene blue could be a powerful antioxidant for use in skin care products. So far interesting, but there are plenty of skin care products on the market. However, Dr. Cao drops in the key difference: "The effects we are seeing are not temporary. Methylene blue appears to make fundamental, long-term changes to skin cells. To demonstrate this, the researchers exposed healthy and diseased skin cells, taken from middle-aged patients, to methylene blue together with three other established chemicals known to function as antioxidants. The experimental work showed that the methylene blue was superior to the other chemicals at improving the symptoms of aging in both the healthy and diseased skin cells. With the diseased cells, these were affected by progeria. Progeria is an extremely rare genetic disorder in which symptoms resembling aspects of aging are manifested at a very early age. Those born with progeria typically live to their mid-teens to early twenties. With both types of skin cell the researchers noted a reduction in cell death, as well as a decrease in deleterious relative oxygen species, and an increase in cell division in skin cells called fibroblasts. A fibroblast is a type of cell that synthesizes the extracellular matrix and collagen. For further study Dr. Cao exposed fibroblasts from donors over age 80 to methylene blue. The exposure was over a four week period. As with the earlier work, improvements were noted. Further analysis revealed a reduction in the expression of two genes that are commonly used to indicate aging in cells. These genes are termed senescence-associated beta-galactosidase and p16. While the process demonstrates considerable attention, further research is required and no tests have yet been undertaken on people. The following video explains more about the research: The research is published in the journal Scientific Reports, under the heading Anti-Aging Potentials of Methylene Blue for Human Skin Longevity. Essential Science This article is part of Digital Journal's regular Essential Science columns. Each week Tim Sandle explores a topical and important scientific issue. Last week we explored the use of bioelectricity as a powerful way of killing pathogenic bacteria. The week before we looked at how nanotechnology can be used to rapidly and non-invasively treat broken bones.

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Essential Science: Methylene Blue as an anti-aging treatment - Digital Journal