Here’s a summary of the most interesting research I saw since the last research roundup. If you would prefer it in video format, you can check out the YouTube video here.
We will cover news about 14 topics including ageing, cancer, athletic performance, coffee, microplastics, sauna and more.
Research
Children’s Cancer Risk From Gas Stoves Nearly Double That of Adults
Researchers at Stanford University found that lifetime cancer risk rose in children 1.85 times higher than it did for adults, due to benzene from natural gas in homes.1
My comment: At this point it’s not news that natural gas causes cancer, but the increased risk for children is important to know about. As we can see in the diagram above, leaving windows wide open (not just cracked) makes a huge difference. The study also shows that elevated benzene levels remain in the house after 4.75 hours, which is probably longer than people expect.
Biologically, this makes sense, as targeting GLP-1 dampens down inflammation, one of the hallmarks of cancer.2
My comment: With all of the stigma surrounding these jabs and obesity itself, it’s so useful to keep in mind that obesity comes with so many health problems of its own.
Vitamin D supplementation maintains leukocyte telomere length
4-years of supplementation with 2000 IU/day vitamin D3 reduced telomere attrition by 140 bp3
My comment: Telomere shortening may increase risks for chronic disease and overall mortality, though it needs more research. As the study introduction states, vitamin D supplementation has previously been associated with reduced incidence of advanced cancer and autoimmune disease.
Apigenin may reduce senescence and cancer
Taken together, our study supports the possibility that apigenin, a plant-derived flavonoid, can effectively alleviate age-related disorders, as exemplified by increased anticancer efficacy, improved physical function, and enhanced cognitive behavior of prematurely aged mice.4
My comment: Apigenin is on my radar and I like the methodology of this study. It’s particularly cool to see that real-world results like grip strength, balance, coordination and motor learning returned to youthful levels after apigenin. By far the highest food sources of apigenin are celery seeds, spinach and parsley:
Dietary methionine restriction started late in life promotes healthy aging in mice
This study5 showed that methionine restriction (reducing methionine as a proportion of protein from the usual 0.86% to 0.17%) in mice:
- Improves neuromuscular function
- Reduces weight while increasing lean mass
- Improves plasma metabolic markers
- Returns methionine to youthful levels
- Decreases frailty in aged mice
- Improves renal and lung function
My comment: Methionine content is generally higher in muscle meat than other foods, so this might somewhat explain why vegetarians tend to live longer than meat-eaters. You can reduce your methionine intake when eating meat by eating more organ meats instead of only muscle meats. Longevity expert Siim Land talks about methionine a lot, so I bet this one is on his radar too.
Coffee consumption appears to contribute to cancer prevention and healthy aging
My comment: This comprehensive review is impressive, with 185 references. It finds mostly positive effects on ageing and cancer, with the notable exception of lung cancer, which was consistently associated with coffee consumption.
Dark chocolate improved recovery and performance in athletes, particularly females
Consuming 30g/day of 85% dark chocolate, especially for females during the most hormonally-sensitive menstrual phases, reduced DOMS and improved reaction time.6
My comment: It’s great to see this study pay such close attention to the different menstrual cycle phases, and it’s even better to see more high-quality studies done on CrossFit athletes.
Creatine supplementation may help depression
This study provides preliminary evidence that creatine supplementation along with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is more effective than CBT alone.7
My comment: Creatine is having a real moment lately, with studies finding all kinds of positive brain effects. This is one to add to the pile.
Spirulina improved mental health, and sleep quality and latency
This placebo-controlled study8 provided promising evidence for sleep and depression with spirulina tablet supplementation:
My comment: There are a lot of trendy sleep supplements out there like magnesium, tart cherry, and melatonin, so it is cool to see good old spirulina potentially added to the list.
Diet rich in methyl adaptogens reduces epigenetic age
This study9 found that methyl adaptogens like turmeric, green tea, oolong tea, rosemary, garlic, and berries can reduce epigenetic age, and the effect is larger for those whose epigenetic age is older than their chronological age.
This is thought to be because the polyphenol content of those foods and drinks modulate the methylome.
My comment: Epigenetic age calculators have their weak points when it comes to specific details, but I think most people broadly agree that an age reduction on these clocks is positively associated with health.
Plastics in everyday objects may disrupt sleep in same way as caffeine
The study looked at chemicals extracted from a PVC medical feeding tube and a polyurethane hydration pouch, like those used by long-distance runners. PVC and polyurethanes are also used in everything from kids toys to food packaging to furniture.10
My comment: This in vitro study provides evidence that these common forms of plastic affect the adenosine receptors system. It’s common to see polyurethane marketed as an eco-friendly and healthy form of plastic so this is particularly useful research to help us avoid that greenwashing.
Fibre and oats can reduce absorption of forever chemicals
[PFAS] have been linked to cancer, birth defects, decreased immunity, high cholesterol, kidney disease and a range of other serious health problems.11
My comment: This makes sense because fibre has already been shown to reduce absorption of everything12, which is one reason why it is effective for weight-loss. Fibre creates a physical gel-like barrier that blocks the gut from absorbing some of what you eat, so that the fibre along with a greater percentage of your food end up in the toilet.
Shingles Vaccine Can Reduce Risk of Stroke And Heart Attack
My comment: There is a broader picture being drawn in recent years, relating to the long-term effects of viruses that were once ubiquitous. Thanks to vaccines, we now have large groups of people to compare against and finally see what the effects of those viruses has been. It’s worth noting that this study was done on the live vaccine with a weakened virus, so it will be interesting to see if the same effect is seen for the recombinant vaccine that is gaining popularity, Shingrix.
Sauna after exercise increases benefits
The addition of a regular 15-min typical Finnish sauna after exercise supplemented the gains in CRF, reductions in SBP, and lowered total cholesterol levels considerably.13
My comment: Seeing such gains in V̇o2max after relatively short sauna sessions is encouraging. Personally I put in a lot of work to maximize my V̇o2max because of the health and longevity benefits, and I also sauna regularly, so this is affirming for me to see.
Conclusion
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- Children’s Cancer Risk From Gas Stoves Nearly Double That of Adults ↩︎
- Weight-loss jabs could halve risk of obesity-related cancers ↩︎
- Vitamin D3 and marine ω-3 fatty acids supplementation and leukocyte telomere length: 4-year findings from the VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL) randomized controlled trial ↩︎
- Targeting Senescence with Apigenin Improves Chemotherapeutic Efficacy and Ameliorates Age-Related Conditions in Mice ↩︎
- Dietary methionine restriction started late in life promotes healthy aging in a sex-specific manner ↩︎
- Dark Chocolate Mitigates Premenstrual Performance Impairments and Muscle Soreness in Female CrossFit® Athletes: Evidence from a Menstrual-Phase-Specific Trial ↩︎
- Efficacy and safety profile of oral creatine monohydrate in add-on to cognitive-behavioural therapy in depression: An 8-week pilot, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled feasibility and exploratory trial in an under-resourced area ↩︎
- Effectiveness of an Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina) Softgel Supplementation on Sleep Quality, Mental Health Status, and Body Mass Index in Mild to Moderately Severe Depression Adults: A Double-Blinded, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial ↩︎
- Dietary associations with reduced epigenetic age: a secondary data analysis of the methylation diet and lifestyle study ↩︎
- Plastics in everyday objects may disrupt sleep in same way as caffeine ↩︎
- Eating more fiber could reduce ‘forever chemicals’ in bodies ↩︎
- The Effects of Soluble Dietary Fibers on Glycemic Response: An Overview and Futures Perspectives ↩︎
- Effects of regular sauna bathing in conjunction with exercise on cardiovascular function: a multi-arm, randomized controlled trial ↩︎