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Could a spicy cocktail be good for your gut? How did scientists manage to peer inside a mouse’s womb? And why did a researcher in Spain cover acorns with human pee? Check out the answers below in some of our favorite selections from Science ’s daily newsletter, Science Adviser . One julep, please—and make it spicy If you’re a cocktail connoisseur, you may have noticed that spicy drinks have boomed in popularity in recent years. Pepper-infused liquors have become hot ingredients in everything from martinis to mules. Even beer brewers have gotten in on the trend. And that may be a good thing—for drinkers’ stomachs. Mounting evidence suggests that capsaicin—the molecule that gives chilis their heat—can counteract some of the less desirable side effects of alcohol, including inflammation in the gut that has been tied to digestive issues and even gastric cancers. In a bioRxiv preprint published last week, researchers posit that this spicy molecule activates a key antioxidant pathway that reduces ethanol-induced damage to gut tissues . The findings suggest your gut might thank you for spicing up your beverages or eating a hot curry before a night on the town. But researchers also note that targeted capsaicin delivery may help defend against other conditions brought on or exacerbated by oxidative damage, including many cancers. A window into placental development ...
Source: Science of Aging Knowledge Environment - Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research