The Chemistry of Chocolate
Chocolate is a Valentine’s Day must-have and popular among people with a sweet tooth. Many also claim it lifts mood or even acts as an aphrodisiac, and we’ve all heard someone say it’s habit forming.
The compounds in chocolate that allegedly have positive effects come from the cacao bean, so the darker the chocolate, the more of these compounds it contains. Milk chocolate has less than dark chocolate, and white chocolate has nearly none because it includes no cocoa solids, only cocoa butter.
Chocolate contains upwards of 800 chemical compounds, just a handful of which are explored in this infographi...
Source: Biomedical Beat Blog - National Institute of General Medical Sciences - February 12, 2020 Category: Research Authors: Chrissa Chverchko Tags: Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmacology Source Type: blogs
Evidence for PASK Deficiency to Reduce the Impact of Aging in Mice
There are many ways to slow aging to a measurable degree in short-lived species such as mice, and the work noted here is a recently discovered example. Mice have evolved to have a sizable variability of life span in response to environmental circumstances, and thus the cellular machinery relating to various stress responses has an equally sizable influence on health and longevity. Since there are many ways to adjust the operation of that machinery, by increasing or decreasing levels of specific proteins, there are also many ways to slow aging. Few of them are going to be all that useful, unfortunately, as longer-lived spec...
Source: Fight Aging! - February 11, 2020 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs
Fight Aging! Newsletter, February 10th 2020
In conclusion, the concept of an epigenetic clock is compelling, but caution should be taken in interpreting associations with age acceleration. Association tests of age acceleration should include age as a covariate.
A Discussion of Recent Work on Allotopic Expression of Mitochondrial Genes at the SENS Research Foundation
https://www.fightaging.org/archives/2020/02/a-discussion-of-recent-work-on-allotopic-expression-of-mitochondrial-genes-at-the-sens-research-foundation/
A paper published last month outlines recent progress on allotopic expression of mitochondrial genes carried out by the SENS Research...
Source: Fight Aging! - February 9, 2020 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Newsletters Source Type: blogs
Modulating Macrophage Polarization as a Therapy for Atherosclerosis
In this study, we explored the protective effects and mechanism of AsC on macrophage polarization in atherosclerosis in vivo and in vitro. Using a high-fat diet (HFD)-fed ApoE-/- mouse model and RAW 264.7 macrophages exposed to oxidized LDL, AsC was evaluated for its effects on polarization and autophagy.
AsC significantly reduced the plaque area in atherosclerotic mice and lipid accumulation in oxidized-LDL-treated macrophages, promoted M2 phenotype macrophage polarization, increased the number of autophagosomes and modulated the expression of autophagy-related proteins. Moreover, the autophagy inhibitor 3-methylad...
Source: Fight Aging! - February 4, 2020 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs
Weight Loss: This Technique Improves Eating Habits Automatically
It increases levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which reduces the desire for high-fat foods.
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Source: PsyBlog | Psychology Blog - December 24, 2019 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Jeremy Dean Tags: Weight Loss Source Type: blogs
Fight Aging! Newsletter, December 23rd 2019
In this study, by adenovirus-mediated delivery and inducible transgenic mouse models, we demonstrate the proliferation of both HCs and SCs by combined Notch1 and Myc activation in in vitro and in vivo inner ear adult mouse models. These proliferating mature SCs and HCs maintain their respective identities. Moreover, when presented with HC induction signals, reprogrammed adult SCs transdifferentiate into HC-like cells both in vitro and in vivo. Finally, our data suggest that regenerated HC-like cells likely possess functional transduction channels and are able to form connections with adult auditory neurons.
Epige...
Source: Fight Aging! - December 22, 2019 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Newsletters Source Type: blogs
High Levels of Blood Triglycerides Trigger Chronic Inflammation
Much of the focus on blood lipid levels is on cholesterol, as higher levels of cholesterol mean higher levels of the oxidized cholesterol that causes atherosclerosis, the formation of fatty lesions that narrow and weaken blood vessels. Methods of lowering cholesterol, such as statins, can slow the progression of atherosclerosis to some degree and reduce risk of a consequent stroke or heart attack occurring when an atherosclerotic lesion ruptures. Researchers here look instead at consequences of high triglyceride levels in the blood, uncovering a mechanism by which this provokes chronic inflammation. Since inflammation driv...
Source: Fight Aging! - December 17, 2019 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs
Variants of a Bitter Taste Receptor Gene are More Prevalent in Centenarians
This paper is chiefly interesting for the discussion on possible mechanisms by which variants in a taste receptor gene might be modestly influencing the odds of living a longer, healthier life. Calorie restriction, practiced to even a lesser degree, has such as a strong effect on aging in comparison to most other factors that one has to consider whether alterations in mechanisms of taste can be influential on aging via consequent alterations in dietary preferences.
Yet taste is complicated, and these genes also have other functions that seem clearly relevant to health over the long term. As this paper illustrates, e...
Source: Fight Aging! - December 16, 2019 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs
Fight Aging! Newsletter, December 9th 2019
Fight Aging! publishes news and commentary relevant to the goal of ending all age-related disease, to be achieved by bringing the mechanisms of aging under the control of modern medicine. This weekly newsletter is sent to thousands of interested subscribers. To subscribe or unsubscribe from the newsletter,
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Longevity Industry Consulting Services
Reason, the founder of Fight Aging! and Repair Biotechnologies, offers strategic consulting services to investors, entrepreneurs, and others interested in the longevity industry and its complexities. To find out m...
Source: Fight Aging! - December 8, 2019 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Newsletters Source Type: blogs
The Latest on Cellular Senescence in Type 2 Diabetes
One of the more unexpected recent findings relating to cellular senescence is that it appears to be an important part of the mechanisms that lead to loss of the pancreatic β-cells responsible for insulin secretion in both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes - which are very different conditions, despite the shared name. The authors of the brief open access commentary noted here discuss the present state of this research.
Age is one of the major risk factors for the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). However, the understanding of how cellular aging contributes to diabetes pathogenesis is incomplete and...
Source: Fight Aging! - December 5, 2019 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs
Fight Aging! Newsletter, November 11th 2019
In conclusion, high-dose NR induces the onset of WAT dysfunction, which may in part explain the deterioration of metabolic health.
Towards a Rigorous Definition of Cellular Senescence
https://www.fightaging.org/archives/2019/11/towards-a-rigorous-definition-of-cellular-senescence/
The accumulation of lingering senescent cells is a significant cause of aging, disrupting tissue function and generating chronic inflammation throughout the body. Even while the first senolytic drugs capable of selectively destroying these cells already exist, and while a number of biotech companies are working on the producti...
Source: Fight Aging! - November 10, 2019 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Newsletters Source Type: blogs
Assessing Gene Therapy to Upregulate Three Longevity-Associated Genes in Mice
In this study, we developed gene therapies based on 3 longevity associated genes: fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), αKlotho, soluble form of mouse transforming growth factor-β receptor 2 (sTGFβR2). The gene therapies were delivered using adeno-associated viruses, and we explored their ability to mitigate 4 age-related diseases: obesity, type II diabetes, heart failure, and renal failure.
Individually and combinatorially, we applied these therapies to disease-specific mouse models and found that this set of diverse pathologies could be effectively treated and in some cases, even reversed with a single dose. We ...
Source: Fight Aging! - November 5, 2019 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Medicine, Biotech, Research Source Type: blogs
Is it time to stop skimming over full-fat dairy?
Americans consume about 150 pounds of milk and eat nearly 40 pounds of cheese and 20 pounds of ice cream per person per year, according to data from the Department of Agriculture. Yogurt and butter intakes are lower, but growing. But should the dairy we’re consuming be low-fat or full-fat? That debate has become increasingly divisive, and for good reason: not all dairy is created equal.
Dairy fat and cardiovascular disease
Some of the most substantial dairy research has been done in the context of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, which has been shown, among other benefits, to reduce blood pressure...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - October 21, 2019 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Emily Gelsomin, MLA, RD, LDN Tags: Cancer Diet and Weight Loss Health Healthy Eating Heart Health Source Type: blogs
Fight Aging! Newsletter, September 23rd 2019
Discussion of Developmental Effects on Aging
Microtubule Function and Longevity in Nematodes
Quantifying the Correlation Between Poverty and Faster Pace of Aging
Matthew O'Connor Presenting on Underdog Pharmaceuticals at Undoing Aging 2019
https://www.fightaging.org/archives/2019/09/matthew-oconnor-presenting-on-underdog-pharmaceuticals-at-undoing-aging-2019/
Here Matthew O'Connor of the SENS Research Foundation talks about the research that led to founding of Underdog Pharmaceuticals, a biotech startup incubated by the foundation to commercialize a means of targeting 7-ketocholesterol in atheroscle...
Source: Fight Aging! - September 22, 2019 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Newsletters Source Type: blogs
Senolytic Treatment with Dasatinib and Quercetin Confirmed to Reduce the Burden of Senescent Cells in Human Patients
Setting aside the mice genetically engineered to destroy senescent cells, the combination of dasatinib and quercetin is the oldest of the senolytic treatments used in animal studies. Senolytic therapies are those that selectively destroy senescent cells in old tissues in order to produce rejuvenation, turning back the progression of numerous age-related conditions. Unusually for early stage research, these initial senolytics are actually quite effective, considered in the grand scheme of things. Thus they have moved directly to human trials in some cases. The first data on their ability to produce the same outcomes in huma...
Source: Fight Aging! - September 18, 2019 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Medicine, Biotech, Research Source Type: blogs
