Vitality: May 2017

Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Is this the fountain of youth? Methylene blue shows promise reversing aging in human skin

Don't be surprised if in a few years television commercials for skin cream start touting that they are "now formulated with methylene blue." That's because research out of the University of Maryland (UMD) has shown that the common antioxidant can reverse the effects of aging on our skin.

The dye has been used in medicine for more than 140 years for a variety of things - from staining bodily tissue during surgery to killing bacteria in urinary tract infections. It works by destroying disease-causing free radicals. Recently it's shown promise in fighting Alzheimer's disease.

And now scientists at the University of Maryland have found another use: anti-aging.

Lead author Professor Zheng-Mei Xiong said: 'Methylene blue demonstrates a great potential to delay skin aging for all ages.'

The researchers tested it for four weeks in skin cells from healthy middle-aged donors and octogenarians as well as patients diagnosed with progeria - a rare genetic disease that ages them quickly.

Methylene blue - first synthesized in 1876 - out-performed three other antioxidants N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC), MitoQ and MitoTEMPO (mTEM).

Fibroblasts - skin cells that produce the structural protein collagen - experienced a decrease in damaging reactive oxygen species, a reduced rate of death and an increase in the rate of cell division throughout the treatment.

Anything that helps maintain collagen levels in the skin will keep it looking younger as natural levels of start to fall in your mid-30s. By the age of 55 they may have fallen by 40 percent. Less collagen means skin that sags and wrinkles.

Prof Kan Cao said: 'Our work suggests methylene blue could be a powerful antioxidant for use in skin care products.

'The effects we are seeing are not temporary. Methylene blue appears to make fundamental, long-term changes to skin cells.'

Antioxidants help counteract the effects of free radicals - unstable molecules in our body's cells which help speed up the ageing process,

The expression of two genes commonly used as indicators of cellular aging - senescence-associated beta-galactosidase and p16 - were decreased in the cells from older donors.

Prof Xiong said: 'I was encouraged and excited to see skin fibroblasts, derived from individuals more than 80 years old, grow much better in methylene blue-containing medium with reduced cellular senescence markers.'

The researchers whose findings are published in Scientific Reports then used simulated human skin they themselves developed to perform several more experiments.

The 3D model made of living skin cells includes all the major layers and structures of with the exception of hair follicles and sweat glands.

Prof Cao said it could also be used in skin irritation tests required by the Food and Drug Administration for the approval of new cosmetic products.

She said: 'This system allowed us to test a range of aging symptoms that we can't replicate in cultured cells alone.

'Most surprisingly we saw model skin treated with methylene blue retained more water and increased in thickness - both of which are features typical of younger skin.'

When methylene blue was added to cosmetic creams it caused little to no irritation - even at high concentrations. The researchers plan to develop safe and effective ways for consumers to benefit from its properties.

Prof Cao said: 'We have already begun formulating cosmetics that contain methylene blue. Now we are looking to translate this into marketable products..

'Perhaps down the road we can customize the system with bioprinting, such that we might be able to use a patient's own cells to provide a tailor-made testing platform specific to their needs.'

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Just 10 minutes of meditation does wonders for your brain

Sitting down to clear your mind for just 10 minutes is enough to overcome stress and anxiety, a study claims.

New research revealed that a short stint of meditation will help block out the internal thoughts of restless people and allow them to concentrate.

The report from the University of Waterloo in Canada is the latest to demonstrate the benefits of meditation. Past studies have found self-reflection and deep thinking can even slow aging and help to fight off disease.

According to Mengran Xu, a researcher and PhD candidate at the university, taking a few minutes a day to meditate will allow for more concentration.

He said: 'Mind wandering accounts for nearly half of any person's daily stream of consciousness. For people with anxiety, repetitive off-task thoughts can negatively affect their ability to learn, to complete tasks, or even function safely.'

The study asked 82 people who describe themselves as anxious to perform a task on a computer with random interruptions throughout the assignment.

Those who had a short meditation beforehand outperformed the other half who didn't.

Xu added: 'We also found that meditation practice appears to help anxious people to shift their attention from their own internal worries to the present-moment external world, which enables better focus on a task at hand.'

Meditation has been linked with beneficiary health results in the past, including fighting off diseases, and reducing stress and depression.

The popular exercise instructs people to focus on their present emotions and current sensations.

Women experienced significant improvements in their emotional state, compared to men who had much lower results.

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Tuesday, May 30, 2017

The remarkable health benefits of grape seeds

Grapes are one of the most popular fruits in the U.S., but many people neglect to eat what is perhaps their healthiest feature — the seeds. Grape seeds are rich in powerful antioxidants and natural plant compounds called oligomeric proanthocyanidin complexes (OPCs).

OPCs are most well known for their antioxidant activity, which means, at the very least, grape seed may help to destroy free radicals in your body, which in turn may help you avoid premature aging and certain chronic diseases.

However, OPCs also demonstrate a host of other beneficial activities in the body, which may explain why grape seed extract appears to help so many different health conditions while exerting its effects body-wide.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH):

"Today, grape seed extract is used as a folk or traditional remedy for conditions related to the heart and blood vessels, such as atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and poor circulation …

… [C]omplications related to diabetes, such as nerve and eye damage; vision problems, such as macular degeneration (which can cause blindness); swelling after an injury or surgery; cancer prevention; and wound healing.

The grape seeds used to produce grape seed extract are generally obtained from wine manufacturers."

OPCs Help make grape seed extract a health superstar

One of grape seed extract's claims to fame is OPCs, which are related to the much more well-known compound resveratrol (found in grape skins). According to the journal Alternative Medicine Review, OPCs not only have antioxidant activity but are also:

Antibacterial
Antiviral
Anti-carcinogenic
Anti-inflammatory
Anti-allergic
Vasodilatory actions

In addition, the journal reported OPCs "have been found to inhibit lipid peroxidation, platelet aggregation, capillary permeability and fragility, and to affect enzyme systems … Based on these reported findings, OPCs may be a useful component in the treatment of a number of conditions."

OPCs may even play a role in cancer prevention. Research published in the journal Prostate found OPCs helped stop the spread of prostate cancer cells and also caused apoptosis (cell death) among prostate cancer cells. Further, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center:

"Studies have found that grape seed extracts may prevent the growth of breast, stomach, colon, prostate, and lung cancer cells in test tubes. However, there is no clear evidence whether it works in humans.

Antioxidants, such as those found in grape seed extract, may help reduce the risk of developing cancer. Grape seed extract may also help prevent damage to human liver cells caused by chemotherapy medications."

Grape seed extract also contains high levels of compounds (procyanidin dimers) that act as aromatase inhibitors. This is likely another way grape seeds may help prevent and treat cancer, specifically hormone-dependent breast cancer.

Aromatase, an enzyme, converts androgen to estrogen and is expressed at higher levels in breast cancer tissues than normal tissues.

Many types of breast cancer are fueled by estrogen, which is why some chemotherapy drugs work by inhibiting the activity of aromatase. Grape seed extract may exert similar effects naturally.

Grape seed for your heart health, skin and brain

The more research that emerges on grape seeds, the more it becomes clear they have wide-reaching health benefits. Grape seeds have been shown to improve flexibility in joints, arteries and body tissues such as your heart, for instance.

Grape seed also helps improve blood circulation by strengthening capillaries, arteries and veins. Additional health benefits include those that follow.

High blood pressure

The antioxidants, including flavonoids, linoleic acid, and phenolic procyanidins, in grape seed extract help protect your blood vessels from damage, which may help prevent high blood pressure.

Grape seed extract has previously been shown to help dilate blood vessels and was shown to lower blood pressure in people with metabolic syndrome (most of whom also had prehypertension).

Another study found that a grape seed extract beverage improved blood pressure in people with pre-hypertension, while a single dose of grape seed extract improved blood pressure in hypertensive rats.

Chronic venous insufficiency

The OPCs in grape seed extract may benefit this condition. About 80 percent of those who consumed OPCs had an improvement in symptoms after the first 10 days of treatment. Feelings of heaviness, itching, and pain were reduced significantly.

Bone strength

Grape seed extract has been shown to improve bone formation and bone strength in animal studies.

Swelling (edema)

Grape seed extract has been found to inhibit leg swelling that can occur during prolonged sitting. In addition, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center:

"Edema is common after breast cancer surgery, and one double-blind, placebo-controlled study found that breast cancer patients who took 600 mg of grape seed extract daily after surgery for six months had less edema and pain than those who took placebo.

Another study found that people who took grape seed extract after experiencing a sports injury had less swelling than those who took placebo."

Cognitive decline

Animal studies suggest grape seed extract may reverse hippocampal dysfunction in the brain by reducing oxidative stress and preserving mitochondrial function. Grape seed extract may even be useful as a preventative or therapeutic agent in Alzheimer's disease.

Oral health

Grape seed extract solution led to less demineralization and more remineralization of cavities in one lab study. Since remineralization is an effective treatment that may stop or reverse early tooth decay, grape seed extract could play a beneficial role in oral health.

Diabetes

Grape seed extract administered along with exercise training improved lipid profile, weight loss, blood pressure and other diabetic complications better than either intervention administered alone.

According to researchers, "This [grape seed extract and exercise training] may constitute a convenient and inexpensive therapeutic approach to diabetic complications."

Slight evidence suggests grape seed extract may also be beneficial for:

Improving night vision
Protecting collagen and elastin in your skin (for anti-aging effects)
Treating hemorrhoids
Protecting against oxidative rancidity and bacterial pathogens

Can you get the benefits of grape seeds from eating grapes?

If you enjoy snacking on grapes, there's no reason to spit out the seeds (and may be some benefit from eating them). However, to reach therapeutic quantities of grape seeds you'd need to eat a lot of grapes — and this is not recommended since grapes are one of the highest-fructose fruits.

Most grape-seed extract comes from ground-up seeds from grapes used to make red wine. In fact, grape seeds and their extract are considered a byproduct of the wine and grape juice industries.

While you can purchase whole grape seeds to consume for health purposes, they're very bitter. This is actually a good thing, as polyphenols, flavonoids, and other beneficial plant compounds almost always taste bitter — it's a sign they're good for you.

Unfortunately, since most people find them to be unpalatable, "the food industry routinely removes these compounds from plant foods through selective breeding and a variety of debittering processes."If you're willing to get past the bitter taste, then whole grape seeds are an option.

If not, grape seed and grape seed extract is available in supplement form. There is no daily recommended amount at this time, but some studies used doses of between 100 to 300 milligrams/day. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends looking for products that are standardized to 40 percent to 80 percent proanthocyanidins, or an OPC content of not less than 95 percent.

[mercola]

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Tuesday, May 23, 2017

21 Anti-Aging Herbs and Nutrients

If you would like to look and feel younger, there are some herbs and nutrients that just may help you do that.

1. Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA): ALA is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect your body from free radical damage. It also helps to recycle other antioxidants like vitamins E and C, giving you greater protection against free radicals. Free radicals are to blame for aging and disease, including skin damage and wrinkling.

2. Bilberry: Packed with antioxidants, bilberry is potent medicine against many age-related concerns. It is helpful to preserve vision and prevent degenerative eye diseases.

3. GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid): Declining levels of HGH are linked with many of the symptoms linked with aging: fat gain, muscle loss, loss of energy, poor sleep, skin changes, bone density loss, and a decline in libido. Supplementing with GABA, a natural amino acid helps to maintain levels of HGH naturally, lessening these unwanted symptoms. Avoid GABA if you are prone to seizures.

4. Garlic (Allium sativum): Garlic is renowned for its potent effects on viruses and bacteria, but it also reduces cholesterol levels and helps lower blood pressure. In one Japanese study, garlic slowed age-related memory loss in animals.

5. Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba): There is solid scientific research that supports the use of ginkgo to increase blood flow to the brain, one of the areas that is commonly affected by aging. European research shows ginkgo’s capacity to help people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia to become more sociable and alert. You can take 60 to 240 mg of standardized ginkgo extract per day.

6. Ginseng (Panax ginseng): Among the Chinese, ginseng is considered the Fountain of Youth. According to renowned herbalist Dr. James Duke, it tones the skin and muscles, improves appetite and digestion, and restores sexual energy.

7. Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica): Frequently used in India to improve memory and extend longevity, gotu kola is excellent when made into an herbal tea.

8. Horsetail (Equisetum arvense): Loaded with the mineral silicon that often declines with age, horsetail plays a role in increasing the silicon in arteries, skin, bones, cartilage and connective tissues. Horsetail is also available as a tea.

9. Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum): Since the liver has more than five hundred functions, including processing and filtering medications and environmental toxins, it can suffer from the stresses of the modern world. Silymarin, an active ingredient in milk thistle stimulates liver cell regeneration to help the liver rebuild after it has been damaged. A standardized extract of 140 mg of silymarin per day is suitable to help protect and repair the liver.

10. Peppermint (Metha peperita): In addition to helping with digestion and gastrointestinal problems linked with aging, peppermint contains antioxidants that help prevent cancer, heart disease, and other age-related disorders. It is readily available as an herbal tea.

11. Turmeric (curcuma longa): Turmeric is powerful against many types of pain and inflammation associated with aging. A spice, commonly used in Indian curries, you can add it to your soups, stews, and curries to benefit from this valuable spice.

12. Frankincense: This herb is often used to fight arthritis. Components of this herbaceous plant are frequently used in numerous anti-aging formulas.

13. Rosemary: The rosemary herb contains numerous active compounds that have displayed powerful anti inflammatory, anti oxidant, and tyrosinase-restraining properties. One such compound, carnosic acid, is potentially neuroprotective. What this means is that it protects the brain cells from free radical damage, which is often seen in things like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.

14. Licorice Root: This herbaceous plant includes anti inflammatory and anti oxidant properties. Additionally, it has been proven to guard your skin against harmful ultraviolet rays. Licorice’s active pharmaceutical ingredients contain glycyrrhizin, glycyrrhetinic acid, liquiritins, and more.

15. Neem: This herbaceous plant is highly valued for the way it can restrain bugs and bacteria. Seen to possess hypoglycemic, anti-malarial, and wound-healing properties, neem is also established to have strong free-radical inhibiting and anti oxidant properties.

16. Fenugreek: this is a common kitchen herb. This herb contains vitamin B3 that is instrumental in recovering damaged skin cells. In addition, it contains niacin, which helps in lightening ageing spots and reducing wrinkles that form on the corner of the eyes and lips.

17. Aloe Vera: it is among the most effective herbs for the skin. It is a natural remedy that deals with acne and pimples. Furthermore, it reduces skin wrinkles and increases the youthfulness of the skin. In addition, it improves the elasticity of the skin.

18. Mullein: it is a herb that is quite beneficial in skin care. It plays a major role in tightening the skin. It acts by increasing circulation within the skin. It also prevents stretch marks and treats scars that occur on the skin. Mullein is considered to be a natural wrinkle fighter since it contains minerals and important vitamins.

19. Witch hazel: it is an effective skin tightening herb that contains some of the most powerful antioxidant properties. This alcohol free witch hazel with aloe vera helps in promoting healing properties as well as reducing skin wrinkles. In the end, it acts by enhancing the quality of the skin glow.

20. Thyme and basil: are well known for helping with skin issues. If you are trying to deal with wrinkles, skin sagging or age spots these two anti aging herbs may be of immense benefit to you.

21. Vitamin D: vitamin D helps protect against bone loss linked with aging, as well as many chronic illnesses like diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Staying free of these diseases can certainly help you live a longer, healthier life.

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Monday, May 22, 2017

Traffic pollution linked to DNA damage - children are more vulnerable

Children and teenagers exposed to high levels of traffic pollution were found to show signs of premature aging, according to new study.

Researchers in California also found youngsters with asthma had higher levels of a pollutant caused by motor vehicle exhaust. Those with higher levels had a specific type of DNA damage called telomere shortening - the main cause of age-related break down of our cells.

Telomeres are vital to our health - they can be described as the caps at the end of each strand of DNA that protect our chromosomes, like the plastic tips at the end of shoelaces.

'Children may be especially vulnerable to the effects of telomeric DNA damage due to their physical development as well as developing immune system,' wrote Dr John Balmes from the University of California, Berkeley, and his colleagues who carried out the study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

We already know how harmful outdoor air pollution is - it is responsible for about 3.7 million deaths a year according to the World Health Organization.

Many previous studies have demonstrated that exposure is associated with heart and lung diseases - such as asthma, lung cancer, ischemic heart disease, and stroke. Despite this mounting evidence, the exact underlying mechanisms by which air pollutants cause this is not clear, the authors note. The new preliminary study suggests telomeres may be the key to understanding how pollution exposure leads to adverse health outcomes.

The study analyzed 14 children and adolescents living in Fresno, California - the second-most polluted city in the US.

The researchers assessed the relationship between an 'ubiquitous' motor vehicle exhaust air pollutant called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and shortening of telomeres.

As the exposure to PAHs increased, telomere length decreased. Children and teenagers with asthma were exposed to higher PAH levels than those without asthma.

The relationship between PAH level and telomere shortening remained significant after adjustments for asthma and other factors (age, sex, and race/ethnicity) weer made.

Previous studies suggest that telomere length is linked to progression in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

It also suggests that children may have 'different telomere shortening regulation than adults' - which might make them more vulnerable to the damaging effects of air pollution.

The authors wrote, 'Our results suggest that telomere length may have potential for use as a biomarker of DNA damage due to environmental exposures and/or chronic inflammation.

'Greater knowledge of the impact of air pollution at the molecular level is necessary to design effective interventions and policies.'

Telomeres are shortened as we age, but telomeres can also be shortened by stress, smoking, obesity, lack of exercise and a poor diet, previous research has shown.

[dailymail]

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Thursday, May 11, 2017

Just 30 minutes of jogging a day could add 9 YEARS to your lifespan

Just 30 minutes of jogging a day for five days a week could extend your lifespan by up to 10 years, a new study claims.

New research shows that those who exercise regularly can slow down the aging of cells.

The workouts have to be high intensity for the effect to be strong enough, researchers say.

Experts at Brigham Young University determined there was a difference of nine and seven years at a cellular level between those who did intense workouts on a regular basis compared to those who did moderate exercises.

Women, they found, need to jog for up to 30 minutes a day for five days a week in order to slow down cell aging. For men, it's 40 minutes.

It could even stave off the onset of wrinkles and graying hair.

For young people, cells throughout the body are strong which translates into smooth and firm skin, shiny, full hair and lots of energy.

As the years pass, the strength of cells diminishes and they suffer breakage. Outwardly this is shown through wrinkles, grey hair and visible veins.

Exercise science professor Larry Tucker said: 'Just because you're 40, doesn't mean you're 40 years old biologically.

'We all know people that seem younger than their actual age. The more physically active we are, the less biological aging takes place in our bodies.'

The research found those who trained in high volumes compared to those who didn't or those who exercised less frequently had much longer telomeres, which are the protein endcaps of chromosomes.

The length of telomeres have a strong correlation with a person's age and over time the endcaps get shorter and shorter.

The longer the telomeres, the more they protect DNA from 'fraying' and succumbing to disease. And the longer the telomeres, means for looking and feeling more youthful.

Telomeres serve as a guide as what causes aging and how much cells can renew. Cell renewal keeps tissues young and healthy.

For some, exercise may not work to slow down the hands of time.

Researchers from the University of California in Los Angeles claimed that some people are destined to die earlier, no matter their levels of physical activity or their lifestyle.

Through the study, they found five percent of people are genetically programmed to age faster and die younger than others.

Race may be another component on how cells age.

Latinos age slower than any other ethnicity according to researchers at UCLA.

They claim the group is unequivocally healthier due to cells taking much longer to age.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Latinos in the United States live an average of three years longer than Caucasians, with a life expectancy of 82 versus 79.

Physical activity has been linked to several other benefits which could increase lifespans.

Tucker said: 'We know that regular physical activity helps to reduce mortality and prolong life, and now we know part of that advantage may be due to the preservation of telomeres.'

Exercise has been found to ward off obesity and limit the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Despite the benefits of working out, statistics on regular physical activity in the nation are bleak; only about 20 percent of Americans get enough exercise and about 64 percent never do any physical activity at all.

[dailymail]

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