Dietary Fiber and Brain Inflammation

As all mammals age, microglia which are immune cells in the brain become chronically inflamed. When this occurs, they produce chemicals which can impair cognitive and motor functions. This is one explanation in regards to why the memory can fade and brain functions also decline during the aging process. According to a study at the University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences however, there might be a way to delay this inevitability and that is with dietary fiber.

Consuming dietary fiber will promote the growth of the good bacteria in the gut. As these bacteria digest ingested fiber, they produce SCFAs (short chain fatty acids) which includes butyrate, as byproducts. Butyrate is of particular interest as it has been shown to produce antiinflammatory properties on microglia. It has also been shown to improve memory in mice when it has been administered pharmacologically.

In previous studies, butyrate in drug form (sodium butyrate) showed positive outcomes although the mechanism wasn’t clear. The new study however reveals in old mice that butyrate inhibits the production of damaging chemicals produced by inflamed microglia. One of these damaging chemicals has been associated with Alzheimers disease in humans.

Researchers have been interested in how sodium butyrate works, however they are more interested in knowing whether similar effects can be obtained by feeding mice more fiber. People are highly unlikely to consume sodium butyrate due to its noxious odor, however a more practical way to get elevated butyrate is by consuming a diet high in soluble fiber. The idea goes directly to the fact that gut bacteria naturally convert fiber to butyrate.

Diet has a major influence on the function and composition of microbes found in the gut. Diets high in fiber benefit these good microbes. Diets high in fat and protein on the other hand, can have a negative influence on microbial function and composition. It was believed that butyrate which is derived from dietary fiber would have the same benefits in the brain as the drug form, sodium butyrate. However, it had not been previously tested. The research team fed low and high fiber diets to groups of both young and old mice. They then measured the levels of butyrate and other SCFAs contained in the blood and additionally, inflammatory chemicals in the intestine.

The diet high in fiber elevated butyrate and SCFAs in the blood in both the young and old mice. However, only the old mice showed intestinal inflammation on the low fiber diet. The young adult mice did not have the inflammatory response on the same low fiber diet as the old mice. This indicates the vulnerability of the aging process and diet. When the old mice were fed the high fiber diet, the intestinal inflammation was drastically reduced revealing that dietary fiber can manipulate the inflammatory environment in the gut.

The next step the researchers took was to look at signs of brain inflammation. They examined about 50 unique genes in microglia and discovered that high fiber diet reduced the inflammatory profile in older mice.

The next step for the researchers is to examine the effects of diet on behavior and cognition and the precise mechanisms in the gut brain axis. Although the current study was conducted on mice, the team is comfortable in extending the finding to humans if only in a general way. What we eat matters and it is known that older adults consume 40% less dietary fiber than is recommended. By not consuming enough fiber, negative consequences can occur. Most people do not make the connection to brain health and inflammation in general.

To view the original scientific study click here: Butyrate and Dietary Soluble Fiber Improve Neuroinflammation Associated With Aging in Mice. Frontiers in Immunology, 2018; 9 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.01832

Matrix to Heal Injured Elderly Muscles

Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have engineered a molecular matrix which will deliver stem cells referred to as muscle satellite cells (MuSCs), directly to muscle tissue in patients such as the elderly whose muscles don’t regenerate very well. This molecular matrix, a hydrogel, has successfully delivered MuSCs to injured, aged muscles in mice. The hydrogel boosted the healing process while also protecting the stem cells from any harsh immune reactions.

The development has provided a new method by which an aging patient after a car accident for instance, can receive treatment to severe muscle injuries that won’t typically heal. Previously, muscle stem cells from a donor have not been able to be successfully delivered to restore damaged tissue. Simply injecting additional MuSCs into the inflamed, damaged tissue was inefficient. This was mostly due to the stem cells encountering an immune system on the warpath.

Muscle injuries attract immune cells and typically this would help with muscle stem cell repair. However, in the aged or dystropic muscles, immune cells will lead to the release of toxic chemicals such as cytokines and free radicals which kill the new stem cells. Young Jang, one of the researchers says that only about 1 and 20 percent of injected MuSCs actually make it to damaged tissue and those that do will arrive in a weakened state. Additionally, some tissue damage makes any injection unfeasible.

The new hydrogel will protect the cells which will multiply and thrive inside the matrix. The hydrogel is applied to the injured muscles with the cells engrafting onto the tissues which will help them heal. Hydrogels very often start out as a water-based solution of molecular components which resemble crosses and other components that make the ends of the crosses attach to each other. When these components come together, they will fuse into molecular nets suspended in water. This results in a material that resembles the consistency of a gel.

If stem cells are mixed into the solution, when the matrix forms it ensnares the treatment for delivery and also protects the payload from dissipation or death in the body. Researchers can custom engineer hydrogels and can reliably and easily synthesize them by tweaking their components. This physically traps the MuSCs in a net and the cells also grab onto chemical latches that have been engineered into the net or matrix.

The hydrogel’s added latches bond with proteins protruding from stem cells membranes and not only increase the cell’s adhesion to the net, but also hinder them from suicide. Stem cells will tend to kill themselves when they are detached and free floating.

The cells and chemical components are mixed in solution then applied to the muscle that has been injured. The mixture sets to a matrix gel patch which glues the stem cells in place. The gel is biodegradable and biocompatible. The stem cells thrive and multiply in the gel once it has been applied. The hydrogel then degrades and leaves behind the cells engrafted onto muscle tissue in much the same way natural stem cells would be.

In healthier, younger individuals MuSCs are part of the natural healing mechanism in the body. MuSCs are resident stem cells found in the skeletal muscles. They are key players in producing new muscle tissue and live on muscle strands like specks.

As people age they lose muscle mass and the number of satellite cells will also decrease. The ones that do remain get weaker. At very advanced age, a person stops regenerating muscle altogether.

With the new system the researchers engineered, donor cells can be introduced to enhance the repair mechanism in older, injured people. If the new method goes to clinical trials, researchers will most likely have to work around the possibility for donor cell rejection in human patients.

To view the original scientific study click here: Synthetic matrix enhances transplanted satellite cell engraftment in dystrophic and aged skeletal muscle with comorbid trauma

Memory and Brain Health Breakthrough

Scientists at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have discovered that improving the function of the lymphatic vessels in mice has led to dramatic enhancement of their ability to learn and improve their memory. The work which was led by neuroscientist Jonathan Kipnis, Ph.D., may provide doctors a new path to treat and prevent a variety of age related memory loss and other conditions.

In 2015 the team discovered that the brain is surrounded by lymphatic vessels. These were vessels science textbooks said did not exist. The discovery made headlines around the globe and was named one of the year’s biggest discoveries by Science. Dr. Kipnis sees the newest discovery as the most important yet. He notes that if they can make old mice learn better, then there is something that can be done. The pathology in the mice subjects looked very similar to what is seen in human samples in terms of all the amyloid protein. When the team obstructed vessels in mice models, there was a significant accumulation of harmful plaques in the brain.

The team were able to use a compound to improve the flow of brain waste to the lymph nodes in the necks of aged mice. When done, the vessels became larger and drained better which had a direct effect on the mice’s ability to remember and learn. By targeting the lymphatic vasculature around the brain, they observed enhanced cognitive ability in old mice.

The team determined that obstructing vessels in mice worsened the accumulation of harmful amyloid plaques in the brain which are associated with memory related disease. This could help explain the buildup of such plaques in people. Since 98 percent of cases are not familial, it is really a matter of what effects aging has on these types of diseases. By figuring out what specific changes are happening in aged lymphatics in humans, specific approaches can be developed to treat age related memory diseases.

The team believes that the best way to treat memory related diseases in the aged might be to combine vasculature repair with other approaches. By improving the flow through meningeal lymphatic vessels, it might be possible to overcome some of the obstacles that have hindered previously promising treatments. Additionally the new discovery may offer ways to stave off the onset of these types of diseases to the point that treatments won’t be necessary. It may even be possible to delay them indefinitely.

To view the original scientific study click here: Functional aspects of meningeal lymphatics in ageing and Alzheimer’s disease.

Probiotics Can Cause Brain Fogginess, Bloating and Gas

In a study conducted by the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University researchers have discovered a significant amount of bacteria in the small intestine from probiotic use which may result in disorientating brain fogginess and rapid, severe belly bloating. The study was conducted on 30 patients with 22 of them reporting problems with difficulty concentrating and confusion. They also reported bloating and gas.

The researchers discovered large colonies of breeding bacteria in the patient’s small intestines and high levels of D-lactic acid which was being emitted by the bacteria lactobacilus sugar fermentation in the food they consumed. D-lactic acid can be somewhat toxic to brain cells which can interfere with thinking, sense of time and cognition. Some of the patients in the study showed over two times the adequate amount of D-lactic acid in blood levels. Most of the patients said the brain fogginess they were experiencing lasted from half an hour to several hours after a meal and some reported that the fogginess was so extreme that they had to quit their employment.

This is the first time that the similarities have been made between the overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine, top levels of D-lactic acid in the gut, and brain fogginess associated with probiotic use. Probiotic bacteria can break down sugar thus producing D-lactic acid. If the small bowel is inadvertently formed with probiotic bacteria then the stage has been set for possibly developing lactic acidosis and fogginess of the brain. Probiotics can be very helpful in some instances such as restoring the bacteria in the gut after taking a course of antibiotics, but with excessive or indiscriminate use complications such as noted in the study can arise. The researchers warn that probiotics are a drug and should be treated as one other than a food supplement.

The patients in the study who experienced brain fogginess took protiotics and small intestinal bowel overgrowth (SIBO) was more prevalent in this group (68% compared to 28%),. The patients with fogginess of the brain also showed a higher evidence of D-lactic acidosis (77% compared to 25%). When the patients experiencing the brain fogginess stopped taking the probiotics and instead took a course of antibiotics, their fogginess of the brain was resolved. The actual food movement in the gastrointestinal tract slowed in one third of the patients with brain fogginess and one fourth in another group. Slower food passage may increase the occurrence of SIBO.

Normally the small intestines make little amounts of D-lactic acid. SIBO may change that by causing a bacteria feeding frenzy which causes sugar fermentation resulting in methane and hydrogen gas that causes bloating. When probiotics are added in the acid gets pulled into the blood and can be delivered to the brain.

By identifying the problem, it can be treated. Diagnosis includes urine, blood and breath tests to detect lactic acid and an endoscopy which examines fluid from the small intestine can identify the specific bacteria and antibiotic treatment can be administered.

In the study, the patients with brain fogginess, SIBO and/or D-lactic acidosis were asked to discontinue probiotic products and were given antibiotics which were targeted to their bacterial population. Those patients who did not exhibit SIBO were asked to stop probiotics and stop eating yogurt. Those patients with SIBO and D-lactic acidosis but no fogginess of the brain were also administered antibiotics. After treatments, three-quarters of patients responded with significant improvements in their symptoms. 85 percent of patients reported their brain fogginess had disappeared. Those patients with SIBO and top levels of D-lactic acid and no fogginess of the brain reponded significantly with improvement in regards to cramping and bloating with three months.

All patients who participated in the study had intense examination of the gastrointestinal tract which included a motility test which ruled out any other potential causes of their symptoms. Questionnaires were filled out which included questions about symptoms such as belching, gas and abdominal pain along with other related issues about probiotic and antiobiotic use and food trends and consumption of yogurt.
Patients ate carbohydrates which were followed by metabolic testing to see the impact of things like insulin and levels of blood glucose. Measurement of D-lactic acid and L-lactate acid levels were looked at in proportion to acids, which result from muscle use of glucose for energy can also create muscle cramps.

Probiotics are meant to be beneficial in the colon and not in the stomach or small intestines. However, people with motility issues, those taking opioids and proton pump inhibitors, may result in issues with probiotic bacteria entering the proper place. Other problems from use of minerals like iron and antidepressants and people with diabetes, can also increase the change and slow movement that probiotics will remain too long in the upper intestine where they may cause harm.

For many people probiotics can help especially in those suffering from stomach flu or gastroenteritis where diarrhea and subsequent problems from antibiotic use can wipe out a persons natural gut bacteria. This is when probiotic use is beneficial in building up the bacterial flora. Sources of good probiotics are sauerkraut, yogurt, kefir, kimchi and dark chocolate. These are all generally safe due to the bacteria being in small amounts. Gut bacteria that is helpful or microbiome are important to oerall general health and a well functioning immune system.

Future studies will include following patients for longer periods of time to ensure problems remain resolved. Some of the patients in the current study required two rounds of antibiotics.

To view the original scientific study click here: Brain fogginess, gas and bloating: a link between SIBO, probiotics and metabolic acidosis.

Benefits of Changing Eating Habits

Through a variety of studies involving timing of breakfast and dinner and eating during an 8-10 hour window each day, health benefits have been discovered. From weight loss and reduction of body fat to protection against obesity and metabolic diseases, the research has revealed a host of health benefits to controlled eating.

One study conducted by scientists at the Salk Institute, discovered that mice who lacked the biological clocks thought necessary for a healthy metabolism, could still be protected against metabolic diseases and obesity when their daily access to food was restricted to a 10 hour window. The research suggests that health problems which arise from disruptions to an animals 24 hour activity and rest, which in humans is linked to doing shift work or eating throughout most of the day, can be resolved by eating all calories in a 10 hour span.

For many people their day starts with some coffee upon awakening in the morning and doesn’t end until a snack at bedtime 14 to 15 hours later. Restricting food consumption to 10 hours per day and then not eating the rest of the time lends itself to better health says Satchidananda Panda, a Professor in Salk’s Regulatory Biology Lab.

All cells in a mammal’s body operate on a 24 hour cycle which is known as the circadian rhythm which are cellular cycles that control when various genes are active. Digestive genes in humans are more active early in the day while genes which control cellular repair tend to be more active in the evening. In previous studies researchers found that mice which were given 24 hours access to a high fat diet gained quite a large amount of weight and also were prone to develop a variety of metabolic diseases including fatty liver, diabetes and high cholesterol. The same mice were then restricted to the high fat diet for an 8 to 10 hour timespan, they became healthy, lean and fit. The results were attributed to the mice being in being able to sync with their internal clocks by eating most of the calories when the genes for digestion were most active.

In the current study, the researchers aimed to better understand the role circadian rhythm plays in metabolic diseases through disabling the genes responsible for maintaining the biological clock in mice, including the liver which regulates many metabolic functions. The genetic defects in these clock less mice, makes them more susceptible to diabetes, fatty liver disease and high blood cholesterol. These diseases were further escalated when the mice were allowed to eat sugary and fatty foods.

To test time restricted eating, the clock less mice were put on one of two high fat diet regimes. One group had access to food around the clock while the other group had access to the same number of calories but only during a 10 hour window. As was expected, the group of mice that ate at any time became obese and developed metabolic diseases. The other group which only ate during a 10 hour window remained healthy and lean despite not having an internal clock and genetically programmed to be morbidly sick. This revealed to the researchers that health benefits derived from the 10 hour window were not only due to restricting eating times when digestive genes were most active.

From previous studies, researchers were under the impression that the biological clock was internally timing the process of turning metabolic genes on and off at predetermined times. And while this may still be true, the research shows that by controlling the mice’s feeding and fasting cycles the internal timing system can be overridden with an external timing system.

The work suggests that the main role of circadian clocks might be to let an animal kmow when not to eat and when to eat. This strikes a balance with sufficient nutrition when the “eat” status and the necessary rejuvenation and repair during the fasting state. When the clock is disrupted as can be seen in humans who work odd hours or when it might have issues due to some kind of a genetic defect, the balance between rejuvenation and nutrition is lost and disease can occur. As a person ages, the circadian clock weakens. This parallels the increased risk for cancer, heart disease, metabolic diseases and dementia.

The good news is that simply making a lifestyle change by eating all food within a 10 hour window can restore balance, help maintain health and stave off metabolic diseases. This finding that a good lifestyle can beat bad effects of defective genes opens up new hope for staying healthy.

The researchers plan to study whether consuming within an 8 to 10 hour timespan may reverse or prevent many age related diseases as well as finding out how the current study on mice can apply to humans.

Another study in regards to controlled eating involved making modest changes to breakfast and dinner times to help reduce body fat. This study led by Dr. Jonathan Johnston at the University of Surrey investigated what impact changing meal times has on dietary intake, blood risk markers for heart disease and diabetes, and dietary intake.

Participants in the study were divided into two groups. One group was required to delay their breakfast time by 90 minutes and have their dinner time 90 minutes earlier than normal. The other group was allowed to eat their meals as they normally would. Blood samples and complete diet diaries were given by all participants before and during the 10 week intervention and were asked to complete a feedback questionnaire immediately following the study. Participants were not asked to follow a strict diet and could eat freely provided it was within a certain eating window.

The researchers found that those who changed their eating times lost on average more than twice as much body fat as those who ate their meals as they normally would. And while there were no restrictions on what the participants could eat, the researchers found that the group who changed mealtimes ate less food overall than the other group. The questionnaire confirmed this with 57% of participants noting a reduction in food intake either due to decreased eating opportunities, reduction in food intake or a cutback in snacking particularly in the evening. The researchers did note that they were uncertain whether the longer fasting time with this group may have contributed to the reduction in body fat.

The researchers also examined if fasting diets are compatible with long term commitment and everyday life. When questioned, 57% of participants thought they could not have maintained the new mealtimes past the prescribed 10 weeks due to incompatibility with social and family life. However, 43% felt they would consider continuing if eating times were a bit more flexible.

Although the study was small, it did provide researchers with invaluable insights into how alterations to meal times can have benefits to the body. Reduced body fat lessens chances of obesity and related diseases and is vital to improving overall health. However, fasting diets can be difficult to follow and can be challenging given most people’s lifestyle. These preliminary findings will help researchers design larger and more comprehensive studies of time restricted fasting.

Both studies summarized above do reveal that changing eating habits can influence a person’s health and help protect against disease and obesity. As more studies involving fasting and eating times are conducted, more insights will be revealed as to further health benefits and how people can incorporate new diet and fasting lifestyles into their everyday life in a compatible manner.

To view the original scientific study click here: A pilot feasibility study exploring the effects of a moderate time-restricted feeding intervention on energy intake, adiposity and metabolic physiology in free-living human subjects.

Social Ties Key to Preserving Memory

Having a great circle of friends and maintaining strong social networks may just be another key to helping maintain memory and brain health. A study by Ohio State University has discovered that groups of had much healthier brains and better memories than those who were living in pairs.

The study helps confirm the role social connections make in quality of life improvement and preserving memory. Maintaining a large social network can have very positive influences on the aging of the brain says Elizabeth Kirby, assistant professor of behavioral neuroscience and a member of the Center for Chronic Brain Injury at the university. It has already been established that humans maintain a good correlation between social connections and cognitive health. What wasn’t clear was whether having a circle of friends protected people or if people with brain health that was declining were withdrawing from their connections.

The study wanted to answer this question by using an animal model. Some of the mice were were together for three months and had six roommates to allow for complex interactions. Other mice lived in pairs known as the old couple model. All mice were between 15 and 18 months old for the experiment which is an age of usual memory decline in the lifespan of rodents.

When the mice that were group housed were tested for memory they fared much better than the pairs. Moving an object was the test. The mice that were housed in groups remembered better what they had seen and were able to go to the object in the new location. The paired mice had no idea the object had even been moved.

The researchers also conducted a memory test that was maze-based with holes that led to escape hatches. The group housed mice improved with each trial memorizing where the escape doors were and walked directly to them. The coupled mice did not get faster even when the tests were repeated several times over the span of a day. They continued to search each hole rather than remembering where the ones were that led to the escape hatch. The group housed mice were using the part of the brain that functioned for good memory, the hippocampus. With age the hippocampus declines fairly markedly even when dementia is not present. Social ties and exercise are known to help improve memory in this part of the brain.

The study indicated the differences appeared to be due to socialization alone as opposed to previous studies which focused on mice that had environments that were highly enriched comparing them with mice that did not. Further research is planned to examine the molecular reasons for the corelation between improved memory and socialization and brain health. However, the recent study stresses how important social connections are as we age.

To view the original scientific study click here: A Larger Social Network Enhances Novel Object Location Memory and Reduces Hippocampal Microgliosis in Aged Mice. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 2018; 10 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2018.00142

Vitamin D Deficiency

The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association has recently reported a study that discovered nearly 1 billion people around the world are most likely deficient or insufficient in Vitamin D. It is believed that part of the lack of Vitamin D may be due to minimal exposure to the sun by the over use of sunscreen. Chronic Disease is also playing a role in this vitamin deficiency.

Overall people are spending less time outdoors, however when they are they are using large amounts of sunscreen. Sunscreen mitigates the ability of the body to produce Vitamin D and should be used strategically. Some exposure to the sun is necessary for the body to catalyze Vitamin D. People need to be vigilant about protecting themselves against skin cancer, however there are healthy, moderate levels of unprotected sun exposure which is very helpful in boosting Vitamin D.

According to the Endocrine Society, Vitamin Deficiency is realized when levels are below 20mg/ml and insufficiency is realized when levels are between 21 and 30 mg/ml. You can have your level checked with a blood test that your doctor can order.

Vitamin D is also inhibited with a variety of diseases which reduce the body’s ability to metabolize Vitamin D from food. Vitamin D is considered to be a hormone and is generated when skin is subjected to sunlight. Almost every cell in the body has Vitamin D receptors which is why this vitamin plays such a vital role in the body’s functions. From immune system functionality to minimization of inflammation to cell growth modulation and more, Vitamin D is a vital vitamin. Anyone who is Vitamin D deficient or insufficient is prone to bone fractures and weakness of muscles.

The amount of time a person should spend in the sun depends on that person’s idiosyncratic skin pigmentation and geographic location. Lighter skin will synthesize larger amounts of Vitamin D than darker skin. The study discovered that 95% of African American adults might have deficiency or insufficiency of Vitamin D. Variations across races are because of unique levels of skin pigmentation. Maintaining and boosting healthy levels of Vitamin D is as easy as spending between five minutes and half an hour in the afternoon sun just a couple of days per week. Sunscreen with SPF 15 will reduce Vitamin D3 by 99% so it is important to not apply sunscreen during the five to thirty minute sessions in the sun.

Of course the sun is not the only source of Vitamin D. A variety of foods provide Vitamin D some of which are salmon, milk, breakfast cereals, eggs and portobello mushrooms. Supplements can also be used to boost Vitamin D levels and are effective.

Air Pollution and Life Expectancy

A study conducted by a team of public health researchers and leading environmental engineers have determined that air pollution shortens the lives of humans by more than a year. This is the first study that looked at data from air pollution and lifespan in order to examine global variations on how they might affect overall life expectancy.

Outdoor air pollution was looked at from particulate matter (PM) smaller than 2.5 microns. Particles this fine can enter deep into the lungs and breathing these particles is associated with an increase risk of a variety of serious diseases and conditions. 2.5 microns is pollution that comes from car, trucks, fires, wind storms, power plants and industrial and agriculture emissions.

Led by researchers at the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, data from the Global Burden of Disease Study was used to measure PM2.5 air pollution exposure and its affects in 185 countries. The team then quantified the national impact on lifespan for each individual country as well on a global scale. Their findings were published in the August 22nd issue of Environmental Science & Technology Letters.

Globally, outdoor air pollution reduces average life expectancy at birth by one year. The effect is more pronounced in some countries such as Egypt were life span is reduced by 1.9 years, in India by 1.5 years and in Russia it is about nine months. In heavily populated areas of Asia and Africa it is much worse with life expectancy between one year and two months to one year and eleven months. In the United States it is less, currently reducing average life expectancy of an American born today by just over four months.

The study took into account measurements of ambient or outdoor air pollution. Data was gathered from previous studies using ground based pollution meters and satellites to calculate levels of ambient particular matter (PM2.5). The lead researcher, Dr. Joshua Apte, called this kind of particular matter “the single more important environmental pollutant for ill health and death.” Right now 95% of the world’s population are exposed to levels of PM2.5 which exceed the World Health Organization’s recommended level.

From previous studies, data indicated that PM2.5 was the fifth highest mortality risk factor in 2015. Exposure to PM2.5 levels caused 4.2 millions deaths that year and 103.1 million life years lost after adjusting for disabilities. This is the equaivalent of 7.6% of all deaths world wide in 2015. The World Health Organization estimates that one in nine deaths are related to indoor and outdoor air pollution.

The study also discovered that death rates from air pollution had increase calculating 3.5 million people died worldwide from breathing PM2.5 in 1990 which is 700,000 fewer deaths compared to those killed in 2015. The researchers noted that the increase was most likely due to aging populations, changes in non communicable disease rates and the increase of air pollution in middle and low income countries.

It is well known that fine particle air pollution is a major worldwide killer. The study was able to systematically identify how air pollution substantially shortens lifespans throughout the world. Compared to other significant phenomena which affect human survival rates, Dr. Apte points out this is a significant large number even noting that it is considerably larger than the survival benefits that might be realized with cures found for both breast and lung cancer combined. In India and China the improvement of air quality would be especially large for the elderly. For a good portion of Asia reduced air pollution would affect 60 year old people by a 15 to 20 percent higher chance of living to 85 or older.

Dr. Apte reports that sources of PM2.5 pollution and greenhouse gas emissions are very often tightly linked. This means that moving to cleaner energy sources can deliver quick dividends for the health of the public. More efficient car and cleaner electricity directly affect both climate and health. He believes cleaner and more efficient energy use is one of the best added benefits of tackling climate change which will lead to healthier and longer lives.

To view the original scientific study click here: Ambient PM2.5 Reduces Global and Regional Life Expectancy.

Mature Cells Turned Into Stem Cells Without Genetic Engineering

Research by the National University of Singapore and the FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology in Italy has revealed that mature cells can be reprogrammed into redeployable stem cells without genetic engineering. This is important because there are significant health risks associated with treatment utilizing stem cells with added genes. Instead of direct genetic modification, they are instead confined to a defined geometric space for an extended period of time. The breakthrough findings will no doubt usher in a new generation of technologies for stem cell tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

In earlier studies over a decade ago scientists showed that mature cells could be reprogrammed to become pluripotent stem cells which were capable of being developed into any cell type in the body. Scientists accomplished this by genetically modifying mature cells by introducing external factors that would reset genomic programs of the cells. This essentially turned back the clock returning them to an undifferentiated or unspecified state. These lab made cells which are known as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) could then be programmed into different types of cells for tissue repair, drug discovery and also to grow new organs for transplants. These cells did not need to be harvested from embryos.

Unfortunately a major problem is the tendency for any specialized cell that has been developed from iPSCs to form tumors after introduction into the body. The researchers turned their focus to understanding how stem cell growth and differentiation is regulated in the body and how cells naturally convert to another cell type or revert to an immature stem cell like state during tissue maintenance or during development.

The new research has shown that mature cells can be reprogrammed in vitro into pluripotent stem cells by confining the cells to a defined area for growth rather than generically modifying them.

When fibroblast cells which are a type of mature cell found in connective tissue such as ligaments and tendons were confined to rectangular areas, they very quickly assumed the shape of the the surface of the medium that they were attached to. This indicated the cells were responding and measuring to the physical properties of the environment then conveying this information to the nucleus where DNA genome programs and packaging would adapt accordingly.

The cells were grown over ten days until they formed spherical clusters of cells. The genetic analysis of the cells contained within these clusters revealed that specific characteristics of chromatin which is the condensed from of packaged DNA normally associated with mature fibroblasts were lost by the 6th day. At the 10th day the cells expressed genes which are normally associated with embryonic stem cells and iPSCs. They team learned that by confining the mature cells for an extended period the mature fibroblasts could be turned into pluripotent stem cells. To confirm, the researchers directed their growth with high efficiency into two different specialized cell types and some cells were also directed back into fibroblasts.

The physical parameters used are reflective of the transient geometric constraints that cells can be exposed to in the body. During development the establishment of niches and geometric patterns are essential to the formation of functional organs and tissues. When tissue is damaged through disease or injury, cells will experience sudden alterations to their environment. In these cases, mature cells might revert back to a pluripotent stem cell like state prior to being redeployed as specialized cells for maintenance and repair of tissue. The study shows for the first time that mechanical cues can reset genomic programs of mature cells and then return them to a pluripotent state.

The researchers believe the use of geometric constraints to reprogram mature cells might better reflect processes that naturally occur within the body. And more importantly, the findings allow researchers to generate stem cells from mature cells with high efficiency and without genetically modifying them.

To view the original scientific study click here: Laterally confined growth of cells induces nuclear reprogramming in the absence of exogenous biochemical factors

Bacteria and Longevity

A new study conducted at McGill University shows us that the bacteria which live in our intestinal tract have an influence on how well we age. The study focused on the how the intestinal microbiota influence longevity and aging. Composition of the intestinal tract and its effects on health have been studied in the past, however just recently has aging been associated with changes in the microbiota.

Sometimes the intestines are referred to as the human’s second brain. There are over 200 million neurons which innervate it and combined with the microbiota which is the ecosystem of fungi, bacteria and microorganisms which are present in the gastrointestinal tract, they form an entity which influences our emotions, our moods and also intervene in the development of neurological diseases. The brain along with the nervous system of the intestines and the intestinal microbiota communicate bidirectionally through the gut brain axis. Different types of information are transmitted including immunological, metabolic, neruonal and endocrine all of which are derived from bacterial cells and their metabolites.

Microbiota composition varies with age and these alterations have been shown to be associated with aging and disease development. The microbiota are able to simultaneously modulate age related processes such as oxidative stress, metabolite regulation, energy homeostasis and inflammation through the gut brain axis. Microbiota therefore have been identified as a therapy against age related diseases.

The researchers in the recent study analyzed what impact three probiotics and a new prebiotic would have on the lifespan of male fruit flies. Fruit flies are about 70% similar to mammals in terms of their biochemical pathways. The intestinal microbiota varied with age which were similar to those observed in humans. The combination of probiotics and prebiotics increased the longevity of male fruit flies by 60% and using just a probiotic combination alone increased longevity by 55%.

Researchers noted that similar results were realized with similar experiments on mice and rat models. The different mixtures of probiotics had beneficial effects against memory loss, neurodegeneration, antioxidant defenses, immunity and inflammation and increased lifespan in the mice. In additional studies, probiotics were observed to increase the lifespan of C elegans (roundworms).

To maintain a healthy intestinal microbiota to help delay chronic diseases and extend lifespan, a diet rich in probiotics and prebiotics is highly recommended. Symbiotic formulations which mix probiotics and prebiotics have shown beneficial results against age related biological disorders and also for anti aging. It is hoped that in the future specific symbiotic formulas can be developed to help prevent chronic and neurodegenerative diseases.

To view the original scientific study click here: Longevity extension in Drosophila through gut-brain communication

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