Wellness-uptodate

DALL·E 2023-09-30 09.26.58 - Alternative Medicine and Canada A recent published paper explores the use of risk-associated alternative healthcare (RAAH) in Canada.  It surveys RAAH uptake among adults and examines the characteristics of its users and it also evaluates the effectiveness of various psychometric instruments in predicting RAAH behaviors.  The study finds that RAAH usage is influenced by factors like gender, age, income, education, employment, chronic illness, and ethnicity.  Around 40% of respondents engaged in some form of RAAH, with physical manipulation and herbal/nutritional supplements being the most common types.  More risky RAAH activities, such as toxin use and invasive procedures, were reported by about 5% of respondents.  The study shows that certain psychometric instruments can predict RAAH engagement by indicating higher risk tolerance, a desire for novelty, positive attitudes toward advertising and social influence, and positive beliefs ...

A small study suggests that taking creatine as a supplement for six months may significantly improve clinical features of post–COVID-19 fatigue syndrome (long COVID).  The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Novi Sad, Serbia, found that creatine supplements led to reduced fatigue and improved scores for various long COVID-related symptoms, such as loss of taste, breathing difficulties, body aches, headaches, and concentration problems.  The study also observed increased creatine levels in the brain and reduced lung and body pain among participants.  However, experts caution that the study's small sample size and the fact that the patients had recent COVID infections make it difficult to generalize the results, and further research is needed to confirm the effectiveness of creatine supplements in treating long COVID. There were no major side effects reported from the creatine supplementation. Slankamenac, J., Ranisavljev, M., Todorovic, N., Ostojic, J., ...

A study, published in September 2023, explored the impact of different diets on biological aging, which is a measure of how fast your body is aging based on DNA methylation.  They used various DNA methylation-based aging clocks to assess this in 256 participants with abdominal obesity or dyslipidemia over an 18-month period. The participants were divided into three diet groups:  one following healthy dietary guidelines,  one on a Mediterranean (MED) diet, and  one on a polyphenol-rich, low-red/processed meat Green-MED diet.  The Green-MED diet included walnuts, green tea, and Mankai, a green plant, with higher polyphenol content. The researchers found that participants who adhered more closely to the Green-MED diet had a slower rate of biological aging, as indicated by specific methylation aging clocks known as Li and Hannum methylation age.  This slowing of biological aging was associated with increased intake of Mankai and green tea , and it corresponded...

C.M.Sagasta-Medium.com 9/20/2023 Curcumin is a natural compound found in turmeric known for its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. It has been traditionally used in Asia for medicinal purposes, particularly for treating dyspepsia. Curcumin has various beneficial properties, including anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, antioxidant, and neuroprotective effects. Recent studies have explored the potential of curcumin in different health contexts: Dyspepsia: Curcumin was found to be as effective as the medication omeprazole in relieving indigestion symptoms in a study involving 206 patients with functional dyspepsia. This suggests it could be a natural alternative for managing indigestion. Peptic Ulcers: Another study showed that curcumin was as effective as omeprazole in treating peptic ulcers. All three groups in the study experienced significant symptom improvements. COVID-19: A clinical trial investigated nanocurcumin, a nanoparticle version of curcumin, as an add-on treatment ...

A recent study published in the field of Otolaryngology-head and neck surgery in September 2023 has explored the potential of mind-body therapies (MBTs) as supplementary treatments for various ear, nose, and throat diseases.  MBTs encompass practices like meditation, yoga, aromatherapy, and biofeedback, which aim to improve health by connecting the mind and body.  The study involved a thorough review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from the past decade, focusing on cost-effective MBTs. The findings revealed that MBTs were effective in reducing distress associated with otolaryngologic conditions such as septoplasty, head and neck cancer, facial palsy, and tinnitus. (see more)

  Carbamate and Alzheimer Alzheimer's disease is a brain disorder that mostly affects older people. It gets worse over time and causes problems with memory and thinking. We still don't fully understand why Alzheimer's disease happens, but it seems to be caused by a lot of different things going wrong. There are some important signs that we often see in the brains of people with Alzheimer's. These include the loss of certain brain cells, the buildup of abnormal substances like plaques, problems with metals in the brain, changes in a protein called tau, too much stress inside brain cells, swelling and problems with the immune system in the brain, and issues with the energy centers in brain cells. Current treatments, right now, is based in some medicines that can help with the symptoms of Alzheimer's, but they don't fix the main problems in the brain.  These medicines are called donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine, and memantine. There's a need for better drug...

A recent placebo-controlled trial presented at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) 2023 Congress has revealed promising results regarding the use of a traditional Chinese herbal remedy, Qiliqiangxin, in the treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). HFrEF is a condition where the heart's left ventricle loses its ability to contract effectively, leading to insufficient blood circulation. The study, known as QUEST, involved over 3,000 HFrEF patients who were randomly assigned to take Qiliqiangxin or a placebo in addition to their standard triple-therapy regimen for heart failure. Qiliqiangxin, composed of 11 plant-based ingredients known for their diuretic and cardiotonic effects, demonstrated a significant reduction in the risk of cardiovascular death and hospitalization due to heart failure by more than 20%. This reduction was consistent across various patient groups. While these findings are promising, some questions remain, including the limited enrol...

Researchers have conducted a study focusing on specific brain cells called GABRA5 neurons in the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) of male rats to understand their role in managing obesity.  These neurons have connections to both white and brown fat tissues in the body.  When obese mice had their GABRA5 neurons suppressed, they experienced metabolic impairments and weight gain, whereas reducing the activity of an enzyme called MAO-B in nearby astrocytes led to increased fat burning and less weight gain.  This suggests that these neurons may help prevent fat accumulation, offering potential insights into obesity treatment strategies.  Additionally, brown adipose tissue (BAT) has been associated with lower risks of cardiometabolic diseases, and a drug called KDS2010, which inhibits MAO-B, has shown promise in promoting weight loss and is in Phase 1 clinical trials as a potential obesity treatment.  Read Original Article

A potential therapeutic target for ameliorating insulin resistance Carlos Martínez Sagasta-Medium.com   Insulin resistance is a common issue associated with conditions like metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.It means that your body's cells have difficulty letting in the fuel they need, which can lead to health problems. Recent research has focused on the role of gut microbiota, the bacteria in our digestive tract, in insulin resistance. These bacteria can impact how our bodies process carbohydrates and energy intake, which is relevant to conditions like obesity and prediabetes. A study in Nature examined human data and found that insulin resistance is linked to certain carbohydrates in stool samples, which are influenced by how gut bacteria process them. (see more)