Should we consider creatine to prevent age-related muscle wasting? — Creatine Creatine is one of the world’s most popular supplements. It’s also one of the supplements with the most research to back up its use, safety, and efficacy. You can buy it in a few different forms, but the trusty good old creatine monohydrate will still give you the most bang…

A ketogenic diet is sometimes suggested as a potential (partial) therapy for Alzheimer’s Disease — what do we actually know? — Keto caveats Every time I write the word ‘keto’, I instinctively brace myself. Somehow, mentioning it seems to stir strong emotions in a lot of people. So let me get a few things out of the way first: Here’s my bias: I’m not a fan of the keto hype. I think that…

The gut microbiomes of infants in industrialized countries and modern hunter-gatherers show robust differences — Baby guts and mother’s microbes A healthy gut is a busy one. Not in terms of intestinal distress, but in terms of housing a thriving microbial community. This gut microbiome is the focus of a lot of research and speculation. The more we look at it, the more we see how it (potentially) affects a…

New cognitive training technologies can — perhaps — be used to provide personalized cognitive support in old age — Move (for) your brain Moving around throughout the day is one of the twelve things you can do right now to reduce your dementia risk. Interestingly, the protective effect of physical activity on cognitive decline is largest in APOE4 carriers — the gene version that increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Nitric oxide helps us exercise, but what can we do to slow down the age-related decline in its production? — Move The benefits of exercise — in whatever size or shape you enjoy most — are substantial. It doesn’t have to be a strict workout regimen (although those have their value). Physical activity, any physical activity, is better than none. One of the issues with our modern Western lifestyle (and work…

Study finds link between vitamin D status and dementia — The D of dementia Dementia is a term used to refer to several similar conditions characterized by a progressive decline in cognitive capacities such as memory and speech. Advanced Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, depending on which estimate you look at, it accounts for over half to around 60–70% of…

Higher levels of chronic stress correlate with ‘older’ immune cells, but diet and exercise can help — Immunaging As we reluctantly march into old age, our bodies begin to show the signs of a lifetime of wear and tear. The rate and size of these defects will differ among people, but no one can escape the inevitable physiological decline that accompanies the gray winter of our lives. No…

A review gathers data on factors that can speed up or slow down epigenetic aging — On and beyond DNA In our cells, the tightly wound strands of DNA contain the recipe or instructions (whatever metaphor you prefer) for making a healthy human being. Written in a code of A, C, G, and T’s, sequences of our DNA code for proteins that are involved in almost all bodily processes. It’s…

Should we rethink dietary guidelines now that we’re learning more about the microbiome? — When our gut bacteria meet food Our gut is filled with bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms. Together, those tiny intestinal inhabitants are known as the gut microbiome, and they’ve become quite popular lately. After all, they seem to be involved in a lot of aspects of our daily lives. Not in the least in the link…