The Gary Null Show - 08.05.20

The Gary Null Show is here to inform you on the best news in health, healing, the environment. 

 

 

 

Curb your anxiety by drinking a cup of matcha green tea

Kumamoto University (Japan), July 31, 2020 

 

 

Matcha can reduce anxiety by activating dopamine and serotonin receptors that are linked to anxious behavior, according to researchers from Kumamoto University in Japan.

Matcha, which literally means “powdered tea,” refers to the powder made from finely ground leaves of shade-grown tea tree (Camellia sinensis). Matcha has been used medicinally since ancient times. In Japan, in particular, it is used to help people relax, prevent obesity and treat certain skin conditions.

 

In a recent study published in the Journal of Functional Foods, Japanese researchers find evidence of the mental health benefits offered by matcha.

 

“The results of our study show that matcha, which has been used as a medicinal agent for many years, may be quite beneficial to the human body,” said Yuki Kurauchi, one of the study authors.

 

For their study, the researchers looked at the effects of matcha tea powder on mice using an anxiety test for rodents called the elevated plus maze test. This test features an elevated, plus-shaped, narrow platform with two walled arms that provide safety for the test animals. The idea behind the test is that animals experiencing high levels of anxiety will spend more time in the safer, walled-off areas.

 

Aside from matcha powder, the team also evaluated the effects of different matcha extracts and fractions.

 

The researchers found that the mice that consumed either matcha powder or matcha extract displayed reduced anxious behavior. They also found that the ethanol extract exhibited a stronger anxiolytic effect than the hot water extract. This meant that matcha contains two anxiety-reducing components, and that the water-insoluble component exerts stronger anxiolytic effects than the water-soluble component.

 

After conducting behavioral pharmacological analysis, the researchers found that matcha reduces anxiety by activating dopamine D1 and serotonin 5-HT1A receptors. According to studies, these receptors play a significant role in mediating anxiety.

The team concluded that while more study is needed, their findings emphasize matcha’s beneficial effects on mental health.

 

 

 

The effect of reiki and guided imagery intervention on pain and fatigue in oncology patients

Siirt University (Turkey),  31 July 2020.

 

Absract

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Reiki and guided imagery on pain and fatigue in oncology patients. This quasi-experimental study with a pretest and posttest design was conducted with 180 oncology patients at the oncology clinic of Dicle University Hospital in Turkey, between July 2017 and February 2018. The patients were divided into three groups: Reiki, guided imagery and control, with 60 patients in each group. The Reiki and guided imagery group patients underwent their respective interventions for three consecutive days separately (25-30 min; mean: 15.53 min). The interventions of Reiki and guided imagery reduced pain and fatigue in the oncology patients. It is recommended that oncology nurses use Reiki and guided imagery in patient care.

 

 

 

Decreased concentrations of vitamin B12 associated with increased risk of high-grade cervical lesions

Federal University Ouro Preto (Brazil), July 31, 2020

 

According to news reporting originating in Minas Gerais, Brazil, research stated, “Diet and lifestyle play an important role in etiology of various tumors. Serum concentration of folate and vitamin B12may be associated with carcinogenesis since they are involved in DNA methylation and nucleotide synthesis.”

 

The news reporters obtained a quote from the research from Federal University Ouro Preto, “However, the role of these micronutrients on development of cervical cancer is still controversial. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the association of lower status of folate and vitamin B12 with the risk of pre-neoplastic cervical lesions. Our sample group was divided in Control group (n=120) -women with normal cytology, and Case groups (n=57) -women presenting Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance (ASC-US, n=21), Low Grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion (LSIL; n=16), and High-Grade lesions (n=20). We obtained cervical samples for cytology analysis and HPV detection, and blood samples for evaluation of serum concentration of folate and vitamin B12. No difference of serum folate was observed among Cases and Control groups. On the other hand, women with High-Grade lesions presented significant lower median concentration of vitamin B12 if compared to another groups. Then, we observed increased risk of High-Grade lesions among participants with low vitamin B12 levels was observed in relation to women that presented high levels of the micronutrient and from Control group [OR (95% CI): 2.09 (0.65-6.76), p=0.216], ASC-US [OR (95% CI): 3.15 (0.82-12.08), p=0.095], and LSIL [OR (95% CI): 3.10 (0.76-12.70), p=0.116]. Low concentration of vitamin B12 was associated with an increased risk of High-Grade cervical lesions.”

 

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “Besides, we did not observe any difference of serum folate among women with normal cytology and women with pre-neoplastic cervical lesions.”

 

 

 

 

Why is cilantro so good for the brain? Science explains

University of California at Irvine, July 30, 2020

 

A study published in the FASEB Journal found that cilantro activates certain potassium channels in the brain which helps prevent seizures.

 

Also known as coriander, cilantro is an herb that is commonly used in traditional medicine. It has anticonvulsant, anti-depressant and anti-inflammatory properties that make it suitable for treating a host of medical conditions, including epileptic seizures.

 

But while its health benefits have been extensively studied, the precise mechanism behind cilantro’s powerful effects on the body remains obscure. The present study provides a molecular basis for the therapeutic actions of cilantro.

 

Cilantro activates neuronal potassium channels to alleviate seizures

 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about 3.4 million Americans are living with epilepsy. Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by abnormal brain activity that causes seizures or periods of unusual behavior, sensations and loss of awareness.

 

In the study, researchers at the University of California, Irvine looked at cilantro leaf metabolites to find the source of its antiepileptic activity. Metabolites are the intermediate products of cellular metabolism.

 

The researchers found that one particular metabolite, the long-chain fatty aldehyde (E)-2-dodecenal, activates several potassium channels in the brain. These channels are part of the voltage-gated potassium channel subfamily Q (KCNQ), which can be found in neurons. According to previous studies, KCNQ dysfunction can lead to severe, treatment-resistant epileptic seizures.

 

The researchers also found that (E)-2-dodecenal could delay chemically-induced seizures, suggesting its involvement in cilantro’s anti-convulsant activity. Geoffrey Abbott, one of the study authors, explained that by binding to a specific part of the potassium channels to open them, (E)-2-dodecenal was able to reduce cellular excitability.

 

Given these findings, the researchers are optimistic that more effective strategies involving cilantro can be developed for the treatment of epilepsy.

 

 

 

Cannabinoids may affect activity of other pharmaceuticals

Penn State University, August 3, 2020

 

Cannabinoid-containing products may alter the effects of some prescription drugs, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers. They published information that could help medical professionals make safe prescribing choices for their patients who use prescription, over-the-counter or illicit cannabinoid products.

 

Kent Vrana, professor and chair of pharmacology at the College of Medicine, and Paul Kocis, a pharmacist at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, compiled a list of 57 medications that may not function as intended when used with medical cannabinoids, CBD oil (hemp oil) and medical or recreational marijuana. The list was published in the journal Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids.

 

The medications on the list have a narrow therapeutic index, meaning they are prescribed at specific doses - enough to be effective, but not enough to cause harm. Vrana says it's important for medical professionals to consider the list when prescribing medical cannabinoids and how it may affect other medications a patient is taking.

 

To develop the list, the researchers looked at the prescribing information for four prescription cannabinoid medications. This information included a list of enzymes in the body that process the active ingredients in those medications, which can include delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). They compared this information against prescribing information from common medications using information available from regulatory agencies like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to identify where there may be overlap, called a drug-drug interaction.

The list contains a variety of drugs from heart medications to antibiotics and antifungals. As one example, researchers identified warfarin, a common anticoagulant that prevents harmful blood clots from forming, as having a potential drug-drug interaction with cannabinoid products. Often prescribed for patients with atrial fibrillation or following cardiac valve replacement, the drug has a narrow therapeutic index, and Vrana cautions that medical professionals consider this potential drug-drug interaction both when prescribing warfarin to patients on prescription cannabinoids or prescribing cannabinoids to a patient taking warfarin.

 

The researchers say that medical professionals should also consider patient use of CBD oil products and medical and recreational marijuana when using or prescribing drugs on the identified list. Most of those products lack government regulation and there is little to no prescribing or drug-drug interaction information for those products.

 

"Unregulated products often contain the same active ingredients as medical cannabinoids, though they may be present in different concentrations," Vrana said. "The drug-drug interaction information from medical cannabinoids may be useful as medical professionals consider the potential impact of over-the-counter or illicit cannabinoid products."

 

Vrana advises that patients be honest with their health care providers about their use of cannabinoid products - from over-the-counter products to recreational marijuana. He says that doing so can help ensure the safe and effective use of prescribed medications.

 

In addition to the identified list of 57 prescription medications with a narrow therapeutic index that is potentially impacted by concomitant cannabinoid use, a comprehensive list of 139 medications that could have a potential drug-drug interaction with a cannabinoid is available online. Vrana and Kocis plan to routinely update this drug-drug interaction list as newer medications are approved and real-world evidence accumulates.

 

Kent Vrana received a sponsored research agreement from PA Options for Wellness, a medical cannabis provider and clinical registrant in Pennsylvania, and this research was supported in part by the agreement. The College of Medicine and PA Options for Wellness have a 10-year research agreement designed to help physicians and patients make better informed clinical decisions related to cannabinoids.

 

 

 

Perinatal DHA supplementation improves cognition and alters brain functional organization in experimental research

University of Georgia, July 31, 2020

 

According to news reporting out of the University of Georgia, research stated, “Epidemiologic studies associate maternal docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)/DHA-containing seafood intake with enhanced cognitive development; although, it should be noted that interventional trials show inconsistent findings.”

 

The news correspondents obtained a quote from the research from University of Georgia: “We examined perinatal DHA supplementation on cognitive performance, brain anatomical and functional organization, and the brain monoamine neurotransmitter status of offspring using a piglet model. Sows were fed a control (CON) or a diet containing DHA (DHA) from late gestation throughout lactation. Piglets underwent an open field test (OFT), an object recognition test (ORT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to acquire anatomical, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) at weaning. Piglets from DHA-fed sows spent 95% more time sniffing the walls than CON in OFT and exhibited an elevated interest in the novel object in ORT, while CON piglets demonstrated no preference. Maternal DHA supplementation increased fiber length and tended to increase fractional anisotropy in the hippocampus of offspring than CON. DHA piglets exhibited increased functional connectivity in the cerebellar, visual, and default mode network and decreased activity in executive control and sensorimotor network compared to CON.”

 

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “The brain monoamine neurotransmitter levels did not differ in healthy offspring. Perinatal DHA supplementation may increase exploratory behaviors, improve recognition memory, enhance fiber tract integrity, and alter brain functional organization in offspring at weaning.”

 

 

 

Chlamydia: Greedy for glutamine

University of Wurzburg (Germany), August 3, 2020

 

Chlamydia are bacteria that cause venereal diseases. In humans, they can only survive if they enter the cells. This is the only place where they find the necessary metabolites for their reproduction. And this happens in a relatively simple way: the bacteria create a small bubble in the cell and divide in it over several generations.

 

What is the decisive step that initiates the reproduction of the bacteria? It has not been known so far. Researchers from Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (JMU) in Bavaria, Germany, have now discovered it. This is important because the first step in the reproduction of the pathogens is likely to be a good target for drugs.

 

Glutamine import into the host cell increases

 

In the case of Chlamydia, the first step is to reprogram the metabolism of their human host cells. The cells then increasingly import the amino acid glutamine from their environment. If this does not work, for example because the glutamine import system is out of order, the bacterial pathogens are no longer able to proliferate. This was reported by a JMU team led by Dr. Karthika Rajeeve, who has meanwhile been awarded a professorship at the Aarhus University in Denmark, and Professor Thomas Rudel in the journal Nature Microbiology.

 

"Chlamydiae need a lot of glutamine to synthesize the ring-shaped molecule peptidoglycan," explains Professor Rudel, who heads the Chair of Microbiology at the JMU Biocenter. In bacteria, this ring molecule is generally a building material of the cell wall. Chlamydiae use it for the construction of a new wall that is drawn into the bacterial cell during division.

 

Next, the JMU team hopes to clarify the importance of the glutamine metabolism in chronic chlamydiae infections. This might provide information that might help to better understand the development of severe diseases as a result of the infection.

 

Chlamydiae cause most venereal diseases in Germany. The bacteria are sexually transmitted and can cause inflammation in the urethra, vagina or anal area. If an infection is detected in time, it can be treated well with antibiotics.

 

Around 130 million people worldwide are infected with Chlamydia. The biggest problem is that the infection usually proceeds without noticeable symptoms. This makes it easier for the pathogen to spread, this leads to severe or chronic diseases such as cervical and ovarian cancer.

 

 

 

Baby boomers show concerning decline in cognitive functioning

Trend reverses progress over several generations, study finds

Ohio State University, August 3, 2020

 

In a reversal of trends, American baby boomers scored lower on a test of cognitive functioning than did members of previous generations, according to a new nationwide study.

 

Findings showed that average cognition scores of adults aged 50 and older increased from generation to generation, beginning with the greatest generation (born 1890-1923) and peaking among war babies (born 1942-1947).

 

Scores began to decline in the early baby boomers (born 1948-1953) and decreased further in the mid baby boomers (born 1954-1959).

 

While the prevalence of dementia has declined recently in the United States, these results suggest those trends may reverse in the coming decades, according to study author Hui Zheng, professor of sociology at The Ohio State University.

 

"It is shocking to see this decline in cognitive functioning among baby boomers after generations of increases in test scores," Zheng said.

 

"But what was most surprising to me is that this decline is seen in all groups: men and women, across all races and ethnicities and across all education, income and wealth levels."

Results showed lower cognitive functioning in baby boomers was linked to less wealth, along with higher levels of loneliness, depression, inactivity and obesity, and less likelihood of being married.

 

The study was published online recently in the Journals of Gerontology: Social Sciences.

 

Zheng analyzed data on 30,191 Americans who participated in the 1996 to 2014 Health and Retirement Survey, conducted by the University of Michigan. People over 51 years old were surveyed every two years.

 

As part of the study, participants completed a cognitive test in which they had to recall words they had heard earlier, count down from 100 by 7s, name objects they were shown and perform other tasks.

 

Other research has shown that overall rates of mortality and illness have increased in baby boomers, but generally found that the highly educated and wealthiest were mostly spared.

 

"That's why it was so surprising to me to see cognitive declines in all groups in this study," Zheng said. "The declines were only slightly lower among the wealthiest and most highly educated."

 

Zheng also compared cognition scores within each age group across generations so that scores are not skewed by older people who tend to have poorer cognition. Even in this analysis, the baby boomers came out on bottom.

 

"Baby boomers already start having lower cognition scores than earlier generations at age 50 to 54," he said.

 

The question, then, is what has happened to baby boomers? Zheng looked for clues across the lifetimes of those in the study.

 

Increasing cognition scores in previous generations could be tied to beneficial childhood conditions - conditions that were similar for baby boomers, Zheng said.

 

Baby boomers' childhood health was as good as or better than previous generations and they came from families that had higher socioeconomic status. They also had higher levels of education and better occupations.

 

"The decline in cognitive functioning that we're seeing does not come from poorer childhood conditions," Zheng said.

 

The biggest factors linked to lower cognition scores among baby boomers in the study were lower wealth, higher levels of self-reported loneliness and depression, lack of physical activity and obesity.

 

Living without a spouse, being married more than once in their lives, having psychiatric problems and cardiovascular risk factors including strokes, hypertension, heart disease and diabetes were also associated with lower cognitive functioning among people in this generation.

 

"If it weren't for their better childhood health, move favorable family background, more years of education and higher likelihood of having a white-collar occupation, baby boomers would have even worse cognitive functioning," Zheng said.

 

There were not enough late baby boomers (born in 1960 or later) to include in this study, but Zheng said he believes they will fare no better. The same might be true for following generations unless we find a solution for the problems found here, he said.

 

While many of the problems linked to lower cognitive functioning are symptoms of modern life, like less connection with friends and family and growing economic inequality, other problems found in this study are unique to the United States, Zheng said. One example would be the lack of universal access and high cost of health care.

 

"Part of the story here are the problems of modern life, but it is also about life in the U.S.," he said.

 

One of the biggest concerns is that cognitive functioning when people are in their 50s and 60s is related to their likelihood of having dementia when they are older.

"With the aging population in the United States, we were already likely to see an increase in the number of people with dementia," Zheng said.

 

"But this study suggests it may be worse than we expected for decades to come."

 

 

 

Study: Experiencing childhood trauma makes body and brain age faster

Findings could help explain why children who suffer trauma often face poor health later in life

Harvard University, August 2, 2020

 

Children who suffer trauma from abuse or violence early in life show biological signs of aging faster than children who have never experienced adversity, according to research published by the American Psychological Association. The study examined three different signs of biological aging--early puberty, cellular aging and changes in brain structure--and found that trauma exposure was associated with all three.

 

"Exposure to adversity in childhood is a powerful predictor of health outcomes later in life--not only mental health outcomes like depression and anxiety, but also physical health outcomes like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer," said Katie McLaughlin, PhD, an associate professor of psychology at Harvard University and senior author of the study published in the journal Psychological Bulletin. "Our study suggests that experiencing violence can make the body age more quickly at a biological level, which may help to explain that connection."

 

Previous research found mixed evidence on whether childhood adversity is always linked to accelerated aging. However, those studies looked at many different types of adversity--abuse, neglect, poverty and more--and at several different measures of biological aging. To disentangle the results, McLaughlin and her colleagues decided to look separately at two categories of adversity: threat-related adversity, such as abuse and violence, and deprivation-related adversity, such as physical or emotional neglect or poverty.

 

The researchers performed a meta-analysis of almost 80 studies, with more than 116,000 total participants. They found that children who suffered threat-related trauma such as violence or abuse were more likely to enter puberty early and also showed signs of accelerated aging on a cellular level-including shortened telomeres, the protective caps at the ends of our strands of DNA that wear down as we age. However, children who experienced poverty or neglect did not show either of those signs of early aging.

 

In a second analysis, McLaughlin and her colleagues systematically reviewed 25 studies with more than 3,253 participants that examined how early-life adversity affects brain development. They found that adversity was associated with reduced cortical thickness - a sign of aging because the cortex thins as people age. However, different types of adversity were associated with cortical thinning in different parts of the brain. Trauma and violence were associated with thinning in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, which is involved in social and emotional processing, while deprivation was more often associated with thinning in the frontoparietal, default mode and visual networks, which are involved in sensory and cognitive processing.

 

These types of accelerated aging might originally have descended from useful evolutionary adaptations, according to McLaughlin. In a violent and threat-filled environment, for example, reaching puberty earlier could make people more likely to be able to reproduce before they die. And faster development of brain regions that play a role in emotion processing could help children identify and respond to threats, keeping them safer in dangerous environments. But these once-useful adaptations may have grave health and mental health consequences in adulthood.

 

The new research underscores the need for early interventions to help avoid those consequences. All of the studies looked at accelerated aging in children and adolescents under age 18. "The fact that we see such consistent evidence for faster aging at such a young age suggests that the biological mechanisms that contribute to health disparities are set in motion very early in life. This means that efforts to prevent these health disparities must also begin during childhood," McLaughlin said.

 

There are numerous evidence-based treatments that can improve mental health in children who have experienced trauma, McLaughlin said. "A critical next step is determining whether these psychosocial interventions might also be able to slow down this pattern of accelerated biological aging. If this is possible, we may be able to prevent many of the long-term health consequences of early-life adversity," she says.