The Gary Null Show - 04.09.21

Dr. Ryan Cole

Leigh Dundas @ Orange County Dept of Education. 

Sunlight linked with lower COVID-19 deaths, study shows

University of Edinburgh (Scotland), April 9, 2021

Sunnier areas are associated with fewer deaths from Covid-19, an observational study suggests.

Increased exposure to the sun's rays - specifically UVA - could act as a simple public health intervention if further research establishes it causes a reduction in mortality rates, experts say.

Researchers from the University of Edinburgh compared all recorded deaths from Covid-19 in the continental US from January to April 2020 with UV levels for 2,474 US counties for the same time period.

The study found that people living in areas with the highest level of exposure to UVA rays - which makes up 95 per cent of the sun's UV light - had a lower risk of dying from Covid-19 compared with those with lower levels. The analysis was repeated in England and Italy with the same results. 

The researchers took into account factors known to be associated with increased exposure to the virus and risk of death such as age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, population density, air pollution, temperature and levels of infection in local areas. 

The observed reduction in risk of death from Covid-19 could not be explained by higher levels of vitamin D, the experts said. Only areas, with insufficient levels of UVB to produce significant vitamin D in the body, were included in the study.

One explanation for the lower number of deaths, which the researchers are following up, is that sunlight exposure causes the skin to release nitric oxide. This may reduce the ability of SARS Coronavirus2 - the cause of Covid-19 - to replicate, as has been found in some lab studies. 

Previous research from the same group has shown that increased sunlight exposure is linked to improved cardiovascular health, with lower blood pressure and fewer heart attacks. As heart disease is a known risk factor in dying from Covid-19, this could also explain the latest findings. 

The team say due to the observational nature of the study it is not possible to establish cause and effect. However, it may lead to interventions that could be tested as potential treatments.

 

 

Folic acid, DHA improve factors related to cognitive function

UND Life Sciences (US), April 7 2021. 

Findings from a randomized trial reported on March 13, 2021 in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease revealed improvements in aspects of cognitive function among men and women with mild cognitive impairment who consumed folic acid and/or the omega 3 fatty acid DHA. 

One hundred sixty participants received 800 micrograms folic acid, 800 milligrams DHA, folic acid plus DHA, or a placebo daily for six months. The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised test, which includes six verbal subtests and five performance subtests, was administered at the beginning of the study and at six and 12 months. Blood amyloid beta levels were measured at baseline and six months. 

At the end of the treatment period, intelligence quotient, and information, arithmetic and picture complement scores were higher in the group that received folic acid than the placebo. Folic acid-supplemented participants also had increases in blood folate and S-adenosylmethionine levels, along with a decline in homocysteine. 

Those who received DHA also experienced improved intelligence quotient and information and arithmetic scores, along with better digit span scores. 

Participants who received both folic acid and DHA had better arithmetic and digital span scores as well as higher blood folate and SAMe, and lower homocysteine. The group also experienced declines in amyloid beta 40 and amyloid beta 42 levels. (Amyloid beta 42 levels are increased in the brains of Alzheimer disease patients.)

Cognitive test score improvements were not found to be maintained when assessed six months after supplementation discontinuance. 

“In terms of improving cognitive function, folic acid and DHA were more effective alone than when combined, and DHA was more effective than folic acid,” the authors noted. “The beneficial effect of folic acid + DHA supplementation on cognitive function may be mediated by amyloid beta protein reduction.”

 

 

ADHD and autism associated with in utero heavy metals and essential minerals

Norwegian Institute of Public Health, April 9, 2021

Levels of the heavy metals cadmium, lead, and arsenic and the essential mineral manganese, measured in maternal blood during pregnancy, were associated with increased risk of ADHD and/or autism in the child. This was reported in a new study from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. This research does not show that metals and minerals are a direct cause of ADHD or autism because observed associations may have other explanations; however, the findings show the importance of more knowledge about how environmental contaminants may impact fetal development.

Environmental contaminants can impact children's development even in the mother's womb. Several heavy metals such as lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium are known or suspected to interfere with brain development and can reach the fetus through the placenta. This is also the case for minerals such as manganese, selenium, and copper, which in sufficient doses are important for a normal fetal brain development, while levels that are too low or too high can potentially be harmful. The research question in this study was whether any of these substances could increase risk for ADHD or autism in children. There are few studies that have investigated metals and minerals during fetal life and associations with ADHD or autism in children.

Heavy metals and minerals were measured in maternal blood during pregnancy in 2136 mothers from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa), where 705 children had an ADHD diagnosis, 397 had an autism diagnosis, and 1034 did not have a diagnosis. The study showed that levels of some of the heavy metals and minerals were associated with increased risk of ADHD, autism or both diagnoses. In some cases, both high and low levels in maternal blood were associated with increased risk, compared to normal levels. This study also took into consideration other factors that could be associated with metal and mineral exposures and developmental diagnoses, like maternal education, age, parity, seafood consumption, smoking and child sex and birth year.

Even after considering these other factors, there was increased risk of autism diagnosis with both the highest and the lowest levels of lead in maternal blood, in addition to increased risk with elevated levels of arsenic. For ADHD, there was an increased risk of diagnosis with both low and high levels of arsenic. The highest levels of cadmium were associated with increased risk of both ADHD and autism, compared to the lowest levels.

Children of mothers with both low and high levels of manganese had increased risk of ADHD. Among children of mothers with the highest levels of manganese (compared to the lowest), there was increased risk of autism.

Most people, including pregnant women and the unborn children, are exposed to thousands of chemicals. Still, we know surprisingly little about how this can impact the fetal brain development. We need more research to gain knowledge about causal relationships between environmental contaminants and brain development, says Thea Skogheim and Gro Villanger, two of the researchers of the study. 

It is important to emphasize that the associations that were found in the study are on a group level and that factors that were not included may have affected the results. Thus, one cannot claim that these metals and minerals is a direct cause of ADHD and autism. There are many different factors that contribute to the development of these disorders, where particularly heredity is important. Yet, there is likely a complex interplay between genes and environmental factors, such as environmental contaminants.

Previous studies

Previous studies in this field have mainly focused on the most known and toxic heavy metals, such as lead and mercury. They have also based their research more on parent-reported ADHD symptoms in the children than on register-based diagnoses. The findings in this study support results from similar studies from other countries. However, this study is among the first that have investigated 11 different metals and minerals together with ADHD and autism diagnoses. The exposures were investigated both individually and as mixtures.

Toxic heavy metals such as mercury, lead, arsenic, and cadmium are naturally occurring in the environment, but due to human activity such as pollution from industry and mining, there are elevated levels in the environment. According to the Norwegian Environment Agency, the use of lead ammunition is the greatest source (67%) of emission of lead in the environment in Norway. Both natural occurrence and emission from industry to soil and water leads to food being the greatest source of metals and minerals. Some of the substances (mercury, lead, cadmium) accumulate in the food chain and can be transferred from mother to child during pregnancy.

Lead and cadmium are found in many of the food items that we most frequently ingest, such as grain products and vegetables, in addition to beverages. There are elevated levels of cadmium in organ meat (kidney and liver) and brown crab meat. Cigarettes are also an important source of cadmium.

Families that have game meat as part of their daily diet get additionally exposed to lead, combined with the exposure from other food products. According to warnings from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, young, pregnant, and breastfeeding women as well as children below the age of seven, should not eat game meat that is shot with lead ammunition.

There are particular warnings from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority about the intake of seafood from polluted areas in Norway (ports, fjords and lakes). The population is exposed to arsenic mainly through food and drinks, and in Norway fish and seafood are one of the greatest sources. In fish and seafood most of the arsenic are organic forms that are considered less toxic than inorganic forms. Both human and animal studies have shown harmful effects on the nervous system following exposure to inorganic forms.

Even though manganese is essential for many biochemical processes in the body, excessive levels over a long period of time can also be harmful, especially for the brain and nervous system. The greatest human exposure source is food (grain products, green vegetables, nuts) and multivitamin supplements. Additionally, exposure can occur through cosmetics, drinking water, air pollution, and occupational sources. In the Norwegian population, there are some occupational groups working with metals that are exposed to high levels of manganese. In areas of the world with high levels of manganese in the soil and groundwater (such as drinking water) or where mining contributes to high air concentrations, studies have shown associations with behavioral problems, cognitive deficits, reduced learning abilities, and lower school performance in children.

A need for more knowledge about environmental contaminants in the population

This study includes children born between 2002 and 2009. There is, however, limited knowledge about present day levels of exposure. Even though bans and regulations for some of the heavy metals (e.g. mercury and lead) have been implemented, many metals are transported through air and ocean currents across the globe. Thus, we do not know the levels of metals and other environmental contaminants in the Norwegian population as of today, nor in vulnerable groups such as pregnant women and children. It is therefore important that we gain more knowledge about this, says Skogheim and Villanger.

ADHD and autism

The Norwegian health authorities estimates that about 3–5 percent of children and youth below the age of 18 have ADHD. This entails that on average, there is one child with ADHD in each school class. In Norway, around 1 percent of all children will have received a diagnosis of autism by the age of eight years. By discovering potential environmental risk factors that contribute to ADHD and autism, this can support and initiate preventive measures.

 

Idiopathic myalgic pain (fibromyalgia): supportive management and prevention with Pycnogenol

Ch-Pe University (Italy), April 4, 2021

Background: The aim of this registry study was the prospective evaluation of the efficacy of Pycnogenol in idiopathic fibromyalgia (FM), over 4 weeks in comparison with the standard management (SM).

Methods: A SM and a Pycnogenol+SM group were formed. Pycnogenol supplementation was used at the dose of 150 mg/day (4 weeks). The study considered the most important/frequent symptoms of FM.

Results: Fifty patients with idiopathic fibromyalgia were included: 26 in the Pycnogenol group and 24 served as controls. The two groups were comparable at inclusion. No other disease or condition was present. All subjects were otherwise healthy women (BMI<26), not using any drug. All subjects had an elevated level of oxidative stress (OS) at inclusion. All routine blood tests - and all inflammatory and rheumatic tests - were within the normal range at inclusion and at the end of the study. No safety or tolerability problems were observed. The percentage of patients using NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) as rescue medications in the observation period was significantly higher in the SM management group (P<0.05) in comparison with the supplement group. The percentage of patients using corticosteroids as rescue medication was significantly higher in the SM group (P<0.05). The percentage of subjects with the symptoms/complaints decreased significantly, considering each symptom, with Pycnogenol® after 4 weeks in comparison with the SM (P<0.05).

Conclusions: Pycnogenol supplementation appears to control and reduce the intensity of common symptoms and complaints - especially pain-related - associated with FM. Pycnogenol®could be a 'soft', safe supplementation and prevention method to manage the symptoms of most of these patients, even for longer periods, reducing the need for drugs.

 

Research finds that wisdom is a matter of both heart and mind

University of Waterloo (Canada) April 7, 2021 

 

The fluctuations of your heartbeat may affect your wisdom, according to new research from the University of Waterloo.

 

The study suggests that heart rate variation and thinking process work together to enable wise reasoning about complex social issues. The work by Igor Grossmann, professor of psychology at Waterloo, and colleagues based at the Australian Catholic University, appears in the online journal Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience.

Their study breaks new ground in wisdom research by identifying conditions under which psychophysiology impacts wise judgment.

 

"Our research shows that wise reasoning is not exclusively a function of the mind and cognitive ability," says Prof. Grossmann. "We found that people who have greater heart rate variability and who are able to think about social problems from a distanced viewpoint demonstrate a greater capacity for wise reasoning."

 

The study extends previous work on cognitive underpinnings of wise judgment to include consideration how the heart's functioning impacts the mind.

 

A growing consensus among philosophers and cognitive scientists defines wise judgment to include the ability to recognize the limits of one's knowledge, to be aware of the varied contexts of life and how they may unfold over time, to acknowledge others' points of view, and to seek reconciliation of opposing viewpoints.

 

The new study is the first to show that the physiology of the heart, specifically the variability of heart rate during low physical activity, is related to less biased, wiser judgment.

 

Human heart rate tends to fluctuate, even during steady-state conditions, such as while a person is sitting. Heart rate variability refers to the variation in the time interval between heartbeats and is related to the nervous system's control of organ functions.

 

The researchers found that people with more varied heart rates were able to reason in a wiser, less biased fashion about societal problems when they were instructed to reflect on a social issue from a third-person perspective. But, when the study's participants were instructed to reason about the issue from a first-person perspective, no relationship between heart rate and wiser judgment emerged.

 

"We already knew that people with greater variation in their heart rate show superior performance in the brain's executive functioning such as working memory," says Prof. Grossmann. "However, that does not necessarily mean these people are wiser - in fact, some people may use their cognitive skills to make unwise decisions. To channel their cognitive abilities for wiser judgment, people with greater heart rate variability first need to overcome their egocentric viewpoints."

 

The study opens the door for further exploration of wise judgment at the intersection of physiological and cognitive research.

 

Sharing and enjoying meals with loved ones reduces obesity and improves the health of adolescents

The benefits of the Mediterranean diet come from both the food we eat and how we eat it

University of Oberta de  Catalunya (Spain), April 6, 2021

Eating together as a family, maintaining the Mediterranean diet's traditional customs of conviviality, influences the eating habits of adolescents and prevents eating behaviour disorders, according to a new study prepared by scientists from the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and published in the open access International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

"At a time when lockdown due to the pandemic has revived family meals, this study indicates one of the possible positive aspects of the situation that we have had to confront", explains the study's researcher Anna Bach-Faig from the Foodlab group, and a member of the Faculty of Health Sciences.

The research establishes that family meal routines, such as sharing food, sitting around a table without digital devices or having a pleasant conversation, are beneficial aspects for adolescents and contribute to their health. In line with other studies it notes that this conviviality, which favours conversation and slower eating, helps adolescents to recognize the feeling of fullness during meals and, indirectly, prevents obesity.

The study, conducted by means of in-depth interviews of families in Catalonia with adolescents from 12 to 16 years old, analyses one of the least studied aspects of the Mediterranean diet: socialization at mealtimes and how the way in which we eat also affects our health.

"A healthy diet is not just what we eat but also how we eat it", explains Bach-Faig. "The Mediterranean diet is much more than a list of foods. It is a cultural model which includes how these foods are selected, produced, processed and consumed."

The importance of conversation

To determine the degree of conviviality in the families studied, the researchers analysed the frequency and duration of family meals, the place where they took place, the use of digital devices, the preparation of the food and the type of communication established in these gatherings.

According to the study, the majority of families only ate the evening meal together and their habits varied depending on whether they ate alone or with their loved ones. The research ascertained that family meals were a place for communication and socialization, and that when families devoted less time to them, did not sit at the table, were distracted by digital devices or did not engage in pleasant conversation during these gatherings, they also followed the Mediterranean diet to a lesser extent.

For the majority of parents, family meals were especially important when they had adolescent children, since they favour conversation and closer family bonds. "It is easier when children are small, but in adolescence there is a disconnect between you and them and, thanks to these conversations, you can gain a little insight into their world", explained one of the mothers interviewed.

Moreover, the majority considered that, through these family gatherings, parents become role models and help to establish healthy patterns for their children. This impression is consistent with the results of other studies in which it is demonstrated that eating together as a family is related to a healthier diet, with more fruit and vegetables, and less sugary drinks.

The Western diet

For nutrition expert Bach-Faig, it is essential to preserve eating traditions in order to maintain the benefits of the Mediterranean diet and promote the health of the younger generations. However, for several decades now, the Mediterranean diet has been losing influence in the face of the so-called "Western diet", characterized by the predominance of processed foods and eating quickly, often in front of the television.

The study stresses that it is crucial to consider these aspects in order to promote a healthy diet among adolescents and to design public health campaigns. One example was the Implica't campaign, carried out in Catalonia with the participation of researchers from this study. "Just as we recommend 5 fruit and veg a day", explains Bach-Fair, "we could also propose at least one family meal a day".

 

 

Effects of Morning Blue-Green 500 nm Light Therapy on Cognition and Biomarkers in Middle-Aged and Older Adults with Subjective Cognitive Decline and Mild Cognitive Impairment

Chengdu Brain Science Institute and Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (China), April 2021

Abstract: Background:Given that there is no specific drug to treat Alzheimer’s disease, non-pharmacologic interventions in people with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) are one of the most important treatment strategies. Objective:To clarify the efficacy of blue-green (500 nm) light therapy on sleep, mood, and physiological parameters in patients with SCD and aMCI is an interesting avenue to explore. Methods:This is a monocentric, randomized, and controlled trial that will last for 4 weeks. We will recruit 150 individuals aged 45 years or older from memory clinics and divide them into 5 groups: SCD treatment (n = 30), SCD control (n = 30), aMCI treatment (n = 30), aMCI control (n = 30), and a group of healthy adult subjects (n = 30) as a normal control (NC). Results:The primary outcome is the change in subjective and objective cognitive performance between baseline and postintervention visits (4 weeks after baseline). Secondary outcomes include changes in performance assessing from baseline, postintervention to follow-up (3 months after the intervention), as well as sleep, mood, and physiological parameters (including blood, urine, electrophysiology, and neuroimaging biomarkers). Conclusion:This study aims to provide evidence of the impact of light therapy on subjective and objective cognitive performance in middle-aged and older adults with SCD or aMCI. In addition, we will identify possible neurophysiological mechanisms of action underlying light therapy. Overall, this trial will contribute to the establishment of light therapy in the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease.

 

 

Carotenoids linked to lower diabetes

Utrecht University Medical Center (Netherlands), April 3, 2021

 

A prospective study of 37,846 subjects links higher carotenoid consumption to a lower risk of diabetes.

 

People who consume a diet high in antioxidant-rich carotenoids have a lower occurrence of diabetes, according to a new study. The researchers linked higher intakes of beta and alpha carotene with lower risks of type 2 diabetes.

 

The research was conducted by scientists at the University Medical Center Utrecht in the Netherlands. They analyzed data from validated food frequency questionnaires from 37,846 participants in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition, which followed subjects for a mean of 10 years. They focused on dietary carotenoid intake levels consisting of beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin and the total of these six carotenoids. The study also examined how smoking (tobacco, not carotenoids) played into the subjects’ risk of developing diabetes. Thirty-one percent of the subjects smoked.

 

 “This study shows that diets high in beta-carotene and alpha-carotene are associated with reduced type 2 diabetes in generally healthy men and women,” concluded the authors of the study, which appeared in the journal Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Disease. Smoking, according the researchers’ analysis, made no difference in the risk of diabetes.

 

An earlier study linked low carotenoids with increased risk of colon cancer. Animal and human studies have found that beta-carotene can enhance many aspects of immunity. Some of this research has shown that beta-carotene boosts the activity of "natural-killer" cells, a type of immune cell that fights cancer.