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Maintaining a continuous long-term ketogenic diet may induce the accumulation of aged cells (senescence) in normal tissues, and this has particular implications for heart and kidney function. However, taking a break from the highly restrictive diet could help with prevention attempts. Previously the strict and hard-to-adherence to ketogenic diet has become a valuable tool for …
What happens in the body when we are hungry and see and smell food? A team of researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research has now been able to show in mice that adaptations in the liver mitochondria take place after only a few minutes. Stimulated by the activation of a group of …
The health benefits of exercise are well known but new research shows that the body’s response to exercise is more complex and far-reaching than previously thought. In a study on rats, a team of scientists from across the United States has found that physical activity causes many cellular and molecular changes in all 19 of …
It’s happening every day. From our water, our food and even the air we breathe, tiny plastic particles are finding their way into many parts of our body. But what happens once those particles are inside? What do they do to our digestive system? In a recent paper published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, …
A multidisciplinary team of scientists led by the University of Helsinki reports that a progressive neurodegenerative disease can be triggered by a viral infection. The mechanism relates to mitochondrial roles in antiviral defense mechanisms. The scientists report that a specific gene variant affecting the mitochondria disturbs cellular antiviral defense responses. The results implicate that viral …
A recent study of American Veterans published in JAMA Network Open found that 10% of those diagnosed with dementia actually had a treatable liver condition called hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Hepatic encephalopathy can be mild and difficult to diagnose, symptoms can be as subtle as changes in sleep patterns and irritability. As this condition worsens, symptoms …
Research from the University of Leeds published in PLOS Medicine indicates that having a heart attack significantly increases the risk of developing other serious long-term health conditions. The study showed that patients surviving a heart attack went on to develop further conditions at a much higher rate than their counterparts who did not have a …
Image Caption: A small ultrasound sticker, worn on the skin, can monitor the stiffness of organs deep inside the body. The MIT-developed sensor could detect signs of disease such as liver and kidney failure, and the progression of solid tumors. CREDIT: MIT MIT engineers have developed a small ultrasound sticker that can monitor the stiffness …
Can physical activity counteract the risks associated with drinking sugar-sweetened beverages? According to this study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, contrary to popular belief, the benefits of physical activity are insufficient to outweigh the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) that are associated with …
A study recently published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology suggests that bariatric surgery is more effective in controlling hypertension (high blood pressure) in those with obesity and uncontrolled high blood pressure compared to medications alone. Findings show that those who underwent the procedure had lower BMI and were taking fewer medications …