Source: Time, Dominique Mosbergen
Photo: Eric Verdin (Courtesy The Buck Institute)

People have been obsessed with cheating death for millennia, but until recently, little had been understood about how to extend life—or if it was even possible.

Scientists now say they are getting closer to unlocking the secrets of longevity. Billions of dollars are being spent on an effort to find drugs and other therapies that could help people live healthier for longer.

But what if the fountain of youth was already within our reach: everyday habits, backed by science, that could transform your health now?

Dr. Eric Verdin, president of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, says that while continued research into aging and potential longevity therapies is necessary and exciting, researchers have already identified four simple factors that could help people live healthier, longer lives.

“Most people today could expect to live to 95 in good health based on what we know about these four factors,” says Verdin, who is also a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. “When I tell this to people, they don’t really believe me. They think this isn’t true, but it is. That’s what the data says.”

So, what are these factors? Nutrition, physical activity, sleep, and social engagement.

“People will think, oh, that’s boring. I know this. My grandmother knew this. But I would say, not so fast. Educate yourself about what it means,” says Verdin. “When we say physical activity, what does that mean? What’s a healthier diet?”

Longevity researchers have been probing these questions and have unearthed some compelling answers, Verdin says. As part of TIME’s series interviewing leaders in the longevity field, we spoke to Verdin about this research and other advancements in the science of aging.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

How would you define aging?

Imagine two trucks, both made in the 1940s. One is rusty and has all the telltale signs of age and the other one is in pristine condition because a car collector has been maintaining it and repairing it so it’s essentially in the same state it was in when it rolled off the assembly line.

The difference between these two trucks is maintenance and repair and the same thing is true for us. From the day you’re born, your body is subjected to a whole series of insults—ultraviolet light from the sun, gamma rays coming from space, the oxygen that we breathe that induces oxidative stress, gravity that pulls on your nerves, on your tendons and so on. All of these forces generate insults and cause damage to your DNA, to your proteins, to your cells in general. But our bodies are imbued with a whole series of protective mechanisms that allows it to repair damage and it’s doing that continuously.

Aging is the subtle, progressive degradation of these repair pathways over time. This degradation causes you to slowly accumulate small defects—a wrinkle, for example. A wrinkle is a cross-linking of some of the collagen fibers under your skin. Once it’s cross-linked, you cannot undo that. You cannot repair it. Now imagine that at the level of the whole organism. That is what aging is.

The implication of this is that if we could understand what these maintenance and repair pathways are and can figure out how to target them, then we will be able to slow down aging. This is what a lot of the longevity field is now dealing with.

What prompted your interest in longevity research?

My lab started working more actively on aging around the mid-1990s, which was an exciting time for aging research. Aging had previously been viewed as a sort of non-specific process that was very hard to study. But from around 1988 to 1995, a number of labs identified a whole series of genes that, when mutated, could actually increase lifespan [in yeast and animals]. People had previously predicted that finding these genes would be impossible because aging was thought to have multiple causes: oxidative stress, gamma rays, gravity. But what these discoveries showed was that despite the multiplicity of insults that lead to aging, there were a number of central genes that could change the whole paradigm of how well and how fast you age. That really created a lot of excitement. Since then, hundreds of genes have been identified that appear to control aging.

My lab has focused mostly on epigenetic regulation [which is the process by which genes can be turned on or off by certain biochemical mechanisms]. Epigenetic regulation is very relevant to aging because during the aging process, these mechanisms become a little loose. My lab has identified, cloned, and characterized some of the key enzymes that modify histones [a type of protein that plays a central role in epigenetic regulation]. Another area that we’ve worked a lot on is ketogenesis and the role of ketone bodies.

Does that have anything to do with the “keto” diet?

It does. Ketone bodies or ketones [a type of chemical that is produced by the liver when it breaks down fats] are a form of energy that our body can use like fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. But other than being an energy source, we discovered in the 2000s that ketones are also signaling molecules that are speaking to the epigenetic regulatory mechanism. We found that a type of ketone known as beta hydroxybutyrate is an inhibitor of [an enzyme that modifies histones and is involved in aging]. Based on this, we postulated that ketones might have an anti-aging effect. We put mice on a ketogenic diet and showed that they actually did live longer. Median age was increased and they had better brain aging and so on. I think the reason you’ve heard about the ketogenic diet being healthy is in large part because of that work.

There are multiple ways to enter a state of ketosis. One way is prolonged fasting. It takes at least 21 hours of fully fasting to get into ketosis. The other way is to restrict carbohydrates. This is what a lot of people on the ketogenic diet do. They eat, but they don’t eat more than between 30 and 50 grams of carbohydrates a day, which is not very much. The last way is to take a supplement that has ketones in it. I have designed some novel ketone esters—these are ketone precursors that you can take as a supplement that will put you into ketosis within 30 minutes.

We are currently recruiting participants for a couple of clinical trials at the Buck Institute [a California-based biomedical research center focused on aging] that are testing these ketone esters. One of them is testing to see what level of ketone supplements are best for people. What is the proper dose? How long does it last? And the other one is targeting aging. We want to see if taking ketone esters can help people who have signs of a condition associated with aging called frailty, where people have loss of muscle mass and don’t have good balance.

We have 22 research groups at the Buck Institute working on all kinds of different topics related to aging. Some are studying the basic mechanisms of aging in animals, others are studying the role of aging in diseases like Alzheimer’s. Over the last 10 years, we’ve been building up a whole infrastructure to allow us to start doing clinical trials. We now have several underway.

Based on what we know today, can we extend lifespan in people?

That’s the question I was hoping you were going to ask.

How much of a role do you think genetics plays in longevity? It turns out that almost all of your life expectancy is determined by non-genetic factors—more than 90%, according to some research. To me, that’s an incredibly powerful message, because it means you cannot be fatalistic about your own aging. Your decisions about whether to live healthily or not are going to have a huge effect on how long and how well you live.

So, how do you do this? By thinking about what I call the “five pillars of aging”: nutrition, physical activity, sleep, community, and interventions like drugs or supplements.

I always tell people that we currently have no drugs and no supplements that have been proven to increase lifespan in humans. I get bombarded every day on Instagram by this supplement or that supplement that promises to make me live longer. But nothing has been proven. There are some drugs that can increase lifespan in mice but more research is needed to make sure they are safe and effective in humans.

The field of aging research occupies itself with this last pillar quite often and people sometimes think that we are only developing drugs. That would be a tragic mistake to make because although we have no proven drugs or supplements, the field has shown that the other four pillars have clear effects in terms of aging. Most people today could expect to live to 95 in good health based on what we know about these four factors. When I tell this to people, they don’t really believe me. They think this isn’t true, but it is. That’s what the data says.

People will think, oh, that’s boring. I know this. My grandmother knew this. But I would say, not so fast. Educate yourself about what it means. When we say physical activity, what does that mean? What’s a healthier diet? If you ask people if a vegetarian diet is healthier than a regular diet, most would probably tell you that, yes, it is healthier. But many studies don’t support that.

I think about the four factors almost like a bank account or a stock portfolio. If you exercise a lot, you might get an extra five years of life. If you eat well on top of it, you might get an extra three or four years and if you sleep well, you’re probably going to get another two or three. The most powerful effect is actually from community: how many relationships do you have in your life that you’d consider strong, people who you can really count on? That could be a partner, it could be a spouse or children or a friend. It doesn’t have to be anything bound by society. It just has to be a type of relationship where you feel like the person is watching over you and cares about you and will be there when you need them. That’s the strongest factor, by the way, which is really interesting, and it’s the one that’s the hardest to study in the lab.

Tell me more about the different pillars. What kind of diet appears to help you live longer?
The data is really clear that restrictive diets don’t work because many of them are not well-balanced and people have a hard time being on them for a long time. That includes the keto diet and also veganism and vegetarianism. I love the Mediterranean diet for a number of reasons: it’s very balanced, it includes a lot of fresh vegetables and fruits.

Ultra-processed food should be avoided as much as possible and eating a lot of saturated fat from meat isn’t healthy. If you’re going to eat meat, eat low-fat meat that is organic.

The most important thing to avoid is sugar. Sugar is the enemy of healthy aging, especially fast carbohydrates like cereals and fruit juice. The reason is, they make your glucose levels spike, which triggers a disproportionate insulin response. The surge of insulin then causes your glucose levels to get too low, which triggers hunger and then you restart the cycle.

I would recommend that people use a continuous glucose monitor [CGM] to understand their own carbohydrate metabolism. I’ve argued that every high schooler should have a CGM for two weeks which can show them the impact on their blood sugar of what they’re eating. I do it from time to time to remind myself of the consequences of eating that ice cream.

How about physical activity and sleep?

There is still a lot to be learned about what an optimal exercise regimen might be for most people. We do know that sitting is worse than smoking in terms of risk, so I tell people to stand up between Zoom calls. Do some squats, move around the house, go grab a coffee.

Walking for 35 to 40 minutes a day has enormous health benefits. Just 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes at night will have a really profound effect on your health. You can get even more benefits if you start lifting weights, especially if you’re older. Also, balancing exercises and stretching.

As for sleep, we know that something like 70% of the population is not getting adequate sleep. Most people need seven or eight hours. Some people might tell you, oh, I only need six—and I can tell you that in 99% of those cases, they’re deluding themselves. Not getting enough sleep has a big effect on things like metabolism and inflammation.

What is your advice to people who want to experiment with drugs or supplements for longevity?
I think there are drugs coming in the future—maybe in the next five to 10 years—that will have a protective effect against the aging process. Those are coming, but they’re not here yet.

There are a number of physicians now specializing in this who really understand the risks and the consequences. This is not something that you want to just play with by yourself. I hear so many stories of people buying supplements on the internet and taking them, and then they show me their numbers, and as a physician and a scientist, it doesn’t take very long to realize they’re actually harming themselves.

Educate yourself. Listen to serious people. Avoid the hype. Remember that supplements are unregulated. The first question that you want to ask yourself when you buy a supplement is, who’s making it? How do I know that what’s on the bottle’s label is actually in the bottle?

My attitude is, let’s start focusing on the four pillars that can bring everybody to 95 in good health, which would be transformative to society.

https://time.com/7326301/4-science-habits-longer-life

Source: Time, Donavyn Coffey
Photo: Time; Getty Images

Want to put on muscle? Who wouldn’t: It keeps you strong enough to do the things you love now, and it’s a great investment for later, since muscle improves bone mineral density and mobility as you age. People with more muscle mass have better outcomes when they’re sick, and quicker recoveries.

It’s hard not to be tempted by the powders, protein bars, and shakes promising to help. Whey, creatine, and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are among the most popular of these. But what do they actually do, and who (if anyone) should take them?

Start with exercise

The first thing to know about muscle-building supplements is that they should not be your top priority. Resistance-training workouts should. These challenge your muscles, which is how to grow them.

“[You need] a stimulus greater than you’re used to…a load you aren’t used to carrying,” says Abbie Smith-Ryan, director of the applied physiology lab at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Most of us could stand to do more of it: only about a third of Americans do the recommended amount of muscle-strengthening exercise, according to the latest federal data.

For people who already do strength training, challenging your muscles might look like lifting heavier weights, shortening rest periods, or increasing the number of reps. The key is to “push your muscles to the edge,” says Elisabeth Barton, a muscle physiologist at the University of Florida. “Go to your limits.” This resistance challenge causes slight damage to your muscle, triggering a process called “regeneration,” in which cells activate and help grow new muscle fibers. As they repair the muscle, these cells multiply and fuse, increasing the overall size of the muscle. Resistance exercise also stimulates a cascade of growth signals that prompt muscle fibers to reinforce themselves, capillaries to expand the muscle’s blood supply, and DNA to make more proteins.

As long as you’re getting enough calories, this process works to increase your muscles. However, if you’re underfueling yourself, these muscle-challenging workouts can actually lead to muscle loss. When your body is forced to choose between growing your muscles and, say, feeding your brain, bigger muscles will always take the backseat. But for most people, the limiting factor for muscle growth is their workout, not a lack of nutrition, Smith-Ryan says.

Assess your diet

Foods can help you increase muscle mass, says Smith-Ryan. People who are exercising need between 1.4 to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight each day (that’s 95 to 136 grams of protein for a person weighing 150 pounds). The majority of that will come from protein-rich foods like chicken breast, turkey, Greek yogurt, milk, and chickpeas.

However, “it is difficult to get enough macronutrients and the calories we need from whole foods,” since they can be time-consuming to prepare, Smith-Ryan says. “You are what you eat consistently.” And if a supplement helps you fuel your body consistently while you live your life, it might be a good option.

Whey

Whey can make up for some of what we miss in our diets. It’s considered a high-quality protein because it is absorbed quickly into the bloodstream and contains all nine essential amino acids—so named because the body doesn’t make them, so they must be consumed. (People can get all of the essential amino acids through a well-rounded diet.) It’s useful to have plenty of amino acids on hand—a kind of reservoir—when you train to support the regeneration process, Barton says.

Using a whey product also boosts your protein without a lot of calories in the form of carbs and fats, Smith-Ryan says. Whey is fast and easy to eat on the go in the form of a smoothie or shake, making it a good option for busy people trying to get enough macronutrients. It might also be useful for people struggling to eat within the recommended window around a workout—15 to 60 minutes prior or 30 to 60 minutes after, Smith-Ryan says. Before or after a tough workout, a shake might be more appetizing than a chicken breast.

Creatine

Creatine doesn’t directly influence muscle growth, but it may still offer a little help. In the body, creatine is formed from amino acids and replenishes phosphocreatine, an important energy source for muscle cells.

“What it does benefit is the length of time you can train,” Barton says. Consuming it before a workout can help you train just a bit longer and eke out a few more reps. Since stimulus is the number-one muscle grower, creatine may help you put in more effective training sessions.

If you’re eating animal protein, you’re already making creatine. A teaspoon of the supplement creatine monohydrate contains the same amount of creatine as one pound of ground beef, Smith-Ryan says.

Vegetarians may have an even better response to creatine supplementation than omnivores since they tend to have lower creatine levels. One clinical trial found that vegetarians taking creatine showed a bigger increase in creatine stores, lean tissue, and exercise performance compared to non-vegetarians who took creatine.

However, if you don’t have a resistance training regimen just yet, creatine isn’t for you. “It doesn’t do anything for muscles without the added exercise,” Barton says.

Similarly, if you’re just starting out an exercise regimen, pass on creatine. This supplement is most useful for people who are already training consistently and looking for incremental improvement. If that’s not you, stick to the basics. Challenging workouts and proper fueling will be your best muscle builders.

BCAAs

BCAAs contain three essential amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Unlike the other six essential amino acids, which are broken down in the liver, BCAAs are metabolized in the muscle. “When you see them in higher [amounts] in the blood, it’s a clear indication that muscles are breaking down,” Barton says.

Ads for these supplements suggest that taking them will replenish the muscle and prevent muscle loss, but there isn’t much data to support BCAAs in muscle growth. In fact, a 2017 review of the evidence called these claims “unwarranted.” “Ten years ago, the science seemed to show you needed BCAAs to build muscle, but what science shows now is you really need all the amino acids, not just BCAAS,” Smith-Ryan says.

Today, she recommends against a BCAA supplement. Instead, she advises, take a whey supplement for muscle growth or an essential amino acid (EAA) supplement, which contains all nine amino acids you need to get from food. EAAs are a good option if you don’t respond well to dairy and prefer to avoid whey protein. Some people like the taste of fruity EAA drinks over thicker whey protein shakes, Smith-Ryan says. It comes down to personal tastes.

How to take supplements

If you decide to incorporate supplements into your diet, it’s best to choose a product that’s been tested by a third-party organization like NSF, Banned Substances Control Group, or Informed Sport, Smith-Ryan says. She says that whey, creatine, BCAAs, and EAAs have “minimal cause for concern.” However, that’s not universally true for all supplements (which aren’t regulated by the FDA as strictly as drugs) that promise to boost muscle growth. And taking too much of anything can be problematic.

For instance, consuming large amounts of protein powder can cause digestive problems. This may be caused by a sensitivity to an ingredient in the powder, like dairy, soy, or gluten. It may take a few tries to find the protein powder that works best for you. Symptoms like diarrhea and bloating may also be a result of over-consuming sugar alcohols, a low-calorie sweetener used in many protein powders.

There have been some concerns that creatine causes dehydration, potentially by increasing the water content of muscle cells and thereby increasing the body’s water needs. However, this theory has not been supported in the research literature. Multiple studies have found that creatine actually improves hydration and reduces cramps. Still, multiple creatine brands advise customers to increase their water intake with creatine use. It’s always a good idea to read up on the product and take it as directed, Smith-Ryan says.

If you’re considering multiple supplements, remember that whey and EAA powders do the same thing, so you’ll only need one. But both can be safely taken alongside creatine, according to Smith-Ryan.

https://time.com/6961645/muscle-building-supplements-whey-creatine-bcaas

Source: Smithsonian Magazine, Bob Holmes, Knowable Magazine
Photo: As our companions, dogs are often exposed to the same carcinogens as us. (FatCamera/E+ via Getty Images)

Canine and human cancers bear many similarities, and studies on dogs are helping advance care for our furry friends and for us

After a train carrying chemicals derailed and caught fire in East Palestine, Ohio, in 2023, residents were exposed to carcinogens such as vinyl chloride, acrolein and dioxin. Since tumors are typically slow to develop, it could take decades to know what that did to the locals’ cancer risk, but there may be a quicker route to an answer: The residents’ dogs were also exposed, and dogs develop cancer more quickly.

Studying dogs and their cancers turns out to be an excellent way to learn more about cancer in people. And it’s not just that dogs and owners share exposures to many of the same environmental carcinogens. Researchers are also learning that cancers develop along remarkably similar pathways in the two species.

The faster pace at which canine cancers progress also means that researchers testing new therapies can get quicker results than they can in human clinical trials. This benefits scientists, dogs and their owners, proponents say.

“Man’s best friend is man’s best biomedical friend,” says Matthew Breen, a geneticist at North Carolina State University. “It’s like having a mobile biosentinel organism that can help inform us about our own medical prospects over the next 25 years.”

Dogs in the vanguard

The biomedical bond between people and dogs is not new; veterinarians have long treated their canine patients with drugs developed for use in people, and doctors have relied on dogs to test therapies and procedures before deploying them in the clinic. Techniques to treat the bone cancer osteosarcoma without amputating the patient’s limb, for example, were first developed in dogs.

Yet today this cross-fertilization is no longer an occasional, sporadic benefit. Researchers are realizing that canine tumors parallel those in people so closely that dogs may be the best reference point for understanding many of our own cancers.

One of the most important similarities between canine and human cancers is that they arise spontaneously, as the end result of a protracted struggle at the cellular level: Over the course of years, cells accumulate genetic damage that disables normal controls on cell division, and emerging tumors evolve ways to evade the immune system. That complexity means there can be many different pathways to cancer that differ from tumor to tumor—and, it turns out, even from cell to cell within a single tumor.

New genetic research underscores how similar the accumulating damage is in dogs and people. In a yet-to-be-published study, Elinor Karlsson, a genomicist at the UMass Chan Medical School, and her colleagues looked at gene sequences from more than 15,000 human tumors of 32 different types and more than 400 canine tumors of seven different types.

The aim was to identify genetic mutations that were present in the cancers but not in normal cells of the same individual. Such mutations were presumably not inherited but instead were likely to represent genetic damage accumulated over a lifetime, some of which can result in cancer.

That damage looked remarkably similar in the two species, says Karlsson: “Genetically, in terms of what’s driving cancers, it’s basically the same genes in dogs and humans.” Many of the dog tumors, for example, had mutations in genes already known to drive human cancers, such as the tumor suppressor gene PTEN (often mutated in breast and prostate cancers, among others) and the cell-division regulator NRAS (involved in melanoma and other cancers). Notably, mutations often occurred in or near the same locations in the genes in both species, suggesting that they may cause similar dysfunctions.

A similar recent finding came from researchers at FidoCure, a California-based company working on canine cancer. Scientists there are investigating how tumors with specific genetic mutations respond to human therapies. The team reviewed records of 1,108 dogs with cancer, finding that dogs whose tumors carried particular mutations had higher survival rates if they were treated with a human drug specific to that mutation. This implies that the underlying biology of the cancers may be similar in the two species, and, if so, researchers ought to be able to work in the other direction, too—using dogs as a test bed to develop new therapies for people.

That has already paid off in a few cancer therapies first developed in dogs that are now in clinical trials or approved for use for people, says Amy LeBlanc, a veterinary oncologist and director of the comparative oncology program at the National Cancer Institute. Examples include immunotherapies for brain cancers; viral therapy that targets lymphoma; and drug therapies against multiple myeloma, lymphoma and brain tumors. Results like FidoCure’s suggest that these therapies could be just the vanguard of many more such drugs.

A faster path to answers

Cancers progress faster in dogs, which means that clinical trials yield results more quickly. For example, tumors often produce an unusual abundance of malformed RNA molecules. Researchers have shown, in mice, that targeting these molecules with a vaccine can delay or prevent the onset of cancers. But testing a preventive vaccine in people wouldn’t yield results for many years, even decades—and funding agencies aren’t likely to support such a long and expensive study based solely on data from mice.

“It would be an enormous leap to go from the mouse studies to some kind of gigantic, 15- or 20-year human cancer prevention study,” says Douglas Thamm, a veterinary oncologist at Colorado State University.

Instead, Thamm and his colleagues tested the vaccine in dogs, which shrinks the timeline to just five years. All the data—from 804 dogs—has now been collected, and the researchers are analyzing it, with an answer on the vaccine’s effectiveness expected by the end of 2025.

Cancer detection techniques can also benefit from testing in dogs. Many golden retrievers, for example, will eventually develop a cancer of the blood vessels called hemangiosarcoma. Drugs can usually forestall the cancer’s progression, but many dogs will eventually relapse. Karlsson and her colleagues are studying whether they can detect that relapse in blood samples drawn from affected dogs, a technique known as liquid biopsy.

The technique is still under development, but the hope is that spotting early signs of relapse will allow veterinarians to abandon failing therapies and try something else more quickly, says project co-leader Cheryl London, a veterinary medical oncologist and immunologist at Tufts University and co-author of a 2016 overview of the similarities between dog and human cancers. In contrast, she notes, doctors can’t ethically try experimental treatments on people until standard treatments have clearly failed.

Eventually, liquid biopsy might be used to screen for previously undetected cancers in both dogs and people, Karlsson says. Here, too, golden retrievers are likely to prove invaluable: Because so many of the dogs will eventually develop cancer, researchers don’t need to screen many animals to find enough tumors to study.

Environmental watchdogs

There’s another important way that dogs can benefit the study of cancer—as environmental sentinels. “Dogs live in our environment,” says Breen. “They breathe the same air, they drink the same water. The dog runs across the same herbicide-treated grass that our grandkids run over.” If those exposures increase the risk of cancer in dogs, they’re likely to do so in people, too, since the genomic pathways leading to cancer are so similar.

In people, exposures to various environmental carcinogens might take 25 years to produce full-blown cancers, Breen says. “But the accelerated lifespan of a dog means they may only need to be exposed to it for two or three years.” That makes dogs a quicker way to spot the chemicals that potentially pose the greatest danger to people.

Breen and his colleagues recently put this sentinel idea to the test. They were interested in environmental toxins that might contribute to bladder cancer. The team knew that in dogs, genetic damage that accumulates in cells of the bladder wall often includes a specific mutation called BRAF V595E that is an early marker for bladder cancer. Earlier research had suggested environmental chemicals were linked to the cancer—but which ones?

To find out, the team identified 25 dogs with the BRAF V595E mutation using urine samples. Then they sent out specially designed silicone tags for the dogs. They also sent tags to 76 dogs (matched for breed, sex and age) that lacked the mutation. Each wore the silicone for five days, during which time it absorbed chemicals from the home environment. The owners then returned the tags to the researchers, who extracted and analyzed the chemicals.

The analysis identified 25 chemicals that were more abundant in the dogs with the mutation, and therefore carcinogen candidates. These included flame retardants, plasticizers and combustion byproducts from smoking, fires and vehicle emissions. “They’re the classic kinds of chemicals that are in everybody’s house,” says Breen. An earlier study by Breen and his team noted similar exposure patterns recorded by silicone tags on dogs and silicone wristbands worn by their owners.

A similar approach may help to measure the cancer risk from other environmental exposures, such as the train derailment in East Palestine. To that end, Karlsson and her colleagues recently mailed silicone tags to about 75 dog owners who live near the site. The researchers are now measuring chemicals in the tags and screening blood samples from the dogs to detect genetic changes linked to cancer.

If dogs exposed to chemicals in that train derailment are showing a higher rate of these mutations in their blood, says Karlsson, they and their owners might need to be monitored for an increased risk of cancer.

As researchers continue to study the links between cancers of dogs and people, they often reiterate the benefits that accrue not just to science, but to dog owners and their sick pets. The pets receive highly sophisticated cancer care that their owners might not have access to otherwise, and the owners may get a little more time with their companions. “We’re not experimenting on these animals to their detriment,” says Thamm. “We’re trying to help those individuals.” That, he and others say, is a source of great satisfaction.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-research-on-dogs-is-helping-to-improve-cancer-treatment-180986949

Source: Fast Company, Clint Rainey
Photo: Mark A Paulda/Getty Images, Leonello Calvetti/Science Photo Library/Getty Images, xamtiw/Getty Images

Pecan milk—a newcomer to the the $20 billion alt-milk industry—is sustainable, nutritious, and tasty. It could even help bridge America’s political divide.

At a conference in 2019, Laura Shenkar buttonholed Greg Steltenpohl—the founder of Odwalla and then-CEO of Califia Farms—to offer the juice and alt-milk pioneer a few sustainability tips.

“I was like, ‘There are a lot of things you need to do to get Califia to be truly environmentally sensitive,’” recalls Shenkar, an environmental business strategist at the time, laughing now at the flex. “And he said, ‘Yes, that’s true. This company can’t do what you’re describing. You’d need to start a company from the ground up.’” It was a gargantuan task, he warned—one that would require designing the business at every step with a team that “thinks differently,” not the usual corporate CPG types.

Viewing that as a challenge, Shenkar launched PKN, a pecan milk brand, two years later in an attempt to tap into the alternative milk market. Califia and others had been mostly focused on oats and almonds. Almonds are a notoriously thirsty nut, with the highest water footprint of all major California crops. Shenkar had become fixated on pecans, instead.

Pecans are nutritious, packed with vitamins A, B, and E, omega-3s, and impressive amounts of manganese, zinc, and copper. They boast the highest antioxidant content of any tree nut. They’re wind-pollinated, so they don’t rely on bees trucked across the country like almonds do. And they’re native to the United States—America’s only major indigenous tree nut, growing naturally in places like Georgia, Texas, and New Mexico, where they’ve thrived without needing ecological intervention.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Clint Rainey is a Fast Company contributor based in New York who reports on business, often food brands. He has covered the anti-ESG movement, rumors of a Big Meat psyop against plant-based proteins, Chick-fil-A’s quest to walk the narrow path to growth, as well as Starbucks’s pivot from a progressive brand—into one that’s far more Chinese.

https://www.fastcompany.com/91364924/why-pecan-milk-is-suddenly-crushing-it-pkn-pecana-alt-milk-dairy-grocery-where-almond-soy-oat-raw-maha-walmart-texas-georgia

Source: Time, Matt Fuchs
Photo: Norman Posselt—Getty Images

Many years ago, I became a Phaal Curry Monster, meaning I was brave (and dumb) enough to accept a restaurant’s challenge to eat a plate of chicken drenched in curry made of the spiciest peppers on Earth. Each swallow felt like shards of glass scraping my throat. After finishing, I celebrated my achievement by throwing up in a bush across the street. The health benefits of spicy food could not have been further from my mind.

But emerging research links chili peppers—if consumed more reasonably than I did at that restaurant—to better health. Data “suggest spicy food can help metabolism, enhancing feelings of fullness and weight control,” says Dr. Long Nguyen, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Here’s why chili peppers may be good for you and how to heat up your diet for both taste and health.

The benefits of spicy food

Several studies find that people who regularly eat spicy food have better overall health and fewer diseases. Increasingly, scientists are understanding how these foods help the body, though more research is needed, Nguyen says.

In 2020, an extensive research review found that a diet rich in spicy peppers was associated with less obesity, heart disease, and diabetes risk. People who had lots of spicy peppers were 25% less likely to die sooner than expected, compared to those who rarely or never ate them.

The review’s senior author, cardiologist Dr. Bo Xu at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, believes these differences are due to capsaicin, the compound that makes chili peppers so hot. Capsaicin switches on receptors in nerve cells called TRPV1. These receptors, in turn, seem to trigger adrenaline, which burns fat and helps control blood sugar.

Some research shows that TRPV1 receptors also help control overactive immune cells to reduce inflammation, a driver of chronic illnesses such as heart disease. Medicines with capsaicin are sometimes applied to the skin for nerve pain and arthritis partly because the compound fights inflammation, and “capsaicin potentially has some of those same effects inside the body when it’s eaten,” Nguyen says. An Italian study found that people who ate chili peppers had broader heart health benefits than those who favored sweet peppers, which contain much less capsaicin.

Spicy food may support a healthier microbiome, too. Though data are limited, “spicy foods appear to increase the microbiome’s diversity,” Nguyen says. This is advantageous because each type of bacteria performs different jobs, like breaking down food, strengthening the gut lining, and fighting harmful germs.

Capsaicin’s effects on the microbiome have been studied mostly in animals, says Emma Laing, clinical professor of dietetics at the University of Georgia. “However, studies in humans also suggest capsaicin’s gut-friendly properties could improve metabolism, inflammation, and control of blood glucose and cholesterol,” Laing says.

Ease into the fire

People new to spicy food should start with mild chili peppers like poblanos. Dietitian Kiran Campbell says she recommends spicy food to patients looking to lose weight, while telling them to “start low and go slow” with the heat.

Having food with capsaicin increases tolerance, so people can gradually work up to spicier peppers—which may provide more benefits. “There is certainly some early data suggesting a relationship between how much capsaicin you’re eating, and some of these anti-inflammatory effects,” Nguyen says.

This is partly because the spiciest peppers, in addition to having more capsaicin, tend to pack more beneficial compounds like antioxidants and phenols. According to a 2023 study, many hot peppers are high in antioxidants. However, less fiery options provide some of these compounds, too. According to the same study, jalapeno peppers have “solid antioxidant activity” at a more tolerable heat level.

Aim for spicy meals 2-4 times per week, Campbell recommends. At least one study, meanwhile, reports benefits to eating peppers 6-7 days per week, compared to less than one serving. (Exact amounts per day aren’t well defined, Xu says.)

With frequent intake, the tongue’s pain receptors become less sensitive to capsaicin in about a week’s time, enabling hotter peppers for greater health.

“There’s debate” on this point, though, Nguyen says. Research published last month suggests that spicy food’s benefits come simply from feeling your mouth burning, no matter how much capsaicin you’re taking in. John Hayes, professor of food science at Penn State, found that when people experience food as spicy, their behavior changes: they chew more slowly. This lets them brace for the spice, recover from it, or avoid swallowing a big spicy piece. Slowing down results in eating less and may lead to healthier weight, digestion, and glucose levels.

In other words, the behavior change could account for many benefits sometimes attributed to capsaicin. “Researchers are split between the physical and behavioral explanations,” Hayes says.

Don’t go all out

If you go overboard, your body—like mine—will rebel. “High consumption can really worsen symptoms of acid reflux and irritable bowel syndrome, especially if you’ve had rather drastic dietary changes,” says Nguyen, who is also an expert of the American Gastroenterological Association.

Nguyen rarely has a chance to talk with his patients about spicy food potentially boosting their health; it comes up mostly as a cause of their gastrointestinal symptoms. “If it’s a known trigger, then moderation or avoidance is prudent,” he says, adding that people can track symptoms to learn what spice level, if any, is tolerable.

Your doctor or dietitian should guide this process, Laing adds. Experts can also identify other ingredients that might explain digestive pain. “It’s possible the spices are not the culprit,” she says.

How to prepare your peppers

Fresh peppers are likely healthier than processed ones. Research shows that people who regularly have chopped-up fresh peppers, instead of dried or ground versions, enjoyed lower rates of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

Another study found that, for most kinds of red peppers—which are riper than green peppers and usually have more capsaicin—eating them raw or lightly cooked is best for preserving their capsaicin, antioxidants, and vitamin C. If you roast them, though, other beneficial compounds—polyphenols and flavonoids—may increase.

These tradeoffs underscore the wisdom of traditional cuisines that involve many ways of preparing peppers, adding up to more benefits. Nguyen, who is Vietnamese, notes that “the spicy food in our cuisine takes all forms: you cook the peppers, top the food with a homemade hot sauce, and garnish with chili oil.”

Balance heat with flavor

If you don’t like spicy food, you’ll probably avoid it, no matter how beneficial. One way to make spicy peppers more enjoyable—and less painful—is to balance the heat with salt, sweetness, and other flavors.

Mark Sanchez, president of the Chile Guy, a San Francisco-based company selling chili peppers online, thinks the reverse is also true: bland foods, like plain beans, call for a more flavorful pepper. He recommends the New Mexico chili pepper and chipotle as two types that are “really flavorful and have a good heat component.” High heat doesn’t preclude tastiness, though; Sanchez appreciates the “unique flavor” of spicier habanero peppers.

Try discarding the seeds, Sanchez suggests. They add no flavor and few nutrients while being hotter than other parts; they’re near the pepper’s placenta, where capsaicin is concentrated.

Cool the burn

Another strategy for handling more spice: pair it with a healthy fat, which absorbs capsaicin, Hayes says. The
But his team also found that skim milk works about as well, probably because fat is just one element in food that dials down the heat. Protein and cold temperature help, too.

To combine these factors, try cold guacamole, or a plant protein shake mixed with flaxseed oil. Nguyen notes that “spice can be muted with several dairy products” besides milk, like spicy cheese.

Campbell recommends putting sliced chili peppers in olive oil (another source of healthy fat). Refrigerate for a few days to create a spicy cooking oil or salad drizzle. Xu likes Thai chili peppers—“tiny but powerful,” he says—and minces them into a dipping sauce a few times per week.

Some pairings may offer synergistic benefits, Laing says: “When capsaicin is paired with foods like fiber-rich vegetables or probiotics, gut health benefits can be enhanced through improved digestion and nutrient absorption, and a more diverse microbiota.” She recommends pepper-spiced vegetables with Greek yogurt, kefir, or sauerkraut.

Spiciness doesn’t magically transform fried foods or ultra-processed sauces into superfoods. Overall nutrition matters most. Laing notes that Mediterranean cuisine supports longevity because its components work so well together, not just because it includes chili peppers or any other single ingredient. “Spicy food can fit perfectly into an otherwise healthy diet.”

https://time.com/7294645/health-benefits-spicy-food

Source: Huff Post, Kelby Vera
Photo: The Department of Veterans Affairs headquarters in Washington DC on 13 February. (Bloomberg/Getty Images)

Democrats and unmarried military veterans could now be denied care from the Department of Veterans Affairs, based on new hospital bylaws obtained by The Guardian.

While doctors, psychologists, dentists and other medical professionals were previously required to treat people regardless of their “national origin,” “politics” and “marital status,” those protections have been removed in revised rules for VA medical centers.

The bylaws still prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, age, sex, religion, or disability.

The changes also leave the door open for doctors and other medical staff to be blocked from working for the VA based on their political affiliation, marital status or union activity.

Dr. Kenneth Kizer, the VA’s top health care official during the Clinton administration, told The Guardian the new rules could have broader implications, possibly allowing doctors to refuse treatment based on a veteran’s “reason for seeking care – including allegations of rape and sexual assault – current or past political party affiliation or political activity, and personal behavior such as alcohol or marijuana use.”

VA officials told The Guardian the updates were made to comply with President Donald Trump’s executive order titled “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,” an anti-trans directive.

In a statement, VA press secretary Peter Kasperowicz dismissed the policy change at the agency as a “formality,” but did not deny the possibility it would allow medical professionals to refuse to care for patients based on personal characteristics that are not explicitly protected by federal health care regulations.

“All eligible veterans will always be welcome at VA and will always receive the benefits and services they’ve earned under the law,” Kasperowicz told the outlet, claiming that the changes were made to “ensure VA policy comports with federal law.”

According to The Guardian, the new policies have already gone into effect at some VA medical centers.

With more than 170 hospitals and 1,000 clinics, the VA is the U.S.’s largest integrated hospital system.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/new-veterans-affairs-rules-allow-discrimination-against-democrats-unmarried

Source: Food & Wine, Andi Breitowich
Photo: Food & Wine/Getty Images

Every year, the EWG ranks fruits and vegetables by their pesticide contamination — and the latest results are in.

The EWG’s 2025 Shopper’s Guide identifies the “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean Fifteen” based on USDA tests of over 53,000 fruit and vegetable samples, ranking them by pesticide presence, frequency, concentration, and toxicity.

The “Dirty Dozen” includes produce such as spinach, strawberries, and grapes, with 96% of samples showing pesticide residues—many with over 50 different pesticides detected.

The “Clean Fifteen” features items like pineapple, avocado, and sweet corn, with nearly 60% of samples showing no detectable pesticide residue and very low overall pesticide toxicity.

Fruits and vegetables are the MVPs of your diet thanks to their vitamins, minerals, and health-boosting nutrients. However, despite their impressive nutritional profiles, some produce carry high concentrations of pesticide residue that can negate those benefits. Fortunately, the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) 2025 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce ranks fruits and vegetables according to their pesticide residue levels, helping you make informed choices about what to buy and eat.

Quick primer: Pesticides are substances (or mixtures of substances) used to kill or control pests, including insects, weeds, fungi, and rodents. They are commonly used to protect the agriculture of fruits and vegetables and to repel unwanted organisms that may carry disease. The chemicals are applied when growing produce or after it is harvested, though many pesticides remain on items when they reach your kitchen.

Pesticides are used to protect crops, but they can be notably harmful to human health. Research suggests that pesticides may disrupt hormones, affect fertility, reduce ovarian function, and diminish sperm quality. They may also increase the risk of breast cancer, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

A New Study Says Washing Produce Does Not Remove Pesticides — Here’s What to Do Instead

Given the facts, it is crucial to reduce your exposure to pesticides, says EWG Vice President for Science Alexis Temkin, PhD. “The EWG’s Shopper’s Guide is a tool to inform consumers and help them with their produce shopping choices, with the goal of a diet rich in more fruits and vegetables but low in pesticide residue,” she says.

To simplify grocery shopping, the EWG created the Clean Fifteen, representing items with the least pesticide residue, and the Dirty Dozen, which represents produce with the highest residue. The guide has been published since 2004, but this year’s edition not only examines the number, presence, and amount of pesticides on produce, but also evaluates their toxicity to humans, Temkin says.

Here’s a closer look at the EWG’s Shopper’s Guide results, along with tips on how to effectively reduce your risk of pesticide exposure.

Understanding the EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce

The EWG Shopper’s Guide evaluated data from pesticide residue tests conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) on more than 53,000 samples of 47 fruits and vegetables, Temkin says. Prior to testing, all produce samples were washed for 15 to 20 seconds under running water, and inedible peels — such as those on citrus and bananas — were removed, she explains.

How Important Is It Really to Wash Your Fruits and Veggies?
Even after this preparation, traces of 256 pesticides were still found on all the tested fruits and vegetables. Consequently, the EWG categorizes fruits and vegetables into two groups — Clean Fifteen and Dirty Dozen — based on pesticide toxicity, as well as their detected frequency and concentrations.

Which pesticides were found on the produce?

According to the EWG’s analysis of the USDA data, the following pesticides were found on the 47 fruits and vegetables tested.

Fungicides: Fungicides such as pyrimethanil and fludioxonil are specifically designed to control or eliminate fungal diseases.

Pyrethroids: Pyrethroids, such as permethrin and cypermethrin, are synthetic pesticides developed to repel pests, including mosquitoes, flies, gnats, spiders, and ants.

Neonicotinoids: Neonicotinoids, such as acetamiprid and imidacloprid, are similar to nicotine (a naturally occurring insecticide) and are designed to manage pests and insects, including aphids, whiteflies, and mealybugs.

EWG’s 2025 Clean Fifteen

Nearly 60% of Clean Fifteen fruits and vegetables showed no detectable pesticide residue, and only 16% of samples contained residues of two or more pesticides. No sample from the top six Clean Fifteen items (pineapple, sweet corn, avocado, papaya, onion, and sweet peas) had residues of more than three pesticides. Bananas, a new member of the Clean Fifteen list, also had one of the lowest overall pesticide toxicity levels among the tested fruits and vegetables.

The following 15 types of produce had the lowest pesticide residue levels of all 47 types sampled, according to the EWG’s analysis of the most recent USDA data.

Pineapple
Sweet corn (fresh and frozen)
Avocados
Papaya
Onions
Sweet peas (frozen)
Asparagus
Cabbage
Watermelon
Cauliflower
Bananas
Mangoes
Carrots
Mushrooms
Kiwi

EWG’s 2025 Dirty Dozen

Pesticides were found on 96% of samples from all 12 types of produce. A total of 203 pesticides were detected on the Dirty Dozen, with samples of every type of produce (except cherries) showing more than 50 pesticides. Every item, except for potatoes, had an average of four or more pesticides detected in individual samples, while potatoes averaged two.

Of the 47 items tested, the following 12 fruits and vegetables were found to be the most contaminated with pesticides, according to the EWG’s analysis of the latest USDA data.

Spinach
Strawberries
Kale, collard, and mustard greens
Grapes
Peaches
Cherries
Nectarines
Pears
Apples
Blackberries
Blueberries
Potatoes
***Bell peppers, hot peppers, and green beans were also included on the Dirty Dozen list due to their overall pesticide toxicity.

How to mitigate pesticide risk

“First and foremost, we want to make sure shoppers are getting lots of fruits and vegetables into their diet, whether that is conventionally or organically grown,” Temkin says.

To reduce pesticide exposure, Temkin recommends buying either organic or conventional versions of produce (fresh or frozen) from the Clean Fifteen list, as well as organic versions of items on the Dirty Dozen whenever possible.

You do not have to avoid eating foods listed in the Dirty Dozen, organic options just have lower pesticide residue, Temkin says. This is because research found organic produce has lower exposure to synthetic pesticides.

Furthermore, all produce should be thoroughly washed for at least 15 seconds under running water before consuming. Although water does not eliminate all pesticide residue, Temkin says it significantly decreases the amount of pesticides while also removing dirt, debris, and potentially harmful bacteria.

https://www.foodandwine.com/dirty-dozen-produce-environmental-working-group-report-2025

Source: Better Report
Photo: Getty Images/Unsplash+

We’ve been told all our lives that doing certain things will help us live longer. Eat plenty of vegetables. Avoid sugar. Drink lots of water. Exercise regularly. We can hear our mother’s voice right now. These habits are definitely more helpful than harmful, and longevity expert Dan Buettner agrees — kinda. He examined the regions with the longest-living populations in the world, where residents are 10 times more likely to reach the age of 100. These regions include the Barbagia region of Sardinia, Italy; Ikaria, Greece; Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica; Okinawa, Japan; and the Seventh Day Adventist community in Loma Linda, California. Buettner discovered nine common characteristics in these “Blue Zones.” Dubbed the “Power 9,” these “rules” don’t include fad diets, impossibly difficult workouts, or expensive wellness products — just small changes to your everyday routine.

Move Naturally: Don’t Overdo It

Blue Zone residents don’t rely on pricey gym memberships and robust workout schedules. Instead, they incorporate low-impact, frequent movement into their routine, such as gardening on the weekends, walking to the store or a friend’s house instead of driving, and enjoying hobbies that allow them to move their bodies. They’re also less likely to own power equipment and other mechanical tools for work around the house. To follow this mindset, try to make things less convenient (enticing, we know). Do your own yard work, take your pets or children for more walks, or bike instead of driving.

Purpose: Find Your “Why”

You can add up to seven years to your life simply by knowing your purpose. The Okinawans call this idea Ikigai, and the Nicoyans call it plan de vida. Both mantras refer to your “reason for being” or why you wake up in the morning. Research supports this theory, including one study in the Journal of the American Medical Association that showed people who have a stronger sense of purpose have a lower risk of all-cause mortality after age 50. By the end of the five-year study, participants with the lowest life purpose scores were twice as likely to have died than those with the highest scores. Remember, your purpose doesn’t have to be a career. It can be hobbies, volunteer work, and relationships, among other things.

Downshift: Keep it Mellow

Everyone on Earth experiences stress, even Blue Zoners. Stress causes chronic inflammation, exacerbating existing health conditions and possibly leading to new health problems. While no one can live totally stress-free, centenarians incorporate more stress-reducing habits into their daily routines than others. Still, there isn’t one universal stress reducer. (If you know of one, please let us know.) People in Blue Zones use whatever method works best for them. Okinawans set aside a few minutes daily to remember their ancestors. Loma Linda’s Adventists pray. Ikarians take daily naps, while Sardinians head to happy hour.

80% Rule: Measure Your Meals

You are what you eat — and in the case of Blue Zoners, you are how you eat, too. The 80% rule is based on a 2,500-year-old Confucian mantra, “Hara hachi bu,” which translates to “Eat until you’re 80% full.” This practice originated in Okinawa and is said to help maintain a healthy weight. Those who follow this habit stop eating when they begin to feel slightly full.

If you’re new to this method, ease into it simply by eating more slowly. It takes about 20 minutes to digest food, so if you eat too quickly, you might realize too late that you’re already full. This method can help both over- and under-eaters. On average, Blue Zoners eat their largest meal in the morning, their smallest in the late afternoon or early evening, and they avoid late-night snacking.

Plant Slant: Eat Your Greens

Now that we’ve tackled how centenarians eat, let’s move on to what they eat. The Blue Zone diet includes fresh fruits and vegetables, plenty of beans, and minimal meat. Beans are integral to the Blue Zone diet because they are nutrient-rich, providing ample fiber, folate, potassium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and calcium. They’re also heart-healthy and can lower the risk of type 2 Diabetes. Meat is only eaten an average of once a week on this diet, and serving sizes are very small, around 3 to 4 ounces. Many Blue Zone regions also follow a Mediterranean diet, which avoids processed foods, added sugars, and refined grains.

Wine at Five: Don’t Skip the Sip

You’ll be in good company at happy hour in a Blue Zone. All Blue Zones — except Adventists in Loma Linda — reported moderate and regular alcohol consumption. On average, these centenarians drink one to two servings daily in social settings with family, friends, and food. If your quest to live like a centenarian includes indulging in a drink, try Cannonau wine from Sardinia. It has two to three times more flavonoids (phytochemicals that lower blood pressure) than most other wines. But again, it’s important to maintain moderation and not overindulge, which can have adverse health effects.

Belong: Find Your Place

Being part of a community can increase your life expectancy. All but five of the 263 centenarians interviewed in the Blue Zone study are part of a faith-based community and regularly attend services. Research shows that attending faith-based services four times monthly can increase your life expectancy by four to 14 years. But you don’t need to participate in faith-based activities to be part of a community. Studies show a positive correlation between social activity frequency and overall survival in older people.

Loved Ones First: Family Matters

Centenarians across all Blue Zones were more likely to have close family relationships. This includes cultivating a healthy marriage, keeping aging family members close by or in the home, and having a close relationship with their children. These guidelines don’t require you to live Full House style with a dozen people under one roof, but harboring better relationships can work wonders for your health. Harvard University also acknowledges the connection between positive family relationships and living a longer life by reducing stress and depression, which can trigger all sorts of illnesses.

Right Circles: You Get What You Give

Having social ties is an undeniable part of life in Blue Zones — but having the right social relations is vital. This means surrounding yourself with a close social circle that supports healthy behaviors and discourages bad habits (while, in turn, doing the same for your friends). This encourages you to get out of the house, be social and active, and follow a healthy lifestyle, which are all fundamental values of centenarians.

Okinawans take this to the next level, forming moais, a group of five friends committed to each other for life. One moia that participated in the study had been together for 97 years — their average age was 102 — and they still met daily to enjoy each other’s company while gossiping and drinking sake.

https://betterreport.com/blue-zones-power-9-rules

Source: Time, Perri Ormont Blumberg
Photo: Lon Tweeten for TIME; Getty Images

Dr. Taraneh Nazem, a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist for RMA of New York, recently watched a TikTok video claiming that eating raw cacao daily could completely balance your hormones and cure PMS. “The creator made sweeping statements without any scientific backing, and the comment section was filled with people eager to try it—despite cacao’s known potential to cause insomnia and anxiety if consumed in large quantities,” says Nazem.

Social-media is rife with posts like this, pushing superfoods and supplements to boost your hormonal health and improve your low energy, poor sleep, bad acne, and so many other ills in the process. “Every day, another influencer on TikTok claims that superfoods can change our hormonal balance,” says Dr. Caroline Messer, an endocrinologist with Northwell Health at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. The myths that especially irk Messer: apple cider vinegar helps women with PCOS, green tea is the secret to better insulin sensitivity, and butter supports healthy estrogen levels.

Do you even need to “balance your hormones,” as many on social-media tout in their hashtags? Experts share what foods can—and can’t—do for your hormonal health.

The connection between diet and your hormones

The foods you eat can affect your hormone production and secretion by creating small changes throughout your gut, says Perri Halperin, a registered dietitian who is a clinical nutrition coordinator at Mount Sinai Hospital. Some foods also contain hormones or compounds that are similar to or imitate them. (For example, soy contains phytoestrogen, which mimics estrogen.)

But a person’s big-picture way of eating—not any single food included in their diet—is what can truly affect hormonal health, experts agree. “An unhealthy diet high in processed foods and saturated fats can lead to conditions like metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and polycystic ovary syndrome [PCOS],” says Messer. That’s because a diet high in sweets, dairy, refined grains, red meat, and processed foods can raise estrogen levels and promote insulin resistance due to higher body fat, she explains. Research has linked a Western diet with high estrogen in women, low testosterone in men, insulin abnormalities, and imbalanced cortisol levels.

It’s also possible to have hormone-based medical issues that can be helped by a dietary overhaul. Kaytee Hadley, a functional dietitian in Richmond, Va., recently worked with a young woman experiencing unpleasant gut symptoms along with irregular cycles, PMS, and ovarian cysts, which would rupture regularly and cause excruciating pain. “It was clear she had hormonal imbalances,” says Hadley. After running a few tests, it was also determined that she had nutritional deficiencies and poor gut health exacerbating these issues.

Hadley had the client focus on a “food-first approach” by adding more nourishment and gut-friendly foods, addressing her vitamin deficiencies, and developing a consistent eating schedule with foods she enjoyed. “In less than six months, she had no more symptoms of PMS or cysts, her acne cleared up, her cycles became more regular, she had more energy, and her bloating and gas were completely gone,” says Hadley.

But this success story doesn’t apply to the average person—and no “magic” superfood touted on TikTok can have these effects. It wasn’t, say, the beans or tofu she started eating more regularly that “cured” her sex hormone imbalances, but sweeping lifestyle changes that focused on a healthy diet, exercise, stress-reduction techniques, and improving her sleep, Hadley says.

“While a single food won’t address the underlying cause of hormonal imbalances, nutrients are important building blocks for hormones and affect their production, transportation and elimination,” says Hadley. “If you aren’t getting the necessary vitamins, minerals and macronutrients, making positive long-term changes to your diet can help to optimize thyroid, stress and sex hormones.”

Others echo that outlook. Making lifestyle changes for the long haul can significantly improve hormonal issues. “But a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or a cup of green tea won’t fix everything,” Messer says.

“This kind of misinformation can lead to unmet expectations and potential health issues,” says Nazem.

Hormonal health is often more about what you don’t eat

Consider testosterone, a sex hormone made from cholesterol. Some studies suggest that healthy sources of cholesterol such as eggs and avocados can support testosterone production, says Dr. Alex Robles, a reproductive endocrinologist at Columbia University Fertility Center. Other nutrients important for testosterone production include zinc, magnesium, and vitamin D.

But eating foods rich in these nutrients “likely won’t cause a massive boost to your testosterone levels,” says Robles. “Rather, the lack of these nutrients (or being deficient in them) can negatively affect your body’s ability to produce certain hormones.” (You may see on social media that zinc deficiencies are linked to low testosterone, but such deficiencies are uncommon in the U.S., where people regularly consume zinc from sources like poultry, beans, oats, eggs, and nuts.)

With testosterone and many other hormones, maintaining the right levels is more about what you don’t eat—too many processed foods, refined carbohydrates, and saturated fats, and alcohol—rather than putting a health halo on any one food.

What foods can help your hormones?

Most people do not need to stress about “balancing” their hormones through food or supplements. Your body does that complicated task for you, says Halperin. “The truth is, [hormones] are incredibly complex, individualized, and they fluctuate,” she says. There’s no “magic bullet” that will create optimal hormonal health.

Messer agrees. While it’s true that foods can impact our metabolic health, our bodies are “pretty resilient,” says Messer, and individual food choices don’t usually create drastic hormonal changes. Eating a well-rounded diet rich in whole foods will cover your bases.

However, certain foods can sometimes slightly influence your hormones. Here’s how.

Thyroid hormones

Thyroid hormones regulate energy levels, temperature, weight, and metabolism. Called triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), they are also involved in skin, hair, and nail growth.

“Chances are your thyroid and its hormones are working just fine, unless you have a diagnosed thyroid condition like hypo- or hyperthyroidism, for which you should consult a doctor for medication managed treatment,” says Halperin.

Foods that may help thyroid health

Including foods rich in minerals such as iron, selenium, zinc, and iodine in your diet may be beneficial for thyroid health. These include shellfish such as shrimp and oysters, seaweed, Brazil nuts (which are particularly rich in selenium), and fortified foods like iodized salt, cereals, and dairy products.

Cortisol

The body releases cortisol when it’s physically or emotionally stressed (earning its reputation as the “stress hormone.”) Cortisol normally peaks in the morning to help you wake up and declines throughout the day so you can fall asleep at night. When this natural rhythm is disrupted, people tend to become fatigued, gain weight, and get sick more often.

As with most hormones, to optimize cortisol levels, dietitians recommend eating a balanced diet and not restricting food intake, as severe calorie restriction may increase cortisol levels. (This is because not getting adequate energy from food and calories is stressful for your body.)

Another thing to note: When we’re stressed, our bodies use up certain vitamins and minerals faster. “Focusing on magnesium and B vitamins during these times is especially important for helping your body combat stress and rebalance cortisol,” says Hadley. As long as your doctor or dietitian isn’t recommending you take these supplements, the best way to get those is through a balanced diet.

Foods that may lower cortisol levels

Oily fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as mackerel, may help lower cortisol levels. That in turn can decrease cortisol-sensitive symptoms like fatigue.

Some studies have also shown that other omega-3 rich foods like avocado oil and dark chocolate may support healthy cortisol levels. Decreasing added sugar—by cutting out soda, for example—is also key for healthy cortisol levels.

Recently, a study showed that following a Mediterranean style diet lowers cortisol levels. In general, adhering to a plant-filled, nutrient-rich diet may keep cortisol in check. An ultra-processed diet composed of refined carbohydrates and sugary beverages can lead to a constant release of insulin, which can result in insulin resistance, weight gain, and inflammation. Because of this blood-sugar roller coaster, you can end up boosting cortisol, which Dr. Simran Malhotra, an internal medicine and lifestyle medicine physician in Bethesda, Md., says may worsen the vicious cycle of eating highly palatable but nutrient-depleted foods.

Melatonin

Often called the “sleep hormone,” melatonin promotes a proper sleep-wake cycle. “Healthy habits, like giving yourself time to wind down and not drinking caffeine or alcohol before bed, can increase melatonin production,” says Halperin. As with other hormones, what you avoid may impact levels as much as what you consume.

Foods that may help produce melatonin

Some studies suggest that tart cherry juice may increase melatonin levels, beneficially impacting both sleep duration and quality. And tryptophan is an amino acid that supports the production of melatonin. Tryptophan-rich foods include turkey, tuna, and quinoa.

Serotonin

Scientists have discovered a close link between the stomach and the mind known as the gut-brain axis, a two-way communication system between the central nervous system and the enteric nervous system in our gut. Research indicates that 95% of the body’s serotonin—the so-called “happy” hormone that plays a key role in mood—is produced in the gut.

Foods that may boost serotonin levels

Tryptophan is a key protein building block used to make serotonin. “Meats such as turkey are rich in tryptophan, but our bodies struggle to convert it to serotonin due to competing amino acids,” says Malhotra. Scientists have found that high-carbohydrate meals help by triggering insulin, which aids your muscles absorbing the competing amino acids; this makes it easier for the tryptophan to cross into the brain and boost serotonin levels, she explains. “That’s why a high animal-protein diet can limit serotonin production, whereas tryptophan-rich whole-plant foods such as oats, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, tofu, spinach, and dark chocolate (more than 70% cacao) can boost serotonin levels and promote feelings of calm,” explains Malhotra.

What about “fertility” diets for women?

Sex hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone impact fertility for men and women in different amounts. On social media, the so-called “fertility diet” is presented as a way for couples (especially women) who are trying to conceive to improve their chances. Experts like Nazem believe that while some aspects of these diets are rooted in scientific evidence, others are exaggerated or lack sufficient scientific evidence. “It’s essential to approach such diets with a critical mindset and understand that individual health and fertility depend on a complex interplay of various factors,” she says.

While there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to eating to optimize fertility, reproductive endocrinologists—doctors who specialize in hormonal health as it relates to fertility—tend to endorse eating a fiber-rich, whole foods diet. Sound familiar? That’s because it’s the same research-backed eating approach science says is best to promote overall health, such as through a Mediterranean or plant-based diet.

One key reason these diets are so healthy is because they emphasize fiber. “Fiber from fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains not only helps to keep you regular, but it is also important for maintaining healthy estrogen levels,” says Hadley—a sex hormone that can negatively affect fertility if it’s too high. The nutrient acts like a broom to sweep excess estrogen out of the body through bowel movements. Large-scale, longitudinal studies have also shown that women who eat more fiber have a reduced risk of breast cancer.

Nazem counsels female patients to focus on foods rich in antioxidants, healthy fats and folate to support hormone balance and improve egg quality. “Avocados, nuts, seeds, leafy greens and whole grains are excellent choices,” she says. She’s also a fan of flax seeds and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower; they all contain phytoestrogen, which can improve estrogen metabolism.

The bottom line

For Hadley, the key takeaway is that making nutrition changes for the sake of your hormones should only be done based on your body’s unique needs. “While there are foundational strategies that anyone can implement, knowing what’s going on with your hormones will allow you to take a more individualized approach and address those imbalances specifically,” she says.

The body is incredibly smart and likes to maintain equilibrium, so unless you have a diagnosed hormone condition, Halperin says there is a good chance your hormone levels are where they need to be. “Small dips or spikes in hormone levels can cause unpleasant symptoms like difficulty losing weight or sleeping, but can generally be managed through a balanced diet, regularly scheduled meals and snacks, weight maintenance, adequate sleep, and stress management,” she says. “If you’re living your best life, but still not feeling your best, your actual best bet is to get checked out by your doctor or RD, versus believing what you see and hear on social media.”

https://time.com/7000236/can-food-change-your-hormones

Source: Time. Alice Park
Photo: Javier Zayas—Getty Images

By now, most people have reached a resigned acceptance when it comes to COVID-19. We accept that we’re probably going to get infected at some point during respiratory disease season—and that when we do, we’ll feel sick for a couple of days, and then get over it.

But what if you could avoid getting COVID-19 altogether?

That’s the potential promise of a new study on a drug made by Japanese pharmaceutical company Shionogi. At a scientific conference in San Francisco, researchers reported that their drug, ensitrelvir, helped prevent people who were exposed to SARS-CoV-2 from testing positive for the disease.

There is currently no drug approved to prevent COVID-19, but ensitrelvir is already approved in Japan as a treatment for COVID-19. It reduces hospitalizations for COVID-19 among people at the highest risk of complications; for the less vulnerable, it cuts down on the number of days they’re sick with symptoms. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is considering the drug for fast-track approval as a way to prevent COVID-19, based on this latest study presented at the Conference of Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections. (The study has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal.)

Researchers studied more than 2,300 people age 12 and older who didn’t have COVID-19 but lived with someone who had tested positive at the time of the study. They were then randomly assigned to receive either ensitrelvir or placebo pills for five days. Everyone in the study began taking their pills once a day within three days of when their housemate first reported symptoms of COVID-19.

Among those who took ensitrelvir, about 3% ended up developing COVID-19, compared to 9% of those taking placebo. It turned out that about 10% of the household members of the person who initially tested positive also were positive, even if they didn’t experience symptoms and didn’t realize they were positive—which highlights how transmissible the virus can be, and how important it is to protect people from getting the infection. The results mean that the drug lowered the risk of getting COVID-19 by 67%.

The idea of using an antiviral treatment to protect people at high risk of infection isn’t new. The popular flu treatment oseltamivir, or Tamiflu, is around 84% effective at protecting people from getting the flu when someone else in their house has it. But when scientists studied antiviral treatments for COVID-19, such as Paxlovid and molnupiravir, they didn’t find the same preventative benefits.

“This study is the first where this strategy [to prevent COVID-19] was documented to succeed,” says Dr. Frederick Hayden, professor emeritus of medicine at University of Virginia School of Medicine, who presented the data at the conference.

Finding a way to prevent COVID-19 is critical, especially for older adults, immunocompromised people, and others who are at high risk of developing complications. In the study, people in this category who were taking the drug reduced their risk of getting COVID-19 by 76%. Avoiding infection also allows people to sidestep complications such as Long COVID, for which there aren’t yet many treatments.

Because ensitrelvir works by blocking the virus’ ability to make more copies of itself, it makes sense that it can both treat and prevent disease, depending on when people take it. The dose for treating COVID-19 is the same as the dose used in the study to prevent disease. If people take ensitrelvir early—within three days of being closely exposed to someone with the virus—then the drug can effectively hamper SARS-CoV-2 enough to prevent it from infecting too many cells. If people take it after they have been infected, the drug can help to reduce the amount of virus the immune system has to manage and can lower the chances of severe disease.

“This is really, to my knowledge, the first documentation that one could use an oral antiviral for the prevention of COVID-19 in higher risk transmission settings like households,” says Hayden.

https://time.com/7267886/pill-prevents-covid-19-study