Cardiovascular Health

The Gut-GLP-1 Connection: The role of Akkermansia & other novel probiotic strains in satiety and cravings

By Erik Goldman

Akkermansia muciniphila, a key player in the gut microbiome, has emerged as a significant influencer of GLP-1, a hormone with profound implications for metabolic health. Learn from Adam Perlman, MD, MPH, Chief Medical Officer of Pendulum Therapeutics, about the latest research uncovering the impact of A. muciniphila, C.butyricum, B.infantis and other novel microbial strains on GLP-1 signaling, satiety, cravings, […]

Folic Acid: Too Much of a Good Thing?

By Gil Winkelman, ND, Contributing Writer

It is time to rethink how we’re using folate, and its derivatives, methylfolate and folinic acid. Recent research suggests that people who routinely take more than 1000 μg of folic acid per day may be at increased risk of cognitive decline, asthma, impaired immune function, and certain types of cancer (Fardous AM, et al. Nutrients. […]

A Good Relationship Gone Bad: Recognizing & Restoring Health in GI Candidiasis

By Erik Goldman

Candida is a commensal microorganism living in the digestive tract of the vast majority of our patients. For most, it causes no harm. But certain common lifestyle factors and medication exposures promote overgrowth of Candida species, leading to a fungal-predominant dysbiosis with sometimes severe systemic symptoms. Candidal overgrowth is often an important piece of the chronic illness […]

Be Alert for Drug-Induced Magnesium Depletions

By Erik Goldman, Editor

Be on the lookout for drug-induced magnesium depletions. That’s one of the major messages from a comprehensive new paper on the clinical impact of magnesium deficiencies recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Many of the most widely prescribed drugs, including diuretics, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), and certain antibiotics, can cause magnesium wasting. […]

Hibiscus & Lemon Verbena: Herbal Allies for BP Regulation

By Jonathan Jones, PhD, Contributing Writer

Hibiscus sabdariffa (hibiscus) and Lippia citriodora (lemon verbena) are two polyphenol-rich botanicals that, when combined, can act synergistically to regulate blood pressure. Oxidative stress, a key factor in the development and progression of hypertension, can lead to vascular damage and atherosclerosis. Mitigating oxidative stress is, therefore, an important aspect of managing hypertension. Natural polyphenols, like […]

The Latest Applications of Predictive Genomics in Longevity Medicine

By Erik Goldman

Risk assessment is a foundation of good clinical practice. Accurate and individualized risk prediction allows for informed decision-making, enhanced disease screening and personalized risk-reduction strategies for your patients. We’re all aware of the use of penetrant genes like BRCA1/2 as genomic markers for cancer susceptibility. But there is a lesser-known disease susceptibility indicator known as […]

Microplastics: A New Cardiovascular Risk Factor

By Erik Goldman, Editor

The presence of micro- or nano-plastic particles in carotid atheromas significantly raises the risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, or death from any cause within 3 years. That’s the blunt conclusion of a new multi-center study headed by researchers at the Department of Advanced Medical & Surgical Science, University of Campania, Naples, and involving more than […]

For Disease Risk Reduction, Broc Rocks!

By Meg Sinclair, Staff Writer

Imagine if there were a drug that could reduce risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease by roughly 40%, without any adverse effects. Even better, people would only need to take it 2 or 3 times per week to obtain these preventive benefits. It turns out there is such a thing. It’s called broccoli. People who […]

Mediterranean Diet Reduces Risk of Gestational Diabetes, Ecclampsia

By August West, Contributing Writer

Women who follow a Mediterranean diet pattern—high in fresh vegetables and fruits, nuts, whole grains, legumes, and fish, but low in saturated fats, red meat, and processed foods—have a markedly lower risk of gestational diabetes, eclampsia, pre-eclampsia, and other adverse outcomes of pregnancy. That’s the key signal from a new study of nearly 8,000 geographically, […]

Framingham Data Link High Omegas with Better Midlife Brain Health

By Erik Goldman

New data from the third generation of the Framingham Heart Study indicate that higher red blood cell Omega-3 concentrations correlate with healthier brain structure and better cognitive function in midlife. The study also suggests that the effects of Omega-3 fatty acids on the brain are mediated, to some degree by apolipoprotein-E (APOE) genotype. “In multivariable […]