The brain-gut connection continues to amaze us. The evidence is now overwhelming. If you are laboring under any cognitive or mood issue, it behooves you to investigate the possibility that your diet and gut bacteria are impacting your health. Hugo Rodier, MD
More Evidence Links Gum Disease and Dementia Risk
Batya Swift Yasgur, MA, LSW, August 19, 2020. Medscape
“Periodontal disease is associated with later development of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia, especially in those with severe gum inflammation and edentulism (tooth loss), new research suggests. Over a 20-year period, investigators prospectively followed more than 8000 individuals around the age of 63 years who did not have cognitive impairment or dementia at baseline, grouping them based on the extent and severity of their periodontal disease and number of lost teeth. Results showed that 14% of participants with healthy gums and all their teeth at baseline developed dementia, compared with 18% of those with mild periodontal disease and 22% who had severe periodontal disease. The highest percentage (23%) of participants who developed dementia was found in those who were edentulous (toothless).
After accounting for comorbidities that might affect dementia risk, edentulous participants had a 20% higher risk for developing MCI or dementia compared with the healthy group.
Because the study was observational, “we don’t have knowledge of causality so we cannot state that if you treat periodontal disease you can prevent or treat dementia,” lead author Ryan T. Demmer, PhD, MPH, associate professor, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, told Medscape Medical News.
However, “the take-home message from this paper is that it further supports the possibility that oral infections could be a risk factor for dementia,” Demmer said.
The study was published online July 29 in Neurology.”
Comment: Depression, ADD, and other common issues improve when we optimize our diet and consequently, our microbiome. Check out a related article, Fecal microbiota transplantation from mice exposed to chronic intermittent hypoxia elicits sleep disturbances in naive mice, J. Exp Neuro December 2020 vol334
Evidence-Based Guideline for Alzheimer’s Prevention
Michael Vlessides, Medscape August 27, 2020
“New findings from a large systematic review and meta-analysis reveal 10 key risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The findings have led to the publication of what researchers say is the first evidence-based pathway to prevention of the disease. The guidance document includes 21 recommendations based largely on 10 AD risk factors with class 1, level A evidence. These risk factors include, among others, low levels of cognitive activity, high body mass index (BMI) in late life, depression, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
“The first evidence-based guideline is proposed, offering clinicians and stakeholders current guidance for the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease,” lead author Jin-Tai Yu, MD, PhD, professor of neurology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China, told Medscape Medical News. “Nearly two thirds of these suggestions target vascular risk factors and lifestyle, strengthening the importance of keeping good vascular condition and maintaining a healthy lifestyle for preventing Alzheimer’s disease,” Yu added. The article was published online July 20 in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.”
Comment: healthy lifestyle = good nutrition for the most part.
Excess belly fat associated with higher risk of early death
“CNN (9/23, LaMotte) reports, “It’s more bad news for America’s growing waistline: Excess belly fat is associated with a higher risk of early death from any cause, regardless of how much overall body fat you have, a new study finds.” In women, “each 10-centimeter increase in belly fat raised the risk of death from any cause by 8%.” For men, “each 10-centimeter increase in girth raised the risk of by 12%.” The “better news: Larger hips and thighs are associated with a lower risk of early death, according to the study published by the BMJ.”
Comment: throw away the scale. Micromanaging weight issues will never work. Focus on your waist circumference. Changes will be gradual and more durable.
Resuming sexual activity shortly after heart attack may improve chance of long-term survival
“CNN (9/23, Guy) reports that research indicates that “people who have had heart attacks can boost their chances of long-term survival by returning to normal levels of sexual activity.” Investigators “followed 495 couples for around 20 years and found that those who maintained or increased their frequency of sexual activity in the first six months after a heart attack had a 35% lower risk of death than those who stopped having sex or reduced their frequency.” The findings were published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.”
Comment: YAY!!!!!!!!!
Drinking coffee tied to longer survival and lower risk of cancer progression in patients with colorectal cancer
“USA Today (9/17, Rodriguez) reports researchers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute “found a few cups of coffee a day was associated with longer survival and a lower risk of cancer progression in patients with colorectal cancer.” The findings were published in JAMA Oncology.” HealthDay (9/17, Mozes) reports out of almost 1,200 people “in the study, those who drank four or more cups of java on a daily basis had 36% higher odds of surviving during the 13-year study period.”
Comment: Sure, and coffee is the number one source of antioxidants for most Americans. I love coffee, but it doesn’t like me. It irritates my heart and stomach. If you have the same problem, I recommend decaf coffee by the organic Swiss water method. If you brew it strong, it tastes just like regular coffee.
Women with shorter reproductive life span may have higher risk for cardiovascular disease
“The New York Times (9/17, Bakalar) reports researchers “pooled data from 12 studies that included 307,855 women who were healthy at menopause” and found that “a shorter reproductive life span…may be linked to a higher risk for cardiovascular disease.” The review study was published in JAMA Cardiology.”
Comment: It is tempting to conclude that a short reproductive span is harmful to our circulatory system. The salutary hormones involved in pregnancy do have a pro-circulation effect. But there may be another factor at play: stress and poor nutrition may lead to both a short reproductive span AND cardiovascular disease.
Use of antibiotics in childhood may have dose-dependent relationship with increased risk for appendicitis
“Healio (9/17, Young) reports, “Use of antibiotics during childhood had a dose-dependent relationship with increased risk for appendicitis,” investigators concluded after performing “a cohort study from 1995 to 2014 comprising 1,385,707 children who received 7,406,397 antibiotic prescriptions.” The findings were published online in Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics.”
Comment: The appendix is intimately related to our microbiome’s health. Taking antibiotics will then affect both. We have been too cavalier about ripping out our tonsils and appendix.
Curcuma longa extract may ease pain, stiffness, physical function in knee OA
“The New York Times (9/14, Bakalar) reports “a curcumin extract” called Curcuma longa may ease “pain, stiffness and physical function” in people with knee osteoarthritis (OA), investigators concluded “in a 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial” involving magnetic resonance imaging. For the study, “70 people with symptomatic knee” OA were assigned “to take either two capsules a day of a Curcuma longa extract or two capsules of an identical-looking placebo.” The study revealed that “pain, stiffness and physical function all improved significantly more in those who took the curcumin extract than in those who used the placebo,” but no difference was seen “between the groups in the M.R.I. assessment of excess fluid in the synovial cavity, and no difference in knee cartilage structure.” The findings were published online in the Annals of Internal Medicine.”
Comment: We have known about Curcumin/Turmeric for centuries. It is also good for blood thinning, lowering blood sugar and blood pressure. It is also a anti-cancer agent. Other than that, it is no good.
Probiotic strain helps children, teens lose weight
“CNN (9/7, Rogers) reports, “In combination with a calorie-controlled diet, the probiotic strain Bifidobacterium breve may help children and adolescents with obesity lose weight,” investigators concluded in a “small study to be presented” virtually “at e-ECE 2020, the 22nd European Congress of Endocrinology.” Included in the study were “100 children and adolescents between ages six and 18 with obesity and insulin resistance.”
Comment: Our microbiome is a key factor in our metabolism. You and I may eat the same meals and calories, yet, I may put on weight and you may lose some. So much for the old dictum, “calories in, calories out.” It does get you in the ball park, but not to home plate. See below.
The Gut Microbiota in Prediabetes and Diabetes
J. Cell Met 2020;32:379
“Type 2 diabetes is associated with an altered gut microbiota, but the results may have been confounded by metformin medication. Wu et al. now use two populations encompassing almost 1,500 subjects to demonstrate that the gut microbiota is altered in prediabetes and diabetes independent of diabetes medication.”
