Health & Fitness

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Serine supplements claim to help boost brain function and sharpen thinking skills. Many people take these over-the-counter products to help stave off or even treat dementia. Now, researchers from UC San Diego suggest this amino acid may actually contribute to the onset of dementia. “Anyone looking to recommend or take serine to mitigate Alzheimer’s symptoms should exercise caution,” cautions co-first study author Riccardo Calandrelli, a research associate at UCSD, in a university release. Led by Sheng Zhong, professor of bioengineering at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering, and Xu Chen, a professor of neurosciences at UC San Diego School of Medicine, the research focuses on an enzyme called PHGDH in the blood. Researchers report a group of older adults a...

Conn. (WFSB) – A man from Windham was diagnosed with the first case of Powassan virus in Connecticut in 2022. The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) says the Powassan virus is contracted through tick bites. According to the DPH, there were a total of twelve cases of Powassan in Connecticut from 2017 to 2021. Officials say two of those cases were fatal. “The identification of a Connecticut resident with Powassan virus associated illness emphasizes the need to take actions to prevent tick bites from now through the late fall,” says DPH Commissioner Manisha Juthani. DPH officials say patients who have this infection develop symptoms anywhere from a week to a month after infection. Officials say while most experience mild symptoms, others could develop severe symptoms. Severe case...

While antioxidant activity is an ever-vital (and valid) feature of healthy aging, promoting cellular integrity and protecting our genes is the other significant part of the longevity equation. One accurate way to look at the rate of cellular aging and overall longevity is by measuring telomeres. Telomeres are sequences of proteins that essentially “cap” the ends of DNA strands. They protect our DNA from free radicals, modern toxins, and other potential stressors that can impact our genomic stability. When it comes to longevity, longer telomeres help protect DNA and buffer oxidative stress.  In other words, telomere length (again, longer is better) is a viable biomarker for longevity—and vitamin D plays a part in increasing activity of the telomerase enzyme to maintain telomere...

After years of trying to have a baby without success, Brenna Kaminski and her husband, Joshua Pritt, decided to try in vitro fertilization. Only 15 states require insurance to cover fertility treatments, and Florida, where Kaminski and Pritt live, isn’t one of them. Still, the couple’s insurance, from Pritt’s job at an energy company, did — putting them among the fortunate minority of Americans whose insurance plan covers the pricey fertility procedure. Kaminski and Pritt gamed out what their share of the cost would be for one round of IVF: $2,700, the out-of-pocket maximum under their policy. Instead, after many twists and turns with two specialty practices, they paid more than $15,000 for two rounds of IVF, including all medicines. And, as is true for the majority o...

Let's chat about something incredibly frustrating, yet so relatable. One of the most difficult fitness goals to achieve when you're 50 and above is losing belly fat. This is because as you age, your body experiences hormonal changes, such as a decrease in testosterone, estrogen, or growth hormone. Not only that, but your metabolism decreases, and you lose lean muscle mass if you aren't proactive. Many become more sedentary as they grow older, too, due to fewer obligations or not maintaining healthy habits. If you're in this age group and want to shrink belly fat, we have some useful tips and tricks for you to start following ASAP. First off, it's major to focus on three key areas: eating a healthy diet while at a calorie deficit, strength training regularly...

Microscopy images reveal significant differences in size and structure between brain organoids derived from a patient with Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome (right) and from a control (left). Credit: UC San Diego Health Sciences University of California San Diego (UCSD) study uses lab-grown human brain tissue to identify neural abnormalities in Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome and test gene therapy tools. In a study published on May 02, 2022, in the journal Nature Communications, scientists at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine used human brain organoids to discover how a genetic mutation associated with a severe form of autism disrupts neural development. Using gene therapy tools to recover the gene’s function successfully rescued neural structure and function. Several neurol...

Health BA.2.12.1, BA.4 and BA.5 found as authorities warn winter is likely to bring a spike in coronavirus cases Australian Associated Press Three new Omicron subvariants have reached Australia and health authorities say people who contract the virus should wait three months before getting their next Covid-19 vaccination.Assoc Prof Stuart Turville from the University of New South Wales’ Kirby Institute says Omicron subvariants BA.2.12.1, BA.4 and BA.5 have been detected in the country.Authorities are warning this winter season is likely to see a spike in Covid-19 cases and flu as restrictions which have suppressed the circulation of both viruses are phased out.Outcry in Shanghai as person declared dead and put in body bag found to be aliveThe latest advice from the Australian Technic...

"She would lie down and get ready for bed, and she'd be asleep within a minute," her husband, Hamish Magoffin, said. Sleep took a big hit when baby Arthur was born in March 2021, though the Thailand-based family soon settled into a routine. According to Magoffin, apart from the usual stresses of having a newborn, all seemed well. A few months in, however, Pranaiya began to struggle. Breastfeeding was a challenge, and the new mom felt she wasn't able to give her son as much milk as he needed. Her milk ducts kept clogging up and life turned into an endless circle of breastfeeding and pumping to secure enough milk. "She became fixated on this and started putting the pressure on herself to try and get as much breast milk as possible," Magoffin said. ');$vidEndSlate.removeClass('video__end...

Summary: Study reveals vitamin B12 deficiency doesn’t just lead to anemia in children, it also hinders brain development and motor function. Source: University of Copenhagen Vitamin B12 deficiency in infants leads to poor motor development and anaemia, according to a study from Burkina Faso conducted by the University of Copenhagen and Médecins Sans Frontières. B12 deficiency is an enormous, yet overlooked problem, and the food relief we currently supply is not helping. According to the researchers, the problem calls for new solutions. In Denmark, cases of poor psychomotor development are regularly seen in young children raised on vegan diets, though such outcomes are preventable with daily B12 supplements. But for children in low-income countries, the chances of ever meeting their vitami...

CNN  —  There’s no denying the numbers: Even with spotty reporting, Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations are rising again in the United States. Cases are trending up in most states and have increased by more than 50% compared with the previous week in Washington, Mississippi, Georgia, Maine, Hawaii, South Dakota, Nevada and Montana. In New York, more than a quarter of the state’s population is in a county with a “high” Covid-19 community level, where the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends indoor masking. Average daily hospitalizations are up about 10% since last week, according to data collected by the US Department of Health and Human Services. ...