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Are you necessarily at higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease just because you’re 80, and not 75? New research shows it’s more complex than that. The findings suggest that it’s the pace of buildup in the brain of Alzheimer’s-linked amyloid protein plaques that matters most, not age. “Our findings are consistent with studies showing that the amyloid accumulation in the brain takes decades to develop,” said study lead author Dr. Oscar Lopez, a professor of neurology at the University of Pittsburgh. His team’s findings were published Dec. 22 in the journal Neurology. Neuroscientists have long known that the slow but steady accumulation of amyloid-beta protein plaques within brain tissue is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease, although whether it actually causes the illness is still debated. Rates of dementia do rise with advancing age, but is age alone the key factor? To find out, Lopez’ team examined amyloid buildup in the brains of 94 people who were 85 at the time they enrolled in the study. All were tracked for 11 years or until they died, and all received two PET scans of their brains during that time. The researchers compared levels of amyloid buildup seen in those scans to those seen in scans from a younger group of patients (in their 60s) observed in a prior Australian trial. As expected, amyloid plaque buildup rose over time,… read on > read on >

Christmas dinners aren’t usually known for healthy offerings, and instead bring to mind thoughts of Uncle Fred loosening his belt after a third round of helpings. But there are traditional offerings that can be healthy, if prepared in the proper way, researchers at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom report. For example, Brussels sprouts contain glucosinolates, which can aid the body in fighting chronic conditions like diabetes and cancer. However, maximum benefit from Brussels sprouts is derived when the veggies are steamed, rather than boiled or roasted, said Kirsten Brandt, a senior lecturer in food and human nutrition at Newcastle University. “If you boil the Brussels sprouts, then you lose a lot of the important compounds into the water,” Brandt said in a university news release. “If you roast them, they are being broken down during the cooking.” “Steaming is the one that gives most of these tasty and healthy compounds in the final product,” Brandt continued. A side of carrots also can help reduce a person’s risk of cancer. Five servings of carrots each week has been linked to a 20% reduction in cancer risk, according to a new evidence review from Brandt’s team that was published Dec. 17 in the journal Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. Even serving still lowers cancer risk by 4%, researchers said. Carrots contain a wide array… read on > read on >

Can’t afford Ozempic? You might soon have another weight-loss option, in the form of an ingestible vibrating capsule that tricks the body into thinking the stomach is full. Animals given the multivitamin-sized pill 20 minutes before eating ate about 40% less than usual, researchers report. “For somebody who wants to lose weight or control their appetite, it could be taken before each meal,” lead researcher Shriya Srinivasan, an assistant professor of bioengineering at Harvard University, said in a news release. “This could be really interesting in that it would provide an option that could minimize the side effects that we see with the other pharmacological treatments out there.” The capsule, developed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, takes advantage of the process by which the stomach signals the brain that it’s full, which helps you realize it’s time to stop eating. A stomach full of liquid can also send these signals, which is why dieters often drink a glass of water before eating, researchers noted. The vibrations of the capsule activate the same receptors in the stomach that sense it is stretching as a result of being full of food. As a result of those signals, the brain floods the body with insulin and other hormones that work together to aid digestion and provide a feeling of fullness. At the same time, it reduces… read on > read on >

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has uncovered counterfeit Ozempic shots in the legitimate U.S. drug supply chain, and is warning patients to be on their guard. The FDA said Thursday that it has seized thousands of counterfeit doses of Ozempic, the weight-loss drug manufactured by Novo Nordisk, but warned that more might still be available for purchase. Patients, practitioners and pharmacies are specifically warned not to sell or use Ozempic 1-milligram (mg) injections labeled with lot number NAR0074 and serial number 430834149057, the FDA said. People in possession of Ozempic doses meeting that description can report the counterfeit product directly to the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations, the agency said. The agency and the drugmaker are testing the seized products, but don’t have any information yet about the fake drugs’ identity, quality or safety. Five people have gotten sick from injections of the counterfeit Ozempic, but no cases have been serious, the FDA said. The sickened patients all suffered side effects consistent with legitimate Ozempic, like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and constipation. The rest of the Ozempic injection package is also counterfeit, including the needles, the injection pen label, the carton and the accompanying doctor and patient information, the FDA said. Because the needles are counterfeit, their sterility can’t be guaranteed and an injection presents an infection risk to anyone using the fake… read on > read on >

Online gaming and vaping to the point of addiction have become widespread enough that most high school counselors regularly confront these behaviors in today’s teens, a new survey shows. Four out of five counselors say they’ve worked with at least one student during the past year who had struggled with problematic use of video games or e-cigarettes. However, few said they had the training necessary to adequately help their young charges, researchers found. “School counselors are aware this is an issue, but it doesn’t seem like we’re providing the training as a profession so that they can address it,” said principal investigator Amanda Giordano, an associate professor in the University of Georgia’s Mary Frances Early College of Education. “They’re seeking their own continuing education and self-study to learn how to meet these needs.” About 41% of teens say they’ve vaped nicotine at some point in their lives, while 26% say they have vaped marijuana, researchers said in background notes. “These are really distressing numbers because as a society, we’ve worked hard to curb adolescent smoking of combustible tobacco products,” said Giordano. “Now with vaping, we see those numbers going back up.” Gaming addiction is also a growing problem, marked by compulsive behavior, a loss of control and cravings, researchers said. It was officially recognized as a disorder by the World Health Organization in 2019. For the… read on > read on >

People are being maimed by unauthorized fat-dissolving injections meant to tighten up double chins and dissipate flab along the arms, thighs and stomach, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns. The shots are supposed to break down fat cells and reduce fat deposits in the areas around the injection sites. But adverse reactions from the unapproved injections are causing scarring, skin deformities, cysts, painful knots, and serious infections, the FDA said in an agency news release. The unapproved injections are being marketed under brand names like Aqualyx, Lipodissolve, Lipo Lab and Kabelline, the FDA said. Common ingredients in the injections include phosphatidylcholine (PPC) and sodium deoxycholate (DC). These ingredients have been used alone or together, and are sometimes referred to as “PCDC injections.” The FDA has received reports of consumers harmed by injections they received at clinics or med spas from attendants who might not have been properly licensed to give the shots. The agency also has heard from some consumers who bought the unapproved shots online and injected the drugs themselves. The FDA has approved only one injectable drug for dissolving fat, a prescription medication called Kybella, the agency said. The drug, which is deozycholic acid, is FDA-approved to treat double chins in adults. Deozycholic acid is a bile acid naturally produced by intestinal bacteria to help break down fats during digestion. The FDA… read on > read on >

No glowing red nose required: Real reindeer don’t need Rudolph’s help to find the Arctic food they love most, new research shows. If you’re a reindeer, your go-to favorite food is a humble moss-like lichen called Cladonia rangiferina, explained researchers at Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H. Trouble is, in the darkness of a northern winter spotting the lichen can be really tough. Luckily, the eyes of countless generations of reindeer have evolved to see light on the ultraviolet (UV) spectrum. C. rangiferina does not reflect UV light; it instead absorbs it, the researchers pointed out. Reindeer eyes have evolved to pick up on that. “Reindeer are so cool, but many people think about them only at Christmas,” study first author and anthropology professor Nathaniel Dominy said in a Dartmouth news release. “Now is a good time to alert people to their extraordinary visual system.” To the human eye, C. rangiferina appears to disappear into the landscape, especially in hours ruled by darkness. However, working with researchers from St. Andrews University in Scotland, Dominy helped discover that the lichen absorbs UV light. This means that, to the reindeer’s eye, C. rangiferina stands out easily amid other Arctic mosses, lichens and grasses. The lichen appears as darker patches against a light background. “If you can put yourself in their hooves looking at this white landscape, you would… read on > read on >

An exhaustive review of sleep research spanning five decades underscores the importance of getting your Zzzzzs. Sleep loss undermines emotional functioning and increases a person’s risk for anxiety and depression, the study found. It also takes a toll on positive emotions like joy, happiness and contentment. “In our largely sleep-deprived society, quantifying the effects of sleep loss on emotion is critical for promoting psychological health,” said lead author Cara Palma, director of the Sleep and Development Lab at Montana State University in Bozeman. “This study … provides strong evidence that periods of extended wakefulness, shortened sleep duration, and nighttime awakenings adversely influence human emotional functioning.” For the study, Palma’s team analyzed data from 154 studies that included more than 5,700 people. In every study, participants’ sleep was disrupted for one night or more. Some kept participants awake for an extended period. Some allowed less-than-typical amounts of shuteye, and others awakened participants periodically throughout the night. Each also looked at one emotional measure, such as self-reported mood or measures of anxiety and depression. All three types of sleep loss took a toll on positive emotions and increased anxiety symptoms such as worry and rapid heart rate. “This occurred even after short periods of sleep loss, like staying up an hour or two later than usual or after losing just a few hours of sleep,” Palmer… read on > read on >

Screens are everywhere — on desks, in laps, on the wall — and eye strain is a temporary but uncomfortable condition that comes with overuse. Folks spending too much time with screens can develop dry eyes, blurry vision, tearing or watering eyes, or a headache, warns the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO). That’s because humans tend to blink less while staring at these devices, the AAO says. People normally blink around 15 times per minute, but this blink rate can be cut in half while staring at screens, the academy says. To reduce eye strain, the AAO recommends taking frequent breaks along the lines of the “20-20-20” rule. Every 20 minutes, look away from your screen and instead look at an object 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. This gives your eyes a chance to reset. People can also: Use artificial tears to lubricate eyes when they feel dry. Sit arm’s length from your screen and adjust its height so you’re looking slightly downward at it. Apply a matte screen filter to reduce glare from glass screens. Adjust brightness and contrast of your screen, and dim lighting near the screen. Wear eyeglasses rather than contact lenses when working on a computer or tablet for longer periods. The AAO notes that blue light from computers have not been shown to increase risk of eye… read on > read on >

Chances are you know at least one person who’s given up eating gluten. Maybe you’ve even given it up yourself. But who can really benefit from a gluten-free diet? “Gluten is one of the main proteins found in wheat, barley and rye,” said Dr. Joseph Levy, a pediatric gastroenterologist at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone, in New York City. “It’s actually a group of proteins and not a single component, but gluten is the general term.” In baking, it plays a key role. “Gluten is responsible for the way dough is able to rise when you put yeast in it,” Levy explained. “It’s the structure of gluten that makes baked goods light and crispy. If you try to cook with gluten-free flour it won’t have the same airiness. The dough is heavier, and the finished product will be flat and heavy.” But though gluten might make for a flaky croissant, it can cause a number of problems for certain people. New York City-based nutritionist Rachel Begun said that three types of people may not be able to eat products containing gluten: people with celiac disease, people with gluten sensitivity or intolerance and people with a wheat allergy. “Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder, and when gluten is eaten, the body triggers an attack on the intestines,” Begun said. “Damage occurs over time, and nutrients… read on > read on >

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All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

Brain Plaques, Not Just Age, Point to Who’ll Get Alzheimer’s Disease

Christmas Dinner Items That Bring the Gift of Health

A Vibrating Capsule You Swallow Might Keep Weight Gain at Bay

FDA Warns of Counterfeit Ozempic

America’s School Counselors Say Vaping, Gaming Are Tough Issues for Kids

Unapproved ‘Fat-Dissolving’ Injections Are Leaving Patients Maimed, FDA Warns

Santa’s Reindeer Evolved to Better Spot Their Favorite Food

Losing Sleep Makes for Unhappy, Anxious Days

Screens Are Everywhere: Resolve to Protect Your Vision

Is a Gluten-Free Diet Right for You?