Study Shows Brain-Boosting Effect of Exercise

Plus there’s more 👇👇

Here are some highlights from this recent study by the University of Queensland:

▪️ Healthy 65-85 year old volunteers were put on one of 3 exercise programs for 6 months (low intensity, medium intensity, or high intensity).

▪️ After 6 months, only those on high-intensity interval training (HIIT) showed improvements in the hippocampus (a brain area related to learning and memory).

▪️ The HIIT group also showed improvements in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cortisol levels.

▪️ The improvements seen in the HIIT group lasted 5 years, even if the exercise didn’t continue.

The HIIT program involved 4 cycles of running on a treadmill near maximum exertion.

Does this inspire you?

Nutrients Missing from Low-Carb Diets?

💥 🗞️ New Study!!

When compared with diets not restricting carbohydrates, low-carb diets may lead to nutrient depletions—especially of some B vitamins and magnesium.

This recent study found that some of the nutrient requirements not being met by low-carb diets included thiamine (vitamin B1), iron, calcium, magnesium, and selenium.

Red blood cell levels of thiamine were lower and low levels of magnesium were more common in people following a low-carb diet.

This is not medical advice.

This is just something to be aware of if you have chosen to follow a low-carb diet.

It is always best to make dietary changes under the guidance of a practitioner who understands nutrition, metabolism, and supplementation.

This is our specialty.

🌱 Get started at our practice through the link in our bio!

REFERENCE:
Churuangsuk C, Catchpole A, Talwar D, et al. Low thiamine status in adults following low-carbohydrate / ketogenic diets: a cross-sectional comparative study of micronutrient intake and status. Eur J Nutr. Published online July 5, 2024. [link]

Risks of Nighttime Light (NEW STUDY)

💥 Just published in the Lancet:

Based on data from 85,000 participants in the UK Biobank tracked for 8 YEARS, this is the largest study to date to link diabetes risk to light exposure at night.

Sources of nighttime light included lamps, streetlights, and digital screens.

Participants in the top 10% of light exposure between 12:30am and 6am were 1.5 times more likely to develop diabetes than those in the dark.

Why would this be?

Light at night can disrupt the circadian rhythm, which regulates hunger cues, insulin release, and sugar metabolism around the clock.

Some ways I advise my patients to support a healthy circadian rhythm:

☀️ Sunlight on the face in the morning

☕ Keep caffeine to the first half of the day

🥣 Eat on a regular schedule

🌙 Wind-down routine at night

Sometimes simple habits make the biggest difference!

↗️ Share to your stories or your feed to spread the word!

Windred DP, Burns, AC, Rutter MK, et al. Personal light exposure patterns and incidence of type 2 diabetes: analysis of 13 million hours of light sensor data and 670,000 person-years of prospective observation. The Lancet. 2024. [link]

Got Acne? Top Nutrients Researched

📢 New Research Alert

Can nutritional supplements help people with acne?

Researchers asked that question in a review of 42 studies just published in JAMA Dermatology.

They found:

🔹 The highest quality studies showed potential benefits from vitamin D, green tea extract, and probiotics.

🔹 Other studies suggested benefits from vitamin B5, omega-3 fatty acids, and gamma linoleic acid.

🔹 Zinc was the most commonly studied nutrient, but it only showed benefit in half the studies. Higher doses were more helpful but were also associated with adverse effects.

This type of review is helpful because it allows us to take a birds-eye view of all of the research to date rather than just one individual study.

It’s limited by only looking at supplements rather than foods and dietary patterns, but it’s good evidence that nutrition can make a difference for skin health!

Like if you found this helpful ❤️

Reference

Shields A, Ly S, Wafae B, et al. Safety and Effectiveness of Oral Nutraceuticals for Treating Acne: A Systematic Review. JAMA Dermatol. Published online October 25, 2023. [link]

Nutrition for Brain Health

The Best Diet for Your Brain 🧠

If you’re heading into the new year thinking about healthier choices for your body and brain, consider this:

A new study spanning 12 years in people over the age of 65 in France found that those who followed a Mediterranean Diet had a lower risk of cognitive decline.

The unique thing about this study was that it didn’t just rely on the participants to report their eating habits.

Instead, the researchers measured markers in blood samples and in the gut microbiome that relate to the Mediterranean diet pattern—which means more accurate and reliable results!

The Mediterranean Diet emphasizes:

▪️ Fruits, vegetables, beans, & whole grains

▪️ Healthy fats from olive oil, nuts, & seeds

▪️ Protein from fish, poultry, beans, & eggs (only small amounts of red meat)

▪️ Some dairy products

▪️ Limited sugars

The Mediterranean Diet has not only been linked to a lower risk of cognitive decline but also better heart health and a lower risk of cancer.

📲Tag a friend in the comments who might want to hear this!

Reference

Tor-Roca A, Sánchez-Pla A, Korosi A, et al. A Mediterranean Diet-Based Metabolomic Score and Cognitive Decline in Older Adults: A Case-Control Analysis Nested within the Three-City Cohort Study [published online ahead of print, 2023 Oct 24]. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2023. [link]