Vitamin K as a neuroprotective agent. A recent series of studies highlights the neuroprotective potential of vitamin K, particularly vitamin K2, revealing significant associations between its intake, brain concentration, and markers of cognitive health. The research found that:

Acute exercise doesn’t just stress muscles; it reshapes the gut. 🧬🏃‍♂️ Even one workout transiently rewires gut microbial activity, hinting at a mechanistic link between exercise, microbiota, and host performance. A review in Experimental Physiology shows a single bout of

📊 A new review on protein quality highlights: EAA density (%EAAs/kcal) is key - animal proteins deliver the highest quality vs plants. For groups with lower energy needs (e.g., older sedentary women, ~1600 kcal/d), a whole-food vegan diet may require ~300 extra kcal/day to

Hydration may do more than keep you alert. It could determine how your body handles stress. 💧🧠 Water has long been tied to clearer skin, appetite control, and energy. But researchers at Liverpool John Moores University have now shown that habitual fluid intake directly shapes

A 22-month mouse study found that oral nicotine (not smoke) reprograms aging metabolism: preserving motor function, stabilizing gut microbes, and elevating NAD⁺ via sphingolipid turnover. Risks remain, but biology is more nuanced than the headline. advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ad…

The muscle-brain connection: The role of exercise-induced myokines in combatting aging-delated disease(s) Last week, I made a post on myokines—signaling molecules secreted by muscles in response to exercise, and their impact on multiple different organ systems. This post is

This is the first study to show that blood lipids could help explain why women carry greater risk for Alzheimer’s disease. 🧠 A 2025 study in Alzheimer’s & Dementia (PMID: 40832908) analyzed 841 adults across Europe using high-resolution lipid profiling. Study Groups: - Women

🧠Women normally have more omega-3s in their brains than men - a built-in advantage. But in Alzheimer’s, that protection collapses. A new study of 841 people shows: ✳️Women with AD had a sharp drop in omega-3–rich fats, men did not. ✳️The drop tracked with worse memory & more

The gut-brain axis is a bidirectional communication network between the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system. This dynamic system integrates neural, endocrine, immune, and metabolic signals, many of which are modulated by the gut microbiota. 🧠 1. Neural Pathway

L-Theanine (N-ethyl-L-glutamine), an amino acid prominently found in Camellia sinensis (green tea), influences cognitive and emotional states primarily through modulation of cortical brain wave activity. The compound preferentially increases alpha-wave generation, indicative of

Why are nearly two-thirds of Alzheimer’s patients women? For decades, the explanation seemed simple: women live longer. But the numbers don’t add up. Even after 80, when survival rates even out, women are still more likely to be diagnosed. A new lead may finally expose what’s

Nicotine might reshape how cells and microbes manage energy. Yes, this was an animal study (that's generally how mechanisms requiring invasive testing are first investigatd). No, it does make conclusions in humans definitive. Yes, there are useful mechanisms and implications

Aging reshapes the gut microbiome, driving systemic inflammation and multi-organ decline. 🔬 With age: – ↓ SCFA-producing commensals – ↑ Pathobionts & intestinal permeability – ↑ Translocation of microbial metabolites (e.g., TMAO, LPS) Consequences include: 🧠

An elegant infographic that illustrates the complex pathways by which gut microbiota influence brain function, immune modulation, and whole-body metabolism via the gut–brain axis. 🧠At the foundation, microbial metabolites [including short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), bile acids,

Cognitive function [among other things] is influenced by the availability and metabolism of amino acids. This graphic is meant to highlight the multifaceted roles of specific amino acids in neural pathways. For instance, β-alanine stands as a neuromodulator with affinities for

A new newly published study (PMID: 40682446) demonstrates that L-theanine protects hippocampal neurons from sleep-loss–induced damage by inhibiting ferroptosis. Study: - Model: Sleep-deprived mice, hippocampal neurons. Intervention: Oral L-theanine Readouts: Learning and

Alterations in gut microbiota composition are a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease, emerging years before the onset of motor symptoms. This study suggests that specific bacterial changes reduce the biosynthesis of riboflavin (vitamin B2) and biotin (vitamin B7), triggering a cascade

The Role of Micronutrients in ATP (energy) Production Micronutrients, although required in minute quantities, are indispensable catalysts in the metabolic pathways that convert food into energy. These pathways, include glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, and the electron transport

Carbohydrate feeding after strenuous exercise rapidly restores liver glycogen within 6 h, but muscle glycogen requires closer to 24 h for complete recovery. A recent study (PMID: 40836481) in The Journal of Physiology examined how carbohydrate intake influences glycogen

💊 Can an exercise pill ever replace the gym? A new review says no, and here’s why: 🏃‍♂️ Exercise upgrades every system at once: ✳️Mitochondria fuse, burn fuel & handle ROS ✳️Inflammation falls as exerkines flood the blood ✳️Vessels dilate, plaques stabilize, BP drops ✳️Heart