All articles tagged with #inflammation
The article explains how the vagus nerve may help regulate inflammation and influence health through bioelectric medicine, but cautions that many devices and claims lack solid evidence, urging rigorous science to distinguish real therapeutic potential (such as for autoimmune conditions) from hype.
A study of 23 runners found that very long-distance races can injure red blood cells, reducing their flexibility and accelerating aging due to inflammation and oxidative stress, with longer races like the UTMB causing more damage; researchers caution the small sample size and call for more research into training and recovery strategies to minimize cellular damage.
Natural-experiment studies across Wales, Australia, Canada, and the US consistently link shingles vaccination with reduced dementia risk, and newer data suggest that Shingrix may offer larger protective benefits than the older Zostavax—potentially by lowering brain inflammation from varicella-zoster reactivation—though causality and gender differences require further study.
A two-year study of 65 patients found successful root canal treatment for apical periodontitis was associated with reduced systemic inflammation and improved markers of glucose and lipid metabolism, suggesting oral health interventions could influence heart and metabolic risk and supporting integrated care between dental and medical professionals.
A pilot NYU Langone Health study found microplastic particles in 9 of 10 prostate tumor samples, with cancerous tissue averaging about 40 micrograms per gram versus 16 in healthy tissue (roughly 2.5x higher). The team took rigorous contamination precautions, including using nonplastic tools, and analyzed 12 common plastic molecules. While findings raise the possibility that microplastics could influence cancer risk via inflammation, researchers caution that the small sample size requires larger studies to confirm any causal role; results will be presented at the ASCO Genitourinary Cancers Symposium.
A Nature Communications study found higher levels of the bacterium Chlamydia pneumoniae in retinal tissue of people with Alzheimer's disease, with greater bacterial burden associated with more severe cognitive decline. The findings, supported by lab and mouse models, suggest retinal infection and inflammation may reflect brain pathology and that APOE4 carriers had higher retinal bacterial levels, pointing to retinal imaging as a potential noninvasive biomarker and possible infection-targeted therapies.
A 21-day animal study suggests salcaprozate sodium (SNAC), the absorption aid in oral semaglutide, may alter the gut microbiome, lower short-chain fatty acids, raise inflammatory markers, increase liver weight, shrink the cecum, and reduce a brain-derived protein tied to cognitive impairment. While these findings raise questions about potential long-term effects of chronic SNAC exposure as oral obesity drugs become more common, researchers caution that results are not yet proven in humans and call for further investigation.
A Cedars-Sinai study shows Chlamydia pneumoniae can invade the retina and brain, triggering inflammation, nerve cell loss, and amyloid-beta buildup linked to Alzheimer's; higher bacterial levels correlate with worse cognition, especially in APOE4 carriers. The research suggests chronic infection and inflammation could drive Alzheimer's, and the retina might serve as a noninvasive window for early detection and new treatments targeting infection and inflammation.
New research links emulsifiers in ultra-processed foods to disruption of the gut microbiome: animal studies show emulsifiers push bacteria toward the gut lining, causing inflammation, and human data hint at increased risk of inflammatory diseases and diabetes with higher exposure; a small trial showed emulsifiers can reduce healthy gut microbes, while a Crohn's disease study suggested symptoms improved on a restricted-emulsifier diet. There is no clear public guidance yet, due to the complexity of additive mixtures ('cocktail effect'). A separate trial found that a low-UPF diet preserved greater gut microbe diversity than a high-UPF diet, reinforcing the value of cooking from fresh ingredients and moderating processed foods.
A study in Blood Red Cells & Iron finds ultramarathon races can damage red blood cells, making them less flexible due to mechanical stress and inflammation/oxidative stress; signs of accelerated aging appear after 40‑km races and worsen after 171‑km events, though long‑term effects and duration of damage are unclear; findings could influence training, recovery, and blood storage research, but the study has a small sample size and limited sampling points.
UCL researchers found that fat-derived epoxy-oxylipins regulate the immune response by inhibiting soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH), increasing protective lipids, reducing intermediate monocytes linked to chronic inflammation, and speeding inflammation resolution in humans; a 12,13-EpOME pathway involving p38 MAPK suggests safer therapies for autoimmune and cardiovascular diseases, with potential clinical trials.
A Nottingham-led study found a synbiotic made from fermented kefir plus a diverse prebiotic fiber mix reduced systemic inflammation far more than omega-3 supplements or fiber alone. Over six weeks, the kefir+fiber group lowered inflammatory markers 75% more than fiber alone and 250% more than omega-3s, likely due to probiotic-prebiotic synergy across 92 inflammatory proteins.
A Cedars-Sinai study found the pneumonia-causing bacterium Chlamydia pneumoniae in the retina, with higher bacterial loads in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease; the bacteria may amplify brain pathology by triggering the NLRP3 inflammasome, increasing inflammation and amyloid beta, and the retina could serve as a noninvasive biomarker for disease status while anti-inflammatory or antibiotic strategies are being explored, though questions remain about how and when infection occurs.
A Healthline study of over 24,000 adults in southern Italy found that cancer survivors who ate the most ultra-processed foods had about 48% higher risk of death from any cause and 57% higher risk of death from cancer, compared with those who ate the least. The researchers link this to increased inflammation and resting heart rate, and emphasize that overall dietary patterns matter more than individual foods. The study is observational and cannot prove causation, but experts advocate reducing ultra-processed foods in favor of fresh, minimally processed meals.
A Healthline-backed study of over 24,000 adults in southern Italy found that cancer survivors who consumed the highest share of ultra-processed foods (by weight) had about 48% higher all-cause mortality and 57% higher cancer-specific mortality than those with the lowest intake. The researchers cite increased inflammation and resting heart rate as possible mechanisms, and they urge focusing on fresh, minimally processed foods, though the study is observational and cannot prove causation.