World's leading cause of blindness could be treated with a new fish oil pill, study claims

 A fish oil supplement may hold the key to treating one of the world's leading cause of blindness, a study suggests.

• Researchers developed a new kind of omega-3 fatty acid able to reach the retina
• The supplement increased DHA in mice subjects’ retinas, reducing vision harms
• Omega-3s, commonly found in fish oils, benefit cognition, vision and stiff joints  

By CASSIDY MORRISON SENIOR HEALTH REPORTER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

UPDATED: 23:43 BST, 27 March 2023

A fish oil supplement may hold the key to treating one of the world's leading cause of blindness, a study suggests.

Researchers have created a new form of omega-3 fatty acid that is capable of crossing into the eye’s retina to ward off vision loss related to Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and other diseases.

In a study on mice, the supplement was able to first be absorbed from the intestine into the bloodstream and then cross from the bloodstream into the retina. This prevented age related macular degeneration (AMD).

The mice that were fed the new type of supplement showed nearly 100 percent improvement after six months in the amount of crucial omega-3 known as DHA in their retinas. 

The lab-made version of the omega-3 known as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) was able to be absorbed from the intestine into the bloodstream and then cross from the bloodstream into the retina, unlike the type that makes up common fish oil supplements currently on the market. 

The omega-3 the team developed could be packaged in a dietary supplement much like the ones that line pharmacy shelves, potentially helping more than 20 million Americans with vision problems liked to aging and diabetes

Scientists have been investigating for years whether dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids can slow vision loss, primarily AMD, a common cause of severe vision loss in older people.

There are currently no treatments for AMD, and doctors will be relegated to provide elderly patients with glasses or other vision aids.

The substance, commonly found in fish and krill oil supplements typically comes in a form called triacylglycerol (TAG) DHA which cannot travel from the bloodstream into the retina.

Professor Sugasini Dhavamani in the Department of Medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago and lead author of the report said: ‘Dietary LPC-DHA is enormously superior to TAG-DHA in enriching retinal DHA and could be potentially beneficial for various retinopathies in patients.’

‘This approach provides a novel therapeutic approach for the prevention or mitigation of retinal dysfunction associated with Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes.’

Studies of the specific omega 3 acid in humans have yet to begin. But the promising early results suggest that more than 23 million people – the total number of Americans with either retinopathy linked to diabetes or age-related macular degeneration – could benefit from a newly formulated dietary supplement.

People with Alzheimer’s disease, as well as those with diabetes, a group of rare eye diseases called retinitis pigmentosa, age-related macular degeneration, and peroxisomal disorders that affect the metabolism often have abnormally low levels of retinal DHA, resulting in visual impairments.

While omega-3s come in supplement form, they are also found naturally in many foods including salmon and other fish, leafy vegetables, wholewheat bread and walnuts. 

The researchers tested their LPC-DHA supplement in mice bred to exhibit processes similar to those found in early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. 

After six months, mice that were fed LPC-DHA daily showed a 96 percent improvement in retinal DHA content as well as preserved retinal structure and function. 

Meanwhile, TAG-DHA supplements had no effect on retinal DHA levels or function. 

In healthy eyes, DHA is concentrated in the retina, where it helps maintain photoreceptors, the cells that convert light into signals that are sent to the brain. Healthy levels of DHA in the retinas protect against damage from bright light exposure and oxidative stress.

Recent research has also shown that people with a higher blood DHA level have higher protection against Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

Professor Dhavamani said: ‘Increasing the retinal DHA at clinically feasible doses has not been possible until now because of the specificity of the blood–retinal barrier that is incompatible with the specificity of the intestinal barrier.

‘This study uses the novel approach of dietary LPC-DHA that overcomes both intestinal and blood–retinal barriers and improves retinal function.’

The dosage of their LPC-DHA was equivalent to about 250 to 500 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids per day in humans, roughly the same range recommended by the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association.

The researchers, who will present their findings this week at the annual meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, said that further studies would be needed to confirm that LPC-DHA is safe and effective for use in humans.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-11908715/Worlds-leading-cause-blindness-treated-new-fish-oil-pill-study-claims.html

Omega-3s have been shown to boost brain power in children, reduce inflammation of the arteries which can lead to heart attacks, and strengthen the part of the brain responsible for memory and protect against dementia, among other positive claims.  

Eating more plant foods may lower heart disease risk in young adults, older women

 

Summary:

Eating a plant-centered diet during young adulthood is associated with a lower risk of heart disease in middle age, according to a long-term study with about 30 years of follow-up. A separate study with about 15 years of follow-up found that eating more plant-based foods that have been shown to lower cholesterol, called the 'Portfolio Diet', is associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women.

Date:

August 4, 2021

Source:

American Heart Association

FULL STORY

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Eating more nutritious, plant-based foods is heart-healthy at any age, according to two research studies published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access journal of the American Heart Association.

In two separate studies analyzing different measures of healthy plant food consumption, researchers found that both young adults and postmenopausal women had fewer heart attacks and were less likely to develop cardiovascular disease when they ate more healthy plant foods.

The American Heart Association Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations suggest an overall healthy dietary pattern that emphasizes a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, skinless poultry and fish, nuts and legumes and non-tropical vegetable oils. It also advises limited consumption of saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, red meat, sweets and sugary drinks.

One study, titled "A Plant-Centered Diet and Risk of Incident Cardiovascular Disease during Young to Middle Adulthood," evaluated whether long-term consumption of a plant-centered diet and a shift toward a plant-centered diet starting in young adulthood are associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease in midlife.

"Earlier research was focused on single nutrients or single foods, yet there is little data about a plant-centered diet and the long-term risk of cardiovascular disease," said Yuni Choi, Ph.D., lead author of the young adult study and a postdoctoral researcher in the division of epidemiology and community health at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health in Minneapolis.

Choi and colleagues examined diet and the occurrence of heart disease in 4,946 adults enrolled in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. Participants were 18- to 30-years-old at the time of enrollment (1985-1986) in this study and were free of cardiovascular disease at that time. Participants included 2,509 Black adults and 2,437 white adults (54.9% women overall) who were also analyzed by education level (equivalent to more than high school vs. high school or less). Participants had eight follow-up exams from 1987-88 to 2015-16 that included lab tests, physical measurements, medical histories and assessment of lifestyle factors. Unlike randomized controlled trials, participants were not instructed to eat certain things and were not told their scores on the diet measures, so the researchers could collect unbiased, long-term habitual diet data.

After detailed diet history interviews, the quality of the participants diets was scored based on the A Priori Diet Quality Score (APDQS) composed of 46 food groups at years 0, 7 and 20 of the study. The food groups were classified into beneficial foods (such as fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and whole grains); adverse foods (such as fried potatoes, high-fat red meat, salty snacks, pastries and soft drinks); and neutral foods (such as potatoes, refined grains, lean meats and shellfish) based on their known association with cardiovascular disease.

Participants who received higher scores ate a variety of beneficial foods, while people who had lower scores ate more adverse foods. Overall, higher values correspond to a nutritionally rich, plant-centered diet.

"As opposed to existing diet quality scores that are usually based on small numbers of food groups, APDQS is explicit in capturing the overall quality of diet using 46 individual food groups, describing the whole diet that the general population commonly consumes. Our scoring is very comprehensive, and it has many similarities with diets like the Dietary Guidelines for Americans Healthy Eating Index (from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service), the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet and the Mediterranean diet," said David E. Jacobs Jr., Ph.D., senior author of the study and Mayo Professor of Public Health in the division of epidemiology and community health at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health in Minneapolis.

Researchers found:

• During 32 years of follow-up, 289 of the participants developed cardiovascular disease (including heart attack, stroke, heart failure, heart-related chest pain or clogged arteries anywhere in the body).
• People who scored in the top 20% on the long-term diet quality score (meaning they ate the most nutritionally rich plant foods and fewer adversely rated animal products) were 52% less likely to develop cardiovascular disease, after considering several factors (including age, sex, race, average caloric consumption, education, parental history of heart disease, smoking and average physical activity).
• In addition, between year 7 and 20 of the study when participants ages ranged from 25 to 50, those who improved their diet quality the most (eating more beneficial plant foods and fewer adversely rated animal products) were 61% less likely to develop subsequent cardiovascular disease, in comparison to the participants whose diet quality declined the most during that time.
• There were few vegetarians among the participants, so the study was not able to assess the possible benefits of a strict vegetarian diet, which excludes all animal products, including meat, dairy and eggs.

"A nutritionally rich, plant-centered diet is beneficial for cardiovascular health. A plant-centered diet is not necessarily vegetarian," Choi said. "People can choose among plant foods that are as close to natural as possible, not highly processed. We think that individuals can include animal products in moderation from time to time, such as non-fried poultry, non-fried fish, eggs and low-fat dairy."

Because this study is observational, it cannot prove a cause-and-effect relationship between diet and heart disease.

Other co-authors are Nicole Larson, Ph.D.; Lyn M. Steffen, Ph.D.; Pamela J. Schreiner, Ph.D.; Daniel D. Gallaher, Ph.D.; Daniel A. Duprez, M.D., Ph.D.; James M. Shikany, Dr.P.H.; and Jamal S. Rana, M.D., Ph.D.

The study was funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health; Healthy Food Healthy Lives Institute at the University of Minnesota; and the MnDrive Global Food Ventures Professional Development Program at the University of Minnesota.

In another study, "Relationship Between a Plant-Based Dietary Portfolio and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: Findings from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) Prospective Cohort Study," researchers, in collaboration with WHI investigators led by Simin Liu, M.D., Ph.D., at Brown University, evaluated whether or not diets that included a dietary portfolio of plant-based foods with U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved health claims for lowering "bad" cholesterol levels (known as the "Portfolio Diet") were associated with fewer cardiovascular disease events in a large group of postmenopausal women.

The "Portfolio Diet" includes nuts; plant protein from soy, beans or tofu; viscous soluble fiber from oats, barley, okra, eggplant, oranges, apples and berries; plant sterols from enriched foods and monounsaturated fats found in olive and canola oil and avocadoes; along with limited consumption of saturated fats and dietary cholesterol. Previously, two randomized trials demonstrated that reaching high target levels of foods included in the Portfolio Diet resulted in significant lowering of "bad" cholesterol or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), more so than a traditional low-saturated-fat National Cholesterol and Education Program diet in one study and on par with taking a cholesterol-lowering statin medication in another.

The study analyzed whether postmenopausal women who followed the Portfolio Diet experienced fewer heart disease events. The study included 123,330 women in the U.S. who participated in the Women's Health Initiative, a long-term national study looking at risk factors, prevention and early detection of serious health conditions in postmenopausal women. When the women in this analysis enrolled in the study between 1993 and 1998, they were between 50-79 years old (average age of 62) and did not have cardiovascular disease. The study group was followed until 2017 (average follow-up time of 15.3 years). Researchers used self-reported food-frequency questionnaires data to score each woman on adherence to the Portfolio Diet.

The researchers found:

• Compared to women who followed the Portfolio Diet less frequently, those with the closest alignment were 11% less likely to develop any type of cardiovascular disease, 14% less likely to develop coronary heart disease and 17% less likely to develop heart failure.
• There was no association between following the Portfolio Diet more closely and the occurrence of stroke or atrial fibrillation.

"These results present an important opportunity, as there is still room for people to incorporate more cholesterol-lowering plant foods into their diets. With even greater adherence to the Portfolio dietary pattern, one would expect an association with even less cardiovascular events, perhaps as much as cholesterol-lowering medications. Still, an 11% reduction is clinically meaningful and would meet anyone's minimum threshold for a benefit. The results indicate the Portfolio Diet yields heart-health benefits," said John Sievenpiper, M.D., Ph.D., senior author of the study at St. Michael's Hospital, a site of Unity Health Toronto in Ontario, Canada, and associate professor of nutritional sciences and medicine at the University of Toronto.

The researchers believe the results highlight possible opportunities to lower heart disease by encouraging people to consume more foods in the Portfolio Diet.

"We also found a dose response in our study, meaning that you can start small, adding one component of the Portfolio Diet at a time, and gain more heart-health benefits as you add more components," said Andrea J. Glenn, M.Sc., R.D., lead author of the study and a doctoral student at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto and in nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto.

Although the study was observational and cannot directly establish a cause-and-effect relation between diet and cardiovascular events, researchers feel it provides a most reliable estimate for the diet-heart relation to-date due to its study design (included well-validated food frequency questionnaires administered at baseline and year three in a large population of highly dedicated participants). Nevertheless, the investigators report that these findings need to be further investigated in additional populations of men or younger women.

Co-authors are Kenneth Lo, Ph.D.; David J. A. Jenkins, M.D., Ph.D.; Beatrice A. Boucher, M.H.Sc.; Anthony J. Hanley, Ph.D.; Cyril W.C. Kendall, Ph.D.; JoAnn E. Manson, M.D., Dr.P.H.; Mara Z. Vitolins, Ph.D.; Linda G. Snetselaar, Ph.D.; and Simin Liu, M.D., Ph.D.

The study was funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health and Diabetes Canada.

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Story Source:

Materials provided by American Heart Association. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

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Journal References:

1. Andrea J. Glenn, Kenneth Lo, David J. A. Jenkins, Beatrice A. Boucher, Anthony J. Hanley, Cyril W. C. Kendall, JoAnn E. Manson, Mara Z. Vitolins, Linda G. Snetselaar, Simin Liu, John L. Sievenpiper. Relationship Between a Plant‐Based Dietary Portfolio and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: Findings From the Women's Health Initiative Prospective Cohort Study. Journal of the American Heart Association, 2021; DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.121.021515
2. Yuni Choi, Nicole Larson, Lyn M. Steffen, Pamela J. Schreiner, Daniel D. Gallaher, Daniel A. Duprez, James M. Shikany, Jamal S. Rana, David R. Jacobs. Plant‐Centered Diet and Risk of Incident Cardiovascular Disease During Young to Middle Adulthood. Journal of the American Heart Association, 2021; DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.120.020718

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210804123607.htm

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What is bradycardia? How to know if your heart rate is too low

Bradycardia, or a heart rate that is too slow, can be a serious condition, especially if the heart is not pumping enough oxygen-rich blood throughout the body.

 Sara Lindberg 11 hrs ago 30 Jan 2020

Here's what medical experts consider to be a low heart rate, how to know if you have bradycardia and the most common ways to treat it.

© Boonchai Wedmakawand/Getty Images

What is bradycardia?

A normal resting heart rate for an adult is 60 to 100 beats per minute (bpm), but someone with bradycardia will have a resting heart rate lower than 50 to 60 bpm.

According to Srikant Duggirala, MD, a cardiologist with Emanate Health, bradycardia means that electrical signals to the heart slow down or are blocked. For some people, such as endurance athletes, a low resting heart rate is common and typically not a concern. In fact, elite athletes may have a resting heart rate as low as 40 bpm.

Exercise training-induced bradycardia may be due to electrical remodelling of the sinus node, resulting in a lower heart rate and an increase in heart rate variability. This is a healthy response to the heart's ability to pump blood more efficiently, which means your heart can beat less, and your body can still get what it needs.

© Getty Bradycardia.But for others, it is a condition that should be supervised by a doctor. If bradycardia is not caused by exercise, a low heart rate means that your heart - which isn't as efficient as a highly-trained athlete - is not pumping enough oxygen-rich blood in the body. When this happens, you may feel chest pain, light-headedness, and shortness of breath.

Suzanne Steinbaum, a cardiologist at Mount Sinai Hospital, says that other symptoms of bradycardia can include dizziness, confusion, fatigue, or fainting. If you are experiencing these symptoms, and have a resting heart rate lower than 50 bpm, it's critical to see your doctor for an accurate diagnosis.

What causes a low heart rate?

While anyone can experience bradycardia, these factors may increase your risk:

• Age: Bradycardia is more common in older adults, specifically those who have damage to their heart from heart disease, says Duggirala. Older adults are more likely to have heart rhythm disorders because of age-related changes in the cardiovascular system, which are also associated with a higher prevalence of heart disease.
• Lifestyle factors: Tobacco abuse, substance abuse, high blood pressure, stress, and anxiety can also predispose patients (especially older ones) to heart disease, and consequently, bradycardia.
• Health conditions: Bradycardia can be associated with damage to the heart, such as a heart attack, heart disease, or congenital heart defects. Hypothyroidism - insufficient thyroid hormone - and sleep apnea can also contribute to a lower than normal heart rate.
• Medication: Additionally, Duggirala says medications prescribed for high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, and heart failure - such as beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers - can cause a low heart rate.

Treating bradycardia

© Getty Heart rate monitor.The first step in finding treatment is getting diagnosed, which requires a visit to the doctor. The doctor will measure your heart rate with an electrocardiogram, or EKG/ECG. But if nothing comes up during your visit - possibly because you have a minor case of bradycardia that only occurs occasionally - the doctor may give you a portable EKG to take with you.

Another handy gadget may be activity tracking features on devices like the Apple Watch. These devices can help track your heart rate 24/7 over many months and years, so it's easier to detect if and when you have bouts of bradycardia.

After you've been diagnosed, treatment depends on the severity of your condition. Steinbaum says borderline or occasional bradycardia may not require medical intervention, and if there are no symptoms, it can be generally monitored. But if you have chronic or persistent bradycardia, she says your doctor may treat it in a few ways.

"If medication side effects are causing the slow heart rate, then the medication regimen can be adjusted or discontinued," says Steinbaum. "Also, a pacemaker can regulate the heart's rhythm, speeding up the heart rate as needed."

Additionally, Duggirala says if hypothyroidism or sleep apnea is causing bradycardia, treatment of the underlying disorder will often help.

https://www.msn.com/en-my/health/medical/what-is-bradycardia-how-to-know-if-your-heart-rate-is-too-low/ar-BBZsmLI?ocid=ientp