Health Research: Space lab technology may help researchers detect early signs of cataract ♦ Blocking fat transport linked to longevity ♦ Call to regulate starvation of 'Paris thin' models

Space lab technology may help researchers detect early signs of cataract As we age, proteins in the lenses of our eyes start misbehaving: They unfold and congregate in clusters that block, scatter and distort light as it passes through the lens. A cloudy area, or cataract, forms.Scientists found that throughout our lifetime, levels of a key protein decline, and may be an early warning sign of a developing cataract. The study suggests that there is a window before cataracts develop when there may be time to intervene and prevent them.

Research links inorganic mercury exposure to damaged cell processes Inorganic mercury, which was previously thought to be a less harmful form of the toxic metal, is very damaging to key cell processes.

Blocking fat transport linked to longevity Everybody knows that a buildup of the wrong kind of fats can cause cardiovascular disease. A new study in nematode worms and mice also finds that a protein that transports fats around the body can hinder protective processes in cells and affect life span.

Call to regulate starvation of 'Paris thin' models Prohibiting runway models from participating in fashion shows or photo shoots if they are dangerously thin would go a long way toward preventing serious health problems among young women -- including anorexia nervosa and death from starvation.

Senior's Health:Shingles increases short-term risk of stroke in older adults ♦ Genes associated with extreme longevity identified ♦ Aging warps our perception of time

Aging warps our perception of time A recent study found that seniors have a harder time distinguishing the order of events than younger adults. When researchers presented them with both a light and sound at the same or different times, they found that young and older adults could determine whether they occurred simultaneously with similar accuracy. But when asked to determine which appeared first, the light or the sound, older adults performed much worse.

Shingles increases short-term risk of stroke in older adults A new study determined that adults 50 and older are at a 50% increased risk for stroke for 90 days following a shingles episode.

New genes associated with extreme longevity identified Centenarians show successful aging as they remain active and alert at very old ages. Scientists have begun to unravel the basis for longevity by finding genetic loci associated with extreme longevity. A new study uses a new statistical method (termed 'informed GWAS') to identify five longevity loci that provide clues about physiological mechanisms for successful aging

Safety net fails grandmother caregivers living in severe poverty The number of grandmothers raising their grandchildren spiked during the Great Recession, but those living in poverty often struggle with a public assistance system not designed to meet their unique needs

Health Research: Link between intelligence and longevity is mostly genetic ♦ Pygmies show growth plasticity is key to human evolution ♦ Lead poisoning risk from recycling older electronic equipment

Link between intelligence and longevity is mostly genetic The tendency of more intelligent people to live longer has been shown, for the first time, to be mainly down to their genes.

Firms 'underinvest' in long-term cancer research Pharmaceutical firms 'underinvest' in long-term research to develop new cancer-fighting drugs due to the greater time and cost required to conduct such research.

Pygmies show growth plasticity is key to human evolution While the stature of pygmies is well-suited to tropical rainforests, the mechanisms underlying their growth remain poorly understood. In order to decipher these mechanisms, a team of scientists studied a group of Baka pygmies in Cameroon. Their findings revealed that their growth rate differed completely from that of another pygmy cluster, despite a similar adult height, which implies that small stature appeared independently in the two clusters.

Doctor warns about lead poisoning risk from recycling older electronic equipment The disposal and recycling of electronic devices has increased exposure to lead and other toxicants and created 'an emerging health concern,' according to a pediatrician who has expertise in the area.

Early evidence suggests hybrid cochlear implants may benefit millions with common form of hearing loss People with a common form of hearing loss not helped by hearing aids achieved significant and sometimes profound improvements in their hearing and understanding of speech with hybrid cochlear implant devices.

Seniors' Health: ER admission rates higher for obesity ♦ Say no to behavior-calming drugs for Alzheimer patients ♦ Exercise training prevent premature death + More

Seniors' hospital and ER admission rates are higher if they have obesity  Obesity is associated with substantial increases in older adults’ hospitalizations, emergency room admissions and use of outpatient healthcare services, according to a new study of 172,866 Medicare Advantage members .Continue Reading

Time to 'just say no' to behavior-calming drugs for Alzheimer patients? Doctors write millions of prescriptions a year for drugs to calm the behavior of people with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. But non-drug approaches actually work better, and carry far fewer risks, Continue Reading

Mechanism behind most common form of inherited Alzheimer's A study reveals exactly how mutations associated with the most common form of inherited Alzheimer's disease produce the disorder devastating effects. Continue Reading

Can exercise training prevent premature death in elderly?  Generation 100 is the first and largest randomized clinical study evaluating the effect of regular exercise training on morbidity and mortality in elderly people. Studies suggest that exercise has a tremendous preventative effect on morbidity and premature death, Continue Reading .

Loneliness and social isolation are as much a threat to longevity as obesity  Loneliness and social isolation are just as much a threat to longevity as obesity. The effect occurs even for people who like to be alone..Continue Reading

Protein Consumption Linked to Longevity

A high-protein diet during middle age was associated with higher mortality in a new study. In adults over 65, however, a high-protein diet was linked to lower mortality.

Calorie restriction increases longevity in many animals. It’s not known, however, if restriction works by lowering calorie intake or by reducing the intake of protein or other nutrients. A team led by Dr. Valter Longo at the University of Southern California set out to explore the link between dietary protein and mortality. The study was funded in part by NIH’s National Institute on Aging (NIA).

The researchers analyzed information on more than 6,800 U.S. adults, ages 50 and over, from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), a periodic health and nutritional survey of the U.S. population. The researchers linked the survey data with National Death Index data, which provides the timing and causes of death. Results were published on March 4, 2014, in Cell Metabolism.

Participants were categorized into 3 groups based on the percent of self-reported calorie intake that came from protein: high (20% or more), moderate (10-19%), or low (less than 10%). They were further split into 2 age categories: 50 to 65, and 66 and older.

Adults in the 50 to 65 group who reported a high protein intake had a 75% increase in overall mortality and were 4 times more likely to die from cancer during the following 18 years than those in the low protein group. The moderate-protein diet was associated with a 3-fold increase in cancer mortality compared to the low-protein diet.

These associations—which were adjusted for numerous factors including smoking, waist circumference, and chronic conditions—weren’t altered when the percentage of calories from fat or carbohydrate were considered. However, the associations were only found when the proteins were derived from animal, rather than plant, sources.

Conversely, in participants ages 65 and older, those who consumed high amounts of protein had a 28% lower risk of dying from any cause and a 60% lower risk of dying from cancer. These associations weren’t influenced by whether the protein was derived from animal or plant sources.

A high-protein diet was also associated with a 5-fold increase in diabetes mortality across all ages. One limitation of the study, the researchers note, is that the participants’ protein intake was based on a single 24-hour dietary recall. The study also didn’t examine the effects of specific types of plant- or animal-derived proteins, such as beef or fish.

Mouse studies confirmed the effects of high protein intake. Mice fed a higher protein diet had increased progression of breast and melanoma tumors than those fed a lower protein diet. The low-protein diet, however, had detrimental effects in very old mice. The link between diet and longevity appeared to be moderated by a pathway involving insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1).

“The research shows that a low-protein diet in middle age is useful for preventing cancer and overall mortality, through a process that involves regulating IGF-1 and possibly insulin levels,” says co-author Dr. Eileen Crimmins. “However, we also propose that at older ages, it may be important to avoid a low-protein diet to allow the maintenance of healthy weight and protection from frailty.”

—by Carol Torgan, Ph.D.