Category: Longevity & Health

Researchers in the Department of Clinical Psychology at Columbia University, have undertaken a study which may suggest that changes in the brain previously observed to correlate with significant spiritual or religious values, may also provide protection against depressive illness.

The authors of the study were building on prior work which revealed thinning of the brain cortex in adults whose parents had suffered depression. Here, they looked at 103 adults who were considered to be either at high or low risk of depression, based on family history. Subjects were asked about the importance they placed on spirituality or religion. Brain MRIs showed thicker cortices in people who placed a high importance on religion or spirituality compared with those who did not. The relatively thicker cortex was found in precisely the same regions of the brain that in the prior study had shown thinning in people whose parents had suffered depression.

The authors say that although more research is necessary, the results suggest that spirituality or religion may protect against major depression by thickening the brain cortex and counteracting the cortical thinning that would normally occur with major depression.

(Neuroanatomical Correlates of Religiosity and Spirituality: A Study in Adults at High and Low Familial Risk for Depression. JAMA Psychiatry, on-line 25 December 2013.)

In a large study undertaken on the Japanese population, higher levels of green tea consumption have been found to be associated with a lowered risk of both cardiovascular disease, and stroke of all types. A similar association was found for coffee.

Over 82 000 participants aged 45 to 74, were followed for a mean of 13 years. Compared to those who drank less than one cup of green tea per day, people drinking five or more cups per day had a 15% reduced risk of all-cause mortality, and a 26% reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease specifically. However, just two or more cups per day produced an observable benefit. There was also a reduced risk of all types of stroke.

When it came to coffee, at least one cup per day seemed to be associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and all strokes. However, the researchers point out that more work needs to be done on the coffee association because other research suggests different sub-groups of the population might experience different effects.

(The Impact of Green Tea and Coffee Consumption on the Reduced Risk of Stroke Incidence in Japanese Population. Stroke:Journal of the American Heart Association, 2013.)

If you have never tried green tea before, then do experiment with different brands: it is a subject as wide as wine, so do not conclude you don’t like it on the basis of just one box. Never let the kettle boil completely: water at about 80 degC is preferable as it will not scald the tea. Finally, do not leave the tea to stew for more than a minute or two. If you like it, you have found a drink very high in antioxidants and polyphenols, which are thought to lend the tea its anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. – Robin

Researchers at the University of Otago in Christchurch, New Zealand, have found that supplementing the diet with kiwi fruit can improve psychological wellbeing and lift fatigue. Raising fruit and vegetable intake has previously been associated with similar psychological benefits, so kiwi was chosen as a fruit rich in vitamin C and other important micronutrients.

A total of 36 healthy young men, average age 21, had their diets supplemented with either one half or two whole kiwi fruit per day, for a six week period. Although there were no observable effects in the half per day group, the two per day group experienced less mood disturbance and less depression. On further analysis, it was found that those participants who had a higher level of mood disturbance at the start of the study, gained the most benefit in these areas; they additionally experienced less fatigue and an increase in vigour.

Two kiwi fruit per day was equivalent in this study to about 212mg vitamin C per day, and the researchers suggest this may be the optimal intake rather than the 60-80mg which is the recommended daily amount in many countries. They point out that vitamin C helps activate several enzymes in the body which enhance levels of metabolic energy and neurochemicals in the brain.

(Mood Improvement in Young Adult Males following Supplementation with Gold Kiwifruit, a High-Vitamin C Food. Journal of Nutritional Science (2013), vol. 2, e24.)

American researchers conducting a large-scale trial over several years, have found that a vegetarian diet is associated with a longer life. They enrolled into the study, 73 000 members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, in both the US and Canada. Adventists tend to share similar lifestyles, namely not drinking alcohol or smoking, although they do exhibit the usual range of other dietary patterns.

Over a six year follow-up period, significant associations were detected between a vegetarian diet and deaths from cardiovascular disease, non-cardiovascular non-cancer disease, renal disease and endocrine disease. These links appeared stronger in men than in women. Overall, vegetarians were 12% less likely to die from all causes combined, compared with non-vegetarians.

(Vegetarian Dietary Patterns and Mortality in Adventist Health Study 2. Journal of the American Medical Association, 8 July 2013.)

Researchers in Auckland, New Zealand, have found that supplementing the diet with DHA, improves both memory and reaction time in healthy young adults who habitually had a low intake. DHA is found in oily fish such as salmon, and is already known to accumulate in areas of the brain associated with memory and attention.

A total of 228 people (83 men and 145 women), aged 18 to 45, were recruited and randomly allocated to take either 1.16g of DHA per day, or a placebo capsule, for six months. The DHA dose was chosen to equate to two to three portions of oily fish per week. Assessment of the 176 individuals who completed the trial, showed improved memory and memory reaction times. Interesting differences also emerged between the sexes: in women, the accuracy of episodic memory (long-term memory associated with specific events in life) improved, whereas in men, the reaction time of working memory (short-term memory to help us execute a task) improved.

(DHA Supplementation Improved both Memory and Reaction Time in Healthy Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. on-line 20 March 2013.)