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Post by MikeMusic on May 8, 2023 12:50:31 GMT
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Post by MikeMusic on May 13, 2023 8:52:40 GMT
Recurring themes in New Scientist
We don't have all the info.
Below is an example
This week, I have been working on a story about the health benefits of vitamin D, a subject that is surprisingly controversial.
We have long known that getting enough of every vitamin is important for our health. But supplements of vitamin D in particular – which we can get from our diet and is also made by our skin when exposed to sunlight – are thought to be particularly beneficial.
Vitamin D is one of the few supplements officially recommended for the general population in many countries, including the UK. The thinking is that, as we spend less time outdoors than we used to, our skin isn’t able to make enough vitamin D, especially in winter.
On the other hand, vitamin D has been the subject of several health claims that have turned out to be false – including that it can protect against cancer, heart disease and respiratory infections, such as covid-19.
These claims usually came from a particular kind of research called an observational study, which is faster and cheaper to do than the best kind of medical evidence, the randomised trial.
To recap, a randomised trial would ask a group of people to take either a vitamin D supplement or a placebo tablet on a random basis, such as by tossing a coin. At the end of the trial, you would see if those taking vitamin D were protected against covid-19, say.
An observational study is when you simply observe people’s vitamin D levels – for instance, by taking blood samples – and see whether higher levels correlate with a reduced risk of covid-19. But, as scientists like to say, correlation doesn’t prove causation. A third unknown factor could be causing both things.
With any supplement, one possible source of confusion is that people who take them tend to be healthier in other ways too – they may take more exercise, for example. We covered which vitamins and supplements have the soundest evidence base in this special report in 2018.
In the case of vitamin D, another issue is that how much you go outdoors affects its levels in your blood, because our skin only manufactures the compound under ultraviolet light. People who are sick or frail tend to go outdoors less. Put those two factors together and they explain why several past observational studies wrongly suggested health benefits from vitamin D supplements.
With the coronavirus, in the first couple of years of the pandemic, there were several observational studies that suggested people taking vitamin D were less likely to get infected or to get badly sick with this virus. But when large, randomised trials were done, this was shown to be false.
Such trials take a lot of time and money to carry out, but more recently a third kind of study has been developed that can shed light on questions like this more easily. Called “Mendelian randomisation”, it uses natural random genetic variation in people’s vitamin D levels to stand in for the randomisation process of a trial.
This has been used to investigate whether vitamin D protects against autoimmune conditions, where the immune system mistakenly attacks parts of the body. As I reported here this revealed that people with genetically higher vitamin D levels are less likely to get psoriasis, where the immune system attacks the skin.
A previous genetic study has also shown that vitamin D protects against multiple sclerosis, so it does seem there is a connection between higher vitamin D levels and a reduced risk of some kinds of autoimmune conditions.
To be certain, we still need to demonstrate the benefit with randomised trials looking at the effect of supplements on the incidence of these specific conditions. Randomised trials are often called the “gold standard” of medical research. But the latest study does seem to be another important step down the road to fully understanding the effects of this vitamin on the body.
I will continue to take Vitamin D
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Post by MartinT on May 13, 2023 9:48:01 GMT
So will I.
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Post by Slinger on Jun 21, 2023 13:58:04 GMT
I've been reading about L-Glutamine and Taurine recently. Does anyone have any experience, good or bad, of using them as a supplement? The dosages for "effective" use seem quite high, and I've seen quotes of 9 x 750mg capsules per day for L-Glutamine and an average dosage iof 1.5 grams per day for Taurine.
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Post by MikeMusic on Jun 21, 2023 14:38:07 GMT
Taurine might be good. Not yet proven Not heard of L-Glutamine
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Post by MartinT on Jun 21, 2023 16:17:41 GMT
Apart from multivitamins, the only vitamin I specifically buy in high strength is B12 Methylcobalamin. It helps keep my neuropathy completely at bay.
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Post by MikeMusic on Jun 21, 2023 16:29:39 GMT
We tried B12 Methylcobalamin a long time ago Didn't seem to do anything Went back to it a few months back and I wonder if it could be helping the boss with her various ailments Think it is also recommended for vegans, or was it Vogons ? I could be both !
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Post by Slinger on Jun 21, 2023 18:38:36 GMT
Sadly, B12 Methylcobalamin is impossible for me to take orally. I've tried twice and both times it upset my digestion in a big way. Apparently (I've now found out) Metformin and Omeprazole, both of which I take, can affect it. I'm going to give the spray-under-the-tongue version a go from tomorrow, so keep your fingers crossed for me. It's not cheap, but hopefully it'll be worth it. If that fails then the last option left to me is 5000 mcg weekly transdermal patches.
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Post by MartinT on Jun 21, 2023 18:59:10 GMT
Apparently (I've now found out) Metformin and Omeprazole, both of which I take, can affect it. I take Metformin and it can affect my digestion, although thankfully not often. Good luck with the under-tongue B12, for me it's been a quality of life saver so I hope for the best for you, Paul.
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Post by speedysteve on Jul 30, 2023 9:38:52 GMT
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Post by MartinT on Jul 30, 2023 10:17:48 GMT
Matthew Walker. The world's sleep expert. I've read his book which is excellent.
There's a lot people who don't know about sleep, like the essential brain defrag/reset that only happens with 8 hours of sleep.
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Post by MikeMusic on Jul 30, 2023 15:55:26 GMT
Observational studies on a large amount of people say
Take up Regular Exercise before 40 and add 20 years to your life
Same before 60 and add 15 years
Note "obsevational" but stunning results
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Post by John on Aug 5, 2023 7:58:59 GMT
Started today having cold showers Totally changed my head space for this morning
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Post by MartinT on Aug 5, 2023 8:53:47 GMT
I don't know, John.
A warm shower is what I look forward to every morning, it makes me feel invigorated and ready for the day.
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Post by MikeMusic on Aug 5, 2023 9:32:06 GMT
Splashing a cold water on your face may give as good or almost as good
Tried cold showers a few years back and didn't like them
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Post by John on Aug 5, 2023 9:44:52 GMT
I don't know, John. A warm shower is what I look forward to every morning, it makes me feel invigorated and ready for the day. Try it for the last 30 seconds
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Post by John on Aug 5, 2023 9:45:45 GMT
Splashing a cold water on your face may give as good or almost as good Tried cold showers a few years back and didn't like them Watch the video
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Post by MikeMusic on Aug 5, 2023 10:31:06 GMT
2 *hour* video Will put subtitles on and run faster
Better still try ChatGPT to summarise
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Post by MikeMusic on Jan 20, 2024 11:29:17 GMT
Mediterranean Diet - said to be a life saver Research has been ongoing for many years and summing up recently New Scientist said (paraphrased) Eat lots of fruit and veg. (If you don't live around the Med non Med fruit and veg could be just as good)
The Key Extra Virgin Olive Oil is definitely good for you, significantly better than normal Olive Oil That's what I'll be on soon
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Post by MartinT on Jan 20, 2024 13:32:18 GMT
That's what I use a lot of. I also always buy olives to munch on.
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