Free Republic

Scientists have uncovered how exercise helps aging muscles regain their ability to repair themselves, shedding light on why physical activity remains one of the most effective ways to preserve strength and mobility later in life. The team found that exercise helps restore a critical balance in muscle cells that is disrupted with age. Strong, healthy muscles are essential for movement, metabolism, and overall vitality. From midlife onward, muscle function gradually declines. At the center of muscle health is a growth pathway known as mTORC1, which regulates protein production and muscle tissue maintenance. As muscles age, this pathway can become overactive,...

WASHINGTON — Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, 85, is heading for the exits after nearly four decades in Congress. So is her longtime deputy, Rep. Steny Hoyer, 86, and former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, 83. But of the two dozen members of the Silent Generation now serving in the 119th Congress, more than half (13) have decided to run again in 2026, according to an NBC News review. In total, this Congress is the third-oldest in U.S. history, with an average age of 58.9 years at the start of this session one year ago. The median age in the...

Published in the medical journal Neurology, researchers found that participants who were more active during a specific window of the day had an increased risk of dementia, a condition characterized by declines in memory, language, reasoning and problem-solving skills. Guided by the brain and influenced by light exposure, circadian rhythm is a roughly 24-hour cycle that determines when we become sleepy and when we’re more alert. In addition to regulating sleep and wake cycles, it also regulates hormones, body temperature and digestion.

Scott Adam's has me thinking about why people try to wait until close to their end to receive Salvation. "The gospel message is for young and old, for men and women of all races and cultures (Galatians 3:28). But most who hear the message do not respond immediately. Some might not turn to God until they are well advanced in years. ..."

Good news, dark chocolate lovers: the treat is rich in an ingredient that slows down biological aging in the body, according to a new study. The compound theobromine is an alkaloid produced in significant quantities by the beans of the Theobroma cacao tree. A team of researchers led by scientists from King's College London (KCL) found that people with more theobromine in their blood tended to also have signs of slower biological aging, as measured by two key biomarkers. Related: Microbe Recipe Could Be The Secret to Perfect Chocolate However, the study authors stopped short of permitting us to scoff...

A study has explored whether adding branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) to an exercise program could improve outcomes for older adults. In a small, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, the team found that BCAA supplementation improved performance, reduced fatigue, and alleviated depression symptoms for many participants. His research focuses on how inflammation impairs central nervous system function. BCAAs—leucine, isoleucine, and valine—are essential amino acids that not only serve as the building blocks of protein and muscle but also appear to play specific roles in inflammation and brain health. "Through supplementation, we thought perhaps we could restore balance and reduce the burden of...

Scientists have released a new expert opinion. The article brings together more than 25 researchers from around the world, including clinicians and internationally recognized leaders in the biology of aging and metabolism, particularly in the study of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺). Their collective perspective underscores the global effort to understand how this tiny molecule, NAD⁺, could be key to healthier aging and protection against diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. NAD⁺ is often described as a cell's "fuel regulator." It helps our bodies produce energy, repair damaged DNA, and keep cells functioning properly. As we grow older, however, NAD⁺ levels...

Colorectal cancer remains a leading cause of cancer death, with incidence rising among older adults. One of the most pressing clinical questions has been whether elderly patients should receive oxaliplatin, a standard component of adjuvant chemotherapy that is known to cause serious side effects. To address this, Dr. Jun Woo Bong conducted a large-scale population study. The team examined health records from more than 8,500 patients with stage II or III colorectal cancer who underwent surgery followed by chemotherapy between 2014 and 2016. Patients were divided into two groups: those treated with oxaliplatin-based combinations, and those given standard chemotherapy alone....

The vast majority of Japan’s centenarians are women. Japan has hit a record high in the number of people aged 100 or older, according to new data. It’s the 55th year in a row that Japan, renowned for its longevity, has reached this milestone. As of 1 September, the country had 99,763 centenarians, up 4,644 from the previous year, Japanese media reported. The vast majority – about 88 per cent – of them are women. Japan’s oldest woman is 114-year-old Kagawa Shigeko, and its oldest man is 111-year-old Mizuno Kiyotaka, national media said. The government began recording the number of...

Researchers said the supercentenarian’s longevity shows how old age and disease can ‘become decoupled’ at times. Maria Branyas was the oldest person in the world when she died at 117 in Spain last year – but a look at her genome suggests that her biological age may have been much younger. Health experts and the public alike have long been fascinated with supercentenarians – those who live to at least 110 – and what their longevity reveals about the keys to ageing well. Before she died in August 2024, Branyas agreed to help a group of Spanish scientists find out....

A daily dose of vitamin D could help combat ageing, according to a recent study.It found that taking vitamin D supplements for four years managed to prevent three years’ worth of ageing. Previous studies have hinted that vitamin D supplements can help combat some of the biggest signs of ageing, which are linked to many age-related diseases such as cancer, heart disease and dementia. To put this theory to the test, researchers from Mass General Brigham and the Medical College of Georgia studied the results of a previous trial. That experiment enlisted thousands of women over 55 and men over...

Vitamin D supplements could help protect the caps on our chromosomes that slow aging, sparking hopes the sunshine vitamin might keep us healthier for longer, a recent study suggests. The researchers discovered that taking 2,000 IU (international units, a standard measure for vitamins) of vitamin D daily helped maintain telomeres – the tiny structures that act like plastic caps on shoelaces, protecting our DNA from damage every time cells divide. Telomeres sit at the end of each of our 46 chromosomes, shortening every time a cell copies itself. When they become too short, cells can no longer divide and eventually...

If you want to know your chronological age, simply count the candles on your next birthday cake. Calculating your biological age, though, is a little more complicated. Chronological age is the number of years between your birth and now; it's purely time-based. Biological age, on the other hand, describes the progressive breakdown of an individual's physiological and molecular systems over time; it's a measure of how "aged" the body is. The calculation aims to answer the question of how well your systems, organs and cells are working compared to an average, healthy baseline. "Biological age is notoriously hard to define...

St.Jude researchers revealed that midkine blocks amyloid beta from forming harmful clumps linked to Alzheimer’s. Without it, the damaging assemblies accelerate, but with it, growth halts. The finding could inspire new drugs that harness midkine’s protective power.

Scientists at UCSF have uncovered a surprising culprit behind brain aging: a protein called FTL1. In mice, too much FTL1 caused memory loss, weaker brain connections, and sluggish cells. But when researchers blocked it, the animals regained youthful brain function and sharp memory. The discovery suggests that one protein could be the master switch for aging in the brain — and targeting it may one day allow us to actually reverse cognitive decline, not just slow it down.

A mosaic uncovered at the site of Hippos near the Sea of Galilee contains a message indicating that the city's ancient residents took extra special care of their senior citizens, according to Israel National News. Hippos belonged to the Decapolis, a group of 10 Hellenistic cities in the southern Levant, but became a major Christian center during the Byzantine period, serving as the bishop's seat and boasting at least seven churches. Archaeologists discovered the colorful mosaic near the entrance to a late fourth- or early fifth-century a.d. building near the ancient forum. It is decorated with images of Egyptian geese,...

Researchers have identified a promising nonpharmaceutical treatment that rejuvenates aging brain cells and clears away the buildup of harmful proteins associated with Alzheimer's disease. In a paper, the team reports that a combination of naturally occurring compounds—nicotinamide (a form of vitamin B3) and epigallocatechin gallate (a green tea antioxidant)—can reinstate levels of guanosine triphosphate, an essential energy molecule in brain cells. In tests on neurons in a dish, the treatment reversed age-related cellular deficits and improved the brain cells' ability to clear damaging amyloid protein aggregates, an Alzheimer's hallmark. "As people age, their brains show a decline in neuronal energy...

Lab-dish study using brain cells from elderly mice yields promising results for a potential anti-aging recipe, but more research is necessary. In A Nutshell * Aging brain cells in mice restored youthful energy balance (GTP levels) within 16 hours using vitamin B3 and green tea extract * The treatment cleared toxic protein buildup and improved survival by 22% in Alzheimer’s-model neurons * It also restored waste-clearing vesicle function by reducing the buildup of Rab7- and Arl8b-tagged vesicles * Findings are based on in vitro studies and will require confirmation in living animals and humans ================================================================================= IRVINE, Calif. — Can brain...

A new study reveals that fragmented sleep causes cellular damage to the brain's blood vessels, providing further evidence to suggest that sleep disruption predisposes the brain to dementia. The research is the first to offer cellular and molecular evidence that sleep disruption directly causes damage to brain blood vessels and blood flow. "We found that individuals who had more fragmented sleep, such as sleeping restlessly and waking up a lot at night, had a change in their balance of pericytes—a brain blood vessel cell that plays an important role in regulating brain blood flow and the entry and exit of...

Eight essential nutrients make up the suite of B vitamins also known as the B complex. Research has revealed that these B vitamins influence a vast spectrum of human health and disease. "It's hard to study the B vitamins in isolation," says gastroenterologist Joel Mason. "Four of these B-vitamins cooperate as co-factors in many critical activities in cells in what we call 'one carbon metabolism.'" One of the most active areas for B vitamin research is cognitive health. By the age of 75–80, 40% of people have a diminished ability to absorb food-bound B12, says Mason. This deficiency leads to...