Free Republic

A vitamin supplement that improves metabolism in the eye appears to slow down damage to the optic nerve in glaucoma. In glaucoma, the optic nerve is gradually damaged, leading to vision loss and, in the worst cases, blindness. High pressure in the eye drives the disease. Glaucoma researchers have long theorized the substance homocysteine is somehow relevant to understanding the disease. Now, researchers have investigated the role of homocysteine in several ways. In the current study, the researchers discovered that when rats with glaucoma were given elevated levels of homocysteine, their disease did not worsen. The researchers also found that...

A team has shown that the natural substance ergothioneine improves the health span of aging animals. Ergothioneine is a natural compound found in certain fungi such as oyster or shiitake mushrooms as well as fermented foods. The researchers observed that treatment with ergothioneine from young adulthood not only extended the lifespan, but also increased their mobility as well as their resistance to stress and reduced age-related biomarkers. The project partners were also able to observe these positive effects in mammals. For three weeks, they treated six nine-month-old rats with a daily dose of about 10 milligrams of ergothioneine—roughly the same...

Annual health checkups regularly include urine tests that serve several purposes, including checking for symptoms of kidney disease. The presence of albumin in the urine is one indicator, as is glomerular filtration rate (GFR). In diabetic nephropathy, albuminuria first appears, leading to excessive filtration and eventually a decrease in GFR. In the elderly, however, excessive filtration cannot be detected due to age-related GFR decline. To accurately assess GFR, researchers have come up with a new calculation method. The group led by Dr. Akihiro Tsuda, a lecturer, assessed 180 kidney transplant donor candidates to define a new formula for determining the...

Nerve cells that make up the gray matter in our brain allow us to perform different tasks. They are interconnected millions of times by nerve fibers running deeper in the brain, called axons. Many of these axons are wrapped by a cellular "insulating tape." The insulating cover is made of myelin, a lipid-rich substance that coats axons in up to 150 layers. Together, axons and myelin form what is known as white matter. When a signal is transmitted from one cell to the other by means of an electrical nerve impulse, it literally jumps from one node to the next....

Abstract Ergothioneine is a thiol/thione molecule synthesised only by some fungi and bacteria. Nonetheless, it is avidly taken up from the diet by humans and other animals through a transporter, OCTN 1, and accumulates to high levels in certain tissues. Ergothioneine is not rapidly metabolised, or excreted in urine and is present in many, if not all, human tissues and body fluids. Ergothioneine has powerful antioxidant and cytoprotective properties in vitro and there is evidence that the body may concentrate it at sites of tissue injury by raising OCTN 1 levels. Decreased blood and/or plasma levels of ergothioneine have...

A recent study revealed that low levels of ergothioneine (ET) in blood plasma may predict an increased risk of cognitive impairment and dementia. It was only in 2005 when scientists discovered a transporter specific for ET that facilitates the uptake and accumulation of ET in the body. Prof Halliwell demonstrated that ET is avidly retained in the human body following oral supplementation, and in preclinical models, ET is transported to almost all organs, although higher levels can be found in specific cells and tissues such as the blood cells, eyes, liver, lungs, and even the brain. Earlier work demonstrated the...

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Mushrooms may make our favorite pizza and pasta dishes taste delightfully better, but it turns out they may help keep our brains and hearts younger too. A new study finds that some of our favorite toadstools may have high concentrations of antioxidants with anti-aging benefits. Researchers at Penn State analyzed the chemical composition of a wide variety of types of mushrooms, finding that many contained high levels of ergothioneine and glutathione, both of which are important antioxidants. “What we found is that, without a doubt, mushrooms are highest dietary source of these two antioxidants taken together,...