Varicose Veins Are More Than a Cosmetic Concern

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

About 40 million Americans live with varicose veins,¹ yet most don't think much about them until they start to hurt. These enlarged veins are often dismissed as a cosmetic problem — unwelcome in appearance but not taken seriously. That mindset keeps many people from paying attention early on, even when subtle symptoms start interfering with their daily life.

However, varicose veins are more than a surface issue. They reflect real changes in your circulation that, if overlooked, will lead to more persistent and serious health problems. Knowing what causes varicose veins and what they're telling you about your overall vascular health allows for timely interventions and makes it easier to take care of your body long-term.

Understanding Varicose Veins — Causes, Risk Factors, and Diagnosis

Any vein close to the skin's surface can become varicosed, meaning enlarged and twisted, but the veins in the legs are affected most often. These varicose veins tend to appear bluish or purple, raised above the skin, and may feel warm or tender to the touch. They often become more pronounced after long periods of standing or sitting.²

Although they may look similar to spider veins, varicose veins are deeper, larger, and more disruptive to healthy blood flow. Their presence reflects your body's inability to move blood upward against the force of gravity.

• Healthy circulation depends on one-way valves in the veins — Beneath the surface, healthy veins rely on a network of one-way valves to return blood to the heart. These valves work in sync with muscle contractions in the lower body to keep blood moving upward, against gravity.³

With each step, your calf muscles compress nearby veins, helping blood overcome the long vertical distance back to the chest. This mechanism depends on vessel integrity and the coordination of many small components that maintain pressure and direction. When the system functions well, blood flows steadily and without interruption.⁴

• Varicose veins begin to form when these one-way valves no longer close completely — When the valves weaken or fail, blood slips backward and settles in the lower section of the vein. This accumulation increases local pressure, gradually distending the vessel and further impairing valve function.

Over time, the walls of the vein lose their elasticity and begin to bulge outward, creating a visible enlargement. Gravity amplifies this effect, especially in your legs, where the vertical distance from the heart is longest and the circulatory demand is greatest.⁵

• Several factors influence the likelihood of this process — Your risk of developing varicose veins increases with age, as the wear and tear on vein walls and valves builds gradually over time. If you're a woman, hormonal shifts, especially during pregnancy or menopause, further relax the vein walls and make you more susceptible.

During pregnancy, circulating blood volume increases, hormone levels shift, and the expanding uterus compresses the pelvic veins, all of which elevate the pressure in leg veins. Genetics also play a strong role, along with obesity and sedentary behavior, which increase venous burden and reduce the efficiency of the muscle pump.

If your work keeps you on your feet for long stretches or seated for hours without movement, your veins face added stress. You're also more vulnerable if you've had deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a leg injury, or a condition that affects connective tissue strength and flexibility.^6,^7,⁸

• How are varicose veins diagnosed? — A clinician will evaluate your legs while you're standing, looking for visible swelling, bulging, or color changes. If venous reflux is suspected, a duplex ultrasound will be ordered to assess the direction and speed of blood flow, valve function, and signs of obstruction.

This test also helps differentiate between superficial veins and the deeper veins embedded within the muscles. Identifying where dysfunction originates allows for more precise treatment and helps rule out other vascular or lymphatic conditions.^9,¹⁰

• Complications emerge as the condition advances — While many people live with varicose veins for years with minimal discomfort, it could turn into more serious problems if left unaddressed. One of its complications is superficial vein thrombosis, where a section of the vein becomes hardened, red, and painful due to clotting.

In some cases, these clots may extend into deeper veins, raising the risk of DVT, which carries the risk for a life-threatening embolism if a clot dislodges and travels to the lungs. As venous pressure continues to build, the skin around the ankles might become discolored, fragile, or inflamed, setting the stage for ulcers.

Chronic swelling, known as edema, places additional stress on the surrounding tissues, and fragile veins rupture with minimal trauma, causing spontaneous bleeding.¹¹

Symptoms of Varicose Veins You Need to Watch Out For

The progression of varicose veins tends to be slow and subtle, so their early signs are often missed or dismissed, especially when the skin remains intact and the surrounding tissue appears normal. Paying attention to the following symptoms is key not just for relief but also to prevent more serious complications from taking hold:^12,^13,¹⁴

• A sense of heaviness often develops toward the end of the day — If you spend long hours standing or sitting, you'll start to notice a dull ache in your legs that eases with rest but gradually returns more often. The area will feel tight or swollen, and walking upstairs or standing still for too long makes the discomfort more noticeable.

• Pain may shift from dull to throbbing or cramping — You'll feel a throbbing sensation near the enlarged veins, sometimes accompanied by sharp or pulsing aches. The discomfort takes the form of a deep, cramping feeling that spreads through your calves or behind your knees.

You'll also notice itching, tingling, or a burning sensation along the affected veins. These symptoms often intensify in the evening, making it harder to relax or get restful sleep.

• Swelling in the lower legs becomes more common and persistent — This is because your calves and ankles start to hold onto fluid that doesn't go away quickly. By late afternoon, your shoes will feel tight, and your socks will leave deep marks around your ankles. In some areas, the skin over the swelling will look taut or slightly shiny, and you'll begin to see subtle changes in color around the clusters of visible veins.

• Skin changes near affected veins signal advancing dysfunction — As your veins stay under pressure, the skin around them becomes increasingly vulnerable. Discoloration will begin to develop, often taking on a rusty or brown hue just above your ankle.

The skin in this area will feel thinner and more fragile. The texture will become dry or leathery, and you'll notice more frequent itching. These changes show that the surrounding tissue is no longer getting enough oxygen or nutrients, an effect of impaired blood flow and poor venous return.

• Slow healing and venous ulcers may develop in later stages — If you leave the underlying dysfunction unaddressed, even small injuries in the affected area will take longer to heal. Minor scratches will linger and turn into shallow, stubborn wounds.

Over time, you'll develop venous ulcers, often near the ankles, that resist healing and become prone to infection. These ulcers will continue to return unless the pressure in your veins is reduced, and they will require ongoing care to prevent further skin breakdown and tissue damage.

• Persistent symptoms signal the onset of chronic venous insufficiency — Chronic venous insufficiency is the term used when your symptoms become persistent and continue to worsen. At this stage, your veins will no longer be able to maintain healthy circulation. The discomfort will spread beyond individual veins and affect your entire lower leg, leading to fatigue, limited mobility, and difficulty staying on your feet for extended periods.

If these symptoms begin to appear, don't ignore them or assume they'll resolve on their own. The longer the underlying pressure builds, the harder it becomes to reverse the damage.

Strategies to Address Varicose Veins

Managing varicose veins requires more than cosmetic correction — it involves addressing the underlying pressure, restoring circulation, and protecting surrounding tissue from long-term damage. The following strategies are commonly used in conventional care for varicose veins:

• Compression therapy is the standard first-line approach — Medical-grade compression stockings apply graduated pressure to the lower legs, which helps support the vein walls and encourages blood to flow upward toward the heart.

This approach does not reverse the condition, but it often reduces discomfort and swelling. When compression isn't enough, medical providers recommend procedures that close or remove dysfunctional veins to reroute blood through healthier ones.

• Minimally invasive procedures are used to collapse or remove damaged veins — The most commonly used techniques include sclerotherapy, where a chemical agent is injected to scar the vein shut, and endovenous thermal ablation, which uses heat from lasers or radiofrequency to collapse the affected vessel.

In some cases, mechanochemical ablation combines mechanical disruption with a sclerosing agent to enhance effectiveness. For larger or more stubborn veins, surgical options such as ambulatory phlebectomy or vein ligation may be used to physically extract or tie off the damaged vein.

For those seeking alternatives beyond mechanical or surgical correction, several noninvasive therapies are available to help you support your vascular tone more holistically:

• Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) offers a broad-spectrum alternative for vascular support — DMSO is a naturally occurring substance with potent anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and circulation-enhancing effects. When applied topically, it penetrates deep into the tissues. In people with varicose veins, this often translates into reduced visibility of enlarged veins, diminished pain or itching, and lessened pressure in the lower legs.^15,¹⁶

• DMSO plays a significant role in healing venous ulcers and skin damage caused by poor circulation — In clinical studies and long-term case reports, it has shown an ability to promote rapid tissue repair, support granulation, reduce swelling, and prevent infection.^17,¹⁸

Among diabetic patients with chronic foot ulcers, daily DMSO application helped restore tissue integrity in cases that had resisted conventional care.¹⁹ Its effectiveness appears to extend not only to wound healing but also to reducing the hyperpigmentation, thickening, and fragility often seen in longstanding venous insufficiency.^20,²¹

• Users report improvements in vein tone, skin integrity, and local circulation — As a venotropic compound, DMSO improves the tone and responsiveness of veins, helping to normalize blood return over time. It also appears to reduce capillary bleeding and post-inflammatory discoloration.²² Take a deeper look at how DMSO supports skin repair and vascular health in "How DMSO Revolutionizes Skin Care and Dermatology."

• Inclined bed therapy uses body positioning to enhance venous return — It offers a structural, systemic method for improving venous return without any invasive measures. By raising the head of the bed by 6 inches (5 degrees), your body lies at a gentle angle that uses gravity to assist the movement of blood and lymph as you sleep.

This method originated from the observation that plants circulate fluids using density and gravitational gradients, and that similar forces may support human circulation as well. In one experiment, varicose veins disappeared after four weeks of sleeping on a 6-inch incline, which is a sign that "a positive change in circulation" had been achieved.²³

To explore this method in greater depth, watch the video below and read "The Surprising Benefits of Inclined Bed Therapy" for a full breakdown of how it works to support circulation.

How to Lower Your Risk of Varicose Veins

You can't change your genetics or the natural aging process, but you do have control over how much daily stress your veins are forced to handle. Supporting healthy blood flow is one of the most effective ways to prevent varicose veins from developing or worsening. That means finding ways to reduce the pressure in your lower legs throughout the day. I recommend adopting these strategies:²⁴

1. Move regularly — If you sit or stand for long stretches at work, make a point to change positions often. Flex your ankles, shift your weight from leg to leg, or take brief walks to keep the blood in your calves moving upward. When you're seated, avoid crossing your legs or holding your knees tightly together for long periods, since this limits circulation and increases pressure in your lower limbs.

2. Raise your legs during the day — This helps relieve venous pressure by letting gravity assist circulation rather than working against it. Whenever possible, rest with your legs elevated above the level of your heart. This gives your veins a break and helps reduce swelling, especially after activity. Using pillows or a wedge cushion while lying down or reclining can make this a regular part of your daily routine.

3. Choose your shoes wisely — High heels reduce the ability of your calf muscles to contract fully, weakening the natural pumping action that moves blood upward. Choose shoes with lower heels and enough support to let your calves engage properly. Tight clothing around the waist, thighs, or calves also interferes with venous return, especially if worn for long hours.

4. Manage your weight — This reduces unnecessary strain on your lower body. Even a modest loss of excess weight will ease the burden on your venous system and improve overall circulation. Daily walking, swimming, or cycling keeps the blood moving and strengthens the muscle groups that support vein function. You don't need intense workouts — what matters is consistency and rhythm, especially in the legs.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Varicose Veins

Q: What are varicose veins and why do they develop?

A: Varicose veins are enlarged, twisted veins that usually appear in the legs. They form when the one-way valves in your veins begin to fail, allowing blood to flow backward and pool. This buildup increases pressure, stretches the vein walls, and causes the veins to bulge outward. Over time, this signals an underlying problem with circulation, not just a surface issue.

Q: What do varicose veins look and feel like?

A: You'll usually notice them as bulging, bluish or purple veins raised above the skin's surface. They may feel warm or tender to the touch, and symptoms like aching, swelling, or heaviness often intensify after standing or sitting for long periods. As the condition progresses, you may also experience throbbing, itching, or skin discoloration.

Q: Are varicose veins dangerous?

A: Yes, especially if left untreated. Over time, they lead to superficial vein thrombosis, deep vein thrombosis, venous ulcers, skin breakdown, and chronic swelling. These complications may begin subtly but grow more serious without early intervention.

Q: How does DMSO help with varicose veins?

A: DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) helps ease inflammation, improve circulation and promote healing in damaged tissue. It's especially helpful for reducing pain, shrinking visible veins, and speeding recovery from ulcers or skin changes caused by poor circulation.

Q: How do I use inclined bed therapy for varicose veins?

A: Raise the head of your bed by 6 inches to create a gentle downward slope from head to toe. This sleeping position improves fluid drainage, reduces nighttime swelling, and supports better circulation in the legs.

It might feel counterintuitive at first, since you'd expect elevating your feet to be the goal, but tilting the entire body allows gravity to assist blood and lymphatic flow more continuously. Many people report visible improvements within weeks of consistent use.

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Acute Care Hospital Reports Improved Patient Outcomes After Vitamin D Project

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Many people understand that vitamin D matters, but few realize just how widespread deficiency still is, especially in places with limited sunlight. In northern states like North Dakota, long winters mean very little UVB exposure, making it difficult to produce adequate vitamin D from sunlight alone.

For hospital patients who haven’t been outside in weeks, low vitamin D levels are almost certain. And while most associate vitamin D with bone health, it also affects the immune system and how well patients recover from illness. This is what led Vibra Hospital in Fargo, North Dakota, to launch a focused vitamin D program.

In the featured video above from GrassrootsHealth, Bonnie Vangerud, chief clinical officer at Vibra Hospital, and Kristen Schimmel, education coordinator at the same facility, explained how they introduced a vitamin D protocol for their long-term care patients, which led to measurable improvements, from stronger immune responses to better recovery outcomes.¹

Improving Recovery Through a Structured Vitamin D Program

To combat the consistently low vitamin D levels seen in newly admitted patients, many of whom arrived after extended stays in other facilities with little to no sun exposure, Vibra Hospital implemented a structured protocol that combined testing, personalized dosing, and follow-up monitoring.

The goal was to restore each patient’s serum vitamin D levels to a therapeutic target of 50 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL), which was associated with stronger immune function and improved recovery.²

• Each patient was tested on admission, with customized dosing based on results — Exclusion criteria were carefully defined to avoid complications in patients with conditions like sarcoidosis, hypercalcemia, or advanced kidney disease. Schimmel explained:

“Upon admission, we do a serum blood draw, included with all of their other lab work that we're drawing to check out what their vitamin D level is. Our dietitian then takes that serum level and plugs it into the GrassrootsHealth calculator, that online tool to establish their bolus dose, as well as a maintenance dose.

So, from that value, she discusses with the physician, who can then in turn order the vitamin D that is needed. We do follow-up levels at either day 25 or upon discharge, if they're discharging more at that 3-month mark.

But we do want to catch them before they leave here, so that's why we implemented that 25-day recheck. At three months, we recheck their vitamin D level, and we can adjust accordingly if it's a little bit higher than the calculator is aiming towards or if it's still on that lower side to do that monitored lab value.”³

• Nearly half of patients had dangerously low vitamin D levels — Their data revealed that 44% of patients had vitamin D levels under 20 ng/mL, with 12% falling below 10 ng/mL — and in some cases, levels were so low they couldn’t be detected at all. These findings revealed a glaring oversight in conventional hospital care, where vitamin D status is often ignored despite its wide-reaching effects on health.

Image courtesy of GrassrootsHealth

• Hospital-acquired infections dropped to zero after vitamin D correction — Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), which had ranged from two to four annually, dropped to zero in 2024.

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) also declined sharply, including one full year without a single recorded case. While other infection control strategies, like updated hygiene protocols and earlier catheter removal, played a role, many staff members felt strongly that restoring vitamin D levels was a key factor in the downward trend.

• Additional benefits emerged in areas unrelated to infection — Vangerud noted that a wound care nurse saw patients healing noticeably faster. She also shared the case of a brain-injured patient who was unresponsive and ventilator-dependent, but after receiving vitamin D as part of the protocol, regained consciousness and progressed to rehabilitation. A previous article on the vitamin D program at Vibra Hospital also noted:

“The hospital also saw decreased re-admittance to a higher level of care, an increased number of patients discharged to home or rehab, decreased discharges to skilled nursing facilities, and decreased overall length of hospital stay.”⁴

• No toxicity occurred even with high-dose supplementation — Some patients received up to 50,000 IU every 48 hours for several weeks without any signs of toxicity. These levels were carefully guided by lab values and adjusted as needed, underscoring the importance of close monitoring and individualized care.

• The impact of the program extended beyond patient care — Staff members began testing their own vitamin D levels and adjusting their supplementation after seeing the benefits firsthand. International nurses who had relocated from sun-filled regions like the Philippines and Africa shared how their moods had changed during the sunless North Dakota winters and how those symptoms eased once their vitamin D levels were restored.

• The hospital’s success was recognized at the state level — Following the program’s implementation, Vibra Hospital received a letter from the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services acknowledging its dramatic reduction in hospital-acquired infections. The recognition credited the team’s efforts in creating a safer care environment for patients across the state.⁵

• This approach is simple, safe, and effective — Reflecting on the program’s success, Vangerud stated:

“Vitamin D is very inexpensive, and evidence has shown it has proven outcomes, so why wouldn't you want to do that for your patients? Give them every possible chance of recovery and resistance to infection. It's easy, and it's not harmful ... it's the right thing.”⁶

What Are the Other Benefits of Vitamin D for Your Health?

Beyond the clinical outcomes already observed in Vibra Hospital’s program, a growing body of research continues to support vitamin D’s broader role in whole-body health. Some of its benefits include:

• Improves muscle strength and physical function — Vitamin D receptors are present in muscle tissue, and deficiency is linked to muscle weakness, falls, and frailty, especially in older adults or those confined to hospital beds. Adequate levels improve muscle protein synthesis, coordination, and recovery from injury.^7,8

• Supports cardiovascular health — One of vitamin D’s most important roles in heart health is managing calcium distribution. Without enough vitamin D, calcium is more likely to deposit in blood vessel walls, raising the risk of hypertension, arterial calcification, and cardiovascular disease. Deficiency has been consistently linked to higher rates of heart attack, stroke, and metabolic syndrome.^9,10,11

• Protects cognitive function — Vitamin D helps regulate neurotrophic factors like nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which protect neurons and support synaptic plasticity. Studies link low vitamin D levels with greater risk of dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and age-related cognitive decline.^12,13

• Regulates autoimmune activity — Vitamin D is essential for maintaining immune system balance and plays a key role in regulating T cell differentiation, helping the body distinguish between harmful invaders and its own healthy tissues. Studies link low vitamin D levels to increased risk and severity of autoimmune conditions like multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus.¹⁴

• Improves blood sugar control and metabolic resilience — Vitamin D affects insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism by acting on pancreatic β-cells and modulating inflammatory signals linked to insulin resistance. Clinical trials have shown that supplementation improves fasting glucose and HbA1c levels in patients with prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes, especially when baseline vitamin D levels are low.^15,16

• Reduces risk of certain cancers — Vitamin D influences cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis, which are key mechanisms involved in cancer development. Epidemiological data suggest that people with higher vitamin D levels have lower rates of several cancers, particularly colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer.^17,18,19

• Supports hormonal balance and thyroid health — Vitamin D receptors are expressed in many hormone-producing tissues, including the thyroid, ovaries, and adrenal glands.²⁰ Low vitamin D has been linked to thyroid autoimmunity, especially Hashimoto’s thyroiditis,²¹ as well as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and menstrual irregularities.²²

• Promotes gut barrier integrity — Vitamin D helps maintain tight junctions in the intestinal lining, reducing gut permeability, a known contributor to systemic inflammation and chronic illness.²³ It also influences microbiome composition by supporting the growth of beneficial bacteria and controlling overgrowth of pathogens.^24,25

To learn more about how this essential nutrient impacts nearly every system in your body, read “Everything You Need to Know About Vitamin D for Your Health.”

Are You at Risk of Vitamin D Deficiency?

Whether it’s from sunlight, supplements, or both, keeping your vitamin D levels in the optimal range is essential. But how do you know if you’re getting enough? Some people are more likely to fall short, even with sun exposure or dietary intake. You may be at risk for vitamin D deficiency if:

• You have darker skin — Higher melanin levels naturally protect against UV radiation, but they also reduce your skin’s ability to produce vitamin D. That means you need more sun exposure to generate the same amount as someone with lighter skin.

• You’re over age 60 — Aging skin loses its efficiency in converting sunlight into vitamin D. Even with time outdoors, older adults often struggle to maintain adequate levels without supplementation.²⁶

• You live far north — If you live in northern regions like Canada, Scandinavia, or the northern U.S., the winter sun simply doesn’t provide enough UV rays to support vitamin D production for several months each year.

• You cover your skin or stay indoors — Sunscreen, clothing, or limited time outdoors limits UVB exposure and sharply reduces vitamin D synthesis.

• You have chronic health conditions — Certain health issues interfere with vitamin D metabolism. For instance, obesity traps vitamin D in fat cells, making it less available for use, while gut disorders like celiac or Crohn’s disease reduce absorption from food or supplements.

How to Get the Most Health Benefits from Sun Exposure

There are two main ways to maintain healthy vitamin D levels — sunlight and supplements. Of the two, sunlight is your body’s most natural and efficient source, but getting it right involves more than simply spending time outdoors. Here’s how to optimize your sun exposure safely and effectively:

• How much sun do you need? Try to get direct sunlight on your bare skin daily. Use the “sunburn test” as a guide — stay in the sun just until your skin begins to turn slightly pink, then stop. Any redness at all is a signal to get out of direct sun, so avoid getting a sunburn — that's a sign of damage, not benefit.

• Avoid seed oils before peak sun exposure — Vegetable oils are loaded with polyunsaturated fats like linoleic acid (LA), which accumulate on your skin and are extremely prone to oxidation. When exposed to sunlight, they trigger inflammation and DNA damage, putting you at risk of sunburn and skin damage.

Hence, if your diet is rich in LA, avoid direct sunlight during peak hours (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) until you've reduced LA intake for at least six months. This gives your body time to flush out some of the stored LA, lowering your risk of sun-induced skin damage.

• Your body has a built-in shutoff switch — It stops making vitamin D once you’ve made enough. However, if you have darker skin, you’ll need longer sun exposure to generate the same amount of vitamin D as someone with lighter skin due to melanin’s UV-blocking effect.

• How to protect your skin while detoxing LA — If you need to spend time under the sun but haven't completely removed LA from your body yet, here are some protective strategies I recommend:

◦Take 12 milligrams of astaxanthin daily to enhance your skin's UV resistance.

◦Apply topical niacinamide (vitamin B3) cream before sun exposure to protect against UV-induced DNA damage.

◦Take a baby aspirin 30 to 60 minutes before sun exposure to help prevent LA conversion to harmful oxidized linoleic acid metabolites (OXLAMs).

To explore the full-body benefits of sun exposure beyond vitamin D, read “Beyond Vitamin D Production — How Sensible Sun Exposure Supports Overall Health.”

How to Supplement Vitamin D Properly

While nearly everyone would benefit from vitamin D3 supplementation, guessing your ideal dose is a mistake. The only reliable way to know how much you need is to test your blood level first and then tailor your approach based on the results.

• Don’t rely on one-size-fits-all dosing — Your optimal intake depends on multiple personal factors, including your baseline vitamin D status, body weight, skin tone, sun exposure, diet, and how much LA is stored in your tissues. What matters most isn’t the dose on the label — it’s your blood level. That’s what drives real health outcomes.

• The optimal range is higher than you’ve been told — Most guidelines set the sufficiency cutoff at around 40 ng/mL (or 100 nmol/L in Europe), but that’s just the baseline to avoid clinical deficiency. Vibra Hospital, for example, used 50 ng/mL as its therapeutic target. However, even that threshold falls short of what I recommend.

For robust immune support, chronic disease prevention, and whole-body resilience, 60 to 80 ng/mL (150 to 200 nmol/L) is the range to aim for. That’s where the real protective benefits begin — not just adequacy, but optimization.

I’ve laid out all the details in my comprehensive vitamin D report, which explains the mechanisms behind vitamin D’s effects and how to achieve optimal levels safely. Below is a brief summary of the key steps:

1. Start with a blood test — Once you know your blood level, you can determine how much vitamin D you need to raise or maintain it.

2. Calculate your personal dose — Use GrassrootsHealth’s Vitamin D*calculator to estimate how much vitamin D you need to reach your target range. If you prefer to estimate sun-derived vitamin D, the DMinder app²⁷ helps track how much you’re likely to produce based on your location, time outdoors, skin type, and other variables. To convert U.S. units to European, multiply ng/mL by 2.5.

Image courtesy of GrassrootsHealth

3. Always take vitamin D3 with fat — Vitamin D is fat-soluble. For best absorption, take it with a meal that includes healthy fat, such as grass fed butter, ghee, pasture-raised egg yolks, or tallow.

4. Retest every three to six months — Once you begin supplementation or increase sun exposure, test again after three to six months. This gives you time to see how your level responds and whether any adjustments are needed.

5. Don’t skip magnesium and K2 — If you're supplementing with vitamin D, you also need to take magnesium and vitamin K2. Data from nearly 3,000 people show that those not taking magnesium and K2 require 244% more vitamin D to achieve the same blood level.²⁸

These cofactors help regulate calcium metabolism, reduce the risk of calcification, and improve how your body processes vitamin D, making your supplementation more efficient and safer. To keep these nutrients in proper balance, take around 180 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin K2, ideally in the MK-7 form, along with 400 mg of magnesium,

Black Mold Is More Likely to Trigger Allergies Than Cause Toxic Reactions

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

We live in a fungal world, and it’s likely that 30% to 40% of homes and offices contain some type of mold. And when you inhale air every day, it’s not unlikely that you’re also breathing in mold spores. One particular type, black mold, has gained a negative reputation over the years due to its toxicity.

But does the science regarding black mold truly add up? Apparently, it does not. In fact, recent reports have debunked the claims regarding the dangers of this fungus — and it’s all because of a flawed study dating back to the 1990s.

What Is Black Mold?

Mold is a fungus that plays a key role in nature by breaking down organic matter. It reproduces through tiny spores that travel through the air and settle on surfaces. When those spores land on a moist surface with the right nutrients — like wood, paper, or fabric — they begin to grow.

• There are thousands of mold species — While many are harmless, others cause allergic reactions, irritate the respiratory system, or in rare cases, trigger more serious health effects.¹

• Mold thrives in damp or moist environments — The presence of mold indoors usually means there’s a water leak, poor ventilation, or high humidity. Once mold starts growing, it releases spores back into the air, which you then inhale. For sensitive individuals, that exposure leads to irritation, allergies, or other chronic respiratory issues.²

• Black mold is one of the more notorious types — While it does not refer to just one fungus, there is one species that most people refer to as black mold, called Stachybotrys chartarum.³

• S. chartarum thrives in areas that stay wet for long periods — It often grows on materials high in cellulose, a fiber found in plants, fruits, and vegetables. Drywall, insulation, and ceiling tiles contain this fiber. Unlike faster-growing molds, S. chartarum is slow to spread, however, it will persistently thrive in environments that remain damp.⁴

• Black mold can grow on your wallpaper — One study⁵ found that aside from S. chartarum, Penicillium brevicompactum and Aspergillus versicolor are examples of fungi that thrive in household wallpaper (which also contains cellulose).

Bad Science Erroneously Linked Black Mold to Infant Deaths

So how did black mold get its bad reputation? It all started with an outbreak of acute idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage (AIPH), in Cleveland, Ohio during the mid-1900s. Between 1993 and 1998, around 37 infants were diagnosed with this bleeding-lung disease, and at least 12 died.⁶

• The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) immediately launched an investigation — Their hastily concluded study found a link between S. chartarum and the bleeding disorder, suggesting that mycotoxins caused the outbreak. According to an article in The Conversation:

"The fungus typically associated with black mould S. chartarum can produce several mycotoxins. These include roridin, which inhibits protein synthesis in humans and animals, and satratoxins, which have numerous toxic effects including bleeding in the lungs."

The authors were careful to note that the link was purely epidemiologic, as they did not find a cause-and-effect relationship. But when the paper came out in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report in 1997, it caused paranoia among the public.^7,⁸ Black mold was demonized, and considered toxic and dangerous. However, there were several issues with the study.

• One of the key flaws had to do with the way mold exposure was measured — S. chartarum spores are embedded in a sticky, slimy mass — they don’t float easily through the air. That matters, because for mold to enter your lungs in significant amounts, it has to be airborne.

The original study assumed the spores were inhaled by infants while they slept, but that’s not how S. chartarum behaves. It's far more likely to stay stuck to surfaces like drywall, wood, or carpet. If you're not tearing out rotting walls, you're probably not inhaling it.

• The reports suggest the affected infants were exposed to toxic levels of mycotoxins, but this was also flawed — In fact, the concentrations of mold spores were incorrectly calculated. When the data was corrected, the link between S. chartarum and the disease basically disappeared.⁹

• S. chartarum does not have the potential to invade lung tissues — According to one study, this species does not grow and germinate well at 98.6 degrees F (37 degrees C), and this is the maximum temperature by which this fungus grows. This makes it impossible for the species to grow in the lungs.¹⁰

• It was supposed to be a "blind" study, but the investigators knew the homes of the sick babies — An article in The Sydney Morning Herald narrates:

"Not wanting to miss any spores, the investigator pounded air ducts and furniture, stirred up dust, and took twice the number of samples in the sick babies’ homes compared to the control houses. That totally skewed the data."¹¹

• The CDC thoroughly re-examined its own study by 1999 — They retracted the findings, admitting that "Serious shortcomings in the collection, analysis, and reporting of data resulted in inflated measures of association and restricted interpretation of the reports."¹²

The report’s correction also emphasized that the health problems seen in the Cleveland infants might have been due to multiple overlapping factors, including chronic respiratory infections, socioeconomic stressors, and possibly even prenatal complications. The mold may have been present — but presence alone doesn’t prove toxicity.

Don’t Let Your Guard Down — Black Mold Still Causes Allergies and Other Symptoms

While these findings help debunk the fatality of black mold, it does not necessarily mean it’s safe, and that you should not do anything about it. In fact, black mold affects humans in different ways that are not related to mycotoxins alone.¹³

• Allergy symptoms — Molds, including black mold, produce microbial volatile organic compounds (mVOCs). These are responsible for the musty smell associated with these fungi. If your immune system is hypersensitive to the spores or mVOCs, you might experience allergic rhinitis.

Symptoms may immediately arise when you come into direct contact with spores. However, if you don’t have any sensitivity to the spores, you may not feel any symptoms for a long time.¹⁴

• Asthma attacks — If you’re allergic to mold, it can trigger or exacerbate asthma attacks. Coughs, wheezing, respiratory infections, bronchitis, conjunctivitis (red eyes), and eczema are also triggered by black mold.¹⁵

• Mold also triggers more severe reactions — These include allergic fungal sinusitis, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

• Fungal infections — Frail seniors, young children and those who are immunocompromised may be prone to mold infections.

What Are the Health Effects Associated with Mold Exposure?

If your indoor air is not clean because of mold, you may notice certain symptoms arising (even before you spot the signs of mold growth). If you struggle with any of the issues listed below, consider evaluating your indoor air quality and have your home checked to see if your health problems are related to mold.

Frequent headaches
Depression
Chronic fatigue
Allergies
Neurological problems; poor concentration and forgetfulness
Skin rashes

Stomach and digestive problems, such as dysbiosis, leaky gut, and frequent diarrhea
Chronic sinusitis
Joint aches and pains
Muscle wasting
Frequent fevers
Asthma or trouble breathing

Mold expert Dr. Michael Gray has also provided several adverse health effects associated with fungi. These include:^16,^17,¹⁸

Alimentary toxic aleukia (a lack of leukocytes arising from food poisoning)
Dendrodochiotoxicosis (alimentary mycotoxicosis caused by Dendrodochium toxicum fungus)
Kashin-Beck disease (a bone and joint disease)
Usov's disease
Stachybotryotoxicosis
Cardiac beriberi
Ergotism (the effect of long-term poisoning by ergot fungus)
Balkan nephropathy (a form of kidney disorder)
Reye's syndrome (condition that causes swelling of your brain and liver)
Hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer)
Onyalai (a rare form of thrombocytopenia; abnormally low platelet count)

How to Check if Your Home Has a Mold Problem

Molds often cleverly hide around your home, lurking in places that are not within line of vision. One of the first steps is to conduct a thorough visual inspection. Look behind furniture, inside closets, in hidden corners in your bathroom, and even inside your coffeemaker (appliances that use water are sometimes hidden sources of mold).

• Check with your nose — Sniff around the areas you suspect may have a mold problem. If you notice a musty, mildew odor, that’s a sign that mold is hiding in the area.

• Use a moisture meter — If you can't see any visible signs, take an air sample, and use a moisture meter to determine the moisture level in the area. Wood flooring should have a maximum moisture content of 10% to 12%. Anything above that is a breeding ground for mold. Exterior walls should not have a moisture content above 15%.

• Don’t rely on mold spore counts alone — Mold spore counts in air samples vary diurnally, depending on the time of day or night it is, so it's not a reliable way to test for mold contamination in the air. You need to identify the mold itself, and not just look for spores in the air.

• Consider doing 24-hour monitoring — Unfortunately, this requires hiring a high-level mold expert, as this testing cannot be performed by a typical mold inspector. In addition to air sampling, proper lab testing of bulk samples of the mold growth is recommended.

Remediate Your Mold Problem at Its Source

If you find only a small area of surface mold, it’s possible to clean it without calling in an expert. However, only attempt to clean mold if it's limited to the surface of a small area. If it’s already deep-rooted, you will need professional assistance.

• Don’t use bleach or ammonia — If you do this, the mold will disintegrate as it dies, releasing toxins into the air. Once the toxins are released, the mold will grow right back, and depending on how widely it spreads, you may actually end up with an even greater problem.

• Do this instead — Wipe the area with visible mold with straight white vinegar. Next, add a couple of tablespoons of baking soda into a quart of water, then scrub off any surface residue of the mold.

• Consider using an ozone generator — This will help eliminate mold toxins from your air. Ozone generators generate photocatalytic oxidation that helps destroy airborne mold. Be careful, though — don’t use an ozone generator at levels higher than the EPA recommends if you (or your pets) are in the room.

• If the mold problem is already severe, it’s time to call in a professional — To avoid contaminating the rest of the house, you need to hire a contractor familiar with mold remediation as they will be meticulous about isolating and cleaning the mold-infested area. They will also use a HEPA filtration machine to trap minute particles.

• Moldy organic materials need to go — While metal objects can be cleaned, any organic material (such as wood, particle board, carpets, or wallpaper) needs to be completely removed and replaced. This is why you’ll require professional help — even if you're handy with a hammer, if you miss a spot and don’t get all the mold out, then it’ll simply grow back.

• Hire a qualified expert certified by one of the agencies below — Make sure to evaluate the remediator's overall qualifications. I would also suggest getting several bids, and make sure they're properly insured (liability as well as workman's comp).

◦ IICRC (Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification)

◦ ACAC (American Council for Accredited Certification), a certifying body that is third-party accredited

◦ The IAQA (Indoor Air Quality Association), a membership organization with no certification program (the ACAC handles this by agreement)

◦ RIA (Restoration Industry Association)

◦ NORMI (National Organization of Remediators and Microbial Inspectors)

Speaking from experience, it's worth every effort to find a qualified remediator if you have water intrusion and/or mold. If not done properly the first time, it can turn into a costly venture.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Black Mold

Q: Is black mold as dangerous as people say?

A: Black mold, particularly Stachybotrys chartarum, has been wrongly blamed for severe health conditions due to a flawed 1990s study. While it can cause allergies, its toxic reputation has been largely debunked by later research.

Q: Can black mold grow inside the human body?

A: No, S. chartarum does not grow well at human body temperature. It typically stays on moist surfaces and is unlikely to invade lung tissue or cause internal fungal infections in healthy individuals.

Q: What symptoms can black mold exposure cause?

A: Exposure can lead to allergic reactions such as sneezing, congestion, skin rashes, and asthma attacks. In sensitive individuals, it may also contribute to more serious respiratory or sinus conditions.

Q: How can I tell if there’s mold in my home?

A: Mold may be hidden behind walls, furniture, or in appliances. A musty smell, visible growth, or high moisture readings using a meter are signs that mold could be present.

Q: What are the safest ways to deal with black mold?

A: Small surface patches can be treated using vinegar and baking soda. For larger or embedded infestations, it’s recommended to hire a certified professional trained in safe mold remediation techniques.

From rejection to resilience: a doctor’s rise through the Caribbean route

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 23:00:15 +0000

The memories are still raw: Stepping off the plane alone, unsure of what came next. Where was the campus? The car? A place to live? I didn’t know a soul. I was in a different country, surrounded by uncertainty. There were moments I truly wondered if I’d make it. I was afraid I’d fail—that this

Rethinking medical gatekeeping in the age of AI

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 19:00:39 +0000

The other day, I was deep in conversation with my co-founder, Aaron Patzer, reflecting on how we each approach health concerns in our personal lives. Despite my background in emergency medicine and his in tech, we had surprisingly similar medical information seeking habits: We both turn to large language models (LLMs), tap into our networks,

Rethinking medical gatekeeping in the age of AI originally appeared in KevinMD.com.

Why physicians struggle with caregiving and how to cope with grace

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 17:00:38 +0000

As physicians, we are trained to care—for patients, colleagues, and our communities. When it comes to caring for our own aging parents and ill family members, most of us find ourselves overwhelmed, overfunctioning, under-resourced, depleted, and isolated. More often than not, we find ourselves assigned the caregiving role—explicitly or implicitly—because we’re “the doctor in the

How molecular discoveries are transforming preeclampsia prediction and care

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 15:00:22 +0000

When reviewing poor maternal health outcomes in the U.S., it is clear we cannot keep doing the same thing and expect to make pregnancy safe and healthy for all. A new approach is needed that harnesses the power of molecular advances to bring precision medicine to pregnancy health. Preeclampsia, one of the most dangerous complications

Why agency and partnership are vital in modern health care

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 11:00:58 +0000

We often hear the phrase “practice what you preach.” As both a physician and a patient, I’ve learned that nowhere is this more important than in how we navigate health care. Over the years, I’ve written about the importance of collaboration between physicians and patients. But as I’ve grown older and more frequently interact with

Living Near a Golf Course Puts Your Brain Health at Risk

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

In the United States, Parkinson's disease currently affects around 1.5 million people, with about 60,000 new cases diagnosed each year.¹ While age and genetics are believed to be risk factors for this condition, research shows that where you live also plays a role. Specifically, people living right next to golf courses have a higher risk.

Living Closer to Golf Courses Puts You at Risk for Parkinson's Disease

In a study published in JAMA Network Open, researchers investigated how your proximity to golf courses influences your risk of developing Parkinson's disease. For their experiment, the team compared locations of Parkinson's cases with distances to golf courses, tapping into medical records of 419 Parkinson's disease patients and matching them against 5,113 healthy controls across 139 golf courses throughout southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin.²

• Eye-opening results — After analysis, the team concluded that the closer you live to a golf course (especially within a mile), the greater your likelihood of developing Parkinson's. Specifically, your odds nearly double — a whopping 126% — when residing less than a mile from these chemically maintained spaces compared to living further away.

• Even modest increases in distance help reduce your exposure — For example, at around 3 miles away, Parkinson's risk still existed but dropped more notably, about 13% for every extra mile. However, the highest risk zone consistently hovered at the shortest distances, which, again, highlights the finding that proximity matters most.

• Drinking water drawn near golf courses heightened the risk — Residents dependent on groundwater within these contaminated zones also experienced nearly doubled risk of developing Parkinson's. The researchers strongly believe that pesticide residues infiltrate local water supplies, becoming a direct threat to residents who consume this resource daily, unaware of the invisible chemical burden they face.

• Pesticides sprayed onto golf courses frequently drift in the air — This is particularly observed in densely populated areas. Apartment complexes and homes built close to golf courses effectively trap these airborne toxins, concentrating exposure around residential spaces. If the urban or suburban community you live in is near a golf course, your vulnerability increases not just through water, but via inhalation as well.

• The strongest effects are linked to urban communities — In relation to the point above, this specific demographic faces the highest increase in Parkinson's risk. Such populations typically have fewer natural barriers like trees or open spaces to block pesticide drift, making them more susceptible to inhalation-based exposure and chemical residues settling in and around their homes.

• How pesticides exert their harmful effects — Pesticides commonly applied on golf courses, including chlorpyrifos and the weed killer 2,4-D, disrupt critical energy processes inside cells. These substances cross the protective blood-brain barrier, harming neuron health and function.³ As noted by the researchers:

"Pesticides such as paraquat and rotenone have been shown to induce Parkinson-like neurodegeneration in the substantia nigra, primarily through mechanisms involving oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and dopaminergic neuron apoptosis."⁴

All Golf Courses Pose Risks, but Not All of Them Are Equal

In a related study published in Social Science Research Network (SSRN), researchers noted that pesticide risk on golf courses varies significantly based on where you live. This research specifically compared pesticide hazards across eight regions in the United States and Europe, investigating why some areas seem safer than others.⁵

By focusing on differences in regulation, budget, and climate, the analysis identified what determines the toxicity level of golf courses in each area. The difference here is that the population of this study wasn't individual people, but rather golf courses themselves.

• Europe has lower golf course pesticide use — Researchers looked at numerous courses from different countries, including the United States, Denmark, Norway, and other European nations. After calculating the pesticide risk using a special model, the study found massive discrepancies.

Courses in Florida had median pesticide risk scores topping out at 40,806. Meanwhile, courses in Denmark scored as low as 64, highlighting a shocking disparity based on the two continents.

• Pesticide risks in American courses dwarfed those of their European counterparts — As noted in the findings above, the median hazard-quotient score in Florida was hundreds of times greater than the score in Denmark.

Moreover, even comparing states within the U.S., northern golf courses (located in New York and Oregon) typically carried lower risks than southern states (located in Florida and Texas), again due to variations in pesticide regulation and choice of products rather than simply weather or budget considerations.

• The main driver of the differences was the strictness of pesticide regulations — Among U.S. courses, especially in Florida, maintenance staff tend to use pesticides far more due to relaxed or limited regulation. "Golf courses in Florida averaged over 60 fungicide area treatments on greens each year," the researchers said. This is in contrast to Denmark, which has stricter regulations agreed upon by various stakeholders:⁶

"In 2005, an agreement to phase out the use of pesticides on Danish golf courses was signed by the Danish Golf Union (DGU), the Danish Ministry of Environment (MoE), and the Municipalities Organization in Denmark …

According to the MoE, pesticide risk on golf courses has been reduced 97% since the agreement was signed in 2005. Ninety-eight percent of golf courses are compliant in tracking their pesticide risk with values below the maximum allowable. To remain under this threshold, golf course superintendents must tolerate higher levels of disease, weeds, and insects."

• Budget did have some impact, but it was less influential than regulations — Courses with lower budgets in colder northern U.S. states sometimes had reduced risk scores, but these findings were minimal compared to those achieved by robust regulatory measures. Essentially, even if a golf course spends less money on pesticides, if the chemicals allowed are particularly harmful or poorly regulated, the overall health risks for nearby residents remain high.

• The type of pesticides matters more than the amount — For instance, fungicides, which are chemicals used to prevent fungal growth on grass, turned out to be particularly problematic, with golf courses using more potent varieties drastically increasing their overall risk scores.

In regions where powerful fungicides are heavily regulated or outright banned, such as much of northern Europe, the courses showed far lower hazard scores. In short, it isn't necessarily about how frequently pesticides are applied, but rather what specific pesticides are used.

• Pesticides stay in the environment for a long time — The researchers discussed that the reason fungicides and certain herbicides (weed killers) are harmful is their ability to persist in the environment and interact with wildlife, groundwater, and ultimately humans. These chemicals stay active long after application, leaching into groundwater and becoming airborne, presenting continuous and chronic health risks to anyone exposed over time.

• Stronger regulations will help curb pesticide overuse — One key point raised by the researchers is that improving your local environment requires stricter regulations. European models show clearly how legislative action drastically reduces pesticide exposure.

If you live near a golf course and worry about chemical exposure, advocating for better local and national regulations could significantly decrease your personal health risks. Policy changes represent one of the most effective and immediate ways to improve community safety from harmful pesticides.

Overall, this research paints a clear picture that not all golf courses are equally dangerous. But still, if you live near one, your risk for Parkinson's is higher. Furthermore, understanding how local policies influence pesticide use gives you an insight into your personal risk level. Knowledge of these specifics will empower you to advocate effectively for safer environments.

Practical Steps to Protect Yourself from Pesticide Exposure

If you live near a golf course and moving to a new home isn't feasible for your current situation, limiting your pesticide exposure is your top goal. As noted earlier, these chemicals harm your neurological health and increase your risk for Parkinson's. To protect yourself, here are my recommendations:

1. Exercise regularly to sweat out chemicals — Engaging in activities that make you sweat, such as interval walking training (IWT), cycling, or sauna sessions, is one of the most powerful tools for eliminating pesticides and heavy metals that have accumulated in your body.

Furthermore, there's plenty of evidence showing that regular exercise boosts overall health, so there's no downside to sweating. Best of all, exercise is essentially free and available any time you want to do it.

2. Filter your drinking water — Because pesticides easily contaminate groundwater, filtering your tap water becomes crucial if you live near a golf course. There are many water filters available on the market, so choose one that fits your budget and needs. Just remember that the filters need to be able to have the capability to remove toxins such as pesticides, fluoride, and heavy metals.

3. Support stricter local regulations — Getting involved at the community level matters. Advocate for tougher pesticide policies with local legislators. Stricter rules on pesticide use, like those in Europe, translate into safer neighborhoods and less exposure for you and your family.

4. Improve your indoor air quality — Airborne pesticides can drift indoors, settling in your home. Use air purifiers equipped with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters, keep windows closed when pesticide spraying is scheduled, and frequently clean surfaces. Cleaner indoor air reduces direct exposure, protecting your respiratory system and your brain health.

5. Choose organic food whenever possible — Switching to organic fruits and vegetables greatly reduces your body's pesticide burden, helping you detoxify effectively. Nonorganic produce often contains residues from the same pesticides golf courses use, increasing your total chemical load.

To find the best organic food, it's important to carefully read and understand the labels printed on the food you're buying. For an in-depth explanation of this topic, read "Organic Food Safety — Navigating Labels and Finding Local Sources."

Find Organic, Chemical-Free Produce Here

If you live in a dense, urban location in the U.S. that doesn't have any local farmers markets, don't worry. There are plenty of ways to connect with reputable organic farmers who employ sustainable practices that deliver to your home. Below is a list of websites I recommend:

• American Grassfed Association — The goal of the American Grassfed Association (AGA) is to promote the grass fed industry through government relations, research, concept marketing and public education.

Their website also allows you to search for AGA-approved producers certified according to strict standards that include being raised on a diet of 100% forage; raised on pasture and never confined to a feedlot; never treated with antibiotics or hormones; born and raised on American family farms.

• EatWild.com — EatWild.com provides lists of farmers known to produce raw dairy products as well as grass fed beef and other farm-fresh produce (although not all are certified organic). Here you will also find information about local farmers markets, as well as local stores and restaurants that sell grass fed products.

• Weston A. Price Foundation — The organization has local chapters in most states, and many of them are connected with buying clubs in which you can easily purchase organic foods, including grass fed, raw dairy products like milk and butter.

• Grassfed Exchange — The Grassfed Exchange has a listing of producers selling organic and grass fed meats across the U.S.

• Local Harvest — This website will help you find farmers markets, family farms and other sources of sustainably grown food in your area where you can buy produce, grass fed meats and many other goodies.

• Farmers Markets — A national listing of farmers markets.

• Eat Well Guide: Wholesome Food from Healthy Animals — The Eat Well Guide is a free online directory of sustainably raised meat, poultry, dairy and eggs from farms, stores, restaurants, inns, hotels and online outlets in the U.S. and Canada.

• Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) — CISA is dedicated to sustaining agriculture and promoting the products of small farms.

• The Cornucopia Institute — This website maintains web-based tools rating all certified organic brands of eggs, dairy products and other commodities, based on their ethical sourcing and authentic farming practices separating CAFO (concentrated animal feeding operation) "organic" production from authentic organic practices.

• RealMilk.com — If you're still unsure of where to find raw milk, check out Raw-Milk-Facts.com and RealMilk.com. They can tell you what the status is for legality in your state, and provide a listing of raw dairy farms in your area. The Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund also provides a state-by-state review of raw milk laws.⁷ California residents can also find raw milk retailers using the store locator available at RAW FARM.⁸

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Pesticides in Golf Courses

Q: Why does living near a golf course increase my Parkinson's disease risk?

A: Living close to golf courses significantly raises your exposure to pesticides used to maintain grass, which drastically increases your Parkinson's risk if you live within a mile. These chemicals contaminate groundwater and drift into the air, directly affecting nearby homes and communities.

Q: How far away should I live from a golf course to reduce Parkinson's risk?

A: The closer you live, the higher your risk. Even at about 3 miles away, risk exists but starts dropping notably, around 13% for each additional mile further away from the course.

Q: Are golf courses in Europe safer than those in the United States?

A: Yes. European golf courses generally pose less pesticide risk because of stricter regulations. For example, median pesticide hazard scores in Denmark are hundreds of times lower than in states like Florida.

Q: Does filtering my drinking water help lower Parkinson's risk if I live near a golf course?

A: Yes. Filtering your drinking water effectively removes pesticide residues from local groundwater, significantly reducing your daily exposure and protecting your neurological health.

Q: What else can I do to lower my pesticide exposure risk from living near a golf course?

A: Besides filtering your water, regularly exercising to sweat out toxins, eating organic foods, improving indoor air quality, and advocating for stricter local pesticide regulations all significantly lower your risk.

Test Your Knowledge with Today's Quiz!

Take today’s quiz to see how much you’ve learned from yesterday’s Mercola.com article.

What is one way krill oil helps your cells defend against damage from fat overload?

By providing vitamin D
By reducing oxidative stress and activating natural antioxidants
Krill oil reduces oxidative stress and activates your body’s own antioxidant enzymes, helping protect cells from fat-related damage. Learn more.
By enhancing the body's metabolic rate and thermogenic processes during exercise
By promoting deeper sleep cycles

Curcumin and Piperine Together Improve Sepsis Outcomes

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Sepsis is characterized by an overwhelming immune response to an infection, resulting in widespread inflammation, organ failure, and frequently, death. Each year in the United States alone, more than 1.7 million adults are diagnosed with sepsis, and approximately 350,000 of these cases are fatal, highlighting how urgent, life-saving treatments are needed.¹

Antibiotics and painkillers are usually administered to a patient once sepsis is confirmed. However, these come with side effects. To find effective solutions, doctors are turning to plant sources rich in anti-inflammatory compounds, namely curcumin. Research has shown that this molecule, found in turmeric, can turn the tide against sepsis. Furthermore, it actually works better when combined with piperine — the active ingredient in black pepper.

Curcumin and Piperine Rapidly Reduce Sepsis-Related Inflammation

A study published in Trials by Iranian researchers investigated how effectively curcumin, combined with piperine, reduces inflammation among critically ill patients diagnosed with sepsis. The team aimed to understand if daily supplementation using these two natural compounds would lead to measurable improvements in patients' inflammatory markers and outcomes compared to a placebo group.²

Participants included 66 adult sepsis patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). They were randomly assigned to two groups — the control population received standard care plus placebo tablets while the test group received standard care plus 500 milligrams (mg) of curcumin and 5 mg of piperine.

• Inflammation drastically reduced in the test group — After just seven days of treatment, significant differences emerged between the two groups. The patients who received curcumin and piperine experienced a remarkable 30.81% reduction in C-reactive protein (CRP), which is a biomarker that doctors use to gauge inflammation. In contrast, the placebo group's CRP levels barely budged, dropping by only around 3.15%.

• Another critical inflammation marker substantially improved — The test group saw erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) levels decline by roughly 34.29% to 37.36% compared to an insignificant reduction of only 2.02% in those taking the placebo. For context, ESR typically reflects ongoing inflammation in the body, so a large reduction signals that the treatment effectively halted or reversed inflammatory processes fueling sepsis.

• Other crucial biomarkers also shifted positively — In the test group, levels of bilirubin (an indicator of liver function), hemoglobin (oxygen-carrying capacity of blood), hematocrit (the percentage of red blood cells in blood), and platelet counts all showed movement toward healthier ranges. Each of these improvements represents progress toward recovery, as sepsis frequently damages multiple organ systems simultaneously.

Interestingly, despite these marked improvements, standard ICU severity scores like Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) — both used to evaluate sepsis progression and severity — did not show significant changes during the weeklong treatment window.

In other words, while inflammation decreased dramatically, the overall picture didn't shift as dramatically yet, signifying that extended treatment periods or combinations with other therapies might be needed for full recovery.

• The curcumin-piperine combination is safe to use — Safety is often a primary concern for ICU patients, whose bodies are already under intense stress. Importantly, no adverse effects or negative reactions were reported throughout the study duration, reinforcing curcumin and piperine’s safety profile even in critically ill, fragile individuals. For patients and their families, this provides valuable reassurance that incorporating these compounds into a treatment regimen is unlikely to cause harm.

• Inflammation is managed better — Curcumin acts by directly suppressing inflammatory signals, particularly by inhibiting NF-κB and Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) pathways. These are responsible for triggering excessive inflammatory responses that cause severe tissue damage seen in sepsis. When curcumin steps in, inflammation halts before it can wreak irreversible havoc on vital organs.

Even Curcumin Alone Already Protects Against Sepsis

While the combination of curcumin and piperine fights sepsis effectively, a meta-analysis published in BioMed Research International noted that curcumin alone protects you from sepsis. Researchers reviewed 12 studies using animal models, examining how effectively curcumin protects vital organs and increases survival rates after septic episodes.³

All experiments created sepsis using methods that mimic dangerous infections common in human ICU patients. Researchers primarily focused on sepsis induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a toxic compound that triggers powerful inflammation, and cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), which simulates severe abdominal infections. By recreating these serious conditions, the researchers were able to clearly assess how well curcumin helped mitigate the damage.

• Curcumin dramatically boosted survival rates among treated animals — In some cases, rates jumped as high as 90%, compared to only 40% among animals who didn't receive curcumin. Such a stark increase in survival underlines the compound's extraordinary ability to combat sepsis-related damage.

• Improvements in organ function were observed across multiple studies — Animals receiving curcumin experienced significantly less damage to their lungs, kidneys, heart, and even brain. Lung protection was particularly notable, with treated animals showing markedly reduced fluid buildup (pulmonary edema), a common and deadly complication of severe sepsis. This means curcumin could help maintain clear breathing and effective oxygen exchange, directly impacting survival.

• Liver function showed remarkable improvement — In untreated septic animals, enzymes like aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) — which doctors measure to evaluate liver health — typically soared. But in animals treated with curcumin, these enzyme levels stayed much closer to normal, indicating significantly less liver damage.

• Curcumin administration was a critical factor — Animals that received curcumin shortly after the onset of sepsis had the most significant improvements and highest survival rates. For example, one of the studies included in the analysis noted that sepsis-induced lung injury was reduced within 24 hours.

• Curcumin suppresses inflammatory cytokines — The researchers explain how curcumin works to impede the inflammatory process:⁴

"[C]urcumin acts as an anti-inflammatory by inhibiting reactive oxygen species generation via inhibiting oxidative stress, regulating cytokine production as a result of which it blocks the oxidation process reducing inflammation, and reducing inflammatory cells infiltration at different organs and tissues."

• The blood-brain barrier is repaired — The researchers noted that curcumin boosted blood-brain barrier integrity "by attenuating brain edema, decreasing apoptosis, and reducing mitochondrial dysfunction in septic mice."

• Dosage influences outcomes — The researchers observed that administering higher doses resulted in better survival rates:⁵

"Septic rats treated with curcumin showed increased survival rates, approximately 80% when treated with 50 mg/kg curcumin and 90% when treated with 200 mg/kg curcumin compared to septic untreated animals, which showed 40% of survival, suggesting that the survival rate may be related to the administered dose.

Furthermore, animals treated with curcumin before LPS injection had reduced lethality, an improvement directly related to curcumin dosage."

Golden Milk — A Tasty Way to Get Both Curcumin and Piperine

Piperine is the primary active component in black pepper. Now, you’re probably curious why it's combined with curcumin — research has shown that that it helps increase curcumin’s bioavailability by a whopping 2,000%.⁶ That said, I recommend you drink golden milk, as it’s also filled with other health-boosting nutrients compared to just taking a curcumin/piperine supplement.

• Research confirms golden milk’s benefits — In one study, adding black pepper to golden milk showed that curcumin, together with piperine, addressed the symptoms of metabolic syndrome in 117 study subjects who exhibited both oxidative stress and inflammation. Results showed that there’s a significant improvement in oxidative and inflammatory markers.⁷

• Curcumin and piperine are a potent combination — Research shows that piperine enhances the assorted benefits of curcumin, and even works synergistically to manage oxidative stress and inflammation.⁸

• Black pepper has its limitations — However, black pepper isn’t the only answer, as another study showed that piperine interacts with certain enzymes that metabolize drugs, leading to an increased risk for adverse health effects.⁹

Another Lifesaving Protocol Against Sepsis

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that can affect anyone, so it’s important to arm yourself with the knowledge to combat it. That said, in addition to the curcumin/piperine combo, another lifesaving intervention is intravenous (IV) vitamin C with hydrocortisone and thiamine (vitamin B1).¹⁰

• An effective sepsis treatment protocol — It was developed by Dr. Paul Marik while working as a critical care doctor at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia. Based on Marik’s experience, his protocol has reduce mortality by nearly fivefold.¹¹

• Detractors are not successful — Expectedly, some people have tried to discredit Marik’s protocol, even if it has already saved lives. In March 2022, for example, an Australian Ph.D. candidate named Kyle Sheldrick contended that the success of Marik’s intervention was based on fraudulent data, which was published in the CHEST Journal. An investigation was launched, and the editors of the publication deemed that there were no methodological errors.¹²

• Marik’s protocol helped save lives — In Marik’s retrospective before-after clinical study,^13,¹⁴ findings showed that patients who were given vitamin C, hydrocortisone, and thiamine for two days had reduced mortality from 40% to just 8.5%. Out of the 50 patients in the review, only four died, and those stemmed from underlying diseases, not sepsis.

As for the specifics, Marik used 200 mg of thiamine every 12 hours, 1,500 mg of ascorbic acid every six hours, and 50 mg of hydrocortisone every six hours.¹⁵ This was so effective, Sentara Norfolk General Hospital subsequently made the protocol its standard of care for sepsis.

• Vitamin C and corticosteroids have a synergistic effect — This combination is what makes the protocol effective against sepsis. Even then, a high dose of IV vitamin C alone is already helpful in boosting the survival of sepsis patients and acute respiratory failure.¹⁶

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Curcumin, Piperine, and Sepsis

Q: What is sepsis, and why is it so dangerous?

A: Sepsis occurs when your body’s immune system responds too aggressively to an infection, causing widespread inflammation and potential organ failure. Over 1.7 million Americans get sepsis each year, and about 350,000 of those cases are fatal, making rapid treatment crucial.

Q: How can curcumin and piperine help if I have sepsis?

A: Research shows curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, significantly reduces inflammation markers associated with sepsis. When combined with piperine (from black pepper), curcumin becomes much more effective because piperine boosts its absorption, making it highly beneficial in rapidly reducing severe inflammation.

Q: Are curcumin and piperine safe for critically ill patients?

A: Yes. Clinical studies confirm that taking curcumin and piperine is safe, even for critically ill patients in intensive care. Patients experienced no adverse side effects during treatment.

Q: Is curcumin effective even without piperine?

A: Yes, even curcumin alone strongly protects against sepsis-related damage. Animal studies showed survival rates jumped from 40% up to 90% with curcumin treatment alone. Curcumin significantly protected vital organs such as the lungs, liver, kidneys, heart, and brain from severe inflammatory damage.

Q: How else can I naturally fight sepsis and reduce inflammation?

A: Besides curcumin and piperine, a proven lifesaving intervention for sepsis is intravenous (IV) vitamin C combined with hydrocortisone and thiamine (vitamin B1). Developed by Dr. Paul Marik, this vitamin protocol dramatically reduces sepsis mortality and is now used widely due to its effectiveness and safety.

Ultraprocessed Foods Increase Psoriasis Risk and Worsen Inflammation

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Psoriasis is an immune-related condition characterized by red, scaly, itchy patches that often flare up on your elbows, knees, scalp, hands, feet, and even nails. While it looks like a rash, it’s not just a skin issue. Rather, it’s an autoimmune disease that results when your immune system goes haywire, speeding up the life cycle of skin cells.

Today, psoriasis affects 2% to 3% of the world population.¹ People who struggle with psoriasis often rely on medications like steroids to prevent flare-ups and keep the symptoms under control. However, there’s one overlooked factor that could be triggering this condition and worsening your inflammation levels — your food choices.

Eating Ultraprocessed Foods Is Associated with a Higher Risk of Psoriasis

A recent study published in Nutrients² set out to understand whether ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) play a role in the development of psoriasis. Researchers used data from the UK Biobank, a massive long-term health study involving more than half a million participants, to assess this connection.³

• Selecting the participants — After filtering out those with pre-existing psoriasis, unreliable calorie reporting, or incomplete participation, the final analysis focused on 121,019 individuals. They were mostly between the ages of 40 and 69, with an average age of 56, which is right in the window where psoriasis often starts showing up.

• Conducting the study — The researchers provided the participants with detailed online questionnaires that looked into their diets, lifestyles, and health history. The researchers then used this data to categorize how much ultraprocessed food each person consumed, and then tracked who developed psoriasis over time.

• The researchers sorted participants into four groups (quartiles) — This was based on how much UPFs they consumed, with the first quartile being the lowest and the fourth the highest. In the second quartile, the risk of psoriasis was higher by 7%, while in the third and fourth quartile, the risk was higher by 19% and 23%, respectively.

To put it simply, the more ultraprocessed foods you consume, the more likely you’ll develop this skin condition. News-Medical.net summarizes:

“[T]hese findings indicate a 6% increased risk of psoriasis with each 10% increase in UPF consumption, with this risk reduced by 18% if 20% of UPFs were replaced with category 1 foods.” (Category 1 refers to whole and unprocessed foods.)⁴

Even Small Dietary Swaps Will Dramatically Lower Your Psoriasis Risk

Digging deeper, the study found that the connection between UPFs and psoriasis was tied to two major factors — inflammation and body mass index (BMI).

Inflammation is the body’s response to injury or stress; while it’s useful short-term, chronic low-level inflammation is harmful. UPFs increase this inflammation through additives like seed oils, refined sugars, and artificial flavors.

• Body mass index (BMI) played a significant role — According to the study authors, BMI accounts for 27.15% of the connection. This means that the added weight gain brought on by consuming ultraprocessed foods heightens your risk of psoriasis.

• Your genes also play a role — The researchers found that people with a high genetic risk who also ate high amounts of UPFs were 2.7 times more likely to develop psoriasis than those with low genetic risk and minimal UPF intake.

• One of the most powerful takeaways — The researchers found that replacing just 5% of ultraprocessed foods in your daily diet with minimally processed alternatives dropped psoriasis risk by 14%. When they replaced 10% of UPFs, the risk dropped by 17%.

Replacing 20% made the risk go down by 18%. These numbers reflect real changes you can make with minor shifts, like snacking on whole fruit instead of potato chips, and swapping soda for plain water.

Why Are Ultraprocessed Foods So Damaging to Your Health?

I’ve written about the dangers of ultraprocessed foods numerous times, as I believe that they’re one of the primary reasons many are struggling with poor health today. Although affordable and convenient, these foods are a toxic cocktail of emulsifiers, preservatives, flavorings, colorings, industrial fats, and refined carbs. They are engineered to hijack your appetite and trigger cravings, trapping you in an endless cycle of overeating, weight gain, and disease.

• Psoriasis is just the tip of the iceberg — A 2024 umbrella review published in the BMJ found that ultraprocessed foods are strongly linked to 32 adverse health outcomes. These include respiratory diseases, metabolic problems, digestive issues, and even cancer.⁵

• Ultraprocessed foods are clogging up your arteries — Constantly consuming these foods sets you up for a heart attack or stroke. One Canadian study links these foods to nearly 38% of all cardiovascular disease deaths in the country.⁶

• These foods also raise the risk of depression in the elderly — A study published in BMC Medicine found that eating just four servings of ultraprocessed food per day increased depression risk by 10% among adults over age 70. Their mental health scores also declined; the more UPFs they ate, the greater the effect.⁷

• Ultraprocessed foods also affect your muscle health — Consuming higher amounts of UPFs elevates the risk of developing low muscle mass by 60% in young and middle-aged adults.⁸

So what triggers these effects? One reason is that ultraprocessed foods are loaded with refined sugar, artificial additives, and oxidized fats, which are known to trigger systemic inflammation.

• Processed foods also damage your gut microbiome — Your gut is composed of a complex ecosystem of bacteria that affects everything in your body. When you overload it with additives like emulsifiers and artificial sweeteners, your gut’s protective lining is damaged, and changes in microbial diversity also occur.

• They trigger oxidative stress, too — This is a state where your body can’t neutralize damaging free radicals fast enough. UPFs contribute to this imbalance by introducing harmful compounds and lacking protective nutrients. Over time, oxidative stress speeds up aging, weakens immunity, and makes you more vulnerable to chronic disease and infections.

Linoleic Acid and Other Unhealthy Fats in Processed Foods Also Affect Your Skin Health

One major reason why ultraprocessed foods are so damaging is that they are loaded with linoleic acid (LA). Almost all ultraprocessed foods are typically made with high amounts of seed oils, so it means they contain this polyunsaturated fat (PUF).

• When you ingest LA, it doesn’t stay dormant in your body — Rather, it goes straight to your mitochondria, which are the powerhouses of your cell. These cellular engines generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the fuel that powers everything from brain function to hormone balance.

• LA in junk food hampers your cellular energy production — As I mentioned above, psoriasis is an autoimmune disease, and mitochondrial function plays a role in the development and progression of these disorders.

As I detailed in my peer-reviewed paper published in Nutrients, LA in small amounts does not cause harm, and is actually considered an essential fatty acid. But the amount of vegetable oils and ultraprocessed foods many consume today is so high that it leads to excessive buildup in your body.⁹

Too much LA causes oxidative and reductive stress, which disrupts your mitochondrial function.¹⁰ To put it simply, it damages your cellular engines, causing them to slow down or malfunction. That energy shortfall means your cells can’t repair themselves or respond to stress, leading to fatigue, mood changes, and disease.

• Linoleic acid also travels to your skin — When you consume LA in excessive amounts, it accumulates in your skin where it triggers inflammation and DNA damage when exposed to the sun (more on this later.)

• Rethink your fats and lower your LA intake — Eliminating ultraprocessed foods and avoiding vegetable (seed) oils like soybean, corn, sunflower, safflower, grapeseed and canola will help reduce your risk of psoriasis. Ideally, keep your total LA consumption below 5 grams per day, or under 2 grams if possible.

Most restaurants use seed oils to fry or sauté their foods, and even the sauces and dressings they use contain these ingredients. If you’re serious about cutting this fat from your life, limit restaurant meals or ask exactly what oils are used in the kitchen.

I recommend switching to healthy saturated fats like grass fed butter, ghee, or beef tallow when cooking. Another recent discovery I’ve made is pentadecanoic acid or C15:0, which selectively displaces the LA in your skin, protecting you from skin damage. I’ll discuss this more in the following section.

Vitamin D Deficiency — Another Risk Factor Linked to Psoriasis

In 2023, researchers reported another striking connection between vitamin D and psoriasis, noting that having lower levels of this nutrient increases the severity of this disease. The data was taken from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and involve almost 500 psoriasis cases.¹¹

According to their observations, psoriasis patients with the smallest areas of skin affected by the disease had the highest average levels of vitamin D, while those with the most extensive lesions showed the lowest levels.

• Vitamin D remained a strong predictor even after adjusting for other factors — The researchers also adjusted for factors like smoking and BMI; however, vitamin D deficiency remained a significant predictor of psoriasis severity.

• The effects depend on the activity of vitamin D receptors (VDR) inside immune cells — Your body's response to vitamin D depends on tiny structures inside cells called vitamin D receptors (VDR). When you have moderate to severe psoriasis, these receptors are more active on certain immune cells, especially CD14+ monocytes, compared to individuals without this condition.

• VDR activity is more tied to inflammation than lesion severity — Interestingly, as inflammation improved with treatment, the difference in VDR activity between psoriasis patients and healthy people disappeared, even though the severity of the condition decreased. This suggests that VDR activity is tied more to overall inflammation than directly to how severe your psoriasis is.

• Ultraprocessed foods, vitamin D deficiency, obesity, and psoriasis are all interconnected — UPFs trigger obesity, which is both a risk factor for developing psoriasis and a condition worsened by the systemic inflammation psoriasis triggers. Lower vitamin D levels are common in obese individuals, as the vitamin gets trapped in fat tissue and less is available for use in your body.

Optimizing Your Vitamin D Levels Through Safe Sun Exposure

While synthetic vitamin D creams are gaining traction as prescription treatments, optimizing your levels through safe sun exposure is a better strategy for psoriasis management. But, as I’ve mentioned above, only do so when you’ve purged linoleic acid from your diet.

• Sunlight provides benefits beyond vitamin D production — Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun triggers many biological processes, like immune system modulation, nitric oxide release for improved circulation, mitochondrial support, and managing your internal body clock (circadian rhythm). These effects work synergistically with vitamin D, making direct sun exposure the ideal source of this nutrient.

• Monitor your skin during sun exposure — The key is to regularly check for any redness or pinkness — a "sunburn test" tailored to your skin type and the season. If your skin remains unaffected, your exposure is likely within a safe range.

• Before getting peak sun exposure, you need to eliminate all LA from your diet — When UV radiation interacts with LA in the skin, it triggers inflammatory responses and DNA damage, increasing the risk of photoaging and skin cancer. It also worsens inflammation and leads to more severe psoriasis flare-ups.

• Here’s a safer approach — Instead of getting direct sun exposure during peak hours of the day, limit it to early morning or late afternoon until seed oils and other sources of LA have been eliminated from your diet for at least two to six months.

• Another revolutionary strategy is to get C15:0 — C15:0 is a dietary fat found in full-fat dairy. But unlike LA, this odd-chain saturated fat protects your skin from oxidative stress.

Most people only get around 10 to 200 mg per day, but when you increase your intake to 2 grams per day, your keratinocytes, found in the outermost layer of your skin, incorporate it instead of LA. So when you consistently consume this fat, such as from raw, grass fed milk, the LA on your skin will go down by 25% to 30% within three to four months.

Typically, it takes around two to three years of following a low-LA diet to clear 80% of the LA from your body. But when you do this strategy for 12 to 18 months, you’ll achieve the same results in just 12 to 18 months. Learn more about it by reading “The Fast-Track Path to Clearing Vegetable Oils from Your Skin.”

• More natural approaches to sun protection — If you plan to spend time in the sun before your body has fully cleared seed oils, there are protective measures to help shield your skin, such as taking astaxanthin, using niacinamide (vitamin B3 cream), or taking a baby aspirin. Molecular hydrogen also offers protection against sun exposure. Read more in this article “The Link Between Vitamin D and Psoriasis.”

If there are hindrances to getting enough sun exposure, such as if you live in an area where there’s limited sunlight, taking a vitamin D3 supplement will help maintain healthy levels. Ideally, you should aim for levels between 60 and 80 ng/mL (or 150 to 200 nmol/L, if you’re in Europe) to help prevent or manage diseases like psoriasis.

To ensure you’re getting the right amount, I recommend testing your levels twice a year so you can adjust supplementation and/or sun exposure accordingly. Once you’ve achieved the optimal levels, retest after three to four months to verify your progress.

Tips to Manage Psoriasis Naturally

Unfortunately, psoriasis has no known cure; if you’re dealing with it or trying to stop it before it starts, the most powerful move is to fix what’s actually causing the problem. The first step is to remove the inflammatory triggers that are causing your immune system to go haywire, particularly ultraprocessed foods.

Next, you need to optimize your vitamin D levels, because if they are low, you’re even more vulnerable to the effects of this disease. In addition, here are remedies to help manage psoriasis flare-ups and ease your discomfort:¹²

• Aloe vera — The bioactive compounds (aloe-emodin and acemannan) in this plant’s gel help ease redness and scaling. Aloe gel also promotes wound healing and hydration. This plant also has salicylic acid, which helps eliminate psoriatic plaques due to its keratolytic activity.

• Turmeric — Its bioactive compound, curcumin, has antioxidant, antitumor, and anti-inflammatory properties that help manage psoriasis. It inhibits proinflammatory compounds and targets signaling pathways related to inflammation.

• Coffee — Caffeine inhibits Th1/Th2 cell proliferation while simultaneously promoting the release of anti-inflammatory biomarkers such as adiponectin. It also inhibits cyclin Adenosine Monophosphate (cAMP), an immunomodulator. Just make sure to buy organic coffee beans to protect your health. Drink it with a splash of raw, grass fed milk and raw honey for a truly healthy drink.

• Garlic — It has bioactive compounds and sulfuric substances that help manage psoriasis.

It’s also important to increase your intake of healthy saturated fats like C15:0. Omega-3 is also important for healthy skin, but consume it in moderation, as it’s still a type of PUF. When consumed in excessive quantities, it will cause metabolic damage similar to that of LA.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS) About Ultraprocessed Foods and Psoriasis

Q: How do ultraprocessed foods increase the risk of psoriasis?

A: Ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) are filled with harmful ingredients like seed oils, emulsifiers, refined sugars, and additives that trigger chronic inflammation and disrupt immune function. These inflammatory reactions increase your risk of autoimmune conditions like psoriasis, especially if you have a genetic predisposition.

Q: Can small changes in my diet really reduce my psoriasis risk?

A: Yes. Research shows that replacing just 5% of ultraprocessed foods with unprocessed, whole foods drops your risk by 14%. Even simple swaps like eating fruit instead of packaged snacks or using grass fed butter instead of vegetable oil will make a measurable difference.

Q: What’s the connection between body weight and psoriasis?

How neuroplasticity offers hope for complex PTSD

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“It’s not just in your head.” For people living with complex PTSD (CPTSD), these words offer more than comfort—they offer scientific truth. Trauma doesn’t just scar the mind; it reshapes the brain. But so does healing. The hidden epidemic of CPTSD Unlike its better-known cousin PTSD, complex PTSD often emerges from prolonged, repeated trauma—domestic abuse,

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How neuroplasticity offers hope for complex PTSD originally appeared in KevinMD.com.

WeightWatchers shifts to value-based care with GLP-1 strategy

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How reforming insurance, drug prices, and prevention can cut health care costs

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New treatments for enlarged prostate offer faster relief with fewer side effects

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This Powerful, Ancient Herb Offers Impressive Benefits

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

When it comes to popular herbs in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), you probably think of ginseng, goji berries, and astragalus. But have you heard of jiaogulan? This herb has a long history in TCM and is revered for promoting longevity, stamina, cardiovascular health, and more. Now, modern science is beginning to confirm these ancient claims with hard data.

One of the reasons jiaogulan is becoming widely appreciated is its high antioxidant content. According to studies, this humble plant has eight times the antioxidant power of green tea, earning it the name "the immortality herb."

The Herb That Promotes Longevity — Basic Facts About Jiaogulan

Jiaogulan (Gynostemma pentaphyllum) is a creeping perennial herb that belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family. It’s also known by other names, such as southern ginseng or fairy herb, and is widely used in Northeast and Southeast Asia.^1,² In a New York Post article, Dr. Michael Aziz, a board-certified internal medicine physician, provides insight as to why jiaogulan is rising in popularity in recent years.³

• Jiaogulan has been used in folk medicine for centuries — One study notes that its use dates back to 1406 CE, when it was identified as a valuable survival food. However, in the U.S., very few people know about it, Aziz said. Some of jiaogulan’s benefits include helping boost metabolism, lower cholesterol, and promote longevity.

• This herb surpasses green tea’s antioxidant levels — Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) is a laboratory test that measures how well a food or substance neutralizes harmful free radicals. According to Aziz, jiaogulan’s ORAC value is eight times higher than green tea. To put it simply, the higher the ORAC score, the better the food protects your cells.

• Jiaogulan is available as an herbal tea or a supplement — Aziz says he consumes 900 milligrams of jiaogulan daily, brewing 1 to 2 teaspoons of jiaogulan tea leaves in 250 milliliters of water. He describes its flavor as bitter, earthy, and slightly sweet.

• The herb’s bitterness comes from saponins — In particular, jiaogulan contains gypenosides, a type of saponin that’s similar to the ginsenosides in ginseng. Aziz explains:

"Gypenosides stimulate AMP-activated protein kinase, an enzyme that plays a central role in maintaining cellular energy balance. They have antioxidant effects. They also improve insulin signaling and improve the function of mitochondria, which are the batteries of our cells. Those are some of the hallmarks of aging that affect longevity."⁴

How This Ancient Herb Restores Balance and Curbs Inflammation

A recently published study featured in the Journal of Functional Foods offered a fresh look at how jiaogulan offers multiple benefits in body. After conducting an in-depth review of existing pharmacological literature on gypenosides and jiaogulan extracts.⁵

The study outlines how this herb influences multiple systems, particularly through its detoxifying, anti-inflammatory, and circulation-supporting effects.

• Jiaogulan can be categorized into three flavors — These are sweet, bitter, and slightly bitter. Each flavor exhibits distinct efficacy and effects. For example, in TCM, the bitter gypenosides are believed to clear "heat" and reduce inflammation, toxic buildup, and oxidative stress, while sweet compounds promote healthy organs, blood, and "qi" (your life force or energy). According to the researchers:

"The bitter taste and cold nature of GP [Gynostemma pentaphyllum] are particularly effective in clearing heat and detoxifying the body, making it beneficial for conditions such as viral hepatitis, chronic gastroenteritis, and chronic bronchitis [sic].

In addition, the sweet taste of GP nourishes the heart and protects the liver, benefits the qi and blood better, and is more effective against hyperlipidemia, hypertension, fatty liver, insomnia, and headaches."

• The study highlights jiaogulan’s antioxidant effects — According to their research, this herb helps scavenge harmful molecules like DPPH and hydroxyl radicals before they inflict long-term damage. An overload of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the body causes oxidative stress, which leads to numerous chronic diseases, including cancer, hypertension, diabetes, and atherosclerosis.

• Jiaogulan also has beneficial effects for diabetics — This herb is a valuable dietary ally for those managing diabetes, offering metabolic support while reducing reliance on pharmaceutical drugs.

Jiaogulan protects and repairs pancreatic beta cells, which are responsible for producing insulin, and enhances the production of key antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px), activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway to shield these cells from oxidative damage. It also inhibits alpha-glucosidase and alpha-amylase — enzymes that break down carbohydrates into glucose — thereby slowing the rise in blood sugar after meals.

• The herb also supports liver health — Jiaogulan has hepatoprotective effects, meaning it supports liver detoxification, protects against liver injury, and even shows promise in treating nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). According to the researchers:

"Through an experimental liver disease model induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), GP has been shown to significantly alleviate hepatocyte necrosis and liver injury, which involves downregulation of Bax and cleaved PARP expression and upregulation of Bcl-2 expression.

In summary, GP has demonstrated extensive activity and application prospects in liver protection through various mechanisms, providing valuable natural resources for the development of new liver disease treatment drugs."⁶

Overall, this research paper shows how jiaogulan works across systems to restore overall balance — something modern approaches often miss. Rather than just being another "anti-inflammatory" herb, it supports deep, systemic regulation that aligns both ancient and modern views of how healing should work.

Jiaogulan Actively Reprograms Fat and Cholesterol Metabolism

Recent research published in The Journal of Ethnopharmacology explored the specific compounds in jiaogulan responsible for its ability to regulate blood fats, including triglycerides and cholesterol. The study aimed to isolate which active substances are doing the work and map out the exact biological processes involved in their lipid-lowering effects.⁷

• The researchers looked at 101 individual compounds to identify their effect on lipid levels — They found that jiaogulan doesn’t just block fat absorption or reduce calorie intake. Instead, it goes deeper — modifying how fat is created, stored, and burned inside your body. In one major pathway, it suppresses enzymes that are responsible for turning excess calories into triglycerides (stored fat), while boosting those that help the body break down and use existing fat for energy.

By activating this switch, jiaogulan addresses one of the core drivers of weight gain and high triglycerides — excess lipogenesis, or the internal manufacture of fat from sugars and carbs.

• For cholesterol, the herb uses a different set of tools — It regulates genes that control cholesterol synthesis in the liver. At the same time, it improves how the liver clears out excess cholesterol by enhancing LDL receptor activity. These receptors pull LDL ("bad" cholesterol) from the blood and break it down.

• Jiaogulan also encourages bile acid production — Bile acids are made from cholesterol, so when your body makes more bile, it uses up cholesterol in the process.

The study also highlighted 5' adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation as a central player in how jiaogulan supports metabolic health. AMPK is like a cellular thermostat for energy. When it senses low energy in the cell, it triggers pathways to increase fuel usage and reduce storage. Jiaogulan’s gypenosides flip that switch, which leads to increased fat burning, improved insulin sensitivity, and better blood sugar control.

For those struggling with stubborn weight, high triglycerides, or borderline cholesterol, this herb offers multiple levers of support. It doesn’t require a complete lifestyle overhaul to begin making a difference — it meets the body where it is and helps it respond more efficiently to the energy it already has.

Earlier Research Points to Jiaogulan’s Anticancer Benefits

Studies have highlighted this herb’s anticancer effects, and a comprehensive review published in the Chinese Medicine journal demonstrates this. After examining 108 peer-reviewed studies, the researchers confirmed that jiaogulan has broad-spectrum anticancer activity across 30 different cancer cell lines, while leaving normal cells largely unharmed.⁸

• The study included a wide range of tumor types from leukemia to liver, breast, and colon cancers — In one clinical report, patients receiving Gynostemma pentaphyllum (GpM) therapy had far lower relapse and metastasis rates compared to untreated controls (11.9% vs. 72.4% for relapse, and 8.5% vs. 55.2% for metastasis). Patients also showed improved immune responses, a key measure of resilience during cancer treatment.

• In terms of how fast and how powerfully GpM worked, the numbers were impressive — A compound called GP-B1 showed 65.4 µg/mL inhibitory concentration (IC50) against B16 melanoma cells, meaning it effectively blocked tumor cell growth at a relatively low dose.

Another component — a carotenoid fraction — had one of the lowest IC50 values recorded, at just 1.6 µg/mL against Hep3B liver cancer cells. Gypenosides also reduced tumor sizes by up to 75% in live animal models of colorectal cancer over 19 days.

• So what exactly improved? The researchers noted that GpM extracts stopped cancer cells from multiplying, triggered them to self-destruct, and prevented them from spreading. Polysaccharides from GpM also enhanced the body's immune response, increasing levels of cancer-fighting cells and chemicals like tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and interferon-γ.

These compounds didn’t just work in lab dishes — they shrank tumors in mice and boosted survival rates without harming healthy tissues.

Time-wise, the effects of GpM compounds were impressive, appearing just within days in lab tests. In animal models, tumors shrank significantly after just four weeks of treatment. And importantly, the longer the treatment continued, the more pronounced the anticancer effects became. For example, tumor size in SAS oral cancer models dropped by 65.76% after 28 days of daily gypenoside injections.

• Some extracts showed particularly strong benefits in certain types of cancers — For example, the carotenoid and chlorophyll fractions were particularly effective against liver cancer cell lines. Meanwhile, polysaccharides were more potent in melanoma and colorectal models, while gypenosides were broadly effective across leukemia, lung, prostate, and gastrointestinal cancers.

• Saponins (especially gypenosides) and polysaccharides were the most potent cancer-fighting agents — Saponins halted the cancer cell cycle, while polysaccharides acted more like immune boosters, giving the body extra firepower to fight tumors naturally. Other compounds like flavonoids and chlorophyll had moderate effects, with antioxidant benefits that complemented the main therapeutic effects.

Lastly, jiaogulan slowed down energy production in cancer cells by blocking glycolysis — a trick cancer cells use to fuel their aggressive growth — while enhancing immune response markers.

"In summary, GpM has been investigated extensively as a potent anti-cancer agent against many types of cancers both in vitro and in vivo. The general consensus from the literature is that GpM exerts its anti-cancer activities through multiple mechanisms, including cell cycle arrest, the induction of apoptosis, inhibition of invasion and metastasis, glycolysis inhibition and immunomodulation," the researchers concluded.⁹

How to Safely Use Jiaogulan

Jiaogulan is popularly taken as an herbal tea and dietary supplement, but in China, it is also used in meals, like a vegetable. The immature stems are commonly eaten as a cold dish, similar to a salad, while the leaves are added to congee for flavor.¹⁰

• What’s the ideal dose? In studies, daily doses of up to 450 ml for 16 weeks (divided into two doses, one in the morning and another at night) have been found to be safe. However, it’s best to consult with your doctor to confirm the appropriate dosage for your needs.¹¹

• Possible side effects — While jiaogulan has been found to be generally safe, there are instances when it causes minor side effects, like nausea and diarrhea. In rare cases, vomiting, dizziness, tinnitus, constipation, and blurred vision may occur.¹²

• Always consult with your healthcare provider before using jiaogulan — Jiaogulan’s safety in pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers has not been studied, so if you fall under these groups, it may be better to avoid using this herb.

According to VeryWell Health, the gypenosides in jiaogulan inhibit a liver enzyme called cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6), which is responsible for breaking down certain medications. Insufficient amounts of this enzyme may cause the drugs to build up in your body, leading to toxicity.¹³ Hence, if you’re taking any medications, check with your physician if jiaogulan is safe for you to take.

"Diabetics should be careful and adjust their medications down with the help of their doctors if they drink massive amounts," Aziz said. This is due to jiaogulan’s ability to lower blood sugar.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Jiaogulan

Q: What is jiaogulan and why is it called the "immortality herb"?

A: Jiaogulan (Gynostemma pentaphyllum) is a climbing herb used for centuries in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It’s called the "immortality herb" due to its reputation for promoting longevity, vitality, and disease resistance — now supported by research showing its potent antioxidant and metabolic effects.

Q: How does jiaogulan compare to green tea in antioxidant strength?

A: Jiaogulan has an ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) score eight times higher than green tea. This makes it extremely effective at neutralizing harmful free radicals, reducing oxidative stress, and supporting healthy aging and disease prevention.

Q: What are the metabolic and cardiovascular benefits of jiaogulan?

A: Jiaogulan activates AMPK, a key enzyme that regulates energy use and fat metabolism. It improves insulin sensitivity, lowers blood sugar, reduces triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, and boosts fat burning — making it beneficial for managing weight, diabetes, and heart health.

Q: Can jiaogulan help protect against cancer and support the immune system?

A: Yes. Research shows that jiaogulan extracts inhibit cancer cell growth, induce apoptosis (cell death), and prevent metastasis across various cancers, including liver, colon, and breast. Its polysaccharides and gypenosides also enhance immune responses without damaging healthy cells.

Q: Is jiaogulan safe to use, and how should it be taken?

A: Jiaogulan is generally safe when consumed as tea or supplements (up to 450 ml daily in studies), but may cause mild side effects like nausea or dizziness in some people. It may interact with medications, especially those processed by liver enzymes or used for diabetes. Always consult a healthcare provider before starting.

Krill Oil Attenuates Fatty Liver and Oxidative Stress in Obesity

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Fatty liver disease is one of the earliest, and most overlooked, signs that your metabolism is in trouble. It often shows up without warning, quietly damaging your liver while setting the stage for insulin resistance, obesity and heart disease. And yet, most people don't realize they have it until it's advanced. The good news? Research is uncovering targeted, natural solutions that help reverse this trend. One of the most promising involves krill oil, a source of omega-3s many are missing.

Krill oil doesn't just mask the symptoms, it helps reset the biological drivers of fat accumulation, inflammation, and oxidative stress at their core. Let's explore how this unique marine oil, different from standard fish oil, helps protect your liver, optimize cholesterol metabolism, and support antioxidant defenses from the inside out.

Krill Oil Targets Fat, Inflammation, and Oxidative Stress at the Same Time

A 2024 study published in Nutrients examined the effects of krill oil supplementation on mice with diet-induced obesity and metabolic dysfunction.¹ The goal was to see if krill oil could reduce fat buildup in the liver, optimize cholesterol, and lower oxidative stress, all key drivers of fatty liver disease and cardiovascular risk. Researchers also explored whether the compounds in krill oil interfere with specific enzymes that promote cholesterol synthesis and fat storage.

• The animals used in the study were fed a high-fat diet to simulate obesity and metabolic damage — The mouse model was designed to mirror what happens in humans who eat high-fat, high-calorie diets. These animals gained weight, accumulated visceral and liver fat, and developed blood markers tied to poor metabolic health.

Krill oil was given at a dose of 400 milligrams (mg) per kilogram (kg) daily for 60 days. Researchers tracked changes in blood cholesterol, triglycerides, liver enzyme levels, and oxidative stress markers to evaluate krill oil's effects.

• Krill oil reduced liver fat and total triglycerides in a dose-dependent manner — Mice given krill oil had significantly less fat stored in their liver, with both liver weight and deep belly fat, similar to visceral fat in humans, dropping. Intracellular triglyceride levels also fell when krill oil was added to the diet. Liver triglycerides dropped from 0.73 mg/dL in obese mice to 0.59 mg/dL after krill oil supplementation. This suggests krill oil directly reduces fat production or increases fat breakdown in the liver.

• Krill oil significantly reduced oxidative stress inside liver cells — The researchers looked at signs of cell damage caused by fat breakdown. Mice on a high-fat diet had high levels of this damage, but krill oil helped lower it. It also boosted the body's natural defense systems, like enzymes that help break down harmful substances and protect your cells.

• Krill oil improved insulin sensitivity in obese mice — Insulin resistance was measured using the HOMA-IR test, one of the most reliable ways to gauge how well your body handles insulin. The lower your score, the better your insulin sensitivity.

Krill oil reduced this score significantly, along with serum insulin levels, showing it helped the body respond better to insulin and process glucose more effectively. Adiponectin levels also rose — this hormone improves insulin sensitivity and fat metabolism — while leptin, which promotes fat storage, decreased.

• The strongest effects came from how krill oil modified key enzymes and proteins — Krill oil had its biggest impact by changing how certain enzymes and proteins work in the body. It lowered the activity of the main enzyme your liver uses to make cholesterol — the same one targeted by statin drugs, but without the side effects. Krill oil also reduced a protein that tells your body to make more fat.

Omega-3s in Krill Oil Are More Bioavailable Than Those in Fish Oil

Unlike fish oil, which carries omega-3s attached to triglycerides, krill oil binds eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to phospholipids — fat molecules that form the outer layer of your cells. This makes them easier for your cells to absorb and integrate into membranes. As a result, even though krill oil contains less EPA and DHA than fish oil by volume, it delivers more of them into your body where they're actually needed.²

• Krill oil also contains astaxanthin, a potent antioxidant that resists rancidity — Astaxanthin doesn't just provide the deep red color of krill oil. It plays an important protective role. Astaxanthin's structure makes krill oil far more stable and resistant to oxidation than standard fish oil, which is known to go rancid easily.

• Krill oil matched or outperformed a pharmaceutical lipid-lowering drug — The researchers compared krill oil to fenofibrate, a prescription drug used to lower cholesterol.³ In many of the key markers — including LDL cholesterol, liver triglycerides, and antioxidant status — krill oil worked just as well or better, without the side effects seen with drugs like fenofibrate.

• Krill oil helped restore balance across multiple systems at once — What's most impressive is how krill oil didn't just target one issue — it simultaneously improved fat metabolism, cholesterol handling, oxidative stress, and inflammatory signaling. That kind of multi-targeted action is extremely beneficial. It makes krill oil uniquely suited for those dealing with metabolic dysfunction, fatty liver or insulin resistance.

How to Turn Around Fatty Liver and Metabolic Damage Naturally

If you're dealing with signs of fatty liver, weight gain or blood sugar issues, it's not just about eating less or moving more. These are signs that your metabolism is under stress — and the solution starts with restoring balance at the cellular level.

The buildup of fat in your liver, along with insulin resistance and inflammation, doesn't happen overnight. It's the result of mitochondrial dysfunction, poor fat metabolism, and oxidative damage. But there are steps you can take to change that — starting today.

1. Add krill oil to your daily routine — it works differently than fish oil — If you're taking fish oil, consider switching to krill oil. Unlike fish oil, krill oil binds omega-3s like EPA and DHA to phospholipids — the same type of fat that makes up your cell membranes. That means your body absorbs it better where it's needed most: your liver and cells. In the study, krill oil lowered liver fat, improved insulin sensitivity and reduced oxidative stress in just 60 days.⁴

2. Eat more foods that support fat metabolism, especially fatty fish — If you prefer food-based sources, prioritize wild-caught fish like Alaskan salmon, sardines, anchovies, and mackerel. These are naturally rich in omega-3s and low in contaminants. Getting omega-3s from food gives your body tools to manage inflammation and improve fat processing — especially in your liver.

3. Avoid low-quality omega-3 supplements that do more harm than good — Most fish oils on the market are prone to oxidation, meaning they go rancid easily — especially if stored poorly. Rancid oils produce harmful compounds that promote, rather than reduce, inflammation. Krill oil is naturally protected by astaxanthin, a powerful antioxidant that prevents it from breaking down and becoming toxic.

In addition, be aware of the omega-3 paradox — more isn't always better. High doses, especially from supplements, have been linked to an increased risk of atrial fibrillation, a serious heart rhythm problem.⁵ You don't need megadoses to see benefits. Stick with a food-first approach when possible, and keep supplemental krill oil in a moderate range — just enough to support liver repair and heart health without tipping the balance.

4. Balance your fat intake by eliminating vegetable oils — If you're regularly eating processed foods made with soybean oil, canola oil, corn oil or sunflower oil, you're flooding your body with linoleic acid (LA), which worsens inflammation and crowds out the benefits of omega-3s. Replace these oils with healthier options like grass fed butter, tallow, and ghee, and get your omega-3s from high-quality sources like krill oil or fatty fish.

5. Support your body's natural antioxidant defenses — Oxidative stress plays a major role in liver damage and insulin resistance. Krill oil not only reduces the damage, it helps turn on your body's own antioxidant systems — including powerful enzymes that act like clean-up crews inside your cells, breaking down harmful substances before they cause problems. Adding antioxidant-rich foods like berries, herbs, and colorful vegetables will further support this process.

If you've been struggling with belly fat, sluggish energy, or rising blood sugar levels, these aren't random symptoms — they're connected. Krill oil is a simple, science-backed tool that helps address the root causes, not just the symptoms. Use it as part of a broader lifestyle shift that nourishes your body instead of overwhelming it.

FAQs About Krill Oil and Fatty Liver

Q: How does krill oil help reduce fatty liver?

A: Krill oil lowers the amount of fat stored in the liver and reduces deep belly fat by improving how your body breaks down and uses fat. In a 60-day study, it significantly reduced liver weight and liver triglycerides in obese mice fed a high-fat diet. This suggests krill oil helps your liver burn fat more efficiently and slows the processes that lead to fatty liver disease.

Q: What impact does krill oil have on insulin resistance?

A: Krill oil improves insulin sensitivity by lowering blood insulin levels and increasing adiponectin, a hormone that helps your body use sugar and fat properly. It also reduced leptin, a hormone that promotes fat storage and is often elevated in obesity. Together, these changes help rebalance metabolism and reduce the drivers of weight gain and Type 2 diabetes.

Q: Why is krill oil better absorbed than fish oil?

A: Unlike fish oil, krill oil's omega-3s are bound to phospholipids — the same type of fat found in your cell membranes. This makes them easier for your body to absorb and more effective at delivering omega-3s where they're needed, like your liver, brain, and heart. As a result, even with lower EPA and DHA content than fish oil, krill oil delivers more usable omega-3s into your tissues.

Q: How does krill oil protect against oxidative stress?

A: Krill oil activates your body's own antioxidant enzymes, which help neutralize harmful molecules before they damage your cells. This reduces oxidative stress, a key driver of inflammation, aging, and chronic disease. By lowering cellular stress inside your liver, krill oil supports overall metabolic health.

Q: What makes krill oil a safer supplement option?

A: Krill oil contains astaxanthin, a natural antioxidant that protects the oil from going rancid — a common problem with fish oils. Rancid omega-3 supplements create harmful byproducts that do more harm than good inside your body. With its superior stability, bioavailability and multi-targeted effects, krill oil is a safer, more effective option for long-term metabolic support.

Test Your Knowledge with Today's Quiz!

Take today’s quiz to see how much you’ve learned from yesterday’s Mercola.com article.

How does excess linoleic acid affect your body’s energy production?

It slightly reduces mitochondrial performance

It has no measurable impact on an individual's energy levels

It disrupts mitochondrial function, slowing metabolism
Linoleic acid is primarily found in vegetable oils, which are commonly used in processed foods and cooking. Reducing these can help lower LA intake. Learn more.

It reduces the speed of metabolism

Perfumes and Lotions Interfere with Your Body’s Pollution Defense

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Nearly 90% of adults in the United States use personal care products daily,¹ routinely applying lotions, perfumes, deodorants, and aftershaves without a second thought. Most people assume these products simply enhance their scent, moisturize their skin, or improve how they feel throughout the day.

However, what few realize is that these everyday items may have unseen effects on your health and immediate surroundings. Once you use these products, their chemical ingredients don’t just stay confined to your skin. They evaporate into the air and interact with the environment around you.

A new study from Penn State reveals that these airborne compounds disrupt a natural chemical shield your body depends on to neutralize harmful pollutants, while also altering the composition of the air you breathe indoors. These findings reveal a largely overlooked aspect of how modern hygiene products influence your personal exposure to pollution.²

How Personal Care Products Disrupt Your Chemical Pollution Shield

The featured study, published in the journal Science Advances,³ explored the impact of common personal care products, particularly perfumes and fragrance-free lotions, on the chemistry of the human oxidation field, a protective layer formed by reactive hydroxyl radicals (OH) around the human body.

This oxidation field results from ozone interacting with skin-emitted compounds, generating OH radicals essential for neutralizing airborne pollutants. While “radicals” often sound harmful, OH radicals in this context are beneficial as they help break down toxic chemicals before they enter your body.

• “Fragrance-free” doesn’t mean chemically harmless — One key finding from the experiment involved volunteers applying a common fragrance-free body lotion containing linoleic acid (LA). Researchers reported that the lotion dramatically reduced the generation of 6-MHO, a molecule your skin normally produces when ozone reacts with skin oil called squalene.

The lotion thinned out the skin’s natural oils and thus substantially decreased the ozone-skin reaction, causing a 34% drop in 6-MHO levels compared to baseline conditions without lotion use. As a result, it reduced the available OH radicals, which weakened the protective oxidation field.

• The lotion significantly changed the skin's chemical balance — After applying lotion, airborne chemicals used up the skin’s protective OH radicals by as much as 170%, while the amount remaining on the skin dropped by up to 140%. This means the skin’s natural ozone defense became less than half as effective, since the protective OH molecules escaped into the air instead of staying on the skin to neutralize pollution. The researchers explained:

“The main cause of the higher OH reactivity is the emission of phenoxyethanol from the lotion, which, in the first few hours, contributes to ~54% of the total reactivity in the presence of O₃ [ozone] and to more than 60% in the absence of O₃.

As the emission of phenoxyethanol and its gas-phase concentration decrease over the next 2 hours, the contribution of the lotion to the total OH reactivity decreases to ~25% in the presence of O₃ and ~40% in the absence of O₃.”⁴

• Perfumes overwhelmed the body’s ability to maintain a chemical shield — The researchers tested a common perfume made with ethanol and plant-based compounds called monoterpenes. Although monoterpenes help form protective OH radicals when they react with ozone, the overwhelming amount of ethanol in the fragrance canceled out that effect.

As soon as participants applied the perfume indoors, ethanol levels in the air around them shot up to thousands of parts per billion. This surge caused a steep spike in OH reactivity, rapidly depleting available OH radicals and drastically reducing their concentration by as much as 86% compared to normal, fragrance-free conditions.

• Fragrance use releases more ethanol than crowds — Fragrance use caused indoor ethanol levels to spike to nearly 4 parts per million (ppm), while monoterpenes barely reached 11 parts per billion (ppb). Ethanol made up over 99% of all detected volatile compounds. To put that in perspective, the air in a packed soccer stadium full of beer drinkers only reached 400 ppb — about one-tenth the ethanol released by a single fragrance spray.

• Ethanol-free fragrances had minimal effect — The researchers tested a simplified fragrance containing only linalool (a natural scent compound). They found that without ethanol, this fragrance had a much smaller impact, reducing protective OH radical levels by less than 10%. This shows that ethanol, not the scent ingredients themselves, is mainly responsible for weakening the skin’s chemical defense.

• Personal care products disrupt protective chemistry near breathing zones — The researchers further visualized how personal care products altered the human oxidation field spatially and found that when lotion was applied, its volatile ingredients concentrated around the face and chest area.

Similarly, fragrance use created highly reactive zones immediately above participants' heads. This matters because these are the areas closest to your breathing zone. With fewer OH radicals present, more pollutants can enter your lungs and bloodstream unfiltered.

• Together, the effects of lotion and fragrance spray are even worse — Nora Zannoni, lead author of the study and a researcher at the Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate in Bologna, noted:

“The application of a fragrance and a lotion together showed that fragrances impact the OH reactivity and concentration over shorter time periods, whereas lotions show more persistent effects, consistent with the rate of emissions of organic compounds from these personal care products.”⁵

With nearly 90% of your time spent indoors, making safer choices is more important than ever for your long-term health. Learn more about the importance of maintaining safe indoor air in “Just How Bad Is the Air Inside Your Home, and What Can You Do About It?”

Broader Health Risks from Personal Care Product Compounds

Beyond disrupting the natural protective air shield around your body, ingredients in perfumes, lotions, as well as other personal care products are linked to a wide range of health effects. A review published in the Journal of Dermatology and Cosmetology detailed the many ways these chemical exposures harm human health, especially when used regularly:⁶

• Contact dermatitis — This skin condition occurs in two primary forms — allergic and irritant. Allergic contact dermatitis is a delayed reaction appearing hours or days after exposure, characterized by red, inflamed, and itchy skin. Irritant contact dermatitis results from repeated contact with substances that cause immediate skin irritation, leading to rapid inflammation and rashes.

• Contact urticaria (hives) — Urticaria is marked by itchy, raised welts on the skin, often triggered by fragrance allergens. Sometimes, contact urticaria progresses into angioedema, a deeper swelling of the skin that causes pain and warmth. In severe situations, exposure escalates rapidly into anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic response.

• Phototoxicity — Phototoxic reactions occur when specific chemicals become reactive upon exposure to sunlight, resulting in severe, sunburn-like skin damage. Phototoxic substances like furocoumarins absorb ultraviolet (UV) radiation, leading to immediate cell damage and long-term skin discoloration or burn-like injuries.

• Photoallergy — Photoallergic reactions are less common and involve an immune response following repeated exposure to both a chemical and sunlight. Unlike phototoxicity, these immune-driven reactions result in persistent skin irritation and discoloration. Personal care products containing photosensitizing ingredients, as well as certain medications, often trigger photoallergic reactions.

• Cancer — Chemicals like phthalates, benzene derivatives, and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives enter your body through the skin or inhalation. They disrupt hormone pathways, increasing the risk for hormone-related cancers. Moreover, certain fragrance chemicals bioaccumulate in your body, raising long-term exposure risks and leading to cellular changes associated with cancer development.

• Reproductive problems — Chemicals in fragrances have been associated with fertility issues, menstrual irregularities, and various reproductive and thyroid health concerns. Products like bubble baths or scented shower gels, especially when used near sensitive areas, also heighten the risk of infections, hormonal disruptions, and even cancers affecting reproductive organs.

• Lung diseases — Airborne chemicals from powdered cosmetics and scented products can harm lung tissue with repeated exposure. Fine particles like those in talcum powder have been shown to trigger allergies, worsen asthma, and promote ongoing respiratory inflammation, especially in people with preexisting sensitivities.

• Headaches and neurological effects — VOCs trigger headaches, dizziness, and nausea. For individuals susceptible to migraines, exposure to these compounds often significantly exacerbates symptoms, leading to chronic headaches and long-term neurological disturbances.

Freshen Yourself and Your Space with Safer Alternatives

If perfumes and lotions disrupt your body’s natural pollution defenses, the solution isn't to give up on hygiene — it's to make smarter choices. Keep in mind that what you put on your skin ends up in your body. So, the fewer synthetic chemicals your skin has to process, the better off your entire system will be. If you're aiming to reduce your exposure, the good news is you have better options.

• Choose essential oil-based scents instead of synthetic fragrance — Natural products scented with essential oils like lavender, citrus, eucalyptus, rosemary, or sandalwood offer a safer way to stay fresh. Their scent may be lighter, but they don’t come with synthetic chemicals, which means they’re easier on your skin and lungs.

• Use natural deodorizing ingredients that work with your body — Baking soda, activated charcoal, witch hazel, tea tree oil, coconut oil, and aloe vera all help control odor without flooding your skin with reactive chemicals. For more on using these options, check out my article, “How to Make a Natural Odor Eliminator.”

• Swap commercial lotions for safer moisturizers — Choose single-ingredient alternatives such as tallow balm or cold-pressed coconut oil. These provide deep hydration without altering your skin’s natural chemistry. They’re especially effective when applied to damp skin after bathing.

If you prefer a lighter feel, look for aloe vera gel or unscented glycerin-based moisturizers that rely on natural humectants. These options draw moisture into the skin without blocking its natural ozone defense.

• Don’t trust the label — read the actual ingredients — Buzzwords like “phthalate-free,” “unscented,” or “natural” may be useful starting points, but they’re not guarantees. Some products still sneak in chemical preservatives or list “fragrance” as a catch-all term for undisclosed synthetic blends. If you’re trying to lower your exposure, scan the full ingredient list and skip anything that doesn’t spell it out clearly.

For more on how synthetic scents pollute your air and harm your health, see “The Dangers of Inhaling Petrochemical Fragrances and Scented Products.”

How to Protect Your Health Against Air Pollution

Once your skin’s protective chemistry has been compromised by lotions or fragrances, your body becomes more vulnerable to pollution from both inside and outside your home. To address this, you need to limit your exposures and create an environment that supports recovery. Here are strategies to help protect your health and reinforce your body’s natural defenses against air pollution:

• Purify your indoor air to reduce the burden on your skin — Use a HEPA-equipped air purifier in your home to reduce the load of airborne pollutants your compromised defenses can no longer neutralize. Run it continuously and change filters as recommended, especially if you’ve recently used scented products.

• Limit outdoor exposure during peak pollution hours — Monitor air quality apps and avoid going outside during high traffic times or smog alerts. Plan walks, exercise, and errands for times when pollution levels are lower and your skin has had time to restore its natural barrier.

• Ventilate only when outdoor air is clean — Avoid opening windows when outdoor air quality is poor. Instead, open your windows for at least 15 minutes a day when the outside air is clean, such as during early morning or late evening, and use fans or filtered ventilation systems that limit particle entry.

• Create a clean-air recovery zone in your bedroom — While you sleep, your body works to repair and restore itself, making clean air essential to that process. Support overnight recovery by removing or frequently cleaning rugs that trap dust and chemicals, choosing bedding made from organic cotton, and running a high-quality air purifier next to your bed throughout the night.

For more tips on how to reduce indoor air pollutants, read “The Importance of Reducing Indoor Pollution.”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the Effects of Personal Care Products

Q: What is the “human oxidation field,” and why is it important for health?

A: The oxidation field is a zone of reactive hydroxyl (OH) radicals that forms around your body when skin-emitted compounds like squalene interact with ozone in the air. This invisible chemical shield helps neutralize pollutants before they enter your body through inhalation or skin contact. Disrupting this field, such as by using fragranced or chemical-laden products, leaves you more vulnerable to air pollution and its health effects.

Q: How do personal care products interfere with the oxidation field?

A: When you apply lotions or perfumes, they release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. Ingredients like ethanol and phenoxyethanol either outcompete or consume OH radicals, dramatically reducing their presence. This weakens your oxidation field and leaves your body less equipped to break down harmful air pollutants.

Q: What happens when lotion and perfume are used together?

A: Combining both leads to a compounded effect. Perfume causes a sharp, short-term spike in OH reactivity (meaning it rapidly uses up the protective OH radicals, leaving fewer available to neutralize pollutants), while lotion has a slower but more persistent suppressive effect. Together, they drastically weaken your oxidation field over both the short and long term, especially around your breathing zone.

Q: Do fragrance-free products still disrupt your body’s pollution defenses?

A: Yes. “Fragrance-free” does not mean chemically neutral. In the Penn State study, a common fragrance-free lotion containing phenoxyethanol and linoleic acid lowered the number of protective molecules and sped up their breakdown, causing nearly as much harm as strong perfumes.

Q: How can I reduce my daily exposure to harmful chemicals in lotions and perfumes?

A: Start by switching to products with short, transparent ingredient lists. Look for moisturizers made from single-ingredient oils like cold-pressed coconut oil or tallow balm. For scent, choose essential oil-based sprays that don’t contain ethanol, phenoxyethanol, or synthetic “fragrance” blends.

In the study, a simplified fragrance made with just linalool (a natural essential oil component) had a minimal impact on protective OH radicals, causing less than a 10% drop, compared to conventional perfumes that caused up to an 86% reduction.

How to break the cycle of judgment in medicine [PODCAST]

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 23:00:11 +0000

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! Pediatrician and certified coach Jessie Mahoney discusses her article, “Why judgment is hurting doctors—and how mindfulness can heal.” She argues that the culture of medicine is steeped in judgment—from the language of “noncompliant” patients to the intense scrutiny of training—and that

Read more…

How to break the cycle of judgment in medicine [PODCAST] originally appeared in KevinMD.com.

How value-based care transforms chronic kidney disease management

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 19:00:45 +0000

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects more than 1 in 7 U.S. adults, while approximately 2 in 1,000 are living with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD)—kidney failure that is treated either with a kidney transplant or through dialysis. Today, however, there is much that can be done to prevent kidney failure if CKD is diagnosed early and

Read more…

How value-based care transforms chronic kidney disease management originally appeared in KevinMD.com.

Why rigorous training is vital for today’s surgeons

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 11:00:53 +0000

Are you serious? It’s 2 a.m., and you take a patient to the OR for what you believe is a bowel obstruction or appendicitis — only to find metastatic cancer, necrotic bowel, or something equally catastrophic. The patient is unstable, anesthesia is struggling to maintain blood pressure, and you can’t simply apply a wound vac

Read more…

Why rigorous training is vital for today’s surgeons originally appeared in KevinMD.com.

Weekly Health Quiz: Liver Damage, Immune System Health, and Benefits of Foam Rolling

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

1 How can you ensure the health information you find is credible despite search engine biases?

Trust only websites ranked on Google's first search results page, as they are typically more reliable and authoritative sources of information

Cross-reference information with Wikipedia for accuracy

Seek out primary sources, such as research from licensed professionals, and verify through multiple platforms
Verifying information through primary sources and multiple platforms helps you find reliable health insights, bypassing biases in search engine rankings. Learn more.

Rely on health advice from experts interviewed on major websites

2 What dietary change can you make to protect your liver from damage?

Incorporate more vegetable oils rich in linoleic acid into your diet

Eliminate vegetable oils and focus on whole, unprocessed foods
Eliminating vegetable oils high in linoleic acid reduces liver fat accumulation and supports healthy fat metabolism. Learn more.

Replace vegetable oils with sugar-based fats

Use vegetable oils as your primary cooking fat

3 How can you enhance your immune system’s effectiveness in the morning?

Stay indoors and avoid sunlight to rest your immune system

Get early morning daylight exposure to activate your neutrophils
Early morning daylight exposure activates neutrophils, your immune system’s frontline defenders, boosting their ability to fight infections. Learn more.

Use artificial lights in the morning to mimic sunlight

Sleep through the morning to conserve immune energy

4 What makes beta-glucan effective at lowering PFAS levels in your body?

It forms a gel in your gut that traps PFAS, preventing reabsorption
Beta-glucan’s gel-forming action in your gut interrupts the reabsorption cycle of PFAS, allowing your body to eliminate them effectively. Learn more.

It boosts PFAS absorption in your intestines

It neutralizes PFAS directly in your bloodstream

It increases PFAS storage in your liver

5 How can DMSO combination therapies benefit you in managing chronic pain?

By eliminating the necessity for pain medication entirely

By curing the underlying cause of all chronic pain

By complementing the benefits of physical therapy

By enhancing the delivery and effectiveness of pain-relief drugs
DMSO enhances the delivery of pain-relief drugs through the skin, improving their effectiveness in managing chronic pain. Learn more.

6 What is a key benefit of foam rolling before exercise?

It significantly enhances your sprinting speed

It directly increases your strength during workouts

It improves ankle mobility and single-leg balance
Foam rolling before exercise enhances ankle mobility and single-leg balance, making it an effective part of your pre-workout preparation. Learn more.

It replaces the need for a warm-up routine

7 How can you ensure the health information you rely on is trustworthy?

Cross-check health information with multiple sources and prioritize studies with replicable findings
Cross-checking information with multiple sources and focusing on replicable studies helps ensure the reliability of health information. Learn more.

Rely solely on the most recently published research studies to gain the most current and up-to-date insights

Follow health advice from popular media outlets exclusively

Rely on established wellness experts for health guidance

Test Your Knowledge With

The Master Level Quiz

1 Why should you be cautious about relying on Google's "quality raters" to assess site credibility?

They are selected from pharmaceutical companies

They rely on anonymous Wikipedia editors who often reject natural health viewpoints
Google's raters use Wikipedia, which is edited anonymously and is often biased against holistic health content. Learn more.

They are artificial intelligence bots operating without any human supervision

They require medical licenses from holistic schools

2 What can you do to minimize the impact of blue light on your sleep?

Limit screen time before bed to avoid melatonin suppression
Limiting screen time before bed reduces blue light exposure, helping maintain melatonin production and healthy sleep patterns. Learn more.

Use screens late at night to wind down

Increase blue light exposure to stay alert

Keep screens on maximum brightness at night

3 What is a proactive step you can take to protect your health freedom and privacy online?

Begin utilizing a wider range of Google tools for better personalization and user experience

Use Gmail but switch your search engine only

Stick with Google, but adjust your ad preferences

Move away from all Google products and adopt alternatives that respect your data
To regain control over your data and access unbiased health content, shifting away from Google platforms is advised. Learn more.

4 How can you optimize your vitamin D levels to support liver health?

Take vitamin D supplements and occasionally check your levels

Get strategic sun exposure and test your vitamin D levels, aiming for 60 to 80 ng/mL
Strategic sun exposure and testing vitamin D levels to maintain 60 to 80 ng/mL help activate fat-burning genes and reduce liver fat. Learn more.

Depend on fortified foods, such as cereals, to fulfill your daily vitamin D requirements effectively

Get chronic sun exposure entirely while using sunscreen daily to mitigate damage

5 What happens to your immune system when you inhale microplastics?

It becomes more effective at clearing pathogens

It generates an increased number of macrophages to combat microplastics effectively

Macrophages are disabled, weakening lung immune defenses within 24 hours
Inhaled microplastics disable macrophages, impairing your lung’s ability to clear pathogens and waste, leading to immune dysfunction. Learn more.

It ignores microplastics with no immune impact

6 How quickly can you see improvements in insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control after changing your diet?

Within six to 12 weeks of adopting healthier eating habits
Dietary changes can improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control within six to 12 weeks, providing quick motivation to maintain healthy habits. Learn more.

Within six to 12 months of dietary changes

Immediately after one healthy meal

Only after a year of strict dieting

7 Why is the timing of your exposure to pathogens important for your immune health?

Your immune system only responds to pathogens at night

Pathogens exhibit activity only during specific times of the day

Your immune system responds more effectively on light-driven rhythms
Your immune system is timed to respond based on light-driven rhythms, making the timing of pathogen exposure critical for an effective response. Learn more.

Your immune system works best when you’re asleep

8 How does a leaky gut contribute to insulin imbalance?

It reduces insulin production directly in the pancreas

It activates a liver stress response that prompts insulin-producing cell expansion
A leaky gut activates a liver stress response, signaling the pancreas to expand insulin-producing cells, which leads to insulin imbalance. Learn more.

It prevents nutrient absorption, thereby reducing blood sugar levels effectively

It increases sugar absorption, causing glucose spikes

9 What early symptoms might you notice if you have a thiamine deficiency?

Fatigue, brain fog, and poor physical recovery
Thiamine deficiency disrupts energy metabolism, leading to symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, and poor recovery after exertion. Learn more.

Increased energy and improved focus

Enhanced muscle strength and coordination

Improved sleep quality and mood stability

10 How quickly can you see reductions in PFAS levels by consuming beta-glucan?

Within a few hours of consumption

After several months of consistent consumption

Within four weeks of regular consumption
Consuming beta-glucan-rich foods can significantly reduce PFAS levels in your blood within just four weeks. Learn more.

Only after a year of dietary changes

11 Which joints are most likely affected by rheumatoid arthritis compared to osteoarthritis?

Large joints like knees and hips, asymmetrically

Single joints like one wrist or hand

Only the spine and neck joints

Small joints like wrists and hands, symmetrically
Rheumatoid arthritis typically affects small joints like wrists and hands symmetrically, while osteoarthritis often targets single large joints asymmetrically. Learn more.

12 What serious adverse events were reported in infants receiving the Enflonsia RSV shot?

Mild cough and fever only

Seizures, brain injury, and death
Clinical trials showed that 11.71% of infants receiving Enflonsia experienced serious adverse events, including seizures, brain injury, and death. Learn more.

Temporary rash and swelling

No adverse events were reported

13 Which of the following conditions can DMSO combination therapies help you address effectively?

Seasonal allergies

Slight head pain or discomfort

Antibiotic-resistant infections
DMSO combination therapies have shown promise in treating challenging conditions like antibiotic-resistant infections by improving drug delivery and efficacy. Learn more.

Temporary fatigue

14 How can you optimize your vitamin D levels to support blood vessel health?

Get constant sunlight exposure while eating fortified foods to meet nutritional needs

Get direct sunlight exposure and supplement with D3 when needed
Direct sunlight exposure is the best natural source of vitamin D, and supplementing with D3 during low-sun periods helps maintain optimal levels for blood vessel health. Learn more.

Use light sunscreen to reduce all UV rays

Take vitamin D2 supplements year-round

15 What natural method can you use to repel mosquitoes as effectively as DEET?

Use plant-based oils like Russian sage or wild mint
Plant-based oils like Russian sage and wild mint repel mosquitoes effectively in lab studies, offering a safer alternative to toxic chemicals. Learn more.

Apply sugar-based sprays to your skin

Rub citrus juice on exposed skin

Burn scented candles near your body

16 Which muscle groups should you target with basic foam roller exercises?

Neck, shoulders, and wrists

Hamstrings, back, calves, and quads
Basic foam roller exercises target major muscle groups like hamstrings, back, calves, and quads to relieve tightness and improve flexibility. Learn more.

Forearms, biceps, and triceps

Abdominals and hip flexors only

17 Who is at higher risk of dementia from untreated mild sleep apnea?

Males face a considerably greater risk compared to females

Children are the most affected group<

New Diabetes Category Emerges — ‘Type 5’ Tied to Malnutrition

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

A dangerous form of diabetes has been hiding in plain sight, and the consequences of missing it are often fatal. For decades, global health systems have relied on two basic diabetes models: Type 1, marked by autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing cells, and Type 2, driven by insulin resistance and obesity. But a growing body of research shows there's a third scenario, one that doesn’t fit either mold.

It strikes young, chronically undernourished people with no extra body fat, no signs of ketone buildup — a dangerous complication that usually shows up when your body runs out of insulin — and no autoimmune markers, yet still leaves them with dangerously high blood sugar and a pancreas that can’t keep up.

This condition, long overlooked and frequently misdiagnosed, is now being formally recognized as Type 5 diabetes. It stems not from inflammation or lifestyle choices, but from a lifetime of nutritional deprivation that quietly sabotages the body’s ability to regulate glucose. What makes it so dangerous is how easily it's mistaken for something else and how damaging standard treatments become when applied without understanding the root cause.

A Forgotten Form of Diabetes Finally Gets a Name

The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) has formally recognized a fifth category of diabetes: malnutrition-related diabetes, now classified as Type 5 diabetes.¹ This decision came during the IDF’s World Diabetes Congress in Bangkok, following a panel discussion in India aimed at drafting a consensus statement on the condition. The push for official recognition stemmed from years of clinical reports and metabolic data showing that this form of diabetes doesn’t fit into any current diagnostic category.

• Type 5 diabetes affects a very specific group of people — This condition appears almost exclusively in young men living in low- and middle-income countries who have been chronically undernourished since early childhood. These individuals often have a body mass index (BMI) below 19, yet present with dangerously high blood sugar levels.

What sets them apart is that despite these extreme glucose elevations, they don’t develop ketosis or ketonuria — conditions usually present in Type 1 diabetes. This unusual presentation often results in misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment.

• Findings show this disease isn’t caused by insulin resistance — Through metabolic testing in 73 Asian Indian men, researchers showed that Type 5 diabetes results from a severe deficiency in insulin production, not resistance to insulin.² These patients produced far less insulin than healthy individuals or even those with Type 2 diabetes.

• This form of diabetes has gone largely unrecognized in Western medicine — Despite being first documented in Jamaica in 1955, malnutrition-related diabetes was dropped from the World Health Organization’s official classification system in 1999.

As Dr. Meredith Hawkins, professor of medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, told Medscape Medical News, this was a key oversight. “They frequently ask, ‘Why is it we see so much of it and yet never read about it in textbooks?’ Turns out those textbooks are written in the West, where it is not encountered.”³

The Implications Are Massive for Global Diabetes Care

Because many patients in low-resource settings are misdiagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, they’re often prescribed high-dose insulin they don’t actually need. This not only increases costs and complications, but also risks dangerous drops in blood sugar, especially in communities with food insecurity. By correctly identifying Type 5, doctors can avoid overtreatment, reduce harm, and save lives.

• This change means doctors need to rethink diabetes entirely — If you’re a lean person with diabetes — or you work with underserved communities — this discovery matters. Misdiagnosis could mean the difference between stabilizing blood sugar safely or triggering dangerous episodes of hypoglycemia. With this new recognition, more health care providers will be trained to spot Type 5 early, preventing years of mismanagement and health decline.

• Early malnutrition likely causes lasting damage to insulin-producing cells — Although formal treatment guidelines have not yet been developed, Hawkins hypothesized that protein deficiency in childhood damages the pancreas, limiting its ability to secrete insulin even decades later.

She suggested that nutritional therapy, including higher protein intake and correction of micronutrient deficiencies, could improve insulin function, but emphasized that more research is needed to confirm this.

• A working group is now developing diagnostic and treatment protocols — With the IDF’s recognition, a new global mandate has been issued to develop formal diagnostic criteria and therapeutic guidelines for Type 5 diabetes.⁴ Hawkins stated that the aim is to complete these guidelines within two years, and they will be based on the unique features of this population.

New Testing Reveals How Type 5 Diabetes Works on a Cellular Level

A 2022 study in Diabetes Care used metabolic testing to examine how this disease behaves inside the body.⁵ Researchers recruited South Indian men across five groups — lean diabetics, Type 1 diabetics, Type 2 diabetics and two groups without diabetes — to compare how their bodies handled insulin and glucose. The researchers used specialized techniques to assess how the liver and muscles respond to insulin under tightly controlled lab conditions.

• The participants with Type 5 diabetes had extreme metabolic differences compared to Type 2 patients — What made the lean diabetes group stand out was their unique combination: very low insulin production but unusually high sensitivity to insulin in the liver and muscles.

This flips the Type 2 diabetes model upside down, where the body produces insulin but stops responding to it. In these lean patients, the issue isn’t resistance — it's that their pancreas simply can't make enough insulin to begin with. Despite this, their bodies absorb sugar from the bloodstream efficiently, just not quickly enough to keep blood sugar under control.

• Glucose absorption rates were more than twice as high in Type 5 than in Type 2 — Researchers found that lean diabetics with Type 5 had a glucose uptake rate of 10.1 mg/kg per minute. By contrast, those with Type 2 had a rate of only 4.2 mg/kg per minute. That’s more than double the speed at which their cells were pulling glucose out of the bloodstream.

This explains why these patients don’t need high insulin doses for glucose transport — it’s their limited insulin output that’s the problem, not cellular resistance.

• They also had far less liver and belly fat compared to Type 2 diabetics — Excess liver fat is a hallmark of Type 2 diabetes and a major contributor to insulin resistance. But in this study, the Type 5 group had significantly lower levels of liver fat and visceral fat — the fat packed around organs — than the Type 2 group.

This means their fat tissue isn’t inflamed or blocking insulin from doing its job. Instead, the underlying issue points back to the pancreas’ diminished capacity to release insulin in the first place.

• The research confirms that Type 5 diabetes has its own metabolic fingerprint — This study eliminated other explanations, including Type 1 autoimmunity, rare genetic forms of diabetes and pancreatic damage, and showed that these men represent an entirely distinct clinical population.

Their blood sugar problems aren’t caused by fat buildup or inflammation. They're the result of lifelong malnutrition impairing pancreatic development, leading to poor insulin secretion despite otherwise healthy metabolic systems.

How to Restore Health by Fixing the Root Causes of Diabetes

If you’re someone with a very low BMI and unexplained high blood sugar, or you work with patients in underserved communities where malnutrition is common, the most important thing you can do is address the root cause of the problem: inadequate nutrition, especially long-term protein and micronutrient deficiency.

This is not the same as Type 2 diabetes, which is typically driven by insulin resistance and excess body fat. Type 5 is about not having enough insulin to begin with, because the pancreas hasn’t developed the capacity to produce it.

If you're dealing with the far more common Type 2 diabetes, the best strategy is to support your cellular energy production by restoring the conditions your body needs to make and respond to insulin efficiently. That starts with targeting your mitochondria, reducing toxic exposures and optimizing your intake of key nutrients and carbs. Here are five key steps I recommend:

1. Eliminate vegetable oils and processed foods to reduce mitochondrial stress — Start by removing vegetable oils and the foods that contain them from your diet. These include canola, soy, corn, sunflower, safflower and even many “natural” salad dressings, sauces and snacks. These oils contain linoleic acid (LA), which damages your mitochondria — the parts of your cells that generate energy.

If your cells can't make energy, they can't support insulin production or blood sugar balance. Stick with traditional fats like grass fed butter, tallow, and ghee. Avoid chicken and pork as well, as they tend to be high in LA.

2. Rebuild your carb tolerance using a structured reintroduction approach — Carbohydrates play a key role in supporting your mitochondrial function. Glucose, derived from carbohydrates, serves as your cells' preferred fuel source for energy production. The key is to choose the right types and amounts of carbohydrates.

If you’ve been avoiding carbs or have gut issues, don’t just start eating whole grains and fiber-rich vegetables. That will backfire and feed harmful bacteria. Instead, begin with easy-to-digest carbs like whole fruit and white rice. Over time as your gut heals, add root vegetables and starchy carbs, then finally introduce fiber. Most adults need 250 grams of carbs daily for proper energy production.

3. Repair your gut before increasing fiber — When your gut barrier is damaged, what’s commonly called “leaky gut,” fiber becomes dangerous. It feeds bacteria that release endotoxins, which worsen inflammation and insulin dysfunction. If you’ve had irritable bowel syndrome, bloating, or a long history of antibiotic use, focus on carbs from whole fruits and white rice, and, when your gut is ready, gradually add in root vegetables, then legumes, additional vegetables and well-tolerated whole grains.

4. Lower your toxin load from plastics and EMFs — Xenoestrogens from plastics and pervasive EMFs sabotage your cellular energy. That includes your pancreas and your gut. Store food in glass or stainless steel, avoid cling wrap and plastic bottles and minimize your use of wireless devices, especially in your bedroom. Reducing your daily exposure to these environmental toxins improves your mitochondrial output, which directly supports insulin production.

5. Use sunlight and niacinamide to restore cellular energy — Daily sun exposure helps your mitochondria generate melatonin, which protects them from oxidative damage. Aim for morning or late afternoon sunlight, and avoid harsh midday sun until you’ve been off vegetable oils for at least six months.

I also recommend niacinamide — 50 milligrams three times a day — which boosts NAD+, a coenzyme essential for cellular energy. Together, these two steps help restore healthy insulin function and overall metabolic resilience.

If you're struggling with insulin resistance, don't ignore it. I recommend using the HOMA-IR (Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance) test to measure how efficiently your body uses insulin. It’s a simple formula that calculates the relationship between your fasting glucose and insulin levels to evaluate how effectively your body uses insulin.

Anything over 1.0 means your body is becoming resistant — and the higher that number, the greater your risk for developing full-blown Type 2 diabetes. Addressing it early gives you the best chance to reverse it.

FAQs About Type 5 Diabetes

Q: What is Type 5 diabetes and how is it different from Type 1 and Type 2?

A: Type 5 diabetes, recently recognized by the International Diabetes Federation, is a form of diabetes caused by severe early-life malnutrition. Unlike Type 1, it doesn’t involve an autoimmune attack, and unlike Type 2, it isn’t caused by insulin resistance. Instead, the pancreas is unable to make enough insulin due to underdevelopment during childhood.

Q: Who is most at risk for Type 5 diabetes?

A: This condition primarily affects young, lean men in low- and middle-income countries who have a lifelong history of undernutrition. People with a body mass index (BMI) under 19 and persistent high blood sugar, but no ketones or obesity, fall into this category.

Q: Why is Type 5 diabetes often misdiagnosed?

A: Because it doesn’t match the typical profiles of Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, patients are frequently misclassified. They’re often given high-dose insulin treatments designed for Type 1, which is harmful since their bodies are still somewhat responsive to insulin, just unable to produce enough of it.

Q: What are the underlying causes of Type 5 diabetes?

A: The root cause is early and prolonged malnutrition, especially protein and micronutrient deficiencies that impair the pancreas’s ability to develop and function. This leads to low insulin production even in adulthood, despite otherwise healthy metabolic function.

Q: How do I address the underlying causes of Type 2 diabetes?

A: To address Type 2 diabetes, which is far more common than Type 5, steps include eliminating vegetable oils to protect mitochondria, rebuilding carb tolerance with easy-to-digest carbohydrates like fruit and white rice, repairing gut health before increasing fiber, minimizing exposure to toxins like plastics and EMFs and supporting cellular energy with sunlight and niacinamide. These strategies help restore insulin function by addressing the root causes.

Linoleic Acid, Mitochondria, Gut Microbiome, and Metabolic Health — A Mechanistic Review

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

A century ago, linoleic acid (LA) wasn’t a major part of the human diet. Today, it dominates. Hidden in nearly every processed food and most restaurant meals, this polyunsaturated fat — found in vegetable oils like soybean, corn, and canola — has quietly become the most consumed fat in the modern world.

You’ve likely been told it’s healthy, even essential. But the truth is, LA behaves very differently inside your body than other fats. Unlike saturated fats, it’s chemically unstable. It breaks down easily, especially when exposed to heat, light, or oxygen — turning into toxic byproducts that your body struggles to clear. And unlike fats your body uses for energy, this one gets stored in your tissues and builds up over time, where it quietly interferes with energy production, gut health, and hormone regulation.

If you’ve been dealing with low energy, unexplained weight gain, or insulin resistance, there’s a good chance this hidden ingredient is working against you. Most people don’t realize that the foods they’ve been told are heart-healthy, like certain oils, nuts and packaged snacks, are loading their cells with something they weren’t designed to handle in such high amounts.

In my mechanistic review, published in Advances in Redox Research, I broke down exactly how LA disrupts your mitochondria — the energy engines inside every one of your cells.¹ What the research revealed changed how I look at metabolic disease entirely.

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Too Much LA Throws Your Metabolism Into Chaos

My paper looks closely at how high intake of LA disrupts mitochondrial function, damages gut balance, and triggers insulin resistance.² It’s a mechanistic review, meaning it synthesizes a wide range of cellular, biochemical, and metabolic evidence to show exactly how LA breaks energy production inside your cells.

The figure above shows how your mitochondria get thrown off balance when making energy. When there’s too much fuel coming in, it overloads your system and causes a backup at key points called Complex I and II. This leads to reductive stress, where electrons leak out and create harmful byproducts like reactive oxygen species (ROS).

On the flip side, if the system is damaged or can’t keep up, “oxidative stress” occurs, also producing harmful waste. Both situations disrupt energy flow and increase the risk of cell damage. The figure highlights the importance of keeping this process in balance for healthy energy production and overall cellular function.

• LA does damage in two directions at once — I detailed how LA creates both oxidative and reductive stress. Oxidative stress is when your body produces too many free radicals. Reductive stress, by contrast, is when your cells build up too many unused electrons because the mitochondria can’t process them fast enough. This combination wrecks the redox balance that your body depends on to generate clean, efficient energy.

• The damage starts at the mitochondria — your body’s energy centers — LA embeds itself into a special fat called cardiolipin, found in the inner membrane of your mitochondria. Cardiolipin holds energy-generating protein complexes together, kind of like scaffolding. But LA is chemically unstable and easily oxidized.

Once inside cardiolipin, it sets off chain reactions that weaken mitochondrial structure, unravel protein complexes, and reduce adenosine triphosphate (ATP) output — your body’s core energy currency.

• Reductive stress quietly sabotages your energy long before symptoms appear — When your diet contains too much LA — from fried foods, processed snacks, salad dressings, and even “healthy” nuts, pork and chicken — it leads to constant overloading of the mitochondria with electrons.

The problem is that the mitochondrial transport chain can’t keep up. Electrons back up and spill over, generating ROS and worsening oxidative damage. This imbalance is a hidden engine behind fatigue, weight gain, and poor metabolic flexibility.

Why Macronutrient Balance Matters for Redox Health

The figure above illustrates how the balance of protein, carbs, and fat in your diet help protect your mitochondria from the kind of energy overload LA creates. The example in the figure uses a common ratio — about 15% protein, 55% carbs, and 30% fat — to demonstrate how a balanced mix of macronutrients keeps your metabolism running smoothly.

• Carbs and fats take different pathways to get broken down for energy, but both eventually fuel your mitochondria — As they’re processed, they generate molecules that feed electrons into your mitochondria to make ATP. If you eat too much of any one macronutrient — especially fat — it overwhelms the system. Your mitochondria can’t process the excess electrons fast enough, creating a traffic jam that leads to reductive stress and oxidative damage.

• When your diet is more balanced, energy flows through your mitochondria in a steadier way — This reduces the risk of cellular stress and improves metabolic flexibility. This helps explain why even high-fat diets marketed as “healthy” backfire if they’re rich in unstable fats like LA — they push your mitochondria past their limit.

• LA doesn’t just sit in your tissues — it poisons your energy over time — Unlike other fats that your body burns or clears quickly, LA sticks around. It builds up in your fat stores and stays there for years, literally. As noted in my review, the half-life of LA in body fat is estimated to be two years. That means every meal high in LA adds to a long-term problem that your body can’t easily reverse.

• LA pushes your system into dysfunction — While LA is essential in small amounts, excessive intake, over time, floods your mitochondria with reactive molecules. When the supply of electrons from fat breakdown exceeds the mitochondria’s capacity to use them, your energy system crashes from the inside out. The result is poor glucose handling, inflammation, and insulin resistance — what many people chalk up to aging, but is actually preventable damage.

Your Mitochondria Need These Nutrients to Run

The table above shows the essential nutrients your mitochondria need to turn food into usable energy. These include key B vitamins like niacinamide (B3), thiamine (B1), and riboflavin (B2), which act like spark plugs in your cellular engine. They help fuel the chain of reactions that powers ATP production.

• It also includes CoQ10, a compound your body makes but needs more of as you age or if you take statin drugs — CoQ10 helps shuttle electrons inside your mitochondria and reduces oxidative stress.

• Magnesium plays a starring role too — Magnesium helps stabilize ATP and supports hundreds of enzymes involved in metabolism and insulin sensitivity.

• The nutrient amounts listed in the table are general estimates — Your specific needs depend on your diet, health history, and how much stress your system is under. Making sure you get enough of these cofactors helps restore mitochondrial balance and improves how your body handles energy.

Cardiolipin — Your Energy Stabilizer — Gets Hijacked by LA

Cardiolipin isn’t just any fat. It’s unique in structure and key for keeping your mitochondria’s inner membrane stable.

The figure above shows where cardiolipin lives inside your mitochondria and why it matters for energy production. On the left, you see a simplified diagram of a mitochondrion, highlighting its key parts: the outer membrane, inner membrane, the folds called cristae, and the inner space known as the matrix. In the center, the zoomed-in view of the inner membrane points out spots rich in cardiolipin (marked in magenta), especially around the curved edges of the cristae.

These areas help keep the mitochondrial folds stable and support the formation of energy-producing protein clusters. On the right, the figure compares a typical fat molecule with cardiolipin. Unlike regular fats that have two tails, cardiolipin has four, giving it unique properties that help hold proteins in place, keep the membrane flexible, and power essential energy processes. This figure helps explain why cardiolipin is so important for keeping your mitochondria — and your cells — running smoothly.

My review shows how LA infiltrates cardiolipin and makes it highly vulnerable to oxidation. Once oxidized, cardiolipin can't hold the mitochondrial protein complexes together anymore. This instability ruins the structure needed for ATP production and accelerates cellular aging.

• This process explains why many “healthy” high-fat diets fail over time — While keto or very low-carb diets often seem to work at first by lowering blood sugar, the LA-rich fats they rely on overload your cell “engines.” Breaking down these fats floods your mitochondria with more fuel molecules than they can handle, clogging the energy-production system, slowing ATP creation, and ramping up internal wear-and-tear.

• Once LA oxidizes, it turns into something far more dangerous — The figure above shows how eating too much LA sets off a chain reaction that damages your mitochondria and drains your energy. When you eat a lot of LA, it gets built into the inner membrane of your mitochondria, the part of your cells that makes energy. But LA is fragile. Under stress — especially when your mitochondria are overloaded and energy flow backs up — LA starts to oxidize.

When LA breaks down inside your body, it doesn’t just disappear — it turns into harmful byproducts. One of the worst is called 4-HNE, a sticky, reactive compound that latches onto important parts of your cells like enzymes, DNA, and the machinery inside your mitochondria. Think of it like grease gumming up an engine. It clogs the system that helps your cells make energy. Over time, this damage builds up, draining your energy and stressing your cells even more.

Your Gut Suffers Too, Starting with Your Colon Cells

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The figure above shows what happens when your gut microbiome is in balance — and what happens when it’s not. On the left, you see a healthy gut filled with diverse, friendly bacteria that break down fiber into short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate. These compounds feed the cells lining your colon, strengthen your gut barrier, reduce inflammation, and support better blood sugar control. This is how fiber is supposed to work when your gut is healthy.

• LA triggers a cascade that increases inflammation from your gut outward — The right side of the figure tells a different story — one that starts with too much LA in your diet. LA interferes with the ability of colon cells to burn butyrate for fuel, which leaves more oxygen in your gut.

That extra oxygen disrupts the environment, harming helpful bacteria and allowing harmful ones to take over — a condition called dysbiosis. In this inflamed state, the same fiber that normally helps you actually makes things worse by fueling the wrong microbes.

• As dysbiosis deepens, harmful bacteria flourish — They produce toxic byproducts like lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which break through your gut lining and enter your bloodstream. This triggers your immune system, leading to chronic, low-grade inflammation.

Over time, this inflammatory cascade makes insulin resistance worse and raises your risk for problems like fatty liver, obesity, and diabetes. This is known as the fiber paradox — where fiber’s benefits depend entirely on the state of your microbiome.

Insulin Resistance Becomes Inevitable When LA Is High

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The table above shows the main tools used to measure insulin resistance and check how well your cells are managing their internal energy chemistry, known as redox balance. One common method is HOMA-IR, a calculation based on fasting insulin and glucose levels that gives a rough idea of how sensitive your cells are to insulin. While it’s convenient for everyday use, it’s not as precise as the gold-standard glucose clamp test, which measures exactly how well your body clears sugar under controlled conditions.

• The table also lists blood markers that reflect how your mitochondria are handling energy — These include ratios like lactate to pyruvate and others that show the balance between NAD⁺ and NADH — a key part of your cell’s energy-making process. When this balance is off, it signals redox stress and early signs of metabolic trouble.

• This is where LA comes in — When your diet is high in LA, it disrupts how your mitochondria produce energy. As that process breaks down, your cells stop responding to insulin the way they should. Your pancreas makes more insulin to compensate, but that only makes things worse. Blood sugar rises, fat starts to build up, and your cells become more inflamed and energy-starved — a downward spiral triggered by too much LA.

Cutting Out LA Helps Restore Your Mitochondria

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For more details on the risks of excessive LA intake, read the simplified version of my review. If your energy’s been crashing, your metabolism feels stuck, or your gut hasn’t been right in years, there’s a good chance vegetable oils are part of the problem. You don’t need a lab test to confirm it — just look at what’s in your pantry or what you’ve been eating out.

Getting rid of the LA that’s buried in so many processed foods is the first and most important step to undoing the metabolic damage and giving your cells a chance to function normally again. Here’s what I recommend you do to take back control:

1. Ditch vegetable oils completely — The most direct way to reverse mitochondrial dysfunction is to stop the flood of LA coming in every day. That means eliminating all vegetable oils like soybean, corn, sunflower, safflower, cottonseed, grapeseed, canola, rice bran and peanut oil.

These are hiding in nearly every processed food, packaged snack, and restaurant meal, especially fried foods and dressings. Start reading labels, cook at home more, and treat every elimination as an investment in your energy.

2. Switch to safe fats that don’t damage your mitochondria — Your body needs fat to function — you just need the right kind. Replace those unstable omega-6 fats with stable, saturated fats like grass fed butter, ghee, beef tallow and coconut oil. These fats resist oxidation, don’t overload your mitochondria with electrons, and help restore proper redox balance inside your cells. I use them regularly because they support energy, hormones, and brain health without contributing to inflammation.

3. Eat more foods that repair your gut and feed your colon cells — If your gut’s been compromised by LA, you’ll want to focus on foods that restore the oxygen balance in your colon and support butyrate production. High-quality carbs like sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, and rice are rich in fermentable fibers that fuel this process. But here’s the catch: as mentioned, if your gut is already damaged, throwing in lots of fiber too soon will make symptoms worse. That’s the fiber paradox.

If you’re struggling with bloating, cra

The hidden cost of professionalism in medical training

Sun, 20 Jul 2025 23:00:18 +0000

I sat in my pink childhood bed, my name still written in cursive above it from when I redesigned the room at seven years old, staring at the letter that shattered my dream. I had been dismissed from medical school for “professionalism” concerns. I didn’t know what came next. No roadmap. No support. Just the

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The hidden cost of professionalism in medical training originally appeared in KevinMD.com.

The cost of ending shadowing in medical education

Sun, 20 Jul 2025 19:00:53 +0000

A faculty-wide email recently announced that shadowing in our emergency department would no longer be recognized as a valid educational activity. I wrote back asking why. The reply was brief, dismissive, and telling: “It doesn’t pay the rent.” That line has stuck with me—not just because it was flippant, but because it revealed something deeper

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The cost of ending shadowing in medical education originally appeared in KevinMD.com.

Why hospital jobs are failing physicians: burnout, pay, and lost autonomy

Sun, 20 Jul 2025 15:00:10 +0000

Hospital employment was once billed as the solution to the headaches of private practice — a way to gain stability, reduce administrative burden, and focus on patient care. But for many physicians, that promise has come undone. According to the Physicians Foundation’s 2024 report, 60 percent of physicians report frequent feelings of burnout — the

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Why hospital jobs are failing physicians: burnout, pay, and lost autonomy originally appeared in KevinMD.com.

Why Proper Breathing Is the Key to Optimal Health

Sun, 20 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Editor's Note: This article is a reprint. It was originally published January 21, 2024.

The interview above features Peter Litchfield, Ph.D., who is, in my view, one of the best breathing experts in the world. I've taken his breathing course, which gave me a deep appreciation for what he's teaching. None of the breathing experts I've interviewed before compare to Litchfield when it comes to understanding respiratory physiology and its impact on your health.

Many of you who read this article may react in fear because the information may challenge your understanding of what others have told you to be true and you struggle trusting yourself to guide this new belief process. I strongly encourage you to watch the interview in its entirety.

I believe it will alleviate most of these fears as Dr. Litchfield is an excellent teacher in helping people trust themselves. It would be easy to react negatively to this information and choose not view the interview, but I believe that would be a major mistake. I sincerely hope you avoid making that choice.

According to Litchfield — who has decades of clinical training in both respiratory physiology and behavioral psychology — dysfunctional breathing habits are typically developed in response to some type of emotional trauma. It gets embedded in your brain circuits, and when you encounter this trigger, it activates them and lowers your carbon dioxide (CO₂) level.

You may have been getting a hint over the last few months that I really value CO₂. It's probably one of the most important molecules in your body. I'm going to go deep into this in the coming year, as strategies to increase your CO₂ are probably some of the best things you can do to optimize your health.

The higher the level you can get within the biological normal optimal range, the better. Most of us are not even close to that. And, if you think you're already breathing well because you're belly breathing, deep breathing or doing Buteyko breathing, you're in for a surprise, because there's a lot more to optimal breathing than learning to slow down, lessen or deepen your breathing.

Behavioral Physiology

Litchfield has a long and varied professional history, but his primary interest is behavioral physiology, a field in which physiology is viewed as a programmable system. As he explains, your physiology self-regulates:

"It learns, in essence. It does something and there's a consequence, and based on that consequence it changes what it does. Physiology collects information, stores information. It uses information on all levels, not just on the level of the brain, but even on a cellular level. It's collecting and using data. That's what we call learning, ultimately; that is, physiology is behavioral, it's psychology in action.

Physiology really is psychophysiological because it's a learning system ... One of the things that's important in the work that we do in breathing behavior analysis, based on this, is that people need to learn to form a working partnership with their bodies ...

The body is a learning, living system. The day the first cell came into existence, psychology was born. That is really such an important thing to understand. It's not just ‘you' who's doing the breathing. Your body is doing the breathing. These aren't just genetic or organic considerations. The body gets programmed constantly by virtue of what it does, and what results from what it does, and breathing is no exception.

Look at the habits we learn in our lives. Look at my hands. I'm moving my hands right now. Look at my head and how I move it. I learned this unconsciously. I'm a whole collection of amazing habits, thousands of habits that come into play at just precisely the right place and time.

So, the right thing happens at the right time, and I don't even have to think about it. That's the nature of a habit. But they don't always go well, they can go very wrong."

Habits Serve a Purpose

As explained by Litchfield, habits always serve a purpose. You don't engage in a habit unless it serves you or your physiology in some way. This is why it's so important to form a partnership with your body, to explore your habits, and how or why you learned them in the first place.

In a sense, you could say that your physiological system is part of your unconscious or subconscious mind, or an expression thereof. The task is to become conscious of what's going on because your breathing habits may be unconsciously sabotaging your health.

"So, what we're really focused on in our work is observing and learning about breathing as a behavior," Litchfield says. "We're not using breathing as a technique where you manipulate breathing so you can relax, or you manipulate breathing to achieve some otherworldly experience where you dissociate.

There are all kinds of reasons that people implement breathing techniques for presumed positive outcomes ... Our work isn't about breathing techniques.

Another thing that's very important, is that there is a trigger for every habit. Triggers are not there all the time. They show up at specific times. For example, in the statistics pointing the larger cities of the United States, like New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, where surveys suggest that about 60% of the ambulance runs are a result of symptoms brought on by dysfunctional breathing.

And it's not as if this person is breathing dysfunctionally all the time. It's that at that particular moment, they breathe this way, that then precipitates these symptoms.

They don't understand where these symptoms and deficits are coming from. They don't think of their breathing. They call 911, if you're in the United States, and they end up in [the] emergency [room] ... A lot of what our work is about is identifying these habits."

What Is a Breathing Habit?

So, how do you identify a breathing habit? There are many components to look at, including the following:

• Motivation — Behavior is motivated by something. There's motivation behind all habits, and any one of them can be tied up with your breathing.

• Behaviors — You need to identify the exact behavior involved. For example, you may be aborting the breath, meaning you inhale before you've fully exhaled.

In most cases, it's rooted in a subconscious fear about not getting enough air. Whatever the cause, there's motivation embedded in the behavior. Aborting the breath and inhaling early may serve the breather by reducing worry or anxiety about not getting enough air.

However, when you inhale too soon, air hunger sets in — a feeling like you can't get enough air — and that can trigger the very anxiety the habit is trying to avoid.

"It's nothing to do with oxygen," Litchfield says. "It's about claustrophobia. So, this person then develops a kind of claustrophobia that's now embedded in the breath.

You'll find some people constantly reaching, trying to get that one good breath. They may suffer with air hunger for an extended period of time. As they breathe out, they abort [the breath] constantly, trying to get a satisfying breath as soon as possible."

• Outcomes — What are the outcomes of your learned breathing behavior, and how are those outcomes serving you? For example, when you start taking larger breaths, you may think you're going to get more air.

You may feel like you're in charge and in control, and that keeps you going. But what happens is you lose CO₂ without realizing it. You may experience symptoms that you and your healthcare providers may misinterpret and attribute to unrelated causes.

In reality, you need far less air than you think. For every liter of blood you can move through your lungs, you can move 20 liters of air. But you only need 1 liter of air. So optimal breathing is usually not about getting enough oxygen. It's about regulating the CO₂ concentrations in your extracellular body fluids, like blood plasma.

What Deep Breathing Does to Your Body

Contrary to popular belief, deep breathing does not improve oxygenation. When you're deep breathing, blood flow to your brain actually decreases as a result of a tightening of the blood vessels (vasoconstriction) in the brain.

Additionally, the cytoplasm in your red blood cells can become too alkaline and the hemoglobin carried by the red blood cells can become unfriendly, that is, less willing to give up the oxygen it carries to the tissues that need it. So, deep breathing actually contributes to an oxygen deficit already in progress as a result of vasoconstriction.

The vasoconstriction occurs because the primary vascular purpose of CO₂ is vasodilation. When you have sufficient CO₂ in your system, it will open your blood vessels much more effectively than nitric oxide, because nitric oxide has a dark side. It binds to Complex IV in your mitochondria and shuts down the electron transport chain. So, ideally, you want the vasodilation to be done by CO₂ rather than nitric oxide.

So, the outcome of overbreathing is loss of blood in the brain, loss of oxygen, loss of glucose and electrolyte changes in the brain that then lead to setting the stage for lactic acidosis in neurons (brain cells). "Most people, lay or professional, have no idea that this is going on," Litchfield says.

These brain changes, in turn, tend to trigger disinhibition where emotions — oftentimes anger or fear — are discharged. This release of emotions can serve you by allowing you to cope with a challenging situation or environment. Overbreathing (breathing that results in a CO₂ deficit) leads to an outcome (a reinforcement) that serves you and is thus a "solution" to a perceived problem, a successful coping mechanism.

"Maybe they've come from a very traumatic kind of a background, and the only way they could really cope with it is to get angry," Litchfield says. "But usually there is fear operating in the background ...

There are things like this that, when you overbreathe, you get a symptom, a physiological change, and people have learned to respond to that change in their own unique ways. Some people, for example, when they get dizzy because they lose oxygen in the brain, when they overventilate, feel like they're losing control and freak out. They can't understand what's going on.

They can't focus. They don't remember what's happening. They feel unable to function. They're on the verge of a panic attack. The next person goes, ‘Hey, this is kind of cool. I really like this.' They have a whole different response to it. So, one of the things we're always looking at are how people relate to the physiological changes brought on by breathing."

Automatic Reflexes Regulate Your CO₂ Level

As explained by Litchfield, your CO₂ level is regulated by automatic reflexes. There are receptors in the brain and in the arterial system that are sensitive to CO₂ concentration and to the pH of various extracellular fluids, such as blood plasma and interstitial fluids (surrounding cells). There are receptor sites in the arterial system which are sensitive to oxygen concentration but, surprisingly, not in the brain.

This system wasn't designed to get out of whack just because you get stressed. Provided you haven't learned bad breathing habits, your breathing optimizes respiration regardless of most circumstances., e.g., while talking.

As explained by Litchfield, breathing regulates acid-based physiology¹ in extracellular body fluids. Your body needs to have the capacity to change your pH rapidly, almost immediately, because if it didn't, you would be in serious trouble and could even die. Although bad breathing habits can quickly bring on fainting, for example, there are safety mechanisms that protect us.

"There's a simple little equation ... that addresses how blood pH is regulated by the relationship of carbon dioxide concentration with bicarbonate concentration; 'together they regulate acid-based balance from breath to breath.'

The carbon dioxide is controlled by the way you breathe. So as soon as you start to take over breathing, you take the control away from the reflexes, the result of which can be determined by doing a breathing behavior analysis.

You might be OK because in the background breathing and respiration are being coordinated properly, but maybe not, like when I'm eating and talking, I'm breathing. They have to be coordinated and linked. This is behavior. They get linked.

Sometimes they get out of sync and then people are really in trouble. They're struggling whenever they eat. Their breathing is all wrong. When they're talking, the breathing goes wrong.

They get really lightheaded when they're talking because they're overventilating. They're constantly trying to take another breath while they're talking to people ... What's happening is that they're losing carbon dioxide. They're getting completely disoriented, can't function ..."

Do You Overbreathe?

Symptoms of low CO₂ (hypocapnia), caused by overbreathing, include but are not limited to:

Headache

Nausea and vomiting

Abdominal symptoms and bloating

Fatigue

Muscle pain and weakness, tetany, hyperreflexia, spasm, tingling in the hands and lips, numbness, trembling and difficulty swallowing

Cardiovascular changes like palpitations, tachycardia, arrhythmias, angina, ECG abnormalities

Cognitive changes, including attention deficit, difficulty learning, poor memory and brain fog

Symptoms involving consciousness, such as dissociation, disconnecting from your environment, disconnecting from people, fainting and hallucinations

Emotional changes associated with the reduction of blood flow in the brain

Personality and self-esteem changes

If you frequently suffer any of these symptoms, it is possible that you may be struggling with hypocapnia, meaning low CO₂ levels, and the No. 1 reason for hypocapnia is a poor breathing habit in response to all kinds of habit triggers, such as stress. The solution in this case is to identify the faulty habitual breathing behaviors and then correct them.

Optimizing Your CO₂ by Relearning Better Breathing Habits

You can very accurately measure your CO₂ concentration with a tool called a capnometer, the wellness-educational version of it known as a CapnoTrainer:

"Being able to measure carbon dioxide is obviously the best of all worlds. There are ways you can look at overbreathing without a capnometer, but it's quite limited. It may be that you're not aware of how you're being influenced, so it's very difficult without a capnometer or CapnoTrainer.

But ultimately, the idea is not to need technology. The idea is you understand that you've learned habits and that you identify what those habits are, their components, their motivation, their outcomes, your belief systems and all kinds of things around it so that you can learn about who you are from a breathing perspective.

It's not about a breathing technique. This is about learning techniques, about how you become a different being when it comes to the way that you breathe, and your habits optimize respiration, your habits optimize acid-based physiology.

If you want to have your CO₂ looked at from a perspective of habits that you may have learned, you can rent a device, which makes it affordable for many people. A CapnoTrainer is different in a certain way than a capnometer. A capnometer technically is used in medicine, in surgery and in critical care, emergency medicine and so on.

But a CapnoTrainer is used to learn about your breathing. How are you breathing? How is it affecting you? What habits do you have? How can you learn new habits? That kind of thing. So you can rent these devices and you can also buy them. There are different versions of them.

There are professional, basic and personal versions of them. They're all software-based, and you can operate these instruments on your cell phone and on tablets and Apple computers, PC computers, whatever, and really get to know your breathing in detail ...

What breathing behavior analysts do is they help you do that. Now, however, you can learn to do it on your own. We have a book out that can walk you through that ... The idea is to try to help you optimize your functioning. So many people just don't realize that they're breathing dysfunctionally and they attribute their symptoms to all kinds of other sources completely unrelated to breathing.

And so do the health care professionals because they don't know about it either. They're trying to figure out where these symptoms are coming from, but they don't think about the breathing ...

The breathing techniques out there generally don't address habits. They may, by accident, address a habit and then give credit to the technique rather than understanding it's about some kind of embedded learning that has occurred in the process — that fear was addressed, for example.

But they may think, well, it's the slowness of breathing. Breathing slow is really good. And so it's [about the] parasympathetic nervous system, and that's why it worked, when in reality what it was about was that you lost your fear associated with the end of the exhale, for example, because of the technique they were using.

But people aren't focusing on it that way ... They aren't looking at the experiential side of it, which is key to understanding breathing behavior."

Trust Your Body

Again, your body knows how to breathe. The only time you get into problems is when you unconsciously override it with a learned breathing habit that throws the system out of whack. So, trust your body.

"That's totally fundamental," Litchfield says. "That's what we work on — helping people build trust in that system. And that's what I was talking about at the very beginning about partnering with your body. That partnership is vital.

You're not a victim of your body. You're in the body. This is who you are. You own this. You own your breathing. You're not a victim of your breathing. And that's often a problem. People think they're a victim of all of this."

Why Most Breathing Techniques Don't Address Your Health Problems

While we've already mentioned this, it bears repeating. What Litchfield is talking about is not learning a specific set of breathing techniques. It's not about the technique per se. It's about understanding why your breath gets dysregulated and how new habits can be learned. In regard to the Buteyko technique, for example, he comments:

"Most issues around breathing, when it comes to hypocapnia, are acute. It isn't chronic. Buteyko [breathing] is really limited to [chronic overbreathing]. Secondly, you have to ask yourself, where did that hypocapnia come from in the first place? Why is this person breathing like that, that you now have to train them to habituate to a higher level of CO₂? How did that happen? What's the history of that?

New NIH Leadership Aims to Restore the Public's Trust in Science

Sun, 20 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) acts as the country's "medical research agency."¹ In other words, their role is to fund and conduct experiments that help improve public health, but the COVID-19 pandemic has eroded the public's trust in them.

Now, the new NIH director, Dr. Jayanta Bhattacharya, discusses how the agency aims to repair that broken trust in a marathon interview with Andrew Huberman, Ph.D., a professor at Stanford School of Medicine.²

While the entire interview is over four hours long, it's very much worth it. I recommend you listen to it in smaller parts to help you absorb all the information these two experts discussed. The insights they shared provide a hopeful view of the future for science to benefit humanity instead of the other way around.

Life Expectancy Plummets in America

Bhattacharya starts by discussing the fact that average life expectancy among Americans dropped during the pandemic. It has only returned to pre-pandemic levels, but did not even increase afterward:

• Life expectancy — Bhattacharya acknowledges the failure of America's health institutions, which he intends to correct:

"Since 2012, there's been no increase in American life expectancy. From 2012 to 2019, literally it was — well not literally — almost entirely flat life expectancy. And whereas the European countries had advances in life expectancy during that period. During the pandemic, life expectancy dropped very sharply in the United States …

Whatever those investments we're making as a nation, in the research, are not actually translating into meeting the mission of the NIH, which is to advance health and longevity of American people."

• Leadership didn't listen to reason — During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bhattacharya was one of the biggest opponents of the lockdowns, even writing opinion pieces³ in mainstream media publications such as the Wall Street Journal:

"I was a very vocal advocate against the lockdowns, against the mask mandates, against the vaccine mandates and against the anti-scientific bent of public health throughout the pandemic."

• We are now under a "sick care" system — Bhattacharya explains that health care nowadays is more reactionary than being proactive:

"The advances we've made have allowed people to stay sick longer. It hasn't translated to a longer life, right?

There was a hope, I think, when I first started doing research in 2001, in population aging, there was this idea of a compression of morbidity that is, you live long, a long life, and the time you spent really sick and disabled was compressed at the very end of your life rather than spending a long time disabled and sick. And you die after having spending like a decade or more very sick."

• The government needs to come clean with its involvement — One of Bhattacharya's main criticisms of past NIH administrations is the secrecy surrounding their connection in SARS-CoV-2 research:

"I've also argued that the scientific institutions of this country should come clean about our involvement in very dangerous research that potentially caused the pandemic."

Innovation and Incentive Crisis in Scientific Research

Currently, academic science rewards researchers based on metrics like citation counts and the H-index, which measure how often other researchers refer to their work. While this might sound logical, it often encourages scientists to produce quantity over quality.

• The current system favors a "rock star" scientist model — Individual researchers strive for personal fame rather than collaborative, meaningful breakthroughs:

"So, science is a collaborative process, but the incentives within science, for individual advance, can often lead to a sort of a structure that elevates careers without necessarily producing truth."

• The flaw in peer review publications — Bhattacharya also criticizes the current peer review process. He points out its shortcomings below:

"The peer review actually doesn't involve, as you know, the peer reviewers taking your data, rerunning your experiments. It doesn't mean any of that. They just read your paper, looked for logical flaws, didn't find any, and then they recommended the editor to be published.

So, the peer review is not a guarantee that it's true. You have some significance that say that your data meet. Even with that, some percentage of the time, the published result is going to be false."

• Collaboration is key — To address the current flaws in the scientific community, the NIH is now promoting collaborative lab clusters. These groups of scientists come together specifically to tackle complex, real-world health problems. Huberman recommends:

"The solution to this is collaboration. Instead of having independent investigators, you have clusters of laboratories hopefully distributed throughout the country, working on the same problems, collaborating. There are grants of this sort. But here's the problem. As you point out, it's a sociological issue."

Restoring Trust and Transparency

To rebuild public trust, scientific institutions will need to be honest about uncertainties and treat you, the public, as partners rather than passive subjects. This means openly communicating what science doesn't yet know, alongside what it does.

• Publishing "constructive failures" — Research that doesn't achieve expected results is also critical. This openness helps build credibility:

"[W]e reward scientists for the influence that they have, and we reward scientists for the volume of papers they publish. What we don't reward scientists for is honesty about their failures. We don't reward scientists for pro-social behavior."

• Failure is a stepping stone to better results — Bhattacharya notes that scientific research doesn't get much leeway when it comes to making mistakes compared to tech companies that learn from failed startups:

"In Silicon Valley, a failed startup doesn't mean that you can't get another draw at trying to make a successful startup, right? Silicon Valley does not punish failure that sharply and that is the key to its success. Whereas in biomedicine, the current version of it we have now, we punish failure way too sharply."

• Previous regulations held research back from the public knowledge — To help change perception regarding the NIH, Bhattacharya wants to make all NIH-funded research free for public consumption because it's paid by your taxes:

"[My] predecessor Monika Bertagnolli … made a decision, a really great decision, essentially to say if the NIH supports a scientist's work, and then that work leads to a journal publication, that publication ought to be available free to the public immediately upon publication. You're not allowed as an NIH-funded scientist to publish in a journal that doesn't have that as a policy. That policy was due to go into effect in December of this year …

If the American taxpayer pays for the research, why shouldn't the American taxpayer be able to read the research for free? Because they already paid for it. Why do they pay a second time on the back end after the research is published?"

• Cost is no longer a roadblock because research can be published online — Bhattacharya is now tapping into the benefits of posting research online, making it instantly accessible to people who want to read them:

"[T]he marginal cost of publishing now is effectively zero. You put it online, right? I mean, yeah, there's some costs for maintaining the webpage and all that and there's some editorial staff, but like the level of investments that the public had been making for the NIH to then be asked to pay 30, 50, 100 dollars for the papers itself that are published, I mean, it's just insulting.

And actually, it impedes the progress of science because it makes it so that there's this barrier where regular people can't get access to the things that scientists are talking about, right?"

The Replication Crisis

One shocking truth in science today is that about half of all biomedical research findings cannot be replicated. Huberman and Bhattacharya discussed this topic in great detail:

• The flaws of the scientific method — The ability to replicate results among different researchers is important to solidify the findings of a topic, but Huberman states that this is not the case today:

"One of the major issues, I believe, that led to the so-called Replication Crisis is that it is very difficult, even with the best of intentions for two laboratories to do the same work in an identical way. Five minutes longer on a countertop at room temperature might change an antibody that could lead to a different outcome. I mean, there are so many variables."

• Incentives have affected medical research — Monetary incentives to create groundbreaking research are creating loopholes in medical research, Bhattacharya says:

"So, a lot of what the things that we think we know, even with some fair degree of certainty, are probably not true ... [T]the question is like, which half? Well, we don't know the answer to that question …

And this is done even with pure goodwill and no fraud at all, right? And the reason is a combination of the fact that science is hard and the incentives we created for publication, right? Those two together mean that the biomedical scientific literature is not reliable."

• Creating a collaborative community is imperative — The NIH is planning to create "pro-social" metrics to reward scientists who share data openly and willingly allow others to replicate their work:

"We don't reward scientists for pro-social behavior … where you collaborate, you share your data openly and honestly. In fact, we punish scientists for that, right?

So, right now, if somebody comes to me and says, 'Jay, I want to replicate your work.' I've trained myself not to think this way, but it's really hard not to, given the structure we're in. I'm going to think of that as a threat. What if they don't find what I've found, now I'm a failure, right?

The failure to replicate is seen as a failure of the scientist rather than the fact that science is hard and it's difficult to get results that are true even with the best of will. And we punish scientists for that. So, we essentially reward scientists for a set of things that create incentives for the Replication Crisis to happen."

COVID-19 Pandemic Lessons

COVID-19 revealed critical flaws in health policy decisions, notably around lockdowns, mask mandates, and blanket vaccine mandates. These policies often lacked strong scientific backing, causing unnecessary harm and division.

• The mandates created stigmatized groups — One of the disturbing effects of the various COVID-19 policies was shunning citizens who spoke out, Bhattacharya says. In turn, those affected have little reason to trust the government:

"Essentially, we created a class of unclean people as a matter of public policy. You can understand why people who went through that would say, 'Given that the vaccine didn't turn out to stop you from getting and spreading COVID, why should I trust you on anything else?' That, that's where we currently are."

• Sweden got it right all along — Bhattacharya concedes that the lockdowns weren't helpful in curbing deaths caused by the COVID-19 pandemic:

"If you ask which country had the lowest all-cause excess deaths in all of Europe … it turns out it's Sweden, which didn't follow the lockdowns. So, the lockdowns were not a necessary policy in order to protect human life. And they weren't sufficient to protect human life either, right? So, you had sharply locked down countries like Peru that had tremendous deaths."

• There was a concerted effort to control medical experts — Instead of fostering a collaborative environment between experts, those in power opted to censor and vilify doctors who went against mainstream advice:

"[T]here was essentially a groupthink at scale. It was impossible to organize a panel with the kind of diversity of opinion that was needed.

There were [a] million or more — I know this from the set of people who signed the Great Barrington Declaration, tens of thousands of scientists and doctors who disagreed, but they were afraid to stick their head up for fear of getting chopped off. It's not an accident that Stanford didn't allow a scientific panel with my point of view about the efficacy of lockdowns until 2024."

• Lockdowns affected marginalized groups — While many employees were able to continue their jobs during the lockdowns, Bhattacharya noted that these policies greatly affected other groups:

"[I]t was very clear to me with my background in health policy that we were going to harm the poor. We were going to harm children, and we were going to harm the working class at scale. The lockdowns were a luxury of the laptop class."

• The messaging was more important than saving lives — In an effort to look unified and keep the public's hopes high, authorities focused on united messaging instead of being honest about the side effects of their policies:

"[T]he problem here is that the scientific community embraced an ethical norm about unity of messaging and then enforced it on fellow scientists. And then it cooperated with the Biden administration to put in place a censorship regime that made it impossible even for legitimate conversations to happen. So, after the vaccines, COVID vaccines came out, there are a community of people who were vaccine legitimately vaccine-injured."

• The shots need to be fully investigated — Because of the devastation caused by the rolling out the shots to the public, Bhattacharya is calling for an investigation of what went wrong. But even if he is now the NIH director, he is still helpless because of more powerful players:

"I think these are the kind of things that ought to be investigated, but it's very difficult to investigate just because of the political aura around vaccines where if you really do investigate it and find something the public health authorities don't like, you're going to have trouble. I don't know the answer to that question from a scientific point of view."

The Way Forward

In the wake of Dr. Anthony Fauci's catastrophic tenure at the NIH, how does the new administration aim to recover? According to Bhattacharya, the answer involves being open and honest to the public.

• An open discussion and collaboration with the public — Bhattacharya says the NIH will work with the public more closely moving forward, allowing both parties to benefit from each other:

"The way forward isn't to force people to say, 'Look, you must acknowledge how great science is on these other things.' The way forward is to be utterly honest about what we know and don't know and treat people as partners rather than subjects."

• Return to basics — The NIH aims to return to scientific research that will benefit public health, even if it means challenging beliefs that are hard to let go. Bhattacharya is hoping to fast track an open scientific competition to get to the bottom of autism:

"It includes basic science work, it includes epidemiological work, it'll include environmental exposure work, and we'll bring together data sets that we'll make available to the researchers. We'll have a competition among scientists, just like the normal NIH way with peer review panels, to ask who should get the awards. We'll have a dozen or more scientific teams asking the question, 'What is the etiology of autism?'"

• Honesty — To regain the public's trust, the NIH aims to become more open to the pros and cons of the policies they recommend, especially when it comes to rolling out the shots. Bhattacharya believes that these contribute to the rise in autism but are not the sole reason for it.

"I want an honest conversation. I think that if you have an honest evaluation, you're not going to find that the vaccines are the primary reason for the cause of the rise of autism. It's going to be something much more fundamental and complicated."

• Focus on research — Above all, the NIH needs to focus on producing quality research that benefits public health, which includes encouraging new and upcoming scientists to participate:

"The key thing is the content of the research and the standards we hold ourselves doing the research. Those are the things I want restructured. That's really the fundamental question for me, as NIH director.

If I can accomplish some of the things we've talked about during this podcast, having replicability be the core of deciding what scientific truth is, refocusing the portfolio so that we enable young, early career scientists to test their ideas out, that we aim big for trying to address and we address the key health problems that Americans face. If we can do those things, I'll consider myself a success."

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the Decline of Trust in the NIH

Q: Why has public trust in the NIH declined?

A: Public trust in the NIH has declined primarily due to the organization's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Controversial decisions around lockdowns, mask mandates, vaccine mandates, and lack of transparency regarding the NIH's involvement in virus research led to widespread skepticism and mistrust.

Q: What is the NIH doing to address the replication crisis in medical research?

A: The NIH plans to encourage collaboration among scientists by rewarding transparency and data sharing. They will create incentives for replication studies, introduce new journals dedicated to publishing replication and negative results, and prioritize funding for projects that openly share methods and data.

Q: How is Dr. Jay Bhattacharya planning to restore transparency?

A: As the newly appointed NIH director, Dr. Bhattacharya will make NIH-funded research freely available online, eliminating paywalls that prevent public access. He advocates openly admitting uncertainties, publ

The Silent Epidemic of Excess Iron

Sun, 20 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Editor's Note: This article is a reprint. It was originally published March 10, 2024.

In this interview, Christy Sutton, D.C., reviews the dangers of excessive iron. While most doctors look for iron deficiency, few ever pay attention to elevated iron. Sutton is the author of two books, “Genetic Testing: Defining Your Path to a Personalized Health Plan: An Integrative Approach to Optimize Health,” and “The Iron Curse: Is Your Doctor Letting High Iron Destroy Your Health?”

Iron plays an important role in health, especially for children and young adults. Without sufficient iron, you're not going to be able to form red blood cells and certain proteins in your mitochondria that are responsible for producing energy. On the flip-side, an excess of iron can cause significant damage.

A Silent Epidemic

Sutton’s interest in iron has been “lifelong” she says, as she struggled with low iron while her husband has a genetic anomaly that causes him to have elevated iron levels. So, she has personal experience with both ends of the spectrum.

“I have Crohn's [disease], celiac, and lost part of my small intestine due to Crohn's when I was 16,” she says. “Because of that, I have to take a bile sequestrant. Then, being [a] menstruating female who's had a child, low iron has been something that I have been watched very closely for and I had to take iron a lot.

Like a lot of clinicians, when I came into practice, I seemed to be more hyper-focused on people's problems that were my own problems. I dealt with iron issues. So, I wanted to watch my patients' iron levels closely. Then I realized, ‘Oh, not everybody is low. A lot of people actually have high iron.’

It wasn't until I was writing my first book, ‘Genetic Testing: Defining Your Path to a Personalized Health Plan,’ that I discovered the hemochromatosis genes. I realized that my husband had a hemochromatosis gene, and I realized that that was why I kept telling him to donate blood.

His doctor would order iron labs, ferritin, CBC, and he would get elevated iron often, high ferritin. He was developing high liver enzymes and his red blood cells were getting high as well, which is a common issue with people that have too much iron ...

He went to a gastroenterologist, because he was trying to figure out why his liver enzymes were high. I thought it was the high iron, but that was presented to the gastroenterologist and dismissed. So, they went down this rabbit hole of misdiagnosing him with autoimmune hepatitis.

Later we went to a hematologist where we figured out he had hereditary hemochromatosis. So, it's not something that's particularly difficult to treat. Removing blood, diet supplements, things like that can help.

But once I got really savvy about looking for the genes and the labs combined, I realized that this is a silent epidemic that is not really being talked about. I would tell people, ‘You have a problem with high iron,’ and then they would often go and get a second opinion.

Their second opinion would say, ‘You're fine. Don't worry about it,’ which is a common issue where people are getting high iron labs that should warrant more investigation and then they're just getting dismissed.”

How to Lower Your Iron Level

I have beta thalassemia, a hemolytic anemia that results in a high turnover of red blood cells. My red blood cells only live about two months, rather than the normal three months. As a result, my iron tends to accumulate because of the rapid turnover. So, while I do not have the hemochromatosis gene, it results in similar problems. I inherited it from my father, who had a ferritin level close to 1,000 by the time he was diagnosed. Ideally, it should be below 40.

One of the supplements he tried was inositol, also referred to as hexaphosphate or IP-6, but it did nothing. I rapidly came to the conclusion that the supplements typically recommended for high iron are useless and in some cases even dangerous, because they prevent you from doing what is really helpful, which is to remove iron through regular phlebotomies.

The most effective way to lower your iron is to donate blood two to four times a year. If losing 10% of your blood in one sitting is problematic for you, then you can remove blood in smaller amounts once a month on the schedule I have listed below. If you have congestive heart failure or severe COPD, you should discuss this with your doctor, but otherwise this is a fairly appropriate recommendation for most.

Men Postmenopausal Women Premenopausal Women

150 ml 100 ml 50 ml

As it turns out, Sutton did not include IP-6 in her book, as she couldn't find any research to back up the claims. She doesn’t dismiss all supplements, however. One of the most helpful, in her view, is curcumin.

“Clinically, I have seen curcumin's ability to lower iron almost to a fault,” she says. “It's annoying to me, because I can't take curcumin for inflammation because it makes me low in iron. But for people that are high in iron or even inflamed with high iron, high ferritin, that's a great place to start, because curcumin binds to iron.

It also has all of these other wonderful health promoting properties. It's so good for your brain — it actually helps remove excess iron from the brain and other organs, the heart, liver, spleen.

So, unlike other iron chelators that might be used pharmaceutically, it doesn't have all these possible negative side effects, but it works very effectively. I mean, I've seen it be used in hereditary hemochromatosis patients to lower iron without blood removal ... Now, people that have really high iron might need 3 grams a day, which can create diarrhea. So, you have to look at other potentially limiting factors.”

She also recommends taking curcumin with an iron-rich meal, such as shellfish or red meat, to inhibit iron uptake. Other supplements that help bind iron include silymarin, (an extract from milk thistle). It too is very good for hemochromatosis patients, because it lowers iron and helps protect and repair the liver. Another thing that binds to and lowers iron is alpha-lipoic acid. It’s also great for protecting nerves and lowering blood sugar.

“I don't think silymarin lowers iron quite as much as curcumin, but it's still a significant way to lower iron,” she says. “The best way to take these — to lower iron — is take them with iron-rich meals. If you want to take them just for medicinal properties but not to lower iron, take them away from iron-rich meals.”

Health Risks Associated with High Iron

The health risks of high iron are manifold and include an elevated risk of skin infections and skin cancer. I suspect high iron may actually be a catalyst when it comes to skin cancer, along with high linoleic acid (LA) intake. LA is oxidized by iron, creating something called lipofuscin, which is basically iron attached to oxidized LA.

A more common term for lipofuscin is liver spots. So, liver spots are a dermal representation of oxidative damage to LA by high iron. Similarly, skin cancer is likely driven by a combination of high LA and high iron. Ancestral LA levels were below 2%. Today, the average is around 25%. If you had normal ancestral levels, you could have higher iron yet not get as much damage.

Understanding Hemochromatosis

There are several potential diagnoses related to iron, including iron-deficient anemia, copper deficient anemia, iron overload and hereditary hemochromatosis, and getting to the correct diagnosis can be tricky.

“The nice thing is that you can always fall back on labs,” Sutton says. “You don’t want to just use symptoms to guide you, because if you’re using symptoms, then this person is well far down a pathological path that you could have potentially stopped years ago, if not decades before.”

Starting with hereditary hemochromatosis, this is when you have inherited one of three hemochromatosis genes, which causes increased iron absorption by decreasing hepcidin, a liver protein. If you have the hemochromatosis gene, you don’t make as much hepcidin, causing you to absorb more iron.

That can become pathological, because over time, you just keep absorbing more and more iron, until your body finally runs out of places to put it. The first place that gets overloaded is your liver. After that, your body will store the iron in other organs, such as your heart, pancreas, brain, pituitary gland, gonads, ovaries, testes, and skin.

Eventually, the iron will go everywhere because the human body has evolved to hold onto as much iron as possible. The only way, really, to lose iron is through blood loss. This is why menstruating women have a lower risk for high iron and a higher risk for low iron.

“Having said that, when you start looking at the hemochromatosis genes, all bets are off, because you’ll see females that have these hemochromatosis genes that develop high iron … you will even see children with the hemochromatosis genes that develop high iron,” Sutton says.

“I discovered that in my colleague’s 5-year-old, where predatory hemochromatosis was causing her to have severe neurological problems. That was a very difficult thing to get through because the hematologist didn’t really want to deal with it.

When you look at labs, hereditary hemochromatosis can look very similar to non-hereditary hemochromatosis, which is where you have high iron but you don’t have one of those hemochromatosis genes.

So, for you, you have more of a non-hereditary secondary hemochromatosis, because you have that thalassemia issue where your red blood cells are breaking and letting all this iron out and then you develop high iron with potentially low red blood cells.

That's common with thalassemia. Some people, they don’t have a thalassemia gene and they develop high iron without hemochromatosis gene, because they’re just eating a lot of iron-rich foods and they’re not losing iron through menstruation. This is usually men.”

How to Diagnose Hemochromatosis

When it comes to lab work, Sutton recommends starting with a full iron panel, a complete blood count (CBC) test, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), and a comprehensive metabolic panel to ensure you have sufficient liver enzymes. Measuring your copper and ceruloplasmin levels can also be helpful.

“The full iron panel has the ferritin, the TIBC [total iron-binding capacity], the UIBC [unsaturated iron-binding capacity], the serum iron and the iron saturation. With hereditary hemochromatosis, you develop high ferritin with a high iron saturation. That combination is hereditary hemochromatosis. So, over 45% iron saturation and high ferritin ...

With hereditary hemochromatosis, you’ll see high iron, you’ll see the TIBC go low, the UIBC go low. The serum iron often goes high, and then that ferritin will go high. You’ll often see the liver enzymes go high and it's common to see the red blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit go high.

But that doesn’t always happen. These days, so many are taking testosterone. So, you have to always ask, ‘Are you on testosterone?’ Because that can cause red blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit to go high as well ...

I always get the GGT as a part of the labs that I order. Occasionally, I will see a high GGT when the AST and ALT, which are the other two liver enzymes, are normal. More often than not, I’ll see a high ALT or high AST. Usually, if they’re not drinking alcohol and they just have high iron, you’re going to see that high ALT.”

What’s the Ideal Ferritin Level?

Sutton recommends keeping ferritin below 100. Ferritin above 100 means you’re either inflamed, have high iron or both. Studies referenced in her book suggest that anything over 200 is pathological. The higher your ferritin level, the shorter your lifespan. You’re also more likely to die of a heart attack and cancer.

“I feel like 100 is high enough that I’m not swooping everybody in, but low enough that I’m not leaving stragglers out,” she says. “Now, if somebody has a ferritin over 100 with an iron saturation that is in the 40s or higher, then I’m highly suspicious of a hemochromatosis gene and I immediately want to get those hemochromatosis genes tested.

If they have a hemochromatosis gene, then we know why they’re high on iron and we know where this story is going — and it’s not going to be a pretty picture most likely. Then it’s time to refer to a hematologist ... and talk to them about how to get iron lower ...

The key is, if you don’t have a hemochromatosis gene, then you need to figure out ‘Why does this person have high iron? Do they have a thalassemia gene? Are they just eating a lot of iron?’ And then, ‘Do they have hemolysis for some unknown reason?’ That’s a non-hereditary hemochromatosis situation.

The treatment is basically the same, other than you want to use more of the supplements, go really heavy on the supplements to lower iron. If you have plenty of red blood cells and hemoglobin, then therapeutic phlebotomy is a wonderful place to start.

A lot of times people don’t because they either have a thalassemia issue where their red blood cells are getting chewed up too quickly, or they have lost so much blood so quickly because their doctors are just trying to get the iron down that they become low in hemoglobin or red blood cells. Rather than waiting for months for that to recover, you could be doing the supplements to lower the iron.”

The Link Between High Iron and Cushing’s Disease

Sutton’s husband also developed a pituitary tumor that was causing him to have high cortisol (Cushing’s disease). “Ultimately, I think the high iron created a lot of oxidative stress on his pituitary gland,” Sutton says. The only reason he was diagnosed early enough to save him was that they’d been checking his cortisol and DHEA on a regular basis.

“Periodically, they would jump up and then go back down. Then when the hemochromatosis got properly treated and the DHEA was still high, we were like, ‘Why is this happening?’ So we went to the endocrinologist and I said, ‘I’m worried my husband has Cushing’s.’ She was like, ‘He doesn’t have Cushing’s. He doesn’t look like somebody with Cushing’s. His hemoglobin A1C is normal.’

Five months later, he’s having surgery to remove the pituitary tumor. The reason I say that is because for years, he was told, ‘You just need to exercise and lose weight.’ His problem was not exercise. He had a pituitary tumor and hemochromatosis. Hemochromatosis was destroying his liver and his brain and his heart and everything else, and the pituitary tumor was causing him to have high cortisol, which made him look overweight.”

I believe progesterone may be one of the best ways to treat Cushing’s disease, as it very effectively blocks cortisol. Other natural substances that will inhibit cortisol include aspirin, DHEA, pregnenolone, emodin, vitamins A and D, gelatin or glycine, and niacinamide.¹

The normal dose for progesterone is 25 to 50 milligrams. For Cushing’s, I would recommend about 300 mg. It’s virtually impossible to overdose on progesterone and there are no downsides to it. One caveat is that you need to administer it correctly to gain the optimal effects.

Understanding Iron-Deficient Anemia

As explained by Sutton, iron-deficient anemia is a serious issue. Children born of women with iron-deficient anemia have significantly higher risk of low IQ, ADD, ADHD, and other neurological issues that often do not go away with age.

“Many kids suffer from low iron, because they eat a lot of calcium rich foods. Calcium binds to iron, and then you get low in the iron. Maybe they’re picky eaters, they’re growing rapidly. So many kids are not being checked for their iron levels and they’re being diagnosed with ADHD when their problem is actually just low iron, because if you don’t have enough iron, you can’t make dopamine. So, low iron is a serious issue.”

People with iron-deficient anemia will typically have high TIBC and UIBC, as their bodies are trying to mobilize more iron. Serum iron and iron saturation will be low and ferritin will typically be below 30.

“Now, iron-deficient anemia is more complicated in many ways because the question is, why are you low in iron?” Sutton says. “There’s so many reasons that you can be low in iron. Are you just not eating enough? Are you not absorbing it? I think the most common reasons that people develop low iron is because they have a GI bleed. They have intestinal malabsorption issues, maybe undiagnosed celiac disease.

There is a gene that can cause you to be more likely to have low iron. I have that gene and that gene actually causes you to make more hepcidin. With iron-deficient anemia you'll also see low red blood cells sometimes, low hemoglobin, and low hematocrit. MCH [mean corpuscular hemoglobin] might get low, MCV [mean corpuscular volume] might get low.”

Copper Deficiency Can Cause Both Low and High Iron

One common cause for iron-deficient anemia is a deficiency in copper. Paradoxically, lack of copper is also a common cause for iron overload. Sutton explains:

“The reason for that is because copper is necessary for two key enzymes. The first one is called hephaestin and the second one is called ceruloplasmin. Hephaestin is in the lining of the gut, the intestinal lining. Copper is necessary for iron to be absorbed in the gut lining. So, without copper, you will not absorb iron and you will develop iron-deficient anemia.

Once iron has been absorbed in the gut lining by hephaestin, it passes it off to ceruloplasmin, which is the second copper-rich enzyme. Ceruloplasmin basically then allows that copper to transfer in and then move throughout the body. So, without ceruloplasmin, iron gets stuck in the tissues. It'll get stuck in the digestive system, it'll get stuck in the retina, it'll get stuck in the brain, it'll get stuck in the liver.

So, you develop iron overload in the tissues. But eventually, if you're low in copper long enough, you might then become low in iron, and then you don't end up with all this extra iron in the tissues. The solution is take copper to fix that problem. That's the way you solve copper-deficient anemia.

Copper-deficient anemia looks very similar to iron-deficient anemia if you're looking at the iron panel. You'll have a high TIBC, high UIBC, low serum iron, low iron saturation, low ferritin. You'll also potentially see low neutrophils and low white blood cells, because you need copper to have normal immune function as well. So, you might be more at risk for infections.

Why so many doctors secretly feel like imposters

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 23:00:52 +0000

One of the most important—and least discussed—truths in medicine is this: Feeling inadequate in medicine isn’t rare. It’s everywhere—quiet, lingering, relentless. I remember starting my outpatient practice right out of residency. I had joined a large multispecialty group filled with physicians trained at top-tier institutions. Many had been practicing for decades. They were confident. Efficient.

Read more…

Why so many doctors secretly feel like imposters originally appeared in KevinMD.com.

Why telling kids to eat less and move more fails to address obesity

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 19:00:46 +0000

Despite decades of public health messaging urging children to “eat less and move more,” rates of pediatric obesity continue to rise globally. In the U.S. alone, nearly 1 in 5 children and adolescents aged 2–19 years have obesity, with higher rates among those from low-income or minority backgrounds. While caloric balance is a basic principle

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Why telling kids to eat less and move more fails to address obesity originally appeared in KevinMD.com.

Why enterprise risk management is key to value-based health care success

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 17:00:27 +0000

The evolving contemporary era of value-based health care (VBHC) demands new risk leadership. VBHC emphasizes quality, outcomes, safety, equity, and stakeholder satisfaction. With these goals come complex, cross-cutting risks, including workforce shortages, clinical complications, health care staff safety, cyberattacks, and supply chain disruptions. To address the modern risk situation, health care systems must allocate resources

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Why enterprise risk management is key to value-based health care success originally appeared in KevinMD.com.

Rethinking physician resilience for sustainable well-being

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 15:00:15 +0000

Personal resilience is one of the three core components of the Stanford model of physician professional fulfillment, used across institutions to inform provider well-being strategy. Yet, limited data suggest only a minority of physicians view personal resilience initiatives as beneficial to their well-being, and physicians have expressed resistance and frustration toward organization-based individual resilience promotion.

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Rethinking physician resilience for sustainable well-being originally appeared in KevinMD.com.

How shared language saved a patient from isolation

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 11:00:36 +0000

I was midway through a busy afternoon clinic when my pager erupted—an inpatient consult request. The case sounded messy: Chronic pancreatitis that had suddenly spiraled downward. A fresh, sizable mass sat in the pancreatic head; tumor markers were positive. Two endoscopic biopsies had failed, and surgery felt too risky for this frail patient. Cancer seemed

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How shared language saved a patient from isolation originally appeared in KevinMD.com.

Talking Therapy Shows Promise as an Effective Treatment for Stroke Survivors

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Every stroke survivor faces a unique road to recovery — but for many, the biggest struggle isn’t just physical. Long after the slurred speech improves or muscle strength returns, something deeper lingers. Your mind becomes the battlefield. The fear of it happening again. The loss of independence. The sudden mood swings, confusion, or sense of isolation that no one warned you about.

Roughly 1 in 3 people who survive a stroke develops depression, and 1 in 4 struggles with anxiety.¹ You might feel like something inside you shifted — and not for the better. You’re not imagining it. Mental health challenges after stroke are real, and for many, they become the hidden weight slowing every step forward. Yet despite how common and damaging these struggles are, they often go unnoticed and untreated.

That’s a dangerous gap. Because left unaddressed, these symptoms don’t just stall your recovery — they open the door to long-term disability and increased risk of future decline. You deserve better. And there’s evidence that shows a better outcome is possible, if you know what to do and when to act. New research is now offering insight into what works and why early action matters.

Talking Therapy Works Best When You Start Early After a Stroke

Published in Nature Mental Health, a study analyzed data from 7,597 adults in England who had experienced a stroke and later received psychological therapy through the National Health Service’s (NHS) Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression program.² The researchers wanted to know if this commonly used “talking therapy” was actually helpful for stroke survivors, who often face long-term physical and emotional challenges that go far beyond the initial medical emergency.

• The study focused on people with depression or anxiety after stroke — Everyone in the study had already been diagnosed with a stroke and was dealing with clinical levels of depression, anxiety, or both. The average age of participants with stroke was nearly 58, and they were more likely to be male and have other health conditions compared to the control group. The study found that therapy helped in both areas, but anxiety symptoms improved more than depression.

• Most people improved, and nearly half fully recovered — About 71% of stroke survivors in the study experienced a “reliable improvement,” meaning their depression or anxiety scores dropped significantly during treatment. Roughly 49% fully recovered, hitting a threshold where they no longer met the criteria for either disorder.

However, a small group (7.3%) actually got worse, which the researchers called “reliable deterioration.” That means the therapy was beneficial overall, but not equally effective for everyone.

• Improvements were most obvious in anxiety, followed by mood and daily functioning — People’s average anxiety scores dropped from 13.4 to 7.9, a large reduction that suggests better sleep, fewer panic episodes, and lower levels of tension.

Depression scores also improved, falling from 15.8 to 9.3. This indicates fewer symptoms like sadness, fatigue, and loss of interest in daily life. Functional impairment — how well people were able to work or socialize — also improved moderately, showing that therapy helped people re-engage with life after stroke.

• The earlier people started therapy, the better they did — The study clearly showed that starting therapy within six months of a stroke gave people a much better chance at recovery. Those who started earlier were more likely to improve and less likely to get worse than people who waited a year or more. Even after adjusting for age, medication use, and symptom severity, the latecomers had 20% lower odds of full recovery.

This reinforces how important the first few months after a stroke are — not just for physical rehab, but for mental health, too.

• Underlying physical illness, not stroke itself, was a key factor in poor outcomes — Many stroke survivors in the study also had chronic health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, or neurological damage. These comorbidities made recovery from anxiety and depression more difficult. But when researchers factored those in, stroke itself wasn’t a barrier to success.

That’s an important point: if you’ve had a stroke but are otherwise healthy, your odds of improvement from therapy are just as good as anyone else’s.

While this research didn’t dig into the brain-level mechanisms of how therapy helps stroke survivors, the results suggest that cognitive and emotional recovery track alongside each other when support is offered early. Behavioral therapy likely helps by breaking negative thought cycles, giving structure to recovery goals, and helping people adapt emotionally to the major life change a stroke brings.

How to Take Control of Your Recovery After a Stroke

If you've had a stroke, or love someone who has, you already know that the recovery process doesn’t stop once you leave the hospital. Mental and emotional healing matter just as much as physical rehab. Depression and anxiety aren't side effects you should ignore. They interfere with your motivation, your memory, and your ability to make progress.

The good news is, you’re not stuck. The earlier you take action, the more control you’ll have over your outcome. Whether you’re a caregiver, a survivor, or simply trying to figure out what comes next, here’s what can help you recover faster and protect your brain from further damage.

1. Act fast if symptoms return — don’t wait for a second stroke to get worse — If you suddenly feel dizzy, confused, have blurred vision, or notice facial drooping or slurred speech — even if it fades — treat it as an emergency. Blood clot-busting drugs only work if you get to the hospital within the first three hours. Every second counts. The faster you act, the more brain tissue you save, and the better your long-term chances of walking, speaking, and thinking clearly again.

2. Keep melatonin and methylene blue in your emergency kit — Stroke and heart attack damage your brain and heart the same way — by cutting off oxygen, then flooding cells with free radicals when the blood returns. That’s where melatonin and methylene blue come in. Melatonin is a powerful antioxidant that neutralizes oxidative stress.

Methylene blue keeps your cells making adenosine triphosphate (ATP) — your body’s energy currency — even when oxygen is low. Together, they form a one-two punch against tissue damage. Keep both on hand in case of a stroke or heart event.

3. Start talking therapy within six months — it makes recovery more likely — The earlier you get support for anxiety and depression after a stroke, the better your results. The NHS study found that starting therapy in the first six months dramatically increases your chance of recovery and lowers your risk of getting worse. If you're still waiting for things to improve on their own, stop.

Book that first session now. Even a few sessions of structured therapy could help restore your mood, memory, and motivation.

4. Add ginkgo early to support brain repair and sharper thinking — Ginkgo biloba, used for centuries in traditional medicine, shows promise for improving cognitive recovery after ischemic stroke. In a 2023 study of 3,163 stroke survivors, those who received daily ginkgo diterpene lactone meglumine (GDLM) injections within 48 hours had significantly better cognitive scores after 90 days.³

Researchers believe GDLM works by improving blood flow, reducing inflammation, and protecting brain cells from damage. Starting ginkgo early gives your brain a better chance to recover function and avoid long-term decline.

5. Move your body and retrain your brain with intention — Your brain rewires itself when you give it a reason to. Start with gentle movements and targeted brain training — crosswords, memory games, or even balancing exercises. Don’t wait for rehab sessions to “do the work.” Your brain needs repeated practice to rebuild lost skills. The more consistently you challenge it, the more alternate pathways it will develop. This is your chance to actively shape your recovery — not just hope for it.

FAQs About Stroke Recovery

Q: What’s an important step to take after surviving a stroke?

A: Start psychological therapy as soon as possible — ideally within the first six months. Research shows this significantly increases your chances of recovering from depression and anxiety, which are common but often overlooked parts of stroke recovery.

Q: How does talking therapy help stroke survivors recover?

A: Therapy helps by reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression, improving mood, and restoring a sense of control. It also supports better social and cognitive function, which speeds up your overall recovery process.

Q: What are melatonin and methylene blue used for in stroke recovery?

A: Melatonin helps limit damage from oxidative stress after a stroke, while methylene blue helps your cells keep producing energy even when oxygen levels drop. Together, they help protect your brain during and immediately after a stroke or heart event.

Q: How does ginkgo biloba support brain healing after a stroke?

A: Ginkgo improves blood flow and protects brain cells from damage. A 2023 study found that stroke survivors who received ginkgo shortly after their event had better cognitive scores 90 days later compared to those who didn’t.

Q: Does physical activity and brain training really help after a stroke?

A: Yes. Movement and mental challenges like puzzles or coordination exercises help your brain form new pathways around damaged areas. The more you engage both your body and mind, the stronger and faster your recovery will be.

How Sleep Apnea Quietly Destroys Your Memory

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Sleep apnea is a disorder defined by repeated interruptions in breathing during rest, often without your awareness. These pauses last from a few seconds to over a minute and happen dozens or even hundreds of times each night. The most common form, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), occurs when the muscles in the back of your throat fail to keep the airway open, triggering brief arousals from sleep that fragment your sleep cycle.¹

OSA has become one of the most common sleep disorders, affecting nearly 1 billion people worldwide, with rates increasing significantly with age, weight gain, and certain body traits. Snoring is one recognizable sign, but many people with OSA remain undiagnosed for years, especially when symptoms like fatigue, forgetfulness, or mood changes are mistaken for normal aging or stress.²

However, OSA does far more than just cause daytime sleepiness, especially when it disrupts the deeper stages of rest. Recent research from the University of California, Irvine, reinforces the strong association between sleep apnea and subtle but significant brain damage in areas that support memory and cognition.³ Understanding this link may prove vital for protecting your brain as you age.

Why Is REM Sleep Important?

REM sleep is when your brain does some of its most important work — processing emotions, consolidating memory, and regulating mood. It is named for the quick, darting eye movements that occur during this phase, which are accompanied by elevated brain activity, irregular breathing, and near-total muscle paralysis. Although it makes up a smaller portion of total sleep time compared to non-REM sleep, REM is essential.⁴

• The timing of REM matters — In a typical sleep cycle, REM occurs about 90 minutes after falling asleep and recurs every 90 to 120 minutes thereafter. Early in the night, REM stages are short, but they lengthen with each successive cycle. By the early morning hours, REM lasts 30 minutes or longer at a time.⁵

This pattern makes the later stages of sleep disproportionately important for memory consolidation, problem-solving, and emotional processing. Interruptions during this period have a far greater impact on cognitive function than disruptions in earlier, lighter stages of sleep.

• REM causes temporary paralysis of most voluntary muscles — This phenomenon is known as atonia, a protective feature that prevents your body from acting out dreams.⁶ However, this also causes muscle tone in the upper airway to drop significantly, making the throat more prone to collapse.

As a result, breathing becomes less stable during this stage, even in people who have no formal diagnosis of sleep apnea. For those who do, REM is the period when breathing is most likely to become labored or completely obstructed.⁷

• REM sleep is when the brain performs its most intensive housekeeping work — During this stage, the brain replays and reorganizes information gathered during the day. Experiences are sorted, stored, or discarded, and emotionally charged events are processed to reduce reactivity and stress. This mental recalibration supports learning, creativity, and psychological resilience.⁸

• REM has been a focus of aging and dementia research — Disruption of REM sleep has been associated with earlier onset of cognitive decline and structural changes in brain regions like the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. These effects may not be immediately noticeable but accumulate over time.

Even in healthy adults, a consistent lack of uninterrupted REM sleep weakens attention span, impairs recall, and increases sensitivity to stress. The brain’s long-term resilience depends in part on getting enough of this stage and protecting it from disruption. This is where sleep apnea becomes especially concerning.

• The standard apnea score fails to detect this hidden risk — Clinicians typically rely on the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), which counts the number of breathing disturbances per hour of sleep, to determine the presence and severity of OSA.

However, AHI does not differentiate between sleep stages or account for how long oxygen levels remain low. Someone with a modest AHI score may still experience prolonged and deep desaturations, specifically during REM sleep. These episodes escape detection yet carry meaningful health consequences.⁹

REM Sleep Oxygen Loss Predicts Early Brain Damage

All stages of sleep can be affected by sleep apnea. However, not all disruptions are equal in their consequences. In the featured study, published in the journal Neurology, researchers found that low oxygen levels during REM sleep were strongly linked to damage in the brain’s small blood vessels. This type of injury, known as cerebral small vessel disease, is a leading contributor to cognitive decline in older adults and often develops without early symptoms.^10,11

• Oxygen saturation during REM sleep was a key factor predicting white matter injury — Researchers tracked 37 older adults with an average age of about 73 years, all cognitively unimpaired at the time of testing. Many had mild to moderate sleep apnea, with AHI scores ranging from 0 to 80. Despite these varied AHI scores, the most consistent predictor of brain changes was not the number of breathing interruptions but the depth of oxygen loss during REM sleep.

• Lower oxygen levels during REM sleep were linked to greater total white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume — WMHs are visible signs of damage to the brain’s communication pathways. They appear as bright lesions on MRI scans and reflect restricted blood supply or small vessel leakage. WMHs are strongly linked to memory loss, executive dysfunction, and increased dementia risk, and are now recognized as an early sign of vascular brain aging.

• REM-specific oxygen loss also predicted WMH burden in specific brain regions — The more severe the oxygen drop, the greater the volume of white matter hyperintensities in the frontal and parietal lobes, which are regions responsible for attention, working memory, planning, and spatial reasoning.

These are the very functions that support complex thought, day-to-day decisions, and independent living. This targeted pattern of damage strengthens the view that REM-related hypoxemia (low oxygen levels in the blood) compromises the brain systems that manage higher-order cognition.

• The impact of low oxygen levels went beyond blood vessel damage — Higher frontal WMH burden linked REM to thinning of the entorhinal cortex, a key memory region and one of the earliest affected in Alzheimer’s disease. This structural loss, in turn, predicted poorer performance on a memory test designed to measure subtle overnight recall. Study author Bryce A. Mander, Ph.D., from UC Irvine, noted:

“Our findings may partially explain how obstructive sleep apnea contributes to cognitive decline associated with aging and Alzheimer's disease through the degeneration of brain regions that support memory consolidation during sleep.”¹²

• Oxygen loss during REM sleep is a distinct and often overlooked risk factor — Standard sleep apnea metrics like AHI miss both the depth of oxygen drops and the brain’s heightened vulnerability during specific sleep stages. These findings suggest that REM-related desaturation deserves closer scrutiny, even in cases labeled as mild. Monitoring how far and when oxygen levels fall may help identify those most at risk for lasting brain damage.

Learn more about the risk factors, symptoms, and other health risks of sleep apnea in “Understanding the Causes and Symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea.”

Long-Term Studies Support the Silent Brain Damage of Sleep Apnea

The UC Irvine study is just part of a growing body of research connecting sleep-related oxygen loss with structural brain damage. One of the most comprehensive efforts to date, a 10-year longitudinal study published in Sleep Advances, evaluated 18,815 adults over the age of 50 to determine how OSA and nighttime oxygen instability contribute to dementia risk.¹³

• This study documented how brain damage accumulates over time — Unlike earlier research based on single-timepoint imaging, this study used serial MRI data to observe white matter changes as they progressed. Among participants with moderate to severe OSA, lower minimum oxygen saturation during sleep predicted significantly faster accumulation of WMHs.

These associations held even after accounting for age, blood pressure, diabetes, and other vascular risk factors, pointing to nocturnal hypoxemia as an independent driver of small vessel brain damage.

• Brain deterioration began before symptoms were obvious — Many participants showed no signs of cognitive decline at baseline, yet with known or suspected sleep apnea steadily increased over the 10-year period. This silent progression reinforces the importance of identifying and addressing OSA early, before cognitive deterioration progresses past the point of recovery.

• OSA-related dementia risk was especially pronounced in women — One striking outcome of the study was the discovery of a sex-specific pattern. Women with known or suspected OSA had a significantly higher cumulative risk of dementia than their male counterparts at every age measured.

By age 80, women with OSA showed a 3.7% greater risk compared to those without, while men showed a 2.1% increase. These differences remained statistically significant even after adjusting for education, race, and relationship status.

• OSA was identified as a modifiable contributor to dementia — The authors concluded that sleep apnea represents a major, underrecognized pathway to dementia — one that is both preventable and treatable. They wrote:

“These population-based data implicate a common midlife sleep disorder as a significant risk factor for dementia onset, with disproportionate impact on women. Our findings offer new evidence of a sleep-based pathway that underlies sex-specific differences in dementia risk. Further, as OSA is a treatable condition, this study illuminates the impact of a potentially modifiable yet frequently overlooked risk factor for dementia.”¹⁴

For a closer look at how sleep apnea affects women’s brain health, see “Sleep Apnea Raises Dementia Risk in Older Women.”

How Is Sleep Apnea Treated?

Treating obstructive sleep apnea means keeping your airway open during sleep to prevent the repeated breathing interruptions that strain your body and brain. Several approaches exist, each suited to different severities and individual needs.

• CPAP therapy remains the standard treatment — Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) delivers a constant stream of air through a mask to keep your airway from collapsing while you sleep. Many people experience significant symptom relief, but CPAP was never meant to be a lifelong solution.¹⁵

According to its inventor, Dr. Colin Sullivan, it was designed as a stopgap — something to use while addressing root causes like excess weight, structural airway issues, or underdeveloped jaw anatomy.¹⁶ Despite its effectiveness, CPAP can be difficult to tolerate. Common complaints include claustrophobia, nasal blockage, dry mouth, and skin irritation from the mask.¹⁷

• Oral appliances — Mandibular advancement devices (MADs) are custom-made mouthpieces that gently shift the lower jaw forward. This movement helps prevent the tongue and soft tissues from blocking the airway during sleep. MADs are fitted by dentists trained in dental sleep medicine and often prescribed in collaboration with sleep specialists to avoid unwanted side effects like jaw pain or misalignment.¹⁸

• Orofacial myofunctional therapy (OMT) — OMT uses targeted exercises to retrain the muscles of the mouth, face, and throat. It focuses on correcting tongue position, improving nasal breathing, and supporting proper chewing, swallowing, and posture. This approach is especially effective for mild to moderate OSA and offers lasting structural improvements without devices or surgery.¹⁹

• Emerging therapies target muscle tone and breathing patterns — Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) devices are worn briefly each day and use gentle pulses to strengthen the muscles of the tongue and upper airway, reducing the risk of collapse during sleep. In more advanced cases, surgical options, like maxillomandibular advancement (moving the upper and lower jaw forward), are considered to physically enlarge the airway.

In addition, training yourself to breathe through your nose instead of your mouth helps regulate breathing volume and supports better oxygen delivery to your tissues and brain, which is an often overlooked but essential strategy in sleep apnea care.²⁰

Learn more about how these alternatives compare to CPAP machines in “Why Is Everyone on CPAP Machines?”

Targeted Lifestyle Changes That Reduce Sleep Apnea Severity

Making specific lifestyle changes meaningfully reduces the severity of obstructive sleep apnea and improves overall sleep quality. While some individuals may still require medical treatments like CPAP or mandibular advancement devices, addressing underlying contributors helps reduce nighttime airway obstruction and supports more lasting, sustainable relief.

• Retrain your breathing habits — Dysfunctional breathing patterns, such as mouth breathing, shallow upper chest breathing, or over-breathing during rest, worsen sleep-disordered breathing by disrupting carbon dioxide balance and lowering airway tone. Working with a breathing behavior specialist will help you identify habitual breathing errors, retrain nasal breathing, and restore proper rhythm. Even during the day, how you breathe shapes how well you sleep.

• Reach and maintain a healthy weight — Excess fat around the neck, jaw, and upper airway increases pressure on soft tissues and narrows the airway. If you are overweight or obese, losing even 10% of your body weight leads to noticeable improvements in sleep apnea symptoms.

• Change your sleep position — Positional sleep apnea occurs when the airway collapses more often in certain positions, especially when lying on the back. Gravity pulls the tongue and soft palate backward, narrowing or blocking airflow. Sleeping on your side or stomach, or elevating the upper body with a wedge pillow, reduces obstruction significantly.

For people who unknowingly shift to their back during sleep, positional trainers, specialty pillows, or even a tennis ball sewn into the back of sleepwear can help prevent it.

• Avoid alcohol and smoking — Alcohol relaxes the muscles of the upper airway, making them more prone to collapse during sleep. Smoking inflames and irritates the lining of the airway, causing swelling and mucus buildup that narrows breathing passages. Avoiding these habits improves oxygen saturation and reduces apneic episodes, while also benefiting cardiovascular health and lung function, both of which are commonly strained in people with OSA.

• Eliminate sedatives and benzodiazepines when possible — Medications that depress the central nervous system, such as benzodiazepines and other sleep-inducing drugs, reduce muscle tone in the airway and dull the brain’s responsiveness to oxygen drops.

This combination increases the risk of prolonged apnea episodes. If you rely on these medications for sleep, consult your physician about non-sedative alternatives such as magnesium, L-theanine, or sleep-focused cognitive behavioral therapy.

Lifestyle interventions are not just complementary — they are foundational. By addressing these factors, you actively improve your sleep quality, reduce the severity of apnea episodes, and lower the risk of long-term cognitive decline linked to untreated OSA.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Sleep Apnea and Cognitive Health

Q: What is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)?

A: OSA is a common sleep disorder in which your airway repeatedly collapses during sleep, causing breathing to stop and restart, often without your awareness. These episodes occur multiple times per night, disrupting deep sleep and reducing oxygen levels. OSA is most common in older adults, people with excess weight, and those with certain anatomical features like a narrow airway or recessed jaw.

Q: Why is REM sleep so important for brain health?

A: REM sleep is the stage when your brain consolidates memory, processes emotions, and restores psychological resilience. It’s marked by high brain activity, irregular breathing, and muscle paralysis. Because REM periods lengthen later in the night, disruptions during this phase interfere with cognitive function, stress regulation, and long-term mental clarity.

Q: How does sleep apnea affect REM sleep?

A: REM sleep naturally causes muscle tone to drop, including in the upper airway, which makes breathing less stable. In people with sleep apnea, this leads to more frequent or deeper oxygen drops during REM. This stage-specific vulnerability makes REM-related oxygen loss especially harmful to brain structure and function.

Q: Does sleep apnea increase your risk for Alzheimer’s disease?

A: Yes. REM-specific oxygen loss has

How to Use a Foam Roller for Warm Up or Recovery

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

You've likely experienced muscle soreness after intense exercise, commonly called delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS). This is characterized by stiffness, tenderness, and reduced range of motion in the affected areas lasting several days. While having a massage will help recovery, not everyone has the time for it. Here's where foam rollers come in.

While foam-rolling is rapidly becoming standard practice among athletes and fitness enthusiasts, their benefits are not limited to them only. Almost everyone, including you, can benefit from having a foam roller at home.

What Is a Foam Roller?

Before diving into the research behind the benefits of foam rollers, what is it exactly? Simply put, it's a cylindrical device designed to be applied on your muscles, "almost like you're ironing or smoothing out those tissues," according to Dr. Marwa Ahmed from Harvard Medical School.¹

• Size — Depending on the manufacturer, foam rollers are often 6 inches in diameter and 1 to 2 feet long.

• Surface — Most foam rollers sold on the market have a smooth surface. However, there are some with textured surfaces that create deeper pressure.

• Intensity — According to Benjamin Kuharik, an exercise specialist from the Cleveland Clinic, foam rollers come in different intensities. Soft foam, for example, is ideal for beginners. Meanwhile, athletes and marathon runners typically gravitate towards firmer products.²

• Different applications — Foam rollers are generally used to relieve muscle tightness and inflammation, which is why they're commonly used after exercise. However, Kuharik explains that "foam-rolling primes the muscles and gets your neuromuscular activation going," which means that they're also great for warming up.³

Foam rollers are generally safe to use, but they should only be applied on your muscles. According to Dr. Ahmed, don't use them on bony areas of your skin, such as knees, pelvis, and shoulder blades, as these can't be "ironed out" unlike muscle tissues and will likely cause pain.⁴ That said, research shows that there are clear benefits to these devices when used correctly.

Foam Rollers Boost Your Flexibility

In a meta-analysis published in Frontiers in Physiology, researchers examined data from 21 studies to see how foam rollers affect various aspects of athletic performance and recovery. Specifically, they wanted to determine how foam-rolling impacts flexibility, muscle soreness, and athletic capabilities such as jumping, sprinting, and strength training.⁵

Participants included both male and female athletes who regularly engaged in sports or physical activity. All participants were generally healthy adults ranging from recreational fitness enthusiasts to professional athletes. The researchers specifically analyzed the effectiveness of foam-rolling compared to no treatment, passive rest, or active recovery routines like walking or stretching.

• There was a clear improvement in flexibility — Researchers observed a meaningful increase in range of motion immediately after participants used a foam roller. If you're an athlete, this means you'll be able to stretch further and move with greater ease during play.

• Physical improvements were miniscule — Jump height, sprint speed, and maximum strength were barely enhanced after foam-rolling. To put it plainly, if your primary goal is to be better on your chosen sport, foam-rolling alone won't get you the results you're aiming for. This distinction is crucial because many people mistakenly believe foam-rolling dramatically enhances these aspects of fitness.

Going deeper into the analysis, the rate at which improvements occurred varied between measured outcomes. The flexibility benefits appeared immediately after a short foam-rolling session, meaning that even just a few minutes can positively affect your workout readiness. On the other hand, changes in performance metrics like jump and sprint capabilities were negligible regardless of rolling duration or intensity.

• The largest benefits were focused on flexibility-dependent activities — These include gymnastics, dance, and endurance sports where range of motion and muscle comfort directly impact performance. Athletes in strength or power-dominated sports like football, basketball, or weightlifting saw minimal to no improvement in their primary performance outcomes, indicating that foam-rolling serves a more complementary role rather than a primary performance enhancer in these sports.

• Foam-rolling provides slight relief from soreness — When comparing different variables, foam-rolling showed a strong impact on flexibility compared to a relatively weak impact on muscular performance.

Specifically, while approximately six out of 10 athletes reported improved flexibility, nearly none saw significant results in sprinting speeds or jump heights. The magnitude of soreness relief was also moderate, meaning foam-rolling effectively manages muscle pain, but it doesn't completely eliminate post-exercise discomfort.

• How foam-rolling benefits your muscles — The study posits three theories on how foam rollers improve muscle flexibility. One mechanism suggested involves the fascia, the tough connective tissue surrounding muscles.

Foam-rolling applies gentle pressure that loosens fascia and allows more range of motion. This helps muscles glide smoother over one another, enhancing overall flexibility and reducing stiffness. By essentially ironing out fascial adhesions, foam-rolling promotes greater muscle length and movement ease.

• Pressure subsequently improves blood circulation — Another theory involves blood flow and temperature changes within the muscle tissues. Foam-rolling generates localized pressure and friction, which warms muscles and stimulates circulation. Better blood flow means muscles receive a higher supply of oxygen and nutrients, which is essential for effective muscle recovery and reduced fatigue. Warm muscles also stretch and move more readily, offering immediate gains in flexibility.

• The nervous system is activated — The third theory involves the nervous system's response to pressure stimuli. The sensation produced during foam-rolling activates certain nerve receptors within the muscle and skin. These receptors then signal the brain to produce natural pain-relieving chemicals, including endorphins and oxytocin, to reduce your perception of muscle soreness and pain. This allows for quicker recovery and a more comfortable return to physical activity.

Foam Rollers Are Also Useful for Warming Up

In a study published in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy (IJSPT), researchers investigated whether foam rollers could meaningfully enhance the performance of athletes before a game.⁶

The experiment revolved around 11 healthy professional basketball players. Each of them incorporated foam-rolling into their standard pre-training warm-up, performing exercises specifically targeting lower-leg muscles for a total duration of 90 seconds per leg. To compare results, researchers measured the athletes' ankle mobility and single-leg balance both before and immediately after the foam-rolling sessions.

• The rate of improvement was notable — After using foam rollers, players experienced substantial gains in ankle mobility. Specifically, ankle dorsiflexion improved by approximately 6 to 7 degrees. For context, dorsiflexion is your ability to flex your ankle upwards toward your shin, and better ankle flexibility is directly linked to enhanced performance, especially in sports requiring rapid movements, jumping, or quick directional changes.

• Single-leg stance stability was better — Using the Y-Balance Test — an assessment where you balance on one leg and reach as far as possible in three different directions (forward, and both left and right diagonals) — participants reached farther distances in every tested direction. Enhanced single-leg balance directly translates into improved athletic performance and decreased injury risk during gameplay, helping players make sharp, controlled movements with greater confidence.

• Timing is also important — The greatest performance enhancements — both mobility and balance — occurred immediately after the foam-rolling intervention, highlighting its effectiveness as an immediate warm-up technique.

However, the benefits were temporary. When participants stopped using foam-rolling regularly, their performance metrics quickly returned to baseline within four weeks. Based on this finding, maintaining the benefits requires consistent incorporation into your regular warm-up regimen rather than using the device sporadically.

• Mobility improvements were slightly more pronounced than those in balance — However, both areas benefited, underscoring foam-rolling's overall impact on your fitness.

• Theories on how foam rollers benefit muscles — Just like the Frontiers in Physiology study, the researchers of the IJSPT study can't pinpoint the exact mechanisms of a foam roller's effect on muscles, but there are theories.

One, the effectiveness of foam-rolling in enhancing mobility and balance likely arises from several interconnected mechanisms — the physical pressure of foam-rolling appears to increase muscle temperature, which naturally boosts muscle elasticity and joint range of motion. This warming effect mimics traditional warm-up exercises but with the added benefit of directly targeting deep muscle layers, enhancing tissue pliability, and reducing stiffness.

• Foam-rolling's pressure activates specific nerve receptors — In this theory, foam rollers produce signals that reduce muscle tightness and enhance proprioception, which is the body's ability to sense its own position and movements in space. Better proprioception directly translates into better balance and coordination on the court, helping you execute precise movements with greater agility and reduced risk of missteps or injuries.

• The rhythmic and sustained pressure of foam-rolling enhances blood circulation in targeted muscles — The last theory explores the rapid supply of oxygen and nutrients while removing fatigue-causing metabolic byproducts.

Enhanced circulation helps muscle tissues function optimally during activity, significantly contributing to immediate improvements in balance and mobility observed in this study. Athletes who leverage this physiological effect are more likely to consistently perform at their peak during practice sessions and competitive play.

4 Foam Roller Exercises You Can Try

Now that you know how foam rollers work on your fitness, how can you harness its benefits? At the very start, I recommend selecting a foam roller that suits your needs by consulting a licensed expert. Once you have your own foam roller, practice these four exercises as detailed by Kuharik. Again, foam rollers can be used as a warm-up or cooldown, so feel free to choose when they work best for you:⁷

• Hamstrings:

Sit on the floor and extend your legs in front of you. Place the foam roller under your hamstrings (the back of your thighs) on your right side.

Using your arms, lift your body so your weight is on the foam roller. Keep your right leg extended but bend your left leg to help stabilize your body.

Slowly roll back and forth over the area. Repeat this move for about 30 seconds.

Move the foam roller under your left hamstring and repeat.

• Back:

Lie on your back and place your foam roller under your upper back. Bend your knees so your feet are flat on the ground.

Cross your arms across your chest and lift your body into a bridge position.

Slowly roll back and forth down to the middle of your back and up to your lower neck.

Repeat this move for about 30 seconds.

• Calves:

Sit on the floor and extend your legs in front of you. Place the foam roller under your calves.

Using your arms, lift your body and cross your right leg over your left leg.

Slowly roll back and forth on your left calf using your arms to move you.

Repeat this move for about 30 seconds.

Switch legs and repeat.

• Quads:

Get into a plank position and place your foam roller under your quads (the front part of your thighs).

Slowly roll down until your roller hits your knees. Then, roll back up in the other direction until you reach your hip area.

Repeat this move for about 30 seconds.

While you can use a foam roller any time, Kuharik recommends exercising with it in the morning. If you hit a sore area, that means the muscles are contracted, and applying pressure via the foam roller will help release tension.⁸

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Foam Rollers

Q: What is foam-rolling, and how does it work?

A: Foam-rolling involves using a cylindrical device to apply gentle pressure to muscles to smooth them out. It helps loosen fascia (the connective tissue around muscles), improves blood flow, and triggers the nervous system to release natural pain-relieving chemicals, boosting flexibility and easing muscle soreness.

Q: Does foam-rolling enhance flexibility?

A: Yes. Research shows foam-rolling immediately increases flexibility. Participants in studies consistently experienced better range of motion right after a short session, making it particularly helpful for activities like gymnastics, dance, or endurance sports.

Q: Can foam-rolling improve sports performance like jumping and sprinting?

A: Foam-rolling has very limited effects on sports performance metrics such as jump height, sprint speed, and strength. While beneficial for flexibility and recovery, it doesn't meaningfully enhance these aspects of athletic performance.

Q: How long do foam-rolling benefits last?

A: Foam-rolling's benefits, particularly improved flexibility and reduced muscle soreness, appear immediately but are temporary. Regular, consistent use is required to maintain these advantages.

Q: Is foam-rolling safe for everyone?

A: Foam-rolling is generally safe for most people but should only be applied to muscles. Avoid rolling directly over bony areas like knees, pelvis, and shoulder blades, as these areas don't benefit from pressure and rolling there can cause pain.

Test Your Knowledge with Today's Quiz!

Take today’s quiz to see how much you’ve learned from yesterday’s Mercola.com article.

What is one therapeutic property of DMSO that makes it valuable in combination therapies for musculoskeletal injuries?

It reduces inflammation in affected areas
DMSO’s anti-inflammatory properties help reduce swelling and pain in musculoskeletal injuries, making it a valuable component in combination therapies. Learn more.

It boosts immune response directly

It prevents muscle growth during recovery

It slows down blood circulation

The shocking risk every smart student faces when applying to medical school

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 19:00:06 +0000

The threats we face throughout our medical practice years are rarely published in the world medical practice literature for a good reason. The medical practice system has so many disruptive, threatening, and hidden educational factors to confess to that it is a miracle we have any American physicians still practicing today. That needs to be

Read more…

The shocking risk every smart student faces when applying to medical school originally appeared in KevinMD.com.

Clinical ghosts and why they haunt our exam rooms

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 15:00:38 +0000

As a quadruple board-certified physician and a patient with a complex autoimmune disease, I live on both sides of the examination table. My professional life is about finding answers; my personal life has been about the agony of waiting for them. This dual perspective makes it impossible to ignore a systemic problem in modern medicine:

Read more…

Clinical ghosts and why they haunt our exam rooms originally appeared in KevinMD.com.

High blood pressure’s hidden impact on kidney health in older adults

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 11:00:31 +0000

Most people think of high blood pressure as a silent threat to the heart. But it’s time we start talking about another organ it quietly destroys: the kidneys. As a public health researcher and clinician, I have seen how chronic kidney disease (CKD) creeps in unnoticed—especially among older adults—and how hypertension is often the unspoken

Read more…

High blood pressure’s hidden impact on kidney health in older adults originally appeared in KevinMD.com.

Erectile Dysfunction? Have You Checked Your Vitamin D?

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Vitamin D deficiency has become one of the most widespread health threats in the modern world. While many people associate vitamin D only with bone health, its role stretches much further, influencing how well your heart, blood vessels, brain, and immune system function every day. Conventional guidelines define vitamin D deficiency as levels below 20 ng/mL. However, levels between 60 and 80 ng/mL are needed for optimal health.

What makes this issue especially dangerous is how easily early warning signs are missed. Fatigue, muscle weakness, frequent infections, and low mood are often chalked up to stress, aging, or poor sleep. Yet underneath these everyday struggles, more serious problems begin brewing.

Left uncorrected, low vitamin D levels sabotage your vascular health — the intricate network of arteries and blood vessels responsible for nourishing every organ, including those tied to sexual function and performance.

Research now reveals that the consequences of vitamin D deficiency reach far beyond what most people expect. It's not just about avoiding brittle bones. It’s about preserving the core systems that power your energy, protect your heart and maintain your sexual vitality as you age. Addressing low vitamin D is no longer optional if you care about safeguarding the entire foundation of your health. Let's look at what the latest research uncovered about this largely unknown risk.

Low Vitamin D Wrecks Vascular Health and Sexual Performance

A study published in the British Journal of Pharmacology investigated how low vitamin D levels affect your blood vessel health and sexual performance.¹ Researchers from Madrid, Spain, studied human penile tissue from organ donors, checking how well the tissue reacted to nerve signals needed for an erection.

They also tested animals — rats deprived of vitamin D and mice genetically modified to lack vitamin D receptors — to see what happens inside a living body when vitamin D is missing. The findings were clear: whether you’re a human, rat, or mouse, low vitamin D cripples the ability to achieve a normal erection. It directly weakens your blood vessels’ ability to relax — a key part of healthy blood flow and sexual function.

• Human tissues with low vitamin D struggled to respond to nerve signals — Researchers used electrical field stimulation to mimic nerve signals. Tissues from donors with low vitamin D didn’t relax properly, showing much weaker responses compared to those with healthy vitamin D levels.

• Animals without enough vitamin D showed full-body sexual dysfunction — Rats that went five months without vitamin D showed major drops in the pressure needed inside the penis to sustain an erection. Mice missing vitamin D receptors also showed severe problems, both in isolated tissues and live readings.

• Vitamin D deficiency weakened the effects of erectile dysfunction drugs — Even when animals were given sildenafil (Viagra), their response was weak if their vitamin D levels were low.

• Complete lack of vitamin D made the damage even worse — Mice without vitamin D receptors had even bigger problems than rats missing vitamin D from their diet. This shows vitamin D isn’t just helpful — it’s absolutely necessary for healthy sexual function.

• The longer you go without vitamin D, the worse the damage gets — The rats were vitamin D-deficient for five months before the worst symptoms appeared. If you live through long winters without sun and fail to optimize your vitamin D levels, the same slow decline could happen inside your body.

Vitamin D Controls Your Blood Vessel Defenses More Than You Realize

Low vitamin D allowed harmful molecules called superoxide to build up. Superoxide attacks your blood vessels and destroys nitric oxide — the main chemical that lets vessels relax and blood flow properly.

When scientists added antioxidants to mop up superoxide, the blood vessels started working properly again, even in vitamin D-deficient animals. That’s powerful proof that the damage isn't set in stone if you act soon enough. The study also uncovered the chain reaction inside your body that causes the damage.

• Vitamin D acts like an on-switch for protective systems — Vitamin D boosts the production of a powerful protector protein that helps shield blood vessels from oxidative attack.

• When vitamin D drops, your defenses collapse — In vitamin D-deficient animals, protector protein levels fell dramatically. Without enough of it, blood vessels stiffened, scarred, and lost their ability to relax — setting the stage for erectile dysfunction and broader blood flow problems.

When researchers added the protector protein back into damaged tissues, erectile function improved significantly — even though oxidative stress was still high.

• Superoxide is the hidden threat, and vitamin D is your best defense — Superoxide is a natural byproduct of your body's energy production. In small amounts, it’s normal. But when vitamin D is too low, your body loses control over it, and the superoxide starts destroying your blood vessels from the inside out.

Your vitamin D status is not a side issue — it’s central to your blood flow, your sexual health and your overall vitality. Without enough, you leave your body wide open to problems that creep in silently but strike hard when they do.

Simple Steps to Restore Your Vitamin D and Protect Your Vascular Health

If you’re dealing with low energy, poor circulation, or signs of sexual dysfunction, ignoring your vitamin D levels would be a serious mistake. Low vitamin D starves your tissues of the support they need to fight oxidative damage, weakening your vascular system from the inside out. The good news is that you can take action starting today to protect your health and reclaim your vitality. Here are five simple but powerful steps to help you:

1. Prioritize direct sun exposure every day — Your skin is designed to make vitamin D naturally when it’s exposed to sunlight. Aim to get natural sun exposure on your bare skin daily. I recommend following the simple "sunburn test" — cover up or head indoors just before your skin begins to turn slightly pink.

This method helps you maximize vitamin D production without causing skin damage. If you have darker skin, you’ll need more time in the sun compared to someone with lighter skin to achieve the same benefits.

2. Remove vegetable oils from your diet six months before you get peak sunlight exposure — If you’re still eating foods loaded with soybean oil, corn oil sunflower oil or other vegetable oils, you’re setting yourself up for sunburn and inflammation. Linoleic acid in these oils builds up in your skin, making sun exposure during peak hours (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) more dangerous.

Ideally, eliminate processed foods and vegetable oils completely. Give your body at least six months free of vegetable oils before you start including sunlight exposure during peak hours in your routine.

3. Know your vitamin D blood levels and test twice a year — You can’t guess whether you’re vitamin D deficient — you need to measure it. I recommend getting a simple blood test to check your vitamin D levels. Your goal is to be between 60 and 80 ng/mL. If you live in a northern climate or work indoors most of the day, getting tested twice a year (spring and fall) will help you stay on track and adjust your sun exposure and supplementation if needed.

4. Use vitamin D3 supplements strategically when sunlight isn't enough — If you’re in a place where natural sun exposure is limited, like during the winter, using a vitamin D3 supplement is smart.

Always take it with a meal that includes healthy fats like pastured egg yolks, grass fed butter, or tallow, because vitamin D3 is fat-soluble and needs fat to be absorbed properly. Don’t just assume your supplement dose is right — use your blood test results to fine-tune how much you need.

5. Pair vitamin D3 with magnesium and vitamin K2 — Your body uses magnesium and vitamin K2 to activate and direct vitamin D where it’s needed most. Research shows that without magnesium and K2, you would require up to 244% more vitamin D just to reach healthy blood levels.²

I recommend that every time you take vitamin D3, you also make sure your magnesium and vitamin K2 intake is solid. Most adults need 180 micrograms of vitamin K2 per 5,000 IUs of vitamin D. This combination supports your blood vessels, reduces oxidative stress and protects you from calcium buildup in your arteries.

Taking these steps will not just help you avoid hidden problems like erectile dysfunction and poor vascular function — it will help you feel more energetic, more resilient and more in control of your health every day.

FAQs About Vitamin D and Erectile Dysfunction

Q: What happens to your health when your vitamin D levels are too low?

A: Low vitamin D levels damage your vascular system, making it harder for your blood vessels to relax and function properly. This leads to problems like erectile dysfunction, weakened immune response, poor circulation, and long-term cardiovascular risks.

Q: How does vitamin D deficiency affect sexual health specifically?

A: Vitamin D deficiency reduces nitric oxide availability, which is important for blood vessel relaxation during an erection. Research shows that men with low vitamin D levels have a higher risk of erectile dysfunction and respond poorly to conventional treatments like sildenafil (Viagra).

Q: Does fixing vitamin D deficiency restore vascular health?

A: Yes. Studies show that restoring vitamin D levels helps reduce oxidative stress inside blood vessels, improving their ability to relax and function. Antioxidant treatments combined with vitamin D optimization reverse much of the damage seen in deficient individuals.

Q: What’s the best way to boost your vitamin D levels naturally?

A: The best way is through controlled, daily sun exposure. Aim to expose your bare skin to sunlight, covering up just before it starts to turn slightly pink. If you have darker skin, you'll need more time outdoors. Removing vegetable oils from your diet six months before sun exposure during peak hours (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) improves your skin’s ability to handle sunlight safely.

Q: When should you consider using vitamin D supplements?

A: If you live in an area with limited sunlight or spend most of your time indoors, you would be wise to consider a vitamin D3 supplement. Always pair it with healthy fats at meals for better absorption and include magnesium and vitamin K2 to maximize its effectiveness. Testing your blood levels twice a year ensures you stay within the optimal 60 to 80 ng/mL range.

Unlocking DMSO's Potential — Revolutionary Combination Therapies for Pain, Infections, and More

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

DMSO is a remarkable naturally occurring substance that (provided it's used correctly)¹ safely and rapidly improves a variety of conditions medicine struggles with — particularly chronic pain. For example, thousands of studies show DMSO treats a wide range of:

• Injuries such as sprains, concussions, burns, surgical incisions, and spinal cord injuries (discussed here).

• Strokes, paralysis, many neurological disorders (e.g., Down syndrome and dementia), and numerous circulatory disorders (e.g., Raynaud's, varicose veins, or hemorrhoids), which were discussed here.

• Chronic pain (e.g., from a bad disc, bursitis, arthritis, or complex regional pain syndrome), which was discussed here.

• Many autoimmune, protein, and contractile disorders, such as scleroderma, amyloidosis, and interstitial cystitis (discussed here).

• Head conditions, such as tinnitus, vision loss, dental problems, and sinusitis (discussed here).

• Internal organ diseases such as pancreatitis, infertility, liver cirrhosis, and endometriosis (discussed here).

• A wide range of skin conditions, such as burns, varicose veins, acne, hair loss, ulcers, skin cancer, and many autoimmune dermatologic diseases (discussed here).

• Many challenging infections, such as shingles, herpes, chronic ear or dental infections, and osteomyelitis (discussed here).

• Cancers and many complications from the illness and its treatments (discussed here).

• Lung disorders such as COPD, asthma, pulmonary fibrosis, smoke injuries, and pneumonia (discussed here).

In turn, since I started this series, it has struck a chord. I have received over 2,000 reports of remarkable responses to DMSO, with many readers experiencing relief from a variety of "incurable conditions."² For example, this man was contemplating suicide from his disability from COPD, and after nebulizing it, immediately regained his lung function and stamina (something other readers have also reported).

This is an incredible story of a man curing his COPD with DMSO which matches what many readers have told me DMSO did for their asthma or COPD. Incredibly, 50 years of data shows DMSO heals the lungs, but the FDA has buried it and left many to suffer in silence for decades.

What Makes Mosquitoes More Likely to Bite You

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

You notice it the second you step outside. While others enjoy the evening, you’re busy swatting at bites that seem to come out of nowhere. It's not your imagination. Some people really are more attractive to mosquitoes than others. And the reasons go far beyond being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Mosquitoes aren’t just a nuisance — they’re precision hunters equipped with tools to detect movement, heat, scent, and chemical signals. These insects aren’t guessing; they’re reading cues your body gives off, many of which you can't see, smell, or control. For some, it’s an unfortunate combination of genetics and biology that makes them impossible for mosquitoes to ignore.

But once you understand what’s pulling them in, you can start to shut those signals off. Whether it’s your choice of skincare, your wardrobe, or the invisible markers on your skin, small changes dramatically shift how often you’re targeted. Let’s break down the research and see what makes mosquitoes lock onto you — and how to stop being their first choice.

Everyday Choices Make You a Mosquito Target

Female mosquitoes, the only ones that bite, use body scent, skin chemistry, breath, heat, and even color detection to find their next blood meal. As noted by the Cleveland Clinic, this isn’t random — it’s about the invisible signals you send without realizing it.¹

• Certain products and behaviors turn your skin into a beacon — If you’ve been layering on scented lotion, floral body spray, or even using exfoliating skincare, you could be drawing mosquitoes straight to you. Many moisturizing lotions contain lactic acid and alpha hydroxy acids, ingredients designed to smooth skin, but also known to attract mosquitoes.

“Mosquitoes are attracted to our body odor, but they also are attracted to the things we use to mask body odor,” explained Dr. Jennifer Lucas, a dermatologist with the Cleveland Clinic.²

• Your clothes and color choices change how mosquitoes see you — Mosquitoes are highly responsive to visual cues, specifically color. Wearing red, black, orange or cyan makes you stand out, while lighter colors like white, green, blue and purple are less attractive to them.³ These color preferences may be linked to how mosquitoes interpret the heat and reflectivity of different shades against human skin.

• Even your body temperature and hydration state matter — When you’re overheated or sweating, even slightly, you become a more obvious target. Mosquitoes sense temperature changes in your skin and are drawn to warmer, more humid surfaces. This means post-exercise, sunbathing, or even just sitting outside on a hot day elevate your risk. Lucas explains that mosquitoes “pick up on your body’s thermal sensory information,” and they lock in on that like radar.^4,⁵

• Mosquitoes track you through your breath and metabolic byproducts — It’s not just skin they’re interested in. Your exhaled carbon dioxide (CO₂) acts like a trail of breadcrumbs, guiding mosquitoes right to you. Mosquitoes rely on specialized organs, called palps, located between their antennae to detect carbon dioxide from human breath.⁶

Higher CO₂ output, like what happens when you’re exercising, drinking alcohol, or pregnant, makes you more appealing. The skin also emits ammonia, uric acid, and lactic acid, especially when you're hot, stressed, or after drinking alcohol. These compounds enhance the scent signal mosquitoes follow.

Your DNA Makes You Mosquito Bait

A twin study published in PLOS One investigated whether your genetic makeup influences how attractive you are to mosquitoes.⁷ Researchers exposed female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes — the same species responsible for spreading dengue and Zika — to the scent of both identical and non-identical twins. They used a Y-shaped device in the lab that let the mosquitoes fly toward the smell they liked best.

• Identical twins had nearly identical mosquito appeal, proving a strong genetic role — The study showed that mosquitoes consistently reacted the same way to each identical twin’s scent, while their responses varied significantly between non-identical twin pairs. These results suggest your mosquito appeal is roughly 62% inherited.

• Researchers also measured mosquito behavior with twin odors and found the same pattern — When both twins were tested at the same time, the influence of genetics was even stronger, rivaling the genetic influence of traits like height and IQ. The study also measured mosquito “flight activity,” meaning how quickly or actively they responded to a scent.

Again, identical twins triggered very similar reactions, while fraternal twins did not. These results ruled out randomness and pointed clearly to DNA as the driver.

• The strongest genetic signal came from specific scent molecules your skin gives off — The researchers focused on volatile organic compounds (VOCs) — substances released from the skin that mosquitoes detect through smell. These VOCs are shaped in part by genes in your immune system, particularly a family of genes called the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). These MHC-related scents have been shown to influence not just mosquito behavior, but also human mate choice.

• Your skin bacteria also contribute to the scent signature mosquitoes track — While genetics affect your own cells’ scent production, your skin is also home to trillions of microbes that break down sweat and produce their own compounds. The study notes that this mix of human- and microbe-made odors is likely unique to each person, but more similar between identical twins due to their shared immune profile. This helps explain why some people get swarmed while others are mostly ignored.

• Understanding your mosquito magnetism could lead to personalized repellents — The authors concluded that pinpointing the specific genes and pathways that control odor could help scientists develop new ways to enhance your natural mosquito resistance. Instead of slathering on chemical sprays, future options might include boosting the production of repellent VOCs or suppressing the attractant ones your body naturally makes.

Your Blood Type Influences Mosquito Bite Frequency

Published in the American Journal of Entomology, a study set out to answer a simple but overlooked question: do mosquitoes have a preferred blood type, and does that preference affect how many eggs they produce?⁸ Researchers tested female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes using a controlled lab environment with membrane feeders that offered blood from all four human blood groups — A, B, AB, and O — at the same time.

• Mosquitoes clearly favored one blood group above all others — Group O was the overwhelming favorite, with mosquitoes choosing this blood type significantly more often than A, B, or AB. The preference was statistically significant, meaning the result wasn’t random — it reflected a real behavioral pattern.

• Feeding preference had no effect on egg production — One of the study’s goals was to see whether the blood type affected mosquito fertility. After feeding, researchers counted the number of eggs each mosquito laid. Despite showing a clear preference for blood type O, the number of eggs laid did not differ significantly between any of the blood groups. In other words, O blood was more attractive, but it didn’t result in more offspring.

• This distinction matters when thinking about personal risk — If you have blood type O, you’re statistically more likely to get bitten. That puts you at higher risk for mosquito-borne diseases. But mosquitoes don’t benefit more from feeding on you — they’re just more drawn to your chemistry. People with type A blood were the least attractive to the mosquitoes, confirming prior studies showing similar patterns.

• Knowing your blood type can help guide your bite-prevention strategy — While you can’t change your blood type, you can change your environment. If you’re type O, it’s smart to use extra protection — especially during peak mosquito hours in the morning and at dusk. That might include covering up more skin, avoiding scented products, or staying indoors during mosquito-heavy times.

• The takeaway: some people are more likely to be targeted — While the study didn’t explore why O blood is more appealing, it reinforces the idea that personal biology plays a major role in mosquito attraction. You’re not imagining things if you get bitten more than your friends — it could be in your blood.

How to Stop Attracting Mosquitoes Before They Find You

If you’re tired of being a mosquito magnet, the most important thing to understand is that this isn’t random. Your scent, body chemistry, habits, and even your wardrobe all send out signals that either invite or repel these insects. You can’t change your DNA, but you can control many of the triggers that make you easier to find and bite. The goal here isn’t to slap on toxic insect repellent — it’s to address the real causes of why mosquitoes are choosing you in the first place. Here’s where to start:

1. Cut scented body products and switch to unscented basics — If you use floral-scented lotions, body sprays, or skin creams, including those with alpha hydroxy or lactic acids, stop. Not only do fragrance chemicals often act as endocrine disruptors, increasing your risk of reproductive, developmental and metabolic problems, but these products amplify the natural signals mosquitoes are already drawn to. Instead, use natural fragrance-free moisturizers and soaps.

2. Wear light-colored clothing that covers more skin — Dark colors like black, red, and navy act like visual beacons to mosquitoes. They absorb heat and stand out in low light, which helps mosquitoes lock onto you. Stick with white, light gray, or pale blue clothing when you’re outside. Long sleeves, pants, and wide-brimmed hats give you another layer of defense.

3. Skip the alcohol — If you’re someone who enjoys a cold beer at a backyard BBQ, know this: alcohol is not only linked to chronic diseases like cancer; it also increases your skin temperature and raises carbon dioxide output through your breath — two things that mosquitoes home in on.

4. Lower your body heat before spending time outside — Mosquitoes sense temperature differences with impressive precision. If you’ve just exercised, been out in the sun, or eaten a heavy meal, your body heat and sweat will spike, making you a prime target. Cool off with a fan or take a quick rinse with cold water before stepping out. Even sitting in the shade for 10 minutes helps.

5. Use plant-based oils that protect as well as DEET, without the toxins — If you want strong protection without using chemicals like DEET, certain plant oils are a powerful alternative. Lab tests show that oils from Russian sage, wild mint, and tangerine peel repel mosquitoes for up to 2.25 hours, depending on how much you apply.⁹

At higher doses, Russian sage performed just as well as DEET, without the health risks. I recommend using these in essential oil form. Mix a few drops with a carrier oil like coconut oil and apply it to exposed skin before heading outside. Reapply as needed, especially if you’re sweating or staying out for a long time.

FAQs About Mosquito Bites

Q: Why do some people get bitten by mosquitoes more than others?

A: Some people give off stronger scent and chemical signals that attract mosquitoes. These include natural skin odors, body heat, carbon dioxide from breath, and certain compounds like lactic acid and ammonia. Your genetics also play a big role — studies show that 62% of mosquito attraction is inherited.

Q: Which personal care products increase mosquito bites?

A: Scented lotions, floral deodorants, and exfoliating products with lactic acid or alpha hydroxy acids make you more attractive to mosquitoes. These ingredients enhance the natural scent cues that mosquitoes follow to find you.

Q: What blood type do mosquitoes prefer?

A: Mosquitoes prefer type O blood over all other blood types. People with type O are bitten more often than those with A, B, or AB, even though it doesn’t result in more mosquito eggs. If you have O blood, it’s smart to take extra precautions during mosquito season.

Q: How do I make myself less appealing to mosquitoes?

A: Switch to unscented body products, wear light-colored clothing, skip alcohol, lower your body temperature before stepping outside, and use plant-based essential oil repellents like Russian sage or wild mint. These changes reduce the signals that attract mosquitoes in the first place.

Q: Are there natural repellents that work as well as DEET?

A: Yes. Plant-based essential oils like Russian sage, wild mint, and tangerine peel have been shown in lab tests to repel mosquitoes for up to 2.25 hours.¹⁰ At higher concentrations, Russian sage matched the effectiveness of DEET, without the chemical risks. Use these oils diluted in a carrier like coconut oil for safer protection.

Deep transcranial magnetic stimulation for depression [PODCAST]

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 23:00:33 +0000

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! Nationally recognized psychiatrist, internist, and addiction medicine specialist Muhamad Aly Rifai discusses his article, “How deep transcranial magnetic stimulation is transforming mental health care.” He shares his experience with deep TMS (dTMS), a non-invasive neuromodulation therapy that offers rapid relief for

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Deep transcranial magnetic stimulation for depression [PODCAST] originally appeared in KevinMD.com.

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We thought we had moved on from diseases like rubella. But as measles makes a comeback, rubella may not be far behind, and this time, it could harm the next generation before it’s even born. Most people today have never seen a baby born with congenital rubella syndrome, a condition that causes blindness, deafness, heart

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How declining MMR vaccination rates put future generations at risk originally appeared in KevinMD.com.

The physician who turned burnout into a mission for change

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When I stepped away from my clinical practice, it wasn’t because I didn’t care. It was because I cared deeply—about my patients, my colleagues, and the future of medicine. I didn’t leave to escape. I left to help heal the culture that was quietly breaking so many of us. You can love medicine and stop

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The physician who turned burnout into a mission for change originally appeared in KevinMD.com.

Time theft: the unseen harm of abusive oversight

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Theft, in its essence, is the unlawful taking of something valuable from another. While usually associated with material possessions, it also extends to intangible assets such as time, reputation, and emotional well-being. When authorities like medical boards or the Department of Justice (DOJ) engage in unfair practices grounded in presumptive guilt, they are not just

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Time theft: the unseen harm of abusive oversight originally appeared in KevinMD.com.

How one unforgettable ER patient taught a nurse about resilience

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Every ED has patients who become part of the landscape. They come in once or twice a week, for all kinds of reasons. Sometimes they have chronic medical conditions they are unable to manage. Sometimes they are on the outskirts of society due to mental health or substance abuse disorders. The ER promises a few

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How one unforgettable ER patient taught a nurse about resilience originally appeared in KevinMD.com.

Headache	Nausea and vomiting
Abdominal symptoms and bloating	Fatigue
Muscle pain and weakness, tetany, hyperreflexia, spasm, tingling in the hands and lips, numbness, trembling and difficulty swallowing	Cardiovascular changes like palpitations, tachycardia, arrhythmias, angina, ECG abnormalities
Cognitive changes, including attention deficit, difficulty learning, poor memory and brain fog	Symptoms involving consciousness, such as dissociation, disconnecting from your environment, disconnecting from people, fainting and hallucinations
Emotional changes associated with the reduction of blood flow in the brain	Personality and self-esteem changes

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