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Gerontology
Brain supplement tied to shorter lifespan in men – Chinese-US study
A common amino acid found in protein-rich foods and supplements may be linked to a shorter lifespan in men, according to a study involving...
Intrinsic capacity – the new catch phrase in health
If you’ve never heard of intrinsic capacity, you’re not alone, but it’s becoming the preferred way to measure and assess human ageing, reports The...
Longer gaps between meals for older people tied to chronic diseases
A study by a team of scientists from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden has suggested that older people who typically had longer intervals between meals...
Ageing could be delayed by eating less protein – US review
A sweeping review of more than 350 studies by American researchers suggests that eating less protein appears to improve metabolism, reduce inflammation and cellular...
Daily multivitamin supports better health function for older people – US analysis
A recent study found that older adults taking a daily multivitamin for three years reported significantly better functional health, including reductions in symptom burden...
People living longer, but not healthier – Lancet study
A major study published in The Lancet Public Health suggests that although people are living longer than ever before, many of those additional years...
Rapid ageing in young adults tied to hike in cancer rates – US study
Scientists say that younger generations are ageing biologically more quickly than previous generations, which could explain why some cancers have risen faster in young...
Genes or lifestyle – which matters more for longevity?
For decades, scientists believed lifestyle and environment dominated in determining lifespan – there is still consensus that modifiable factors like physical activity, diet, sleep,...
What science says we’ve been getting wrong about exercise
Doctors and physiologists point to studies that show tiny, regular bursts of effort – like climbing a few stairs – can capture many of...
Shingles vaccine may slow biological ageing – US study
Apart from its prime benefit in protecting against a painful viral illness, the shingles (herpes zoster) vaccine may help slow biological ageing in older...
Brazilian ‘superagers’ key resource for scientists
Brazil’s supercentenarians are exposing hidden genetic and immune secrets that may redefine what it means to age – and survive – exceptionally, according to scientists,...
Key stages for brain ageing – Cambridge study
In a fascinating study, British scientists have revealed that there are four pivotal ages for the brain, and that it goes through five distinct...
Don’t fear turning 60, it’s when you reach your peak – Australian study
Although many people might dread growing older, and seeing their youth fade further into the past, recent research shows there’s also very good reason...
Quitting smoking stubs out dementia risk – London study
British researchers have found that giving up smoking in middle age not only halves the rate of decline in verbal fluency and slows memory...
Puzzle of man with Alzheimer's gene who escaped disease
For 14 years now, American retiree Doug Whitney has been the one-person focus of exceptionally detailed scientific investigation. It is not because he is...
Education trumps heart health for memory in older people – Helsinki study
An association between higher education and better brain health can still be seen in people over 90, according to recent findings by a Finnish...
Why osteoporosis isn't just a woman’s problem
More men are now living long enough to develop osteoporosis, but few are aware of the risk, and fewer still are screened and treated...
Scientists study genes of world’s oldest person (117)
Maria Branyas Morera, then the world’s oldest living person, had one last request before she died last year. “Please study me,” she said to...
Pan-African group launches plan for brain health of ageing citizens
Alzheimer's Disease Related Dementias (ADRD) was mainly considered a global health issue in high-income countries, but this perception is rapidly changing, with recent projections...
'Superagers' provide longevity and memory clues
An analysis of a quarter-century of SuperAger study – someone who is 80 or more but has the memory capacity of a person at...
Simple fitness test might predict how long you’ll live – Rio cohort study
A large-scale study of mobility and mortality suggests that a simple test of your balance, strength and flexibility, known as the sitting-rising test, could...
Vascular health link to dementia – Johns Hopkins study
A study led by a team from Johns Hopkins University in the United States suggests that 22%-44% of dementia cases – by the age...
Tennis ball test may indicate longevity – Finnish study
A quick test of strength with a tennis ball may be able to tell you if you’re going to live to 100-years-old, according to...
Debate continues on whether metformin slows ageing
The research on metformin and human longevity is scant, but that hasn't stopped some people from experimenting with it, and experts suggesting that a...
Shingles and statins findings a 'significant' boost in dementia fight
Shingles vaccines and statins have been found, separately, to significantly reduce the risk of dementia, which researchers say is of "tremendous importance" in the...
Thirty-year study finds best diet to boost chances of ageing well
After a three-decade long study, American researchers say that food choices rival tobacco as a preventable ageing accelerator – and that women benefitted more...
Scientists inch closer in eternal quest to reverse ageing
Can reprogramming our genes make us young again? A breakthrough in longevity research may be nearing its first human trials.
For those hoping to cure...
Why older patients need a different treatment for heart conditions
Old hearts are physiologically different, which calls for different treatment regimes for cardiovascular conditions for older people, with recent research indicating that some frequently...
Omega-3 plus exercise may slow ageing – Swiss study
Scientists in Switzerland have suggested that, in combination with regular exercise, omega-3 and vitamin D supplements might help slow biological ageing by several months over...
Dementia diagnosis and life expectancy – Dutch review
The average life expectancy of people diagnosed with dementia ranges from nine years at age 60 to 4.5 years at age 85 for women,...
US dementia cases may double by 2060, study finds
In a worrying prediction, scientists say the risk of developing dementia anytime after age 55 among Americans is 42% – especially for women, blacks...
Confronting ageism among healthcare professionals
With people now living longer and the number of older people projected to grow, attitudes about old people need to change, including among healthcare...
Scientists dash hopes for future longer lifespans
A recent analysis dashes the hopes that in the future, people will continue to live longer, with the researchers suggesting that peak human longevity...
Collaborative study on a quest to find Parkinson’s cure
A three-year research programme will investigate Parkinson’s disease in unprecedented detail, with the aim of discovering a cure for the condition.
The Landmark programme will...
Common medical practices that older patients should question
Some treatments and procedures become routine despite lacking strong evidence to show that they’re beneficial – and recent studies have called a few of...
Why statins are good for over-70s – Oxford study
British researchers say that most people over 70 should think seriously about taking statins – because they are cost-effective and linked to better health...
Diabetes drug linked to lower dementia risk – Korean study
A drug used to treat type 2 diabetes may reduce the risk of dementia by 35%, according to a large study carried out by...
Older patients' survival gains from dialysis ‘modest’ – US study
A recent US study has found that over three years, older patients with kidney failure who started dialysis immediately survived for only a short...
Scientists identify bursts of ageing at 44 and 60
Scientists have found that the human body undergoes two dramatic bouts of rapid physical transformation on a molecular level, with the shifts in abundance...
Doctors flag painkiller prescribed ‘for everything’
Huge numbers of older people are taking the non-opioid pain medication gabapentin for a variety of conditions, including itching, alcohol dependence and sciatica, with...