Cholesterol News

1. Scientists discover strange link between low vitamin D and pain

   Low vitamin D levels may make recovery from breast cancer surgery more painful, according to a study of 184 women undergoing mastectomy. Patients with vitamin D deficiency were three times more likely to experience moderate to severe pain during the first 24 hours after surgery and also used substantially more of the opioid painkiller tramadol. They received slightly more fentanyl during surgery and experienced more postoperative nausea as well.

2. DNA treatment cuts bad cholesterol by nearly 50% without statins

   Researchers have designed a new DNA-based treatment that targets PCSK9, a protein closely tied to high LDL cholesterol and atherosclerosis. Their most effective molecule reduced PCSK9 protein by 87% in human liver cells and lowered cholesterol by 47% in genetically modified mice after a single injection.

3. Early statin use linked to 15% lower dementia risk

   Starting statins soon after a type 2 diabetes diagnosis may do more than protect the heart. In a nationwide Danish study of more than 132,000 people, those who began statin treatment within a year of diagnosis had a 15% lower relative risk of developing dementia over 10 years compared with those who did not start statins.

4. Researchers unveil sustainable spirulina solution to vitamin B12 deficiency

   Researchers have produced a form of Spirulina containing biologically active vitamin B12 at levels comparable to beef. By carefully controlling the light used to grow the algae, they overcame a major problem with conventional Spirulina, which mainly contains a form of B12 the human body cannot use. The carbon-neutral system could provide a more sustainable source of the essential vitamin.

5. Common supplements rival antibiotics for severe gum disease

   Omega-3 and low-dose aspirin matched the effectiveness of antibiotics in a year-long study of patients with severe gum disease, with both approaches helping about 58% reach the treatment goal. The unexpected result could point to a new way to treat some patients while reducing reliance on antibiotics and the growing problem of antibiotic resistance.

6. Keto diet cut liver fat by 67% in a clinical trial

   A ketogenic diet outperformed Mediterranean and low-fat diets in several measures of metabolic health during a clinical trial involving people with obesity, prediabetes, and fatty liver disease. All three groups lost about 10% of their body weight, but keto reduced liver fat by 67%, compared with 45% for the other diets. About half of the keto group also no longer qualified as having prediabetes after four to five months.

7. Vitamin C won’t prevent most colds, but it may do one small thing

   The belief that huge doses of vitamin C can ward off colds was popularized more than 50 years ago by Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling. Since then, larger studies have found that vitamin C does not prevent most people from catching a cold, although regularly taking it may make severe symptoms slightly shorter or milder.

8. Your genes may decide whether a low-carb diet sends cholesterol soaring

   A low-carb diet may raise LDL cholesterol much more sharply in people who are genetically predisposed to high cholesterol, particularly when they consume lots of saturated fat. The findings could help explain why people following seemingly similar diets can have dramatically different results.