Reading about Health and Science

Sometimes a health or science story comes up in the news that catches people's interest.  Here is some simple advice:

go find the original publication or read the abstract on PubMed( http://www.pubmed.gov/). 

Often a journalist will pick up on one aspect of a study and not mention other aspects, or limitations, or may misinterpret the conclusions of the study authors.  So take a look at the original yourself.  Peer-reviewed articles published in highly-ranked journals put out quality work.  Getting through peer-review is a rigorous process as exemplified in this video Scientific Peer Review ca. 1945.

Telomeres, aging and exercise

An interesting bit of research has been picked up by the press.  Telomere length has been reported to be longer in older endurance athletes than in older couch potatos  Telomeres are thought to be important in aging.  You can find the abstract and access the full text through: http://www.pubmed.gov/.   This is hopefully good news for older endurance athletes and an encouragement to others to get moving.   (It is also possible that people with more resistant telomeres are the ones able to continue intense exercise into middle age and that the exercise did not change the nature of the telomeres.)  But interesting . . . Take a look at table 1.  There are a number of other variables aside from telomere length that you'd think would have been statistically significant but weren't.  More research? 

Congratulations to authors Larocca, Seals and Pierce.  And thank you for publishing this, Mechanisms of Ageing and Development (journal). 

Light

Light controls our circadian rhythms.  These determine our daily pattern of waking and sleeping, and probably how our energy levels vary throughout the day as well.  In the modern environment, most of us spend most of our time indoors with artificial light.   The signals our brains get from light are no longer triggered exclusively by the rising and setting of the sun.  A number of health effects from altered light exposure have been noted including

• Increased incidence of cancer (esp. breast and colorectal cancer in shift workers)
• Insomnia
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Depression
• Timing of onset of puberty

For more detailed discussion, references to specific papers and the above image see: http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/info:doi/10.1289/ehp.117-a20

AND

http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/fetchArticle.action?articleURI=info%3Adoi%2F10.1289%2Fehp.118-a22 for a more detailed discussion with emphasis on blue light and photoreceptors.

Human Health and Environmental Factors

There are a lot of things that influence health beyond diet and exercise, and many ways in which our health may be influenced by the world we create.   

• Exposure to light: 
• Temperature control
• Psychological stress (traffic, kids, job etc.)
• Quality of friendships and community
• Exposure to environmental agents
• Drugs
• Air Quality
• Water Quality

and etc.  It is important to keep in mind that all of these things can impact your physical health, and that they can all influence each other.