Dr EJ

Assist. Lecturer in Nutrition at ATU Sligo, Ireland. Interest in risk factors for chronic disease and mental health. Bsc, PhD, PgDip 🤓🔬👨‍💻

[CNN @CNN]

Common preservatives used in many store-bought foods to kill bacteria and mold were linked to a 29% greater risk of elevated blood pressure and a 16% higher risk of heart attacks and stroke, according to a new study https://t.co/lPNjCcKjUZ

[Frank Lipman MD @DrFrankLipman]

Study debunks the long-standing myth that cognitive decline is an inevitable part of aging. Tracking nearly 4,000 participants aged 19 to 94, researchers found that the human brain remains “trainable and rewirable” across the entire lifespan.
https://t.co/eYuOAjR1qh

[Dr EJ @EamonJL]

Don't forget to vote in the Irish section committe elections!

[Dr EJ @EamonJL]

Popular Supplement Ingredient Linked to Shorter Lifespan in Men https://t.co/dmQKGK4Drw

[CNN @CNN]

When it comes to slowing down our biological aging, engaging with arts and culture is as beneficial as physical activity, a new study suggests. https://t.co/fimaVcoDd1

[Massimo @Rainmaker1973]

New research suggests that omega-3 supplements, long promoted for brain health, may be associated with accelerated cognitive decline in older adults.

A longitudinal study using data from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) found that participants taking omega-3 supplements experienced significantly faster deterioration in memory and thinking abilities compared to matched non-users.

The analysis, published in The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease, followed over 800 older adults for up to five years. After matching for age, sex, genetics (including APOE ε4 status), and baseline diagnosis, omega-3 users showed steeper declines on three standard cognitive assessments: a faster drop in Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores, and faster worsening on the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale 13 (ADAS-Cog13) and Clinical Dementia Rating Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB).

Importantly, the accelerated decline was not explained by classical Alzheimer’s biomarkers such as amyloid plaques, tau pathology, or gray matter atrophy. Instead, the researchers identified reduced cerebral glucose metabolism (measured by FDG-PET) in Alzheimer’s-vulnerable brain regions as a key mediating factor, suggesting possible negative effects on synaptic function and brain energy processing.

The authors stress that this observational study cannot prove direct causation and note limitations including self-reported supplement use and lack of data on product quality or oxidation. While dietary omega-3 from fish remains generally beneficial in many studies, these findings raise important questions about routine supplementation in older adults and highlight the need for further randomized controlled trials.

[Liao Z-B, Hu Z-C, Zeng G-H, et al. The association between omega-3 supplementation and cognitive decline in older adults. The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease. 2026. DOI 10.1016/j.tjpad.2026.100569]

[Science Magazine @ScienceMagazine]

“I will miss the creativity of teaching.”

During #TeacherAppreciationWeek, check out this #ScienceWorkingLife essay from a retired professor emeritus on how she challenged students to think beyond facts—and how she learned to teach like a scientist. https://t.co/1RvNo1g5pc

[New Scientist @newscientist]

People with cognitive decline or early-stage dementia saw their symptoms improve when given bespoke treatment plans that targeted their personal nutritional deficiencies, ongoing infections and environmental exposures https://t.co/iaZiv9fXRi

[Hugh Pym @BBCHughPym]

Healthy life expectancy falls in UK - new study by Health Foundation https://t.co/Me2UnkH13K

[Mark Henry @Mark_J_Henry]

Elderly people in Ireland are the healthiest in the EU. Among those aged 65+, Ireland has the highest share who rate their health as very good or good (62%). Beyond the European Union, only the Swiss and the Swedes claim a healthier proportion. 🇮🇪👴👵

https://t.co/tnNz5sFTqT

[Frank Lipman MD @DrFrankLipman]

Higher vitamin D levels in midlife were linked to lower levels of tau protein, a key marker associated with Alzheimer’s disease, years later
https://t.co/HYMfw2wReL

[The Irish Times @IrishTimes]

Higher levels of vitamin D in middle age could protect against dementia, study suggests https://t.co/WTfg8pDDPG

[The Wall Street Journal @WSJ]

The American Heart Association recommends getting protein from plants—rather than meat—and avoiding full-fat dairy. https://t.co/pUmNw4JiyQ

[Agingdoc🩺Dr David Barzilai🔔MD PhD MS MBA DipABLM @agingdoc1]

Gerontology lost in translation from demography to biology of aging and back

https://t.co/TUtI382xoo

[CNN @CNN]

People who have razor-sharp minds in their 80s and 90s – known as “SuperAgers” – produce twice the number of young neurons as cognitively healthy adults and 2.5 times as many as people with Alzheimer’s disease, a new study found. https://t.co/p6DTOejm2o

[Belfast Telegraph @BelTel]

New figures reveal how many healthy years men and women in every NI council area can expect
https://t.co/FFdyFBntkt
https://t.co/FFdyFBntkt

[Nicholas Fabiano, MD @NTFabiano]

Small amounts of exercise are associated with a longer life.

Walking is particularly effective.

[AJPC @AJPCardio]

New nationwide cohort study links social determinants of health and Life’s Essential 8 metrics with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, highlighting the impact of both social and behavioral factors on heart health.

🔗 https://t.co/vzXmS7Yj62

#HeartHealth #LifeEssentials8

[Eric Topol @EricTopol]

"Higher intake of high-fat cheese and high-fat cream was associated with a lower risk of all-cause dementia."
Results of a 25-year prospective study of ~27,000 participants.
The purported benefit was not linked to APOE4 carriers or low-fat cheese intake
https://t.co/tj2lHJRSzR

[🔬 RicardoMontes @_MCRicardo_]

Effects of Greek Yogurt Supplementation & Exercise on Markers of Bone Turnover & Inflammation in Older Adult Exercisers
https://t.co/2ucmiXyMAl