How Betaine Mimics Exercise & Slows Aging

…and other items from this week’s health news:

Betaine benefits

Not to be mistaken for the (also very beneficial) betalains such as betanin, which we’ve previously discussed in the context of beetroot, whence the name.

This one is also related to beets, though! Specifically, it was first isolated from sugar beets, though those are certainly not the best sources (actually spinach is better, if you’ve no problems with oxalates, which spinach is high in; oxalates aren’t a relevant consideration for most people, but can cause problems if you have certain existing kidney issues).

Most recently, research has found that oral betaine reproduces many benefits of long-term exercise—including calmer inflammation, better metabolism, improved cognition, and reduced depression.

Normally, long-term exercise prompts the kidneys to produce more betaine, which coordinates whole-body anti-aging signals, and there’s a balance, because a single intense workout creates temporary inflammation and metabolic stress, while sustained training builds the body’s resilience, strengthens immunity, and improves metabolic stability in the long run.

So, you can exercise, or get it as part of your diet, or supplement it, or a combination of the above!

Read in full: Scientists find a molecule that mimics exercise and slows aging

Related: Younger You – by Kara Fitzgerald ← a book we reviewed that also discusses betaine, albeit without this latest research, of course.

Asbestos for kids

Not common news in this century, but here we are! Colored sand, sold for children’s use in creative play, has been found to contain asbestos (tremolite and/or chrysotile).

The good news is, what’s not been found is the most dangerous form (crocidolite).

Nevertheless, there is no good kind of asbestos to give to kids. As for how it got there, the sand was likely contaminated during manufacture, either from crushed rock containing naturally occurring asbestos or from a dyed-sand production process involving asbestos-contaminated equipment or materials.

This is particularly dangerous, because (as New Yorkers will know) asbestos poses its greatest danger when airborne and inhaled; long-latency diseases mean younger people have more years ahead for illness to develop, and even a single low-level exposure carries a risk.

Read in full: Asbestos has been found in children’s coloured sand. What’s the risk to kids?

Related: Asbestos in mulch? Here’s the risk if you’ve been exposed

hypnosis vs menopause

Well, it won’t stop the menopause itself. But, menopausal symptoms? Yes!

Researchers (Dr. Carrie Lafferty et al.) did a study with 250 postmenopausal women (average age 56) experiencing at least four hot flashes per day. What they found was that hypnosis reduced hot flash scores by 53%.

The study describes it as self-hypnosis, but that’s slightly misleading: those in the intervention group (as opposed to the sham control) used a 20-minute daily hypnosis audio with relaxation cues, while the sham group listened to white noise labeled as hypnosis to match expectancy. Furthermore, those who practiced more consistently experienced larger symptom reductions, showing a dose–response relationship.

To put it into context, hypnosis produced more consistent, clinically meaningful improvements than cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) typically does.

Read in full: Self-hypnosis cuts menopausal hot flashes by half

Related: How Much Can Hypnotherapy Really Do? ← our mythbusting special on hypnotherapy

Take care!