How GLP-1 Drugs Affect Gene Expression
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…and other items from this week’s health news:
GLP-1 receptor agonists affect more than we knew
Normally, short-lived hormonal signals trigger a quick response and then fade. Synthetic GLP-1 agonists remain in the body much longer than the natural hormone whose receptor’s they’re sneakily agonizing (sounds bad, but in this context it’s good), allowing sustained activation of gene programs.
How exactly? It increases signaling, which ultimately leads to phosphorylation of the Med14 protein within the Mediator transcription complex.
That’s a lot of big words, so to simplify a little: the Mediator complex controls large sets of genes rather than a single pathway, so activating Med14 can switch on broad gene programs that reshape how cells function over time.
Researchers (Dr. Sam Van de Velde et al.) examined the practical side of this, and found for example that in pancreatic beta cells, the result is improved stress resistance, greater survival, and enhanced insulin production, which helps counter metabolic syndrome, and its associated more specific maladies such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease of various kinds, etc.
And because these processes (per the Med14 switch etc) can occur in many different kinds of tissue, similar gene-expression changes may be occuring in the heart, brain, blood vessels, and fat tissue—but more research will be needed to confirm that, of course.
Read in full: How do GLP-1 agonists affect gene expression?
Related: Demystifying Peptides ← remember that GLP-1 is a peptide! GLP stands for “glucagon-like peptide”, and we talk about peptides’ effects on gene expression here too
The schizophrenia biomarker hiding in your cheek
Schizophrenia currently has no single definitive laboratory test, so clinicians rely mainly on observing symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking, which can delay diagnosis for months, not to mention leave a lot of room for subjectivity on the part of the clinician.
However, researchers (Dr. Christen Crosta et al.) compared cheek-swab samples from 27 people with schizophrenia and 27 matched healthy controls, and found that patients with schizophrenia showed significantly higher activity of the Sp4 gene, which is involved in brain development and whose elevated expression correlated with more severe symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions.
Dr. Crosta and her team also found that schizophrenic patients had higher levels of the protein HSP60, which appears to be regulated by Sp4 and may act as a sort of “downstream” biological indicator of schizophrenia.
In short, if confirmed in larger studies, a simple cheek swab could help detect schizophrenia earlier or monitor disease progression in a fast and non-invasive way.
Read in full: Cheek cells may provide clues to schizophrenia risk
Related: The Disordered Mind – by Dr. Eric Kandel
A spray-on immune shield has been developed!
Organ transplant recipients usually take immunosuppressants to prevent rejection, but these drugs weaken the entire immune system (thus leaving the patient very vulnerable to infections; it’s a lot like giving someone a slightly weaker form of AIDS) and also can cause complications such as kidney toxicity.
So, it’s not great. Better than not having the organ in question, of course, but not great.
However! Researchers (Dr. Hyung Joon Cha et al.) have developed microscopic gel particles containing immunosuppressants that stick to organ surfaces using adhesive proteins inspired by mussels’ ability to cling to wet surfaces.
In other words: the sprayed microgels form an invisible layer on the organ that remains attached to the wet tissue and slowly releases the drug locally at the transplant site.
And, it worked! Because the medication stays mainly on the transplanted organ rather than circulating through the bloodstream, this approach is able to suppress rejection while minimizing whole-body side effects.
Read in full: Spray-on “immune-shield” coats transplant organs to curb rejection
Related: Rapamycin Can Slow Aging By 20% (But Watch Out) ← an alternative immunosuppressant
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Tempeh vs Tofu – Which is Healthier?
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Our Verdict
When comparing tempeh to tofu, we picked the tempeh.
Why?
Per 100g, tempeh has about 1.5x as many calories, about 2x as much protein, about 3x as much fiber, and about 4x the carbohydrates.
Which latter sounds like a lot, but really, the amounts here are small—tempeh is under 12% carbohydrates, and most of that is treated by the body as fiber (e.g. it’s a resistant starch).
Both have no sugar, and both have more or less the same (tiny) amount of fat.
Micronutrients, you ask? As they’re both made from soybeans, the micronutrient profiles are similar, but exact amounts will depend on the method used, so by all means check labels if comparing products in store. By and large, there’s usually not much difference, though.
You can see sample stats here:
In summary
Both are great, and/but tempeh is the more nutrient-dense of the two.
Therefore, tempeh is the healthier option, unless you are on a very strictly calorie-controlled diet, in which case, tofu will give you more quantity per calorie.
Enjoy!
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The Simple Six – by Clinton Dobbins
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We at 10almonds don’t believe in keeping things a mystery, so…
“The Simple Six” are:
- the squat
- the goblet squat
- the hinge
- the kettlebell swing
- the push
- the push-up
- the kettle-bell press
- the pull
- the chin-up
- the gait, and
- walking.
Ok, we’re being a little glib here because to be fair, those are chunked into six groups, but the point is: don’t let the title fool you into thinking the book could have been an article; there’s plenty of valuable content here.
That said, it is a short book (64 pages), but with an average of 10 pages per exercise type, it’s a lot more than for example we could ever put into our newsletter.
Bottom line: we know that 10almonds readers like simple, clear, evidence-based, to-the-point health information, and that’s what this book is, so we do recommend it.
Click here to check out The Simple Six, and streamline your workouts!
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Sweet Potato & Black Bean Tacos
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Fiber, protein, and polyphenols! What more could one ask for? Well, great taste and warm healthy goodness, which these deliver:
You will need
For the sweet potatoes:
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, cubed (we recommend leaving the skin on, but you can peel them if you really want to)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp MSG or 1 tsp low-sodium salt
For the black beans:
- 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed (or 2 cups black beans that you cooked yourself)
- ¼ bulb garlic, minced
- 1 fresh jalapeño finely chopped (or ¼ cup jalapeños from a jar, finely chopped) ← adjust quantities per your preference and per the quality of the pepper(s) you’re using; we can’t judge that from here without tasting them, so we give a good basic starting suggestion.
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp red chili flakes
- ½ tsp MSG or 1 tsp low-sodium salt
For serving:
- 8 small corn tortillas, or your preference if substituting
- 1 avocado, pitted, peeled, cubed, and tossed in lime juice ← we’re mentioning this here because you want to do this as soon as you cut it, to avoid oxidation
- Any other salad you’d like to include; fresh parsley is also a good option when it comes to greenery, or cilantro if you don’t have the soap gene
- Tomato salsa (quantity and spice level per your preference)
Method
(we suggest you read everything at least once before doing anything)
1) Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C.
2) Toss the sweet potato cubes in a large bowl with the rest of the ingredients from the sweet potato section above, ensuring they are evenly coated.
3) Bake them in the oven, on a baking tray lined with baking paper, for about 30 minutes or until tender inside and crispy at the edges. Turn them over halfway through.
4) While that’s happening, mix the black beans in a bowl with the other ingredients from the black bean section above, and heat them gently. You could do this in a saucepan, but honestly, while it’s not glamorous, the microwave is actually better for this. Note: many people find the microwave cooks food unevenly, but there are two reasons for this and they’re both easily fixable:
- instead of using high power for x minutes, use medium power for 2x minutes; this will produce better results
- instead of putting the food just in a bowl, jug, or similar, use a wide bowl or similar container, and then inside that, place a small empty microwave-safe glass jar or similar upturned in the middle, and then add the food around it, so that the food is arranged in a donut shape rather than a wide cylinder shape. This means there is no “middle bit” to go underheated while the edges are heated excessively; instead, it will heat through evenly.
If you really don’t want to do that though, use a saucepan on a very low heat, add a small amount of liquid (or tomato salsa), and stir constantly.
5) Heat the tortillas in a dry skillet for about 30 seconds each on each side, when ready to serve.
6) Assemble the tacos; you can do this how you like but a good order of operations is: tortilla, leafy salad (if using), potato, beans, non-leafy salad including avocado, salsa or other topping per your preference.
Enjoy!
Want to learn more?
For those interested in some of the science of what we have going on today:
- White Potato vs Sweet Potato – Which is Healthier?
- Kidney Beans or Black Beans – Which is Healthier?
- Coconut vs Avocado – Which is Healthier?
- Glutathione: More Than An Antioxidant
- Our Top 5 Spices: How Much Is Enough For Benefits? ← we hit 4/5 today!
Take care!
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In Praise Of Walking – by Dr. Shane O’Mara
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At 10almonds we talk often of the health benefits of walking, so what’s new here?
As the subtitle suggests: a new scientific exploration!
Dr. Shane O’Mara is a professor of experimental brain research—and a keen walker. Combining his profession and his passion, he offers us a uniquely well-grounded perspective.
While the writing style is very readable, there’s a lot of science referenced here, with many studies cited. We love that!
We begin our journey by learning what we have in common with sea squirts, and what we have different from all other apes. What we can learn from other humans, from toddlers to supercentenarians.
As one might expect from a professor of experimental brain research, we learn a lot more about what walking does for our brain, than for the rest of our body. We’ve previously talked about walking and cardiovascular health, and brown adipose tissue, and benefits to the immune system, but this book remains steadfastly focused on the brain.
Which just goes to show, what a lot there is to say for the science-based benefits to our brain health, both neurologically and psychologically!
One of the things at which Dr. O’Mara excels that this reviewer hasn’t seen someone do so well before, is neatly tie together the appropriate “why” and “how” to each “what” of the brain-benefits of walking. Not just that walking boosts mood or creativity or problem-solving, say, but why and how it does so.
Often, understanding that can be the difference between being motivated to actually do it or not!
Bottom line: if there’s a book that’ll get you lacing up your walking shoes, this’ll be the one.
Click here to check out “In Praise of Walking” on Amazon, and start reaping the benefits!
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Aging with Grace – by Dr. David Snowdon
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First, what this book is not: a book about Christianity. Don’t worry, we didn’t suddenly change the theme of 10almonds.
Rather, what this book is: a book about a famous large (n=678) study into the biology of aging, that took a population sample of women who had many factors already controlled-for, e.g. they ate the same food, had the same schedule, did the same activities, etc—for many years on end. In other words, a convent of nuns.
This allowed for a lot more to be learned about other factors that influence aging, such as:
- Heredity / genetics in general
- Speaking more than one language
- Supplementing with vitamins or not
- Key adverse events (e.g. stroke)
- Key chronic conditions (e.g. depression)
The book does also cover (as one might expect) the role that community and faith can play in healthy longevity, but since the subjects were 678 communally-dwelling people of faith (thus: no control group of faithless loners), this aspect is discussed only in anecdote, or in reference to other studies.
The author of this book, by the way, was the lead researcher of the study, and he is a well-recognised expert in the field of Alzheimer’s in particular (and Alzheimer’s does feature quite a bit throughout).
The writing style is largely narrative, and/but with a lot of clinical detail and specific data; this is by no means a wishy-washy book.
Bottom line: if you’d like to know what nuns were doing in the 1980s to disproportionally live into three-figure ages, then this book will answer those questions.
Click here to check out Aging with Grace, and indeed age with grace!
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Dual-Task, High-Velocity Training For The Brain
10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.
…and other items from this week’s health news:
Body & brain
The research question posed by Dr. Rachel Duckham et al: can long-term dual-task high-velocity functional power training improve cognitive function in older adults, compared with usual care?
First you may be wondering, what’s that? So, it’s group-based dual-task functional power training performed twice weekly, combining high-velocity resistance movements with simultaneous cognitive and/or motor tasks.
Here’s what they found:
- Short-term effects: after the 6-month supervised phase, the intervention improved choice reaction time, attention, and psychomotor-attention compared with usual care.
- Long-term effects: at 12 and 18 months, benefits extended to visual learning and learning-working memory in the intervention group.
- Control group finding: the usual care group showed a slight, lesser improvement in executive function at 18 months.
In short, the answer is: yes, yes it can!
Related: A Surprising Extra Way Exercise Fights Dementia
The downstream effects of vaccines
Vaccines have a single, simple purpose: reduce the incidence of the diseases they are created to vaccinate against, especially in the most vulnerable demographics. For example, RSV, flu, pneumococcal, and COVID vaccines primarily reduce infection, hospitalization, and disease severity in populations with higher baseline risk.
However, Dr. Stefania Maggi, geriatrician and senior fellow at the Institute of Neuroscience at the National Research Council in Padua, has shown how vaccines have “downstream effects” and, in her words, “are key tools to promote healthy aging and prevent physical and cognitive decline.”
For example her research found reduced dementia risk after vaccination for multiple diseases, including shingles, flu, pneumococcal disease, and Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, and polio).
This was a large-scale meta-analysis, and across 21 studies with more than 104 million participants, shingles vaccination was associated with a 24% reduction in dementia risk, flu with 13%, pneumococcal with a 36% reduction in Alzheimer’s risk, and Tdap with about a one-third reduction.
There are other downstream benefits too, for example decades of data link flu shots in older adults to lower risks of hospitalization for heart failure, pneumonia, heart attack, and stroke.
Read in full: Vaccines are helping older people more than we knew
Related: Vaccine Mythbusting
US officially leave the WHO
At the end of a process that we wrote about on January 24 last year (after Trump initiated the process of leaving via an executive order, accusing the World Health Organization of being too China-centric in the wake of the first flushes of the COVID pandemic, when multiple studies indicated that delayed lockdowns and politicized avoidance of public health measures worsened American health outcomes and especially mortality in the United States), the US has now officially withdrawn from the WHO as of 23 January 2026.
On the one hand, this has caused economic problems all around, including the US is/was several years behind on payments, with arrears estimated at $260m that Washington says it will not pay. Also, it has of course caused a lot of job losses across the US.
On the other hand, US officials said they would rely on bilateral relationships, NGOs, and faith-based groups for disease surveillance and global health work, but provided no concrete details. Those same US officials were also unsure whether the country would continue participating in global information sharing and development of the annual influenza vaccine.
Read in full: US officially leaves World Health Organization
Related: Stop The World… “US vs Them”?
Take care!
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