Science Weekly - 23rd July 2021

The summer goes just as slow in the world of science as other areas of life. Still, there are many papers published in July on intriguing topics that your personal training clients might find relevant or interesting. Check out the latest papers on fitness, nutrition and exercise science.

Exposure to light with less blue before sleep is better for energy metabolism

Researchers have found that exposure to specific types of light before sleep can have variable effects on energy metabolism during sleep. Specifically, participants who went to sleep after exposure to organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), which emit polychromatic white light that contains less blue light than light-emitting diodes (LEDs), exhibited significantly decreased energy expenditure, core body temperature, and increased fat oxidation, indicating fewer negative health consequences compared with after nighttime exposure to LEDs.

Source: University of Tsukuba

A fermented-food diet increases microbiome diversity and lowers inflammation, study finds

A diet rich in fermented foods enhances the diversity of gut microbes and decreases molecular signs of inflammation, according to researchers.

Source: Stanford Medicine

Eating whole grains linked to smaller increases in waist size, blood pressure, blood sugar

Study in middle- to older-aged adults suggests whole grains may protect against heart disease
A study finds middle- to older-aged adults who ate more servings of whole grains, compared to those who ate fewer, were more likely to have smaller increases in waist size, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels as they aged. All three are linked with increased risk of heart disease.

Source: Tufts University, Health Sciences Campus

Combining plant-based diet and healthy microbiome may protect against multiple sclerosis

Metabolism of isoflavone by gut bacteria protects mice from MS-like inflammation
A new study shows that a diet rich in isoflavone, a phytoestrogen or plant-based compound that resembles estrogen, protects against multiple sclerosis-like symptoms in a mouse model of the disease. Importantly, the isoflavone diet was only protective when the mice had gut microbes capable of breaking down the isoflavones.

Source: University of Iowa Health Care

Exoskeletons have a problem: They can strain the brain

The devices can be 'like bad dance partners,' new study suggests
Exoskeletons - wearable devices used by workers on assembly lines or in warehouses to alleviate stress on their lower backs - may compete with valuable resources in the brain while people work, canceling out the physical benefits of wearing them, a new study suggests.

Source: Ohio State University

Ultra-processed food linked to higher risk of IBD

Further studies needed to identify contributory factors in processed foods that might account for these associations
A higher intake of ultra-processed food is associated with higher risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), finds a new study.

Source: BMJ

Championing chrononutrition with protein, the morning elixir for muscle growth

Proteins are essential for body growth and muscle building. However, protein metabolism varies depending on the body's internal biological clock. Therefore, it is important to know how distribution of protein intake over the day affects muscles. Researchers have now found that consumption of proteins at breakfast increases muscle size and function in mice and humans, shedding light on the concept of 'Chrononutrition' that deals with the timing of diets to ensure organ health.

Source: Waseda University

Higher levels of omega-3 acids in the blood increases life expectancy by almost five years

A 1% increase in this substance in the blood is associated with a change in mortality risk similar to that of quitting smoking.
Researchers have found that omega-3 levels in blood erythrocytes are very good mortality risk predictors. The study used data from a long-term study group, the Framingham Offspring Cohort, which has been monitoring residents of this Massachusetts town, in the United States, since 1971 and concludes that, 'Having higher levels of these acids in the blood, as a result of regularly including oily fish in the diet, increases life expectancy by almost five years.'

Source: IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute)