The Livelong Newsletter

Hello Livelongers,

🌍 Welcome to this week’s newsletter. Earth Day was on April 22, serving as a reminder that many aspects of physical and environmental health are synonymous — when one is imbalanced, the other may be too.

A great way to improve health in both areas is to grow your own food in a garden without using commercial pesticides.

The week is April 22. In today’s email:

• Magnesium— the world says one thing, but trials may say another.

• A surprising element can improve gut health in weeks.

• Oh the horror! There are health benefits to being scared.

• Laser-focused on cancer diagnoses.

• If a friend recommends a supplement, what do you do?

• And more…

We love to hear from our community. Please share your feedback, stories, questions, testimonials, ideas and more with us at [email protected].

Are magnesium supplements effective?

More health influencers, celebrities, and everyday people are staking claims as proud magnesium consumers, which has amplified its status to a gold-standard supplement.

Despite it being 1 of the most celebrated supplements for relaxation and combatting fatigue and anxiety, most supplements (including magnesium) are not rigorously tested and clinically effective.

Where is the research?

Most clinical research has studied different forms of magnesium for its laxative properties (i.e., magnesium hydroxide). A small number of studies suggest it may benefit sleep and calm the nervous system, but most evidence is anecdotal, according to an analysis from McGill University.

In addition, most of these studies are commonly short-term with few participants and varying levels of rigor. Moreso, magnesium is usually sold in a form that is bound with oxide, citrate, and chloride, which can make it difficult to assess its effects.

Why do we need dietary magnesium?

It is needed for protein synthesis, controlling glucose levels, and the nervous system, said Mount Sinai clinical nutrition coordinator Perri Halperin, RD, in an article with Men’s Health. Magnesium also supports bone development, DNA synthesis, and can improve electrolyte function.

Poll: When a friend recommends a vitamin supplement, what do you do?

We recently asked Livelongers about how they approach supplement recommendations, and the results surprised us! Most of you research it online, but a healthy amount of you tend to ignore their advice.

In other news

• Watching horror movies may boost your health. They can serve as an unintentional exposure-based treatment to overcome fears, phobias, and anxieties, and allow people to understand how they would handle real-life triggering situations. Read here.

• The World Health Organization unveils a new AI chatbot, S.A.R.A.H (Smart AI Resource Assistant for Health) to answer health-related questions. Read here.

• Laser light could be a new method of detecting early cancer, according to research by a student at UMass Dartmouth. The laser light (surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy [SERS]) can interact with matter in blood samples to detect cancer cells at the time of manifestation. Read here.

Live longer, together

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Spotlight: Carbon is the key: Ingestible carbon beads can improve gut health

A new type of ingestible carbon bead may improve gut microbiome health and reduce the risk of developing serious liver and kidney issues, according to research at University College London (UCL).

The carbon beads absorb molecules in the gut and may control the growth of bad gut bacteria, which release endotoxins that promote gut inflammation.

How was the study conducted?

Investigators gave the carbon bead product (CARBALIVE; UCL and Yaqrit) to mice and rats with liver cirrhosis (liver scarring) that may be caused, or worsened by, endotoxins. They aimed to see if the beads could restore gut health or prevent worsening disease. They conducted a separate human study with 28 people with liver scarring.

What researchers found?

After a few weeks of CARBALIVE, mice had less gut permeability and liver scarring and better kidney health. Animals who had already reached the point of liver failure (acute-on-chronic-liver-failure) had less of a risk of dying as well. Carbon beads were safe for humans, and new studies will look at efficacy for treating liver disease in humans. 

Why does it matter?

Endotoxins from bad gut microbes cause inflammation and leaky gut, which can damage major organs like the brain and liver — 100 million people around the world may have liver scarring. These positive findings support this therapeutic as a safe and effective way to reduce the risk of severe liver disease and associated negative outcomes. 

Big picture

These beads essentially absorb toxins, promoting a healthy gut microbiome, said Michal Kowalski, vice president of Yaqrit. The beads may even have the potential to treat other conditions related to poor microbiome health, like IBS.

Results found in the journal Gut.

Stats for your thoughts

• There are an estimated 400 trees for every one person on earth.

• Approximately 6 million students in high school participated in a sport during the 2022-23 season.

• An estimated 100 million people had seasonal allergies, eczema, or a food allergy in 2021, according to CDC data.

Mark your calendar!

The Livelong Summit is coming to Los Angeles on August 3-4, 2024, at the LA Convention Center with a lineup of the best and brightest in longevity science. 

Get ready for meaningful conversations, life-long connections, and life-affirming insights. Presale opens exclusively for YOU, newsletter subscribers, on May 1!

Q & A

Do eco-friendly and organic pesticides work?

Commercial pesticides can be toxic (even carcinogenic), reduce soil health + produce health/quality, and pests often become resistant to them. Eco-friendly and homemade alternatives can work, with varying effectiveness. Common examples include:

• Neem oil: Stems from the neem tree of Southeast Asia. Low-toxic and common organic pesticide that can prevent powdery mildew on crop leaves. It is effective against some but not all insects and diseases, and requires frequent application to crops.

• Spinosad: Derived from bacteria. Repels destructive insects (caterpillars, thrips, and leafminers) by poisoning the nervous system and stomach. When dry, it does not harm all beneficial insects, but a downside is that it is poisonous for beneficial bees when wet.

• Essential oils: Some tested essential oils like eugenol (from nutmeg + cinnamon), and carvacrol (from oregano + basil) can prevent feeding, egg hatching, and eradicate eggs, larvae, and adult bugs. Essential oils may be prone to insect resistance though, and most research in this area is not effective in the field.

• Dish soap: Most commonly applied as a dilution with water (concentration 2-3%). May be most beneficial against aphids, mealybugs, psyllids and spider mites. A safer alternative to commercial products, but it must be directly applied to the bug, it can cause plant damage, and it needs repeated applications (weekly).

We love your questions! Please reach us at [email protected] to submit questions, which may be featured in a future Q & A.

Don’t miss next week’s newsletter-
We’ll be highlighting nutrition!

Look good, feel better, live long,
Erin Hunter, head editor

About Livelong

Longevity science can feel a bit like Alice in Wonderland at times — it is a rabbit hole of intrigue, but laden with misinformation: where one magic pill claims to make you bigger, another makes you smaller. Our goal at Livelong is to provide you with credible and actionable information about health and longevity so you can live a longer and healthier life and guide you toward making insightful decisions that support you during your health and longevity journey. 

Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health care professional before starting any exercise, wellness, or health program. Nothing in our content, products or services should be considered, or used as a substitute for, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Livelong is a media company and not a medical provider.