Pharmacy and Health Blog from myGenericPharmacy.com

Globally, obesity is becoming a bigger problem for public health. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 16% of people worldwide suffered from obesity in 2022. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 41.9% of Americans were obese in 2020, indicating a significantly higher prevalence. Younger people are becoming more and more concerned about the condition; according to the WHO, 160 million children and adolescents worldwide will suffer from obesity in 2022. An individual who is overweight is more likely to experience health issues, and the risks rise with weight. Obesity raises the possibility of numerous illnesses, such as:

Obesity may also hasten brain aging and cause cognitive decline, according to a new study that will be presented at the American Physiology Summit in Long Beach, California, April 4–7. The study’s findings have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. The body, including the cerebrovasculature, is known to be affected by a variety of systemic inflammatory reactions that are triggered by diet-induced obesity. The persistent inflammatory state that obesity produces is one of the main reasons it may cause senescence in the cerebrovasculature.

Obesity damages brain blood vessels: Research indicates that obesity is linked to a decline in cognitive function. Although the precise mechanism is unknown, inflammation, a known effect of obesity, may have an impact on cognitive function because being obese in midlife is linked to a higher risk of dementia and a decline in executive function when compared to a normal weight8,35. However, other studies have found that late-life obesity is associated with a lower risk of dementia and improved cognition. Obese people’s adipose tissue secretes a variety of bioactive substances, such as pro-inflammatory cytokines, which can travel throughout the body and impact distant organs like the brain.

A high-fat diet consisting primarily of omega-6 and SFAs has been linked to poorer performance on a cognitive task in human epidemiological studies. Moreover, research indicates that a diet high in SFAs and TFAs is linked to a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Several factors can age-related brain damage that results in cognitive impairments. These variables include head trauma, toxins like alcohol, too many stress hormones, cerebral ischemia, and the onset of degenerative dementias like AD. The average age of an overweight person’s brain was eight years older than that of a normal-weight person, according to research from the University of Pittsburgh, and overweight people had 4% less brain volume.

A retrospective study conducted in China found that a high energy intake of fat and protein and a low energy intake from carbohydrates are associated with cognitive decline in later life (23). Low levels of omega-3 polyunsaturated fats in the diet may also be linked to memory loss. The main factor contributing to cognitive impairment is age. A person’s family history, lack of physical activity, and illnesses like diabetes, drugs, toxins, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, stroke, brain injury, and brain cancer are additional risk factors.

According to research, maintaining brain health may be aided by combining physical exercise, mental and social stimulation, and a healthy diet. Reading books, learning an instrument, and engaging in other activities have all been linked to the preservation of brain function, according to studies. Social interaction can help maintain mental health and slow the aging process. It can also make life more fulfilling. You may be able to perform better with memory training and other cognitive training.

These inflammatory signals can accelerate the aging of vascular cells and the onset of senescence in the brain, which makes it more difficult for the vessels to control blood flow and react to brain activity, the speaker continued. Numerous research findings indicate that individuals with obesity or a high body mass index (BMI) experience decreased cerebral blood flow, a finding that may be linked to compromised cognitive function, especially in the elderly. In this most recent study, the researchers examined the impact of obesity and a high-fat diet on mice’s brain blood vessels and cognitive function. They fed a 60 percent fat or 10 percent fat diet to novel transgenic mice (p16-3MR mice, which allow for the visualization and selective elimination of senescent cells).

Researchers compared the endothelial cells in the blood vessels of the mice on the high-fat diet to those on the regular diet and found that the former were more prone to senescence a condition in which cells cease to divide but do not die, releasing chemicals that may cause inflammation. The founder of Dietitian Insights and registered dietitian nutritionist Kelsey Costa stated, “The results of this animal study suggest that obesity and poor eating patterns lead to the build-up of blood vessel damage, which reduces oxygen delivery to particular brain regions and may ultimately result in cognitive decline.

In mice fed a high-fat diet, the radial arm water maze test revealed reduced cognitive function in addition to an increase in senescent endothelial cells. Researchers used Navitoclax/ABT263, a medication that specifically destroys senescent cells, on obese older mice fed a high-fat diet to examine the importance of these cells. The mice’s cognitive function improved after treatment. Even though the study was done on mice, it provides us with helpful suggestions regarding possible human outcomes. The removal of senescent cells improved the brains of obese mice, which is exciting because it suggests a potential treatment for brain issues associated with obesity. Navitoclax-induced senescent cell elimination in the brains of obese mice appeared to enhance brain vasculature, suggesting that this approach may be useful in treating obesity-related cognitive decline.

Obesity may accelerate the aging and senescence of brain blood vessel cells. If a connection is found between obesity and cellular senescence, this could lead to new research directions that address therapeutic approaches to stop or delay the onset of senescence and potentially improve the health problems associated with obesity, such as cognitive decline. The findings demonstrated that in comparison to normal-weight mice fed a standard diet, mice fed a high-fat diet had, after three months, increased cellular senescence and decreased density of healthy blood vessels in the brain, along with evidence of impaired learning in a maze test. Furthermore, by employing Navitoclax, an experimental cancer medication that targets and eliminates senescent cells specifically, the researchers were able to enhance the characteristics of the brain vasculature.

REFERENCES:
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20240407/Obesity-and-high-fat-diets-linked-to-accelerated-aging-in-brain-blood-vessels.aspx
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0889159124002617?via%3Dihub
https://immunityageing.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12979-022-00323-7

Medications that have been suggested by doctors worldwide are available here
https://mygenericpharmacy.com/index.php?cPath=77_271

A recent study evaluating the connection between childhood consumption of sweet drinks and adult obesity was published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Their findings have consequences for dietary interventions for young children since they show that early consumption of sweet beverages is linked to increased adiposity and less healthful eating habits in adulthood. Consuming sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) as a child has been linked to an increased risk of obesity. Nonetheless, a lot of research treats fruit juices without added sugar, carbonated beverages, and all other sweetened beverages equally. To improve dietary interventions to lower adult obesity, it is important to look at SSBs and fruit juices separately to determine which are linked to negative outcomes. Consuming SSBs might also be a sign of a diet high in calories, in which case cutting them out of the diet wouldn’t result in a noticeable decrease in energy intake.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that, in terms of how they affect adiposity outcomes, sugary drinks are all in the same category. They also investigated whether gender differences exist in the way people react to different types of beverages and whether their influence should be viewed in the context of a larger dietary pattern. Children born in Bristol, United Kingdom, between April 1991 and December 1992 made up the study sample. When the kids were two, three, four, seven, eleven, and thirteen years old, their diet was graded at six points. When the children were two years old, their caregivers were questioned about whether or not they had eaten fruit juices, such as squash and apple juice, and carbonated drinks like cola between the ages of 15 months and 2 years. They characterized drinking before the age of two as early exposure to alcohol.

To provide information about dietary patterns, their carers completed a food frequency questionnaire during the subsequent dietary assessment. They noted the consumption of fatty foods, sweet-tasting foods, fruits, and vegetables, as well as other foods like pizza, meat, and fish. When the kids were four and seven years old, caregivers filled out three-day food diaries; at eleven and thirteen, the kids filled out the diaries themselves. To determine their BMI, their weight and height were recorded. The amount of abdominal fat surrounding the organs was used to calculate the Android fat mass. Their total fat mass at 24 years old was the other main result. The mother’s prenatal weight, her age at childbirth, her partner’s education and BMI, the mother’s and her partner’s occupation, and deprivation in terms of income, health deprivation, disability, employment, housing, education, training, and skills were all taken into account when analyzing the data using hierarchical regression equations. Groups of men and women were examined independently.

Cola consumption was linked to increased adiposity in men; on average, those who abstained from apple juice had a higher BMI. Female adiposity was found to be higher when fruit squash was consumed, as opposed to pure fruit juice. Next, the researchers investigated whether the relationships they observed were caused by the dietary pattern as a whole or just the sweet drinks. At three years old, children who drank cola, fruit squash, or fizzy drinks consumed less non-starch polysaccharides but more energy, protein, carbohydrates, and non-milk extrinsic sugars. Apple juice drinkers consumed less fat and more healthy sugars and proteins. These correlations suggest that since SSBs don’t contain fat or protein, overall dietary patterns must be different.

In addition to eating more pizza, French fries, sausages, burgers, chocolate, candies, and fruit, boys who drank fruit squash, carbonated drinks, and cola also ate more meat and less fruit. Apple juice drinkers consumed more salad, fish, fruits, and green veggies. For girls, comparable trends were observed. An additional intriguing discovery revealed that boys who drank cola before turning two also drank more energy between the ages of four and nine. At four years old, girls who drank apple juice had lower energy intake. According to regression analysis, a man’s diet at the age of 24 could predict his body fat; eating root vegetables, burgers, sausages, and French fries when he was three years old had a significant impact. Female participants showed similar results; additionally, their fat mass was higher in those who did not eat fresh fruit or biscuits. Children who experience greater levels of social deprivation are more likely to drink cola and less likely to drink fruit juice.

These results suggest a significant relationship between early consumption of sweet beverages and health outcomes well into adulthood. Children’s beverage choices are influenced by the socioeconomic and demographic makeup of their family; children from more disadvantaged homes are more likely to be given unhealthy drinks like cola and less likely to be given relatively healthier drinks like pure fruit juice. The study adds to the increasing amount of evidence showing early childhood dietary habits have a major impact on adult obesity risk. Controlling energy intake during infancy and early childhood through nutritional interventions may help reduce adult obesity.

REFERENCES:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38491133/
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20240318/Early-sips-to-adult-slips-How-sweet-drinks-in-childhood-fatten-future.aspx.

No matter how long a person has struggled with obesity or weight issues, weight loss medications like Mounjaro and Zepbound, which contain the ingredient trizepatide, can help them lose weight and decrease their waist circumference. Research on this topic will be presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Venice, Italy, in May of this year. The results have not yet been released in a peer-reviewed publication. The U.S.A. The FDA approved Mounjaro in 2022 to treat type 2 diabetes, and Zepbound in 2023 to help adults who have a body mass index (BMI) of over 30 or over 27 and at least one weight-related comorbidity manage their weight.

A bariatric surgeon and the medical director of the MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in California, who was not involved in the study, stated that the results are not shocking. These drugs are made to help you lose weight by interacting with your hormones. Throughout the study, they performed as intended. Although providing patients with a non-surgical option is a good idea, tirzepatide has certain drawbacks. According to Ali, Medical News Today, people need to take the medication consistently for it to be effective. If they haven’t taken the time to examine and alter their eating and lifestyle habits while taking the medication, the weight may return when they stop taking it. According to a 2023 study, after taking medication for 36 weeks, those who were switched to a placebo gained 14% of their original weight back. Five percent more of their body weight was lost by those who continued taking the medication.

In addition, insurance frequently does not cover the medication. The medication does have some side effects, but they are limited to mild nausea, vomiting, and constipation. To minimize side effects, we start patients on a low dose and work our way up. The figures show comparable rates of weight loss, regardless of the patient’s length of obesity. Regardless of their starting BMI, the second abstract shows comparable weight loss of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25% of initial baseline weight, according to Lofton, who spoke with Medical News Today. Regardless of the patient’s starting BMI or length of obesity, I think this information can help prescribers decide that it’s never too late to treat an obese patient and that we have scientific proof to extrapolate the significant weight loss shown in the trials to our patients in a reasonable manner. Nevertheless, since each patient is unique, we must utilize our clinical judgment to identify the most appropriate course of treatment.

The companies that make Zepbound and Mounjaro, Eli Lilly and Company, provided funding for both the 2023 study and this new investigation. There’s always a chance of biases in studies that are sponsored by manufacturers, according to Ali. Still, I believe the results are reliable because multiple other studies have reached the same conclusion. As these studies are being reviewed by the FDA, I do not think that funding from Lilly has influenced these results because this subset analysis of a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial,” Lofton stated. “Data safety monitoring boards are also tasked with reviewing the studies, which were conducted by medical peers who are independent of the company.

REFERENCES:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/mounjaro-zepbound-can-help-with-weight-loss-in-people-with-long-term-obesity
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/zepbound-weight-loss-questions-answered
https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2024/02/05/lillys-weight-loss-drug-tirzepatide-may-significantly-reduce-blood-pressure-study-finds/?sh=5dbb7f98230b

Medications that have been suggested by doctors worldwide are available here
https://mygenericpharmacy.com/index.php?cPath=77_271