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March 7, 2023

Heart-healthy habits linked to longer life without chronic conditions

A woman wearing leggings and workout clothes runs up a staircase in the rain at night — A study found that heart-healthy lifestyle habits described in the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8, such as physical activity and quality sleep, are associated with a longer lifespan and more years spent free of chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes and cancer. urbazon/Getty Images

The American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 is a concept that defines cardiovascular health based on four modifiable behaviors, such as physical activity and sleep, and four modifiable biometric measures, such as weight, blood glucose, and blood lipid levels, that impact cardiovascular health.
The composite cardiovascular health score measured using the aforementioned eight metrics can help clinicians measure and monitor cardiovascular health to prevent or treat cardiovascular diseases.
A recent study showed that an optimal composite cardiovascular score based on the Life’s Essential 8 metrics was associated with longer life expectancy free of chronic conditions such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
An accompanying study showed that the decline in deaths due to cardiovascular disease contributed significantly to the increase in life expectancy associated with good cardiovascular health.

Two related studies recently presented at the American Health Association (AHA) conference suggest that optimal cardiovascular health (CVH) was associated with a longer chronic disease-free lifespan, reduced cardiovascular mortality, and increased total longevity.

These studies assessed CVH using the criteria defined by Life’s Essential 8, thus underscoring the validity and utility of cardiovascular health scores based on this construct as predictors of life expectancy and cardiovascular diseases (CVD).

Dr. Hao Ma, a biostatistical analyst at the Tulane University Obesity Research Center and an author of one of the studies, said:

“After decades of strong growth, the rise in US life expectancy has stagnated since 2010. The main reason for such a phenomenon is the poor cardiovascular health in the US population. Our study indicates that adhering to a high CVH, defined as the Life’s Essential 8 score, is related to a considerably increased life expectancy. Moreover, our findings lend support to the validity of the newly released Life’s Essentia 8 metrics in assessment and monitoring CVH in the general populations.”

In 2010, the American Heart Association (AHA) developed a prescription for health called Life’s Simple 7, consisting of seven measurable risk factors or metrics that together represented cardiovascular health. The AHA revised Life’Simple 7 to create Life’s Essential 8 in 2022 to improve the measurement and monitoring of cardiovascular health and facilitate cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment.

The eight metrics comprising the construct, Life’s Essential 8 include physical activity, diet, smoking and other forms of nicotine exposure, sleep, body mass index, blood glucose, blood lipids, and blood pressure. Each metric included in Life’s Essential 8 is measured on a continuous scale of 0-100. These individual metrics are used to calculate the composite or cumulative cardiovascular health score that also ranges from 0 to 100 points.

Although life expectancy has increased in the past few decades, it has been accompanied by an increase in the prevalence of chronic conditions, such as cardiovascular conditions and cancer. The combined effects of the metrics included in Life’s Essential 8 — such as being more active, quitting tobacco use and managing blood pressure — are associated with increased total life expectancy.

However, studies have not examined the association between the composite cardiovascular health score, calculated as defined by the updated Life’s Essential 8, and total life expectancy and disease-free life span.

Two studies recently presented at the AHA conference assessed whether ideal composite cardiovascular health scores were associated with increased life expectancy in the absence of chronic health conditions and reduced mortality due to cardiovascular diseases.

The first study examined whether the cardiovascular health score was associated with an increase in total life expectancy and life expectancy in the absence of chronic conditions.

The study analyzed data collected by the UK Biobank from more than 136,000 adults residing in the United Kingdom who, at the time of enrollment, did not have cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, or dementia and had data on cardiovascular health scores.

The individuals were classified as having poor, intermediate, or ideal cardiovascular health based on the criteria defined by Life’s Essential 8. The researchers found that average life expectancy at 50 years of age was prolonged by 5.2 and 6.3 years in men and women with ideal CVH, respectively, compared with their counterparts with poor CVH.

Individuals with ideal CVH scores also had more years of life free of major chronic conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dementia, and cancer, than those with poor CVH. Specifically, men and women with ideal CVH were expected to spend 75.9{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} and 83.4{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}, respectively, of their lives in good health, whereas their male and female counterparts with poor CVH were expected to spend 64.9{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} and 69.4{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of their lives free of chronic disease.

Previous studies have shown that low socioeconomic status is associated with lower disease-free life expectancy. In the present study, researchers found that maintaining ideal cardiovascular health helped reduce the impact of low socioeconomic status on disease-free life expectancy.

The second study examined the impact of maintaining ideal cardiovascular health on potential improvements in life expectancy due to a decrease in cardiovascular deaths. The study analyzed data from 23,000 adults participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2005 and 2018. Using a national death registry, the researchers determined that 1,359 participants died during the average follow-up period of 7.8 years.

Consistent with the first study, participants with ideal cardiovascular health had longer life expectancies than individuals with poor cardiovascular health. Specifically, the life expectancy of men and women with ideal CVH at 50 years of age was an average of 7.5 years and 8.9 years, respectively, longer than their counterparts with poor CVH.

Notably, 41.8{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} and 44.1{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of the increase in life expectancy at 50 years of age in men and women with ideal CVH scores, respectively, could be attributed to a decline in deaths due to cardiovascular disease. Among ethnic groups, the CVH score was also associated with longer life expectancy in White and Black Americans, but not Mexican Americans.

Both studies also had a few limitations. Dr. Ma noted that the data on lifestyle factors such as diet and sleep patterns from the NHANES database were self-reported and hence, prone to errors. Moreover, the metrics used to measure cardiovascular health in both studies were assessed only at baseline, but not during the follow-up period.

Medical News Today also spoke with Dr. Alexandra Lajoie, a noninvasive cardiologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA, who was not involved in the study.

“The results of these studies are not surprising. Research continues to show us that healthy lifestyle interventions are good for health outcomes, and often are even more important than prescription medications.”

Dr. Lajoie said it is possible to reverse some of the effects of not living a heart-healthy lifestyle earlier in life, but it’s better to consistently maintain a lifestyle that’s beneficial to one’s health.

“Of course the ideal would be to follow healthy habits from the start, but starting exercise, getting better sleep, and maintaining a healthybody weight improves blood pressure and blood sugar, and consequently reduces cardiovascular event risk, for decades beyond age 50,” she explained. “Quitting smoking is the best [thing] to improve heart health. After that it’s maintaining a regular exercise routine.

January 9, 2023

Hydration may be key to a longer life, lower risk of chronic disease

A middle aged male wearing exercise clothes drinks a bottle of water outside — Higher levels of serum sodium are an indicator of dehydration, which may lead to chronic disease and premature death, according to a recent study. Guille Faingold/Stocksy

A recent study hypothesized that optimal hydration may contribute to healthy aging in humans.
Researchers looked at levels of serum sodium in the body as an indicator of hydration.
The findings show that higher levels of serum sodium during middle age may contribute to the development of chronic disease and possibly premature death.
Further studies are still needed to determine the link between hydration and aging.
The correct amount of water a person should drink to stay hydrated may vary depending on their health and age.

A new study from researchers at the U.S. National Institute of Health (NIH) reports that middle-aged people who have higher serum sodium levels in their blood are more likely to experience poor health and a higher risk of early mortality.

Serum sodium levels may become elevated when a person has not consumed enough fluids. Healthy serum sodium levels range from 135–145 milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L).

The most usual cause for high sodium levels is insufficient water intake.

In addition, researchers found that participants with low serum sodium levels (less than 142 mEq/L) had up to a 50{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} increased risk of being older than their chronological age.

The findings of the study were recently published in eBioMedicine.

Researchers at the NIH’s Laboratory of Cardiovascular Medicine performed a cohort analysis of data from the 1985–2021 Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study (ARIC).

At the time of enrollment, ARIC’s participants ranged from 45 to 66 years old. The study’s 15,752 participants were followed for 25 years.

For the new study, serum sodium served as a proxy for water consumption since high levels closely align with hypohydration or water insufficiency.

Natalia I. Dmitrieva, Ph.D., lead study author and NIH researcher in Bethesda, MD, told Medical News Today the study was motivated by earlier research from the authors, which showed that lifelong hypohydration “accelerated degenerative changes and shortened lifespan” in mice.

Dr. Dmitrieva explained that water-restricted mice lived 6 months less than sufficiently hydrated mice — this is about the equivalent of shortening a human lifespan by 15 years.

Recently developed biomarkers for measuring aging in humans made confirming these outcomes in humans possible, Dr. Dmitrieva noted. These include blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and other indicators that reveal how well a person’s cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic, renal, and immune systems are functioning.

The original mouse findings are mirrored in the new study’s conclusion.

“Our study suggests that long-term habitual hypohydration increases the risk of developing chronic diseases later in life and dying at a younger age,” Dr. Dmitrieva said.

While conventional wisdom recommends 8 glasses of water — 64 ounces — each day, this amount is not sufficiently supported by evidence.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the optimal amount of water a person should consume daily depends on the individual.

Among young adults and middle-aged people, the average amount of water intake varies by age:

For ages 20-39, the CDC suggests an average of 51 ounces daily.
For ages 40-59, 43 ounces of water per day is the average.

Michelle Routhenstein, MS, RD, CDE, CDN, a heart health dietitian at Entirely Nourished in New York, not involved in the study, told MNT that some people may require less water than the average recommendations.

For instance, if people who have heart failure “drink too much water, it can cause fluid build up in the body, and contribute to shortness of breath,” Routhenstein said.

People with kidney failure, she added, may also drink less water since their kidneys are less equipped to maintain a balance of fluid in their bodies.

In contrast, some individuals may require more water, such as those with a higher body mass index (BMI).

But for many people, it’s also possible to consume too much water.

“When you drink too much water, your kidneys cannot get rid of the excess, and it can cause hyponatremia, a dilution of sodium in your blood, which can be a life threatening event,” Routhenstein said.

Dr. Dmitrieva noted that coffee, tea, and electrolyte beverages can count toward your hydration goals, “but generally, they should not be your main hydration source.”

“Choosing plain water or adding cucumber, lemon, or lime is most advisable as your main source of hydration for optimal heart health,” Dr. Dmitrieva said.

She added that water-rich foods, in which 90{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} or more of their content is water, are also good options. Hydrating foods include watermelon, cucumber, and strawberries.

“Oral rehydration involves more than just drinking water,” Dr. M. Ramin Modabber, an orthopedic surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles, not involved in the study, told MNT.

Dr. Modabber, who served as medical director for the Tour of California road cycling race, noted that when a person is exerting themselves, they lose sugars and electrolytes, which need to be replenished.

In addition to water and sports drinks, he recommended coconut water, pickle juice, electrolyte-infused waters or electrolyte tablets, homemade electrolyte drinks, smoothies, fruit juices, or Pedialyte.

“Hydration is important for all ages, and a population survey finds that about 50{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of people do not drink recommended amounts, including children,” Dr. Dmitrieva said.

“This percent is even higher for older people, who tend to drink less because thirst sensation deteriorates as we get older.”

Dr. Dmitrieva suggested the best way to stay adequately hydrated is to keep track of how much fluid you drink each day. She advised that people take special care to drink enough in hot environments or when engaging in intensive sports activities.

“Weekend warriors [and] athletes demonstrate a wide variability in baseline physiology, overall health status, medical conditions, injuries, training regimens, and other factors,” Dr. Modabber added.

He recommended being vigilant for signs of dehydration, characterizing the most obvious and concerning symptoms as being “[reduced] sweat response, mental status changes, and decreased or absent urine output.”

“Pay particular attention to pre-hydration — ‘topping off the tank’ before endurance activities,” Dr. Modabber said.

November 22, 2022

Having a purpose may help you live longer, healthier

Close up image of a clay dish being painted purple — A new study demonstrates that living with purpose is linked to longevity among older grownups across race, ethnicity, and gender. Ezequiel Giménez/Stocksy

A sense of function can drive healthful actions and make a person a lot more resilient to strain.
Prior study has shown that acquiring a perception of purpose is linked with residing more time.
A new review exhibits this association is real for older grownups throughout race, ethnicity, and gender.
In accordance to the conclusions, the hyperlink concerning a sturdy feeling of objective and longevity is also somewhat far more major for girls.

A developing physique of proof implies that residing with objective might support you are living for a longer period.

Not long ago, researchers wondered whether this influence would use equally across genders, ethnicities, and races.

This was the aim of a new examine led by Dr. Koichiro Shiba, assistant professor at Boston University’s Faculty of Community Overall health in Massachusetts.

According to the final results, possessing a function lowers the threat of all brings about of mortality, irrespective of gender, race, or ethnicity, but the consequences were additional pronounced amid ladies.

The study was just lately published in Preventative Medication.

Previous research has discovered powerful associations involving having a sense of reason in life and better longevity.

For the current analyze, the researchers analyzed a assorted, huge, and nationwide sample of more mature adults in the United States, wanting for associations involving a perception of purpose and mortality throughout gender, race, and ethnicity.

The data arrived from 13,159 older people about the age of 50 who experienced participated in the longitudinal Well being and Retirement Examine sponsored by the Nationwide Institute on Aging and the Social Protection Administration. Right after an 8-calendar year follow-up period of time, 3,253 of the participants, 24.7{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}, experienced died.

The examination uncovered that individuals with the strongest feeling of function decreased their threat of loss of life by 15.2{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} in contrast to folks with the minimum feeling of goal. The benefits showed no substantial variations in this association regardless of the participants’ race or ethnicity.

The results also showed that goal was a lot more strongly associated with longevity in girls than adult men, whilst it furnished a significant gain for both of those.

The scientists identified that women decreased their hazard of all-cause mortality by 34{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}, when compared to gentlemen, whose possibility was lowered by 20{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}.

Dr. Stephanie Hooker, a study investigator at Wellbeing Partners Institute in Bloomington, MN, not concerned in the analyze, spelled out to Clinical News Right now:

“A sense of function in existence is the extent to which someone feels that their lifestyle has course and has final goals. A sturdy perception of purpose in existence will appear unique across various individuals. Some folks may want to contribute to their local community, for others, it would be to be thriving in their job, and for other people, it may be to just take treatment of their households.”

But for the uses of the new review, a extra technological definition of intent was needed.

In accordance to Dr. Shiba, the researchers made use of a submodule of Ryff’s Psychological Wellbeing Scale to evaluate purpose in their examine.

“Specifically, this submodule is composed of 7 products these as, ‘I have a perception of way and function in lifetime,’ ‘My day by day things to do typically seem trivial and unimportant to me,’ [and] ‘I really do not have a good sense of what it is I’m trying to attain in life,’” Dr. Shiba explained to MNT.

It is properly-documented that tension can negatively impact a selection of body devices, which indicates remaining ready to take care of worry is a key skill in maintaining in general wellness.

Dr. Patrick L. Hill, a researcher specializing in nutritious ageing and an associate professor of psychological and mind sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, MO, not involved in the review, explained to MNT:

“Our [own] get the job done has demonstrated that persons higher on sense of goal report much less reactivity to their everyday stressors and appear to be a lot less possible to be stress filled or nervous in the facial area of ambiguous gatherings in their life. Presumably, these outcomes come about due to the fact people are equipped to target on the significant picture instead than get distressed by each day concerns.”

Dr. Hooker added that prior investigate has revealed that people with increased reason also have interaction in additional overall health-advertising behaviors.

“For illustration, they engage in physical activity, are less possible to smoke, and use far more preventive treatment services (e.g., viewing a doctor for once-a-year screening),” Dr. Hill defined.

Continue to, it is not yet identified no matter whether these characteristics can support a particular person stay longer, but it is probable some combination of them.

Thinking about the more powerful gains amongst females who dwell with objective, Dr. Shiba noted:

“Our speculation is that the end result may possibly be attributable to gender distinction in the use of health care companies, which is one particular of the postulated pathways linking intent and health and fitness.”

One more theory could be that other investigate demonstrates that males are much more unwilling to consult medical professionals and other healthcare pros about their health and fitness issues as opposed to ladies.

Dr. Hill spelled out that his prior investigate has proven that caregivers might see their cherished types or getting old family members customers as fewer purposeful and directed, which might condition how they treatment for and interact with them.

“A most important place from our exploration is that caregivers should really avoid underestimating how purposeful their [loved ones] are,” Dr. Hill mentioned.

Dr. Hill suggested that caregivers request their loved kinds about their daily life route and persuade them to take into consideration how they may possibly keep a perception of purpose, notably in the experience of opportunity overall health fears.

“Caregivers can assist [their loved ones] find something to dwell for,” Dr. Hooker mentioned. “That may possibly be contributing to the household, home, or local community in a significant way.”

“However, it doesn’t have to have to be a massive task. For case in point, as explained in Atul Gawande’s e book ‘Becoming Mortal,’ nursing residence sufferers lived lengthier if they were given a plant to care for,” Dr. Hooker extra.

Posted on September 2, 2022
Regular exercise may help women live longer, regardless of their genes

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California researchers found that physical activity of any intensity may lower the risk of death in women older than 60, regardless of their genetic propensity for longevity. Rob and Julia Campbell/Stocksy

Health experts state that staying active can contribute to healthy aging in older adults.

California researchers found that physical activity of any intensity may lower the risk of death in women older than 60 years.

Their nationwide study also uncovered more evidence that more sedentary behaviors carry greater mortality risk, regardless of genetic propensity for longevity.

The authors hope these findings will encourage older women to be active to reduce the risk of diseases and premature death.

In the United States, the National Center for Health Statistics estimates the life expectancies of males and females are 74.5 years and 80.2 years, respectively. For healthy aging, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that physical activity is key.

To find out whether physical activity had an advantage over genetics in promoting longevity, researchers at the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science at the University of California San Diego and other institutions conducted a nationwide study.

After analyzing health data of more than 5,000 older postmenopausal women, the researchers found that higher levels of light, moderate, or vigorous physical activity correlated with a lower risk of all-cause deaths. The findings expanded on prior studies that have shown that more sedentary time carries greater health risks.

These associations persisted across varying levels of genetic potential for living longer.

“[The] findings support the importance of higher physical activity (PA) and lower sedentary time (ST) for reducing mortality risk in older women, regardless of [their] genetic predisposition for longevity,” the researchers wrote.

Their prospective study was recently published in the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity.

From 2012 to 2020, the UC San Diego researchers analyzed data on the physical activity of more than 5,000 ambulatory women ages 63 and older.

Lead author Alexander Posis, MPH, a doctoral student in the San Diego State University/UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health, explained the significance of the OPACH study to Medical News Today:

“Our study used pre-existing data from the Objective Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Health (OPACH) study, which is part of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) that started in the early 1990s because women had not been included in many epidemiologic studies and clinical trials.”

– Alexander Posis, MPH, lead author of the study

The OPACH study focused on associations between physical activity, cardiovascular disease, and injury risks. The data generated allowed researchers to look at physical activity and the risk of mortality, cancers, cognitive decline, and physical disability as well.

Other research using the OPACH study found associations with physical activity (PA), sedentary time (ST), and mortality during an average follow-up of 3 years. However, no one had explored any possible genetic influence on these associations.

The UC San Diego study aimed to use a follow-up of 6 years and adjust the results with a “weighted genetic risk score (GRS) for longevity.”

Activity, variants, and covariates

OPACH participants wore an accelerometer 24 hours per day for 7 consecutive days.

The device measured the amount of time the women spent moving or being still and the intensity of any activity.

The researchers defined total PA “as movement resulting in energy expenditure.” They categorized PA intensity and ST minutes using predetermined cut points applied to the accelerometer counts.

Choosing longevity genes

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have linked multiple single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), or genetic variants, to longevity.

The UC San Diego cohort developed a weighted GRS based on three SNPs strongly associated with long life. This metric compared survival to age 90 versus death before age 90.

Covariates and comorbidities

Covariates, or characteristics among the study’s participants, included age, education level, body mass index (BMI), self-reported health status, and other details. Participants’ race was also a factor but was limited to white, Black, and Hispanic ethnicities.

The study also analyzed chronic conditions present before or after participation, including cancer, depression, frequent falls, and cardiovascular disease.

Of the 5,446 women in the present study’s sample, 1,022 passed away during follow-up.

The authors determined that 36{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of the total population had a high GRS, 33.1{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} had a medium GRS, and 30.9{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} had a low GRS for longevity.

The researchers firstly found that physical activity, of light or moderate-to-vigorous intensity, was associated with a lower risk of death while higher ST was associated with a higher risk of death. Interestingly, these associations persisted regardless of one’s genetic predisposition for longevity.

Interestingly, the low-GRS individuals were younger, more active, and had higher physical functioning scores than the other GRS groups. Those with low GRS were also “more likely to be of Black race/ethnicity than the medium and high GRS groups.”

“Our study showed that, even if you aren’t likely to live long based on your genes, you can still extend your lifespan by engaging in positive lifestyle behaviors such as regular exercise and sitting less,” Aladdin H. Shadyab, PhD, the study’s senior author and assistant professor at the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, said in a news release.

Historically, women have been significantly underrepresented in clinical trials. Using data from the OPACH study was a step forward in inclusive research.

However, the resulting lack of male participation created a limitation on the UC San Diego study’s findings.

“Based on the design of our study, we were not able to make any inferences on men. But we hope that future studies will examine these associations in study cohorts that include men as well as those in younger age groups,” Posis told MNT.

Dr. Scott Kaiser, a geriatrician and director of Geriatric Cognitive Health for the Pacific Neuroscience Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA, told MNT the work is a “well-done study [… with] a lot of great data.” However, he cautioned that the current study is an association study and not designed to prove causality.

“I think this just supports an increasing amount of evidence that our genes are not our destiny […] It shows that there is a stronger association between longevity with physical activity than [with] genetics,” Dr. Kaiser said.

Noting that the present study focused on only certain markers of longevity, Dr. Kaiser added that researchers need to determine other such factors. For instance, he said that the SNPs used to calculate the GRS were more common among people of European ancestry.

Is ‘sedentary’ a misnomer?

Dr. Kaiser said the term “sedentary time” might not be appropriate. It does not account for people who are unable to walk but can still engage in other physical activities such as chair exercises.

“It’s whether you just have some consistent physical activity versus somebody who’s overall physically inactive,” he said.

Dr. Kaiser hopes the public will understand that genetics do not trump a healthy lifestyle for reducing disease and mortality risk.

“When it comes to healthy aging, exercise is about the closest thing we have to a miracle drug,” he said.

“The whole take of this [study] is that even if you could go to your doctor and get a fancy genetic test to see whether or not you have markers of longevity, it doesn’t matter as much as whether you get up off the couch and exercise on a regular basis.”

– Dr. Scott Kaiser, geriatrician and director of Geriatric Cognitive Health for the Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica, CA

Posted on February 25, 2022
Rimac explains why Bugatti no longer fits within VW

What has been the monetary toll of the chip crisis?

For a ingredient that’s possibly truly worth $1, we would pay out maybe $10 or $20 or $50 — and in some circumstances even $100 — for a chip just to avoid stopping the output. It has been a enormous problem. We have experienced to modify a several styles and adjust some components on the automobiles just for the reason that we could not get the chips and processors.

Is Bugatti successful? If not, what’s the essential to getting there? If it is earning income, how will you make it even a lot more profitable?

Bugatti actually has been really profitable and successful in the last handful of years. The preceding CEO [Stephan Winkelmann] did a seriously great occupation and remaining me a very good company to keep on setting up on. So, profitability was not definitely the difficulty for Volkswagen. The issue was, what will come subsequent? Since if you glimpse at Bugatti, it truly is all based on the W-16 motor, which is just about two many years old. It is an wonderful powerplant that designed the hypercar company. The simplest factor for us would be to get the Nevera and slam a Bugatti symbol on it and phone it a working day. But I was from it. I’m an electric car guy, but a Bugatti need to continue to have a combustion motor for some time. But it will be made in a way that is fiscally feasible. We have developed all the things in the Nevera from scratch. You will not come across a person piece in that automobile that you can find on one more motor vehicle, and we have accomplished that on a shoestring finances when compared to what, for example, Volkswagen has invested in the Chiron. We will do the same for potential Bugattis, producing seriously remarkable merchandise that are not similar with anything else on the industry, but without the need of expending billions on them. Which is genuinely the key. Also, Bugatti is absolutely offered out right until 2025. This is an very great position to be in.

What sort of powertrain will the Bugatti you produce from scratch have?

It will be seriously electrified, but we’ll have a pretty attractive combustion motor. When persons see the upcoming-era Bugatti, I believe they will be shocked that I was pushing for a thing like that for the reason that men and women associate me with electric cars. But I have always been a effectiveness dude and a motor vehicle freak. Thinking about the model and the clients and the technological innovation obtainable, I feel that we are acquiring the finest doable resolution for Bugatti, which is not an electrical vehicle right now. It will be a person day, but not now.

Rimac is opening an R&D center around Zagreb that you say will not have fences. What’s the fundamental concept?

Perhaps 15 to 20 yrs back, if you asked an engineer: “What is actually your dream position?” The engineer would have most likely mentioned: “Performing for BMW or Mercedes.” Now, I am not actually positive that is the situation. So, the problem is: Why do you need to have fences? Are unable to you, when you make a facility from scratch, make it awesome and nevertheless safeguard the issues you want to secure without the need of excluding persons? It really is about how you require the local community and the surroundings. We have young ones driving all over here with their little bicycles, on the lookout at how we do issues. I would truly feel terrible if we had to exclude them. We want to be part of the community and also make this the most effective possible place for employees. They shouldn’t have to announce if a buddy or their kid is coming in excess of. We are really open up as a organization, so the things that you want to defend, these as a style for a car or truck that will appear out in 5 decades, we protect.

How many supercars has Rimac manufactured given that currently being started and how will that adjust with the opening of the new facility, the addition of the Nevera and the addition of Bugatti to Rimac Team?

When we showed our 1st car, the Principle 1, at the 2011 Frankfurt automobile motor demonstrate, we ended up eight to 10 folks. We were being super little and had really minimal funding. We designed 8 of these cars. Now we have moved into the next stage with the Nevera. We just commenced producing the consumer autos. There will be 150 of those, or 50 for each yr. We are also developing 80 Bugattis a calendar year. The blended volumes of Rimac and Bugatti make it by much the largest participant in the hypercar industry. We are conversing about hundreds of thousands and thousands in revenues there.

Together with making hypercars, Rimac Team has created Rimac Know-how for your components business. What is the system there?

When I began the business, I wished to build supercars, but I figured out traders don’t genuinely want to make investments in that and the profits will arrive several years and yrs down the highway, because it requires a good deal of time to establish the car or truck. How do you survive until finally then? We begun working for other car or truck companies. In all those early days, we have been undertaking one thing like 200 batteries for Koenigsegg, 150 for the Aston Martin Valkyrie. Individuals form of items. Right now, we are doing work on initiatives where by we are producing batteries in the tens of hundreds and increasing that to hundreds of countless numbers models per calendar year for a major car firms. It really is not just batteries, but also powertrains, e-axles and infotainment techniques.

Rimac has absent from a handful of people today to additional than 1,000. What is actually future?

We realize now that even just before the very first human being moves into our new campus [near Zagreb] we will have outgrown it. We are previously imagining about campus No. 2 and No. 3 or building a megacampus due to the fact we are increasing so rapidly. We have a tiny factory below [near Zagreb] and another five minutes absent. We have two other spots for creation. We have a number of areas for workplaces. That is a single of the increasing pains, currently being scattered all over. You are unable to think about how a great deal energy the team and I put in enjoying a form of Tetris with all of these areas. It’s so inefficient.

What is actually the option, making ready to improve to 10,000?

Just one matter also that I have learned is to stay clear of building predictions for the reason that if I notify you now that we will have 10,000 workforce, that is a enormous promise to keep. Instances at times transform. But if you don’t do exactly what you mentioned a few several years back, individuals will trample on you and say you are a liar. What I can say is that I experienced an all-palms enterprise conference in advance of Xmas and I showed them a new plan. I instructed them, “I know it appears to be completely crazy, but that is the program.” And record has proven us that we realize our objectives.

What have been the most tough parts about making an vehicle business from scratch in Croatia?

It is really just 12 a long time, but it feels like quite a few lifetimes. Likely from a garage to today with 1,500 individuals in a number of nations was a wild ride. In Croatia you you should not have any industrial buildings. I seemed at each individual creating all around right here — even ridiculous items like the outdated airport and some outdated factories that ended up carrying out one thing totally different. As a result, you have to do every little thing your self. You consider an aged purchasing middle and convert it into a manufacturing unit or construct it from ground up. And finding hundreds of chairs or laptops or whichever, that is the obstacle in this article. Not just mainly because of pandemic. We have normally had that issue. Finding expertise has also been challenging for the reason that no one had any encounter in producing, provide chains and so on. It was very hard. But I questioned myself: Would it have been a good deal easier somewhere else? Almost certainly, certainly, but probably we wouldn’t have been about. I guess all of the struggles and anything that we went through had to be just the way it was for us to nonetheless be all-around.

What about the most significant obstacle from a enterprise standpoint?

I would say it was keeping the corporation alive, be it as a result of fund-elevating or lender financial loans or buyer projects. That was my concentration most of the time. That has not been the major issue in the very last few of years due to the fact we have major, major companions. But we are not in excess of the edge or out of the Death Valley of companies however.

Posted on November 6, 2021
Is moderate drinking really linked to a longer life?

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Does moderate alcohol use reduce mortality risk? Rafa Elias/Getty Images

A new study contradicts previous findings that link moderate alcohol consumption to health benefits and a longer life.

The researchers found that those who abstain from alcohol may have a higher mortality rate because of risky behaviors in which they engaged earlier in life.

The study also shows that people who abstain from alcohol and who have no other risk factors, such as smoking or poor self-reported health, are not statistically more likely to die at an early age than those with low to moderate alcohol intake.

Some recent studies have linked moderate alcohol consumption to health benefits, such as lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Other studies tout potential health benefits of drinking wine and tequila.

However, results of a new study from the University of Greifswald in Germany contradict the idea of drinking alcohol to protect health.

Earlier studies have shown an increased mortality risk in people who abstain from alcohol, compared with individuals who consume low to moderate alcohol amounts. However, the authors of the recent study chalk this up to risky behaviors that people abstaining from alcohol engaged in earlier in their lives.

The study appears in the journal PLOS Medicine.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), in 2019, 85.6{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of individuals in the United States aged 18 years or older reported that they had consumed an alcoholic beverage at one time in their life.

The NIAAA also reports that 14.5 million people in the U.S. aged 12 years or older are living with alcohol use disorder (AUD). According to the NIAAA, AUD is “characterized by an impaired ability to stop or control alcohol use despite adverse social, occupational, or health consequences.”

The NIAAA also notes that about 95,000 people in the U.S. die each year from alcohol-related causes. This makes alcohol the third largest preventable cause of death in the country.

Previous research suggests that people drinking alcohol in moderation live longer than those who do not consume it. Another, older study concludes that men who drink moderate amounts of alcohol have a higher life expectancy than individuals who drink alcohol occasionally or heavily.

Prof. Dr. Ulrich John and his team believe their research shows that the lower life expectancy for those who do not drink alcohol compared with those who do can be due to other high risk factors.

This contradicts the idea that consuming low to moderate amounts of alcohol confers health benefits.

“It is a problem […] that medical students and patients are given the advice that it might [improve] health if they drink low to moderate amounts of alcohol,” Dr. John told Medical News Today.

“For many years, epidemiological data seemed to reveal that low to moderate alcohol consumers live longer than alcohol abstainers. This was the scientific base for the attitude in medical care that alcohol consumption might support health, in particular cardiovascular health.”

“In the last few years, more and more shortcomings of the former research became known,” Dr. John continued. “So, we tried to prove what kind of subgroups are among the abstainers, subgroups perhaps with risk factors that might explain the seemingly higher likelihood to die early compared with low to moderate drinkers.”

During the study, Dr. John and his team examined data from a random sample of 4,028 German adults who had taken part in previous interviews. The original interviews included questions from a standardized AUD identification test and took place between 1996 and 1997. At the time, the participants were between the ages of 18 and 64 years.

The interview included questions about alcohol use over the 12 months preceding the interview, followed by questions regarding any risky behaviors the participants may have engaged in earlier in their lives, such as:

former dependence on alcohol or drugs

risky alcohol drinking

daily smoking

The participants also ranked their overall health using categories ranging from poor to excellent.

The researchers found that 447 (11.1{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}) participants had not consumed any alcohol in the 12 months before the interviews in 1996–1997. Of those, 405 (90.6{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}) used to drink alcohol, and 322 (72.04{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}) had engaged in at least one of the listed risky behaviors.

Of the 322 with one or more risk factors, 114 (35.4{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}) had experienced AUD. Also, 161 (50{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}) did not have alcohol-related risk, but they smoked daily.

Additionally, Dr. John and his team obtained data on whether the participants had died 20 years after the original interviews.

When examining the mortality rates of the study participants, the researchers observed that 119 (26.6{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}) of the 447 people abstaining from alcohol had passed away 20 years after the initial interview. Also, 248 (11.26{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}) of the 2,203 participants who drank low to moderate amounts of alcohol in the 12 months before the interview had also passed away by the 20-year mark.

However, the scientists found that both those who never drank alcohol and those who abstained in the 12 months prior to the study and had no previous risk factors did not have a higher rate of death than those who drank low to moderate amounts of alcohol.

The research team also observed a direct correlation between smoking tobacco and additional alcohol-related risk. They conclude that smoking may encourage alcohol use.

Dr. John and his team conclude that their results show that people abstaining from alcohol will not usually have a higher mortality risk than those who consume low to moderate amounts.

Any perceived increase in mortality risk is likely to be due to lifestyle factors preceding abstinence or because of smoking tobacco.

“Our findings add one piece to the growing evidence that low to moderate alcohol drinking should not be recommended for health reasons,” Dr. John said.

MNT also spoke with NIAAA Director Dr. George Koob about the research and what implications it may have on further recommendations concerning drinking alcohol for health benefits.

“There is no reason to recommend drinking alcohol for health benefits,” he said. “To minimize the risks of harm, we recommend that adults who choose to drink stay within the guidelines for moderate consumption in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which recommend up to one drink per day for women or two for men.”

“Keep in mind there are still some health risks associated with drinking at moderate levels, including an increase in the risk of breast cancer beginning at one drink per day for women. Decisions about drinking alcohol should be made knowing the risks involved.”

– Dr. George Koob

Moreover, Dr. John told MNT that the research may shed light on how former alcohol use can still impact a person’s health, regardless of whether they abstain later in life:

“Our study is one of the very few that asked for details [about the] former life of the abstainers, details that may be known risk factors for early death. Our study is perhaps the only one so far that includes a standardized diagnosis of former alcohol or drug dependence, i.e., a severe health disorder that may explain short time to death.”

Dr. Koob agreed: “Yes, the findings support the fact that chronic excessive alcohol use can take a toll on the body. The good news is that an individual’s health and overall quality of life can be improved greatly with extended abstinence.”

What about the next steps for this research? “Research in the future should address the problem that low to moderate alcohol consumption may increase the likelihood of death,” Dr. John answered. “Even low amounts of alcohol might add to the likelihood of female breast cancer or hypertension, both very severe and prevalent health disorders in many general populations.”