Weekly roundup (28. July - 4. August)
Supplements & Medication
Taking high doses of statins like rosuvastatin or atorvastatin is backed by the strongest evidence for lowering LDL cholesterol and helping in the treatment and prevention of heart disease.
However, only about 21% of Americans get the minimum daily amount of physical activity, even though regular movement has proven health benefits.
Around 40% of U.S. adults live with metabolic syndrome (a mix of high blood pressure, high blood sugar, extra body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol levels). This condition brings a heart disease risk similar to already having had a heart attack or stroke.
The REDUCE-IT trial showed that adding icosapent ethyl (a purified form of omega-3 fatty acid) to high-potency statins lowered the chance of major heart-related problems by 25%, with a number needed to treat (NNT) of 21. In simpler terms, for every 21 people taking this treatment, one major cardiovascular event is prevented. [source]
Expanding the discussion from traditional therapies like statins and omega-3s, a massive global dataset of over 2 million stroke patients revealed a striking difference in survival rates for those taking Ozempic. Among 43,338 Ozempic users, only 5.26% died from stroke, compared to 21.61% of non-users. A separate dataset from the University of Wisconsin, which included 13,510 stroke patients, confirmed these findings: 5.26% of Ozempic users died from stroke versus 26.57% of non-users.
The benefits went beyond short-term survival. Ozempic users had a 77.5% chance of long-term survival after stroke, compared to just 30.95% for non-users. Additional studies on GLP-1 inhibitors (the class of drugs that includes Ozempic) linked them not only to a lower risk of stroke, but also to better outcomes after brain hemorrhages, including fewer cognitive problems, seizures, future brain bleeds, and deaths. This suggests that these medications could play a powerful role in protecting the brain. [source]
Shifting from brain protection to liver health, chronic liver disease (CLD) affects about 1.5 billion people worldwide and currently lacks treatments other than liver transplantation.
A 2025 study found that vitamin D supplementation can reduce liver inflammation and fibrosis by boosting levels of TXNIP (thioredoxin-interacting protein) in ductular cells.
In mice, Txnip deficiency worsened ductular reactions and raised levels of pro-inflammatory factors TNF-α and TGF-β, accelerating liver damage. By contrast, vitamin D increased Txnip expression in cholangiocytes 5.3-fold, helping protect against fibrosis and inflammation through the vitamin D/TXNIP molecular axis.
This suggests vitamin D as a promising therapeutic strategy for managing CLD. [source]
Continuing the theme of vitamin-based interventions for critical conditions, every year, sepsis affects about 49.5 million people worldwide and causes around 11 million deaths.
Scientists in Ghent showed in mice that vitamin B1 (thiamine pyrophosphate, TPP) can restore mitochondrial energy metabolism, drastically reduce lactate production, and increase survival rates in sepsis.
The study found that when vitamin B1 was combined with glucose, nearly all mice survived severe sepsis, because the body was able to safely turn glucose into energy instead of harmful lactic acid.
This research points to vitamin B1 deficiency as a major cause of deadly lactate buildup in sepsis, highlighting a powerful new potential treatment. [source]
Linking vitamin-based strategies for critical illness to mental health, researchers reviewed 209 clinical trials looking at 64 over-the-counter (OTC) products for depression in adults aged 18–60 years. This gives us a clearer picture of which supplements actually have evidence behind them.
The strongest support was found for omega-3s (39 trials), St John’s Wort (38 trials), probiotics (18 trials), vitamin D (14 trials), and saffron (18 trials). In fact, St John’s Wort and saffron often worked about as well as prescription antidepressants. Meanwhile, probiotics and vitamin D were more effective than a placebo at lowering depressive symptoms.
For those looking at newer options, 18 products showed early promise. Among them, folic acid, lavender, zinc, tryptophan, rhodiola, and lemon balm stood out as the most encouraging. These may be worth discussing with a healthcare provider as practical additions to daily life alongside professional treatment. [source]
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