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<ul class="summary-list"><li>There's new evidence that chemicals can migrate to human bodies via material like plastic containers.</li><li>It's not clear what the health risks may be, but at least a few of the chemicals are known hazards.</li></ul>New research suggests you're being exposed to thousands of chemicals, including hazardous substances, that can leach into the human body through food- and beverage-related material like <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/drinking-from-plastic-bottles-can-increase-diabetes-risk-new-research-2024-6">plastic bottles</a> and takeout containers.It's not a surprise that our environment is full of contaminants, like <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microplastics-penises-testicles-male-fertility-plastic-health-environment-2024-7">microplastics</a>, that can accumulate in our bodiesBut researchers in a recent study were taken aback by just how many chemicals in our everyday items can migrate into humans, and said it's "concerning" that we don't fully understand the risks.The researchers, led by scientists from a Swiss nonprofit called the Food Packaging Forum Foundation, looked at data on more than 14,000 food contact chemicals — substances in containers or other materials that touch what we eat and drink.The study, published September 17 in the <a target="_blank" href="https://affiliate.insider.com?h=98f40f9124eaa010f2a0a4c0fb4f3c1e59d87c00a6f65522c297e9b5c22824cf&amp;postID=66eae69769657a7deb42dbab&amp;postSlug=thousands-of-chemicals-entering-human-bodies-from-food-packaging-study-2024-9&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fs41370-024-00718-2">Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology</a>, explained that 25% of the chemicals they were studying — about 3,601 substances — showed up inside the human body, in samples including skin, hair, blood, breast milk, and fat tissue.That suggests manufacturing chemicals are migrating into our bodies from items we use to store, package, or cook our food. It's not just plastic either, since even paper or cardboard can contain substances like ink that can be problematic when it comes into contact with food.<h2 id="27fa7f62-8a96-4c1c-a5a6-1d66b9506469">Trying to understand the health risks</h2>Scientists are digging for clues to understand the impact of these chemicals on long-term health.Some of these chemicals are known to be dangerous, including <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-causes-cancer-food-products-that-increase-your-cancer-risk-2018-3">carcinogens (cancer-causing) substances</a> and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-avoid-toxic-chemical-phthalates-in-food-makeup-toiletries-2021-10">toxins</a> linked to hormone and reproductive problems.One such category is called PFAs (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), known as "<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chart-how-long-hazardous-forever-chemicals-pfas-stay-in-blood-2023-3">forever chemicals</a>" because they linger and accumulate in our bodies and in the water and soil. PFAs exposure is linked to some cancers, liver damage, and more, as well as possible developmental defects in children.Other hazardous chemicals the study found in food and our bodies include <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/health/diet-nutrition/what-is-bpa">BPA</a> (a toxic ingredient in packaging linked to hormone problems) and heavy metals that can cause harm to our DNA.And there's a lot we don't know about many of the other chemicals found in human samples, including whether they might be harmful or what, if any, amount is safe.The actual number of chemicals we're exposed to through food and drinks could also be much higher than the 3,601 estimated in the study, according to the researchers.<h2 id="5746f6cb-2471-495d-9d89-a8d0cff3dc10">Putting limits on chemical exposure</h2>This same team of researchers previously published a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28893723/">study</a> that found government regulations aren't doing much to prevent chemical exposure.While there are some existing rules — such as <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/epa-hazardous-forever-chemicals-drinking-water-limits-2024-4">limits on PFAs in drinking water</a> — legislation is slow to keep up with the latest science, and sometimes too vague to enforce. Plus, there's so much we don't know about potential risks of chemicals that haven't been studied as closely.The new study is one crucial step in understanding how chemicals in our environment (and in our food) could affect our health long-term, and how we might be able to reduce the risks in the future."This work highlights the fact that food contact materials are not fully safe, even though they may comply with regulations, because they transfer known hazardous chemicals into people," Jane Muncke, senior author of the study, environmental toxicology expert, and managing director at the Food Packaging Forum, said in a press release."We would like this new evidence base to be used for improving the safety of food contact materials — both in terms of regulations but also in the development of safer alternatives," Muncke said.

Food packaging chemicals are seeping into human bodies — here's what that means for your health

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The effects of poisonous gases that leaked from the <keyword id="23933468" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Carbide" source="keywords">Union Carbide</keyword> factory in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal 40 years ago were seen in the next generations of those who survived the tragedy, a former government forensic doctor has said. At least 3,787 people were killed, and more than five lakh were affected after a toxic gas leaked from the pesticide factory in the city on the intervening nights of December 2 and 3, 1984. Speaking at an event held by organisations of gas tragedy survivors on Saturday, Dr. D. K Satpathy, former head of the forensics department of Bhopal's Gandhi Medical College, said he performed 875 post-mortems on the first day of the disaster and witnessed 18,000 autopsies the next five years. Sathpathy claimed Union Carbide had denied questions about the effects of poisonous gases on unborn children of women survivors and said effects would not cross the placental barrier in the womb in any condition. He said blood samples of pregnant women who died in the tragedy were examined, and it was found that 50% of the poisonous substances found in the mother were also found in the child in her womb. Children born to surviving mothers had the poisonous substances in their system, and this affected the health of the next generation, Sathpathy claimed and questioned why research on this was stopped. Such effects will continue for generations, he said. Satpathy said it was said that MIC gas leaked from the Union Carbide plant, and when it came in contact with water, thousands of gases were formed, and some of these caused cancer, blood pressure, and liver damage. Rachna Dhingra of <keyword id="24137747" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bhopal-Group-for-Information-and-Action" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Bhopal Group for Information and Action" meta.hostid="83" meta.entityid="Bhopal Group for Information and Action">Bhopal Group for Information and Action</keyword> said Satpathy, who carried out most autopsies, and other first responders in the 1984 disaster, including the senior doctors in the emergency ward and persons involved in mass burials, narrated their experiences during the event. Rashida Bee, president of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh, said a poster exhibition covering every aspect of the disaster will be held till December 4 to mark the 40th anniversary of the tragedy. An anniversary rally will be organised, with a focus on global corporate crimes such as <keyword id="20335495" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="industrial-pollution" source="keywords">industrial pollution</keyword> and climate change, she said.

Bhopal gas tragedy: Effects of leak seen in next generation of survivors, says ex-forensic doctor

Facilitate your liver's health: 10 nourishing foods to fight fatty liver

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Dr. Donald Chalfin is an ICU physician.</li><li>He was diagnosed with liver disease and needed a transplant.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Dr. Donald Chalfin, an internist, and director of external engagements and collaborations for diagnostics with Siemens-Heathineers. It has been edited for length and clarity.In March 2018, I was excited to leave my <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/san-francisco-bay-area-misconceptions-silicon-valley-what-its-like-2019-9">Bay Area home</a> for a work trip. But my wife refused to take me to the airport unless I agreed to go to the hospital for a blood test first.We had both noticed that I had concerning symptoms over the past few months. I was itchy, and my <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/woman-yellow-eyes-abdominal-pain-diagnosed-stomach-cancer-symptoms-2022-12">skin was yellow</a>, which I recognized as jaundice. I'm an internist who works in the intensive care unit, and my wife is a pediatrician and public health physician. I was still firmly in denial despite my medical training, but she couldn't ignore the obvious anymore. So, we went to the lab on the way to the airport.<div type="image" title="Donald Chalfin and his wife at the beach" height="3024" width="4032" msid="110919400" hostid="261" sizebytes="942790"></div>I tried my best to convince myself I was fine. Getting sick was something that happened to my patients, not me. But in the airport I <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/health-tests-you-should-get-in-20s-2018-11">checked my lab results</a>. Unlike most patients, I didn't need to consult Google. I knew immediately something was very wrong.<h2 id="636e1f2e-ce0b-480f-8073-30c413ced20a">I needed a liver transplant, which could have been avoided</h2>My labs weren't just mildly concerning. They were abnormal enough that I knew I was in danger. After my short trip, I immediately reached out to my doctor, who sent me to see a specialist.I was soon diagnosed with decompensated cirrhosis, or <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/woman-dies-from-liver-failure-after-taking-herbal-supplements-2022-9">liver failure</a>, caused by metabolic-dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), which used to be called fatty liver disease. Two months later, I was diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma, a type of liver cancer that's common in people with liver failure.My condition may have been reversible if it were caught early, but because I put off taking care of myself, I <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/liver-transplant-organ-donor-list-process-uninsured-advice-2022-8">needed a liver transplant</a> to survive. I've learned that there's no sense in ignoring warning signs — "If you see something, say something" applies to your health, not just public safety.<h2 id="ad1a7bd4-ad9b-41df-a278-2af7e5e31571">I switched hospitals to get a transplant</h2>The medical center I was going to said I was too sick to get a transplant. That was absolutely terrifying to hear. I was only 58, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/woman-says-nurses-saved-her-sanity-while-son-was-hospitalized-2023-6">without a transplant</a>, I was nearing the end of my life.Luckily, my wife and I know a lot about the medical system in the US and just how byzantine it can be. That's especially true with the transplant system. Different regions set their own qualifications for who is eligible for a transplant.After my wife did research, we moved from the Bay Area to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-orleans-travel-guide-including-flights-accomodations-activities-restaurants-advisories">New Orleans in July</a>. The hospital in New Orleans cleared me to receive a transplant. It felt like my previous center was looking at the 100 reasons they shouldn't give me a transplant instead of the one reason they should. The New Orleans hospital took the opposite approach.That — along with my wife's advocacy — saved my life. I was approved for a transplant, and just two days later got a match.<h2 id="05e4dcfd-9891-4cba-9e22-f6e2d942279c">Being a patient made me a better doctor</h2>As a doctor, I'm used to being in control. As a patient, I had very little control. I lost my independence and felt vulnerable. Sometimes, laying in a hospital bed with even my clothes taken away, I felt I had no dignity.That experience made me a more compassionate doctor. Now, I realize that even seemingly small things, like nausea or a toothache, are really major to patients. They can ruin their whole day. I'll never brush off those concerns from my patients again.It took me about a year and a half to feel like myself again after the transplant. At one point, I was too sick to play my guitar or kayak, let alone care for others. Now, I'm back in the ICU and advocating for awareness about liver health. I'm lucky to be here and determined to help remove barriers to healthcare so that others can have the happy ending I did.

I'm an ICU doctor. When I needed a liver transplant I learned how vulnerable it is to be a patient.  

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Josh Brolin says he enjoys growing older because it helps him "mellow out."</li><li>The actor spoke to The Times about his tumultuous childhood and past alcohol addiction.</li></ul>After years of struggling with addiction, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/josh-brolin-sleeps-with-nicotine-pouches-in-mouth-zyn-2024-11">Josh Brolin</a> says he doesn't think that <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/simple-tests-show-how-well-aging-do-now-2024-10">aging</a> is a bad thing.In an interview with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/celebrity/article/josh-brolin-interview-life-memoir-childhood-cgstbxbp2">The Times</a> published on Saturday, Brolin spoke about how his perspective on life has changed as he's gotten older."I like getting older. It's like a great excuse to finally go, 'OK, just mellow out, you don't need to constantly spin,'" Brolin told The Times.The "Marvel" actor said that he had a tumultuous childhood and started dabbling with substance abuse at a young age, trying marijuana when he was 9 and taking LSD when he was 13.Brolin struggled with alcohol addiction as he got older.He finally got sober in 2013 after seeing his 99-year-old grandmother on her deathbed, the actor said. He paid his dying grandmother a visit after waking up hungover on the streets, and it made him realize that he had many more years to live."I knew that was going to be the last time I drank," Brolin said. It's been over a decade since the actor gave up drinking, and he says that he thinks life is better now."I love being sober. I have more fun," he said. "There's nothing that I go through that I am absolutely certain wouldn't be worse if I was drinking."According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, alcohol misuse cost the US $249 billion in 2010. Three-quarters of the total cost is related to binge drinking.Based on data from the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 28.9 million people aged 12 and older had Alcohol Use Disorder — colloquially referred to as alcoholism — in the past year.In 2020, researchers from the University of Southern California found that every gram of alcohol consumed a day <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/alcohol-every-day-ages-your-brain-quicker-17000-brain-scans-2020-1">aged the brain by about seven days</a>.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-can-happen-if-you-drink-too-much-alcohol-2018-4">Excessive drinking</a> can also contribute to weight gain, cause damage to the liver, and even weaken the immune system.According to the CDC, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/faqs.htm">drinking in moderation</a> consists of two drinks a day or less for men, and one drink a day or less for women.Gen Z seems to be taking note. The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-drinking-less-alcohol-bad-news-concert-venues-promoters-2023-6">younger generation says they are drinking less</a> than their predecessors: A <a target="_blank" href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/353858/alcohol-consumption-low-end-recent-readings.aspx">2021 Gallup survey</a> of 1,000 people found that only 6o% of those aged 18 to 34 said they drank alcohol, compared to 70% of people aged 35 to 54.A representative for Brolin did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by Business Insider outside regular hours.

Josh Brolin, 56, says he likes growing older because it helps him 'mellow out' amid his past struggles with addiction

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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Katie Coleman is a patient advocate and nonprofit founder of the Chromophobe and Oncocytic Tumor Alliance.</li><li>This is an adapted excerpt from her memoir "Too Young for Cancer."</li></ul>Who's going to deliver the crushing <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-mom-survived-cancer-couldnt-return-job-have-more-kids-2024-10">cancer diagnosis</a> to the newlyweds in room five? I imagine this had to have been one of the conversations occurring on the other side of the door as Brian and I waited for the results of my final scan. The two of us sat in silence, unaware that soon our new vows would be tested while behind-the-scenes calls were being made, referrals placed, and handoffs prepared.We'd arrived at 11 p.m., and as the clock rounded past 4 a.m., Brian and I were both beginning to doze off. We were awakened by a new doctor who appeared in the doorway. As he pulled up a stool next to the bed, he introduced himself as Dr. Morgan. I took notice of the beaded bracelet he wore on his wrist as he rested his hand gently on the bed, took a deep breath, and softened his gaze to break the news. "The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stanley-cups-contain-lead-drinkers-safe-ct-scan-2024-3">CT scan</a> we sent you for came back. We've found a large mass on your right kidney and a couple of lesions in your liver. We don't know for sure, but we think it's likely renal cell carcinoma, a type of kidney cancer."My vision tunneled in as my <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/good-resting-heart-rate-how-to-know-improve-longevity-fitness-2024-3">heart rate</a>, quickly escalating, began setting off alarms behind me. For years, I had kept asking doctors if we could rule out cancer in my pursuit of vague symptoms. I'd been terrified of this moment, and the catastrophic worrying had led me to imagine the delivery of this news probably 100 times before. But now that it was actually happening, it was nothing like I'd imagined it would be. Despite my racing heart, why did I feel so calm? Brian squeezed my hand as I looked over my shoulder and watched him break into tears. That felt like the appropriate response here.I shifted my gaze back to Dr. Morgan and asked in a calm and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-identify-and-help-stop-tone-policing-in-workplace-2020-8">steady tone</a> that surprised even me, "Is it terminal?"I felt the emotion in his response. "We don't know. We'll need to run more tests and gather additional information, but we've already reached out to Huntsman Cancer Institute and have placed a referral to get you in as soon as possible. We may not have all the answers yet, but you have a whole <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/longevity-secrets-doctor-worked-2024-10">team of doctors</a> already working behind the scenes to figure this out."<h2 id="430157a8-7a0c-44e7-9ba5-aa18ba0b2a86">I was relieved to finally know what was happening with my health</h2>Suddenly, I recognized the emotion that was washing over me. This wasn't grief. It was a relief. It felt like I finally had an answer to why I'd been feeling off, and it wasn't all in my head. I wasn't surprised to hear something was wrong because I had known something was wrong; I just hadn't gotten anyone to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-get-people-to-take-you-seriously-2018-5">take me seriously</a>. But now we had undeniable proof, and for the first time, I was sitting across from a doctor who believed me and seemed to care genuinely. I knew this wouldn't be an easy road, but at least I no longer had to travel it alone.As I thought about the appointments and memories that had led to this moment, the emotions finally caught up with me as I remembered the several doctors who had told me I was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-reduce-cancer-risk-lower-chances-catch-early-signs-2024-2">too young for cancer</a>. The words looped in my head as I tried to make sense of it all before they found their way out without context."But other doctors told me I was too young for cancer." My voice broke, and the grief crashed over me as I finally began processing the news. My <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tim-spector-scientist-stroke-lower-blood-pressure-without-cutting-salt-2024-10">blood pressure</a>, now climbing, set off more alarms as I looked at the monitor, concerned. Dr. Morgan reminded me I had just received some pretty distressing news. "That's a normal response; don't worry about those for now," he reassured me.I focused again on the words circling in my head. "How could this happen? They told me I was too young for cancer," I said aloud again as my voice trailed off in disbelief. Dr. Morgan explained that we don't always know what causes cancer, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/health/sex-relationships/how-to-apologize">empathetically apologized</a> for the road that had led me here, and shared that this was personal for him, as his mom had battled with cancer as well. From the hint of sorrow in his voice, it sounded as if she might no longer be here. I wondered if this would be how people were going to talk about me one day, too.As he stood up to leave, I thanked him for answering my questions and being patient with me. I knew he likely had a busy ER to attend to. But he had brought a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kava-beverages-mitra-9-leilo-taste-test-2023-7">calming presence</a> into the room and never once made us feel rushed, which I truly appreciated. I was grateful that it was he who delivered the news to me that day.<h2 id="5b7fe2a5-1969-4180-abee-25b099ec5562">I worried my diagnosis would change the life I envisioned with my husband</h2>After he left the room, I turned to Brian and instantly apologized as we both began crying uncontrollably. I felt guilty like I was robbing him of his future and the life we had planned together. He told me to stop; he wasn't going anywhere, and neither was I. I squeezed his hand as the door opened, and the nurse started to walk back in before being stopped and pulled back by the doctor to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/relationship-tip-need-space-while-living-together-decompress-2024-5">give us some space</a>.A <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/social-worker-quit-to-become-life-coach-positive-psychology-business-2024-8">social worker</a> would be in soon to chat and help us process the news. My mind raced while we waited for her to arrive, and I asked Brian to look up the survival rates for kidney cancer. He pulled up a search on his phone and stared silently at it for a while. I wasn't sure I wanted to find out what those rates were, but I also knew there was no way I was getting through the night without knowing. "It sounds like stage one is often cured with surgery, a survival rate of 93 percent." Wow, OK, those sounded like good odds, but what did stage one mean? Time to Google the definition.Stage one: The cancer has not spread, is only in the kidney, and isn't larger than seven centimeters.Hmm, OK, the doctor had mentioned the tumor on my kidney was 12 centimeters and that it had spread to my liver, so that disqualified me from that. What was the next stage?Stage two: The cancer has not spread and is only in the kidney but is larger than seven centimeters.Since mine was 12 centimeters, it seemed like it could fit in that category if those spots in my liver weren't actually tumors. What were the survival rates for that?The next stat was for regional spread, which the article described as the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-mom-survived-cancer-couldnt-return-job-have-more-kids-2024-10">cancer spreading</a> from outside the kidney to nearby structures or lymph nodes. It didn't say anything about stage two, but from the description, we wondered if nearby structures could mean the liver. Neither of us was medically trained; it felt like we needed a definition for these definitions. Brian read off the survival rate for regional spread: 71%. Still not great, but not terrible. I could be part of that 71%. Not knowing if I fell into this category or not, he continued.Stage three: The cancer may be any size, but it has spread to nearby sites outside the kidney.This sounded a bit more like it matched the regional description. So maybe I was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/man-chest-pain-ignore-pancreatic-cancer-treatment-symptoms-2023-7">stage three</a>? We were still thoroughly confused by what "nearby" meant, so I asked what the final stage was.Stage four: The cancer has spread away from the kidney to distant sites or organs. The most common locations kidney cancer spreads or metastasizes to include distant lymph nodes, the lungs, bones, liver, and brain.We had our answer. The liver was considered a distant organ. My stomach sank. Could I really be stage four? Afraid of the answer, I asked what the odds were for stage four. In a soft, defeated tone, Brian replied, "8%."*My <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dogs-cry-if-theyre-happy-to-see-you-research-says-2022-8">eyes welled up with tears</a>. Crushed, I muttered out a response. "That's not zero . . ." I looked down toward my feet at the end of the bed and repeated softly back to myself, "8% isn't zero." I looked back over at Brain, tears pouring down my face. "I'm going to beat this, I'm going to fight; 8% isn't zero. It's not impossible. Even if there's only a 1% chance I can make it, I can beat it," I insisted.His tears matched mine as they fell from his eyes, trailing into his beard. "Yes, you will."Excerpted from Too Young for Cancer by Katie Coleman. Copyright 2024 and Katie Coleman. Published by Alcove Press.

Doctors told me I wasn't old enough for cancer. When I finally got a diagnosis, it was Stage 4.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>What we eat makes a difference to our brain health.</li><li>Brain doctors Ayesha and Dean Sherzai list 9 favorite foods for boosting cognition.</li></ul>Brain doctors Ayesha and Dean Sherzai have spent their careers investigating how to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mind-diet-longevity-brain-health-ways-to-follow-2024-2">have a healthy brain</a>."We learned that yes, there are things you can do," Mr. Sherzai told Business Insider. "Lifestyle has the most profound effect on brain health, more than anybody could imagine."One big study the two doctors often reference, which examined the diets of older adults living in public housing and nursing homes around Chicago, showed that those who adhered to a more brain-friendly diet pattern had a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4532650/">53% lower risk</a> of developing dementia."These are unimaginable numbers," Sherzai said. "No protocols, no weird stuff, no vitamin concoction."It's findings like this that have convinced the "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/thebraindocs/?hl=en">Brain Docs</a>," as they call themselves on social media, to focus on promoting "simple dietary changes" people can make immediately to promote better cognitive health, instead of waiting for drugs to treat the symptoms of dementia later on in life."We think that if you take care of brain health, you've taken care of all health," he said. "Everything you need for <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cardiologist-shares-easy-way-avoid-biggest-calorie-heart-health-mistake-2024-6">heart</a>, for liver, for kidney is included in neuro."<h2 id="e089bd0b-5997-4326-9f86-57de312e4e85">9 evidence-backed foods for brain health</h2><h3 id="c04fae47-ea59-45d9-9105-dbe7ecbe76c8">Greens</h3><div type="image" title="A bag of spinach" height="4000" width="6000" msid="111864469" hostid="261" sizebytes="597522"></div>Cost: about $1 for one serving of bagged spinach (2 cups)Evidence: Getting in at least <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/leafy-greens-linked-slower-age-related-cognitive-decline">one serving of leafy greens, like lettuce, spinach, or kale per day</a> is associated with better performance on cognitive tests for competencies like working memory, spatial awareness and perception among older adults. Scientists think there's probably something neuroprotective about the nutrients in the leaves, which include folate, nitrate, and lutein.<h3 id="791e3737-52f6-46ee-ace0-b0f97b45ecc7">Legumes</h3><div type="image" title="Bowl of Lentils" height="807" width="1211" msid="111864456" hostid="261" sizebytes="136880"></div>Cost: $0.50 or less per serving for things like canned chickpeas, black beans, or bagged lentilsEvidence: <a target="_blank" href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12967-017-1209-5">Studies</a> consistently suggest plant proteins like legumes are good for the aging brain — and nutrition experts suspect that might be in part because they're <a target="_blank" href="https://health.clevelandclinic.org/boost-your-brain-with-b-vitamins-and-beans">packed with B vitamins</a> that help keep our nervous system humming along.<h3 id="ba605431-2308-4344-bcca-564a108d3b36">Berries</h3><div type="image" title="02_superfoods berries" height="3648" width="5472" msid="111864464" hostid="261" sizebytes="2399590"></div>Cost: probably the priciest item on this list, at roughly $3-7 for a carton of fresh berries like strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries. But since a serving of berries is only half a cup, you can still probably squeeze in a serving for $1 or less. You can always opt for (cheaper) frozen berries, which <a target="_blank" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12188629/">studies</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12188629/">show</a> are just as nutritious as the fresh stuff — and sometimes even a little bit more nutritious — because fruits are typically frozen just as they reach peak ripeness.Evidence: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-memory-supplement-plant-protein-berries-scientist-2024-2">Berries like blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries are rich in chemical compounds</a> that help keep our cells running well. There's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10376627/">evidence to suggest</a> they may also prevent some of the oxidative stress that's associated with cognitive decline, but more research is still needed to better understand the precise link between <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/longevity-researcher-takes-strawberry-antioxidant-fisetin-healthy-aging-2023-5">berry eating</a> and better brain health.<h3 id="e9b33d19-7c16-42c2-bbeb-2781335cd223">Whole grains</h3><div type="image" title="bowl of quinoa salad" height="1402" width="2100" msid="111864449" hostid="261" sizebytes="228020"></div>Cost: similar to legumes, generally less (and sometimes far less) than $1 per serving for things like oats, bulgur, corn, millet, quinoa, or brown rice.Evidence: Whole grains are consistently <a target="_blank" href="https://medicine.uky.edu/news/whole-grains-linked-slower-cognitive-decline-among-2023-11-29t13-09-16">linked to slower cognitive decline</a>, and experts think that probably has something to do with all the anti-inflammatory effects they have on the body. Whole grains are also great at staving off other health issues, like diabetes, and heart disease, which can accelerate cognitive decline as they impact our vascular health.<h3 id="09460907-2ff6-4ce2-a496-fb6e80962a41">Nuts</h3><div type="image" title="walnuts in shells " height="1400" width="2100" msid="111864471" hostid="261" sizebytes="159484"></div>Cost: varies, but considering a one-pound bag of walnuts or almonds typically costs about $5-6, each serving would be less than $0.50Evidence: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/blue-zone-nutrition-meal-plan-2024-7">Nuts</a> are thought to be great for your brain in large part because they're <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9965316/">loaded with nutrients</a>, including many that naturally improve vascular health and tamp down inflammation. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/michael-pollan-eats-high-protein-snack-to-curb-his-cravings-for-ultra-processed-foods-2024-4">Walnuts</a> are an especially popular choice among nutrition buffs and longevity-seekers because they offer a decent dose of omega-3, which "is the only fat that your brain needs," Sherzai said.<h3 id="f00c3063-80eb-4fd8-bf79-e407cf4a3a52">Herbs and spices</h3><div type="image" title="turmeric" height="1043" width="1400" msid="111864453" hostid="261" sizebytes="141242"></div>Cost: penniesEvidence: There are various reasons that seasonings can boost cognitive health. A favorite example of many health experts is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/turmeric-curcumin-health-benefits-anti-inflammatory-antioxidant-2018-7">turmeric</a>, which has nice anti-inflammatory effects and is consistently linked to better cognitive function, but there are also real benefits to various other spices, including <a target="_blank" href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/spice-up-your-holidays-with-brain-healthy-seasonings-2016120710734">cinnamon</a> (anti-inflammatory) and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.weekand.com/healthy-living/article/effect-black-pepper-brain-18009022.php">peppers, including black pepper</a> (increases absorption of other nutrients, and may be directly neuroprotective). In general, being able to spice up your dishes in a way that tastes yummy to you also probably means you'll be able to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/processed-foods-may-increase-dementia-risk-study-finds-2022-12">cook more at home and enjoy less processed foods</a>, which is also a boon for overall health and well-being and linked to lower dementia risk.<h3 id="d6d83923-5eac-4855-8221-4715055f7418">Seeds</h3><div type="image" title="chia seeds" height="3456" width="5184" msid="111864466" hostid="261" sizebytes="1284862"></div>Cost: about $0.35-0.75 per serving for things like chia seeds and pumpkin seedsEvidence: Much like nuts, seeds are great for the brain because they're full of fiber, healthy fats, key vitamins and minerals, including fatty acids like omega-3.<h3 id="1c61323e-53c3-49a9-820c-3a9230cd75fa">Crucifers</h3><div type="image" title="broccoli" height="1500" width="2000" msid="111864472" hostid="261" sizebytes="703512"></div>Cost: between $0.50 and $1 per serving of broccoli or similar brassica veggies, like chard, kale, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts.Evidence: These <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/broccoli-benefits-anti-cancer-supplement-2024-4">crunchy stalks are well-known health foods</a> because they're great for blood flow. They are consistently linked to less cognitive decline, are great cancer preventers, and lower the incidence of strokes.<h3 id="675e89af-c4d8-4390-a7bc-f6973bd71f2f">Tea</h3><div type="image" title="green tea benefits" height="1414" width="2121" msid="111864475" hostid="261" sizebytes="126320"></div>Cost: varies, but generally between $0.10 and $0.60 per cup.Evidence: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/black-tea-health-benefits-daily-drinking-linked-longer-life-study-2022-8">Tea</a> leaves are chock-full of various plant compounds that can be beneficial for our long-term health, improving inflammation (a hallmark of dementia) and possibly even lubricating <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/09/190912100945.htm">neurotransmission</a>.<h2 id="44280a3c-cacb-4a30-8823-2871732209f8">You might've noticed that everything on this list is a plant</h2><div type="image" title="A man tending plants on the balcony of an apartment" height="1186" width="1778" msid="111864477" hostid="261" sizebytes="90540"></div>Experts say it's too simplistic to attempt to break down these natural foods into exhaustive laundry lists of nutritional components that fully explain their health benefits.While they all do offer vitamins, fiber, and other beneficial compounds, they are also each their own little biological systems, working synergistically with our bodies in ways <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/eating-color-to-prevent-cognitive-decline">we may not fully understand</a>."The data shows that if you eat more plants and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CECnIMoVxII">less processed food</a>, you are going to do amazingly," Sherzai said. "It's not about superfood. It's about your dietary pattern."

9 foods that can boost your brain health — and don't cost more than $1 per serving

<ul class="summary-list"><li>This post originally appeared in the Insider Today newsletter.</li></ul>Welcome back to our Saturday edition! Headed to Atlanta? Well, skip the hotel you had in mind and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hotel-clermont-review-most-beautiful-hotel-atlanta-2024-11">stay at this unassuming, historic o</a><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hotel-clermont-review-most-beautiful-hotel-atlanta-2024-11">ption instead</a>. One of our editors called it the "most beautiful" hotel in the peachy city.On the agenda:<ul><li>Longevity doctors are scrambling to <a target="_blank" href="https://businessinsider.com/longevity-doctors-dangers-of-taking-multiple-supplements-less-is-more-2024-11">deprescribe flashy, expensive supplements.</a></li><li>Step aboard a luxury <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/river-cruise-deluxe-suite-photo-tour-scenic-spirit-mekong-river-2024-11">river cruise through Vietnam and Cambodia</a>.</li><li>A chef shares six things to order at a steak house <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/steak-house-best-things-to-order-from-chef-dishes-avoid">and four dishes to skip</a>.</li><li>Millennials are raising pets instead of kids. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-raising-pets-instead-kids-spoiled-dogs-cats-anxiety-health-2024-11">It's not going well for the pets</a>.</li></ul>But first: Inside the vacation-home tax drama in South Lake Tahoe.If this was forwarded to you, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/newsletter/insider-today-sunday-edition">sign up here</a>. Download Insider's app <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.insider.com/app">here.</a><h3 id="2d2d81c1-e984-4ab1-b11e-26ada0d3da0b">This week's dispatch</h3><h2 id="ef84679e-5101-4303-beb5-fc75bc92b8c0">To tax or not tax?</h2><div type="image" title="A cabin surrounded by a large forest and mountain range." height="3266" width="4898" msid="115116343" hostid="261" sizebytes="1895900"></div>For Amanda Yen, a Business Insider fellow, her grandparent's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/south-lake-tahoe-vacation-homes-tax-vacancy-2024-11">vacation home in South Lake Tahoe</a> is "the stuff of legend."It's where her parents fell in love, where she'd spend winters learning how to ski, and the place where she'd always imagined getting married.However, a proposed annual tax measure on last Tuesday's ballot that was voted down by local residents made her family question whether they'd keep their house. Measure N would've made their cabin, which her grandparents bought in 1984 for $113,000, much more costly to keep. It suggested vacation homeowners pay $3,000 in 2026 and $6,000 every year after to benefit the local economy.I spoke to Amanda after the measure failed to pass on Tuesday to see where things stand.What's been the initial reaction from second homeowners now that Lake Tahoe locals voted against Measure N?The overwhelming feeling among second homeowners in Lake Tahoe is relief. Still, the problems that supporters of the tax raised — like declining funding for education and out-of-control home prices — are urgent. Year-round and seasonal residents need to put their heads together to fix it.What are you hearing from locals — who supported the tax and opposed it — now that the measure has been voted down?I spoke to Amelia Richmond, one of the architects of the tax, shortly after it failed on the ballot. The message she gave was pretty similar to the vibe of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kamala-harris-addresses-nation-following-donald-trump-big-win-election-2024-11">Kamala Harris' concession speech</a> — facing defeat, but not defeated — and looks forward to working with the opposition on future affordable-housing policy solutions.Local opponents were jubilant, but they're also ready to come to the table and work with supporters of the tax on a new solution. As Steve Teshara, one of the opposition leaders, put it: "Tonight, we celebrate, and tomorrow it's back to work."<h2 id="cc30e20d-acf4-4a4e-ad8f-02c3a04a9dbb">Put down the supplements</h2>Over the past several years, a plethora of new supplements have emerged, promising to boost human longevity and keep people feeling young. Now, longevity doctors are scrambling to get people to slow down.BI spoke with several longevity medicine doctors who are recommending patients stop taking many of the flashy new supplements they learned about online. They can cause subtle build-up in the kidneys and liver, impacting your longevity.<a target="_blank" href="https://businessinsider.com/longevity-doctors-dangers-of-taking-multiple-supplements-less-is-more-2024-11">When it comes to supplements, less is more.</a><h2 id="f3efdf5d-fcfc-4813-9e6c-8e3b9040c25d">Set sail on the Mekong River</h2><div type="image" title="Cruise Collage" height="1374" width="1832" msid="115116345" hostid="261" sizebytes="177184"></div>Cruises are all the rage this year, but flashy megaships aren't for everyone. Enter: the luxury river cruise. One writer spent nine days traveling through Vietnam and Cambodia aboard the Scenic Spirit.Her nine-day trip was sweetened by a larger-than-expected room, complete with a butler, walk-in closet, and a convertible balcony.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/river-cruise-deluxe-suite-photo-tour-scenic-spirit-mekong-river-2024-11">See inside the deluxe cabin</a>.<h2 id="4e812ecf-a060-401e-9848-be206a63cddb">What to order at a steak house</h2><div type="image" title="Sliced pink-center steak on a plate in a circle" height="4160" width="6240" msid="115116347" hostid="261" sizebytes="975398"></div>Despite the name, there's far more to eat at a steak house than just, well, steak. For one trained chef and food writer, crab cakes, fresh oysters, and fries are typically must-order dishes.Still, some meals aren't worth the splurge. She suggests skipping the chicken breast and wedge salads. And unless you're in New England, don't even bother with the clam chowder.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/steak-house-best-things-to-order-from-chef-dishes-avoid">This, not that — steak house edition</a>.Also read:<ul><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/red-flags-how-to-spot-good-steak-house-from-owners">The 5 red flags steak-house owners look for when dining at a high-end steak house</a>.</li></ul><h2 id="483172dd-9e06-415f-8357-1bdb6f813f7b">Generation Fido</h2><div type="image" title="A dog in a stroller" height="2250" width="3000" msid="115116352" hostid="261" sizebytes="175894"></div>Almost a third of millennials have pets — and they're obsessed with them. In an online survey, more than a third of millennial pet owners said they'd turn down a higher-paying job to spend more time with their animal companions.Millennials are spending more time and money on their pets, but pet trainers and veterinarians say that could have a downside. Excessive pampering could lead to health and behavioral problems for Spot and Mittens.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-raising-pets-instead-kids-spoiled-dogs-cats-anxiety-health-2024-11">Why you might want to ease up on the coddling</a>.<h2 id="5fef756b-4b6b-4037-8f33-9635854b9d8b">What we're watching this weekend</h2><div type="image" title="Screenshot of Cristin Milioti in The Penguin in TV" height="1500" width="2000" msid="115116348" hostid="261" sizebytes="384250"></div><ul><li>"The Penguin": HBO's crime drama, a spinoff of 2022's "The Batman," airs its finale this weekend.</li><li>"Yellowstone": After a two-year hiatus, the Paramount Network hit returns with the second half of its fifth season.</li><li>"Arcane": The "League of Legends" show, one of Netflix's most successful animated series ever, also kicks off its second and final season.</li></ul><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-shows-movies-streaming-netflix-max-apple-november-8-24">See the full list</a>.<div type="image" title="A red shopping bag surrounded by $100 bills." height="1500" width="2000" msid="115116349" hostid="261" sizebytes="244828"></div><h2 id="a09a70ef-5e7e-4bf4-80b2-3731f70bdc6e">Deals we love</h2><ul><li>Smart Ray-Bans: These Wayfarers can do more than protect your eyes; they can take photos, videos, and calls, too. The Ray-Ban Meta Glasses come in three different styles — <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/deals/where-to-buy-ray-ban-meta-glasses">here's how to buy them</a>.</li><li>Tried-and-true work bags: Don't trust just any old tote with your work essentials. We've spent years testing to find the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/style/best-work-bag-women">best work bags for women</a> that balance style, organization, and comfort.</li><li>Dry skin begone: Cold weather can be tough on skin and cause dryness to worsen — but our guide to the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/beauty/best-face-moisturizers-for-dry-skin">best dry skin moisturizers</a> is here to keep you hydrated and protected.</li></ul><h2 id="3a2e4b99-8063-4f80-8653-d1ec4a2af89a">More of this week's top reads:</h2><ul><li>Beyoncé, Chappell Roan, and other rising female pop stars <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/grammy-awards-2025-nominees-winners-list-details-2024-11">lead 2025 Grammy nominations</a>.</li><li>Seven men share how <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/married-men-when-they-knew-spouse-was-the-one-2024-10">they knew their spouse was The One.</a></li><li>Big Sky, a Montana ski town, is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/big-sky-most-luxurious-ski-resort-us-better-than-aspen-2024-11">giving Aspen a run for its money</a>.</li><li>How to prepare for common mishaps on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-prepare-for-long-train-rides-problems-frequent-traveler-2024-11">long-haul Amtrak journeys</a>.</li><li>A plague of endless options has <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/online-shopping-ecommerce-comparison-burnout-too-many-choices-overwhelming-decision-2024-11">ruined online shopping</a>.</li><li>This small Connecticut town is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/visited-madison-connecticut-things-to-do-great-beach-town-2024-11">a calmer alternative to the Hamptons</a>.</li><li>Review: A night on the Fingal, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stayed-at-luxury-floating-hotel-fingal-review-edinburgh-2024-11">Edinburgh's ship-turned-floating-hotel</a>.</li><li>Washington, DC's obsolete government buildings are <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/office-conversion-washington-dc-cotton-annex-turned-into-luxury-apartments-2024-11">being turned into luxury apartments</a>.</li><li>Review: A $120 meal at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/is-trump-grill-worth-it-for-two-review-2024-11">the Trump Grill</a>.</li></ul>The Insider Today team: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/dan-defrancesco">Dan DeFrancesco</a>, deputy editor and anchor, in New York City. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/grace-lett">Grace Lett</a>, editor, in New York. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/lisa-ryan">Lisa Ryan</a>, executive editor, in New York. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/amanda-yen">Amanda Yen</a>, fellow, in New York.

Insider Today: Rethinking supplements

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Supplements marketed to improve longevity are booming.</li><li>But longevity doctors say, actually, less is more when it comes to flashy supplements.</li></ul>Renew your mitochondria. Rejuvenate your cells. Bring back that youthful muscle strength. Improve your fertility.Over the past several years, a plethora of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nestle-and-loreal-are-betting-on-urolithin-a-longevity-supplement-2024-10">new supplements</a> have emerged on the scene, promising to boost human longevity and preserve youthfulness. Now, longevity doctors are scrambling to get people to slow down."In our clinic, we are de-prescribing," Dr. Andrea Maier, a leading longevity doctor who runs both a private and a public longevity clinic in Singapore, told Business Insider. "We first have to diagnose what's wrong, what somebody needs, and that might differ."Maier, also a professor of medicine and functional aging at the National University of Singapore, is one of several longevity medicine doctors who told BI that they are recommending patients <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/supplement-expert-doesnt-take-supplements-eats-vegan-2023-11">stop taking many of the supplements</a> they have learned about online."People think that more helps more, and it's not the case," Dr. Evelyne Bischof, who practices longevity medicine in China, Switzerland, and Israel, told BI. "There are interactions, there are side effects."Bischof and other longevity medicine practitioners say the trend toward overdoing it has been supercharged in recent years by more aggressive and flashy online marketing of longevity supplements. Ads on Facebook, books by longevity influencers, along with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/equinox-40000-membership-optimize-longevity-health-years-2024-5">gyms</a> and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rich-people-obsessed-longevity-luxury-hotels-iv-drips-mri-scans-2024-10">resorts</a> are touting antiaging fixes.According to a recent <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/the-trends-defining-the-1-point-8-trillion-dollar-global-wellness-market-in-2024">McKinsey survey</a>, demand for healthy aging products is soaring; 70% of American consumers across all age groups are spending more in this category than they used to post-pandemic.Doctors like Maier and Bischof say supplements can slowly build up to dangerous health issues, impacting vital organs like the kidneys and the liver or interacting with other drugs and supplements in toxic combinations.Increasingly, they are seeing concerning results from blood, urine, and other tests on patients who take many different products.<h2 id="ac30069c-c621-4f87-835b-6cece95b1fb0">Overdoing supplements can hurt your health</h2><div type="image" title="hand with lots of different supplements in it" height="3449" width="5142" msid="115111811" hostid="261" sizebytes="403768"></div>In the past, patients typically hadn't invested in healthy aging supplements on their own. They would learn about them for the first time from their <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-a-longevity-clinic-executive-physical-2024-5">longevity medicine</a> doctor, said Bischof, who serves patients at hospitals in Shanghai and Tel Aviv, as well as in her own VIP concierge longevity medicine business.Things have shifted since the pandemic. In the public clinic where she works in Israel, she estimates that 20% of patients come in with a laundry list of longevity supplements in their regimen, most of them too highly dosed."Five years ago, it was really the opposite," Bischof said. "It was trying to convince a patient to actually take a supplement — besides the vitamins."In her practice, she has seen through clinical testing how supplements can build up in vital organs. One 40-year-old patient who "really overdid" his longevity supplement doses had a biological age four years older than his actual age, as measured by his blood. He also had suboptimal kidney function.He didn't want to quit taking the pills (Bischof did not name the products), but his subsequent blood tests were only looking worse and worse, and his biological age kept creeping up.Eventually, Bischof was able to convince the patient to stop taking his longevity supplements. "And, of course, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-biological-age-is-reverse-aging-possible-2023-2">biological age</a> reversed," she said.Others have noticed the same trend.Pharmacologist Myriam Merarchi, founder and CEO of the Swiss fertility and biological age testing company Beyond Genomix, sees a lot of "biohackers" wanting to test their telomeres, since telomere health is tightly correlated with aging. The ones with a "suitcase" full of supplements tend to have horrible results."You take 50 pills a day that are interfering with every metabolic pathway of your cells," Merarchi said. "Of course!"<h2 id="df59810c-9839-43c6-9998-cedfc378ce6a">The interactions doctors worry about</h2><div type="image" title="Maier with a dog on the couch" height="1772" width="1181" msid="115111809" hostid="261" sizebytes="156708"></div>Longevity supplements are a booming market. Popular new products touted on TikTok and Instagram include <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-nad-longevity-supplement-hollywood-uses-prevent-aging-2024-7">NAD boosters</a> (a popular antiaging supplement among the Hollywood elite), <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nestle-and-loreal-are-betting-on-urolithin-a-longevity-supplement-2024-10">urolithin A</a> (ostensibly boosts cellular health, improves muscle strength, and slows aging), and coenzyme Q10 (a popular antioxidant for fertility and aging).Doctors are also seeing a lot of alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG). The compound, being <a target="_blank" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37217632/">studied clinically</a> as a potential antiaging supplement, is one of the main ingredients in a new $49 "Longevity Mix" sold by tech biohacker Bryan Johnson.Dietician Naras Lapsys, chief clinical officer at Chi Longevity, a private clinic in Singapore, says many people are piling these newer pills on top of older, popular longevity supplements. That could be resveratrol (used for heart health) or spermidine (touted as being good for rejuvenating cells)."If you're taking a longevity supplement, there's no evidence to suggest at all taking one is good and therefore two is even better and three is even better again," Lapsys said. "A good starting point is to strip down to a lesser number and start measuring."Someone who's dehydrated regularly might want to think twice before taking a supplement like NMN, which can <a target="_blank" href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.09.588624v1.full.pdf">build up in the kidneys</a> and cause inflammation. CoQ10 can make blood thinners less effective, and resveratrol might <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/resveratrol">help hormonal cancers</a> like breast cancer thrive and proliferate."If you are just taking supplements because a book has told you or an influencer has told you, if we think about levels of evidence, that sits pretty low," Lapsys said. "Test, don't guess."<h2 id="5a439981-0ef7-46e4-98d0-bdda1f648469">Experts recommend a personalized, data-driven approach</h2>All of this is deeply personal. One patient might benefit from getting more calcium, while another could benefit from ditching their B vitamins."I understand that not everybody can get a doctor," Bischof said. "We're trying to say, just educate yourself on what could be the side effect and how — a little bit — to track it."For patients who are excited about longevity supplements, Bischof recommends cycling them, taking one for a few months, and then pausing instead of taking them continuously throughout the year.When you are taking a new kind of longevity supplement, you should keep tabs on how it is affecting your health in specific ways. Is your <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/vo2-max-explained-what-is-good-how-improve-2024-3">VO2 max</a> improving? Do you have fewer colds during flu season than you used to? These are the kinds of simple check-ins that can help determine if a supplement is doing something for you."Have at least one marker that you can follow, an objective marker, to make sure that it's actually helping you," Bischof said. "Do not take something where you think it might help. You need to have an objective measure that will confirm that it works for you at this dose, at this frequency, at this age, in your current situation."

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