We asked doctors the one supplement you should be taking to support healthy aging—they all said the same one

 Really? What about these, that just came out? I'd have to say these doctors don't keep up with research; published and upcoming; so why listen to them?

Are Omega-3 Supplements Actually Good for Your Brain?

Common supplement linked to better everyday health in study of 16,000 older adults Multivitamins

The latest here:

We asked doctors the one supplement you should be taking to support healthy aging—they all said the same one

Doctors resoundingly recommend omega-3 fatty acids—here’s why.

Reviewed by Dietitian Katey Davidson, M.Sc.FN, RD, CPT

Key Points

• Doctors recommend omega-3s as the top supplement to support healthy aging.
• Omega-3s support heart, brain and inflammatory health as you age.
• While omega-3s can help, overall lifestyle habits remain the foundation of healthy aging.

Healthy aging isn’t just about living longer—it’s about staying active, sharp and independent as you get older. While no supplement can replace the healthy lifestyle habits that matter most, such as eating a well-balanced diet and staying active, some may help fill common nutrient gaps and offer additional support as you age.

To find out which supplement doctors recommend most for aging well, we asked physicians to name the single supplement they’d prioritize. Their answer was unanimous: omega-3 fatty acids, specifically docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). 

“There is no magic pill (or supplement), but if I had to choose one with the best balance of evidence, safety and multisystem benefit, omega-3 fatty acids would be the clear winner,” says Sejal Desai, M.D. 

Here’s why this supplement can support healthy aging and what doctors want you to know before taking it.

Why Omega-3s Support Healthy Aging

They Help Reduce Chronic Inflammation

One reason doctors consistently recommend omega-3s is their effect on chronic inflammation. While temporary inflammation is a normal part of the body’s immune response—such as healing a cut—low-grade inflammation that lingers over time can be harmful and contribute to premature aging.

Doctor reveals the only three supplements you really need (The Independent)

 Sometimes called “inflammaging,” this persistent inflammation can become more common with age, especially when lifestyle habits also play a role. Marked by higher levels of inflammatory compounds in the body, it's thought to be a major driver of age-related decline. Over time, it can quietly wear on tissues and organs throughout the body, affecting everything from blood vessels to brain cells.

“Omega-3s help reduce chronic, low-grade inflammation by producing anti-inflammatory signaling molecules,” says Alex Jabourian, D.O. A recent study found that omega-3 supplementation may help reduce several inflammatory markers, including C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)—all of which are associated with chronic inflammation and age-related disease. Benefits were especially noted for individuals with chronic inflammation, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and autoimmune conditions.

They Support Heart Health as You Age

As you get older, heart health becomes increasingly important, as the risk of cardiovascular disease tends to rise with age. Supplementing with omega-3s may help mitigate that risk. “Patients who already have a high risk of heart disease can benefit greatly from it,” says Nneoma Oparaji, M.D., M.H.S., ABOM, DipABLM.

“Omega-3s support cardiovascular health by lowering triglycerides, improving blood vessel function and reducing the risk of major cardiac events,” explains Jabourian. Triglycerides are a type of fat in the blood, and elevated levels are associated with a greater risk of heart disease and stroke. Omega-3s may help lower those levels.

For instance, a 2021 review in 149,051 participants found that omega-3 supplementation was associated with a reduced risk of death from heart disease, heart attacks and other major cardiovascular events. Taking a combination of EPA and DHA was linked to the greatest improvements in heart health.

Another 2025 analysis found that omega-3 supplementation was associated with improved markers of vascular health in people with heart disease, including arterial wave reflection and endothelial function—two measures tied to how well blood vessels respond to changes in blood flow. Researchers saw the strongest benefits with EPA and DHA, the same forms of omega-3s found in fish oil.

That said, more research is needed to better understand which populations may benefit the most and the appropriate dosing. 

They May Help Protect Brain Function

Forgetfulness, slower processing speed and difficulty concentrating can become more common with age, which is why keeping your brain healthy is so important. While occasional memory lapses are normal, significant changes in cognitive function can affect everything from decision-making and focus to how independently you’re able to move through daily life.

DHA, one of the main omega-3 fatty acids, is a key structural part of brain cell membranes, says Zergabachew Asfaw M.D., FACP. In fact, it makes up around 40% of fatty acids in the brain. Getting enough may help maintain the structure and flexibility of those membranes, which supports efficient communication between brain cells.

Omega-3 supplements may be especially beneficial for older adults who don’t get enough EPA and DHA in their diet. These omega-3s are mostly found in fatty fish.

Other Tips for Healthy Aging

“Supplements work best alongside consistent lifestyle habits,” says Jabourian. In other words, omega-3s can help, but the routines you practice every day still matter most.

• Stay Active. Cardiovascular exercise and resistance training can help support heart health, preserve muscle mass and maintain metabolic health as you age. Jabourian recommends regular exercise, aiming for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity and two days of strength training per week.   
• Prioritize Protein and a Whole-Food Diet. A diet built around minimally processed foods, adequate protein, fiber-rich carbohydrates and healthy fats can help support muscle maintenance, as well as metabolic and cardiovascular health. Asfaw recommends a Mediterranean-style eating pattern, which has been linked to lower inflammation, better physical function and a lower risk of frailty in older adults.
• Eat Anti-Inflammatory Foods. Fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, olive oil and fatty fish are all staples of an anti-inflammatory eating pattern.
• Protect Your Sleep. Sleep is when much of your body’s repair and recovery happens, helping your cells stay healthy. “Aiming for seven to eight hours of sleep a night supports metabolic and heart health,” says Oparaji.
• Be Social. Higher social engagement is linked with healthier aging and a lower risk of premature death. This could mean joining a walking group, having family dinners, hosting neighborhood potlucks or signing up for a book club.
• Avoid Smoking and Limit Alcohol. Smoking and excess alcohol intake can accelerate many of the processes tied to age-related decline, including inflammation, cardiovascular strain and cognitive changes. Avoiding both can help support long-term health.

Our Expert Take

If there’s one supplement doctors agree is worth considering for aging well, it’s omega-3s. Between their anti-inflammatory effects and benefits for heart and brain health, this supplement may help support several of the systems that tend to become more vulnerable with age. 

That said, they’re not a substitute for healthy habits. Think of omega-3s as one piece of the puzzle, not the whole picture. For the biggest payoff, combine it with regular movement, quality sleep, a nutrient-dense diet and strong social connections.

Read the original article on EatingWell

New Canadian guideline bridges cardiology and neurology for brain–heart multimorbidity

 Your competent? doctor; if competent at all, already has protocols for all this stuff because they have been keeping up with research! That wasn't really meant as sarcasm, but I'm sure it's not true. Guidelines here; NOT PROTOCOLS! You need protocols, screaming at your doctor will be required, I'm sure!

New Canadian guideline bridges cardiology and neurology for brain–heart multimorbidity

BACKGROUND

Although brain and heart conditions share overlapping risk factors and commonly co-occur, current cardiac and neurologic clinical guidelines are typically produced within specialty silos. The objective of this guideline from a Canadian Cardiovascular Harmonized National Guideline Endeavour (C-CHANGE) panel is to expand on current cardiovascular guidelines to include evidence from the neurologic and mental health literature, with specific recommendations for providers managing comorbid brain and heart conditions.

METHODS

The guideline development panel comprised an Executive Steering Committee; 10 expert subgroups to develop research questions and draft recommendations for specific brain-heart conditions; an Evidence Review Team to ensure the rigour and consistent application of the methodology; and an Implementation Committee to facilitate uptake of the recommendations by clinicians and into electronic medical records. The McMaster Evidence Review and Synthesis Team supported the literature searches and critical appraisal. A panel of people with lived experience of specific conditions and caregivers provided input on patient values and perspectives throughout the guideline development process. Our consensus process followed the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II framework. We used an established evidence appraisal approach to determine the level of evidence and strength of each recommendation, and adhered to the Guidelines International Network's principles for managing competing interests.

RECOMMENDATIONS

We developed 11 recommendations for the management of joint brain and heart diseases. Key recommendations include screening for cognitive decline in atrial fibrillation and depression in coronary artery disease; treatment of depression in coronary artery disease, cognitive impairment in hypertension, and dyslipidemia in stroke; and vaccination to prevent stroke, myocardial infarction, and dementia. We also recommend shared decision-making, including the use of evidence-based decision aids, to support patients with heart-brain diseases.

INTERPRETATION

We sought to produce an implementable and actionable guideline for patients with brain and heart comorbidity. It is primarily targeted to primary care providers, but also relevant to help address and individualize subspeciality care and for interprofessional teams caring for patients with joint brain and heart diseases.

REFERENCES

1. Management of brain-heart multimorbidity: A clinical practice guideline.

   Edwards JD, Li Z, McFarlane P, Rabi DM, Gilbert J, Bajaj HS, MacIntosh BJ, Bittman J.

   CMAJ. 2026 Mar 29; 198(12): E425-E439

Local Anesthesia Without Sedation During Thrombectomy for Anterior Circulation Stroke Is Associated With Worse Outcome

 How are you going to make sure your doctors do this correctly? YOUR RESPONSIBILITY since I'm sure your hospital does not have a staff person whose only job is to read research and implement it into hospital protocols.

Local Anesthesia Without Sedation During Thrombectomy for Anterior Circulation Stroke Is Associated With Worse Outcome

Francesco Benvegnù

,

Sébastien Richard

,

Gaultier Marnat

,

Romain Bourcier

,

Julien Labreuche

,

Mohammad Anadani

,

Igor Sibon

,

Cyril Dargazanli

,

Caroline Arquizan

, … See all authors

and Endovascular Treatment in Ischemic Stroke (ETIS) Investigators

Originally published8 Sep 2020https://doi.org/10.1161/STROKEAHA.120.029194Stroke. ;0

Abstract

Background and Purpose:

The best anesthetic management for mechanical thrombectomy of large vessel occlusion strokes is still uncertain and could impact the quality of reperfusion and clinical outcome. We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety outcomes between local anesthesia (LA) and conscious sedation in a large cohort of acute ischemic stroke patients with anterior circulation large vessel occlusion strokes treated with mechanical thrombectomy in current, everyday clinical practice.

Methods:

Patients undergoing mechanical thrombectomy for anterior large vessel occlusion strokes at 4 comprehensive stroke centers in France between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2018, were pooled from the ongoing prospective multicenter observational Endovascular Treatment in Ischemic Stroke Registry in France. Intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses were used.

Results:

Among the included 1034 patients, 762 were included in the conscious sedation group and 272 were included in the LA group. In the propensity score matched cohort, the rate of favorable outcome (90-day modified Rankin Scale score 0–2) was significantly lower in the LA group than in the conscious sedation group (40.0% versus 52.0%, matched relative risk=0.76 [95% CI, 0.60–0.97]), as well as the rate of successful reperfusion (modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction grade 2b–3; 76.6% versus 87.1%; matched relative risk=0.88 [95% CI, 0.79–0.98]). There was no difference in procedure time between the 2 groups. In the inverse probability of treatment weighting-propensity score-adjusted cohort, similar significant differences were found for favorable outcomes and successful reperfusion. In inverse probability of treatment weighting-propensity score-adjusted cohort, a higher rate of 90-day mortality and a lower parenchymal hematoma were observed after LA. The sensitivity analysis restricted to our per-protocol sample provided similar results in the matched- and inverse probability of treatment weighting-propensity cohorts.

Conclusions:

In the Endovascular Treatment in Ischemic Stroke registry mainly included patients in early time window (<6 hours), LA was associated with lower odds of favorable outcome, successful reperfusion, and higher odds of mortality compared with conscious sedation for mechanical thrombectomy of large vessel occlusion.

 

 

Green space linked to reduced risk of heart disease and stroke

 I bet your doctors did nothing with this 2+ year old research and will do nothing with the new one. S/he won't even get you recovered enough to easily walk in the woods on your own,

Acute effects of walking in forest environments on cardiovascular and metabolic parameters.  December 2016

 

Green space linked to reduced risk of heart disease and stroke

• Download PDF Copy

By Sally Robertson, B.Sc.Dec 5 2018Reviewed by Kate Anderton, B.Sc.

In the first study of its kind(Well then, you don't read research in your field of study.), researchers at the University of Louisville have shown that people who live in neighborhoods with denser green spaces may be at a lower risk of developing heart disease and stroke.

Biserka Stojanovic | Shutterstock

For the study, Bhatnagar and colleagues assessed the impact of green spaces on individual-level biomarkers of blood vessel injury and cardiovascular disease.
Over a five-year period, the risk of cardiac injury and stroke was calculated by measuring the biomarkers in urine and blood samples taken from 408 people of varying age, ethnicity and socioeconomic status.
The participants, which were recruited from the outpatient cardiology clinic at the university, were largely at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
The density of the green spaces near to where the participants lived were measured using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and levels of air pollution were measured using particulate matter from the EPA and roadway exposure measurements.
As reported in the Journal of the American Heart Association, the study revealed that living in areas with denser green spaces was associated with the following:

• A lower urinary concentration of epinephrine, which is a biomarker of stress
• A lower urinary concentration of F2-isoprostane, an indicator of less oxidative stress
• An increased capacity to repair blood vessel damage

The team also found that the epinephrine association was stronger among women, those who did not take beta-blockers and those with no history of heart attack.
The results were independent of factors such as age, gender, ethnicity, smoking status, roadway exposure, statin use and deprivation level.

Indeed, increasing the amount of vegetation in a neighborhood may be an unrecognized environmental influence on cardiovascular health and a potentially significant public health intervention.”

Aruni Bhatnagar, Lead Author

Source:

Neighborhoods with more green space may mean less heart disease.

Marine n−3 fatty acids and prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer

Why should we trust anything you say here when you aren't keeping up with stroke now being classified as a neurological disease rather than a cardiovascular disease?  But do you want it for all these other benefits? I have 62 posts on Omega-3s with lots of benefits. Ask your doctor for an analysis.

Marine n−3 fatty acids and prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer

New England Journal of Medicine — Manson JE, et al. | November 13, 2018

Among US men aged ≥ 50 years and women aged ≥ 55 years, researchers investigated the benefits and risks of supplementation with vitamin D₃ (2000 IU/day) and marine n−3 (or omega-3) fatty acids (1 g/day) in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer. According to findings, n−3 fatty acids supplementation did not result in a lower incidence of the primary end points of major cardiovascular events and invasive cancer of any type vs placebo. They did not observe excess risks of bleeding or other serious adverse events in this analysis.

Methods

• Major cardiovascular events— a composite of myocardial infarction, stroke, or death from cardiovascular causes—and invasive cancer of any type were the primary end points.
• Individual components of the composite cardiovascular end point, the composite end point plus coronary revascularization (expanded composite of cardiovascular events), site-specific cancers, and death from cancer were included secondary end points.
• The investigators also assessed safety.

Results

• In total, 25,871 participants were randomized, including 5,106 black participants.
• During a median follow-up of 5.3 years, 386 participants in the n−3 group and 419 in the placebo group experienced a major cardiovascular event.
• Invasive cancer was diagnosed among 820 participants in the n−3 group and in 797 in the placebo group.
• The hazard ratios were as follows: for the expanded composite end point of cardiovascular events, 0.93 (95% CI, 0.82-1.04); for total myocardial infarction, 0.72 (95% CI, 0.59-0.90); for total stroke, 1.04 (95% CI, 0.83-1.31); for death from cardiovascular causes, 0.96 (95% CI, 0.76-1.21); and for death from cancer (341 deaths from cancer), 0.97 (95% CI, 0.79 -1.20) in the analyses of key secondary end points.
• The hazard ratio was 1.02 (95% CI, 0.90-1.15) in the analysis of death from any cause (978 deaths overall).
• There were no excess risks of bleeding or other serious adverse events.

Read the full article on New England Journal of Medicine

Rhythm perception and production abilities and their relationship to gait after stroke

Research in rhythmic cuing has been out there since Jan. 2013 and you still haven't written a protocol?  How much longer do we have to wait before we get some competence in stroke?

DOES NO ONE IN STROKE KEEP UP WITH RESEARCH? 

• rhythmic auditory cueing (7)

Rhythm perception and production abilities and their relationship to gait after stroke

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation , Volume 99(5) , Pgs. 945-951.

NARIC Accession Number: J79108.  What's this?
ISSN: 0003-9993.
Author(s): Patterson, Kara K.; Wong, Jennifer S.; Knorr, Svetlana; Grahn, Jessica A..
Publication Year: 2018.
Number of Pages: 7.
Abstract: Study assessed rhythm abilities after stroke, described their relationship to clinical presentation, and determined whether rhythm production independently contributes to post-stroke temporal gait asymmetry (TGA). Thirty-nine individuals with subacute and chronic stroke were evaluated. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), the Chedoke-McMaster Stroke Assessment (CMSA) leg and foot scales, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), rhythm perception and production (Beat Alignment Test [BAT]), and spatiotemporal gait parameters were assessed. TGA was quantified with the swing time symmetry ratio. Data related to age and rhythm perception (BAT) for 21 healthy adults were extracted from a preexisting database. Rhythm perception of the stroke group and healthy adults was compared with analysis of variance. Spearman correlations quantified the relation between rhythm perception and production abilities and clinical measures. Multiple linear regression assessed the contribution of rhythm production along with motor impairment and time poststroke to TGA. Rhythm perception in the stroke group was worse than healthy adults. Within the stroke group, rhythm perception was significantly correlated with CMSA leg and foot scores but not NIHSS or MoCA scores. The model for TGA was significant with CMSA leg scores, time since stroke, and asynchrony of rhythm production explaining 52 percent of the variance. Rhythm perception is impaired after stroke, and temporal gait asymmetry relates to impairments in producing rhythmic movement. These results may have implications for the use of auditory rhythmic stimuli to cue motor responses after stroke. Future work will explore brain responses to poststroke rhythm processing. (Shit this has already been researched.)
Descriptor Terms: AMBULATION, MOTOR SKILLS, STROKE.


Can this document be ordered through NARIC's document delivery service*?: Not available from NARIC.

Citation: Patterson, Kara K., Wong, Jennifer S., Knorr, Svetlana, Grahn, Jessica A.. (2018). Rhythm perception and production abilities and their relationship to gait after stroke.  Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation , 99(5), Pgs. 945-951. Retrieved 9/8/2018, from REHABDATA database.

Game analysis and clinical use of the Xbox-Kinect for stroke rehabilitation

You mean to tell me you missed all this earlier research on this and decided to go ahead anyway?

• Kinect (28 posts back to June 2012)

Your mentors and senior researchers need to be keel hauled.
https://europepmc.org/abstract/med/29994922

(PMID:29994922)

• Abstract

• Citations

• Related Articles

• Data

• BioEntities

• External Links

Givon Schaham N ¹ , 

Zeilig G ² , 

Weingarden H ² , 

Rand D ¹  

Affiliations

International Journal of Rehabilitation Research. Internationale Zeitschrift fur Rehabilitationsforschung. Revue Internationale de Recherches de Readaptation [09 Jul 2018]

Type: Journal Article
DOI: 10.1097/MRR.0000000000000302

Abstract

Whole-body movement is required to interact (play) with Microsoft Xbox with the 3D Kinect sensor (Xbox-Kinect) and, therefore, may be suitable for encouraging and practicing movements as part of stroke rehabilitation. We aimed to describe (i) game analysis, (ii) clinical use, and (iii) to characterize the Xbox-Kinect game experience with individuals with chronic stroke. Four therapists played the Xbox-Kinect games and then carried out a games analysis on the basis of the categories suggested by Deutsch. Eleven participants (age 29-69 years) with chronic stroke and varying motor deficits played Xbox-Kinect games for 4-22 sessions as part of a video-game group intervention and the clinical use was documented. The game experience of 'Bowling' (Kinect-Sport) and '20 000 leaks' (Kinect Adventures) was characterized by self-report questionnaires. Detailed tables of game analysis are provided. The clinical use of the console with the participants is presented. Participants reported high enjoyment and 'somewhat-high' perceived exertion after playing the two games and stated that overall the console suited their therapeutic goals. This information can assist clinicians with their clinical reasoning and decision-making for incorporating the Xbox-Kinect into stroke rehabilitation. Potentially, the Xbox-Kinect could be used as an on-going tool to facilitate whole-body movement and physical activity of individuals with chronic stroke.

Read Article at publisher's site