Category Archives: Longevity

The Nutritional Supplement Market: A Dynamic Sector Promising Long-Term Growth  

February 11, 2021

Spurred by growing health and wellness awareness among global consumers of all age groups, the popularity of dietary supplements and similar products is growing due to their ability to provide essential nutrients many may not be able to obtain through diet alone. With a considerable rise in healthcare and fitness facilities, fluctuations in dietary habits, and shifting work practices, the global supplement market is surging at an impressive rate. In 2019, the market was valued at approximately $123 billion and current estimates project it will reach a valuation of $230.73 billion by 2027 with a compound annual growth rate of 8.2% over the forecast period. According to a report by Grand View Research, the growing popularity of using nutritional products for medicinal purposes – targeting a range of health issues from infertility to malnutrition – will impact the supplement industry in the years to come.

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The Cognitive Complications of COVID-19

November 25, 2020

At this time, the long-term complications of COVID-19 remain unknown although there is evidence of changes aside from acute symptoms referred to as “long COVID.” Several case studies have reported neurological problems in severely affected COVID-19 patients – such complications may arise from associated stroke, inflammatory syndrome, immune responses, and other health factors.

Currently, there is little clinical information concerning the nature and prevalence of cognitive consequences post-COVID infection, the full spectrum of their severity, or the connection between hospitalization status. Emerging evidence points to potential cognitive deficits associated with the virus, revealing significant brain function impacts in the worst cases of infection, according to a recent non-peer-reviewed study.

Cognitive Performance in COVID-19 Survivors

Led by Imperial College London doctor, Adam Hampshire, the study encompassed a cohort of over 84,000 participants who performed cognitive tests aimed at assessing brain performance, including word recall and puzzles. Data for analysis was gathered from the Great British Intelligence Test. The research team controlled results for age, gender, education level, income, racial-ethnic group, and pre-existing medical conditions.

The study revealed that participants who recovered from suspected or confirmed COVID-19 performed worse on cognitive tests in multiple domains than expected given their age and demographic profiles. Observed cognitive defects were of “substantial effect size,” especially among individuals who had been hospitalized with COVID-19. Furthermore, deficits scaled with symptom severity with the worst cases of illness showing a cognitive impact equivalent to a 10-year decline in global performance in patients aged between 20 and 70 years.

“Our analyses … align with the view that there are chronic cognitive consequences of having COVID-19,” the researchers wrote in a report of their findings. “People who had recovered, including those no longer reporting symptoms, exhibited significant cognitive deficits.”

Study Limitations

Hampshire and his team’s results are worrisome, however, their findings are yet to be reviewed by other researchers. Experts warn that the latest results should be interpreted with caution as the cognitive health of participants pre-COVID infection was not known or accounted for in the study. In addition, the study’s findings do not reflect long-term recovery, indicating that the cognitive effects may only be present for the short term. Study’s findings can not be entirely reliable as they do not compare before and after scores, involved a large number of people who self-reported having COVID-19 with no positive test measure

Nonetheless, the latest study alongside other emerging research on the potential cognitive repercussions of COVID-19 illness add to a growing list of concerns. While current literature signals potential for cognitive complications, it warrants further investigation and understanding of the duration of such cognitive deficits. Forthcoming studies should aim to identify the extent to which cognition is affected after infection and whether permanent neurological damage to brain function is possible.

Partner of the Month: The Foundation for Alternative and Integrative Medicine (FAIM)

September 30, 2020

The Foundation for Alternative and Integrative Medicine (FAIM) provides a service to the field of alternative and integrative medicine by educating the public with cutting edge information through collaboration with experts in the field and by assisting researchers and practitioners in research evaluating promising therapies and theories in natural health care.  The FAIM website serves as an umbrella for experts in all areas listed in the website Health Topics to share the latest in natural medicine.  This information is offered free to the public at large.

FAIM strives to promote education and research in the areas of new frontiers in science and technology in natural health care.  This would include health related discoveries which hold promise and efficacy.  FAIM publishes these reports on the FAIM website and communicates the research findings reaching the public and professionals.

Research of technologies that are sometimes considered unconventional, still hold the potential of contributing to the paradigm shift in medicine and thus offer a platform to be researched to confirm efficacy.  Documenting these technologies offers a service to natural health care and the future.

Progress in the field of complementary and alternative medicine is frustratingly slow. This is due, in part, to practitioners who lack preliminary data beyond patient testimonials. Slow progress may also be attributed to limited financial resources and inadequate research capacity.  Therefore, FAIM provides a service to the field by assisting researchers and practitioners in collecting outcome data.

FAIM is committed to research to obtain the most valuable data. Knowing the limitations of research due to funding restrictions, FAIM is developing collaborations with research facilities nationally and internationally where it can conduct research on therapies and technologies. In the case of international collaborations, the research would benefit the country from the knowledge revealed.  This research could lead the way towards real breakthroughs in world health.  FAIM is eager to collaborate with groups within and outside the U.S. who have the research capacity and interest in advancing investigations of non-toxic, innovative, and cost-effective therapies for conditions with a large public health impact.

Goals:

Public and Professional Education

Collaborate with experts in the field to disseminate accurate and reliable information on natural health care therapies, theories, technologies, and principles through the FAIM website, FAIM Facebook page, and other avenues.

Investigation

Search the world for effective, nontoxic, and low-cost alternative medical therapies with the assistance of National and International Resource Coordinators.  Attend conferences and do site visits so as to investigate the latest in natural health care options.

Research

Participate in research with medical facilities, laboratories, foundations, hospitals, and universities for the development of studies to demonstrate the effectiveness of a therapy or technology and document outcome data.

Implementation

Disseminate information aligned with our mission on new frontiers in science and medicine through published research, the FAIM website, and FAIM Facebook page and encourage adoption of cost effective therapies.

For more information go to www.faim.org