Good afternoon Nikkola Newsletterers!
ISO: experienced, advanced health and fitness professionals. If you know any health and fitness professionals (personal trainers, nutrition coaches, strength coaches, chiropractors, mind-body instructors, etc.) who understand fitness beyond just sets, reps, and exercises, I'd love to connect with them.
We're trying to build a small army of fitness professionals who'd love to take on the movement of mental wellness as a way to enhance the results their clients get, and reach and influence a larger audience than their clients alone.
If you know someone who'd be interested, I'd love it if you could make an introduction.
And on a totally separate note, next week is Thanksgiving. I still plan to show up in your inbox, but it might be an abbreviated newsletter. If I could only remind you of one thing on Thanksgiving, it would be to eat two servings of protein before you eat the rest of your food. You'll fill up faster, and the sides won't affect you the same way they do when you fill up on them first. Eat your protein first.
Enjoy today’s carefully crafted newsletter!
📖 Deep Dives
5 Factors for Faster Fat Loss After 40. Fat loss for those over 40 years of age requires a different approach than it does for young adults. Your body won’t respond the same as it did back then. Nor will you get by with inadequate sleep, drinking too much, or doing so much cardio that you could watch a Netflix series each week while workout out on your bike, treadmill, or Nordic Track. That said, just because you need to approach fat loss differently, it doesn’t mean it’ll be difficult. Read (or listen to): 5 Factors for Faster Fat Loss After 40.
Why We Chose to Partner With Amare. There are more than 400 large supplement companies and more than 1200 total supplement brands in the United States. So, what was it that made us jump at the chance to partner with Amare over all of the others? This will be the first in a series of (not consecutive) posts to help you understand why you will undoubtedly benefit from the products, and possibly benefit from the business opportunity. For today, I want you to understand why I felt certain we needed to put the full weight of our reputations and effort behind Amare. Read (or listen to): Why We Chose to Partner With Amare.
🩺 Health
Dads could contribute to fetal alcohol syndrome, too. New research is turning the spotlight on dads, showing that their drinking habits might significantly contribute to fetal alcohol syndrome in children. Traditionally, when diagnosing this syndrome, which includes birth defects and developmental issues linked to alcohol, only the mother's alcohol consumption has been considered. However, Michael Golding, a developmental physiologist, emphasizes the overlooked impact of paternal drinking, especially in the weeks and months before conception. Golding's research, using a mouse model, suggests that chronic alcohol exposure in males could lead to the core birth defects associated with fetal alcohol syndrome. This challenges the long-standing belief that only maternal drinking during pregnancy is to blame.
Will this Covid vaccine lawsuit cause a domino effect? Recent UK lawsuits are raising serious concerns about the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, also known as Covishield in India. Claiming overrated efficacy and downplayed adverse effects, these cases include the tragic story of Mr. Jamie Scott, who suffered brain bleeding and permanent disability post-vaccination, and Mrs. Alpa Tailor, who tragically lost her life. Similar cases are emerging in Indian courts. These incidents prompt crucial questions about the vaccine's safety, especially considering the anecdotal reports and population-level data indicating a spike in sudden deaths and cardiac events post-vaccination. Dr. Amitav Banerjee, a renowned epidemiologist, stresses the need for a balanced and unbiased scientific investigation into these cases. He highlights the irony that the young, who arguably needed the vaccine the least, are suffering the most, raising uncomfortable questions about public health decisions and the overall safety of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Postmenopausal women who lose just 90 minutes of sleep develop significant insulin resistance. A recent study from Columbia University reveals that reducing sleep time can significantly increase the risk of developing diabetes in women. The research, focusing on healthy women who usually get adequate sleep, showed that cutting sleep by just 90 minutes for six weeks led to a noticeable increase in insulin resistance, particularly among postmenopausal women. This groundbreaking study, differing from previous research which mostly involved men and severe sleep deprivation, underscores the unique impact of mild sleep deficits on women's health. Despite no change in body fat, a known diabetes risk factor, the participants displayed increased fasting insulin levels and heightened insulin resistance. These findings highlight the importance of adequate sleep, especially for postmenopausal women, in maintaining healthy blood sugar levels and reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.
🧠 Mental Health
A University of Colorado Boulder study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, reveals a startling increase in melatonin use among children. Nearly one in five school-aged kids and preteens are now taking this sleep aid, and its use has even extended to preschoolers. The study's lead author, Lauren Hartstein, Ph.D., emphasizes the need for more research, citing concerns about the safety and long-term effects of melatonin on children's development. Alarmingly, poison control centers have seen a 530% increase in melatonin ingestion reports, mostly among children under five, with many cases being unintentional. While melatonin can be beneficial in certain cases under medical supervision, experts like psychologist Julie Boergers advise against its routine use, advocating for behavioral changes as a first-line treatment. If you're looking for a safer and more effective method to improve sleep, check this out!
🥩 Nutrition
Meat is significantly better than plant protein for protecting muscle in older adults. A new study found a significant difference in muscle protein synthesis rates between omnivorous and vegan meals in older adults. The research found that a whole-food meal containing beef led to a more rapid and pronounced increase in circulating plasma essential amino acids, resulting in approximately 47% higher muscle protein synthesis rates compared to a plant-based meal. Despite both meals providing similar amounts of protein, the body's response differed notably. The study also pointed out that older individuals typically exhibit a blunted response to protein intake, known as anabolic resistance.
And a lack of meat isn't good for your bones, either. A recent study examining the impact of vegetarian diets on bone mineral density (BMD) has raised concerns about the potential risks associated with these diets. Analyzing data from over 20,000 volunteers, the study found that current vegetarians, especially vegans, lacto-vegetarians, and lacto-ovo-vegetarians, had significantly lower BMD Z-scores at the spine, hip, and femoral neck compared to non-vegetarians. This indicates that those following a vegetarian diet, particularly stricter forms like veganism, might be at a higher risk for reduced bone density. The research, which involved a comprehensive analysis using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and detailed questionnaires, suggests that relying solely on a vegetarian diet could be detrimental to bone health.
Magnesium intake may be crucial following a stroke. A comprehensive cohort study on stroke survivors has revealed a significant connection between magnesium intake and reduced risk of all-cause mortality. The study, which followed participants for a median of 5.3 years, found that all-cause mortality decreased by 40% in those with the highest magnesium intake. This underscores the importance of magnesium, especially considering that about three-quarters of stroke survivors have insufficient magnesium intake. While the study highlights a positive trend in magnesium consumption over time, it remains below recommended levels. Interestingly, no similar associations were found between the intake of other minerals like sodium, potassium, or calcium and mortality rates. The study's limitations include reliance on self-reported data for stroke diagnosis and the lack of serum magnesium measurements. Nevertheless, these findings emphasize the potential neuroprotective role of magnesium in stroke survivors, especially among older adults and smokers who may benefit from its anti-inflammatory effects.
🏋️♂️ Exercise
Machines vs. free weights for muscle growth? It's a tie. A study in "Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise" challenges the traditional belief that free-weight training is more effective than machine-based training for increasing strength and muscle mass. Conducted over eight weeks with 38 resistance-trained men, the study compared the effects of free-weight and machine-based training on strength, muscle hypertrophy, and joint discomfort. Both training modalities were found to be equally effective in enhancing strength and muscle size, with no significant differences in joint discomfort. The participants, divided into free-weight and machine-based groups, performed identical exercises like squats and bench presses. This study's findings suggest that the choice between free-weight and machine-based training can be based on personal preference or availability, as both are equally effective for strength and muscle development.
🌎 Other News
How I Will Free America From Corporate Capture (Robert F Kennedy). Last month in Philadelphia, the home of American Independence, I announced myself as an independent candidate for president. My candidacy is not only about being independent from the two political parties. My goal is to make the federal government independent too — independent of the corporate and financial interests that have a merciless grip on our democracy. For decades Republicans have railed against Big Government and Democrats have complained about Big Business. Behind the scenes though, they have capitulated to both. The result is that we now face something much more dangerous: the combination of Big Government and Big Business. Keep reading...