Dan's Plan

THE INFO
New research from Harvard suggests that high levels of phosphates accelerate signs of aging and age-related complications, such as:

-Chronic kidney disease
-Cardiovascular calcification
-Severe muscle and skin atrophy

THE STUDY
The research group examined the effects of high phosphate levels in three groups of mice:

Group 1 = missing a gene (klotho), which when absent, causes mice to have toxic levels of phosphate in their bodies. These mice lived 8 to 15 weeks.

Group 2 = missing the klotho gene and a second gene (NaPi2a), which when absent at the same time, substantially lowered the amount of phosphate in their bodies. These mice lived to 20 weeks.

Group 3 = missing both the klotho and NaPi2a genes AND fed a high-phosphate diet. All of these mice died by 15 weeks, like those in the first group.

This suggests that phosphate has toxic effects in mice, and may have a similar effect in other mammals, including humans.

“Soda is the caffeine delivery vehicle of choice for millions of people worldwide, but comes with phosphorous as a passenger” said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of the FASEB Journal. “This research suggests that our phosphorous balance influences the aging process, so don’t tip it.”

BOTTOM LINE
If you do drink soda, consider replacing it with something else you enjoy. For example, teas are incredibly diverse and tasty. Within a few weeks, you could completely replace a bad habit for a better one and not miss a thing. Why not?

Journal Reference:
M. Ohnishi, M. S. Razzaque. Dietary and genetic evidence for phosphate toxicity accelerating mammalian aging. The FASEB Journal, 2010; DOI: 10.1096/fj.09-152488

Q: A comment on the previous post posed the question “does alcohol affect sleep”?
A: Yes, it does.

For example, a study just published in March compared the effects of bourbon, vodka, and placebo (a non-alcoholic drink) on sleep, hangover, and next-day cognitive performance. The investigators had people drink to achieve a breath alcohol level of 0.10% (the legal limit for driving in most states is 0.08%). They found that both types of alcohol significantly decreased the percent of time that people slept and the amount of time they spent in REM sleep (the stage of sleep during which we dream), and increased the amount of time spent awake after having fallen asleep and the amount of next-day sleepiness.

So, even though people reported having a greater hangover after drinking Wild Turkey compared to Absolut (participants did not know what they were drinking at the time), the effects of both types of alcohol were the same – alcohol disrupts normal sleep.

Because it matters. The National Sleep Foundation is highlighting a couple of studies this week that link a lack of sleep to weight gain and obesity.

Getting by on less sleep that you need to feel completely rested is just that – getting by. So, try to set yourself up for m…aking the best decisions about what to eat and getting the most out of your movement by sleeping well.

Sleep deprivation, although occasionally necessary, is not a sign of toughness – it’s a risk factor for illness.