HEALTH NEWS
Purslane Extract Tied to Improved Mood and Reduced Liver Stiffness in Trials, Researchers Say
Natural Compound in Broccoli Could Help Treat a Rare, Incurable Neurological Disease
Intermittent fasting reveals gut-brain pathway that may reduce chronic pain
Microalga extract shows promise for fatigue through mitochondrial function
Vitamin D Supplementation Tied to Slower Biological Aging, Studies Find
Purslane Extract Tied to Improved Mood and Reduced Liver Stiffness in Trials, Researchers Say
Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (Iran), August 21 2026 (Natural News)
Purslane, a weed commonly found in garden beds and sidewalk cracks, has been linked in two clinical trials to improved mood and reduced liver stiffness. Purslane is an herbaceous succulent valued in many cultures for its vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
A trial published in the journal Health Science Reports enrolled adults with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Participants received either purslane extract or a placebo in addition to regular care. The report said those who received purslane showed reductions in stress and low mood compared with the placebo group, and researchers said the results warrant further investigation.
In 2024, the same research team published a trial of patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease received 700 milligrams of purslane extract daily for eight weeks. According to the study, liver stiffness decreased significantly compared with placebo, and the hepatorenal ultrasound index, a direct measure of fat buildup in the liver, also improved.
Natural Compound in Broccoli Could Help Treat a Rare, Incurable Neurological Disease
Swinburne University of Technology (Australia), August 21, 2026 (SciTech Daily)
A naturally occurring compound in broccoli is being investigated as a possible treatment for Friedreich ataxia, a rare nervous system disease. Research from Swinburne suggests the compound can act on biological processes involved in the condition.
Friedreich ataxia develops as neurons in the brain and spinal cord deteriorate, progressively affecting movement, speech, and survival.
The research found that sulforaphane, a natural compound present in broccoli, can raise levels of frataxin, the protein that is deficient in people with Friedreich ataxia. It also helped protect vulnerable nerve cells from damage.
Sulforaphane has also been found to affect several disease-related processes, including cellular stress and inflammation.
Intermittent fasting reveals gut-brain pathway that may reduce chronic pain
Zhengzhou University & First Affiliated Hospital (China) August 24 2026 (Medical Xpress)
Chronic pain, pain that persists or returns for more than three months, can affect people's emotional well-being and is often accompanied by difficulty concentrating or remembering things.
Researchers at Zhengzhou University and its First Affiliated Hospital conducted a study investigating the effects of intermittent fasting on chronic pain in mice. Their findings, published in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, suggest that fasting for set hours can alter gut bacteria and influence the connection between the digestive tract and the brain, which may in turn reduce pain sensitivity and improve mental function.
The researchers observed that mice with chronic pain who followed the intermittent fasting regimen appeared to exhibit reduced sensitivity to normally harmless touch and heat. In addition, fasting appeared to improve their performance on simple tasks and reduce anxiety-like behaviors.
Collected data suggested that fasting had strengthened the mice's intestinal barrier, reduced neuroinflammation and altered the composition of their gut microbiota. A species of gut bacteria that appeared to consistently increase with intermittent fasting was Alistipes finegoldii.
This study suggests that intermittent fasting can change the composition of the gut microbiota, particularly in mouse models of chronic pain. Interestingly, the team also found that supplementing mice with Alistipes finegoldii, the bacterial species that increased with fasting, reproduced the pain-relieving effects and cognitive improvements observed in fasting mice.
Microalga extract shows promise for fatigue through mitochondrial function
Jeonbuk National University & Yuhan Care Co (South Korea), August 11 2026 (Nutrition)
Algae have long been used for nutritional and health-promoting purposes in several cultures. Haematococcus pluvialis, a fresh water green algae widely recognized as containing high levels of astaxanthin, has attracted growing interest as a functional bioresource with potential to improve physical performance and alleviate fatigue; however, its underlying mechanisms remain unclear.
This study aimed to evaluate the anti-fatigue effects of H. pluvialis extract (YHC-T-2414) and its underlying mechanisms. Its antioxidant effect was assessed by measuring reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation.
Mice were administered YHC-T-2414 for 3 weeks and subjected to an exhaustive swimming test. Subsequently, fatigue-related biochemical parameters, including lactate, LDH, creatine, malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured in serum and muscle tissues. YHC-T-2414 attenuated H2O2-induced reductions in cell viability, and reduced LDH and CK activities and ROS generation in H2O2-treated C2C12 myoblasts.
Furthermore, it significantly increased swimming time in the forced swimming mouse model while reducing lactate, LDH, CK, MDA, TNF-α, and IL-6.
Vitamin D Supplementation Tied to Slower Biological Aging, Studies Find
Yale University, August 23 2026 (Natural News)
Recent analyses of clinical trial data have linked daily vitamin D3 supplementation to slower biological aging, according to researchers.
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that 2,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D3 daily significantly reduced telomere shortening over four years among participants.
Researchers followed 1,036 adults with vitamin D deficiency in the Berlin Aging Study II and GendAge study for an average of 7.4 years. According to the report, participants who began taking vitamin D supplements after the initial assessment had lower epigenetic age acceleration at follow-up than deficient participants who did not supplement. The difference was about 2.6 years on one epigenetic clock and 1.3 years on another.
The report also stated that participants whose deficiency was successfully treated had epigenetic aging measures that were not significantly different from those of vitamin D-sufficient participants. These findings suggest that correcting a vitamin D deficiency may move some markers of biological aging in a more favorable direction.
