Medical Bulletin 01/December/2025

Telomeres shorten naturally with age but accelerate in people with severe mental disorders (SMD), contributing to early heart disease, cancer, and shorter lifespans. Coffee's antioxidants may fight inflammation and oxidative stress, protecting telomeres, though effects vary by intake level. Coffee offers numerous health benefits when consumed moderately (3-4 cups daily). It boosts energy and mood by blocking fatigue-causing adenosine, lowers type 2 diabetes risk by 6% per cup via better insulin function, and protects against Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, stroke, and certain cancers like liver and endometrial.

Researchers studied 436 Norwegian adults (aged 18-65) with schizophrenia spectrum or affective disorders from psychiatric units. Excluding those with brain-affecting conditions, clinicians diagnosed via interviews and recorded medications. Participants self-reported coffee as none, 1-2 cups, 3-4 cups, or 5+ cups daily, plus smoking history. Telomere length came from blood leukocyte tests, converted to "years of accelerated aging."

Moderate drinkers shone: an inverted J-shaped link emerged, peaking at 3-4 cups/day—the strongest benefit vs. non-drinkers (statistically significant). This group had telomeres equating to five years less aging. Those drinking 1-4 cups overall looked biologically younger than abstainers. No sex or diagnosis differences appeared, but 5+ cups lost the edge.

Coffee up to four cups may shield telomeres via anti-inflammatory effects, vital for SMD's fast aging. Limitations include self-reports, no coffee type/caffeine details, and cross-sectional design barring causation claims.

This suggests measured coffee as a simple lifestyle tweak for mental health patients, but more research needs confirmation across populations.

REFERENCE: Mlakar, V., Di Forti, M., Halff, E.F., Srivastava, D.P., Akkouh, I., Djurovic, S., Martin-Ruiz, C., Quintana, D.S., Birkenæs, V., Steen, N.E., Ormerod, M.B.E.G., Andreassen, O.A., Aas, M. (2025). Coffee intake is associated with telomere length in severe mental disorders. BMJ Mental Health 28(1): e301700. DOI: 10.1136/bmjment-2025-301700. https://mentalhealth.bmj.com/content/28/1/e301700

Alternate-day fasting helps fat loss, may cut muscle too, Study Finds

Alternate-day fasting promises quick fat loss, but does it secretly steal your hard-earned muscle too? A new study in Nutrients tested four weeks of this popular intermittent fasting style on young Asian men, revealing it trims weight and fat effectively—yet also shrinks muscle mass, even with added protein shakes.

Alternate-day fasting (ADF) flips between full eating days and "fasting" days with just one small 400-600 calorie meal around noon, typically making up 16-20 hours without big eats. Worldwide, 44% of adults are overweight and 16% obese, with Singapore close behind at 41% and 14%—sparking huge interest in ADF for slashing body fat, BMI, cholesterol, blood pressure, and triglycerides while boosting metabolic health.

Researchers ran two trials on non-smoking Asian males aged 21-35 with BMI over 23 kg/m², excluding those on meds or with fasting risks.

Study 1 had 20 men follow ADF for four weeks: free eating on feed days, water/zero-cal drinks plus a ~525 kcal meal (38% carbs, 37% fat, 25% protein) on fast days. Body composition used bioelectrical impedance; weekly checks tracked blood pressure, fasting glucose, activity via Global Physical Activity Questionnaire, and diet logs.

Study 2 randomized 26 similar men into control (533 kcal fast meals: 46% carbs, 33% fat, 22% protein) or protein groups (495 kcal with 25g whey shake: 34% carbs, 26% fat, 40% protein). After dropouts, 37 men (age 25, BMI 26.7) completed, with combined analysis showing no group interaction.

Post-ADF, body mass, fat mass, and fat-free (muscle) mass all dropped significantly. Physical activity dipped in weeks 2-3; diastolic blood pressure fell briefly at week 3, fasting glucose at week 1—but neither lasted to endpoint. Systolic pressure stayed steady. Hydration held consistent.

Low-dose protein failed to protect muscle, likely because fast-day intake stayed below daily needs, group differences were tiny, and feed-day protein went unmonitored.

Future research eyes higher leucine/protein dosing across all days plus resistance training to safeguard muscle during ADF weight loss.

REFERENCE: Pang BW, Yang Y, Rashiqah N, Huang CB, Sim DW (2025). Effects of Four Weeks of Alternate-Day Fasting with or Without Protein Supplementation - A Randomized Controlled Trial. Nutrients, 17(23), 3691. DOI: 10.3390/nu17233691. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/17/23/3691

Common nutrient deficiency maybe silently damaging young brains: Study

Obesity in your 20s and 30s might already be quietly stressing your brain—like warning lights flashing decades before memory fades. Scientists at Arizona State University discovered that young adults with obesity carry inflammation, liver strain, and early neuron damage markers mimicking those in elderly folks with cognitive woes.

Their findings, published in Aging and Disease, spotlight low choline—a key nutrient—as a hidden culprit accelerating these risks.

Obesity doesn't just pack on pounds; it sparks metabolic chaos like insulin resistance and high blood pressure, which over years fuel brain decline and Alzheimer's odds. Yet this study reveals the damage kicks off way sooner, linking body fat to brain biology in surprising ways.

The team compared 30 healthy-weight and 30 obese adults in their 20s-30s, analyzing fasting blood for choline, inflammatory cytokines, insulin, glucose, liver enzymes, metabolic markers, and neurofilament light chain (NfL)—a protein signaling neuron injury.

Obese participants showed higher inflammation and liver stress proteins, elevated NfL (even without symptoms), plus sharply lower circulating choline tied to worse insulin resistance and metabolic strain. Women had even lower choline than men, matching their higher Alzheimer's rates later in life.

These patterns eerily mirrored older adults with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's, where low choline pairs with high NfL—hinting obesity ignites neurodegeneration pathways early.

Choline, vital for cell membranes, inflammation control, liver detox, and memory neurotransmitter acetylcholine, mostly comes from foods like eggs, fish, poultry, beans, and broccoli; many young people fall short.

The study warns that GLP-1 weight-loss drugs slashing appetite might worsen choline gaps, urging nutrient checks.

Boosting intake via diet could curb inflammation, shield neurons, and build resilience for healthy aging—starting now.

REFERENCE: Wendy Winslow. Reduced Blood Choline in Obesity Is Associated with Metabolic and Alzheimer’s Biomarkers. aging and disease, 2025; DOI: 10.14336/AD.2025.1207