NEWS FLASH

50–65% FEWER DEATHS

People who walk significantly more steps each day live longer, according to a study that tracked nearly 5,000 people for 10 years. More specifically, researchers compared the lifespans of Americans who were age 40 or older at the outset and took no more than 4,000, 8,000, or at least 12,000 steps daily. Compared to people taking 4,000 or fewer daily steps, risk of death from any cause was 50 percent lower for those taking 8,000 daily steps and 65 percent lower for 12,000 daily steps.

You can measure your steps with pedometers, smartwatches, fitness bands, or the Apple Health app on iPhones and the Google Fit app on Android phones.

Vitamin K2 Reduces STIFFNESS OF ARTERIES

A study of 243 men and women between the ages of 40 and 70 found that vitamin K 2 , taken consistently for a year, significantly reduced stiffness of arteries. The effective dose was 360 mcg per day of the MK-7 form of the vitamin. Earlier research showed that lower doses take longer to produce similar benefits.

UBIQUINOL RELIVES FATIGUE

Ubiquinol is the active form of CoQ10, a nutrient used by our cells to produce energy. While many studies have shown that it can help people with heart failure, a new study in Japan has found that ubiquinol supplements can also revitalize energy in healthy middle-aged people who experience fatigue. In a group of 60 people, researchers compared the effects of 100 or 150 mg of ubiquinol daily to a placebo during a 12-week period. They measured blood levels of the nutrient and surveyed participants’ energy levels during and after a series of challenging mental tests. They found that both doses of ubiquinol raised blood levels of the nutrient and significantly enhanced energy. The study was published in the journal Nutrients.

Fish and Fish Oil Reduces Brain Damage from Air Pollution

Air pollution makes the brain shrink faster with age, but the omega-3 fats in fish and fish oil can counteract the effect. In a study of 1,315 women with an average age of 70 who lived in polluted areas, brain scans showed that those with the highest blood levels of omega-3s suffered the least brain shrinkage. Although individual needs vary, eating salmon, sardines, or other omega-3-rich fish several times a week—or taking 1,000 mg or more of fish oil or vegan omega-3 supplements—can usually get blood levels into a healthy range.