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What is the second most popular adaptogen next to panax ginseng? Many readers know it is rhodiola rosea, an herb that helps to ease fatigue, increase endurance and improve mood, in addition to other benefits. A perennial flowering plant, rhodiola rosea grows in the U.S., Europe, Asia and even the Arctic and is also known as golden root or roseroot.

The active compounds in rhodiola — rosavin, rosaridin, rosarin, rosin, salidroside and tyrosol — have been associated with many of its benefits. For example, rosavin is believed to exert antidepressant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and antioxidative actions.¹

Rosavin also created improvements in pulmonary fibrosis in mice, decreasing inflammatory cells infiltration and proinflammatory cytokines expression and downregulating oxidative chemicals.

Salidroside, another rhodiola ingredient, reduced hepatic steatosis in Type 2 diabetic mice, which holds implications for the treatment of high-fat, diet-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.² Now, another ingredient in rhodiola, an ester called ferulic acid, is being studied and showing new benefits for its positive actions.³

New Ferulic Acid Benefits Are Being Explored

Ferulic acid (FA), a phenolic phytochemical in rhodiola, is also found in rice, wheat, oats, pineapple, artichoke, peanut, nuts and even the seeds of coffee.⁴ While ferulic acid has been used in skin preparations, many other uses are being explored. It may, for example, have value in treating cancer, diabetes, pulmonary, heart and liver conditions, mental acuity and oxidative stress, according to research in Biotechnology Reports.⁵

"It has been proved that FA acts as a β-secretase modulator with therapeutic potential against Alzheimer’s disease, and found to improve the structure and function of the heart, blood vessels, liver, and kidneys in hypertensive rats …

Researchers have also proved that at lower concentration, FA reduced the cell death in hippocampal neuronal cells induced by peroxyl radical, while at higher concentration, it diminished the hydroxyl radicals induced by protein oxidation and peroxidation of lipid. FA helped in the reduction of lipid peroxidation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells."

In an article in the journal Natural Product Research, ferulic acid was found to relieve oxidative stress in rat heart cells. The researchers also explored ferulic acid's ability to protect against oxygen-glucose deprivation.⁶

Ferulic Acid Shows Brain Benefits

Some of the most exciting brain and memory actions associated with ferulic acid obtained from rhodiola were published in Science Advances.⁷ Researchers found that ferulic acid ester dramatically improves recall in fruit flies, bees and mice.⁸ According to Harvard magazine:⁹

"[Researchers] made a sucrose solution with the shredded-root tea … The team engaged the bees in a classical conditioning paradigm in which they dribbled a tiny amount of sucrose solution onto a toothpick while blowing a particular odor at the animal.

As a result, the bees came to remember the sucrose reward in association with that particular odor, confirming memory acquisition. The next day, the bees still remembered the odor and expected the sucrose solution, confirming memory consolidation."

Hanna Zwaka, who participated in the research, summarized the results:¹⁰

“Imagine you’re learning for a test — that would be the memory acquisition, and in this case, that’s when the bees paired the odor with that reward. The next day, you have to recall the memory, but this recall can also depend on sleep and concentration levels independent of the memory consolidation, which happens after you learn something …

We gave the bees Rhodiola before the learning phase [in which the bees learned to associate the sucrose solution with a particular odor], and we saw that the learning during the memory acquisition worked better than in a control group. When we gave them Rhodiola after learning, in the time when memory was consolidated, they performed better on the next day.”

More About the Research in Science Advances

There were other surprising and encouraging results in the Science Advances study about the effect of "FAE-20" (short for ferulic acid eicosyl ester) in fruit fly (drosophila) larva and mice. The researchers write:¹¹

"We conclude that supplementing food with FAE-20 can improve memory scores in larval Drosophila. Furthermore, FAE-20 can partially compensate for both memory impairments in aged flies and early-onset memory impairments caused by a genetically induced, premature increase in BRP [Drosophila bruchpilot gene] levels in young flies …

Mouse hippocampal CA1 neurons showed increased excitability, and mice treated with FAE-20 showed improved hippocampus-dependent memory … such tests might be particularly promising because of the reported associations between neuronal excitability, synaptic plasticity, and learning …

Moreover, several compounds that increase the intrinsic excitability of these neurons, such as the cholinesterase inhibitor galantamine and the L-type calcium channel blocker nimodipine, improve the performance of old mice in hippocampus-dependent behavioral tasks …

Together, the available evidence shows that FAE-20 is a potent memory enhancer in different species and paradigms and prompts at least four nonexclusive working hypotheses for a mechanism of its action, namely, modulation of neuronal excitability, of the biogenic amine systems, of BRP/ELKS/CAST/ERC function, and of homeostatic autophagy."

Ferulic Acid Skin Benefits

Ferulic acid is often added to skin products because of its ability to fight free radicals, which are thought to contribute to age spots and wrinkles.¹² But some research indicates it may also be photoprotective, helping to prevent harm from excessive sun exposure, which is also associated with age spots and wrinkles.

This effect occurs whether ferulic acid is used alone or with topical vitamins C and E. Research in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology says:¹³

"Ferulic acid not only provides increased stability to a solution of vitamins C+E, but also adds a substantial synergistic photoprotection, essentially doubling its efficacy. Moreover it provides additional protection against thymine dimer formation that should prove useful for prevention of skin cancer.

These studies support the hypotheses that UV radiation produces apoptosis by triggering the caspase cascade in both epidermis and dermis, and topical vitamins C, E, and ferulic acid can protect against caspase activation."

The effectiveness of ferulic acid in photoprotection is good news, say the Journal of Investigative Dermatology researchers, because:

"Recent studies substantiating the shortcomings of sunscreen protection support the need for a different approach to photoprotection … SPF is a measurement of UVB only and reveals nothing about UVA photoprotection, protection necessary to protect against oxidative stress.

Indeed a recent study of three high SPF broad- screen sunscreens revealed that at 2 mg per cm2 application, UVA-induced free radical formation was reduced only 55% with even worse protection when application levels were decreased.

Sunscreens are designed to be shields for the skin, protecting the skin by absorbing harmful UV radiation. Since they work at the surface of the skin, they are easily removed by washing or rubbing. Antioxidants, in contrast, are designed to work not only at the skin's surface but also inside skin."¹⁴

Topical application of ferulic acid not only offered photoprotection, it had other benefits, write the researchers.¹⁵

"Ferulic acid scavenged hydroxyl radical, nitric oxide, peroxynitrite, and superoxide radical. It was antimutagenic, protected against menadione-induced oxidative DNA damage and demonstrated anticarcinogenic effects in animal models of pulmonary and colon carcinoma …

Topical application … decreased TPA-induced skin tumor formation … [and] inhibited UVB-induced erythema. In a mouse model of multiple sclerosis, oral ferulic acid had a striking effect on syncytin-mediated inflammation and death of oligodendrocytes induced by redox reactants."

Other Ferulic Acid Benefits

Other studies have confirmed the health benefits of ferulic acid. Research in International Immunopharmacology finds value in ferulic acid in treating depression:¹⁶

"Ferulic acid is a hydroxycinnamic acid that widely presents in plant cell wall components. It has been demonstrated that ferulic acid can attenuate depressive-like behaviors in both forced swimming test and tail suspension test.

Considering that depression is an inflammatory related mental disease, our present study was aimed to investigate the role of ferulic acid in the regulation of microglia activation, pro-inflammatory cytokines, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and nucleotide binding and oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome in mice exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) …

[A]ctivated inflammatory response induced by CUMS were reversed by ferulic acid and fluoxetine as well, suggesting that anti-inflammatory related mechanism was involved in the antidepressant-like effects of ferulic acid in stressed mice."

Research in the journal Medical Science Monitor suggests ferulic acid has anti-cancer properties:¹⁷

"This study aimed to investigate the effects of ferulic acid on HeLa and Caski human cervical carcinoma cells and the molecular mechanisms involved … Ferulic acid significantly reduced HeLa and Caski cell viability … Ferulic acid treatment promoted DNA condensation and significantly increased apoptosis in Caski cells …

The effects of ferulic acid were dose-dependent and resulted in cell cytotoxicity and apoptosis of HeLa and Caski cells, and the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway was down-regulated in Caski cells."

The rhodiola rosea plant has a long history of use in traditional medicine in Russia and Scandinavian countries and is becoming more popular in the U.S. The new benefits associated with ferulic acid, contained in the rhodiola plant, will likely increase its usage.

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Iodine is a key component to health; since your body can’t produce it, you must get it from your diet. Deficiency affects your thyroid gland. Your thyroid hormones support proper bone and brain development in utero and during infancy. This means that getting enough iodine is critically important for babies as well as women who are pregnant or nursing.

If you have a severe iodine deficiency, your thyroid gland may become enlarged; this is a condition you may have heard about, called a goiter. There are two molecules that sound similar — iodine and iodide — but they are different. Iodine is naturally occurring, while iodide is an iodine molecule bonded with another element.¹ At the drugstore what you're usually buying is an iodide solution for topical applications or use as a supplement.

The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for iodine ranges from 110 micrograms (mcg) for babies from birth to 6 months of age and up to 150 mcg for men and women over 19 years. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding have an RDA of 220 mcg and 290 mcg, respectively.²

Iodine Is an Effective Antiviral and Antiseptic

It’s been known for some time that iodine can kill viruses. The most recent severe influenza pandemic was caused by the H1N1 virus in 1918. The CDC estimates 500 million people, or one-third of the population of the world at that time, were infected.³ Globally, there were 50 million deaths that doctors recognized were from the infection.

In the years following the outbreak, scientists searched for more information about viruses and agents that may be used to kill them.⁴ This is when iodine was discovered as an effective method for infection control. In his review of iodine history, Dr. David Derry, writes:⁵

“In 1945, Burnet and Stone found that putting iodine on mice snouts prevented the mice from being infected with live influenza virus in mists. They suggested that impregnating masks with iodine would help stop viral spread. They also recommended that medical personnel have iodine-aerosol-treated rooms for examination and treatment of highly infected patients.”

The study he references was published in the Australian Journal of Experimental Biology and Medical Science in September 1945.⁶ Not long afterward, in the 1950s, povidone iodine made its debut as an⁷ “effective broad-spectrum antiseptic and disinfectant.”

For more than 50 years povidone iodine has been used in hospitals under the brand name Betadine.⁸ It’s also sold for home use. Derry writes that the current means of dealing with a virus could be augmented by using iodine. Building on past research from Burnet and Stone, he suggests:⁹

“Isolation techniques coupled with aerosol iodine would make them safer for patients, medical personnel, and all persons working with the public. Public health authorities could organize the distribution of iodine and at the same time educate the public in the effective use of iodine. Oral iodine might also boost body defense mechanisms in the upper oral and respiratory mucus.”

The mechanism of action may help explain how iodine is so effective at killing bacteria. Medical and health lecturer and doctor of oriental and pastoral medicine Mark Sircus writes that iodine can kill up to 90%¹⁰ of skin bacteria in 90 seconds. He explains what else it does:¹¹

Iodine exhibits activity against bacteria, molds, yeasts, protozoa, and many viruses; indeed, of all antiseptic preparations suitable for direct use on humans and animals and upon tissues, only iodine is capable of killing all classes of pathogens: gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, mycobacteria, fungi, yeasts, viruses and protozoa. Most bacteria are killed within 15 to 30 seconds of contact.

Iodine Useful in Reducing Post-Surgical Infections

Over the years, doctors have found using a topical antiseptic could limit the need for antibiotics and therefore reduce the potential for developing antibiotic resistance. Researchers have found povidone iodine can effectively accomplish that task without slowing wound healing.¹²

When applied to a wound it effectively kills gram-negative and -positive organisms. Some have also found it speeds healing in acute and chronic wounds. Iodine has specific characteristics that make it effective in wound healing, including a lack of bacterial resistance and how effective it is against biofilms.

But potential uses for iodine don’t stop there. Ophthalmologists have been applying it in preparation for eye surgery.¹³ Research into expanding its use began in the early 2000s after an anecdotal report was published connecting a brief eye wash with iodine and fast healing of viral conjunctivitis.

Researchers began testing the topical application of a combination of steroid and iodine to treat adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis, a type of viral conjunctivitis.¹⁴ After seven days in the study, animals treated with the iodine-steroid combination had a lower number of toxic symptoms and they shed less of the virus, which lowers the chance of spreading it to others.

You may know the condition as pink eye. Viruses are the root cause of 80% of pink eye cases and the adenovirus causes 65% to 90% of those infections.¹⁵ One complication of pink eye is the introduction of corneal subepithelial infiltrates that may cause pain and sensitivity to light.

The leaders of another laboratory study used bacteria cultured from corneal ulcers.¹⁶ In the lab they found that exposure to lower concentrations of povidone iodine (0.25%) could kill bacteria within 30 seconds. Yet, exposing Micrococcus luteus and Staphylococcus aureus to concentrations of 5% and 10% were less effective, taking longer to kill the bacteria.

An Imbalance May Increase Risk for Chronic Illness

You also need iodine internally. Globally, iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) affect 2 billion people, but only 50 million may present with clinical symptoms.¹⁷ Children are among the most vulnerable, as well as pregnant and lactating women.

The National Institutes of Health explains that iodine deficiency affects the production of thyroid hormone. Without enough iodine, children can experience poor development of their brain and nervous system. Even a mild deficiency may cause slight challenges with neurological development.

At the same time, too much can trigger an enlarged thyroid gland, thyroid gland inflammation and thyroid cancer along with some of the same symptoms as a deficiency.¹⁸ In areas of the world where people get a higher amount of iodine in their food, such as in Japan and Eastern China, the prevalence of thyroid enlargement increases.¹⁹ Excess iodine can also induce hyperthyroidism, whereas too little can cause hypothyroidism.

The World Health Organization finds that²⁰ “Iodine deficiency is the main cause of brain damage in children.” However, deficiency can also affect the neurological system of adults. People who have an iodine deficiency may suffer a 15-point reduction in their IQ, which can affect their productivity and ability to keep a job.

Thyroid Conditions Are a Serious Public Health Concern

An imbalance of iodine affects your thyroid function, which in turn affects many other systems in your body. For instance, when your thyroid is not fully functional it can lead to heart disease.²¹

If you suffer from hypothyroidism, it can slow your heart rate, make your arteries less elastic and raise your blood pressure. Hyperthyroidism is less common and can cause your heart to beat faster and trigger an abnormal heart rhythm. The most common is atrial fibrillation, during which the upper chambers of the heart move in a disorganized fashion.

Before you experience effects on your heart, you'll likely notice other symptoms of hypothyroidism. You might be tempted to chalk them up to getting older but see your physician to be sure. Signs of hypothyroidism include:²²

Feeling tired	Increasing weight	Dry skin
Puffy face	Hoarse voice	Thinning hair
Slowed heart rate	Depression	Poor memory
Pain and stiffness in the joints	Muscle aches and fatigue	Hard bowel movement
More sensitive to cold temperatures	Irregular or heavy menstrual periods	Goiter — enlarged thyroid gland

I always recommend that you get as many nutrients as possible from your food, and iodine is no exception. Some foods that are naturally iodine-rich include²³ sea vegetables, prunes, raw milk and raw dairy products, eggs and Himalayan pink sea salt.

In addition to your thyroid gland, there are other tissues that are affected by iodine. Discover how low iodine may affect other bodily systems and the chemicals in your environment that can block absorption in "How Iodine Deficiency Increases Your Risk for Chronic Illnesses."

Cleaning With Iodine May Stop the Spread of Viruses

There are several ways to use iodine at home that may help slow or stop the spread of viruses. Consider looking for natural products to clean and sterilize door handles, phones and your hands. These can be especially helpful during cold and flu season.

Look for a povidone iodine throat gargle solution to help slow the spread of viruses²⁴ and bacteria.²⁵ By reducing your upper respiratory viral load, it may reduce the length of your cold and cough.

If you're out camping, iodine tablets are one of the safer ways to sterilize your water. This is best used for only a short-term temporary basis since the additional iodine can affect your thyroid function.²⁶

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In decades past, a daily low-dose aspirin regimen was frequently recommended as a primary prevention strategy against heart disease. However, the evidence in support of it was rather weak, and kept getting weaker as time went on.

I stopped recommending daily "baby aspirin" use for the prevention of heart disease over two decades ago, due to the growing evidence of harmful side effects.

The primary justification for a daily aspirin regimen has been that it inhibits prostaglandin production,¹ thereby decreasing your blood's ability to form dangerous clots. However, in more recent years, most public health authorities have reversed their stance on the practice of using aspirin for primary prevention.

'Baby' Aspirin No Longer Recommended as Primary Prevention

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reversed its position on daily low-dose aspirin as primary prevention for heart disease in 2014,² citing clearly established side effects — including dangerous brain and stomach bleeding — and a lack of clear benefit for patients who have never had a heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular disease.

In 2019, the American Heart Association (AHA) and American College of Cardiology updated their clinical guidelines on the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease,³ spelling out many of the controversial findings on prophylactic aspirin use.

Importantly, studies have found that prophylactic aspirin use in adults over the age of 70 is potentially harmful, primarily due to the increased risk of bleeding in this age group. As noted in one 2009 paper,⁴ long-term low-dose aspirin therapy nearly doubles your risk for gastrointestinal bleeding.

Older people are, of course, more likely to be at high risk for heart disease, and thus more likely to be put on aspirin therapy. In younger adults, the risks are less clear-cut.

As noted in the AHA guideline, in adults younger than 40, "there is insufficient evidence to judge the risk-benefit ratio of routine aspirin for the primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease."⁵

That said, the conventional recommendation to avoid a daily aspirin regimen only applies to primary prevention of heart disease in those with no history of heart problems, or those with low or moderate risk for heart disease. As reported by the AHA:⁶

"The new recommendation doesn't apply to people who already have had a stroke or heart attack, or who have undergone bypass surgery or a procedure to insert a stent in their coronary arteries.

These individuals already have cardiovascular disease and should continue to take low-dose aspirin daily, or as recommended by their health care provider, to prevent another occurrence ..."

Is Aspirin Regimen Safe for Heart Disease Patients?

While daily low-dose aspirin continues to be recommended for patients who already have heart disease, there's evidence suggesting it may not be an ideal solution for them either. 

For example, the WASH (warfarin/aspirin study in heart failure) study⁷ published in 2004 — which assessed the risks and benefits of aspirin and the blood thinner warfarin in heart failure patients — found those who received aspirin treatment (300 mg/day) actually had the worst cardiac outcomes, including worsening heart failure. According to the authors, there was "no evidence that aspirin is effective or safe in patients with heart failure."

Similarly, a 2010 study⁸ found older heart disease patients who had a prior history of aspirin use had more comorbidities and a higher risk of recurrent heart attack than those who had not been on aspirin therapy.

Aspirin has also not been proven safe or effective for diabetics, who are at increased risk for heart disease and therefore likely to be put on an aspirin regimen.

For example, a 2009 meta-analysis⁹ of six studies found no clear evidence that aspirin is effective in preventing cardiovascular events in people with diabetes, although men may derive some benefit.

Another 2009 study¹⁰ that examined the effects of aspirin therapy in diabetic patients found it "significantly increased mortality in diabetic patients without cardiovascular disease from 17% at age 50 years to 29% at age 85 years."

On the other hand, it did lower mortality in elderly diabetic patients who also had cardiovascular disease. A meta-analysis¹¹ published in 2010 also concluded aspirin did not reduce the heart attack risk in diabetic individuals.

Why Phlebotomy May Be a Better Option Than Aspirin Therapy

While the benefits of low-dose aspirin may outweigh the risks for some people, I believe you may be able to achieve similar cardiovascular protection by doing therapeutic phlebotomies.

There's evidence to suggest that the bleeding caused by aspirin may in fact be part of why it lowers your risk of heart attack and stroke, as bleeding will lower your iron level. Aspirin's ability to lower inflammation may be another factor at play.

As shown in a 2001 study,¹² people taking seven aspirins per week had 25% lower mean serum ferritin than nonusers. The effect was most marked in diseased subjects, compared to healthy ones. As explained by the authors:

"Atherosclerosis, a primary cause of myocardial infarction (MI), is an inflammatory disease. Aspirin use lowers risk of MI, probably through antithrombotic and anti-inflammatory effects.

Because serum ferritin (SF) can be elevated spuriously by inflammation, reported associations between elevated SF, used as an indicator of iron stores, and heart disease could be confounded by occult inflammation and aspirin use if they affect SF independently of iron status …

Aspirin use is associated with lower SF. We suggest this effect results from possible increased occult blood loss and a cytokine-mediated effect on SF in subjects with inflammation, infection, or liver disease."

Most people, physicians included, fail to appreciate that — aside from blood loss, including menstruation — the body has no significant way to excrete excess iron. There are very minor amounts lost through normal bodily processes, but not enough to move the needle on overall iron levels.

Between supplementation, fortification and the iron that occurs naturally in foods, it's very easy to end up with excessive levels. In fact, most adult men and postmenopausal women are at risk for excess iron and need regular blood testing for ferritin.

Excessive iron causes significant oxidative stress, catalyzing the formation of excessive free radicals that damage your cellular and mitochondrial membranes, proteins and DNA. It is a potent contributor to increased risks of cancers, heart disease and neurodegenerative diseases. You can learn more about the ins and outs of excess iron in "Why Managing Your Iron Level Is Crucial to Your Health."

While dangerous, iron overload is easy and inexpensive to treat. All you really need to do is monitor your serum ferritin and/or gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) levels, avoid iron supplements, and be sure to donate blood on a regular basis.

By doing this, you can avoid serious health problems, and donating blood is a far safer way to lower your iron stores than taking aspirin and losing blood via internal bleeding.

Aspirin Linked to Lower Risk of Death

Interestingly, a 2019 study¹³ found prophylactic aspirin use may lower the risk of all-cause cancer, gastrointestinal (GI) cancer and colorectal cancer mortality among older adults.

The study included 146,152 individuals with a mean age of 66.3 years who participated in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial. The median follow-up time was 12.5 years. Those taking aspirin at least three times a week had a:

• 19% lower risk of death from all causes
• 15% lower risk of death from any cancer
• 25% lower risk of death from GI cancer
• 29% lower risk of death from colorectal cancer 

Having a higher body mass index (BMI between 25 and 29.9) lowered these percentages by 1%, with the exception of colorectal cancer. In this group, colorectal cancer death decreased by 34%.

No observable benefit of aspirin use was found in underweight individuals (BMI below 20), which led the researchers to hypothesize that "the efficacy of aspirin as a cancer preventive agent may be associated with BMI,"¹⁴ although this theory needs to be confirmed in future studies. The authors also warn that prophylactic aspirin therapy for cancer prevention would need to be weighed against the increased risk of bleeding. 

Other Health Risks Associated With Long-Term Aspirin Use

Overall, there's a lot of evidence against long-term daily aspirin therapy. The risk of internal bleeding is one significant concern, which is further magnified if you're taking antidepressants or blood thinning medications such as Plavix.

Using aspirin in combination with SSRI antidepressants has been shown to increase your risk of abnormal bleeding by 42%, compared to those taking aspirin alone,¹⁵ and taking aspirin (325 mg/day) with Plavix has been shown to nearly double your risk of major hemorrhage and significantly increase your risk of death, while not affecting your risk of recurrent stroke to any significant degree.¹⁶

Aside from damaging your gastrointestinal tract,^17,18 routine aspirin use has also been linked to an increased risk for cataracts,¹⁹ neovascular (wet) macular degeneration,²⁰ tinnitus²¹ and hearing loss in men.²²

Nattokinase Reduces Clot Formation Without Side Effects

Aside from donating blood to lower your iron level (provided it's elevated), nattokinase is another far safer alternative to a daily aspirin regimen. Nattokinase, produced by the bacteria Bacillus subtilis during the fermentation of soybeans to produce natto,²³ is a strong thrombolytic,²⁴ comparable to aspirin without the serious side effects.

It's been shown to break down blood clots and reduce the risk of serious clotting²⁵ by dissolving excess fibrin in your blood vessels,²⁶ improving circulation and decreasing blood viscosity. These effects can also help reduce high blood pressure.²⁷

As noted in a 2018 paper,²⁸ nattokinase appears to be a promising alternative in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, and has been linked to a reduction in cardiovascular disease mortality.

Lumbrokinase Is Even Better Than Nattokinase

Yet another alternative is lumbrokinase, a complex fibrinolytic enzyme extracted from earthworms. Like nattokinase, lumbrokinase boosts circulatory health by reducing blood viscosity, reducing blood clotting factor activity and degrading fibrin, which is a key factor in clot formation.^29,30

Some researchers have suggested lumbrokinase could be used "as secondary prevention after acute thrombosis," such as heart attacks and stroke.³¹ A 2008 study³² that explored "the mechanisms involved in the anti-ischemic action of lumbrokinase (LK) in the brain," found it protected against cerebral ischemia via several mechanisms and pathways. As explained by the authors:

"These data indicated that the anti-ischemic activity of LK was due to its anti-platelet activity by elevating cAMP level and attenuating the calcium release from calcium stores, the anti-thrombosis action due to inhibiting of ICAM-1 expression, and the anti-apoptotic effect due to the activation of JAK1/STAT1 pathway."

A 2009 pilot study³³ that used lumbrokinase in patients with coronary artery disease and stable angina found it improved angina symptoms in 40% of patients and lowered the summed stress score by 29% (the summed stress score is a risk indicator for a cardiac event over the next 12 months³⁴). According to the authors, "Oral lumbrokinase improves regional myocardial perfusion in patients with stable angina."

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Even one short week of Hilary Duff's fitness plan had me feeling healthier and stronger.

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Facial expressions might not be reliable indicators of emotion, research indicates. In fact, it might be more accurate to say we should never trust a person's face, new research suggests.

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With infrared saunas, in-house masseurs, sweat towel valet and better bathroom facilities than most five star hotels, SOMA gym is leading the way for luxury gym memberships that look after more than just your fitness (though they do that, too). 

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Oat milk is the new kid on the block when it comes to alternative 'mylks'. Here's our breakdown of the healthiest brands on your supermarket shelves.

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