10 Beauty Products Your 50+ Face Will Love
The beauty industry loves to tell us we're too old to matter and never too young to worry about aging. Turning back the clock is the goal, even if you're only 29. But what if beauty wasn't about fighting time, but living fully in the skin you're in, complete with laugh lines, creases, and sun-kissed freckles?
These brands are not here to sell you on the idea of staying forever young—they're here to celebrate the wisdom, confidence, and changes that come with age. Whether you're looking for skincare that nourishes or makeup that celebrates without erasing, these are a few of the brands and products that embrace aging as a powerful, beautiful process.
Botnia's Essential Enzymes can be used as a cleanser or mask and is perfect for older skin.
All Botnia products are gorgeous both inside and out (the external packaging is beyond beautiful and compostable), and they have a section devoted to 'Wise Skin.' The brand embraces aging and rather than plotting to erase well-earned lines. Founder and CEO Justine Kahn advocates for embracing your older skin while keeping it as heathy as it can be.
Essential Enzymes contains pomegranate, juniper, and calendula, and can be used as a brightening cleanser or a gently exfoliating mask. All formulas are created by scientists and estheticians in their Sausalito, CA lab and Botnia Atelier, and the botanicals are all grown in their local garden.
Joanna Czech's the C+ serum is a workhorse product and perfect under makeup.
This gorgeous serum is multiple products in one. First, it's a vitamin C treatment for brightening skin and fading hyperpigmentation without causing sun sensitivity. Second, it hydrates with ashwagandha and a combination of babasum, hempseed, and marula oils. Plus it strengthens skin and improves cell proliferation with marine algae and a cell longevity booster containing teprenone. It's so multifunctional that you can easily make it the only step in your morning routine between cleansing and applying makeup. It creates the perfect palette for foundation or an easy breezy no-makeup makeup look.
Shades by Shan has launched 40 shades of concealer.
This young, Latina-founded brand recently launched 40 (!) shades of concealer, so literally anyone is bound to find a shade that will provide a flawless finish. This creamy, long-wearing formula hydrates, brightens, and soothes. It's infused with caffeine to de-puff, shea butter to hydrate, and licorice root to calm and even skin tone. It's also made in Korea and lasts up to 16 hours.
True Botanicals Bronze Well Regenerative Dew Drops provides a glow and improves skin.
With summer coming, we crave a tanned glow but don't want to damage our skin. Enter these glow drops, the safe solution for a naturally bronzed look. And it not only provides a glow, but also supports the skin barrier, protects from free radicals, evens out skin tone, won't clog pores, and improves dullness or dryness.
Grande's tubing mascara lasts all day and doesn't require makeup remover to take off.
If your lashes seem more sparse as you age, mascara may feel like an increasingly important part of your makeup routine. This product is a 'tubing' mascara, which means it wraps each lash with a tiny tube of vitamin B5-infused product. I'm a tubing mascara devotee, and this is my current favorite. It lengthens and separates like no other I've tried—never a clump—and it does not flake, even after teaching back to back Pilates classes. To remove just use warm water and pull the tubes loose—no makeup removed required.
Dr. Althea's Vitamin C Boosting Serum gently lightens dark spots while moisturizing and reducing redness.
As we get older, hyperpigmentation and dark spots become more common. Our skin can also become more sensitive. Dr. Althea's Vitamin C Boosting Serum addresses both concerns with hippophae rhamnoides (A.K.A. sea buckthorn) water, a natural ingredient that's rich in brightening vitamin C, but milder than most vitamin C serums so it shouldn't irritate sensitive skin.
It also contains tranexamic acid, which can reduce dark spots and inhibit melanin production. Additionally, the serum hydrates with centella asiatica leaf water which helps your skin barrier retain water and reduces redness.
Gen See Matte Liquid Eyeshadow is easy to apply and won't crease.
It's no secret that as we get older, our eyelids become more creased and that makes our eyeshadow crease. This Gen See formulation is touted by older influencers and those with hooded eyelids—including @silverstrandsofglitter, @silverliberation, and @silverhighlights1971 as The One that will not crease.
The matte eyeshadows can be combined with their metallic shades, and they can even be used on cheeks and lips.
Bonajour Witch Hazel No Sebum Sunshield has a fresh scent and leaves no white cast.
This vegan, 100% physical sunscreen is designed for oily, combination and sensitive skin types. It has a pleasant scent and does not feel at all like a sunscreen, which might be the best thing about it.
It offers broad-spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays with SPF 50 and, true to its name, contains 43% witch hazel water to soothe and hydrate sensitive skin while controlling excess oil.
Omorovicza's healing water mist is refreshing and moisturizing.
Inspired by the world's first recorded perfume, this luxurious facial mist is with Budapest's mineral-rich thermal waters and delivers deep hydration. Ingredients include apple pectin for moisture, with a blend of neroli, rose, and sage to uplift the senses.
Free from alcohol and synthetic fragrances, it's gentle enough for sensitive skin. Use it as a toner, a midday pick-me-up, or anytime you want to revitalize your complexion. Bonus: For every 100ml bottle sold, Omorovicza donates 5% to Water.org, supporting global access to safe water.
Jone's Road's Miracle Balm is perfect for older skin and provides a hint of shimmer and color
Women over 50 swear by this award-winning, Bobbi Brown-founded brand for its nourishing and hydrating qualities. It's perfect for a no-makeup makeup look providing a subtle wash of color. It's also light-reflecting and creates a dewy finish. Wear it alone or with your other makeup.
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CBS News
23 minutes ago
- CBS News
A woman's heart suddenly stopped. Two passing nurses saved her life.
Merryl Hoffman knew she was taking good care of her heart. The 63-year-old attorney didn't smoke or drink, and she was an avid hiker who used to run marathons and other distance races. In her 40s, she had been diagnosed with a leaky mitral valve and underwent surgery to repair it. Every year since, she has seen a cardiologist to check her heart and its function. The reports always came back clear. When Hoffman left her apartment on Manhattan's Upper East Side on Oct. 23, 2025, her heart was the last thing on her mind. She was saddled with her work bag and purse, hightailing it to the subway station so she could make it to work on time. That's when her memory of the day ends. Shortly into her walk, Hoffman experienced a sudden cardiac arrest. Her heart stopped beating. She collapsed to the ground. Doctors later told her it was a severe arrhythmia that could have been fatal — if not for where Hoffman fell. Hoffman had collapsed outside Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center's Breast and Imaging Center, about two and a half blocks from her subway station. A patient care technician and a passing runner immediately rushed to her aid. Then, Memorial Sloan Kettering nurses Sabrina Castle and Gianna Formisano stumbled upon the scene while walking to work. "We were so shocked. When we were walking up, people were like 'Nurses, nurses!' We didn't know what we were walking into," Formisano said. "People were grabbing our coffee, taking our bags. It was out of a movie, the way that they were like 'Oh, thank God you're here.'" Sabrina Castle and Gianna Formisano outside the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Memorial Sloan Kettering "They absolutely saved my life" Formisano and Castle took over performing CPR, keeping Hoffman's heart manually beating. She didn't have a pulse, and she had hit her head when she collapsed. The nurses also instructed one of the other bystanders to call an ambulance. Early CPR increases survival for patients in cardiac arrest by "at least two or three fold," said Dr. Jessica Hennessey, a cardiologist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Early CPR means that blood flow to the brain and heart continues, preserving the health of those organs. Bystanders in a medical emergency should call 911 and immediately start CPR, Hennessey advised. CPR can be done with mouth-to-mouth or with just chest compressions, Hennessey said. After five minutes that "felt like forever," the ambulance arrived, Formisano said. Castle and Formisano helped the EMTs load Hoffman into the ambulance. Then, she was taken to NewYork-Presbyterian's cardiac care unit for further treatment. For the small crowd, the day carried on. Castle and Formisano headed to work. After a few hours, they called NewYork-Presbyterian to see if they could find out more about Hoffman's status. They went to the hospital and spoke to a nurse there. "She was like, 'You got her back. She's intubated, she's alive, you saved her life,'" Castle recalled. Hoffman was still unconscious. She told CBS News that she didn't wake up until five days after the collapse. Her family told her that she had been rushed into surgery. Doctors told her that her heart had stopped for several minutes -- and the actions of Castle, Formisano and other bystanders had saved her. "Without them, I was told, there was no doubt I would have died or been brain dead," Hoffman said. "They absolutely saved my life." Hoffman had an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator placed in her chest to prevent further cardiac arrests. The device shocks the heart if it detects an irregular heartbeat. She also began cardiac rehabilitation. Shortly after, she returned to work. Life began to get back to normal but one question was constantly at the back of her mind: Who had helped save her? A chance reunion While in cardiac rehabilitation, Hoffman found herself telling the story of the strangers who had helped her. A physiologist there overheard her talking about it and thought the story sounded familiar. His girlfriend was friends with two nurses who had helped a woman matching Hoffman's description. After some back and forth, the physiologist connected Hoffman with Castle and Formisano. The trio immediately made plans to get dinner. Hoffman's husband joined them for the meal. There, the nurses were able to fill in the gaps of the October morning when Hoffman collapsed. Sabrina Castle, Merryl Hoffman and Gianna Formisano at the site where Hoffman collapsed. Sabrina Castle and Gianna Formisano "It was very jarring, when they gave my husband and I the blow-by-blow of that morning. There were things we did not know," Hoffman said. "It was pretty incredible." Since that dinner, the women have stayed in touch. Recently, Castle and Formisano even passed Hoffman on the same block where she had collapsed. The three took a photo at the site. "We were like, 'Wow, this is really crazy,'" Formisano said. "'We're running into you on the same spot, on your way to work, on our way to work, but now you're alive and well and in a much different state than when we met you the first time.'"
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
ASCO Report of Pioneering Treatment of Lymphopenia with Significant Overall Survival Benefit in Advanced Pancreatic Cancer
While Epogen and Neupogen addresses anemia and neutropenia, no therapy has existed for the treatment of lymphopenia until ANKTIVA® –The Cancer BioShield. Landmark overall survival benefit (P-value 0.005, HR: 0.46 [0.26, 0.80]) observed in 3rd-6th line metastatic pancreatic cancer, correlated with reversal of lymphopenia. Patients with lower tumor burden and improved lymphocyte counts (ALC ≥1,000) had a median overall survival of 10.1 months, supporting earlier intervention in the disease course. CULVER CITY, Calif., June 03, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ImmunityBio, Inc. (NASDAQ: IBRX) today announced results presented at ASCO 2025 of the first known treatment for lymphopenia with ANKTIVA and CAR-NK therapy. This data supports that reversal of lymphopenia, a well-established root cause of early mortality in patients with cancer across all tumor types, correlates with significant improved survival. While anemia and neutropenia have long been addressed by agents like Epogen and Neupogen, no therapy has ever existed for lymphopenia—until now. ANKTIVA (nogapendekin alfa inbakicept-pmln), an IL-15 superagonist approved in April 2024 for BCG-unresponsive non-muscle- invasive bladder cancer carcinoma in situ with or without papillary disease, represents the first lymphocyte-stimulating agent (LSA) capable of expanding lymphocytes critical for immunogenic cell death, such as natural killer (NK) and T cells. These findings emphasize the need for a therapy to overcome treatment induced lymphopenia with higher mortality as presented at ASCO 2025 by several institutions (Abstract #8054, Satoskar et al. and Abstract #2663, Saleh et al.) In a single-arm QUILT-88 clinical trial of 86 participants with third-to-sixth-line metastatic pancreatic cancer with very high tumor burden (CA19-9 levels exceeding 34,000 IU/ml), for which no therapy currently exists, patients received ANKTIVA subcutaneously in combination with off-the-shelf, ex-vivo infusion of CAR-NK cells (PD-L1 t-haNK) and low dose immuno-modulating chemotherapy. This first reported study of treating lymphopenia demonstrated significant differences in median overall survival in subjects whose lymphopenia was reversed (Absolute Lymphocyte Count: ALC ≥ 1,000). In 67 out of 86 subjects, reversal of lymphopenia was achieved and median overall survival was significantly prolonged compared to those who remained in severe lymphopenia with P-value 0.005, HR: 0.46 (0.26, 0.80) in Figure 1. In subjects with lymphopenia rescue and a lower tumor burden (less than the median CA19-9 of 34,000 IU/mL), the median overall survival in these very advanced metastatic pancreatic cancer patients exceeded 10 months (Figure 2). These findings of improved survival in pancreatic cancer patients with lower tumor burden point to the potential of further prolonged overall survival in pancreatic cancer patients if treated in the first line or neoadjuvant stages of disease. Highlighting the importance of lymphopenia reversal, Oncologist published a peer-reviewed paper titled "Recurrent pancreatic cancer treated with N-803 and PD-L1 t-haNK followed by an EGFR-targeted nanocell drug conjugate," demonstrating that in a patient with 2nd line metastatic pancreatic cancer treated with the full Cancer BioShield platform—including ANKTIVA, CAR-NK cells (PD-L1 t-haNK), and antigen-targeting adenoviruses—remained in remission for over six years and maintains a high quality of life at the date of this release. The expanded access authorization announced yesterday enables patients across all solid tumor types who have exhausted first-line therapy including chemotherapy, radiation, or immunotherapy to receive Anktiva as a lymphocyte stimulating agent to protect the immune system from the lymphogenic adverse effects of current standards of care. The ASCO Annual Meeting 2025 materials from ImmunityBio can be found below: Association of lymphopenia rescue and CA19-9 levels with overall survival following IL-15 superagonist N-803 and PD-L1 t-haNK chemo-immunotherapy for 3rd line or greater metastatic pancreatic Text: Poster PDF: About the Cancer BioShield™ Platform The Cancer BioShield platform is a first-in-class immunotherapy strategy designed to restore immune competence by reversing lymphopenia—the loss of functional immune cells caused by cancer itself and by conventional treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation and immunotherapy. At its core is ANKTIVA® (nogapendekin alfa inbakicept-pmln), an IL-15 agonist approved for BCG-unresponsive non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer CIS with or without papillary disease, activates and proliferates natural killer (NK) cells and CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, restoring lymphocyte levels critical for immunosurveillance, immunogenic cell death, and long-term tumor control. The platform employs a multi-modal approach: In-vivo stimulation: Subcutaneous administration of ANKTIVA expands NK and T cells, boosting anti-tumor immunity. Ex-vivo targeted cytotoxicity: Off-the-shelf PD-L1 t-haNK CAR-NK cells are engineered to target and eliminate PD-L1–expressing tumor cells and immunosuppressive neutrophils (myeloid-derived suppressor cells), enhancing anti-tumor specificity and reducing immune evasion. Memory Cytokine-Enriched Natural Killer (M-ceNK) cell therapy: M-ceNK cells are developed via cytokine activation and expansion of autologous and allogeneic NK cells collected through apheresis, potentially providing long-term immune memory and sustained cytotoxic capacity. Together, these components offer a comprehensive, novel, immune-restoring therapeutic platform aimed at not only expanding effector immune cells but also overcoming tumor-mediated immune suppression to support long-term disease control. The platform's effectiveness can be tracked through universally utilized, simple complete blood count (CBC): increases in absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) reflect ANKTIVA's lymphocyte-stimulating activity, while reductions in the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) demonstrate PD-L1 t-haNK's immunosuppressive neutrophil targeting. Low ALC and high NLR levels are laboratory measurements that have been extensively reported as predictive biomarkers of poor prognosis with early mortality across all tumor types5,6. The data presented by ImmunityBio for the first time demonstrates that improving ALC and NLR correlates with significant enhanced overall survival and clinical benefit. About Lymphopenia and Absolute Lymphocyte Count (ALC) Lymphopenia—the loss of key immune cells such as NK, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells—is a common side effect of chemotherapy1, radiation2,3, and some immunotherapies4. Unlike anemia and neutropenia, which have FDA-approved treatments like EPO and Neupogen, no therapy previously existed to treat this immune cell depletion. Lymphopenia weakens the immune system, increases infection risk, and is linked to early death across many cancer types5. Low Absolute Lymphocyte Count (ALC) is a recognized poor prognostic marker. ANKTIVA® is the first approved therapy to restore lymphocyte levels by activating and expanding NK and T cells—without increasing immunosuppressive T regulatory cells7. More information on lymphopenia could be found on Twitter/X @DrPatSoonShiong articles here: References: Ray-Coquard I, et al. Lymphopenia as a prognostic factor for overall survival in advanced carcinomas, sarcomas, and lymphomas. Cancer Res. 2009 Jul 1;69(13):5383-91. doi: 10.1158/ Epub 2009 Jun 23. PMID: 19549917; PMCID: PMC2775079. Chen D, et al. Absolute Lymphocyte Count Predicts Abscopal Responses and Outcomes in Patients Receiving Combined Immunotherapy and Radiation Therapy: Analysis of 3 Phase 1/2 Trials. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2020 Sep 1;108(1):196-203. doi: 10.1016/ Epub 2020 Feb 7. Pike LRG, et al. The Impact of Radiation Therapy on Lymphocyte Count and Survival in Metastatic Cancer Patients Receiving PD-1 Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2019 Jan 1;103(1):142-151. doi: 10.1016/ Epub 2018 Sep 15. PMID: 30227198. Lee, Y.J., et al. Peripheral lymphocyte count as a surrogate marker of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy outcomes in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer. Sci Rep 12, 626 (2022). Ménétrier-Caux C., et al. Lymphopenia in Cancer Patients and its Effects on Response to Immunotherapy: an opportunity for combination with Cytokines? J Immunother Cancer. 2019 Mar 28;7(1):85. doi: 10.1186/s40425-019-0549-5. PMID: 30922400; PMCID: PMC6437964. Templeton AJ, et al. Prognostic role of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NLR) ratio in solid tumors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2014 May 29;106(6):dju124. doi: 10.1093/jnci/dju124. PMID: 24875653. FDA ANKTIVA Label, April 2024 - About ImmunityBio ImmunityBio is a vertically-integrated biotechnology company developing next-generation therapies and vaccines that bolster the natural immune system to defeat cancers and infectious diseases. The Company's range of immunotherapy and cell therapy platforms, alone and together, act to drive and sustain an immune response with the goal of creating durable and safe protection against disease. Designated an FDA Breakthrough Therapy, ANKTIVA is the first FDA-approved immunotherapy for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer CIS that activates natural killer cells, T cells, and memory T cells for a long-duration response. The Company is applying its science and platforms to treating cancers, including the development of potential cancer vaccines, as well as developing immunotherapies and cell therapies that we believe sharply reduce or eliminate the need for standard high-dose chemotherapy. These platforms and their associated product candidates are designed to be more effective, accessible, and easily administered than current standards of care in oncology and infectious diseases. For more information, visit (Founder's Vision) and connect with us on X (Twitter), Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, such as statements regarding clinical trial data and potential results and implications to be drawn therefrom, the expectation that the EAP described herein will enable access to ANKTIVA for patients across all solid tumor types who have exhausted first-line therapy including chemo, radiation or immunotherapy, the RMAT designation as previously reported and potential results therefrom and regulatory submissions in connection therewith, the belief that ALC levels and NLR levels obtained from a CBC are predictors of clinical benefit and outcomes relating to overall survival, the belief that improving ALC levels and NLR levels correlates with enhanced overall survival and clinical benefit, the belief that reversal of lymphopenia correlates with improved survival, clinical trial and expanded access program enrollment, data and potential results to be drawn therefrom, anticipated components of ImmunityBio's Cancer BioShield platform, the development of therapeutics for cancer and infectious diseases, potential benefits to patients, potential treatment outcomes for patients, the described mechanism of action and results and contributions therefrom, potential future uses and applications of ANKTIVA alone or in combination with other therapeutic agents for the prevention or reversal of lymphopenia, potential future uses and applications of ANKTIVA alone or in combination with other therapeutic agents across multiple tumor types and indications and for potential applications beyond oncology, potential regulatory pathways and the regulatory review process and timing thereof, the application of the Company's science and platforms to treat cancers or develop cancer vaccines, immunotherapies and cell therapies that has the potential to change the paradigm in cancer care, and ImmunityBio's approved product and investigational agents as compared to existing treatment options, among others. Statements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact are considered forward-looking statements, which are usually identified by the use of words such as "anticipates," "believes," "continues," "goal," "could," "estimates," "scheduled," "expects," "intends," "may," "plans," "potential," "predicts," "indicate," "projects," "is," "seeks," "should," "will," "strategy," and variations of such words or similar expressions. Statements of past performance, efforts, or results of our preclinical and clinical trials, about which inferences or assumptions may be made, can also be forward-looking statements and are not indicative of future performance or results. Forward-looking statements are neither forecasts, promises nor guarantees, and are based on the current beliefs of ImmunityBio's management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to ImmunityBio. Such information may be limited or incomplete, and ImmunityBio's statements should not be read to indicate that it has conducted a thorough inquiry into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information. Such statements reflect the current views of ImmunityBio with respect to future events and are subject to known and unknown risks, including business, regulatory, economic and competitive risks, uncertainties, contingencies and assumptions about ImmunityBio, including, without limitation, (i) risks and uncertainties regarding the FDA regulatory submission, filing and review process and the timing thereof, (ii) whether the RMAT designation will lead to an accelerated review or approval, of which there can be no assurance, (iii) risks and uncertainties regarding commercial launch execution, success and timing, (iv) risks and uncertainties regarding participation and enrollment and potential results from the expanded access clinical investigation program described herein, (v) whether clinical trials will result in registrational pathways and the risks, (vi) whether clinical trial data will be accepted by regulatory agencies, (vii) the ability of ImmunityBio to continue its planned preclinical and clinical development of its development programs through itself and/or its investigators, and the timing and success of any such continued preclinical and clinical development, patient enrollment and planned regulatory submissions, (viii) potential delays in product availability and regulatory approvals, (ix) ImmunityBio's ability to retain and hire key personnel, (x) ImmunityBio's ability to obtain additional financing to fund its operations and complete the development and commercialization of its various product candidates, (xi) potential product shortages or manufacturing disruptions that may impact the availability and timing of product, (xii) ImmunityBio's ability to successfully commercialize its approved product and product candidates, (xiii) ImmunityBio's ability to scale its manufacturing and commercial supply operations for its approved product and future approved products, and (xiv) ImmunityBio's ability to obtain, maintain, protect, and enforce patent protection and other proprietary rights for its product candidates and technologies. More details about these and other risks that may impact ImmunityBio's business are described under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 3, 2025, and the Company's Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 12, 2025, and in subsequent filings made by ImmunityBio with the SEC, which are available on the SEC's website at ImmunityBio cautions you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. View source version on Contacts ImmunityBio Contacts: Investors Hemanth Ramaprakash, PhD, MBA ImmunityBio, Inc. +1 Media Sarah Singleton ImmunityBio, Inc. +1 Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Cardiologists are begging you to never practice this mid-morning habit
Are you tired in the mid-morning? Experts advise not to reach for the caffeine. A second or third cup of coffee may not have the effect you hope it will. The stimulant can raise cortisol levels, which naturally dip around 10 or 11 a.m. Cortisol is the body's main stress hormone. It can also regulate inflammation and blood pressure and boost energy. But, high cortisol doesn't necessarily equate to high energy. 'Cortisol can be high and we can feel tired or low energy, like when we wake up. Or it can be low and we can feel high energy like the mid-morning. If I had to equate cortisol levels with something, it would be irritation,' Calm's Dr. Chris Mosunic said in a statement. Regardless, caffeine raises cortisol, 'potentially amplifying sympathetic tone," Dr. Marschall Runge told Parade. "[This] may heighten blood pressure or heart rate more than if caffeine is consumed earlier,' the cardiologist said. The sympathetic nervous system is a network of nerves that helps your body activate its 'fight-or-flight' response. Caffeine can raise sympathetic nerve activity and blood pressure. Previous research has shown people who drink coffee on a regular basis don't see that rise in blood pressure. "Until now we have attributed the cardiovascular effects of coffee to caffeine, but we found non-coffee drinkers given decaffeinated coffee also display these effects," Dr. Roberto Corti, a cardiologist at University Hospital in Zurich, explained in 2002. Some groups are especially vulnerable to mid-morning caffeine, according to Runge. They include people with anxiety disorders, those with a slower caffeine metabolism, women during their period or perimenopause, people with hypertension or prehypertension, individuals with a slow CYP1A2 gene variant, and people with known cardiovascular risks. If any of these groups repeatedly consume a second cup or an empty stomach during this period of day, they could see negative cumulative effects, he warned. "Repeated stimulation might stress the system over time," Runge warned. But, moderate caffeine use 'doesn't increase cardiovascular risk' and there are major benefits to drinking coffee. A recent study found it helped women age better. Between two to four cups of coffee a day should be safe. An eight-ounce cup contains close to 100 milligrams of caffeine. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends no more than 400 milligrams of caffeine daily for adults. Notably, decaffeinated coffees are not caffeine free and everyone responds to caffeine differently. Beyond that — especially on an empty stomach — risks may increase. 'When your cortisol levels stay elevated, you're at an increased risk for weight gain, diabetes, heart problems and other health concerns,' dietitian Anthony DiMarino said. Eat well and regularly. Talk a short walk and make sure to stay hydrated — with water! "Dehydration often mimics fatigue," Runge noted.
