Latest news with #DrMyroFigura
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
I'm a doctor - of all the supplements there's one I recommend because it banish insomnia
A top doctor has revealed the only supplement he swears by for its surprising anxiety-busting and sleep-inducing benefits. According to Dr Myro Figura, an anaesthesiologist from California, a special type of magnesium called magnesium glycinate could be the answer to sleepless nights. In an Instagram video that has so far been viewed over 942,000 times, Dr Figura, who is a member of the American Board of Anesthesiology, said not only does the vitamin pill improve sleep, it can enhance vitamin D absorption, which is beneficial for bone health. Magnesium is an essential mineral that ensures the body converts food into energy and helps the thyroid glands to function. But it is also known to offer sleep benefits by reducing levels of the stress hormone cortisol and boosting melatonin, helping the body relax ready for sleep. 'If there was one supplement I would recommend, magnesium glycinate would be it,' said Dr Figura in the video. 'Firstly, more than half of us are deficient in magnesium and magnesium is involved in all kinds of biochemical reactions.' Magnesium glycinate is a highly absorbable form of magnesium that is created by combining the mineral with an amino acid called glycine. Unlike other forms of magnesium, this supplement is unlikely to put added stress on the digestive system and is thought to help the body release heat, which is needed to fall asleep. Supplements sold at the likes of Boots, Holland & Barrett and on supermarket shelves are often sold as 375mg tablets, and cost as little as 10p per dose. A deficiency in magnesium is known to heighten levels of the stress hormone cortisol, triggering sudden night time waking. In the video, Dr Figura references a systematic review, published in the journal Nutrients, that looked at 18 different clinical trials and found that magnesium could be beneficial for those who suffer with mild anxiety. Dr Figura advised that for these people, taking magnesium supplements could help them sleep better at night. It is thought that magnesium can alter how certain chemicals like cortisol work in the brain. One 2022 review of studies, involving more than 7,000 participants, suggested there was 'an association between magnesium statuses and sleep quality'. However, writing in the journal Springer Nature the researchers from Iran said this was only found in observational studies, which could not fully establish cause and effect. According to Dr Figura, magnesium is not only good for boosting sleep health. 'If you don't have magnesium, your vitamin D is not going to work,' the anaesthesiologist warned. This is because the body needs magnesium to be able to covert vitamin D into a form the body can absorb. Lacking in the so-called sunshine vitamin can cause a whole host of other problems, including bone deformities, muscles weakness and incorrect growth patterns. Dr Figura said: 'Vitamin D is implicated in all kinds of things like your immune system, anxiety and depression.' It is currently estimated that around one in six adults in the UK do not get enough vitamin D—which can be caused by a magnesium deficiency. The NHS recommends women aged between 19 and 64 get 270mg of magnesium a day, while this increases to 300mg for men of the same age. The upper limit for magnesium glycinate, however, is roughly nine times that of other types of magnesium, as it contains a smaller amount of the element. The health service adds that most people should get all the vitamins and minerals they need by having a varied and balanced diet. Experts have long advised that leafy green vegetables are a good source of magnesium because it is found in chlorophyll, which is the green pigment in plants. Unrefined grains, nuts and seeds are also good sources, as well as some fish. This comes as research suggests that up to 1 in 6 people living in the UK are affected by insomnia—meaning they regularly have problems sleeping—yet 65 per cent never seek help. The poll of 2,000 people, by The Sleep Charity, found nine in ten experience some sort of sleep problem, while one in two engage in high-risk or dangerous behaviours when unable to sleep. Poor sleep has been linked to a number of health problems, including cancer, stroke and infertility. Experts have long advised that waking up during the night does not necessarily mean you have insomnia, which figures suggest affects up to 14million people living in the UK. Still, sleep deprivation takes its own toll, from irritability and reduced focus in the short term, to an increased risk of obesity, heart disease and diabetes. According to the American Sleep Association, nearly 70 million Americans also have a sleep disorder.
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Doctor urges all slim people over 30 to practise health hack that wards off heart attack
Everyone aged 30 should take up weight lifting to ward off deadly heart disease — even if they're slim and fit, a doctor has urged. In a viral clip, viewed over 250,000 times, US-based anesthesiologist Dr Myro Figura explained that the risk of developing cardiovascular problems rises significantly at this age. This is because muscle mass begins to decline aged 30, which is known to make the body less responsive to insulin — the hormone that converts sugars in food into energy. An impaired insulin response can lead to type 2 diabetes, which increases the risk of a heart attack or stroke four-fold, according to some studies. But Dr Figura said exercises that build muscle increase the body's sensitivity to insulin—warding off the condition. 'Exercise can reverse pre diabetes and even early stages of diabetes,' he said. In the YouTube Short, Dr Figura gave the example of a woman who was recently diagnosed as pre-diabetic despite being 'in decent shape.' He shared a video in which the woman posed for the camera and said: 'I'm pretty thin, see this?' 'It doesn't matter what your body shape looks like as when you are older than 30, your body is going to have a hard time processing sugar if you don't have muscle mass.' Prediabetes, which means having higher-than-normal blood sugar levels that aren't yet classified as full blow diabetes, affects around one in 10 adults in the UK. Dr Figura explained that a lack of muscle mass is a 'huge problem' when it comes to diabetes risk for those over the age of 30. Muscle is 'responsible for 80 per cent of metabolism of glucose [sugar in the blood],' he said. Research shows both pre-diabetes and diabetes can increase the risk of suffering a heart attack. A 2021 study by American researchers of 25,000 participants, half of who had a prediabetes diagnosis, found 18 per cent suffered serious 'cardiovascular events' – such as a heart attack. In contrast, only 14 per cent in the group with normal blood sugar levels had a similar medical emergency. Experts have also found that exercise can prevent the long-term health risks associated with diabetes. A 2024 study by Chinese researchers found a healthy diet and exercise can slash the risk of death by 26 per cent in prediabetics. The study of 500 people followed participants for 30 years. Analyses revealed those who remained non-diabetic for at least four years after their initial prediabetes diagnosis had a 26 per cent lower risk of dying. They were also 37 per cent less likely to having a heart attack or stroke compared to those who developed diabetes sooner. Charity Diabetes UK estimates that 5.8 million people in the UK are living with diabetes, 90 per cent have type 2. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body doesn't make enough insulin or the insulin it makes doesn't work properly. It differs from type 1 which is where the body cannot make insulin at all due to the immune system mistakenly attacking and destroying cells that produce the hormone. Having high blood sugar levels over time can cause heart attacks and strokes, as well as problems with the eyes, kidneys and feet. Sufferers may need to overhaul their diet, take daily medication and have regular check-ups. Symptoms of the condition, which is diagnosed with a blood test, include excessive thirst, tiredness and needing to urinate more often. But many people have no signs.
