Latest news with #muscles
Forbes
4 days ago
- Health
- Forbes
An Unexpected Clue To How Metformin, The World's Top Diabetes Drug, Works
Metformin is an unassuming hero of modern medicine. For more than sixty years, this humble pill has been a mainstay of diabetes care, helping millions of people manage their blood sugar. It lowers blood sugar, improves cholesterol, modestly reduces weight, and is so safe it's prescribed to millions worldwide. And yet, for decades, scientists haven't fully understood how it works. The standard explanation has long been that metformin works in the liver, reducing how much sugar it sends into the bloodstream. It also helps muscles and fat cells respond more effectively to insulin. More recent research added other suspects: the gut, which can tweak hormones and the microbiome, and a cellular pathway called mTOR, a major regulator of metabolism and longevity. But a new study published in Science Advances suggests that part of metformin's magic might be happening somewhere unexpected: in the brain. The Blood Sugar Command Center Researchers turned their attention to a protein called Rap1, found in a small pocket of the brain known as the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH). This area is a metabolic mission control, coordinating hunger, energy use, and glucose balance. When scientists switched off Rap1 in this brain region in mice, blood sugar levels fell, even without metformin. But when they kept Rap1 switched on, metformin lost its blood-sugar-lowering power. The results hint that, at the doses typically prescribed, metformin may partly work by silencing Rap1's activity in the brain, not just by acting on the liver or gut. Most of us think of blood sugar control as the domain of the pancreas, liver, and muscles. Yet the brain is deeply involved. The VMH works like an air traffic controller, taking in information from across the body and sending out signals to adjust glucose production and use. Metformin, it seems, may be tapping into this high-level control system. By dialing down Rap1 activity, the drug might trigger a cascade of neural instructions that ripple out to the rest of the body, improving how tissues handle sugar. Beyond Diabetes Metformin has drawn attention far beyond the diabetes world. It's being studied for its potential to slow certain aspects of aging, with researchers probing whether its effects on pathways like mTOR could help extend not just lifespan but healthspan. The discovery of the brain-Rap1 link opens new possibilities. Could this same circuit be part of metformin's longevity effects? If so, drugs that target Rap1 or its related pathways might someday offer more precise ways to improve metabolism or promote healthy aging, perhaps without some of metformin's side effects. When Old Drugs Tell New Tales This does not mean discarding what is already known about metformin's effects on the liver, muscles, and gut. Those mechanisms are still in play. But at everyday doses, the brain may have a starring role in how the drug works. At much higher doses, peripheral mechanisms can take over, but in real-world clinical use, the brain's contribution could be key. The finding is also a reminder that the brain and body are not separate actors in the story of metabolism. They are in constant conversation, adjusting and responding to keep systems in balance. And as this research shows, an old drug can reveal something entirely new about that conversation. Even after six decades, metformin still has secrets to share: secrets that may change how both the medicine itself and the intricate links between the brain, the body, and health are understood.
The Sun
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Giovanni Pernice shows off impressive body transformation after Strictly controversy and quitting show
GIOVANNI Pernice wowed fans when he showed off his incredible body transformation. The pro dancer, 34, revealed his new muscles, as attempts to move on from the Strictly controversy that led him to quit the show. 4 4 4 Giovanni Pernice, 34, has revealed that over the last five weeks he has embarked on a complete body overhaul. Taking to Instagram he shared before and after pictures which showed off the six pack he has built up in that time. Gio's pecs are also clearly more defined, as well as his biceps. He simply wrote next to the impressive pics: "5 week in..." Fans rush to compliment him on his muscly frame, with one saying: "Strength and determination! Good job my love!!" Giovanni is keen to move on with his life after being embroiled in a Strictly controversy that led to him quitting the show. He stepped down from the programme last spring while the corporation probed claims of bad behaviour behind-the-scenes made by Sherlock actress Amanda Abbington, 52. During that time the BBC released its report into 17 claims made by Amanda. Six were upheld and they related to verbal bullying and harassment, but the most serious allegations of physical aggression were not upheld. After the report was released, Giovanni revealed he had been through a "dark year". He said previously: 'I'm not going to lie, there were dark moments in terms of, you know, this is finished, this is the end of my career. "That was one of my down moments. Sorry for my language but 2024 can f**k off. I've been looking forward to seeing the back of it.' Gio is now trying to move away from the scandal, and has continued to perform. He had his own stage show earlier this year, and also wowed on the Italian version of Strictly, Ballando con le Stelle. In fact, he won the show, with his celebrity partner Bianca Guaccero. MONEY MAN Meanwhile, The Sun revealed earlier this year how Giovanni is STILL one of Strictly's biggest earners, despite not being on the show anymore. His bank balance has been boosted thanks to his stage shows and other side ventures. The account figures, which were released in April for GP Entertainment Ltd, show Gio made £1.12m, up from £809,000 last year. His earnings have almost quadrupled over the past four years. In 2021 he earned £284,000.
Washington Post
14-07-2025
- Health
- Washington Post
How to ease muscle pain, strains and body aches
Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with any advertisers on this site. Like other parts of your body, your muscles change over the years. 'As you age, your muscle fibers become less dense, which makes them less flexible and more prone to injury,' says Elizabeth Gardner, an orthopedic specialist at the Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut. You're also more likely to lose muscle mass and strength or to develop osteoarthritis, and both can put more stress on the muscle you do have.
The Guardian
01-07-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Hot or cold? How shower temperature can improve your wellbeing
Most of us step into the shower and dial the temperature up or down without a whole lot of thought. However, science has been drip-feeding the health benefits of rinsing beneath hot and cold flows in recent years. Because, when it comes to wellness, getting things steamy or cooling off both have their place in the bathroom – and, given that freshening up is already a fundamental part of your daily routine, tweaking the temperature up or down is an easy way to regularly give your body and mind a feelgood boost. However, there is more to shower temperature through a wellness lens than aimlessly switching between the extremes – and there are some misconceptions bubbling away too. For instance, while a post-workout cool dip might have created much buzz of late, a steamier bathroom experience actually helps calm the nervous system. In contrast, you might think that a warm flow is required for lifting your spirits – however, it's not always the case. It's also worth remembering to listen to your body, and to only go as hot or cold as feels safe for you. Here are the benefits of both hot and cold showering. Just unlaced your trainers after a workout? It's worth dialling up the temperature for a steamy post-exercise soak. Indeed, there's evidence that the warmth can soothe sore muscles after training – with one study finding it to be particularly beneficial after resistance training. So that your shower is already hot stuff by the time you've slipped off your activewear, you can use voice command – via your Google or Amazon smart speaker – to get your Mira digital shower heating to a preset that you can customise to your preferred temperature in the Mira Showers app. If you're often in a rush after your sweat session, there's also the Mira Beacon shower – integrated with handy HydroGlo technology, whose indicator lights up when your shower reaches the perfect temperature. No more awkwardly waiting around on your bath mat for the water to heat up. Mental wellbeing has been making an important splash in recent years and, among tools such as therapy and breathwork, there's evidence your shower can also help you care for your mind. If you cool off, that is. Research conducted by the University of South Australia showed that cold water immersion could ease stress levels for up to 12 hours afterwards. Dip a toe in by enlisting the Mira Activate digital shower with its ColdBoost experiences, providing an accessible form of cold therapy. The experiences range from just one to three minutes, with the temperature automatically returning to normal after a set duration. A study published in the journal Current Psychology found that, when combined with breathing techniques, cold exposure helps improve mental wellbeing after just two weeks of daily use. Struggling to nod off? Hotter pre-bed shower temperatures are best for a good night's sleep. The warmth helps to aid the natural body temperature regulation process, which encourages feelings of sleepiness, according to the Sleep Foundation. Getting things steamier in the shower will send blood flow to the hands and feet – which will allow body heat to escape more quickly, and help the body to cool down, ready for snooze time. However, instead of using trial and error to come to your preferred temperature, particularly if you're keen to slip into your pyjamas pronto, enlist the Mira Mode shower – complete with an LED digital dial – for precise control every time. This is particularly important when considering skin and hair health, with a lukewarm range of 37C to 38C your best bet. If you're starting to feel run down or have a busy period ahead when you need to be on your A-game, then cooling things off a little in the shower can be a smart move. There's evidence that cold water therapy can help boost immunity, with a study discovering a 29% decline in the amount of time absent from work due to sickness when participants finished their shower with an icy blast for 30 consecutive days – lasting 30, 60 or 90 seconds. Research has suggested that the cold may induce clever physiological adaptations that prime the immune response. Mira's ColdBoost feature allows you to lower water temperature at the pace, and for the duration, that suits you. You'll thank yourself later. Head to Mira Showers to discover the full range of showers available and how to get one installed by Mira-approved experts for complete peace of mind
