For years, researchers claimed 400 million+ people contract Long COVID, it has 200+ symptoms, and 90% never recover Our @PNAS paper shows these findings are incorrect b/c of bad study design. Symptoms are real, but most due to other illness, not COVID pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.26…

A new study proposes the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine as a preventative measure against dementia. The vaccine reduces Alzheimer’s-associated phospho-tau proteins, reprograms myeloid immune cells and limits neuroinflammation. scim.ag/4hZ0wN1

May be of interest to #pwLC #pwME Kell, D. B. & Pretorius, E. (2026) Evidence for the Causal Involvement of Homocysteine in Long COVID and ME/CFS. Preprints. 2026, 2026102574. doi.org/10.20944/preprints20…

A post-hoc genetic analysis from Monash University, utilizing data from more than 13,500 participants in the ASPREE (Aspirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly) trial, indicates that daily low-dose aspirin may significantly decrease dementia risk, though only within a highly specific genetic subgroup. While previous comprehensive assessments of the trial cohort revealed no general cognitive protection from aspirin, this localized study identified a 70% relative reduction in dementia incidence among older adults who ranked in the top 20% for a polygenic risk score tied to high platelet counts. In this distinct subgroup, dementia developed in only 1.0% of the aspirin group compared to 3.3% of the placebo group, representing an absolute risk reduction of 2.3 percentage points. However, this apparent neuroprotective benefit is accompanied by a severe safety trade-off. Among the exact same genetic subpopulation, the incidence of major internal bleeding more than doubled, climbing from 2.1% in the placebo group to 4.4% among those taking aspirin. This parallel increase matches the absolute difference seen in dementia reduction, meaning the statistical probability of experiencing a major hemorrhage is equivalent to the probability of preventing cognitive decline. The biological significance of this discovery lies in its departure from typical Alzheimer's disease pathways, such as the APOE gene. Instead, the data points heavily toward platelet-related genetics and microvascular mechanisms, opening a new door for personalized medicine and targeted preventative therapy. Despite these intriguing insights, the findings do not confirm that the cognitive rewards outweigh the bleeding hazards. Because the data stems from an exploratory subgroup analysis, experts emphasize that individuals should not self-prescribe low-dose aspirin for dementia prevention without consulting a physician. Further clinical trials explicitly designed around this specific platelet genetic profile are required to validate the results. [Fransquet, P. D., et al. (2026). Platelet count polygenic scores may modify the effect of aspirin in primary prevention of dementia. Alzheimer's & Dementia, 22(9), e71817. DOI: /10.1002/alz.71817]

Diabetes and ADHD drugs to be tested on Alzheimer's patients in new study | Fergus Walsh, BBC A clinical trial has been launched in the UK which scientists hope could cut years from the search for new treatments for Alzheimer's disease. It will test multiple drugs simultaneously, starting with two repurposed medicines already used to treat type 2 diabetes and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The study will examine whether the drugs can lessen symptoms such as memory and thinking problems, and help people maintain their quality of life. Angela Bucksey, 67, from Cambridgeshire, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in January and is the first person to begin treatment on the trial, called AD-SMART. "We have Alzheimer's in the family," she told the BBC. "My mother had it and my aunts, so it was a disappointment rather than a shock when I was diagnosed because I knew it would restrict my life. "But I was determined that it wasn't going to define me." Angela said she felt empowered joining the trial because "at least you are doing something". "Instead of just sitting there, you're standing up and saying, I will fight back." Alzheimer's is the most common type of dementia, affecting around 600,000 people in the UK. 'Cutting-edge treatments' Prime Minister Andy Burnham, whose father died from Alzheimer's last month, said he knew how it felt to lose a loved one to dementia, and had seen first-hand the devastating impact of the disease on families. "That's why I'm proud to see this trial being launched in the UK, so that cutting-edge treatments can reach patients here as soon as possible," he said. The AD-SMART study is what's known as a multi-arm, multi-stage platform trial where several treatments are tested simultaneously, with the results compared with one group of participants taking a placebo or dummy. This means those involved have a higher likelihood of getting an active treatment than in a traditional trial. If any drug isn't showing benefit it can be dropped quickly and a new treatment added in its place - the approach has been used successfully in cancer and motor neurone disease. The two initial drugs being tested are metformin, used to treat type 2 diabetes, and atomoxetine, for ADHD, which were selected by an international panel of experts. Both drugs may help reduce brain inflammation, which is a driver of neurodegeneration, said chief investigator Prof Paresh Malhotra, group leader at the UK Dementia Research Institute Centre for Care Research & Technology at Imperial College London. "For too long, Alzheimer's research has moved at the pace of one drug, one trial, one answer - sometimes taking a decade or more before we know if we've found something that works," he told the BBC. "We are applying advances from cancer and other conditions to accelerate testing of treatments for people with Alzheimer's disease." 'Back from despair' For the drugs to be successful, the study has to show that they have beneficial effects on thinking and the ability to carry out everyday activities. "That's what patients and their carers care about," said Prof Malhotra. Some 1,200 participants with mild to moderate Alzheimer's will be recruited at more than 30 sites across the UK. Sites in Cambridgeshire, Surrey, London, Southampton and Edinburgh are already open. Scientists expect to finish evaluating the first drugs in 2030 and, in that time, additional treatments are likely to be added. All the participants will have regular health checks including cognitive tests, which will help researchers assess how effective the treatments are. Angela Bucksey's husband Steve, who is her study partner, told the BBC: "Joining the trial has brought us back from the despair of a diagnosis which everybody recognises is non-recoverable. "People who know we are on a drug trial understand that we're doing something about it and, rather than be sorry for us, they can be encouraging." Dr Sheona Scales, director of research at Alzheimer's Research UK said "time is precious" for people living with Alzheimer's disease and more treatment options are urgently needed. Read more: bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqly…

A saffron extract cut perimenopausal symptom scores by 68% in 12 weeks versus 17% on placebo, roughly twice the benefit a similar saffron trial reported five years ago. Saffron’s most consistent evidence is for mood, and a 2019 meta-analysis of 23 trials found large effects on depressive and anxiety symptoms compared with placebo, although it also found signs of publication bias and little regional diversity. In menopause, a 6-week trial in postmenopausal women with depression and hot flashes reported improvements in both. The closest comparison is a 2021 Australian trial in 86 perimenopausal women, where a different extract at 28 mg a day lowered total symptom scores by 32% versus 14% on placebo, with clear gains in anxiety and depression but nothing beyond placebo for hot flushes or physical symptoms. Those studies left the size of saffron’s effect across perimenopause uncertain. In the new preprint, 104 women in perimenopause at three sites in Pakistan were randomized, double-blind, to 30 mg a day of a standardized extract or placebo for 12 weeks, with symptoms rated on the 21-item Greene Climacteric Scale. 1. Total scores fell from 35.2 to 11.2 on saffron and from 35.6 to 29.4 on placebo, and most of the saffron effect had appeared by week 6, when scores were down 44% versus 10%. 2. Psychological symptoms fell 67% versus 16%, and physical symptoms such as headaches, aches and dizziness fell 75% versus 18%, while the combined hot flush and night sweat score narrowly missed significance even though night sweats improved. 3. Mood scores, rated sleep quality, several quality-of-life measures and triglycerides also improved, and mild side effects were similar in both groups (10 versus 8 events). Taken together, the direction matches earlier saffron research, especially for mood, but the size does not. Placebo groups improved by similar amounts in both perimenopause trials (14% and 17%), while the saffron effect more than doubled, from a 32% drop to a 68% drop. For women whose perimenopause is dominated by anxiety, low mood and low energy, saffron is a reasonable option to discuss, but the 68% figure should be treated as a ceiling until an independent group repeats it. This is a preprint that has not been peer reviewed, the extract’s maker funded the trial, and four authors work for the company. Only 63 of 104 women fully followed the protocol, and several smaller results faded when the analysis was limited to them. The paper reports that hot flushes improved no more than on placebo, yet its own table shows scores falling from 2.0 to 0.6 on saffron versus 2.0 to 1.5 on placebo, an inconsistency the authors need to resolve. Women using hormone therapy, antidepressants or sleep medication were excluded. References Sultana R et al., medRxiv (preprint), 2026 Lopresti AL and Smith SJ, Journal of Menopausal Medicine, 2021 Marx W et al., Nutrition Reviews, 2019 Kashani L et al., Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics, 2018

1) 🇨🇦 The results of Luis Nacul's trial of low-dose naltrexone (LDN) have been published. Unfortunately, it shows that LDN didn't improve fatigue, pain and other symptoms in patients who developed ME/CFS after COVID-19. A brief breakdown of the main results. 👇

These two mice are the exact same age, the human equivalent of 85. The mouse on the right was given an antibody blocking a single inflammatory protein (IL-11) starting in late middle age. Starting treatment at human-equivalent age 55: - Extended median lifespan by 25% in both males and females - Prevented grey hair, frailty, and muscle wasting - Cut late-life cancer deaths in half Three anti IL-11 antibodies (that might extend human lifespan) are already in human clinical trials right now.

Creatine may help women in perimenopause maintain more consistent sleep when combined with strength training. Women taking creatine for 6 weeks had sleep regularity scores 7.4 percentage points higher than the placebo group, reported fewer days of temperature sensitivity, and had greater brain oxygenation during a cognitive task. The protocol was 20 grams of creatine monohydrate daily for 5 days, followed by about 4.5 grams daily, with resistance training twice a week. These are encouraging early findings, particularly for sleep regularity in a population known to suffer from poor sleep quality! I love seeing more creatine research in women. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/4292…

In honor of POTS Awareness Day, I wanted to share a video that I genuinely wish more people would take the time to watch. It’s one of the best videos I’ve come across explaining what POTS actually is and just how debilitating living with this condition can be.

BREAKING: Scientists have used a powerful new form of CRISPR called prime editing directly inside the human body for the first time. They aim to rewrite faulty DNA responsible for Wilson disease that can cause severe liver and brain damage. A major milestone in gene editing.