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How to fall asleep without sleeping pills: 7 natural sleep aids that actually work

It’s 3am and you’re suddenly wide awake. Try these seven science-backed strategies to fall back to sleep fast. Give meditation a try As a mindfulness coach, I’m very aware of the day-to-day anxieties and worries that can interfere with a good night’s sleep. One of the most effective natural sleep aids is a quick meditation session to ease yourself out of those stresses. If you’ve never meditated before, you’ll likely find the meditation interrupted by thoughts flashing through your mind. It’s important for you to know that this isn’t a failure on your part, and that you aren’t doing anything wrong. Thinking is just what the brain does, as naturally as lungs take in air. The point is to be non-judgmental yet aware of your thoughts, bodily experiences and breath, moment by moment. Stop wanting to fall asleep It’s counterintuitive, isn’t it? Sometimes trying too hard to do something is the very thing that prevents us from achieving it – and that’s never more true than when it comes to falling asleep. Desperately wanting to sleep will only stoke anxieties that will further stress your brain, essentially feeding it the message that it’s not safe to sleep. Throw in those worries about your to-do list at work the following day, and the whole thing can snowball into a panic attack. Try letting go of that feeling that you absolutely must sleep now, and observe your own anxieties for what they are without judgment. When you stop looking at sleep as a goal, you’ll find it easier to fall asleep. Start a journal If you find yourself struggling to fall asleep, pick up a pen and paper (not your phone!), and start writing: simply scribble down an account of what’s going on inside your head. Although there’s no “right” way to journal, you might start by listing the events of your day, and from there, how those events and encounters made you feel. Building this structured picture of your thoughts may help you see that the problem that’s keeping you up at night, and is likely less overwhelming than you thought. Why my insistence on a pen and paper? First off, studies show the simple motor action that’s involved in the act of handwriting has a calming effect. Secondly, the light emitted by laptops and phones isn’t conducive to falling asleep. Find yourself a "3am friend" Some of us are lucky to have a ‘3am friend’, that close confidant you can call up in the wee hours knowing that they won’t hold it against you in the morning. Although it’s great to have someone to talk to when you want to fall asleep, it’s important that the conversation doesn’t just rehash the anxieties that are preventing you from catching shut-eye in the first place. Rather than using the call to seek solutions for those issues, talk about things that calm your nerves, or even have them assist you in deep breathing. It may sound silly, but doing a series of deep, relaxing breaths can help you let go of the troubles that are keeping you wide awake. Take a warm shower Taking a warm shower not only relaxes your muscles and soothes minor aches and pains, but it also raises your core body temperature. As soon as you step out of the shower, your body starts working at lowering that temperature, which is something that normally happens when you’re falling asleep naturally. (That’s why we always feel the need for a blanket when we sleep, no matter how warm it is!) By kick-starting that temperature-lowering process, you’re tricking your body into falling asleep fast. Stretch yourself to sleep Anxiety keeping you up? Research suggests mild stretching can help take the edge off and relax muscles that have become stiff and sore after a long day. We’re not talking intricate yoga poses or acrobatics here, either: Simple stretches like an overhead arm stretch and bending over to touch your toes should do the trick. Ramp up the relaxation potential with a soundtrack of ambient noise at a volume that’s just barely audible. There are plenty of white noise apps that are free to download, but soft music can work as well (so long as there are no lyrics). Just remember, if you’re using an electronic device to play these sleep-promoting sounds, make sure it’s placed screen-down so you’re not distracted by the light it emits. Read (or listen!) to something new When you’re struggling with insomnia, it might be tempting to pull an old favourite off the bookshelf. In reality, it’s better to read or listen to an audio book that covers a topic on which you know absolutely nothing. New information, while taking attention away from the stressors that are keeping you up at night, gives your brain enough of a workout to make it tire more quickly than when it’s engaged with familiar subjects and concepts. Again, if it’s an audio book or podcast you’re listening to, make sure the light-emitting side of the device is face down to keep the room as dark as possible. Darkness and warmth play an essential part in the production and maintenance of melatonin, the hormone that plays the central role falling asleep. Image credits: Getty Images This article by Deepak Kashyap originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/healthsmart/conditions/sleep/how-to-fall-asleep-without-sleeping-pills-7-natural-sleep-aids-that-actually-work" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Body

Taking more than 5 pills a day? ‘Deprescribing’ can prevent harm – especially for older people

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emily-reeve-1461339">Emily Reeve</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jacinta-l-johnson-1441348">Jacinta L Johnson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/janet-sluggett-146318">Janet Sluggett</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kate-ohara-1462183">Kate O'Hara</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a> People are living longer and with more <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/older-people/older-australia-at-a-glance/contents/health-functioning/health-disability-status">chronic health conditions</a> – including heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and dementia – than ever before. As societies continue to grow older, one pressing concern is the use of multiple medications, a phenomenon known as <a href="https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/patient-safety/who-uhc-sds-2019-11-eng.pdf">polypharmacy</a>. About <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.5694/mja2.50244">1 million older Australians</a> experience polypharmacy and this group is increasing. They may wake up in the morning and pop a pill for their heart, then another one or two to control blood pressure, a couple more if they have diabetes, a vitamin pill and maybe one for joint pain. Polypharmacy is usually <a href="https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-04/fourth_atlas_2021_-_6.1_polypharmacy_75_years_and_over.pdf">defined</a> as taking five or more different medications daily. In aged care homes, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.archger.2022.104849">90% of residents</a> take at least five regular medications every single day. That can put their health at risk with increased costs for them and the health system. <h2>Adding up over time</h2> As people age, the effects of medications can change. Some medications, which were once beneficial, might start to do more harm than good or might not be needed anymore. About <a href="https://www.psa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Medicine-Safety-Aged-Care-WEB-RES1.pdf">half of older Australians</a> are taking a medication where the likely harms outweigh the potential benefits. While polypharmacy is sometimes necessary and helpful in managing multiple health conditions, it can lead to unintended consequences. <a href="https://www.nps.org.au/living-with-multiple-medicines/costs">Prescription costs</a> can quickly add up. Taking multiple medications can be difficult to manage particularly when there are specific instructions to crush them or take them with food, or when extra monitoring is needed. There is also a risk of <a href="https://www.nps.org.au/consumers/understanding-drug-interactions">drug interactions</a>. Medications bought “over the counter” without a prescription, such as vitamins, herbal medications or pain relievers, can also cause <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.5694/mja11.10698">problems</a>. Some people might take an over-the-counter medication each day due to previous advice, but they might not need it anymore. Just like prescription medications, over-the-counter medications add to the overall burden and cost of polypharmacy as well as drug interactions and side effects. Unfortunately, the more medications you take, the more likely you are to have <a href="https://www.nps.org.au/consumers/managing-your-medicines#risks-of-taking-multiple-medicines">problems with your medications</a>, a reduced quality of life and increased risk of falls, hospitalisation and death. Each year, <a href="https://www.psa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/PSA-Medicine-Safety-Report.pdf">250,000 Australians</a> are admitted to hospital due to medication-related harms, many of which are preventable. For example, use of multiple medications like sleeping pills, strong pain relievers and some blood pressure medications can cause drowsiness and dizziness, potentially resulting in a <a href="https://betterhealthwhileaging.net/preventing-falls-10-types-of-medications-to-review/">fall</a> and broken bones. <h2>Prescribing and deprescribing are both important</h2> Ensuring safe and effective use of medications involves both prescribing, and <a href="https://www.racgp.org.au/clinical-resources/clinical-guidelines/key-racgp-guidelines/view-all-racgp-guidelines/silver-book/part-a/deprescribing">deprescribing</a> them. <a href="https://www.australiandeprescribingnetwork.com.au/474-2/">Deprescribing</a> is a process of stopping (or reducing the dose of) medications that are no longer required, or for which the risk of harm outweighs the benefits for the person taking them. The process involves reviewing all the medications a person takes with a health-care professional to identify medications that should be stopped. Think of deprescribing as spring cleaning your medicine cabinet. Just like how you tidy up your house and get rid of objects that are causing clutter without being useful, deprescribing tidies up your medication list to keep only the ones truly required. <h2>But care is needed</h2> The process of deprescribing requires close monitoring and, for many medications, slow reductions in dose (tapering). This helps the body adjust gradually and can prevent sudden, unpleasant changes. Deprescribing is often done on a trial basis and medication can be restarted if symptoms come back. Alternatively, a safer medication, or non-drug treatment may be started in its place. Studies show deprescribing is a safe process when managed by a health-care professional, both for people living at <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11606-020-06089-2">home</a> and those in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2018.10.026">residential aged care</a>. You should always talk with your care team before stopping any medications. Deprescribing needs to be a team effort involving the person, their health-care team and possibly family or other carers. Shared decision-making throughout the process empowers the person taking medications to have a say in their health care. The team can work together to clarify treatment goals and decide which medications are still serving the person well and which can be safely discontinued. If you or a loved one take multiple medications you might be eligible for a free visit from a pharmacist (<a href="https://www.nps.org.au/assets/NPS/pdf/NPSMW2390_Anticholinergics_HMR_Factsheet.pdf">a Home Medicines Review</a>) to help you get the best out of your medications. <h2>What’s next?</h2> Health care has traditionally focused on prescribing medications, with little focus on when to stop them. Deprescribing is not happening as often as it should. <a href="https://www.australiandeprescribingnetwork.com.au/">Researchers</a> are working hard to develop tools, resources and service models to support deprescribing in the community. Health-care professionals may think older adults are not open to deprescribing, but about <a href="https://academic.oup.com/biomedgerontology/article/77/5/1020/6352400">eight out of ten people</a> are willing to stop one or more of their medications. That said, of course some people may have concerns. If you have been taking a medication for a long time, you might wonder why you should stop or whether your health could get worse if you do. These are important questions to ask a doctor or pharmacist. We need more <a href="https://shpa.org.au/news-advocacy/MedsAware">public awareness</a> about polypharmacy and deprescribing to turn the tide of increasing medication use and related harms. <img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/211424/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emily-reeve-1461339">Emily Reeve</a>, Senior Research Fellow in the Centre for Medicine Use and Safety , <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jacinta-l-johnson-1441348">Jacinta L Johnson</a>, Senior Lecturer in Pharmacy Practice, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/janet-sluggett-146318">Janet Sluggett</a>, Enterprise Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kate-ohara-1462183">Kate O'Hara</a>, PhD student, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/taking-more-than-5-pills-a-day-deprescribing-can-prevent-harm-especially-for-older-people-211424">original article</a>.

Body

"You've been poisoned": Mum's warning over diet pills

Image: A Current Affair Diet pills may be a quick fix but for one Sydney mother, it almost cost her her life. Elizabeth Katerina has been in and out of hospital after consuming Fatburners which she purchased online. The young mum-of-two lost 25kgs in two months from diet pills, the catch being – it almost killed her. “Eight weeks ago, I just wanted to find a quick route, an easier way to lose the baby weight. I just went on Google. I looked on Facebook and Instagram searching different options, like different brands online, just like online shopping,” Ms Katerina said. “I came across 3Action Sports Nutrition and I looked at the reviews and they looked really good.” The 25-year-old ordered the 3Action Sports Nutrition Fatburner pills online, from Belgium. “I took as directed on the bottle. It said “take one capsule after breakfast in the morning and one in the afternoon after food’,” Ms Katerina said. After a week, her health started to deteriorate. “I started getting really bad headaches and feeling really dizzy. Just lightheaded. My stomach started feeling uncomfortable. I was getting diarrhoea everyday nonstop,” Ms Katerina said. On the 10th day, her resting heart rate sky-rocketed, so she called an ambulance. "These Fatburners over stimulated my system to the point where I couldn't walk, I couldn't fall asleep, my heart felt like it was going like brrrrr like this, that's how it felt." At hospital, she said doctors told her she'd been poisoned. "I'm not well. My heart rate is so fast, it was just at almost 150 (beats per minute)," she said. "I'm dizzy, light headed and nauseas. I can't sleep I can't eat. "My heart-rate was like 158 above that average for a human. An adult should be between 80 to 90 beats per minute. Mine was just chilling at 158, even when I was calm. "The doctors at the hospital at Royal North Shore, they said to me 'please throw out those diet pills. Whatever was in those Fatburners, they're not good for you, they've over stimulated your system and you've been poisoned'." Ms Katerina is now seeing a cardiologist, gastroenterologist and taking a cocktail of prescription drugs just to get through the day. She also claims to have contacted 3Action Sports Nutrition to report her reaction and they told her to email them and proceeded to hang up on her. The Belgian based company has blocked her and her family from contacting them on social media. She has left a scathing review on Facebook and 3Action Sports Nutrition no longer ship to Australia. Ms Genevieve Adamo, a senior specialist in poisons information shares “the main concern is products purchased overseas can contain undisclosed ingredients and these can be very dangerous.” “We get at least two calls a week about exposure to these types of products” Ms Adamo said. Products available on international websites are not regulated by the TGA. "So, if you're buying online that just bypasses a whole system of regulation that is put in place," Sydney GP, Dr Brad McKay said. "If you're buying diet pills online there's no guarantee you're going to be getting what's on the box. It is really the wild west when you're ordering things online." He said Fatburners like the ones Ms Katerina used can have products like green tea and caffeine extracts in them, which aren't proven to help with weight loss - but could cost you your liver. It’s been a hard lesson learnt by Ms Katerina, who just wants her normal life back.

Body

Aussie researchers' new pill to fight obesity

A new pill could be the next weapon in the fight against obesity, after researchers from the Garvan Institute discovered a way to turn ‘energy-storing’ fat into ‘energy-burning’ fat. The Australian scientists found that blocking the Y1 receptor, which normally helps us regulate our body heat, could increase the amount of fat we metabolise and prevent weight gain. “The Y1 receptor acts as a ‘brake’ for heat generation in the body,” said Dr Yan-Chuan Shi, Leader of the Neuroendocrinology Group at Garvan and a senior author of the paper published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-22925-3">Nature Communications</a>. “In our study, we found that blocking this receptor in fat tissues transformed ‘energy-storing’ fat into ‘energy-burning’ fat, which switched on heat production and reduced weight gain.” Dr Shi continued, “Most of the current medications used to treat obesity target the brain to suppress appetite and can have severe side effects that limit their use. “Our study reveals an alternative approach that targets the fat tissues directly, which may potentially be a safer way to prevent and treat obesity.” Y1 receptor linked to obesity In a seven-week trial, scientists tested their theory with mice divided into two groups and fed a high-fat diet. One of the groups was also fed BIBO3304, the experimental treatment, which blocked the Y1 receptor. This group of mice gained about 40 percent less body weight than the mice who were only given the high fat diet, caused by “an increase in body heat generation and reduction in fat mass,” Dr Shi said. When the treatment was applied to human fat cells taken from obese individuals, the researhers found that the same genes that produced heat in mice also turned on, meaning that targeting the Y1 receptor pathway could increase fat metabolism and reduce weight gain in people too. Targeting the brain versus human tissue Researchers also emphasised that the experimental treatment does not cross the blood-brain barrier, meaning that the anti-obesity effects occur in peripheral tissues rather than the brain. Most current weight-loss treatments reduce how much we eat by targeting our central nervous system, but this can result in significant psychiatric or cardiovascular side effects and “over 80 percent of these medications being withdrawn from the market,” said Dr Shi. By targeting the Y1 receptor, Professor Herzog said the treatment “is effective at preventing obesity by increasing energy expenditure”. “It reveals a new therapeutic approach that is potentially safer than current medications that target appetite,” said Professor Herzog. With obesity affecting an estimated two thirds of Australian adults, the team of researchers hope human clinical trials can begin within three years.

Body

URGENT: Worldwide recall of common heartburn drug over cancer fears

A popular medicine for heartburn and stomach ulcers known as Zantac has been urgently recalled in all markets over fears that it’s contaminated with a chemical that’s linked to cancer. The Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) at the UK’s Department of Health has sent an alert to healthcare professionals, calling for all unexpired stocks of four types of Zantac to be returned. These four types are made by GlaxoSmithKline. The recall is due to the possible contamination of ranitidine, which is the active substance in the medication that reduces stomach acid levels. There is an impurity that is linked to the development of certain cancers. Traces of the impurity known as N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) are found in some food and water supplies, but can be dangerous at higher concentrations. The four affected products, which are all prescription-only medicine are: <ul> <li>Zantac 150mg/10ml Syrup,</li> <li>Zantac 50mg/2ml Injection</li> <li>Zantac 150mg Tablets</li> <li>Zantac 300mg Tablets </li> </ul> Doctors have been told to stop supplying the product immediately and to return all remaining stock to their supplier, according to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/zantac-cancer-ranitidine-recall-heartburn-drug-prescription-gsk-health-a9148401.html" target="_blank">The Independent</a>. It’s important to note that over-the-counter products that also bear the Zantac name are made by a different company and therefore are unaffected. Dr Andrew Gray, MHRA deputy director of inspections, enforcement and standards, said: “Whilst this action is precautionary, the MHRA takes patient safety very seriously. “Patients should keep taking their current medicines but should speak to their doctor or pharmacist if they are concerned and should seek their doctor’s advice before stopping any prescribed medicines.” He added: “Currently, there is no evidence that medicines containing nitrosamines have caused any harm to patients, but the agency is closely monitoring the situation, and working with other regulatory agencies around the world.”

News

Common blood pressure pills recalled worldwide

A popular blood pressure drug has been recalled worldwide after it was contaminated with a cancer-causing chemical. The drug Valsartan, made in a factory in China, was first recalled in 22 countries – including the UK and the US earlier this month – but the warning has now been issued worldwide. A cancer-causing chemical used in rocket fuel, N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), contaminated the drug’s production at Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceutical. Production of Valsartan has stopped, and experts believe the contamination could date back to 2012, when the company changed its manufacturing process. The drug, which has been commonly prescribed for 15 years, was recalled in the UK and then in the US two weeks later. Valsartan was first developed by Novartis and the Swiss company marketed it as Diovan, but it is now off patent and is used in various generic medicines supplied by numerous companies. Valsartan is prescribed to patients to treat high blood pressure and heart failure. <img width="497" height="330" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7819906/1_497x330.jpg" alt="1 (175)"/> Zhejiang Huahai, which was one of the first Chinese companies to get drugs approved in the US market, also makes medicines to treat heart problems, depression, allergies and HIV, according to its website. The European Medicines Agency (EMA), which first issued the warning over Valsartan, said it was working to find out how long and at what levels patients might have been exposed to NDMA. The agency said: “It is still too early to provide information on the longer term risk NDMA may have posed for patients.” “EMA has made this aspect of the review a priority and will update the public as soon as new information becomes available," reported the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk" target="_blank">Daily Mail</a>. The EMA said all medicines containing Valsartan from Zhejiang Huahai should be recalled and no longer available in pharmacies. The EMA believes the unexpected impurity, which was not detected by routine tests, may have been produced from manufacturing processes that were introduced in 2012. The EMA has informed patients that only some Valsartan medicines have been affected and recommended speaking to a pharmacist or doctor who can tell you if your medicine is being recalled. “You should not stop taking your Valsartan medicine unless you have been told to do so by your doctor or pharmacist,” the agency said in a <a href="http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/Press_release/2018/07/WC500251498.pdf" target="_blank">press release.</a>

Caring

Why you should pack a pill organiser on your next holiday

When you’re packing for an overseas trip, there are a few items that generally come to mind as essential additions to your suitcase. You wouldn’t leave home without your passport, charger or a copy of your itinerary, but when you’re putting the bits and bobs of your bag together the last item you’d think to pack is a pill organiser, especially if you’re not on medication. But it might just be the most important. The clever folks at <a href="https://www.travelversed.co/" target="_blank">Travelversed</a> put a pill organiser at the top of their list of <a href="https://www.travelversed.co/tips-and-tricks/14-crazy-useful-things-you-wouldnt-think-to-pack-for-vacation/" target="_blank">important items you wouldn’t think to pack on their trip</a>, due to it’s multi-use nature. “Packing a travel pill container gives you space to tuck tiny things that can easily get lost, like earrings, hair ties, painkillers, or memory cards,” they write. “You can also easily switch it between your suitcase and other travel bags, which is an ideal way to ensure that you have all the necessities on you for a day of hiking or sightseeing.” And they’re not the only ones who’ve reappropriated pill organisers: <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/J78obf29yPY" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> What are your thoughts? Do you think you’ll bring a pill organiser on your next trip?

Travel Tips

Dr Chris Brown’s four-step guide to giving your pet a pill

Bondi Vet’s much loved veterinarian, Dr Chris Brown, shares his four step guide to giving your pet tablets. Pets might be our best friends, but sometimes something as simple as giving a worm tablet can feel like you’re torturing them. But there is a way that you can pop any pill while saving fingers and friendships at the same time. 1. Grab two dessert spoons. 2. Place the tablet between the dessert spoons and grind it into a fine powder. 3. Add a dollop of vegemite (for dogs) or anchovy paste (for cats) to the powder and work it into a paste. 4. For easy patients, simply let them lick this mixture off your finger. For more suspicious pets, smear the paste on the inside of their gums. The far corner of their mouths is often a perfect spot! Do you have tips to giving your pet medicine? Share your tips with us in the comments below. For more tips on your pets, follow Dr Chris Brown on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dcbpets/?fref=ts" target="_blank">Facebook here.</a> Related links: <a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/05/reasons-your-dogs-health-is-as-important-as-your-own/">6 reasons your dog’s health is just as important as your own</a> <a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/04/scientists-say-dogs-are-smarter-than-we-think/">Dogs are smarter than we give them credit for</a> <a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/04/why-cats-like-boxes/">Why do cats like boxes?</a>

Family & Pets

Arthritis drug may help fight Alzheimer’s

According to a recent research, salsalate, a drug currently in use to treat rheumatoid arthritis, is able to help fight against Alzheimer’s disease. The study, as performed at the Gladstone Institute of San Francisco, found that salsalate can prevent the build-up of protein tau, which causes toxicity and has been known to contribute to the degeneration of mental health. During cognitive decline, a chemical process called tau acetylation takes place which is triggered by enzyme p300. Acetylated tau is a toxic protein that leads to diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. When tested on mice, acetylated tau reduces the brain’s ability to degrade tau, which can lead to atrophy or impairment. When salsalate was introduced, it was found to reverse the dysfunction caused by acetylated tau by blocking p300. This ultimately reverses memory deficit and prevents future loss of brain cells. Additionally, salsalate appears to be effective in reduction even once the disease is on set, repairing and delaying symptoms. Co-author Dr. Eric Verdin says, “Targeting tau acetylation could be a new therapeutic strategy against human tauopathies, like Alzheimer's disease and FTD. Given that salsalate is a prescription drug with a long history of a reasonable safety profile, we believe it can have immediate clinical implications.”

Caring

Could this pill stop ageing?

A cure for ageing. It sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? Well, the solution may already be on the market. Metformin, a pill that is commonly used today, is dispensed to people with type two diabetes. The medication, which has been used for over 60 years, reduces the body’s insulin sensitivity by prompting the liver to lessen its glucose production. But that’s not all it could do. According to studies, the pill might also slow down ageing. Scientists have used Metaformin on mice and worms, and found in both a delay of onset diseases and an increase in life span. So what’s the problem? Well, the pill has not yet been tested for age-treatment purposes on humans. Scientists have proposed a trial in which they study thousands of elderly people who either have diseases or at a high risk of developing them. They would then administer the drug to the test subjects and track their lifespans and health accordingly. “What we want to show is that if we delay ageing, that’s the best way to delay disease,” physician Nir Barzilai told Nature.com. The aim of the scientists is to treat ageing as a curable disorder in and of itself. But if you were expecting this pill to act as a “fountain of youth” miracle, it might fall short of your expectations. “The perception is that we are all looking for a fountain of youth,” said executive director of New York’s American Federation for Aging Research, Stephanie Lederman, “…what we’re trying to do is increase health span, not look for eternal life.” Researchers were set to sit down with the US Food and Drug Administration to propose this clinical trial. Unfortunately, the trial is estimated to cost upwards of 50 million American dollars. But if it does pass, this could mean healthier and longer lives for us all.

Insurance

Could a pill to treat hearing loss be on the way?

Earlier this year, trials began on a new drug that aims to treat hearing loss and tinnitus. Developed in the UK, the drug known as AUT00063 has the potential to reduce the effects of age-related hearing loss and tinnitus by targeting a vital protein essential to the processing of sound. This vital protein is Kv3, which helps form pores on the surface of nerve cells in the area of the brain connected to hearing. The tiny pores provide an access point for potassium to enter the nerve cells. This function is vital as potassium is essential to helping hearing signals pass between nerve cells. Over time, Kv3 can decline or become damaged with age, which leads to difficulty understanding speech, and can cause tinnitus. Early tests on the drug showed improved hearing in older animals, while trials at University College London and the University of Southern Illinois discovered beneficial effects on tinnitus. Across the UK, 11 hospitals embarked on a clinical trial of AUT00063 with around 150 patients. The trial was due to run for four weeks, and focus on patients who had experienced tinnitus for between six to 18 months. Results of the trial have not been made public at this time.

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How to fall asleep without sleeping pills: 7 natural sleep aids that actually work

Taking more than 5 pills a day? ‘Deprescribing’ can prevent harm – especially for older people

"You've been poisoned": Mum's warning over diet pills

Aussie researchers' new pill to fight obesity

URGENT: Worldwide recall of common heartburn drug over cancer fears

Common blood pressure pills recalled worldwide

Why you should pack a pill organiser on your next holiday

Dr Chris Brown’s four-step guide to giving your pet a pill

Arthritis drug may help fight Alzheimer’s

Could this pill stop ageing?

Could a pill to treat hearing loss be on the way?