HEALTHY LIVING Health Insider
BETA-BLOCKERS MAY OFFER NO BENEFITS AFTER A HEART ATTACK Beta-blockers are routinely prescribed after a heart attack, but new research suggests they may offer no clear benefits — and could even increase the risk of complications in women. Two major studies, published simultaneously in The New England Journal of Medicine and the European Heart Journal, found that beta-blockers did not improve outcomes among heart attack survivors. Study participants were randomly assigned to receive or not receive beta-blockers after hospital discharge, while all participants continued standard post-heart attack care. After an average of four years, there was no significant difference between the two groups in rates of death, recurrent heart attack, or hospitalization for heart failure. However, women who took beta- blockers had a 2.7% higher risk of dying compared to those who did not, along with a greater risk of another heart attack or hospitalization for heart failure.
PHYSICAL FRAILTY CONTRIBUTES TO DEMENTIA Physical frailty is defined as having at least three of five symptoms: feeling tired;
little or no physical activity; slow walking speed; low grip strength; and unintentional weight loss. A study of nearly half a million people who were followed for an average of 14 years found that those who met the definition for frailty were nearly three times as likely to develop dementia. “We’ve known that frailty is associated with a higher risk of dementia, but our study provides evidence that frailty may be an actual cause of dementia,” said study author Yacong Bo, Ph.D., of China’s Zhengzhou University.
CAN COCOA PREVENT AGE-RELATED CHRONIC DISEASES? Scientists at Mass General Brigham looked at changes in five age-related markers of inflammation among participants who received daily cocoa supplements over several years. They found that hsCRP — an inflammatory marker that can signal increased
risk of cardiovascular disease — decreased in participants taking the cocoa extract supplement. After two years, hsCRP levels decreased by 8.4% a year compared with placebo. The decrease in hsCRP may help explain the cardio- protective effects seen with cocoa extract supplements in previous studies. “While cocoa
extract is not a replacement for a healthy lifestyle, these results are encouraging and highlight its potential role in modulating inflammation as we age,” said Yanbin Dong, M.D., Ph.D.
BEING TOO THIN MAY BE DEADLIER THAN BEING OVERWEIGHT A Danish study of more than 85,000 adults found that being overweight may not increase the risk of death, but those who are underweight — or are even at the lower end of the normal weight range — may be more likely to die. Those considered very thin, with a BMI below 18.5, had almost triple the risk of early death compared to those in the mid-to-upper “healthy” range. Even those in the low range of 20 to 22.4 BMI faced a 27% higher risk. In contrast, those considered overweight or even moderately obese with a BMI in the 25 to 35 range showed no significant increase in risk. Those with a BMI of 35 to 40 showed a 23% increased risk for death.
While cocoa extract is not a replacement for a healthy lifestyle, these results are encouraging and highlight its potential role in modulating inflammation as we age.” — Yanbin Dong, M.D., Ph.D.
100 NEWSMAX MAXLIFE | JANUARY 2026
HEART ATTACK STATISTICS:
No. 1
Heart attack is the leading cause of death in the United States.
65.5
The average age a man has his first heart attack. Women have their first heart attack at an average age of 72.
805,000 The number of Americans who have a heart attack every year.
SKIPPING BREAKFAST, LATE DINNERS LINKED TO OSTEOPOROSIS A study of 927,130 adults published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society found that people with unhealthy habits, such as smoking, drinking alcohol, not exercising or sleeping enough, skipping breakfast, and having late dinners, were more likely to develop osteoporosis. “We found skipping breakfast and having late dinners was associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis,” said Hiroki Nakajima, M.D., Ph.D.
COCOA/PHOTOONGRAPHY/SHUTTERSTOCK / HIP/
ISTOCK.COM/CREVIS2 HEART/
ISTOCK.COM/MOHAMMED HANEEFA NIZAMUDEEN
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