Wednesday, May 28, 2025

 

Understanding cultural differences in salt usage may help lower consumption



Pizza, soup and chicken were some of the main sources of sodium among people in all racial and ethnic groups, finds a new study in the Journal of the American Heart Association




American Heart Association

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Research Highlights:

  • An analysis of data from a national health survey conducted before the pandemic found that pizza, soup and chicken are some of the main sources of sodium (salt) intake for people in all racial and ethnic groups. The study also showed clear differences among adults based on race and ethnicity.
  • Asian American adults were more likely to add salt in cooking than white adults, Black adults and Mexican American adults. However, Asian Americans were the least likely group to add salt to their food at the table.
  • In addition, Black adults reported the highest rates of attempting to reduce salt intake, as well as being the group most likely to have received a physician recommendation to lower sodium intake.

Embargoed until 4 a.m. CT/5 a.m. ET Wednesday, May 28, 2025

DALLAS, May 28, 2025 — Almost all adults in the U.S. consume more sodium (salt) than recommended, yet the sources and use of sodium vary among people of different races and ethnicities, indicating the need for culturally customized advice about sodium intake, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

Consuming too much sodium can increase the risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. The average U.S. adult consumes about 3,400 mg of sodium each day, often in prepared foods, such as pizzas, tacos, burritos, cold cuts, canned soup and breads. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one 6-inch Italian sub sandwich (bread, ham, cheese, salami, pepperoni) has approximately 3,110 mg of sodium.

The American Heart Association recommends that you eat no more than 2,300 mg of sodium each day, which is about one teaspoon of salt. Ideally, if you have high blood pressure, you should aim for 1,500 mg of sodium per day. If you cut your sodium intake by just 1,000 mg daily, it can help improve your blood pressure and overall heart health.

“The World Health Organization calls sodium reduction one of the most cost-effective strategies for addressing chronic conditions such as heart disease. High sodium intake can even affect non-heart-related diseases like kidney disease,” said lead study author Jessica Cheng, Ph.D., a postdoctoral research fellow in epidemiology at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston. “To lower sodium intake in diverse populations, researchers, health care professionals and policymakers should help people understand the sodium content in packaged foods, restaurant meals, home cooking and table salt while suggesting methods to cut their salt intake.”

In this study, researchers examined data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017-2020 (pre-pandemic) to assess racial and ethnic differences in sodium intake. A secondary analysis was conducted to challenge the database assumption that Asian Americans add salt to rice.

Among the study's findings:

  • Pizza, soup and chicken were among the top sources of sodium among people in all racial and ethnic groups.
  • Among Asian American adults, four culturally unique food sources accounted for more than 14% of daily sodium intake: soy-based condiments (soy sauce), fish, fried rice & lo/chow mein and stir-fry/soy-based sauce mixtures.
  • Mexican mixed dishes like enchiladas, tamales, taquitos, pupusas, gorditas, chimichangas, quesadillas, burrito bowls, fajitas, chiles rellenos and chilaquiles were unique top sources of sodium for Mexican American adults.
  • For Black adults, foods such as chicken patties, nuggets and tenders were among the top sources of sodium.
  • Black adults reported the highest rates of “attempting to” lower sodium compared with white adults, 67% versus 44%, respectively, and they had the highest rates of receiving physician advice to lower sodium intake at 35% versus 18% for Asian Americans.
  • Asian American adults were the most likely to use salt while cooking, yet they were the least likely to use salt at the table.
  • When comparing estimates derived under the assumption that rice is salted, assuming rice is unsalted reduces the daily sodium intake of Asian American adults by approximately 325 mg per day.

“We may have been over-estimating sodium intake among Asian Americans for the last decade by assuming that salt was added to rice,” said Cheng, who is also a postdoctoral research fellow in internal medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. “Past research found that Asian American adults and children had the highest sodium intake of all racial and ethnic groups. However, those analyses assumed that rice was cooked with salt. Culturally, not all Asians salt plain rice. If they don’t add salt to rice when cooking, then their sodium intake is among the lowest across all racial and ethnic groups.”

Cheng said that reducing sodium is good for everyone, and it doesn’t have to be difficult. “Based on these findings, I suggest varying your diet and adding more potassium-rich foods such as vegetables, which can also help reduce blood pressure. You don’t have to avoid pizza completely; eat it less often or try making it at home with low-sodium cheese, dough and tomato sauce you make from scratch.”

Cheng also suggested people consider a salt substitute to reduce sodium intake. “The World Health Organization recently recommended that non-pregnant adults without kidney issues opt for low-sodium salt substitutes that contain potassium. According to our analysis, which used the NHANES 2017-2020 pre-pandemic dataset, less than 4% of U.S. adults use salt substitutes despite their wide availability in U.S. supermarkets and relatively affordable cost. Talk to your health care professional before making this switch if you are concerned about your kidney function or medications that might affect kidney function,” she said.

American Heart Association expert volunteer and past member of the Association’s Nutrition Committee of the Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Council Stephen P. Juraschek, M.D., Ph.D., FAHA, said, “Excess sodium intake is a critical driver of heart attacks and strokes in the U.S. This study raises awareness of how sodium is introduced across cultural groups in the U.S. Such knowledge is critical for health professionals counselling patients on how they can reduce sodium in their lives and within their families. Interventions targeting sodium reduction should account for differences among groups and tailor to patients’ unique needs.” Juraschek, who is not affiliated with the study, is an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and an associate professor of nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston.

The study had some limitations. It depended on people describing their own eating habits, which may not always be accurate, however, participants reported what they ate in the last 24 hours, so it’s less likely that they misremembered their meals. However, they might still misreport for several reasons. They may struggle to estimate the portion sizes of their meals, not be aware of how the food was prepared, or forget to include some items, especially those that are easy to overlook, like ketchup on a hamburger. Also, the study did not analyze different Asian American subgroups separately. Researchers did separate the “Hispanic” group into “Mexican American” and “Other Hispanic” adults; however, they could not break down the “Other Hispanic” group into subgroups.

Study details, background and design:

  • Race and ethnicity were self-reported by participants.
  • The analysis reviewed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017-2020 public use dataset and is representative of the general U.S. population. Data were collected from 2017 to March 2020, which was the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Dietary information was collected from participants using a 24-hour recall method, where they self-reported the foods they ate within the previous 24 hours.
  • Participants also self-reported how often and the type of salt used at the table (i.e., regular iodized salt, sea salt, seasoning salts made with regular salt, lite salt/salt substitute) or if they did not use salt at the table.
  • Almost all participants self-reported salt use (i.e., never, rarely, occasionally, very often) in cooking and food preparation.

Co-authors, disclosures and funding sources are listed in the manuscript.

Studies published in the American Heart Association’s scientific journals are peer-reviewed. The statements and conclusions in each manuscript are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the Association’s policy or position. The Association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. The Association receives more than 85% of its revenue from sources other than corporations. These sources include contributions from individuals, foundations and estates, as well as investment earnings and revenue from the sale of our educational materials. Corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations to the Association. The Association has strict policies to prevent any donations from influencing its science content. Overall financial information is available here.

Additional Resources:

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About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public’s health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.

Journal

Journal of the American Heart Association

DOI

10.1161/JAHA.124.037997 

Article Title

Racial and Ethnic Differences in Sodium Sources and Sodium Reduction Behaviors Among US Adults: NHANES 2017 to 2020 Prepandemic

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Chemists recreate how RNA might have reproduced for first time



University College London
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Liquid brine veins around solid ice crytals 

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Liquid brine veins, where RNA molecules can replicate, surround solid ice crystals in water ice, as seen with an electron microscope.

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Credit: Philipp Holliger, MRC LMB





Chemists at UCL and the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology have demonstrated how RNA (ribonucleic acid) might have replicated itself on early Earth – a key process in the origin of life.

Scientists believe that, in the earliest life forms, genetic material would have been carried and replicated by strands of RNA, before DNA and proteins later emerged and took over.

Yet getting strands of RNA to replicate in the lab in a simple way – i.e., that plausibly could have occurred at the outset of life – has proved challenging. RNA strands zip up into a double helix that blocks their replication. Like velcro, these are hard to pull apart and quick to stick back together, leaving no time to copy them.

In a study described in Nature Chemistry, researchers overcame this problem by using three-letter “triplet” RNA building blocks in water and adding acid and heat, which separated the double helix. They then neutralised and froze the solution. In liquid gaps between the ice crystals, they saw that the triplet building blocks coated the RNA strands and stopped them from zipping back together – allowing replication to happen.

By thawing and beginning the cycle again, repeated changes in pH and temperature – which could plausibly occur in nature – allowed the RNA to replicate over and over again, with strands of RNA long enough to have a biological function and play a role in the origin of life.

Dr Philipp Holliger (MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology), who led the study, said: “Life is separated from pure chemistry by information, a molecular memory encoded in the genetic material that is transmitted from one generation to the next. For this process to occur, the information must be copied, i.e. replicated, to be passed on.”

Lead author Dr James Attwater (UCL Chemistry and the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology) said: “Replication is fundamental to biology. In one sense, it is why we are here. But there’s no trace in biology of the first replicator.

“Even the single-celled organism that is the ancestor of all known life, the Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA), is a pretty complex entity, and behind it lies a lot of evolutionary history that is hidden from us.

“Our best guess is that early life was run by RNA molecules. But a big problem for this hypothesis is that we haven’t been able to get a molecule of RNA to replicate itself in a way that could have occurred before life began several billion years ago.

“We can’t rely on a complex enzyme to do this, as happens in biology today. It needs to be a much simpler solution. The changing conditions we engineered can occur naturally, for instance with night and day cycles of temperature, or in geothermal environments where hot rocks meet a cold atmosphere.

“The triplet or three-letter building blocks of RNA we used, called trinucleotides, do not occur in biology today, but they allow for much easier replication. The earliest forms of life are likely to have been quite different from any life that we know about.

“The models of biological species we are trying to build need to be simple enough to have emerged from the chemistry of early Earth.”

While the paper focuses solely on the chemistry, the research team said the conditions they created could plausibly mimic those in freshwater ponds or lakes, especially in geothermal environments where heat from inside the Earth has reached the surface.

However, this replication of RNA could not occur in freezing and thawing saltwater, as the presence of salt interferes with the freezing process and prevents RNA building blocks from reaching the concentration required to replicate RNA strands.

While a high concentration of RNA can also occur through evaporation, for instance a puddle evaporating in hot temperatures, RNA molecules are unstable at higher temperatures and more likely to break down, the researchers said.

The origin of life does not likely lie with RNA alone, but is thought to have emerged out of a combination of RNA, peptides (short chains of amino acids that are the building blocks of proteins), enzymes, and barrier-forming lipids that can protect these ingredients from their environment.

Several researchers at UCL and the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB) are uncovering clues about how life began. In recent years, teams led by Dr John Sutherland (LMB) and Professor Matthew Powner (UCL Chemistry) have demonstrated how chemistry could create many of the key molecules of life’s origin, including nucleotides (the building blocks of RNA and DNA), amino acids and peptides (the building blocks of proteins), simple lipids and precursors to some of the vitamins, from simple molecular building blocks likely abundant on the early Earth.

The latest study was supported by the Medical Research Council (MRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), as well as the Royal Society and the Volkswagen Foundation.

Journal

Nature Chemistry

DOI

10.1038/s41557-025-01830-y 

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Live longer



Combination therapy with Rapamycin and Trametinib prolongs the life of mice




Peer-Reviewed Publication

Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing

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Rapamycin and Trametinib 

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Treatment with the drugs rapamycin and trametinib together can prolong the life of mice.

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Credit: K. Link / Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing




  • The combination of Rapamycin and Trametinib extends the lifespan of mice by around 30% and works better than either of the drugs alone.
  • The therapy reduces chronic inflammation and delays cancer development
  • New mechanisms: The combination influences gene expression differently than the individual drugs, without additional side effects.

The researchers were able to show that Trametinib alone extends the lifespan of mice by 5-10%, while Rapamycin alone increases lifespan by 15-20%. Together, the drugs have a combinatorial effect that extends the life of the mice by around 30%.

The combination therapy also had positive effects on the health of the mice in old age. Less chronic inflammation was observed in the tissue and brain of the treated mice compared to untreated mice, and the onset and development of cancer was delayed.

Rapamycin and Trametinib are drugs used in cancer therapy that act on different points in the Ras/Insulin/TOR network, which plays a central role in ageing. Rapamycin is a potent geroprotector known to prolong the lifespan of animals. Geroprotectors are drugs that slow down the ageing process and extend lifespan. Trametinib acts on the Ras/MEK/ERK signalling pathway. It was not previously known whether Trametinib could extend the lifespan of mice, although previous studies in flies indicated that it might.

Although Rapamycin and Trametinib act on the same network, the combination achieves novel effects that are probably not solely due to an increase in dose. An analysis of gene expression in various tissues shows that the combination of the drugs influences the activity of the genes differently than is achieved by administering the drugs individually. There are specific changes in gene activity that are only caused by the combination of the two drugs.

The researchers plan to determine the optimal dose and route of administration of Trametinib to maximise the health and life-prolonging effects while minimising unwanted side effects. As Trametinib is already approved for human use, it is possible to test it in clinical trials.

"Trametinib, especially in combination with Rapamycin, is a good candidate to be tested in clinical trials as a geroprotector. We hope that our results will be taken up by others and tested in humans. Our focus is on optimising the use of Trametinib in animal models," explains Sebastian Grönke.

Co-senior author Professor Dame Linda Partridge (UCL Institute of Healthy Ageing and Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing) said: "While we do not expect a similar extension to human lifespans as we found in mice, we hope that the drugs we're investigating could help people to stay healthy and disease-free for longer late in life. Further research in humans in years to come will help us to elucidate how these drugs may be useful to people, and who might be able to benefit."

The research for this study was conducted at the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing with funding from the European Research Council and co-funded by the CECAD Cluster of Excellence for Ageing Research at the University of Cologne.

Journal

Nature Aging

DOI

10.1038/s43587-025-00876-4 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

The geroprotectors Trametinib and Rapamycin combine additively to extend mouse healthspan and lifespan

Article Publication Date

28-May-2025

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Yeast produces human DNase1 for the first time



Applied cellular biology



Ruhr-University Bochum


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The protein DNase1 is one of the oldest biological agents in history: It has been on the market since 1958 and is now used, among other things, to treat cystic fibrosis. However, it takes considerable effort to produce it in immortalized hamster cells. This process is also costly. It would be far more cost-effective to produce it with undemanding yeast cells. A team under Dr. Markus Napirei in the Department of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology at Ruhr University Bochum, led by Professor Beate Brand-Saberi, has been able to achieve this for the first time. “This is the result of years of work, and could lay the groundwork for the manufacture of human DNase1 in yeast as a biological agent,” says the researcher. The work was published in the journal PLOS ONE on April 29, 2025.

Popular aids

The yeast fungus Pichia pastoris is a popular aid in manufacturing therapeutically effective biological agents. The genetic information of the desired protein is implanted into the yeast cells with an electrical impulse via an artificial, lab-produced DNA molecule. The yeast cells then stably integrate this molecule into their genome, read it, and release the protein coded therein. “The advantages of yeast over mammalian cells are cost-effective culture conditions, a high rate of reproduction without the need to immortalize cells, and lower susceptibility to pathogens,” explains Napirei.

In his doctoral thesis, Jan-Ole Krischek, supervised by Napirei and Professor Hans Georg Mannherz, he was able to express human DNase1 in Pichia pastoris, clean it, and characterize it for the first time. The researchers were surprised that the yeast produced considerably less human DNase1 than the mouse DNase1 that had been used as a guide, although both proteins share 82 percent of their primary structure. “This is partly due to the specific folding behaviors of the two proteins,” says Napirei. With regard to biochemical and functional characteristics, mouse DNase1 somehow serves as the model for the pharmacologically adapted isoforms of human DNase1 that are currently in development.

A lucrative tool

DNase1 is a protein that occurs in bodily secretions and fluids. Its purpose is to degrade cell-free DNA that the body can then dispose of or recycle. The body can release DNA from its own cells and microorganisms at various locations which, under certain circumstances, induces symptoms of illness, such as those occurring during cystic fibrosis. This disease results in tough bronchial mucus that also contains DNA. The human enzyme DNase1 has been produced from ovary epithelial cells in hamsters and marketed since 1993. The inhaled DNase1 liquifies the DNA-laden and thus viscous bronchial mucus, which makes it easier to cough up.

DNase1 could potentially be used in other pathological processes as well. This endonuclease is an important factor in removal of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) that serve primarily to immobilize bacterial pathogens. In the event of sepsis but also a severe infection with SARS-CoV-2, there is a pathologically increased formation of NETs and microthrombi that contain high levels of NET components. “It could be useful to use DNase1 to better dissolve these microthrombi that contain DNA,” explains Napirei. Another example is the use of DNase1 to dissolve the thrombosis of a cerebral artery in the case of ischemic strokes, which clinical studies are currently exploring.

Journal

PLOS One

DOI

10.1371/journal.pone.0321094 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Cells

Article Title

Different Results Despite High Homology: Comparative Expression of Human and Murine DNase1 in Pichia pastoris

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Do night owls decline cognitively faster than early birds?




Universitair Medisch Centrum Groningen
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Because we are getting older, there are more and more people with dementia. Within a large national study, the BIRD-NL project, the UMCG, together with many partners, is researching ways to prevent dementia. ‘The fact is that your brain deteriorates after the age of 40, says Wenzler. ‘We study which lifestyle or other factors can reduce the risk of dementia.’

What is your chronotype?

Wenzler's area of research is sleep. 'Using Lifelines data, I look at people's sleep rhythms. Are you an early bird or a night owl? It's hard to adjust what your biological clock - your so-called chronotype - is, but you can adjust your life to it as best you can. In my research, I looked at whether your chronotype affects your cognition through behavior.'

Based on questionnaires that Lifelines participants filled in about their sleep times, Wenzler was able to determine the extent to which people are extreme early or late sleepers, and everything in between. She then looked at the results of a cognitive function test over a 10-year period: how did early scores differ from scores 10 years later?

More frequent unhealthy behaviour in the evening

The conclusion: evening people decline cognitively faster than morning people. ‘Unhealthy behavior such as smoking, drinking and unhealthy eating happens more often in the evening’, says Wenzler. 'In our study, we also saw this: evening people smoke and drink more often and exercise less. 25% of the risk of cognitive decline can be explained from our research by smoking and poor sleep.' Interestingly, the difference was found mostly in higher-educated people. 'That probably has to do with their sleep rhythm. They are often people who have to go back to work early in the morning and are therefore more likely to sleep too short, giving their brains too little rest.'

Genetic evolution

Wenzler, herself more of an early bird a night owl, explains how people's biological clocks are genetically altered. 'Children are morning people. That changes when you reach puberty, when you become an evening person. Around your 20s, that gradually shifts back towards morning people for most people. By the age of 40, most people are morning people again. But this is certainly not the case for everyone. In this way, evening people deviate from the norm'.

Work against your body as little as possible

There is little you can do about being an evening person. That is why Wenzler recommends working against your body as little as possible. 'You can try to go to sleep earlier, but if your body is not yet producing melatonin (sleep hormone, ed.) it will not work: your body simply does not want to sleep yet. We suspect that lower- or middle-educated people are more likely to have a job that allows them to take their sleep rhythm into account, such as a job in the hospitality industry or one with night shifts. If this is not possible, your brain does not get enough rest and you are more likely to adopt bad habits. It would be nice if more consideration was given to evening people who now have to work early: for example, by giving them the option of starting later.'

Follow-up research

Meanwhile, Wenzler's research continues. 'We are now investigating whether evening people are more likely to develop dementia. Faster cognitive decline in middle age does not necessarily mean a higher risk of dementia. With our research, we hope to find out more about this. This will ultimately help us to be able to give people informed advice on how to try to prevent dementia.'

 

 

Journal

The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer s Disease

DOI

10.1016/j.tjpad.2025.100168 

Method of Research

Data/statistical analysis

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Chronotype as a potential risk factor for cognitive decline: The mediating role of sleep quality and health behaviours in a 10-year follow-up study

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