Daily review 14/03/2023

Written By: - Date published: 5:30 pm, March 14th, 2023 - 20 comments
Categories: Daily review - Tags:

Daily review is also your post.

This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Don’t forget to be kind to each other …

20 comments on “Daily review 14/03/2023 ”

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  1. SPC 1
    14 March 2023 at 6:11 pm

    Oz and its subs

    1. The UK and USA to base 3 nuclear subs at a RAN base in Perth from 2027.

    2. Oz buys three American Virginia-class submarines in the early 2030s (with options to purchase two more, they have 5 atm) to replace them.

    After that, the plan is to design and build an entirely new nuclear-powered submarine for the UK and Australian navies, called SSN-AUKUS.

    This attack craft will be built in Britain and Australia to a British design, but use technology from all three countries.

    The interim and future boats will give Australia submarines which can travel further and faster than its existing fleet, with cruise missiles that could strike targets on land and at sea.

    https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-64945819

  3. SPC 3
    14 March 2023 at 9:39 pm

    Vitamin D is important for the immune system, and it is also shown to reduce dementia by 40%.

    • tWiggle 3.1
      15 March 2023 at 7:44 am

      A vey light skim over the medical literature shows an association of low Vit D in dementia patients, but there are also many other disruptions in body functions. Vit D controls calcium uptake from food and calcium movement round the body.

      Low Vit D levels don't necessarily cause dementia, and supplementation won't necessarily protect you against it greatly. For example, dementia patients also have low testosterone. Does that mean you should take testosterone?

      Scientifically, Vit D supplementation does help with bone health though, especially in growing children and the elderly. Even better for both bone health and dementia is a healthy diet high in veges and good fats.

      Be wary of 'science' touted in forums that suggests a single dietary substance provides a miracle cure. It's medicalisation of food compounds to push supplement sales.

      • tWiggle 3.1.1
        15 March 2023 at 8:20 am

        I rustled up the scientific paper summary for those graphs. The study was done in Canada, a country low in natural sunlight for a large part of the year. Given the number of people studied and the need to control supplementation, it was probably carried out in aged care facilities. While the data looks good, the conclusion only says that Vit D supplementation MAY be a therapy for slowing dementia onset in some of the population.

        And add calcium-rich foods to that healthy diet list.

      • SPC 3.1.2
        15 March 2023 at 9:58 am

        Age has an impact on the ability to produce Vitamin D on skin from sunlight, as does skin melatonin levels. Most do not get enough from food in winter. It has a role in immunity.

        (Vitamin K is important to direct/bind calcium to the bones).

        Poor immunity and poor bone health will impact on activity levels (and thus testosterone levels).

        https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4642156/

        PS The US President (Trump) was receiving Vitamin D and zinc (good for cells) aspirin (blood thinner) and melatonin (for sleep) from his physician. All fairly standard for someone of his age.

        • tWiggle 3.1.2.1
          15 March 2023 at 7:58 pm

          Aspirin wars! A 2018 study showed no difference in the incidence of heart attacks, strokes, physical disbilities or dementia over 5 years when healthy older people either had a placebo or 100 mg aspirin daily. Aspirin takers did have a 30% increase in the low incidence of bleeding disorders eg, brain bleeds, over placebo takers. Low-dose aspirin does, however, benefit those less-healthy people with existing cardio-vascular conditions, presumably like the overweight Trump.

          Again, it's important to realise that magic molecules touted for staving off our decrepitude, like aspirin, Vit D and statins are extremely unlikely to be of universal benefit, at least for the moment. Genetic inheritance and a bit of clean living trump them by a great margin.

          https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/daily-aspirin-shows-no-benefit-healthy-older-adults

          • joe90 3.1.2.1.1
            15 March 2023 at 8:27 pm

            The numbers needed to be treated makes it a lottery.

            .

            Because the NNTs are so difficult to find, I use a website called theNNT.com – on this website a bunch of statisticians and researchers try and work out the NNT for commonly used interventions and I would encourage everyone who is contemplating a potentially life-prolonging medication to check it out.

            Here are some examples of NNTs (taken from the website)

            1. Aspirin for 1 year to prevent first heart attack or stroke causing death (no benefit)
            2. Aspirin to prevent a first non-fatal heart attack – 2000
            3. Aspirin to prevent a first non-fatal stroke – 3000
            4. Aspirin causing bleeding- 3333 (NNH)
            5. Statins for 5 years to prevent a first heart attack causing death – no benefit
            6. Statins for 5 years prevent a first non-fatal heart attack 104
            7. Statins for 5 years to prevent a first non fatal stroke 154
            8. Statins for 5 years to cause muscle pains/muscle damage – 10
            9. A Mediterranean diet for preventing death -30
            10. A Mediterranean diet for causing harm – 0

            https://drsanjayguptacardiologist.com/blog/the-great-medication-lottery/

            • SPC 3.1.2.1.1.1
              15 March 2023 at 8:59 pm

              A bit of a surprise – their Vitamin D for the elderly, greenlight as it reduces bone fractures but a side effect as to kidneys.

              It is 2011 and a bit old, but they make no mention of taking Vitamin D with K – that improves bone density results and will reduce/mitigate adverse kidney impact.

              “Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is commonly associated with vitamin K deficiency”

              https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9099759/

          • SPC 3.1.2.1.2
            15 March 2023 at 9:01 pm

            Yeah I could have gone for his age and shape, as to aspirin.

    • Incognito 3.2
      15 March 2023 at 11:32 am

      Not so fast!

      Neither dosing nor baseline vitamin D levels were available and thus, it is unknown if rates of incident dementia differed based on dosing or vitamin D deficiency. Higher doses or greater intake of vitamin D have been linked to better cognition and lower risk, especially in vitamin D deficiency.18, 30, 48 Future clinical trials should consider dosing of vitamin D supplementation, while paying close attention to baseline serum vitamin D levels. Clarifying exposure duration, dose–response relationships, and the role of vitamin D deficiency will be necessary to inform intervention studies.

      https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/dad2.12404