Diabetes Archive

Contrary to its reputation as an anti-aging supplement, human growth hormone is not effective at turning back the clock, and it may carry health risks. Commitment to a healthy diet and regular exercise is still the best formula for healthy aging.

Diabetes is a condition in which both high and low glucose levels are harmful to the body. In older individuals with multiple risk factors for hypoglycemia, the goal should be the best blood sugar control that can be achieved without putting the individual at risk for dangerously low blood sugar.

For people who have risk factors for heart disease, it's important to make lifestyle changes like losing weight, getting more exercise, and eating a healthier diet. Longstanding habits are hard to change, but managing the challenge of healthy eating is easier if people have a partner who is supportive and involved in making food choices.

A 2023 analysis of nearly 300 randomized trials found that several types of exercise were effective in lowering resting blood pressure. Exercise types included aerobic exercise, high-intensity interval training, dynamic resistance training, isometric exercise training, and combined training (aerobic exercise plus one of the other types of exercise). People who are over age 50 and have not been exercising much should check with a doctor before beginning a regular exercise program, since some types of exercise may not be right for them.

Excessive drinking can contribute to high blood pressure, obesity, and stroke, while moderate drinking (no more than one drink per day for women and two drinks or fewer per day for men) is linked to a lower risk of heart problems. One possible mechanism might be stress reduction. Brain scans of people who reported light to moderate drinking show less activity in the part of the brain that responds to stress, compared with the scans of people who abstained or drank very little. Stress not only raises blood pressure and heart rate but also triggers inflammation that causes plaque buildup, which contributes to heart attacks.

A 2023 study suggests taking testosterone replacement therapy does not raise the risk for heart attacks or stroke among men with cardiovascular disease or a high risk for it, but it could increase the risk of atrial fibrillation, acute kidney injury, and pulmonary embolism.

While the bone-weakening disease osteoporosis most often strikes women, about 6% of men ages 65 and older have it. Preventing osteoporosis and treating it if it occurs focuses on stopping or at least slowing bone loss. The main ways to do this are maintaining proper calcium and vitamin D levels and engaging in weight-bearing activities and exercises that help build muscle and improve balance. Raising low testosterone levels or taking a class of drugs known as bisphosphonates also may help.

Who should get COVID vaccine boosters and when will remain in flux for at least another year. This summer, the FDA instructed the vaccine makers to have the next COVID vaccine target the XBB.1.5 Omicron subvariant. The CDC will be issuing specific recommendations by October, but infectious disease experts expect the newer vaccine to provide the most benefit for people over 65 and those younger with chronic conditions.