Healthy Aging

Healthy foods, including peanuts, may improve brain function, which is essential for cognitive and metabolic health, and may contribute to improved food intake regulation. It is therefore important to investigate the specific effects of peanut butter on cerebral blood flow responses, as well as the potential associated functional benefits. The researchers hypothesize that long-term peanut butter consumption improves vascular function in the brain, thereby enhancing cognitive performance and appetite control in middle aged and older adults. Objective: The primary objectives are to investigate in middle aged and older men and women the effect of 16-week peanut butter consumption on brain vascular function, while we will also assess changes in cognitive performance and appetite-related brain reward activity (secondary objectives). Cerebral blood flow responses (brain vascular function) will be non-invasively quantified by the non-invasive gold standard magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-perfusion method Arterial Spin Labeling (ASL).Study design: This intervention study will have a randomized, controlled, cross-over design. The total study duration will be 40 weeks, including two 16-week interventions, separated by a washout period of at least 8 weeks. Study population: Forty-five middle-aged and older men and women (aged 45-75 years) without a history of cardiovascular diseases or complaints will participate. This population is expected to have a decreased cerebral blood flow at baseline and are also at increased risk of cognitive impairment, allowing for improvement by the intervention. Intervention: Study participants will receive, in random order, 45 g of peanut butter daily (peanut intervention) or no peanut butter (control) for a total of 16 weeks, separated by a wash-out period of at least 8 weeks. Main study parameters/endpoints: At baseline, first anthropometric measurements will be performed and blood pressure will be determined. In addition, a fasting blood sample will be drawn. Another fasting blood sample will be drawn at eight weeks, while participants have to attend the research facilities to perform follow-up measurements after sixteen weeks. The primary endpoint is the difference at follow-up in the cerebral blood flow response between peanut butter intervention and control periods. Cognitive performance will be assessed, while the researchers will also focus on appetite-related brain reward activity (secondary outcomes).

This research was planned to determine the effect of structured sandplay activities on positive and negative affect and levels of meaning in life in elderly individuals. The research will be conducted as a single-blind, randomized controlled trial with a pre-test, post-test design at the Gül Kokulu Çınarlar Vefa Konağı of the Isparta Municipality Health Affairs Directorate between July 2026 and July 2027. Prior to the research, ethical committee approval and institutional permission for implementation will be obtained. The research population consists of 400 individuals registered with the institution. The sample will consist of 60 individuals (30 in the intervention group and 30 in the control group) who meet the inclusion criteria, are selected using block randomization, and provide informed consent. The control group will receive no intervention; a pre-test will be administered on the first day, and a post-test will be administered on the day the intervention for the experimental group ends. The intervention group will participate in sandplay activities twice a week for a total of four sessions; a pre-test will be administered on the first day, and a post-test will be administered in the last session. Data collection is planned for the period between July 2026 and July 2027 using the Personal Information Form (PIF), the Positive-Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), and the Meaning in Life Scale (MLS). Data will be analyzed using the SPSS (Statistical Program for Social Sciences) statistical analysis package, and statistical significance will be accepted at p \< 0.05.

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether a single session of high-intensity interval exercise (HIIT) affects cognitive performance and brain activity in older adults, and whether cardiorespiratory fitness influences these effects. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does a single HIIT session change performance on a task-switching test of cognitive flexibility? * Does a single HIIT session change prefrontal brain activity during cognitive testing, as measured by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)? * Do older adults with higher cardiorespiratory fitness show greater cognitive and brain changes in response to HIIT than those with lower fitness? Participants will: * Visit the laboratory on two separate days * Complete a sub-maximal graded exercise test during the first visit to measure cardiorespiratory fitness * Complete a single \~30-minute HIIT cycling session during the second visit * Complete a task-switching cognitive test before and after the HIIT session * Have their brain activity monitored with fNIRS while completing the cognitive tests

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if Quercefit® or Ubiqsome™ can improve markers of healthy aging, blood sugar control, and heart health in older adults. It will also learn about the safety of these supplements. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Do Quercefit® or Ubiqsome™ improve blood sugar, cholesterol, and markers of aging compared to a placebo? 2. What side effects, if any, do participants have while taking these supplements? Researchers will compare Quercefit® (500 mg/day), Ubiqsome™ (300 mg/day), and a placebo (a look-alike capsule with no active ingredient). Participants will: 1. Take their assigned capsules (Quercefit®, Ubiqsome™, or placebo) twice daily for 12 weeks 2. Go to a preferred clinic at the start and end of the study for a fasting blood draw Complete at-home tests: 3. Grip strength testing (using a device mailed to them) 4. Online surveys about fatigue and quality of life 5. Report any side effects and keep track of supplement use

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of consuming grape powder on immune profiles in healthy middle- and older-aged individuals. Specifically, the investigators are interested in evaluating the potential effects of grapes in influencing markers of immune function, inflammation, and metabolism that are known to change with aging. Grapes contain several nutrients and antioxidant polyphenols such as resveratrol, quercetin, vitamin K and fiber, which are known to promote heart and immune health. However, the effects of grapes on altering immune profiles within the context of aging is not well understood. Therefore, this study will explore how daily grape consumption impacts certain markers of immunity in healthy middle- and older-aged adults. The main study procedures include consumption of a freeze-dried grape powder and control powder (which tastes the same but has none of the grape compounds that are being studied) mixed with water as a beverage on a daily basis for 4 weeks each. The investigators will additionally ask that participants avoid eating grapes and certain other antioxidant/grape-related foods and beverages throughout the 13-week study. Participants will additionally be asked to complete surveys about their diet, physical activity, and medical history, as well as provide blood samples and body weight measures throughout the course of the study. Participation in the study is expected to last about 6.25 hours over the course of 13 weeks and will include 7 visits.

Objective: The aim of this protocol study was to investigate the effect of neuroathletic exercise on walking speed, fall risk and cognitive function in the elderly. Method: The study is planned as a single-centre, double-blind, parallel group randomised controlled experimental design and will be conducted in accordance with SPIRIT. The sample of the study will consist of healthy elderly people aged 60-80 years. In order to ensure parametric conditions, the sample will be divided into two groups as experimental group (n=20) in which neuroathletic exercise will be performed and control group (n=20) in which Turkey Physical Activity Guidelines will be given and a total of 40 elderly people will be randomly assigned to the groups. The elderly assigned to the experimental and control groups according to the order of randomisation will be administered the timed up and go test (TUG), short physical performance battery (SPPB), geriatric depression scale (GDÖ), MoCA test as pre-test and post-test. The experimental group will be asked to perform neuroathletic exercises two days a week for 12 weeks under the supervision of a physiotherapist, and will be asked to perform a home exercise programme one day a week. The control group will be given the Turkish Physical Activity guide. Data will be collected by the researcher. Results: Considering the limited number of studies on the use of neuroathletic exercises in the literature, it is thought that our randomised controlled study designed to determine the effect of neuroathletic exercise on walking speed, fall risk and cognitive functions in the elderly will contribute to the literature.

Aging-related functional declines are thought to be caused by hallmark biological processes that ultimately manifest in physical, mental, and metabolic impairments to compromise intrinsic capacity and healthspan. Exercise is the only multipotent treatment with promise to mitigate many of the aging hallmarks, but there is substantial variability in individual exercise responsiveness. Thus, the investigators approach to boosting exercise responsiveness in aging is to combine an exercise training prescription containing both endurance and resistance training (in alignment with DHHS guidelines) with a nitrate-enriched dietary supplement to augment the cellular, tissue, and systemic adaptations that induce myriad health benefits of exercise in older adults.

This study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial designed to evaluate the effects of NVTIA® Ergothioneine, a branded ergothioneine ingredient, on healthy aging biomarkers and skin health in healthy adults aged 40 to 65 years. Participants will receive either NVTIA® Ergothioneine or a matching placebo once daily for 12 weeks. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of NVTIA® Ergothioneine supplementation on biomarkers associated with oxidative stress and healthy aging. Secondary objectives include assessment of skin elasticity, skin hydration, inflammatory biomarkers, and overall safety. The findings of this study are expected to provide clinical evidence supporting the role of NVTIA® Ergothioneine in promoting healthy aging and maintaining skin health.

This study is testing a new web-based tool that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help older adults in Hong Kong check how healthy their Cantonese-style meals are for brain health. The tool is based on the cMIND diet, a Chinese-adapted version of a known healthy eating pattern that may support memory and thinking skills. Participants will use the web app to take photos of their usual meals for at least 10 days over two weeks. The AI will automatically identify ingredients and give a score showing how well the meal follows the cMIND diet. The study will also ask participants to complete a short questionnaire and a brief interview to find out how easy and useful the tool is for older adults. The purpose of this small study is to see whether the AI tool is user-friendly and acceptable for older people. Results will help improve the tool for future use to support healthy ageing and brain health.

The objective of this pilot study is to evaluate and compare the effect of three different perturbation based training devices on the reactive balance control among healthy young adults, healthy older adults, and neurologically impaired stroke individuals. Furthermore, the project aims to determine the feasibility and tolerability of 30-minutes of perturbation training using the SureFooted Trainer. Overall, the project directs to find out the long term effect of training on fall risk reduction and fall prevention. This study investigates the effects of perturbation training (slip and trip) based on the principles of motor learning. Perturbations in the form of slips and trips induced by the three different types of perturbation devices will displace the center of mass outside the base of support and challenge the stability, thereby inducing a fall and demand compensatory strategies in order to prevent it. Such perturbation training would train the motor system to improve stability control and vertical limb support. The project design aims to examine the ability of the central nervous system to mitigate the interference in stability control (if any) that is induced by opposing types of perturbations. The hypothesis of this study if supported by the results, will provide the difference in motor learning with training on three different perturbation devices. Furthermore, it would help to determine which of the three training devices is the most effective in developing defense mechanisms necessary to reduce fall-risk among community-living older adults and the neurological population.

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if AppleX™ Apple Extract can help lower systemic inflammation in adults aged 45-70 with signs of low-grade inflammation. It will also look at the extract's effects on fatigue, joint comfort, and biological aging metrics. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does taking AppleX™ Apple Extract daily lower high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels, a key marker of inflammation in the blood? * Does AppleX™ Apple Extract improve participant-reported fatigue and joint comfort? * Does the extract slow down biological or epigenetic aging metrics compared to a placebo? Researchers will compare AppleX™ Apple Extract to a placebo (a look-alike capsule that contains no active ingredients) to see if the apple extract has a measurable anti-inflammatory and healthy aging effect.

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a dietary supplement called Miricell works to improve cellular health and signs of healthy aging in adults. It will also learn about the safety of Miricell. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does Miricell improve markers of autophagy, which is the body's natural process for recycling damaged cells? * Does Miricell support brain health, metabolic health, and visible signs of aging? * What medical problems, if any, do participants experience while taking Miricell? Researchers will compare Miricell to a placebo (a look-alike capsule that contains no active ingredients) to see if Miricell works better to support healthy aging. Participants will: * Take either one Miricell capsule or a placebo every day for 12 weeks with a morning meal. * Visit the research clinic four times over the course of the study for checkups and tests. * Complete memory and thinking tests, track their daily physical activity, and give blood samples to measure health changes.

The goal of this study is to determine the impact of MVM supplementation on clinical and biochemical markers associated with healthy aging, with a particular focus on mitochondrial function and metabolism. Specifically, changes in mitochondrial respiration using isolated blood cells will be measured. This method has been used to compare with various other age-related markers of health such as physical function, gait speed, and resting metabolic rate. It is hypothesize that MVM supplementation will impact the function of blood cells. MVM supplementation impacts other markers of health, including serum nutrient levels, metabolomic profiles, physical function, and skeletal muscle composition and quality will be explored. These comprehensive assessments will provide insights into the potential benefits of MVM supplementation for healthy aging and address critical gaps in our understanding of its immediate effects. Further, this study will aid in the understanding of how multivitamin supplements can support heathy aging in mid-life adults, a key time to start including wellness programs in people's lives. The study cohort will consist of 150 sedentary men and women aged 40-60-years of age. A double-blind, three-arm, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial will be conducted. Participants will receive a daily oral tablet containing one of two possible formulations of vitamins and minerals or a placebo. The three groups will be MVM "GOLD" blend formula, the US Restage MVM "US CORE", and the placebo group.

The goal of the proposed project is to evaluate a mechanical intervention (sports bras designed specifically for full busted women) to alleviate neck, shoulder, arm, and back pain in full-busted women and investigate the contribution of non-mechanical pathways associated with this type of pain in women. Specifically, the investigators will investigate how sex-hormones, inflammation, and remapping of specific regions of the brain contribute to the manifestation of neck, shoulder, arm, and back pain in full-busted women across the lifespan.

his study investigates whether eating lean beef every day can help support brain health and healthy aging in older adults. As people age, protecting memory and cognitive function becomes increasingly important. Lean beef is a rich source of essential nutrients-such as vitamin B12, iron, zinc, and creatine-that are known to support brain function. However, the direct biological effects of a beef-rich diet on brain health markers are not fully understood. In this study, researchers will recruit 20 generally healthy older adults (aged 65 and older) to participate in a dietary feeding trial. Participants will complete two separate 2-week dietary phases. During one phase, participants will consume 5.5 ounces (156 grams) of provided lean beef daily. During the other phase, they will consume an iso-caloric, protein-matched, non-beef control food daily. A two-week "washout" period, where participants return to their normal diets, will separate the two phases to ensure there are no overlapping effects. Researchers will collect blood, urine, stool, and saliva samples at the beginning and end of each 2-week dietary phase. These samples will be analyzed to see if the lean beef diet improves specific biological markers in the blood related to memory, nerve protection, and overall brain aging. Ultimately, the findings from this study will help determine if incorporating lean beef into a regular diet can be a natural, food-based strategy to help preserve neurological health in older adults.

Background: Population aging is accelerating rapidly in Israel and worldwide, necessitating adaptation of the healthcare system and considering new approaches that serve the needs of older adult populations. Working hypothesis and aims: We hypothesize that a personalized health and behavior intervention program will decrease the biological age as assessed by several biological aging clocks and improve functional and cognitive performance among older adults. Methods: We propose to conduct a randomized study among healthy community-dwelling elderly subjects (\>50 years old). The study will include an extensive aging assessment and imaging protocol (baseline assessment), including comprehensive physical, functional, sensory, cognitive, and mental assessment. Each participant in the intervention group will receive a personalized intervention program based on an integrative systems approach analysis. In addition, a uniquely developed application will track compliance and monitor physiological data through a provided wearable device. The control group will be assessed at baseline without receiving an intervention program. Each participant will visit the center aging after 6 months for a blood test and after 12 months for a second extensive diagnostic protocol, similar to the baseline assessment protocol. About 1,500 subjects will be recruited to participate in the study. Expected results: Obtaining data at two points will allow us to examine efficiency and compliance with a personalized intervention program based on integrative systems analysis models. We expect biological age, general well-being, and various clinical and psychosocial outcomes in the intervention group will decrease and improve compared to the control group. Study importance and relevance: The obtained results may help establish evidence-based healthy aging diagnostics protocols and an effective personalized intervention program that might be applied, with proper modifications, to national healthcare organizations for the general older adult population. In addition, to provides a scientific basis on which policymakers and intervention programs can rely to develop national guidelines for promoting extended health.

The goal of this observational study is to evaluate the reliability, usability, and feasibility of the MEVA Cognitive Wellness Platform in community-dwelling adults aged 55 to 75. The main questions it aims to answer are: How consistent is the MEVA Global Cognitive Index when participants complete the MEVA activities again approximately 14 days later? How usable and acceptable is the MEVA platform for older adults in community settings? What completion rates, data quality patterns, and participant feedback are observed during use of the platform? Participants will: Complete a baseline study visit lasting approximately 45 to 60 minutes Complete a 7-activity digital cognitive wellness battery Answer questionnaires about usability, technology acceptance, and wellness experience Complete the Saint Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS) examination as an exploratory comparison measure If selected for the retest group, return approximately 14 days later to complete the MEVA activities again MEVA is being evaluated as a cognitive wellness platform. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent, screen for, or monitor any disease or medical condition.

Taiwan is entering a super-aged society in 2025, with more than 20% of the population aged 65 years or older. This rapid demographic shift, combined with increasing rates of chronic diseases, frailty, and dementia, has created growing challenges for healthcare and caregiving systems. Yunlin County, particularly its coastal region, has been one of Taiwan's earliest super-aged areas, showing higher rates of diabetes (10.5%), hypertension (28%), hyperlipidemia (26%), dementia (8%), and depression (12%) compared with national averages. Lifestyle factors such as tobacco (30%), betel nut (8%), and alcohol (15%) use are also more prevalent among local residents. From 2022 to 2024, health screenings at CMU Beigang Hospital revealed a 36.1% abnormality rate among 12,222 visits, while another 5,965 assessments from the county's ICOPE program showed similarly high rates. Many older adults, particularly retired agricultural and fishing workers, experience sedentary lifestyles and polypharmacy-related risks, which worsen frailty, insomnia, depression, and cognitive decline. Low general and digital health literacy further limits their ability to adopt preventive behaviors, forming a vicious cycle between poor health and aging. To address these challenges, the Ministry of Health and Welfare launched the "Healthy Taiwan Cultivation Plan." In alignment with this initiative, this project-led by CMU Beigang Hospital in collaboration with the National Health Research Institutes-aims to develop a wearable- and mobile-based health promotion model for rural older adults. The study will integrate research-grade actigraphy (Geneactiv), a mobile health platform ("iMED"), and the in-bed sensor iCue to monitor behavior, promote active aging, and enhance health and digital literacy. Ultimately, this project seeks to establish Taiwan's first integrated digital aging database and identify digital biomarkers for predicting cognitive and functional decline in older adults.

The overall objective of this study is to assess the effect of an adaptive computerized cognitive training program for executive functions (CogniFit platform) on improving these functions in older adults, both healthy and with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), as well as to examine the potential transfer effects of this training on memory. Additionally, determine the impact of the intervention on the emotional symptoms, behavioral disorders, or quality of life of the participants.

This study will evaluate whether a wearable robotic exoskeleton can improve mobility, balance, and walking in healthy older adults and in individuals living with Parkinson's disease, populations at high risk of falls and mobility limitations. Participants will attend two laboratory sessions. The first session includes clinical assessments, fitting and familiarization with the exoskeleton, and interviews to explore user perceptions. The second session involves performing functional mobility tasks (e.g., walking, standing, turning) with and without the exoskeleton and under different assistance levels, while movement is measured using wearable sensors. The study will assess the immediate effects of the exoskeleton on mobility, compare assistance levels, identify which participants benefit most, and explore user experience and acceptability. Findings will help inform the development and implementation of assistive technologies to support mobility in healthy aging and in individuals with Parkinson's disease.

This research study is investigating whether people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) experience more changes to swallowing than their healthy age-matched peers. The prevalence of swallowing impairments in moderate-severe AD is high (85-93%), yet little is known about how swallow function evolves throughout the disease course in people with AD. The overall objective of this study is to evaluate swallowing function in adults with and without Alzheimer's disease. The investigator will also be involving the primary caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's that are enrolled in the study to better understand the impact of swallowing impairments on the primary caregivers of those with Alzheimer's Disease. Healthy adults and individuals with Alzheimer's disease will: * undergo tests of cough and swallow function * undergo tests of grip and tongue strength * complete questionnaires Caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's disease will also complete questionnaires.

African Americans are less likely to receive quality end-of-life (EoL) care. Addressing disparities in EoL care will need efforts to support a better understanding of African American patients' EoL cultural values and preferences for EoL communication and the impact of historical and ongoing care delivery inequities in healthcare settings. Our proposed "Caring for Older African Americans" training program is designed to empower clinicians to improve goal-concordant EoL care delivery by using community-developed storytelling videos to create empathy with experiences of racism in EoL care, guidelines for culturally concordant EoL care delivery, and an implicit bias recognition and management training to mitigate bias in goals of care communication.

This is a multi-center, cross-sectional, observational study aimed at developing biological age calculators specifically for the Russian population investigating various aging phenotypes. Aging is a complex process that varies greatly between individuals, meaning that chronological age does not always reflect one's biological health status. The primary goal of this study is to identify and analyze a comprehensive set of markers (including socioeconomic factors, lifestyle, physical parameters, cognitive function, and laboratory biomarkers) that best reflect the aging process. Using this data, researchers will create a mathematical model to estimate a person's "biological age." The study plans to enroll at least 3,500 male and female volunteers aged 18 years and older from across Russia. Participants will be divided into 5-year age groups (e.g., 18-24, 25-29, up to 90+ years) to ensure broad representation. Participation involves a single visit to a clinical center. During this visit, participants will undergo: Interview and questionnaires (assessing health history, lifestyle, socioeconomic status, diet, sleep, and quality of life). Physical examination and anthropometric measurements (height, weight, blood pressure, grip strength). Functional and cognitive tests (e.g., walking speed, balance tests, memory and attention tasks tailored to age). Collection of biomaterials: blood (50 ml), urine, and stool samples for extensive laboratory analysis, including routine tests and specialized aging biomarkers. Part of the biomaterials will be biobanked for future scientific research. Instrumental examinations for a subset of participants: Depending on the center's capabilities and the study protocol, some participants may also undergo additional assessments such as densitometry (bone density scan), bioimpedance analysis (body composition), and brain MRI. The results are expected to lead to the creation of a validated biological age calculator for the Russian population. This tool could help identify targets for interventions to promote healthy aging and, in the future, potentially predict the risk of developing age-related chronic diseases.

In line with the ever-growing aging of Western populations, the development of preventive strategies to slow down the effects of aging on cardiovascular health represents a major challenge in order to preserve functional capacities and a sufficient quality of life in the elderly. The alteration of vascular function (at the cerebral and systemic level) with aging is an important feature in the clinical picture including a decrease in physical and cognitive capacities. Although physical activity is recognized as an essential means of combating the effects of aging, optimizing its effects by defining the most effective strategies of practice remains a key objective. Offering alternative interventions to exercise training is also necessary for people who are unwilling or unable to engage in a physical activity program. In this context, hypoxic conditioning, alone or in conjunction with rehabilitative exercise training, is a new therapeutic modality with strong preclinical validity, in particular from a cardiovascular standpoint, and used in other pathologies to improve cardiovascular function and exercise performance and quality of life. Our aim is, therefore, to investigate the effect of hypoxic conditioning (alone or in conjunction with exercise training) on cerebrovascular health in the elderly.

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if daily collagen peptide supplementation can stabilize or lengthen telomeres and improve related markers of cellular aging in adults aged 50-70 years with overweight and low-to-moderate physical activity (healthy volunteers without major chronic disease). Main questions it aims to answer are: Does six months of collagen peptides stabilize or extend telomere length and increase telomerase activity compared with placebo? Are any telomere-related changes associated with lower inflammation, healthier body composition, and better functional health? Researchers will compare collagen as an intervention to a placebo group to see if collagen will influence aging markers. Participants will take collagen peptides or a placebo daily for 24 weeks. They will attend three study visits: one before starting the intervention (T0), one at 3 months (T1), and one at 6 months (T2). At each visit, blood samples will be collected to measure telomere length, telomerase activity, and inflammation/redox markers. Participants will also undergo body composition assessments using bioelectrical impedance, complete functional tests of muscle strength and mobility, and fill out questionnaires on health and vitality.