Stress Alters Metabolic Hormone with Health Consequences, Study Shows

Story at-a-glance

• Research from Columbia University shows that psychological stress changes a key metabolic hormone, linking emotional strain directly to energy production and overall health
• People with healthy mitochondria experience a drop in this hormone under stress, while those with mitochondrial dysfunction show an increase — demonstrating how cellular energy capacity shapes stress resilience
• Chronic stress overstimulates classic stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, disrupting blood sugar control, promoting fat storage, and exhausting your mitochondria — the engines that power every cell
• Social isolation and loneliness were linked to higher levels of stress-related hormones, suggesting that emotional well-being and physical metabolism are deeply connected
• Restoring mitochondrial balance through nutrition, regular movement, deep sleep, and meaningful connection helps calm stress chemistry, boost energy, and slow biological aging

Stress doesn’t just live in your head — it reshapes your entire body. Every time you feel anxious, overworked, or emotionally strained, your cells react. Hormones shift, energy production slows, and inflammation rises. Over time, those invisible reactions create measurable wear and tear that affects how quickly you age, how well you recover, and even how clearly you think.

Your mitochondria — the tiny power plants in your cells — sit at the center of this process. When they function well, you feel alert, resilient, and balanced. But when they falter, everything suffers. Energy crashes. Hormones go haywire.

Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola

 

Calcium Supplements and Dementia 

Major Study Busts Long-Held Myth

Story at-a-glance

• Calcium supplements were long feared to increase dementia risk, but new long-term research found no connection between calcium use and cognitive decline, even among women with heart disease or prior strokes
• The 14.5-year study published in The Lancet Regional Health showed that calcium carbonate supplements did not raise dementia-related hospitalizations or deaths, dispelling decades of concern about vascular calcification or brain damage
• Your brain and bones rely on nutrient synergy — calcium works best when paired with magnesium, vitamin D3, and vitamin K2, which ensure calcium strengthens bones instead of depositing in arteries or soft tissue
• Keeping your calcium-to-phosphorus ratio near 1:1 is key for both skeletal and cognitive health, since excessive phosphorus from processed foods, soda and meat-heavy diets forces calcium out of bones and contributes to arterial calcification
• The safest way to protect your brain and bones is through whole-food calcium sources such as raw grass fed cheese, yogurt, and eggshell powder, paired with balanced sun exposure and nutrient cofactors that keep calcium working where it should

For decades, older adults have been warned that taking calcium supplements could harm their brains. Those warnings stemmed from small observational studies suggesting calcium might increase dementia risk by promoting vascular calcification or white matter lesions in the brain. Dementia, meaning a progressive decline in memory, reasoning, and behavior that interferes with daily life, affects 57 million people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.1

It’s a devastating condition that robs independence, identity, and connection — so it’s no surprise that any hint of increased risk sparks concern. Calcium, however, is not a nutrient you can simply eliminate. It’s the most abundant mineral in your body and foundational for bone density, heart rhythm, muscle contraction, and nerve signaling. You need enough of it every day, especially as you age.

Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola

 

Butyrate — The Gut-Brain Axis Connector That Influences Mood and Cognition

Story at-a-glance

• Butyrate, produced by gut bacteria when they ferment dietary fiber, acts as a signaling molecule in the gut-brain axis, influencing stress, pain tolerance, immunity, and brain health
• Through multiple mechanisms, including specific enzyme inhibition and NF-κB pathway regulation, butyrate reduces neuroinflammation and protects against neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease
• Butyrate influences key neurotransmitters including GABA, serotonin, and dopamine, while also increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which supports neuronal growth and cognitive function
• The vagus nerve serves as a communication highway between the gut and the brain, transmitting signals about butyrate levels that affect mood regulation, stress response, and immune function
• Optimizing gut health through dietary fiber and homemade fermented foods helps promote butyrate production and maintain a healthy gut-brain connection

Butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) produced in your colon through the bacterial fermentation of dietary fiber, is a metabolite byproduct that nourishes your colonocytes (i.e., the cells lining your colon). Interestingly, it's also an important signaling molecule within the complex communication network between your gut and your brain, known as the gut-brain axis.

As explained in a paper published in Nutrients,1 the gut-brain axis is a bidirectional communication system involves a dynamic interplay of neural, hormonal, immune, and metabolic pathways, enabling constant information exchange between your gastrointestinal tract and your central nervous system.

The exchange of information between your gut and brain affects a multitude of functions, from stress and pain tolerance to immunity, brain function and even mood.

Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola

 

A Cysteine-Rich Diet Promotes Regeneration 

of 

Your Intestinal Lining

Story at-a-glance

• A cysteine-rich diet helps your gut repair itself by activating the stem cells that rebuild your intestinal lining, strengthening your digestion and overall resilience
• Researchers found that cysteine triggers a communication loop between intestinal cells and immune cells, turning on the body’s natural repair signals for faster healing after damage
• Eating more cysteine-rich foods such as eggs, grass fed meat, and raw dairy protects your gut from inflammation and improves recovery after stress, illness, or medical treatments
• Supplemental N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a stable form of cysteine, offers additional support by boosting glutathione, your body’s master antioxidant, which protects gut tissue from oxidative stress and toxins
• Avoiding seed oils and processed foods while increasing cysteine intake helps your intestinal lining regenerate efficiently, leading to better digestion, higher energy, and a stronger immune system

Your gut lining is one of the most active and self-renewing tissues in your body. Every few days, millions of cells are replaced to keep your intestinal barrier strong and your digestion efficient. But that renewal process depends on more than time — it requires specific nutrients that fuel regeneration. When those nutrients are missing, your gut becomes fragile, leaving you more prone to inflammation, poor absorption, and chronic discomfort.

Cysteine, a sulfur-containing amino acid found in everyday foods like eggs, meat, and dairy, has emerged as one of the key players in this renewal process. Unlike most nutrients that simply provide energy or structure, cysteine helps your body activate its own repair mechanisms.

It influences the way your intestinal cells communicate with your immune system, guiding the regeneration that keeps your gut lining intact. The discovery of cysteine’s role in intestinal healing is changing how scientists view diet and recovery. Rather than relying solely on medical interventions after damage occurs, the focus is shifting toward using targeted nutrition to drive regeneration from within.

Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola

 

DMSO — The Remarkable Compound That Heals the Eye from the Inside Out

Story at-a-glance

• DMSO is an “umbrella remedy” capable of treating a wide range of challenging ailments. It has a unique affinity for the eyes, resulting in DMSO frequently treating a wide range of visual disorders that frequently cannot be treated with conventional therapeutic options — including blindness
• DMSO’s potent anti-inflammatory properties allow it to treat a variety of challenging inflammatory eye conditions throughout the eye, including uveitis, iridocyclitis, and iritis, along with releasing the troublesome adhesions (synechia) associated with them
• DMSO’s ability to restore fluid circulation and protect compromised nerves allows it to rapidly reduce intraocular pressure and protect the optic nerves of glaucoma patients
• DMSO’s unique ability to stabilize proteins and solubilize misfolded ones allows it to eliminate a variety of pathologic protein deposits in the eyes, such as floaters and cataracts. Likewise, users often report that their eyes become much sharper and clearer as less obvious deposits are eliminated
• DMSO’s ability to normalize the shape of the eyes also frequently results in users reporting their eyes regain the ability to focus and glasses no longer being needed (particularly for nearsightedness). This article will review how DMSO can treat these conditions and how those healing properties allow it to treat many other challenging eye conditions, such as eye strain, dry eyes, vision loss, and macular degeneration.
• 
  

• Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is a simple compound with a remarkable blend of therapeutic properties. Over the last year, I’ve compiled thousands of studies showing how it treats a wide range of conditions including:

  •Neurological disorders such as strokes, dementia, paralysis, and neuropathies (discussed here).

  •Circulatory disorders such as Raynaud’s, varicose veins, and hemorrhoids (discussed here).

  •Chronic pain (e.g., from disc herniations, bursitis, or complex regional pain syndrome) and tissue injuries, such as sprains, concussions, burns, surgical incisions, and spinal cord injuries (discussed here).

  •Autoimmune, protein, and contractile disorders, such as arthritis, scleroderma, amyloidosis, and interstitial cystitis (discussed here).

  •Head conditions, such as tinnitus, ear infections, dental problems, and sinusitis (discussed here).

  •Internal organ diseases such as prostate enlargement, pancreatitis, and cirrhosis (discussed here).

  •Respiratory disorders, including asthma, COPD, and pulmonary fibrosis (discussed here).

  •Many different gastrointestinal disorders, such as bowel inflammation, cirrhosis, and pancreatitis (discussed here).

  •Skin conditions such as hair loss, acne, ulcers, skin cancer, or psoriasis (discussed here).

  •Infections, such as onychomycosis, herpes, and shingles, and many antibiotic-resistant infections (discussed here).

  •Many aspects of cancer, including eliminating cancers, enhancing chemotherapy, reducing the toxicity of mainstream cancer treatments, and reducing cancer pain (discussed here).

  Because of how effective DMSO was for a wide range of “incurable” conditions, after being discovered in the 1960s, DMSO quickly became the most demanded drug in the country — at which point the FDA did everything they could to suppress it.

Analysis by A Midwestern Doctor

 

Niacinamide Found to Reduce the Risk of New Skin Cancers

                                Niacinamide is one of our twice daily supplements.

Story at-a-glance

• Skin cancer affects one in five Americans, with nonmelanoma types like basal and squamous cell carcinoma making up most cases. Niacinamide, a form of vitamin B3, is found to offer a strong preventive effect
• A recent study published in JAMA Dermatology associated niacinamide use with a 14% lower overall risk of developing additional nonmelanoma skin cancers, with the greatest benefit seen after the first cancer diagnosis
• Earlier research showed that taking 500 milligrams of niacinamide twice daily reduced new nonmelanoma skin cancers by 23% and precancerous lesions by up to 15%
• Niacinamide protects your skin by restoring NAD+ for DNA repair, reducing inflammation, supporting immune defenses, and strengthening the barrier that maintains moisture and resilience against environmental stress
• For long-term use, smaller daily doses of 50 milligrams three times per day are safe and sustainable. Combining niacinamide with sensible sun exposure habits and good nutrition strengthens skin defense naturally

Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide.1 In the United States, one in five Americans is expected to develop skin cancer during their lifetime, and roughly 9,500 people receive a diagnosis each day.2 The vast majority of these cases are nonmelanoma skin cancers, which include basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).3

Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola

 

Endotoxin/LPS Is a Major Driver of Blood Clotting, Sepsis, Heart Attacks, and Strokes

STORy at-a-glance

• Endotoxin, a toxic molecule released by bacteria in your gut, enters your bloodstream and directly triggers blood clot formation — even in people with no signs of infection or heart disease
• Researchers have shown that certain bacterial types, such as E. coli, are especially effective at setting off your body’s clotting response, mimicking what happens during sepsis and other life-threatening events
• Everyday habits that weaken your gut barrier — including eating seed oils, ultraprocessed foods, and alcohol, or living under chronic stress — make endotoxin exposure common, keeping your blood in a “primed” state to clot
• Chronic, low-grade exposure to bacterial toxins links gut health to cardiovascular problems, explaining why heart attacks, strokes, and clotting disorders often strike people who appear healthy
• Supporting your gut with easy-to-digest foods, antioxidants like niacinamide and vitamin E, and natural binders such as raw carrot salad or activated charcoal helps neutralize endotoxin and keep your blood flowing freely

Blood clots are meant to save your life — not threaten it. Yet when your body’s natural repair system misfires, the results are often catastrophic. Clots that form inside healthy vessels block oxygen to vital organs, causing strokes, heart attacks, and tissue damage that often strike without warning. What’s more troubling is that these events are rising among people with no classic risk factors like obesity, suggesting that something deeper is driving the body’s clotting machinery into overdrive. 

Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola