Newsletter #129: Gardening for a More Effective Immune System 🏡
Welcome to the latest edition of the humanOS newsletter!
This week, we learned that large butts (or rather, large buttock muscles) are crucial for running fast; having a pet helps people cope during the pandemic; ultra-processed food is linked to a higher risk of obesity (okay, we already kind of knew that); and gardening and visiting parks might modulate the immune system in favorable ways for older adults.
Scroll down for more info, and stay safe everyone. 👇
This Week’s Research Highlights
🍑 A big gluteus maximus is a key determinant of sprinting performance.
Researchers measured the size of lower body muscles in 42 men (five elite sprinters, 26 sub-elite, and 11 untrained) via MRI. When comparing the individual muscles, they determined that the mass of the gluteus maximus, perhaps unsurprisingly, was most pivotal for performance. The glutes of the elite sprinters were, on average, 45% bigger than in their sub-elite counterparts, and the size of the muscle explained 44% of the variability in sprinting performance between participants.
Hip extensor muscles exhibited significant muscle group differences as well - there was a 32% difference in size between the elite and the sub-elite runners. And if you look at the scans below, you’ll see that there was indeed quite a difference. 👀Interested in working on this area? Add some sprints to your weekly training regimen.
🥕 Regular exposure to green spaces and vegetation might promote beneficial long-term changes in the immune system in older adults.
Researchers randomly assigned 59 older adults to either control or a “guided nature-based experience that involves park visits and the performance of gardening activities.” The intervention consisted of 15 1-hour sessions over a six month period, with a mixture of indoor and outdoor gardening and guided trips to parks. At the end of the study period, the horticultural therapy group showed some interesting alterations to their immune system. We know that as people get older, certain types of immune cells gradually become depleted, meaning that they have fewer soldiers available to mount defenses against novel invaders. This is a major reason why older people are more susceptible to infectious diseases. However, the subjects in the intervention group of this study showed a boost in these important white blood cells. This reduced immune system exhaustion was also accompanied by a drop in inflammatory markers. Older folks tend to be prone to chronic, low-grade inflammation, which is bad in general but also interferes with immune responses by making it harder for immune cells to identify pathogens - sort of like how it’s harder to hear what someone is saying on the phone when there is loud static in the background. This study indicates that nature exposure helps our immune system do its job better!
🍟 Ultra-processed food is associated with higher risk of obesity.
Researchers analyzed data on dietary intake and measures of body fatness in 22,659 middle-aged participants in the UK Biobank. Specifically, they were looking at intake of ultra-processed foods. Ultra-processed foods refer to industrial formulations of substances derived from foods, which typically contain cosmetic additives and relatively little to no whole foods. The researchers divided the data into four groups based on the amount of ultra-processed foods eaten. When compared to the quarter of people eating the least ultra-processed foods, the quarter of individuals eating the most ultra-processed foods had 79% higher odds of developing obesity and 30% higher odds of developing abdominal obesity!
🐈 Sharing a home with a pet seems to help people cope with stress from the lockdown.
Researchers conducted a cross-sectional online survey of UK residents between April-June 2020. The questionnaire included items measuring demographics, mental health, pet ownership, and human-animal interactions. They found that animal ownership was associated with smaller decreases in mental health and smaller increases in measures of loneliness, and the overwhelming majority of participants perceived their pets to be a source of significant support during the lockdown period, helping them cope psychologically and motivating them to stay physically active. Interestingly, the strength of the emotional bond did not differ by animal species.
Podcasts We Loved This Week
- Stuart Phillips: Boosting Physical Strength As We Age. Via the LLAMA Podcast.
- Hana Kahleova: Plant-based Diets, Meal Timing, and Meal Frequency. Via Sigma Nutrition Radio.
- Sophie Bushwick: Months Into The Pandemic, Illness Lingers For Some Declared Virus-Free. Via Science Friday.
Products We Are Enjoying
Competition Kettlebells
Competition kettlebells offer several major advantages over the typical cast iron kettlebells that you usually find in stores. For one thing, the handle is smaller and smoother, which reduces grip fatigue and friction for the kinds of dynamic activities that you typically do with kettlebells.
They’re also uniform in size regardless of weight, which helps a lot when practicing said movements. Finally, they have a wide flat base, so they’re less likely to fall over if you are bracing yourself on them, like while doing planks. Having tried both, I’m totally sold on these kettlebells, and I think they’re a worthwhile investment for anyone who is doing high-repetition technical movements like snatches. Plus they come in fun bright colors, which is always nice.