For young professionals working in stressful and high demand jobs to experience things like extreme stress and forgetting details etc. While these things happen to everyone over a period of time, what does it mean when it becomes a pattern? One such case was shared by Dr. Sudhir Kumar MD DM, a Hyderabad-based neurologist.
In a recently shared post on X, he talked about how he often sees young adults concerned about memory lapses or irritability. People usually just say, "It's just stress!" However, Dr. Kumar explained that in some cases, the real reason is something different.
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Dr. Kumar told the story of a 33-year-old man who worked in IT. For about four years, he had been increasingly forgetful and cranky. Even though he seemed healthy, these small changes were starting to hurt his job and his family life. Everyone around him, including his relatives, thought he was simply "stressed out."
When the doctor asked more questions, he learned a key fact: the patient was a very strict vegetarian. This detail made Dr. Kumar suspect a Vitamin B12 deficiency. He ordered a special blood test for active Vitamin B12.
The result was shocking: the man's B12 level was only 10 pmol/L, which is very low (it should be higher than 70). This confirmed he had a severe Vitamin B12 deficiency.
Dr Kumar explained that vitamin B12 is absolutely necessary for your brain and nervous system to work correctly. When you don't have enough, it can cause problems that look like mental illness or stress, things like forgetfulness, being irritable, mood swings, feeling depressed, or having trouble focusing. Importantly, these issues can happen even before a person develops anemia (low iron) or obvious nerve damage.
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In the case of the IT professional, years of eating a vegetarian diet without taking any supplements had slowly but surely used up all the essential Vitamin B12 in his body.
The patient immediately began treatment with Vitamin B12 shots given into the muscle, followed by a regular maintenance plan. Dr. Kumar also advised him to start eating dairy products and foods that have been fortified (meaning B12 was added to them).
Within a few weeks, his family noticed a clear improvement in his mood. Over a few months, his memory and concentration got much better, and his family happily commented that "he was back to his usual self." The treatment had worked.
This case showes us that Vitamin B12 deficiency is very common, especially in India among people who don't eat meat. It often goes unnoticed because the symptoms—like feeling stressed or depressed—are mistaken for simple mental or emotional issues. Many people are misdiagnosed or suffer for years without treatment.
The good news is simple: a quick blood test and fast treatment can completely reverse the condition and prevent long-term damage, but you have to catch it early. Here are some things you should not ignore.
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Scientists have found a potential new way to treat Alzheimer's disease after a new technique improved thinking and memory in mice with the condition.
Alzheimer's is mainly thought to be caused by sticky, abnormal proteins building up in the brain. The most well-known of these is amyloid, which forms clumps, like hardened glue, around the brain's cells. The key idea behind this new research is to repair the brain's own cleaning system, instead of just trying to blast the protein clumps away.
The new research focuses on fixing the body's natural defense system rather than just attacking the amyloid plaques.
The study, done by researchers in China and Spain, developed a smart new plan. They used extremely tiny particles, called nanoparticles, to find and attach to a specific spot (a protein called LRP1) on the blood-brain barrier (BBB).
The BBB is like a security wall that protects the brain from bad things in the blood. But this wall also makes it hard for the brain to get rid of waste, like amyloid. By targeting the BBB with the nanoparticles, the treatment essentially switches on the brain's natural cleaning cycle to force the removal of amyloid.
The results were very encouraging. The treatment was able to reduce the amount of amyloid protein by almost half (45%) in the brains of the treated mice.
Even better, the mice that were treated showed great improvement in their learning and memory tests. They performed nearly as well as the mice that were completely healthy. The positive effects of this one-time treatment lasted for as long as six months.
Brain disease experts believe this research is very important because it proves that the blood-brain barrier is a key player in Alzheimer's disease.
Experts say this adds more evidence to the idea that repairing the brain's security wall could be a brand-new way to treat the disease. They also noted that this method is smart because it helps the brain use its own natural cleanup system to remove the toxic proteins.
However, experts quickly point out that this research is still in the very early stages. It is too soon to know if this method will be safe or effective for people. All of these great results were found in mice, and human brains are much more complex.
Even though it’s early, this kind of research is critical for finding future cures. The next steps will involve much more testing to see if this approach can actually help people with Alzheimer's.
According to the US National Institute of aging, Changes linked to Alzheimer's disease start in the brain years before a person shows the first signs of memory loss. These early changes give scientists a chance to find ways to prevent or delay memory loss and other symptoms of dementia.
High blood pressure is a risk for later memory loss and heart problems. Managing it could prevent Alzheimer's. Keeping it under control is key for both your heart and brain health.
Exercise improves heart health and lowers risks for stroke and diabetes, which harm thinking skills. It offers many benefits for your body, but its ability to stop Alzheimer's is not yet final.
Cognitive training involves structured mental exercises designed to boost memory, reasoning, and processing speed. It can make your brain sharper and quicker at various tasks.
No single diet is officially recommended for prevention, but consistently eating a healthy diet is strongly connected to better and healthier thinking skills.
Studies suggest that older adults with hearing loss who use hearing aids may have a lower risk of long-term memory decline than those who don't treat their hearing loss.
Researchers are also investigating if managing diabetes better and ensuring good sleep quality could also help lower the overall risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
Image Credits: Health News And Alexia Kraft de la Saulx Instagram
A new fitness craze is taking over the internet, where people are crawling, jumping, and moving like animals. Called “quadrobics,” the trend has flooded TikTok and Instagram feeds, with enthusiasts showing off their bear crawls and feline leaps, often wearing animal masks and furry tails.
What started as a quirky hobby has turned into a movement. Belgian documentary filmmaker Alexia Kraft de la Saulx, who first experimented with this unusual practice, has turned it into a full-fledged lifestyle and calls it the “Tarzan Movement.” While followers claim quadrobics can make you fit, experts are not entirely convinced. To understand its real effects, we spoke to Dr. Indramani Upadhyay, MPT (Ortho), HOD – The Center for Knee and Hip Care, Vaishali, Ghaziabad, who explained how the viral workout could both help and harm your body.
What Is Quadrobics?
Quadrobics is a full-body workout that combines crawling, leaping, and balancing, imitating the movements of four-legged animals. It involves using both hands and feet at once, engaging nearly every muscle in the body. The best part is that it can be practiced anywhere, without the need for equipment.
But what sets quadrobics apart from other workouts that also involve the arms and legs? Traditional aerobics mainly targets the legs and cardiovascular system through rhythmic moves like jogging or dancing. Quadrobics, on the other hand, focuses on the synchronized movement of all four limbs, building functional strength through more varied, animal-like patterns rather than repetitive actions.
What began as a small online niche trend has now evolved into a viral movement. Alexia’s YouTube channel has inspired many to join in, including Leo, known online as “The French Tarzan,” and Victor Manuel, founder of the “Tarzan Movement.”
Is Quadrobics Good for Your Health?
In recent years, quadrobics has captured attention for its unconventional yet challenging style of fitness. It strengthens several muscle groups at once and helps develop coordination and stability. However, the movements also carry a risk of strain if done without proper form or guidance.
According to Dr. Upadhyay, while walking or crawling on all fours can have benefits, incorrect posture or overuse may lead to injury. Some of the key concerns include:
Joint Strain and Pain:
Continuous pressure on the wrists, shoulders, knees, and elbows can cause overuse injuries, especially when performed on hard surfaces or with poor technique.
A weak core or misaligned spine can lead to back pain or worsen existing spinal problems.
Knee and Wrist Injuries:
Those with arthritis, ligament injuries, or weak wrists should be careful, as these joints carry much of the body’s weight during quadrobics.
Risk of Muscle Imbalance:
Overdoing quadrobic routines without balancing them with stretching or other forms of exercise may tighten certain muscles, particularly in the hips and shoulders.
Quadrobics: How Beneficial Is the Viral Trend?
Despite the risks, quadrobics has its share of advantages. Practitioners like Alexia, Leo, and Victor describe it as a powerful full-body workout that engages lesser-used muscles. Trainers say it can boost stability, body awareness, and mindfulness, some even call it a form of “moving meditation.” According to Dr. Upadhyay, the main benefits include:
Moving on all fours activates the abdominal and lower back muscles, helping improve posture and reduce back pain.
The continuous load on the arms helps strengthen and tone the shoulders, triceps, and forearms, much like a dynamic plank.
Since the movements require alternating arm and leg motion, they help improve neuromuscular coordination and overall balance.
The flowing, animal-like actions enhance mobility and stretch tight areas like the hips, spine, and shoulders.
Aids in Functional Fitness:
The primal movements mimic natural motion, improving agility and strength that translate into everyday physical activities.
Quadrobics can be a creative and engaging way to work out, but safety should always come first. Beginners should start slow, use soft flooring, and maintain proper alignment to avoid strain. Consulting a physiotherapist or trainer before starting is advisable, especially for those with joint or back problems.
When practiced with care and awareness, quadrobics can enhance strength, flexibility, and coordination. But like any viral workout, it should be approached mindfully.
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We all know the best way to study is to have many short sessions instead of trying to learn everything in one all-night "cram" session. This is a basic rule for how our brain remembers things, and we call it the "spacing effect." Now, a surprising study shows that this rule isn't just for your brain cells.
It also works for all the other normal cells in your body! This proves that the timing of signals, when they arrive and the breaks between them, makes a huge difference in how cells "remember" and react. This suggests the same simple "learning rules" that help you pass a test are at work right down inside the tiniest parts of your body.
Researchers at New York University wanted to observe how human cells, not the brain kind, responded to different signal timings. They grew these cells in dishes and gave them a clever tool called a "reporter." This reporter was like a temporary tiny glow stick inside the cell.
When a specific gene inside the cell was turned on, the glow stick would briefly light up. This gave the scientists a live scoreboard to watch and see when the cell's internal machinery was actively working or "learning."
To test how the cells learned, the scientists used special lab chemicals. These chemicals acted just like the body's natural signaling molecules that are known to help create long-term memories in animals.
These chemicals sent messages through special paths inside the cell, waking up important messenger proteins. You can think of these proteins as messengers who take a drumbeat from the outside world and carry it to the cell's main control center, the DNA, where all the important decisions are made.
They gave the cells one single, long, continuous blast of the chemical signal, like trying to learn everything at once.
They gave the cells the exact same total amount of chemical, but broken up into four short bursts with brief rest periods in between, like taking study breaks.
The researchers then looked at the internal cell parts responsible for this memory effect. They focused on two proteins already known to be crucial for memory in neurons: ERK and CREB.
They found that the spaced signals created a much stronger and longer-lasting activation of both ERK and CREB. When the team blocked these two proteins, the special advantage of the spaced signals disappeared. This directly connects the spacing effect in non-brain cells to the same molecular switches used for memory in the brain.
This discovery changes the definition of "learning." It's not just a trick of the brain; it appears to be a basic rule for how all cells process information over time. Cells are not simple on/off switches; they are noticing patterns—the number of pulses and the gaps between them.
This idea has major practical uses, especially in medicine. Today, doctors and researchers mainly focus on how much of a drug to give (the dose). This study suggests the schedule, or the timing, of that dose might be just as important.
In the future, giving smaller doses of medicine in well-timed pulses could encourage cells to have a stronger, longer lasting, and more helpful response than one large, single dose. Timing is now a powerful tool that can be used to design better treatments.
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