April Edition

Methodology

Researchers analyzed data from the San Juan Overweight Adults Longitudinal Study (SOLAS) to evaluate whether mouthwash use was associated with development of hypertension in people with normal BP at baseline.

Clinical Implications

This research (which follows similar research linking antiseptic mouthwash to diabetes) challenges our conventional approach to oral health, suggesting that the use of antiseptic mouthwash to keep a “clean” mouth may make you susceptible to chronic cardiometabolic disease. While these data highlight an association and are unable to provide any sweeping conclusions, they certainly warrant concern, and are directionally consistent with recent findings about the negative effects of antibiotics on the body’s disease-preventing microorganisms.

Velocity Takeaway: This research serves as a reminder that every facet of health, including oral health, contributes to our overall well-being. Your mouth is the gateway to your gut, and therefore it contains an important part of your microbiome. While fresh breath after antiseptic mouthwash use might feel “clean,” the sterilization of your oral cavity may create unintended consequences for your heart. Being mindful that oral health should be approached with as much care as any other aspect of your health can help to avoid off-target effects of keeping your tongue and teeth clean

Emerging

Can a Peptide Reverse a Rare Mitochondrial Disease?

Summary

A Phase 2/3 clinical trial suggests there may be benefits to taking elamipretide (a novel peptide also known as “SS-31” used extensively in longevity clinics) for patients with Barth syndrome, a debilitating genetic disorder that affects mitochondrial health. While the study did not meet its primary endpoint in the randomized phase, patients experienced improvements in their 6-minute walk test (6MWT) distance, and symptom improvements were seen following an open-label extension (the time period following the main trial, referenced in Methodology, during which all patients were treated with elamipretide).

Methodology

The study consisted of a two-part, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial of 12 patients, who were randomized to elamipretide or a placebo for 12 weeks. After the 12 weeks, they stopped taking either the elamipretide or the placebo for a 4-week period to completely clear out their bodies’ systems. Then, they switched injections to the opposite arm and assessed again after 12 more weeks (part 1) followed by an 8-week open-label extension in which all patients were treated with elamipretide (part 2).

Clinical Implications

The success seen in the Barth syndrome extension led to a landmark FDA approval of elamipretide, bringing mitochondrial peptides from the the fringes of biohacking forums into validated clinical medicine. This trial demonstrates the need for further research with longer trials with more patients.

Velocity Takeaway: This data offers a glimmer of hope to the patients suffering from rare diseases like Barth syndrome. Plus, there are profound broader implications here, too. If elamipretide (SS-31) can improve quality of life by rescuing mitochondria in patients with severe genetic mutations, what could it do for the millions of people suffering from mitochondrial dysfunction caused by chronic disease, environmental toxins, or aging? While we currently rely on the foundational interventions (sleep, food, movement, stress) to protect our cellular powerhouses, we are entering an era where targeted interventions like elamipretide are providing more tools in our arsenal to address the mitochondrial dysfunction that is ubiquitous in aging.

Dr. Dan Fosselman
Sports Medicine and Longevity Physician
Velocity Health Clinic

“SS-31 is a mitochondrial support peptide that has approval for the treatment of a rare disorder Barth Syndrome. It may be beneficial for heart health, kidney protection and cognitive function”

Experimental:

Can Aspirin Prevent the Spread of Cancer?

Summary

A study published in the journal Nature (April 2025) found that aspirin may help stop existing cancer from spreading to other parts of the body. Researchers discovered that aspirin blocks thromboxane A2 (TXA2), a chemical released by tiny blood cells that acts like an “off switch” for immune cells (called T cells) that normally hunt and destroy cancer. Aspirin essentially turns the immune system back on and allows T cells to fight the spread of cancer.

How It Works

The study was done mostly in mice, making it a preclinical (laboratory animal) study rather than a human clinical trial. Researchers injected mice with cancer cells to create lung and liver tumors that mimic how cancer spreads in humans. Some mice were given aspirin in their drinking water, while others were not. Scientists also used genetic tools to “turn off” a key protein called ARHGEF1 specifically inside T cells, to confirm it was the target of TXA2. They measured how many tumors formed in the lungs and livers of each group.

Clinical Implications

Mice treated with aspirin developed significantly fewer cancer tumors in their lungs compared to untreated mice. The benefit only worked when T cells were present and active, confirming it is an immune-driven effect. Importantly, only drugs that block a specific enzyme called COX-1 (which aspirin does) reduced cancer spread. Another common type of anti-inflammatory drug which only blocks a different enzyme called COX-2 (ex. Ibuprofen, Motrin) did not have this protective effect. Researchers also noted that in past human studies, aspirin appeared most helpful in cancers that displayed certain immune markers on their surface (called high HLA class I expression), suggesting aspirin may work best in patients whose tumors are already somewhat visible to the immune system.

Velocity Takeaway: This is a landmark study published in Nature (one of the most respected scientific journals in the world) that explains for the first time exactly how aspirin may help prevent cancer from spreading. The mechanism is clear and compelling: aspirin lowers TXA2, which frees up T cells to attack cancer. However, this research was done in mice and is not yet confirmed in human clinical trials. Aspirin also carries real risks (including stomach bleeding and digestive problems), so it should not be taken as a cancer-prevention tool without a doctor’s guidance. The researchers themselves call for large, well-designed human trials to identify which cancer patients would benefit most. Aspirin may eventually prove to be a low-cost addition to cancer care, but we are not there yet.