March Edition

Methodology
The study tracked 11,233 community-dwelling (relatively healthy) adults aged 45 and older in China over a nine-year period. Researchers utilized the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS 2019) criteria to identify “possible sarcopenia” through functional metrics rather than just muscle mass. This included measuring handgrip strength with a dynamometer and conducting a “5-time chair stand test” (standing up and sitting down five times as fast as possible). The study adjusted for numerous covariates, including chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension, to isolate the impact of muscle function on mortality.

Clinical Implications
This research challenges the decades-old public health fixation on cardiovascular fitness in the absence of messaging on resistance training. The findings indicate that optimizing muscle function through resistance training and adequate protein intake is non-negotiable for health. Here are the key points to learn from:

• While weightlifting is culturally associated with young men, this study highlights that elderly women are the most vulnerable to sarcopenia and stand to gain the most from resistance training
• In an era where weight loss drugs (like Ozempic/Wegovy) are ubiquitous, this study provides a crucial caution. Rapid weight loss often strips away muscle mass alongside fat; if this leads to the “low muscle strength” identified in the study, patients may be trading short term improvements in cardiometabolic health for a 51% increased mortality risk associated with weakness
• The risk of death increased by 154% when patients exhibited both low grip strength and slow chair-rise times. This suggests that preserving “functional reserve” through load-bearing exercise is a matter of life and death, particularly for those with existing chronic conditions

Velocity Takeaway
Muscle matters. If you’re not already engaged in a rigorous resistance training program and taking in adequate protein every day, start doing so as soon as possible. And if you are currently taking or considering pharmaceutical weight loss agents, make sure your physician is regularly checking in to make sure your body composition is changing favorably (e.g. through DEXA scans or other clinical markers).

Emerging:

Is the Japanese secret to longevity found in a bean?

Summary
The largest clinical study conducted on Nattokinase (NK) published in the journal of Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine found that high dose NK effectively managed the progression of atherosclerosis and hyperlipidemia. NK, a potent enzyme, was isolated from the fermented soybean Nattō in 1987; the bean naturally contains Nattokinase, Vitamin K2, probiotics, fiber and all essential amino acids.

Methodology
The retrospective clinical study of 1,062 participants with hyperlipidemia and mild atherosclerosis received 540 mg/10,800 FU (Fibrinolytic Units) of Nattokinase daily. A doppler ultrasound was used to measure the Intima–media thickness (IMT) of the carotid artery (a marker of atherosclerosis) before and after 12 months of treatment. Each participant had their venous blood tested for total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, HDL, LDL, kidney function and liver function.

Clinical Implications
After 12 months of daily NK consumption (10,800 FU), researchers reported a significant reduction in total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL-cholesterol as well as a significant 15.8% increase in HDL cholesterol. Ultrasound analysis post treatment indicated significant decrease in carotid artery plaque by up to 36%. A portion of the study (n=96) received ⅓ of the full dose of (3,600 FU daily); this dose was found to not be effective in reducing lipids or suppressing atherosclerosis compared to the higher dose.

Velocity Takeaway
The results of this large clinical study are fascinating. An isolated enzyme from a soybean may become the supplement of choice for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. This study may have identified the minimum effective dose of NK being between 3,600 FU and 10,800 FU.

One limitation includes the fact that this study is a retrospective clinical study, not the gold standard of a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial. It’s also important to consider that two of the authors work for pharmaceutical companies, which have a product line that sells Nattokinase.

Cholesterol-lowering medications are some of the most widely prescribed drugs in medicine, but it appears that improvements in both lipids and in atherosclerosis itself are possible with extract of fermented soybeans, of all things.

Experimental:

CRISPR and Sickle Cell Disease: A New Paradigm for Gene Therapy

Summary
A major clinical trial recently published in the journal Blood Advances shows that a new treatment called “exa-cel” (a one-time gene therapy) virtually eliminates the most debilitating symptoms of severe Sickle Cell Disease (SCD.) SCD is an inherited blood disorder caused by a single point mutation (like a typo) in a person’s DNA that causes red blood cells to become misshapen and get stuck in blood vessels, blocking oxygen flow and causing extreme pain and organ damage. This groundbreaking study shows that gene editing can actually “normalize” a patient’s life, shifting the goal of medicine from just managing a lifelong illness to potentially curing it at the source.

How It Works
The study followed 42 participants (30 adults and 12 adolescents) with severe Sickle Cell. Doctors collected the patients’ own stem cells and used “genetic scissors” (CRISPR) to edit them outside of the body. Once edited, the cells were put back into the patients. Researchers then tracked how the patients felt for three years using detailed health surveys.

Clinical Implications
This research demonstrates that, in the right setting, targeted gene editing can lead to life-changing health benefits. The data shows that once you fix the “genetic typo,” the burdens of the disease begin to lift almost immediately.

• Normalization of Healthiness: Within just six months of treatment, patients reported overall health scores that were equal to or even better than the general public. Their quality of life was no longer defined by their disease.
• The End of the Pain Crisis: 97% of participants were completely free of severe “vaso-occlusive crises” (agonizing pain attacks caused by blocked blood flow). This led to massive, lasting reductions in how often and how intensely they felt pain.
• Mental and Social Recovery: The benefits went far beyond physical health. Patients reported better emotional well-being and a much easier time at work or school. For teenagers, school performance scores jumped significantly, suggesting they were finally able to keep up with their peers without the constant interruption of hospital visits.

Velocity Takeaway
This is groundbreaking for patients with Sickle Cell Disease, but the broader implications of this study go well beyond that. While these treatments are currently used for inherited conditions caused by a single mutation, this study gives us a glimpse into the future of “Biological Optimization.”

The success of this therapy proves we are entering an era where we no longer have to just “cope” with chronic issues. Instead, we may soon have the opportunity to rewrite the code that causes them. This reinforces Velocity Health’s philosophy that true health is not merely the absence of sickness; it is the maximization of your potential. Whether it is through advanced gene therapy or the proactive metabolic interventions we use today, the goal is the same: to shift from a state of “waiting and treating” disease to a state of optimized wellness. If you are dealing with a condition that limits your quality of life, the horizon for what is “curable” has just expanded significantly.