Regular consumption of sugary soft drinks, energy drinks and other beverages with added sugar may be associated with millions of new cases of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease worldwide, reports the Experts Club information and analytical center.
One of the main problems with such beverages is their high sugar concentration and the rapid delivery of sugar into the body. A standard can of sugary soda may contain around 40 grams of sugar. The WHO recommends limiting free sugars to less than 10% of daily energy intake — about 50 grams per day on a 2,000-kcal diet — while reducing intake to 5%, or roughly 25 grams per day, may provide additional health benefits.
A study published in Nature Medicine using data from 184 countries estimated that sugar-sweetened beverage consumption was associated with approximately 2.2 million new cases of type 2 diabetes and 1.2 million new cases of cardiovascular disease worldwide in 2020. The researchers also estimated around 340,000 associated deaths annually.
A 2026 study based on the US NHANES and the UK Biobank also identified a dose-dependent association: the higher the consumption of sugary beverages, the greater the risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.
Other research points to possible links with cancer. A pooled analysis of 11 large prospective studies involving 1.52 million participants associated each additional daily serving of a sugar-sweetened beverage with an approximately 10% higher risk of hepatocellular carcinoma and a 15% higher risk of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.
Researchers stress, however, that much of this evidence is observational and does not by itself prove a direct causal relationship. Switching entirely to artificially sweetened drinks is not considered a universal solution either. The most consistent recommendation is to reduce the overall habit of consuming sweet beverages and choose water, mineral water, unsweetened tea and coffee instead.
According to Experts.news, the human body likely does not age at a constant rate: several large-scale studies in recent years have identified periods of particularly intense restructuring of proteins, metabolites, the immune system, and other molecular markers during middle and old age. However, the widely held view of two specific “aging spikes” at approximately ages 44 and 60 now needs to be revised.
A study by Stanford University researchers, published in the journal *Nature Aging* on August 14, 2024, analyzed 108 individuals aged 25 to 75. The researchers collected blood, microbiome samples, and other biomaterials every few months and examined ten types of molecular data—ranging from transcriptomics and proteomics to metabolomics, lipidomics, and cytokines. Initial analysis revealed two distinct periods of change, occurring around ages 44 and 60.
Around age 44, processes related to lipid and alcohol metabolism, the cardiovascular system, skin, and muscles changed particularly noticeably. Around age 60, the authors observed changes in immune regulation, carbohydrate metabolism, kidney function, and a number of metabolic processes.
However, on July 15, 2026, *Nature Aging* added a special editorial note to the publication. Following further review by the authors and independent researchers, the reliability of the portion of the analysis used to identify peaks in molecular changes during specific age periods was called into question. The authors, together with the editorial board, are continuing to assess the scope of the issue and possible corrections.
This means that the claim that “humans age rapidly specifically at ages 44 and 60” cannot currently be considered a reliably established scientific fact.
At the same time, the more general conclusion that biological aging may occur unevenly is supported by a number of independent studies.
As early as 2019, scientists who studied 2,925 blood plasma proteins in 4,263 individuals aged 18 to 95 identified nonlinear changes in the proteome and three periods of intensified remodeling—at approximately 34, 60, and 78 years of age. The study was published in *Nature Medicine*.
The authors of the later Stanford study attributed the discrepancy between the first peak and their findings to, among other things, different protein measurement methods and a different age range of participants. However, both studies pointed to pronounced changes around the age of 60.
Another important finding emerged in 2025.
A study published in the journal *Cell* created a large-scale proteomic atlas of aging in various human tissues. The scientists found that changes in the protein composition of most of the organs studied accelerated noticeably around the age of 50, particularly between the ages of 45 and 55. Blood vessels proved to be among the tissues most sensitive to age.
Thus, this work also supports the idea of a period of accelerated biological remodeling in middle age, although it does not specifically confirm the age of 44.
The authors developed separate “proteomic clocks” for different tissues, since organs within a single person can age at different rates. This is consistent with the current understanding of biological age as a heterogeneous process, during which the condition of the heart, blood vessels, liver, kidneys, or other systems does not necessarily correspond to a person’s chronological age.
Additional data became available as early as 2026. In March, researchers published an analysis of plasma proteins from 50,506 UK Biobank participants in the journal *Cell Metabolism*. They examined 2,911 proteins and identified 1,339 proteins associated with signs of frailty.
When analyzing age-related changes, the scientists observed a two-phase pattern: the most pronounced periods of proteomic remodeling associated with frailty occurred around ages 50 and 63.
This is particularly interesting when compared to previous studies: while the exact figures vary, several independent datasets again point to an average age of about 45–55 years and the period after age 60 as stages of significant molecular remodeling in the body.
A separate large-scale study in *Nature Medicine* analyzed data from 45,441 UK Biobank participants and 2,897 plasma proteins, after which the researchers constructed proteomic “aging clocks.”
It turned out that the difference between proteomic and chronological age is associated with the subsequent risk of disease and death. A higher calculated biological age was associated, in particular, with an increased risk of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, chronic kidney disease, ischemic heart disease, and type 2 diabetes—even after accounting for a range of other risk factors.
The study confirms a broader concept: what matters is not so much a specific birthday—after which a person supposedly begins to age faster—as the individual rate of change in various bodily systems.
The initial study from Stanford University had several significant limitations, which the authors themselves pointed out even before the editorial note was published.
Only 108 people participated in the study, and there were just eight participants in the 25-to-40-year-old group. The median follow-up period was only 1.7 years, although the longest period reached 6.8 years.
Therefore, a significant portion of the age-related differences was actually determined by comparing people of different ages, rather than by observing how the same participants reached ages 40, 50, or 60. The authors explicitly pointed out this aspect of the study and the limitations of extrapolating the results to the entire population.
Following an editorial note in *Nature Aging*, this limitation becomes particularly significant.
The body of research does not yet allow us to identify a universal age at which every person’s body experiences a specific “ageing leap.”
Various studies have identified the most pronounced changes at approximately 34, 44, 50, 60, 63, and 78 years of age, with the results depending on the molecules and tissues studied, the analytical methods used, and the composition of the study participants.
However, a pattern that recurs in several independent studies points to two fairly broad periods of heightened biological restructuring: midlife—approximately ages 45–55—and the onset of old age after age 60.
Therefore, the most accurate conclusion from current research is not that a person necessarily “ages in a sudden leap” at a specific year of life, but rather that the rate of molecular and functional aging of various bodily systems changes over time and varies significantly among individuals.
Studies of the biological clock provide further confirmation of the clinical significance of this approach: molecular age can differ markedly from chronological age and, in several large cohorts, is associated with future risks of chronic diseases and mortality.
From January through July 2026, 30 people sought medical assistance due to snake bites in Ukraine.
According to the Public Health Center (PHC) on its website, four of the victims were children.
Specifically, 10 cases were reported in Zhytomyr Oblast, nine in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, five in Lviv Oblast, four in Chernivtsi Oblast, and one each in Zakarpattia and Rivne Oblasts.
The PHC notes that data from the Luhansk region and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea are unavailable.
The PHC emphasizes that there are no deadly venomous snakes in Ukraine; however, there are three species of venomous snakes (the steppe viper, the common viper, and Nikolsky’s viper), whose bites typically prompt people to seek medical assistance.
“None of them are fatally venomous to a healthy adult. Snakes never attack first; if a snake is disturbed, it will be forced to defend itself. If you see a snake, do not make any sudden movements. Do not try to approach or chase it away, and certainly do not kill the animal. Calmly wait until it slithers away on its own,” notes the Public Health Center
Drinking up to five cups of caffeinated coffee a day is generally safe for most adults and may be associated with a reduced risk of several cardiovascular diseases, according to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association (AHA).
The document was published on July 20, 2026, in the scientific journal Circulation. Its authors analyzed the results of studies on the effects of caffeine on blood pressure, cholesterol levels, heart rhythm, and the risk of stroke, coronary heart disease, heart failure, and type 2 diabetes.
For most adults, consuming up to 400 mg of caffeine per day is considered safe. This corresponds to approximately three to five standard cups of black coffee, each about 240 ml. However, the actual caffeine content can vary significantly depending on the type of coffee beans and the method of preparation.
According to the AHA, drinking two to four cups of coffee a day is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, and heart failure. In some studies, the lowest risk of coronary heart disease was observed in people who drank two to three cups a day.
Regular consumption of coffee without sugar, syrups, or cream is also associated with a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes. However, researchers emphasize that the benefits may be due not only to caffeine but also to other bioactive compounds in coffee that possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Adding large amounts of sugar, sweet syrups, cream, and other additives can reduce the beverage’s potential benefits. The authors of the review also do not recommend extending the findings about coffee to energy drinks. High doses of caffeine and the additional ingredients in energy drinks can raise blood pressure and increase the risk of heart rhythm disturbances.
The method of coffee preparation also matters. Unfiltered coffee—including espresso, French press coffee, and Turkish coffee—contains cafestol, which may contribute to an increase in levels of so-called “bad” cholesterol. When a paper filter is used, the content of this substance is significantly reduced.
However, experts do not consider five cups to be a one-size-fits-all recommendation for everyone. The response to caffeine depends on age, genetics, metabolic rate, medications taken, and overall health. For some people, even a small amount of coffee can cause a rapid heartbeat, anxiety, high blood pressure, or sleep disturbances.
Most of the data analyzed comes from observational studies, so while they show an association, they do not prove that coffee itself directly prevents disease. The American Heart Association notes the need for additional randomized controlled trials.
Source: ScienceAlert
American neurologists have introduced the Brain Care Score, an interactive questionnaire that helps assess brain health and determine what lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of stroke, dementia, and depression.
Aording to the description provided by the developers at the McCance Center for Brain Health (Massachusetts General Hospital), the scale is 21 points and takes into account 12 modifiable factors – from blood pressure, sugar and cholesterol levels to nutrition, sleep, physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption, stress, social connections and “meaning/purpose in life.” .
The effectiveness of the approach was evaluated using UK Biobank data: in a study of nearly 399,000 participants, a higher Brain Care Score was statistically associated with a lower risk of dementia and stroke at a median follow-up of 12.5 years (in particular, a 5-point increase was associated with a reduction in risk across different age groups).
Employee health and mental well-being, as well as attracting and retaining top talent, have risen from third to second and from sixth to fourth place in the list of key challenges facing companies over the past six months, according to a survey of its members by the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Ukraine.
According to the survey, 70% of respondents mentioned health and psychological issues, up from 65% six months ago, and 56% of top employees, up from 43%.
Employee safety and security remains a key challenge, but its “rating” has dropped from 91% to 85%, while Russia’s missile attacks on critical infrastructure and business assets have dropped from 66% to 61%, moving it to third place.
The challenge of economic and consumer recession has also dropped to fifth from fourth, but 54% of respondents mentioned it, compared to 45% six months ago.
While in early fall, the top five expected problems were access to electricity, water and heat supply, and mobile communications with a 44% share, now it is not even among the top 11.
At the same time, logistics and transportation problems have become a concern for 43% of respondents, up from 30% six months ago, regulatory challenges – 39% instead of 23%, and pressure on business from government agencies – 28% instead of 23%.
Among the top three priority steps that businesses would like to see the government take, the top three are real and effective judicial reform (22%), ensuring a clear and transparent booking procedure (22%), and strengthening national security and defense and de-mining of Ukraine (21%).
Less frequently, company representatives chose to ensure predictability and stability of tax legislation (14%), protect supply chains by addressing the situation with border logistics and maritime transportation (7%), ease currency restrictions on repatriation of dividends and/or payment of interest on foreign loans (6%), and expand insurance coverage of political risks (3%).
According to the survey, 86% of companies are fully operational, 12% of the surveyed companies continue to operate partially, and 2% do not operate at all, while 84% were fully operational six months ago.
58% of all respondents had no damage to their property during the two years of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, 7% had their assets occupied, and 30% had their companies’ plants/factories/ facilities/warehouses/offices damaged: 75% of them have minor damage, 25% have irreparable damage.
According to the survey, 84% of AmCham member companies in Ukraine have employees in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In 31% of companies, employees were wounded, 29% were killed in action, and 2% were missing.
“Despite the difficulties, the business community, inspired by brave defenders, continues to work and believe in Ukraine, supporting the economy, paying taxes and creating jobs for Ukrainians. 86% of member companies are fully operational after two years of full-scale war in Russia. Security and judicial reform are the highest priorities for business,” commented AmCham President Andy Hunder.
The survey, conducted from February 12-22, 2024, involved 125 CEOs and top managers of AmCham member companies.
