Neurotraining strengthens ageing brains, nattokinase reshapes arteries, hope drives resilience

Welcome to the Healthspan Insider research roundup, where Mark reviews the latest science on longevity and health optimisation. Here are the top studies of interest for this edition.

Watch the video below for Mark’s overview, including actionable takeaways for optimisers.

This edition’s optimisation and longevity studies

Below is Mark’s written commentary on this month’s most important studies, translating the evidence into practical steps for better long-term health.

Targeted neurotraining supports healthy ageing

Age-related cognitive decline is often seen as inevitable, but a study of 92 older adults found that just 10 weeks of speed-based cognitive training increased acetylcholine transporter activity in brain regions linked to attention, memory, and executive function. These benefits were specific to speed training and can be achieved through simple online brain games, suggesting earlier training may help prevent – and even reverse – cognitive decline.

Key takeaways

• Train speed to lift brain signalling: Add brief, fast-paced cognitive drills (such as reaction-time or visual-speed tasks) a few times per week to stimulate the cholinergic circuits that support focus, memory, and quick thinking. Platforms like BrainHQ and Lumosity include targeted speed-of-processing exercises designed to counter the natural slowing that occurs with age
• Stack cognitive load with recovery: Balance these speed drills with recovery levers – quality sleep, stable blood sugar, and stress regulation – so your cholinergic system has the energy and space to rebuild, making each training session more effective and avoiding cognitive overstrain. Combining this with a good-quality creatine monohydrate supplement can improve cognitive function and recovery
• Track neuroplastic ROI deliberately: Use simple repeat-and-compare measures, such as reaction-time scores, attention tests, or task-switching performance, as a personal cognitive dashboard. Apps like Elevate make it easy to track progress over time, helping you refine training dose and frequency for better long-term gains

High-dose nattokinase improves artery health

Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of illness and death worldwide. While survival after cardiac events has improved, chronic disease rates remain high. New research offers promising interventions: a 12-month study of 1,062 adults found that high-dose nattokinase (10,800 FU/day) significantly improved lipid markers and reduced carotid plaque and artery thickness, while lower doses were ineffective. Benefits were greatest in higher-risk individuals – including those who smoked, had higher BMI, or were sedentary – and were enhanced by exercise and combination with vitamin K2 or aspirin, reinforcing the importance of lifestyle in cardiovascular care.

Key takeaways

• Use the dose that actually shifts lipids: If considering nattokinase, discuss using clinically effective ranges with your practitioner, as meaningful changes only appeared at higher doses; lower doses didn’t move plaque or cholesterol meaningfully
• Pair NK with lifestyle levers: Daily steps, metabolic balance, and reducing inflammatory load amplified nattokinase’s impact in the research; using movement and basic nutrition timing helps your system use the enzyme more effectively
• Layer supportive nutrients strategically: Co-administration with vitamin K2 or low-dose aspirin showed a synergistic effect on lipid markers and plaque reduction; explore combinations cautiously with your practitioner to avoid interactions and personalise your cardiovascular stack

Hope predicts healthier ageing trajectories

How we think, feel and view our world has a significant impact on our wellbeing now and into the future as we age. In a large study following 25,000 Australian adults over 14 years, higher hope consistently predicted better future wellbeing, health, education, economic stability, and social connection. Hope also acted as a psychological buffer: people high in hope recovered faster from major life stressors and were less affected by negative events, highlighting its role as a resilience-shaping trait.

Key takeaways

• Train agency like a muscle: Build small, repeatable wins into your week – such as finishing a task you’ve stalled on or blocking time for deep work – as these micro-actions strengthen the “internal locus of control” patterns strongly linked to higher hope and better long-term wellbeing in this research
• Use adversity to map recovery levers: When you hit a setback, notice which inputs (sleep, connection, movement, planning) help you bounce back quickest; high-hope individuals adapted faster to shocks, suggesting recovery strategies compound over time like any other longevity habit
• Invest in future-orientation daily: Create simple rituals – a weekly goals review, a forward-looking journal prompt, or a progress tracker – to anchor your attention on actionable next steps; this strengthens pathways for thinking, the mechanism through which hope predicted healthier, happier, more resilient outcomes years later

The future of vaginal microbiome diagnostics

Vaginal microbiome profiling could transform women’s health by enabling earlier, more accurate diagnosis of infections, fertility issues, gynaecological cancers, pregnancy complications, and menopausal symptoms. The authors emphasise the need for standardised testing, better-quality clinical trials, and personalised, microbiome-informed approaches to diagnosis and treatment.

Key takeaways

• Track your baseline before symptoms shift: A simple vaginal microbiome test – ideally interpreted with your practitioner – can flag early changes in Lactobacillus dominance, pH, or microbial diversity linked to infections, fertility challenges, or hormone shifts, giving you actionable feedback long before symptoms appear
• Strengthen daily habits that stabilise flora: Prioritise behaviours that support a Lactobacillus-friendly environment, such as balanced oestrogen exposure, stress regulation, minimal unnecessary antibiotics, and avoiding harsh intimate products; these small inputs help maintain the acidic, resilient ecosystem repeatedly linked to healthier outcomes across the lifespan
• Use microbiome data to personalise care: If navigating recurrent infections, fertility treatment, pregnancy risk, or menopausal symptoms, combine microbiome insights with targeted interventions – like probiotics, oestrogen support, lifestyle shifts, or antimicrobial strategies – to match the right tool to your unique microbial pattern and avoid trial-and-error treatments

Health optimisation and longevity studies

Additional studies that stood out in this edition’s research landscape:

1. Inflammation and Cardiovascular Disease: 2025 ACC Scientific Statement: A Report of the American College of Cardiology
2. Cumulative social advantage is associated with slower epigenetic aging and lower systemic inflammation
3. Non-coeliac gluten sensitivity – symptoms after gluten in non-coeliacs, but true gluten-specific reactions are debated
4. Long-term air pollution exposure and incident dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis
5. Ultra-processed foods and human health: the main thesis and the evidence

Thanks for reading this edition of the Healthspan Insider. We hope this edition’s insights support you on your optimisation journey.

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