diet – EvolutionMedicine

Does blocking stomach acid cause dementia?

Proton pump inhibitors are drugs that block the hydrogen/potassium ATP-ase enzyme responsible for the secretion of stomach acid. In recent years, the prescription rate for proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) has increased from about 4% to almost 8% in the US. Many of these prescriptions are not accompanied by an appropriate […]

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

Sickness behavior and permissive underfeeding

Sickness behaviors are a coordinated suite of behavioral changes that accompany illness. These evolved behaviors include lethargy, decreased sociality, reduced eating, disinterest in sex, and increased sleep. Many of these are evolutionarily conserved, seen across the tree of life. For instance lethargy, social withdrawal, and eating less are seen in […]

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes