Actinic keratoses and more

Actinic keratoses are rough patches on the skin. I have zillions of them. They’re caused by long-term sun exposure (ultra-violet light). Thirty percent of Medicare beneficiaries have been diagnosed with actinic keratoses. Dermatologists freeze them off with squirts of liquid nitrogen—a rather painful treatment. I’ve occasionally had that procedure, but mostly I give it a pass. I’ve got way too many.

Actinic keratoses are usually described as pre-cancerous. But, as one scientist noted, research has shown that there is less than a 1 in 1,000 chance of it progressing to skin cancer. What’s more, even if you have one removed, it will probably reappear. (This has happened to me.) It’s a chronic condition.

The last time I went to a dermatologist (a new one) I told him not to freeze my actinic keratoses. He was clearly annoyed with me—and I with him. (He was new. My previous dermatologist had retired.)

Removal of actinic keratoses is one of several treatments that investigators are now saying are probably unnecessary for old people. Colonoscopies are not recommended for people aged 75 and older. The drug levothyroxine for “subclinical hypothyroidism”—borderline underactive thyroid gland—has been found to have “no apparent benefit” for old people and can harm. Mammograms are not recommended for women over 75. Neither are PSA (prostate cancer) tests for men over 70.

I guess you could consider avoiding these tests and treatments as advantages to being old. Big deal.

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“Natural rejuvenation”

Natural rejuvenation—reversing cellular damage—is one of the newest developments in longevity research. Scientists have learned to trigger it in the lab. For example, they’ve taken skin cells from 90-year-olds and restored them to youth in a petri dish. They’ve rejuvenated diseased mice, returning their gray hair to black and strengthening their muscles.

Scientists discovered that rejuvenation happens naturally at conception. At first, the fertilized egg inherits all of the DNA damage that the parents had accumulated over the years. But after two weeks, the embryo’s cells have reverted to a pristine condition. Researchers are attempting to mimic this process.

To do this they’re attempting to reset cells’ epigenetic markers—the tiny clusters of molecules that sit on our DNA and give it instructions about which genes to turn on and off. Over time, some of these epigenetic molecules go awry, such as by attaching where they shouldn’t or losing their tight connection to the DNA, making it harder for our cells to read their instructions. The rejuvenation process attempts to reset the epigenetic code and restore its function.

This past March, Life Biosciences, Inc., began the first safety trials to test rejuvenation therapy on 18 people with glaucoma. In these trials, they’re delivering “reprogramming factors” to reverse the disease. The results are not yet in.

In the meantime, at a longevity science conference, the scientists agreed that, for now, there’s only one scientifically certified approach to extending human life: vigorous exercise and a healthy diet. Too bad. It’s so tedious.

For an introduction to this blog, see I Just Say No; for a list of blog topics, click the Topics tab.

The self-serve blood test

It looks like private enterprise is getting into the lab testing business, making it possible for you to bypass your doctor to get a blood test (and others). In researching this topic, I came across a Forbes Health site that rates 11 such companies. Here’s a quote from the site:

You Might Feel Fine—But What’s Happening Inside?
Fatigue. Weight gain. Brain fog. These subtle symptoms are often dismissed or attributed to stress. However, they could be early warning signs of deeper issues, such as nutrient deficiencies, hormone imbalances, inflammation, or even the onset of chronic disease. The problem? Most people are unaware, as they do not test their blood regularly enough.

On reading this, my initial thought was “Good heavens! It’s a scare tactic to generate business!”

One company, called Function, was not listed in the Forbes list (I don’t know why). But it was the focus of a New York Times article. For $365 a year, Function offers more than 160 lab tests—far beyond what is typically included in an annual workup. (If you test that many markers, a few of them will be abnormal in a person who’s healthy.)

Function customers receive a summary created by AI and reviewed by a clinician. The summary includes the test results, how to interpret them, and what steps to take next. The company does not accept insurance. The blood draws themselves are performed at Quest Diagnostics locations.  

The bloodwork that you’d typically get from your doctor mostly screens for common conditions that have well-established treatments, such as diabetes and anemia. Depending on your history or symptoms, you might also be tested for additional biomarkers.

Looking at 100 to 1000 biomarkers—as offered by these companies—sounds like a fishing expedition, leading to unnecessary follow-ups, treatments, and anxiety. I’ll skip it.

For an introduction to this blog, see I Just Say No; for a list of blog topics, click the Topics tab.

For an introduction to this blog, see I Just Say No; for a list of blog topics, click the Topics tab.

The rise in autism

When I was growing up in the 1940s and ‘50s, I never knew anyone—or of anyone—who was autistic. Now, off the top of my head, I can name three people who have autistic grandchildren. The rise in autism has commonly been attributed to better record keeping. I never believed this.

During the 1970s, three in 10,000 children were diagnosed with autism. According to the CDC, in 2025, one in 31 U.S. children aged eight are identified with autism spectrum disorder. 

New research, which I learned about from alert reader Don Jordan, indicates that certain drugs, taken during pregnancy, are at least partially responsible for the rise in autism. The drugs in question are those that inhibit the synthesis of sterols—in this case, cholesterol.

The medications include SSRIs, such as Fluoxetine; antipsychotics, such as haloperidol; beta blockers, such as metropole; statins, such as simvastatin; and others, including trazodone, bupropion, and buspirone.

The research, published in Molecular Psychiatry, is based on a study of more than six million pregnancies spanning all fifty states over ten years. Roughly 11 percent of pregnant women studied were prescribed at least one of these drugs. The researchers found 234,971 children with an autism diagnosis.

The article states, “Cholesterol is essential for life, serving as a critical structural component of all cells.…Cholesterol biosynthesis is particularly critical during intrauterine development in all vertebrates.” (Our brains are the most cholesterol-rich organs in our bodies.)

Other studies have shown that “maternal inflammation” contributes to the rise in autism. For example, scientists have found that a mother who is diagnosed with asthma or allergies during the second trimester more than doubles the unborn child’s risk of autism. Other studies have shown that mothers of autistic children tended to have more autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and celiac disease. The idea is that the mother’s inadequately controlled inflammatory responses can predispose autism in the child. (The spinal fluid of autistic people has shown elevated markers of inflammation.)  

These statistics are alarming. One scientist notes that “Something environmental is causing the rise.” But what?

Addendum: My granddaughter-in-law, a pediatrician and mother of two, is concerned that societal pressures on pregnant women to abandon some medications might have a negative impact on their wellbeing. Regarding the use of certain psychotropic medications, she says, "the benefits of well controlled maternal psychiatric (and by extension, physical health) is critical to factoring in to the risk benefit profile of these medications in pregnancy."

For an introduction to this blog, see I Just Say No; for a list of blog topics, click the Topics tab.