Hi Matthew,
It’s Dee here 👋
This week’s edition is all about what’s happening under the surface – from a common virus that may be quietly increasing dementia risk, to how your vitamin D levels could be influencing the speed of your biological ageing.
As always: fast insights, practical takeaways, and zero fluff.
Let’s get into it ⬇️
🧪 1. Research Corner
A cold sore now – Alzheimer’s later?
A major U.S. study, published in the the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, found people with a history of herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections had up to 2.4× higher odds of developing dementia, including Alzheimer’s.
HSV-1 (herpes simplex virus 1) is the virus that usually presents as cold sores (sores / blisters), and the HSV-2 virus as genital sores.
But – many people have the virus but not these obvious symptoms. In some people, the virus can manifest as fatigue, headaches, muscle aches or swollen lymph nodes.
HSV-1 and HSV-2 can stay dormant in nerve tissue for years – reactivating with stress or illness, and potentially driving brain inflammation over time.
👉 See the key findings + the outline of our strategy in clinic to help clients deal with chronic viral infections here.
🌤️ Vitamin D Spotlight
🧬 Thousands of studies confirm it – optimal vitamin D levels are essential for good health.
Vitamin D is associated with reduced risk of:
➡️ Cancer
➡️ Bone fractures, rickets, osteoporosis
➡️ Depression, cognitive decline, fatigue
➡️ Infertility, autoimmunity, and infections
➡️ And now – even biological ageing
Could vitamin D actually slow how fast you’re ageing?
A study followed over 1,000 people for 4 years, and found that those taking daily vitamin D had less telomere shortening – a sign their biological age was lower than their actual age.
🔬 The link? Vitamin D influences DNA methylation, a key epigenetic process that shapes how your genes behave over time. It also helps lower CRP, an inflammatory marker tied to accelerated ageing.
👉 See the study breakdown on Instagram →
⚠️ But here’s the catch:
Too little or too much vitamin D can both cause problems – and without testing, you won’t know what your body actually needs.
And please don’t go off blanket recommendations (‘take this dose every day’, ‘don’t take vitamin D supplements’…) – this isn’t helpful.
What I’ve Been Up To This Week…
As some of you may know, I’m lucky enough to live in beautiful Mallorca, and this week we’ve had Matt’s family over from the UK and Singapore – personal highlights have included sleeping out under the stars, and an evening meal on the sand at our local beach shack – definitely a reminder of the power of unplugging, and doing something different from time to time!
Health in 60 seconds, as promised…
Dee Brereton-Patel
Founder, Coho Health
