The COVID-19 pandemic may be over, but our immune systems are still feeling the impact. After years of battling constant viral threats, from COVID-19 to seasonal flu and other infections, our body’s defense system is exhausted. Many people continue to experience lingering inflammation, frequent illnesses, and slower recovery times. This extended state of immune stress has compromised us further to chronic illness, including autoimmune diseases and even neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's. So why is our immune system still in trouble? And how do we give it its power back? Understanding immune exhaustion is the beginning of rebuilding our body's natural immunity.

A weakened immune system makes people more susceptible to disease, mental illnesses, and even sleep disorders. Now, new research indicates that immune system depletion may play an important role in the onset of Parkinson's disease, a degenerative neurologic disorder that compromises movement and cognition.

Role of Inflammation in Parkinson's Disease

Dysfunctional immune response is a leading cause of long-standing inflammation within the body, that has been found to contribute towards a multitude of conditions, including cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, depression, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.

As people age, their immune system naturally becomes less effective. This deterioration, referred to as immune exhaustion, may be a key contributor to the onset and progression of Parkinson’s disease. Rebecca Wallings, a Parkinson’s Foundation Launch Award grant recipient and senior postdoctoral fellow at the University of Florida, believes that an accumulation of exhausted immune cells could be driving neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s patients.

How a Tired Immune System Might Affect Parkinson's?

Parkinson's disease is most commonly linked with the degeneration and loss of dopaminergic neurons—motor nerve cells that produce dopamine, an essential neurotransmitter for movement. While researchers have long suspected inflammation is involved in this neurodegeneration, the mechanisms are not yet well understood.

Wallings' study is on immune cell exhaustion, a process by which aging immune cells fail to control immune responses effectively. Her research indicates that instead of dampening inflammation in Parkinson's patients, attempts should be made to rejuvenate the immune system to regain its functionality.

Energy Deficiency in Immune Cells

One of the major findings of Wallings' work is the function of mitochondrial impairment in immune cell exhaustion. Mitochondria are commonly called the powerhouses of cells, as they are vital for generating energy. As mitochondria age and become inefficient, immune cells fail to function well, potentially accelerating neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease.

Wallings has found that mutations in the LRRK2 gene, a recognized genetic risk factor for Parkinson's disease, are linked with defective mitochondrial function and immune cell exhaustion. Her current work includes testing various therapeutic approaches to restore mitochondrial function in immune cells with the potential to enhance the immune system and potentially prevent or treat Parkinson's disease.

Will Rejuvenating the Immune System Help in Treatment?

For decades, the standard practice in treating Parkinson's has been to suppress brain inflammation. Yet Wallings' work indicates that instead of slowing down immune responses, restoring the immune system could be a more successful strategy. By addressing mitochondrial impairment and immune resilience, researchers can potentially reverse or slow down Parkinson's disease.

Wallings is now looking into how to rejuvenate immune cells by fixing mitochondria. She studies immune cells from patients with Parkinson's as well as from healthy subjects and performs experiments on animal models to determine if rejuvenation of the immune system could result in improved disease outcomes.

Lifestyle Factors That May Affect Parkinson's Risk

While there is no cure for Parkinson's disease, some lifestyle adjustments may decrease the chances of developing the illness. Since neurodegenerative diseases are associated with chronic inflammation and immune dysfunction, developing habits that enhance immune function might prove helpful.

Diet: There is evidence to suggest that eating in accordance with the Mediterranean or MIND diets, both high in antioxidants, healthy fats, and anti-inflammatory foods, can encourage brain wellness and reduce Parkinson's risk.

Avoiding Dangerous Substances: Restricting alcohol and nicotine use can maintain a robust immune system and suppress inflammation.

Reducing Stress: Chronic stress weakens immune function, so methods such as meditation, exercise, and sufficient sleep can lead to improved overall well-being.

Type 2 diabetes is an incurable but manageable metabolic disorder that affects millions worldwide. But a new clinical trial has shown promise in reversing type 2 diabetes in young adults through intensive diet and exercise. It suggests that more than half younger adults with this condition may be able to achieve remission within six months through a structured programme combining a low-calorie diet with supervised aerobic and strength training.

The study, published in The Lancet Regional Health – Americas, found that 54% of participants who followed the intensive lifestyle programme achieved diabetes remission after 24 weeks. In comparison, only 4% of those receiving usual medical care reached the same outcome.

The research, called the RESET for Remission trial, was led by researchers from McGill University in Canada and the University of Leicester in the UK. It focused on adults with early-onset type 2 diabetes, a form of the disease diagnosed before the age of 45.

How Did The Study Test Diet And Exercise For Diabetes Remission?

Also read: GLP-1 Drugs May Be More Effective Than Metformin At Preventing Diabetes: Study

The trial enrolled 96 adults aged 18 to 45 who had both obesity and type 2 diabetes. Participants were recruited at research centres in Montreal and Edmonton in Canada, and Leicester in the UK. None of them were using insulin.

Of these, 50 were assigned to the intensive diet-and-exercise programme, while 46 received usual medical care. For the first 12 weeks, participants in the intervention group followed a very low-calorie diet providing 800 to 900 calories a day.

During the first two weeks, they consumed meal-replacement products. From weeks three to 12, they could include one structured meal containing lean protein and vegetables alongside the meal replacements.

The programme also included supervised aerobic and resistance training twice a week, along with one independent exercise session each week. For the next 12 weeks, participants followed a healthy diet designed to maintain their weight loss and continued exercising.

Blood sugar and blood pressure medications were stopped at the beginning of the intervention under medical supervision, according to the study protocol.

To qualify for remission, participants had to maintain an HbA1c level below 6.5% without taking medication for at least 12 weeks. HbA1c is a blood test that reflects average blood sugar levels over approximately three months.

54% Achieved Diabetes Remission After Six Months

Also read: Early Adulthood Obesity Linked To Thyroid, Ovarian And Endometrial Cancers: Study Of 6.3 Million

At the end of 24 weeks, 27 of the 50 participants in the intensive lifestyle group had achieved remission, compared to two of the 46 participants receiving usual care.

After considering relevant factors, researchers found that participants following the intensive programme were 21 times more likely to achieve remission than those receiving standard care.

The intervention group also experienced greater weight loss. Participants with available weight data lost an average of 8.4 kg over 24 weeks, compared to 1.2 kg in the usual care group. After adjustment, the difference in weight loss between the groups was approximately 7.5 kg.

The benefits were not just limited to body weight and blood sugar. MRI scans showed that participants in the intervention group lost more than 9% of their liver fat and more than 24% of their visceral fat, which is the fat stored around internal organs.

Their physical fitness improved, grip strength increased, and blood pressure and resting heart rate declined. Participants also reported fewer symptoms of depressed mood, distress and better quality of life.

Importance Of Strength Training

Also read: 90-Year-Old Japanese Bodybuilder Says He Has Never Fallen Sick, Shares How He Maintains Muscle Strength

One of the important aspects of the programme was its focus on preserving muscle during rapid weight loss. Losing weight through severe calorie restriction can reduce both body fat as well as mass, which includes muscle. Researchers wanted to determine whether adding resistance training could help participants lose fat while maintaining muscle.

Lead author Dr Kaberi Dasgupta, professor of medicine and director of the Division of General Internal Medicine at McGill University, told Fox News Digital, "Our study shows that it is possible to combine a low-calorie diet with supervised exercise in young adults with type 2 diabetes," she said.

"There has previously been some concern about combining the two as being too much of a burden for people. However, people in our study stayed in our study."

Explaining the role of exercise in the results, Dasgupta said, "In our study, we think the diet provoked the weight loss, and exercise helped make sure it was [not] from muscle."

She added, "We were happy and surprised that not only did people lose fat from their organs and liver, our MRI studies indicated their muscle did not decrease at all and their handgrip strength went up."

The researchers also focused on muscle preservation. "Our findings demonstrate the feasibility and efficacy of combining structured aerobic and resistance exercise with a low energy diet in early onset type 2 diabetes, supporting its potential to deliver substantial and holistic health and well-being benefits alongside diabetes remission."

However, the trial did not include a separate group following the low-calorie diet without exercise. Therefore, researchers could not establish how much of the muscle preservation and fitness improvement was specifically due to exercise.

Dasgupta acknowledged this limitation and said, "The main limitation is that we had to compare the diet plus exercise with usual care," she said. "We would have liked to compare diet alone against diet and exercise to perfectly prove the point that the improvements in muscle and fitness were from the exercise."

Metformin has been long used to manage diabetes. But a major analysis based on more than 256,000 adults with obesity and prediabetes has found that people who take GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro were less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those taking metformin.

The study also found that people taking GLP-1 medications were more likely to return to normal blood sugar levels and had lower risks of heart attacks, strokes, heart failure and death from any cause compared to those taking metformin.

More About The Study

The findings come from preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association's (AHA) Scientific Sessions 2026. Researchers compared health records of adults to both obesity and prediabetes to examine whether GLP-1 medications could help prevent the progression to type 2 diabetes.

According to the AHA, the analysis included 256,492 adults, with an average age of 52 years. Women accounted for 76% of the participants.

About half of the participants were taking GLP-1-based medications, including semaglutide, tirzepatide, liraglutide and dulaglutide, while the remaining participants were taking metformin.

Researchers used electronic health records from the TriNetX global multicentre network, which included 104 institutions. The records covered the period from 2010 to 2023. The participants were followed for an average of approximately three years.

The researchers matched participants based on factors such as age, existing health conditions, including high blood pressure and sleep apnoea, nicotine dependence and other medications.

Also read: ‘Godzilla’ Drug Retatrutide Reverses Sleep Apnea In 1 In 4 Diabetes Patients

GLP-1 Drugs Linked To 31% Lower Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes

Compared to people on metformin, those taking GLP-1 medications had a 31% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

They were also 1.5 times more likely to return to normal blood sugar levels, suggesting that the medications may help reverse the progression from prediabetes in some people.

The analysis also identified differences in cardiovascular results. Compared to the metformin group, people taking GLP-1 medications had:

• 15% fewer heart attacks
• 20% fewer strokes
• 25% fewer cases of heart failure
• 8% fewer cases of atrial fibrillation, a common type of irregular heartbeat

The risk of death from any cause was also 41% lower among people taking GLP-1 medications.

Also read: Could GLP-1 Drugs Help Prevent Rupture Of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm? Study Finds 46% Reduction In Risk

GLP-1 Drugs Could Be Considered Earlier For Some Patients

Most earlier research on GLP-1 medications has focused on people who already have type 2 diabetes. This analysis examined their benefits at an earlier stage, when blood sugar levels are higher than normal but have enough for a diabetes diagnosis.

Commenting on the findings, study author Vinicius de Sousa Barzon Serra, MD, a research fellow in the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona, said, “The great news with prediabetes is that it’s still possible to reverse the progression of the disease.”

He added, “This research may add to the case for considering GLP-1 medications earlier for certain patients, rather than waiting until they develop Type 2 diabetes.”

However, Serra said the findings do not mean metformin should be replaced by GLP-1 medications.

“The main effect these findings could have is on the shared decision-making discussion between doctors and patients exploring various treatment options, and the pros and cons for each,” he said.

“Metformin is still a first-line treatment choice. It is safe, inexpensive and has a long track record. This is less about replacing one medication with another and more about discussing additional options with specific patients,” he added.

Serra also highlighted the importance of lifestyle changes in preventing diabetes.

“It's important to note that an essential component of prediabetes treatment is lifestyle changes to manage weight, including diet and exercise and considering medications, including metformin, based on each individual's overall health and any other medical conditions,” he said.

Weight Loss May Contribute To The Benefits

Robert Eckel, MD, FAHA, a former volunteer president of the American Heart Association and professor of medicine emeritus at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, said the findings were not surprising. “The benefits noted in this study likely relates to the patients losing weight, which is known to help prevent Type 2 diabetes,” said Eckel.

He explained that preventing the progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes could also help reduce cardiovascular complications.

“Preventing the progression from pre-diabetes to Type 2 diabetes keeps patients from having Type 2 diabetes, and it also helps prevent heart attack and strokes,” he said.

Eckel added, “GLP-1s provide another option for prevention, perhaps as an add-on therapy. However, costs and access to these medications are important factors.”

The findings should not be interpreted as evidence that Ozempic or Mounjaro is superior to metformin for every person with prediabetes.

The American Diabetes Association's 2026 Standards of Care identify metformin as an option for people at particularly high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, including adults aged 25 to 59 years with a BMI of 35 or higher, higher blood glucose levels or a history of gestational diabetes.

The guidelines also say that metformin has the most robust evidence for pharmacological diabetes prevention. While GLP-1-based therapies can be considered for weight management in people with overweight or obesity, long-term evidence does not currently support using glucose-lowering medications other than metformin solely for the purpose of preventing type 2 diabetes.

Obesity during the 20s and 30s can fuel the risk of many lifestyle disorders like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, sleep apnea and many others.

But according to a large study published in Annals of Internal Medicine, obesity could also increase the risk of developing cancer before midlife. The study identified higher chances of thyroid, endometrial and ovarian cancers.

How Was The Study Conducted?

Researchers examined health records of 6,313,338 adults in South Korea, aged between 20 to 39 years, who had no previous history of cancer.

Participants were followed for an average of 11.2 years to study the relationship between body weight and cancer risk.

During the follow-up period, 151,893 cancer cases were recorded. The findings showed that cancer risk increased in people with higher body mass index (BMI).

The researchers found that the 10-year total incidence of cancer was 1.84% among people with normal body weight. This increased to 2.24% among those with class I obesity and 2.62% among those with class II obesity.

In other words, the 10-year cancer incidence was approximately 0.78 percentage points higher among people with class II obesity than among those with normal weight.

The researchers also found that people with abdominal obesity were at higher cancer risk than those who didn’t have.

Among people with class I obesity, the 10-year cancer incidence was 2.45% in those with abdominal obesity, compared with 2.13% in those without it.

“Because abdominal obesity may be an important indicator for distinguishing cancer risk, it is important to manage waist circumference along with weight from a young age,” the authors wrote.

Also read: High-Fibre Diet Outperforms Metformin In Blood Sugar Control And Weight Loss, Study Finds

Three Cancers Linked To Early Adulthood Obesity

The study identified particularly strong associations between obesity and cancers involving the thyroid and female reproductive system.

Thyroid cancer: Excess body weight has previously been linked with changes in metabolic and hormonal changes that may affect thyroid cancer development.

Endometrial cancer: Obesity can increase oestrogen levels because fat tissue produces this hormone. Prolonged exposure to excess oestrogen can stimulate the growth of the uterine lining and increase the risk of endometrial cancer.

Ovarian cancer: The relationship between obesity and ovarian cancer is complex and may involve inflammation, insulin resistance and hormonal changes.

Also read: Warren Buffett Says He Hasn't Drunk Water In 48 Years: What Happens If You Replace It With Coke?

Obesity & Cancer Risk

Obesity causes several biological changes that may contribute to cancer development. One of them is chronic inflammation.

Excess fat tissue can fuel inflammation that may create an favourable environment for abnormal cell growth.

Obesity can also lead to insulin resistance, in which the body’s cells respond less effectively to insulin. This can cause higher insulin levels, which may fuel cell growth and proliferation.

Hormonal changes are also a factor. Fat tissue produces oestrogen, and higher levels of this hormone have been linked with cancers like endometrial and ovarian.

The study authors wrote, "Some cancers have recently become more common even among younger people, and this study confirmed that obesity in young adults is significantly associated with the development of these cancers."