Biohacking Weekly 58: Anxiety Linked to 8% Brain Choline Deficit

This is Biohacking Weekly — a curated news roundup designed to help you increase your longevity, improve healthspan and access OptimOZ product picks.

IN THIS EDITION

1. Anxiety tied to reduction in brain choline
2. Social media linked to attention deficit
3. Vitamin C boosts skin renewal from within
4. The probiotic solution to constipation
5. Tanning beds triple melanoma risk

1. Anxiety May Signal a Brain Choline Deficit

People dealing with anxiety might be running about 8% low on a chemical called choline, according to a large analysis published in Molecular Psychiatry.

The biggest drop shows up in the prefrontal cortex, a brain region linked to thinking, emotional control, and decision-making. The researchers believe constant fight-or-flight mode, which is the hallmark of anxiety disorders, drives up the brain's demand for choline.

Interestingly, it's the first meta-analysis to show a chemical pattern in the brain in anxiety disorders.

Source: Maddock, R.J., Mol Psychiatry (2025)

2. Study Links Social Media to Falling Attention Span

Australia just became the first country to ban social media for kids under 16. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat are now off-limits to protect young people from cyberbullying and mental health risks.

A 2025 study from Karolinska Institutet backs this up. According to the study, children who spend a significant amount of time on social media tend to experience a gradual decline in their ability to concentrate. Cognitive neuroscientist Torkel Klingberg notes that simply anticipating whether a message has arrived can itself become a mental distraction.

👉 Read the full article on Karolinska Institutet

3. Daily Vitamin C Intake Boosts Skin Thickness

Researchers from the University of Otago tracked 24 adults who ate two kiwifruit daily for eight weeks. Results showed increased skin thickness and faster cell turnover, both signs of better collagen production.

The findings, published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, demonstrate that Vitamin C travels from the bloodstream into all skin layers more effectively than topical products.

👉 Read the full article on SciTechDaily

4. Constipation Could Be a Signal of a Microbiome Problem

A review published in Nutrients found that people dealing with constipation tend to have an imbalanced mix of gut bacteria. Specifically, they're often low on the "good" gut bacteria that make short-chain fatty acids.

These beneficial bacteria create molecules that communicate directly with your nervous and immune systems. Some of them even affect serotonin pathways, which are crucial for keeping things moving through digestive tract and maintaining proper fluid balance.

Probiotics work by restoring bacterial balance, boosting beneficial compounds, calming inflammation, and improving issues like how often you go and what your stool looks like. They're even more effective when paired with prebiotics.

Source: Pan R. et al., Nutrients (2022)

5. Tanning Beds May Be More Dangerous Than Sunlight

Despite years of declining use, indoor tanning beds have been making a comeback in popularity in recent years, especially among Gen Z and young women.

However, in 2025, scientists showed how these devices cause melanoma-linked DNA damage across nearly the entire skin surface. Scientists studied 6,000 people and found melanoma in 5% of tanners versus 2% of non-users.

Moreover, melanoma appeared more often in sun-shielded areas such as the lower back and buttocks among tanning bed users. This shows that tanning beds damage skin more broadly than sun exposure.

👉 Read the full article on Medical Xpress