Letters to the Editor

Readers discuss marathoners’ myelin, menopausal chimps and more

By Science News Staff

Running on myelin

Marathon runners’ myelin levels in the brain temporarily dwindled in the days after a race. The finding suggests that this fatty tissue that insulates nerve cells may be an energy source for the athletes, Meghan Rosen reported in “Brain tissue may help fuel marathoners” (SN: 11/18/23, p. 16).

Reader Julian Young wondered whether myelin levels could also drop in people on a restrictive diet such as the low-carb keto diet or in people who experience low blood sugar levels for long periods.

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