Supplementation | SilverScorpio.Com

High-dose vitamin D tied to increased fall risk among older women

May 12, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Washington, May 12 (ANI): Older women receiving an annual large dose of vitamin D may have an increased risk of falls and fractures, says a new study.

According to the research in the May 12 issue of JAMA, women age 70 years or older who received a single annual high dose of vitamin D had a higher rate of falls and fractures compared to women who received placebo.

The results of studies investigating the effects of cholecalciferol (vitamin D) supplementation on falls and fractures have been inconsistent, with some meta-analyses indicating a reduced fracture risk, while others have concluded that vitamin D supplementation is ineffective, or may increase the risk of fracture. For individuals attempting to modify their risk of falls or fractures via vitamin D, adherence to daily supplementation is typically poor, according to background information in the article.

Kerrie M. Sanders, Ph.D., of the University of Melbourne, Geelong, Australia and colleagues conducted a study to examine whether high-dose cholecalciferol (500,000 IU) given orally once a year to older women would reduce falls and fractures. The vitamin D was given in a single, high-dose to address low adherence and to be a practical intervention easily translated to clinical practice. The trial included 2,256 community-dwelling women, ages 70 years or older, considered to be at high risk of fracture, who were recruited from June 2003 to June 2005 and were randomly assigned to receive 500,000 IU of cholecalciferol or placebo each autumn to winter for 3 to 5 years. The study concluded in 2008.

The trial participants had a total of 5,404 falls over the study period, with 74 percent of 837 women in the vitamin D group and 68 percent of 769 women in the placebo group having at least 1 fall. Analysis indicated women in the annual high-dose vitamin D group experienced 15 percent more falls. Women in the vitamin D group had 171 fractures vs. 135 in the placebo group, with 26 percent more fractures for participants in the vitamin D group, who also had a 31 percent higher incidence of falls in the first 3 months following dosing.

“This is the first study to demonstrate increased risk of falls associated with any vitamin D intervention and the second study to demonstrate an increased fracture risk associated with annual high-dose vitamin D therapy in elderly women. Our study used the largest total annual dose of vitamin D (500,000 IU) reported in any large randomized controlled trial, raising the possibility that the adverse outcome is dose-related. The opposing outcomes of 2 studies that used the same total annual dose (300,000 IU intramuscularly) suggest that the dosing regimen (i.e., 4 monthly vs. annually) rather than the total dose might determine the outcome,” the authors write.

“This line of reasoning is supported by the temporal risk pattern that we observed and the fact that harm has not been reported in the numerous studies that have used more frequent dosing. Thus, it is reasonable to speculate that high serum levels of vitamin D or metabolites resulting from the large annual dose, subsequent decrease in the levels, or both might be causal. Furthermore, because the levels of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol demonstrated in this study could occur with other recommended dosing regimens, the outcome of this study suggests that safety of high-dose vitamin D supplementation warrants further study.” (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: adherence, Autumn To Winter, background information, Cholecalciferol, crease, fracture risk, fractures, Geelong Australia, high-risk, Jama Women, M Sanders, older women, placebo group, study period, supplementation, Trial Participants, university of melbourne, Vitamin D, women age, women ages

Pine bark extract ‘helps reduce inflammation’

July 16, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, July 16 (ANI): An antioxidant plant extract from the bark of the French maritime pine tree has been found effective in reducing inflammation, and soothing pain associated with various health problems, claim researchers.

According to lead researcher Dr. Raffaella Canali of the National Research Institute on Food and Nutrition in Rome, Italy, pycnogenol can actually decrease pain and reduce inflammatory conditions by shutting down the production of enzymes COX-2 and 5-LOX involved with inflammation.

During the study, the researchers investigated healthy volunteers ranging from ages 35-50, who consumed Pycnogenol tablets (150 mg) for five consecutive days in the morning before breakfast.

Blood was drawn before and after supplementation to investigate how immune cells respond towards pro-inflammatory stimuli.

The behaviour of specific white blood cells (leukocytes) for generating a repertoire of enzymes in inflammatory condition was tested by real-time PCR.

The gene expression of enzymes COX-2, 5-LOX, FLAP and COX-1 were monitored and the products these enzymes generate, prostaglandins and leukotrienes, were quantified.

The researchers found that the volunteers’ immune cells rapidly initiated production of COX-2, 5-LOX and FLAP enzymes upon pro-inflammatory stimulation.

Taking Pycnogenol almost entirely subdued COX-2, 5-LOX and FLAP induction in the immune cells of volunteers.

“Standard NSAID medications reduce the production of prostaglandins by COX enzymes for lowering the pain,” said Dr. Canali.

“In contrast, Pycnogenol turns to the root of the problem, completely stopping the production of COX-2 in inflammation. Thus far, Pycnogenol seems to be a unique tool for modulating inflammatory processes,” Canali added.

The study is published in International Immunopharmacology. (ANI)

Filed Under: Science News Tagged With: ANI, antioxidant, bark, behaviour, blood, breakfast, claim, condition, Consecutive Days, contrast, cox, cox 2, Dr. Canali, expression, extract, flap, food, food and nutrition, French Maritime Pine, gene, gene expression, Health, immune cells, Immunopharmacology, induction, inflammation, Inflammatory Condition, Inflammatory Conditions, Inflammatory Processes, Inflammatory Stimuli, institute, international, Italy, July, lox, maritime, morning, national, NSAID, nutrition, pain, PCR, pine, Pine Bark Extract, pine tree, plant, problem, production, Production Of Enzymes, pycnogenol, Raffaella, repertoire, Research, researcher, Rome, rome italy, root, standard, stimulation, study, supplementation, Time Pcr, tool, tree, Washington, white blood cells

Two dietary oils could reduce body fat in older diabetic women

July 8, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, July 8 (ANI): Two common dietary oil supplements, safflower oil and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), have an inherent ability to reduce body fat in obese postmenopausal women with Type 2 diabetes, revealed a study.

Safflower oil is common cooking oil, while conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a compound naturally found in some meat and dairy products, which has been associated with weight loss in previous studies.

Both are composed primarily of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are considered “good fats”, which, when consumed in proper quantities, could lead to a variety of health benefits.

By comparing the two oils, the researchers found that16 weeks of supplementation with safflower oil reduced fat in the trunk area, lowered blood sugar, and increased muscle tissue in the women participants.

On the other hand, conjugated linoleic acid supplementation for the same length of time reduced total body fat, and lowered the women’s body mass index (BMI).

The women, who participated in the study, took one type of oil for 16 weeks, followed by the other oil for an equal amount of time.

The participants were instructed not to change their diets or exercise patterns over the course of the study, so the research would measure the effects of only the supplementation.

“Making this subtle change in the intake of high-quality dietary fats in an effort to alter body composition is both achievable and affordable to postmenopausal women in the United States who are managing the difficult combination of obesity and diabetes,” said Martha Belury, professor of human nutrition at Ohio State University and senior author of the study.

One of the most surprising finding was that, in 16 weeks, these women could lose between about two pounds and four pounds of trunk fat simply by taking safflower oil supplements.

The study showed that CLA supplementation significantly decreased body mass index and total body fat over both diet periods.

“I never would have imagined such a finding. This study is the first to show that such a modest amount of a linoleic acid-rich oil may have a profound effect on body composition in women,” said Belury.

The dose of either oil taken each day was approximately 1 2/3 teaspoons.

Postmenopausal women tend to lose muscle at the same time that body fat accumulates toward their middle.

Thus, the research shows how dietary oils can complement lifestyle and medication in helping older diabetic women manage their health, said Belury.

The research has been published online, and is scheduled for later print publication, in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. (ANI)

Filed Under: Science News Tagged With: ability, acid, American, amount, ANI, area, author, blood, bmi, body, change, CLA, clinical, combination, composition, compound, course, dairy, day, diabetes, diet, dose, effect, effort, exercise, fatty, finding, hand, Health, index, intake, journal, July, length, Lifestyle, loss, Martha Belury, mass, meat, medication., muscle, nutrition, obese, obesity, Ohio, oil, Online, postmenopausal, print, professor, publication, Research, safflower, state, study, sugar, supplementation, time, tissue, trunk, type, United States, University, variety, Washington, weight

Green tea can help fight prostate cancer

June 20, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, June 20 (ANI): Active compounds in green tea can affect the progression of prostate cancer, a new study has found.

As per the results of a study published in Cancer Prevention Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, men with prostate cancer who consumed the active compounds in green tea demonstrated a significant reduction in serum markers predictive of prostate cancer progression.

“The investigational agent used in the trial, Polyphenon E (provided by Polyphenon Pharma) may have the potential to lower the incidence and slow the progression of prostate cancer,” said James A. Cardelli, Ph.D., professor and director of basic and translational research in the Feist-Weiller Cancer Center, LSU Health Sciences Center-Shreveport.

The researchers conducted the clinical trial to determine the effects of short-term supplementation with green tea’s active compounds on serum biomarkers in patients with prostate cancer.

The biomarkers include hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and prostate specific antigen (PSA). HGF and VEGF are good prognostic indicators of metastatic disease.

The study included 26 men, aged 41 to 72 years, diagnosed with prostate cancer and scheduled for radical prostatectomy. Patients consumed four capsules containing Polyphenon E until the day before surgery – four capsules are equivalent to about 12 cups of normally brewed concentrated green tea, according to Cardelli. The time of study for 25 of the 26 patients ranged from 12 days to 73 days, with a median time of 34.5 days.

Findings showed a significant reduction in serum levels of HGF, VEGF and PSA after treatment, with some patients demonstrating reductions in levels of greater than 30 percent, according to the researchers.

Cardelli and colleagues found that other biomarkers were also positively affected. There were only a few reported side effects associated with this study, and liver function remained normal. (ANI)

Filed Under: Health News Tagged With: 26 men, Agent, American, ANI, antigen, association, basic, cancer, cancer prevention research, Cardelli, center, day, director, disease, endothelial, factor, Feist, fight prostate cancer, findings, function, green, Green Tea, growth, Health, health sciences center, hepatocyte, HGF, incidence, Investigational Agent, James A. Cardelli, journal, June, liver, Liver Function, LSU, lsu health sciences, lsu health sciences center, Lsu Health Sciences Center Shreveport, median time, percent, pharma, Polyphenon, potential, prevention, professor, Prognostic Indicators, progression, prostate, Prostate Cancer, Prostate Cancer Progression, prostate specific antigen, prostatectomy, psa, reduction, Reported Side Effects, Research, serum, serum levels, Serum Markers, Shreveport, side, study, supplementation, surgery, tea, time, translational, treatment, trial, vascular, vascular endothelial growth factor vegf, VEGF, Washington, Weiller

Beef, chicken, fish may help treat stomach ulcers

May 16, 2009 By admin 1 Comment

Washington, May 16 (ANI): Beef, chicken, fish, eggs, dairy products and some fruits and vegetables could help keep stomach ulcers at bay, says a new study.

Bacteria known as Helicobacter pylori are known to cause such ulcers, and thus antibiotics are used a primary therapy for such infection. But today the bacteria are growing increasingly resistant to antibiotics.

And now, the study by scientists at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has shown that the amino acid glutamine, found in many foods as well as in dietary supplements, may prove beneficial in offsetting gastric damage caused by H. pylori infection.

The findings offer the possibility of an alternative to antibiotics for the treatment of stomach ulcers.

“Our findings suggest that extra glutamine in the diet could protect against gastric damage caused by H. pylori. Gastric damage develops when the bacteria weakens the stomach’s protective mucous coating, damages cells and elicits a robust immune response that is ineffective at ridding the infection,” says senior author Dr. Susan Hagen, Associate Director of Research.

She noted that eventually, years of infection result in a combination of persistent gastritis, cell damage and an environment conducive to cancer development.

Glutamine is a nonessential amino acid naturally found in certain foods, including beef, chicken, fish, eggs, dairy products and some fruits and vegetables. L-glutamine – the biologically active isomer of glutamine – is widely used as a dietary supplement by body builders to increase muscle mass.

In earlier studies, researchers had shown that glutamine protects against cell death from H. pylori-produced ammonia.

“Our work demonstrated that the damaging effects of ammonia on gastric cells could be reversed completely by the administration of L-glutamine. The amino acid stimulated ammonia detoxification in the stomach – as it does in the liver – so that the effective concentration of ammonia was reduced, thereby blocking cell damage,” explained Hagen.

Thus, they hypothesized that a similar mechanism might be at work in the intact stomach infected with H. pylori.

After testing the hypothesis on mice, researchers found that at six-weeks-post infection, the animals exhibited increased expression of three cytokines – interleukin 4, interleukin 10 and transforming growth factor-alpha mRNA.

“These all play an important role in the stomach’s ability to protect against damaging effects resulting from other responses to H. pylori infection,” explained Hagen.

The study results showed that in 20 weeks, H. pylori-infected mice, that were fed the L-glutamine diet exhibited lower levels of inflammation than did the mice that received the standard control diet.

“Because many of the stomach pathologies during H. pylori infection [including cancer progression] are linked to high levels of inflammation, this result provides us with preliminary evidence that glutamine supplementation may be an alternative therapy for reducing the severity of infection,” explained Hagen.

She added that studies in human subjects would be the next step to determine the relevance of this finding in the clinical setting.

The study was published in the latest issue of the Journal of Nutrition. (ANI)

Filed Under: Health News Tagged With: ability, acid, administration., alternative, ammonia, ANI, associate, author, bacteria, bay, beef, Beth Israel, beth israel deaconess, beth israel deaconess medical, beth israel deaconess medical center, BIDMC, body, cancer, cancer development, cell, center, chicken, coating, combination, concentration, control, dairy, damage, Deaconess, deaconess medical center, death, detoxification, Development, diet, Dietary Supplements, director, dr susan, Dr. Susan Hagen, environment, evidence, expression, fish, fish eggs, fruits and vegetables, gastric, glutamine, growth, H Pylori Infection, Hagen, Helicobacter, helicobacter pylori, infection, inflammation, institute, interleukin, isomer, israel deaconess medical center, issue, journal, L Glutamine, liver, mass, massachusetts, massachusetts institute of technology, May, mechanism, medical, mrna, muscle, Nonessential Amino Acid, nutrition, possibility, progression, pylori, relevance, Research, response, result, role, setting, severity, step, stomach, Stomach Ulcers, study, Study Bacteria, supplement, supplementation, Susan Hagen, Technology, therapy, today, treatment, Washington, work

Taking folic acid supplements may help reduce premature birth risk

May 12, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, May 12 (ANI): A new study has suggested that taking folic acid supplements for at least a year before conception may help reduce the risk of premature birth.

Babies born prematurely are less likely to survive than full-term babies and are more likely to have breathing difficulties and learning or developmental disabilities.

Currently, there are no effective methods of prevention or treatment of premature (preterm) birth, but previous studies have suggested that lower concentrations of folate (folic acid) are associated with shorter duration of pregnancy.

Radek Bukowski from the University of Texas Medical Branch, United States of America and colleagues therefore tested this idea, by analyzing data collected from a cohort of nearly 35,000 pregnant women.

They found that taking folate supplements for at least one year before conception was associated with a 70 percent reduction in spontaneous premature birth between 20 and 28 weeks, and a 50 percent reduction between 28 and 32 weeks, as compared to the rate of preterm birth when mothers did not take additional folate supplementation.

Folate supplementation for less than a year before conception was not linked to a reduction in the risk of premature birth in this study, and folate supplementation was not associated with any other complications of pregnancy.

The study is published in this week’s PLoS Medicine. (ANI)

Filed Under: Science News Tagged With: acid, Analyzing Data, ANI, birth, branch, breathing difficulties, Bukowski, cohort, Complications Of Pregnancy, Conception, developmental, Developmental Disabilities, duration, Duration Of Pregnancy, folate, Folate Supplementation, Folate Supplements, folic acid supplements, idea, May, medical, medicine, percent, PLoS, plos medicine, pregnancy, Pregnant women, premature babies, Premature Birth Babies, preterm, Preterm Birth, prevention, Radek Bukowski, rate, reduction, risk, states of america, study, supplementation, Term Babies, Texas, texas medical branch, treatment, United States of America, University, university of texas, university of texas medical branch, Washington, week, year

Supplementary Nutrition Programme benefits women in Faizabad

May 8, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Faizabad, May 8 (ANI): Union Government’s Supplementary Nutrition Programme has greatly benefited women and children in Faizabad by curbing malnutrition among the poor families.

Government started the scheme with focus on improving the health and nutritional status of infants aged till six years, pregnant women and lactating mothers.

Under this programme, infants below six years of age are given cooked meals at the school while women in advanced stage of pregnancy are given weekly dry nutrient preparations.

The aim is to supplement the daily nutritional intake by 300 calories, 8 to 10 grams of protein for children, 500 calories and 20-25 grams of protein for women under the ante-natal and post-natal care.

“For children between three to six years, we give hot cooked food, for children below three years of age, we distribute nutritional food. The distribution is done weekly. Some people come here, while for those who cannot; our volunteers visit them by covering the entire area to distribute the food,” said Sunita Soni, Supervisor, Supplementary Nutritionrogramme, Faizabad.

The response of the program has gradually increased unlike the initial stages when many conservative women refused to come out of their mud-houses.

To advise the womenfolk about health and pregnancy related issues, regular ‘Mahila Mandals’ (women council meetings) are organized as part of this program.

Supplementary nutrition is provided as per the programme to needy children and women for 300 days in a year.

“They give us scholarships, Panjiri (traditional formulation of nutrients), good food and books. The programme run by the Indian government is good,” said Ramkumari, a local beneficiary, Faizabad.

Pregnant women are also provided with basic counseling about immunization, iron supplementation and special care for young children. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: age, aim, ANI, area, beneficiary, cannot, care, Conservative Women, cooked food, Council, Council Meetings, counseling, Days In A Year, distribution, faizabad, focus, food, formulation, Government, Health, immunization, Indian Government, initial stages, intake, iron, Iron Supplementation, mahila, malnutrition, Mandals, May, Mud Houses, needy children, nutrient, nutrition, Nutritional Food, Nutritional Status, Nutritionrogramme, Panjiri, part, poor families, Post Natal Care, pregnancy, pregnant, Pregnant women, program, programme, protein, Ramkumari, response, scheme, school, stage, status, Sunita Soni, supervisor, Supplementary, Supplementary Nutrition, supplementation, Traditional Formulation, union, Union Government, Women Council, womenfolk, year

Combo therapy of vitamin E, selenium, soy doesn’t prevent prostate cancer

May 2, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

p
Washington, April 27 (ANI): A new study, conducted by Canadian researchers, has found that the combination therapy of vitamin E, selenium and soy does not prevent the progression from high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) to prostate cancer./pp
For the study, researchers divided 303 men, with an average age of 62, into two randomized groups. /pp
All participants had HGPIN, a precursor to invasive prostate cancer, as confirmed by a central pathology review in at least one of two biopsies within 18 months prior to randomization. /pp
The combination treatment was administered daily for three years with follow-up prostate biopsies at six, 12, 24 and 36 months. Supplementation was discontinued if a man developed invasive disease. /pp
Researchers found that 26.4 percent of patients developed invasive prostate cancer. Baseline, age, weight and testosterone levels did not predict the development of cancer. /pp
Unfortunately, as this study shows, we have yet to find a dietary supplement that will reliably prevent prostate cancer. The results of this study support the findings of the SELECT trial which also demonstrated no benefit using Vitamin E and selenium, said Christopher Amling, MD, an AUA spokesman. /pp
These studies highlight the importance of conducting randomized trials of these agents since many of these supplements are promoted falsely to the general public as having beneficial effects on cancer prevention and progression, he added./pp
The findings were presented at the 104th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Urological Association (AUA). (ANI)/p

Filed Under: Health News Tagged With: age, American, american urological association, Amling, ANI, annual, April, association, AUA, baseline, beneficial effects, benefit, canadian researchers, cancer, Cancer Prevention, Christopher Amling, combination, combination therapy, combination treatment, combo, Development, dietary supplement, disease, HGPIN, highlight, importance, intraepithelial, Invasive Disease, man, neoplasia, pathology, percent, precursor, prevention, progression, prostate, Prostate Biopsies, Prostate Cancer, Public, randomization, Randomized Trials, review, scientific, select, selenium, soy, spokesman, study, study researchers, supplement, supplementation, support, testosterone, Testosterone Levels, therapy, treatment, trial, Urological, vitamin, vitamin E, Washington, weight

Soybean may help cut menopause effects

April 9, 2009 By admin 1 Comment

Washington, Apr 9 (ANI): Soy aglycons of isoflavone (SAI), a group of soybean constituent chemicals, may help reduce menopause effects, say researchers.

The research, described in BioMed Central’s open access journal Nutrition and Metabolism, shows how dietary supplementation with SAI lowers cholesterol, increases the anti-oxidative properties of the liver and prevents degeneration of the vaginal lining.

obin Chiou led a team of researchers from National Chiayi University, Taiwan, who studied the effects of the dietary supplement on a group of female rats that had undergone ovary removal.

He said, “These ovariectomized animals are a good model for study of the menopause as the loss of oestrogen from the ovaries mimics the natural reduction in oestrogen seen in menopausal women. SAI itself has weak oestrogenic properties and we’ve shown here that menopause-related syndromes can be prevented or improved by dietary supplementation with the compounds it contains”.

In comparison to control animals, the authors found that the ovariectomized rats fed a diet enriched with SAI showed increased liver antioxidative activities and improved lipid profiles. Levels of harmful LDL cholesterol were reduced, while beneficial HDL cholesterol was increased.

According to Chiou, “It is generally agreed that the higher HDL and the lower LDL concentrations are of benefit in chemoprevention of cardiovascular diseases. Our findings support the indication that soybean consumption may prevent coronary heart disease”.

The authors hope that dietary soy supplementation may provide an alternative to hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which has been linked to the development of uterus and breast cancers. (ANI)

Filed Under: Health News Tagged With: access, alternative, ANI, Apr, benefit, BioMed, biomed central, breast, breast cancers, Cardiovascular Diseases, central, chemoprevention, Chiayi, Chiou, cholesterol, comparison, constituent, consumption, coronary heart disease, degeneration, Development, diet, dietary supplementation, disease, female rats, group, Harmful Ldl Cholesterol, hdl, hdl cholesterol, heart, hormone, hormone replacement therapy, hrt, indication, isoflavone, journal, Journal Nutrition, ldl, levels, lining, lipid, lipid profiles, liver, loss, menopausal, menopausal women, menopause, metabolism, model, national, nutrition, Nutrition And Metabolism, obin, oestrogen, Ovariectomized Rats, ovaries, reduction, removal, replacement, Research, Sai, soy, soybean, Soybean Consumption, study, supplement, supplementation, taiwan, team, therapy, University, uterus, Washington

Vitamin D supplementation may worsen autoimmune disease

April 9, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, April 9 (ANI): Low levels of vitamin D in patients with autoimmune disease may be a result rather than a cause of the disease, and supplementing with this nutrient may worsen a patient’s condition, according to a review.

Researchers at the California-based non-profit Autoimmunity Research Foundation, who have authored the review, say that vitamin D may provide short-term relief by lowering inflammation, but it may exacerbate disease symptoms over the long-term.

Written under the guidance of professor Trevor Marshall of Murdoch University, Western Australia, the paper mainly focuses on the actions of a form of vitamin D derived from food and supplements, known as 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-D).

The researchers say that 25-D inactivates rather than activates its native receptor, the Vitamin D nuclear receptor (VDR), and subsequently the immune response.

They say that this, though lowers the inflammation caused by bacteria, allows them to spread more easily in the long-run.

According to them, low levels of 25-D are frequently noted in patients with autoimmune disease because they are naturally down-regulated in response to VDR dysregulation by chronic pathogens.

Under such circumstances, supplementation with extra vitamin D may not only be counterproductive but harmful also, because it slows the ability of the immune system to deal with such bacteria.

“Vitamin D is currently being recommended at historically unprecedented doses. Yet at the same time, the rate of nearly every autoimmune disease continues to escalate,” points out Amy Proal, one of the paper’s co-authors

A research article on this study has been published in Autoimmunity Reviews. (ANI)

Filed Under: Health News Tagged With: ''cause, ability, Amy Proal, ANI, April, Article, autoimmune disease, autoimmunity, Autoimmunity Reviews, bacteria, condition, disease, dysregulation, food, form, Foundation, guidance, hydroxyvitamin, immune response, immune-system, inflammation, long-term, low, murdoch, Murdoch University Western Australia, Nuclear Receptor, nutrient, paper, pathogens, patient, Proal, professor, Professor Trevor, rate, receptor, relief, Research, research article, Research Foundation, response, result, review, reviews, study, supplementation, system, time, Trevor Marshall, University, University Western Australia, VDR, vitamin, Vitamin D, Washington, Western Australia

Vitamin D linked to reduced fracture risk in elderly

March 24, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, Mar 24 (ANI): Older adults can prevent fractures by taking oral vitamin D supplements at a dose of at least 400 international units per day, says a new study.

“The anti-fracture benefits of vitamin D have been questioned by several recent trials, leading to uncertainty among patients and physicians regarding recommendations for vitamin D supplementation,” the authors write as background information in the article.

“Factors that may obscure a benefit of vitamin D are low adherence to treatment, low dose of vitamin D or the use of less potent ergocalciferol (vitamin D2),” they added.

To reach the conclusion, Heike A. Bischoff-Ferrari, Dr.P.H., of the University of Zurich, University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland, and colleagues performed a meta-analysis on 12 previously published clinical trials of oral vitamin D supplements among adults age 65 or older.

These double-blind randomized controlled trials involved 42,279 participants (average age 78) and looked at non-vertebral (non-spinal) fractures, including eight trials of 40,886 participants specifically studying hip fractures.

When the results of the trials were pooled, vitamin D supplements decreased the risk of non-vertebral fractures by 14 percent and of hip fractures by 9 percent. The authors then pooled the results of only the nine trials in which participants received doses of more than 400 international units per day.

At this dosage, vitamin D supplements reduced non-vertebral fractures by 20 percent and hip fractures by 18 percent. Doses of 400 international units per day or lower did not reduce the risk of either fracture type.

A greater reduction in risk was also seen among trial articipants whose blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (a ommonly used measure of blood vitamin D levels) achieved a greater increase.

Among individuals taking high doses of vitamin D, additional calcium did not appear to have any further protective effect against fractures.

“Physiologically, the calcium-sparing effect of vitamin D may explain why we did not see an additional benefit of calcium supplementation at a higher dose of vitamin D,” the authors write.

“The greater fracture reduction with a higher received dose or higher achieved 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels for both any non-vertebral fractures and hip fractures suggests that higher doses of vitamin D should be explored in future research to optimize anti-fracture efficacy,” they conclude.

The study has been published in the March 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. (ANI)

Filed Under: Health News Tagged With: adherence, Adults Age, age, ANI, Article, background, background information, benefit, Benefits Of Vitamin D, Bischoff, blood, Blood Levels, calcium., conclusion, day, dosage, dose, doses, DrPH, effect, efficacy, ergocalciferol, factors, Ferrari, fracture, fracture risk, Fracture Type, Heike A. Bischoff-, hip, Hip Fractures, hospital, hydroxyvitamin, increase, information, internal, issue, JAMA, mar, March, measure, medicine, meta analysis, older adults, optimize, Oral Vitamin, percent, Physiologically, Randomized Controlled Trials, reduction, Research, risk, Spinal Fractures, study, supplementation, Switzerland, treatment, trial, type, uncertainty, University, university hospital zurich, University Of Zurich, use, Vertebral Fractures, vitamin, vitamin d2, Washington, zurich, Zurich Switzerland, Zurich University Hospital

No clear link between lack of vitamin D and depression

March 18, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, Mar 18 (ANI): A new study by researchers at the University of Warwick has shown that there is no clear link between lack of vitamin D and depression.

Lack of Vitamin D has been related to depression and the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

Exposure to sunlight stimulates vitamin D in the skin and a shortage of sunlight in the winter has been put forward as one possible cause of SAD.

However, Warwick Medical School researchers, led by Dr Oscar Franco, have found low levels of vitamin D in the blood may not be associated with depression.

In the study, the researchers recruited more than 3,000 people and tested levels of vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D) in the blood. They then carried out a questionnaire with the participants to assess the prevalence of depressive symptoms.

Vitamin D deficiency exists when the concentration of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25-OH-D) in the blood serum occurs at 12ng/ml (nanograms/millilitre) or less. The normal concentration of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D in the blood serum is 25-50ng/ml.

The researchers found there was no clear association between depressive symptoms and the concentration of vitamin D in the blood.

“Few studies have explored the association between blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and depression in the general population. A deficiency of vitamin D has also been attributed to several chronic diseases, including osteoporosis, common cancers, autoimmune and cardiovascular diseases,” Dr Oscar Franco, Assistant Clinical Professor in Public Health, said.

The researchers recruited 3,262 community residents aged 50-70 from Beijing and Shanghai in China.

Franco said his study did not evaluate whether the depressive symptoms were seasonal and suggested more studies needed to be done.

“Previous studies into the effects of vitamin D supplementation have produced mixed results. More studies are still needed to evaluate whether vitamin D is associated with seasonal affective disorders, but our study does raise questions about the effects of taking more vitamin D to combat depressive symptoms,” Franco said.

This study was carried out in collaboration with colleagues from the Institute for Nutritional Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences in China.

The study has been published in the Journal of Affective Disorders. (ANI)

Filed Under: Health News Tagged With: ''cause, 25 Hydroxy Vitamin D, academy, Affective, ANI, assistant, assistant clinical professor, association, BEIJING, beijing china, blood, Blood Serum, Cardiovascular Diseases, China, Chinese, chronic diseases, clinical, collaboration, community, community residents, concentration, deficiency, Deficiency Of Vitamin D, depression, depressive symptoms, disorder, disorders, Dr Oscar Franco, exposure, Franco, Health, Hydroxy Vitamin, hydroxyvitamin, institute, journal, lack, Lack Of Vitamin D, link, mar, medical, Medical School Researchers, millilitre, nutritional, OH-D, Oscar Franco, population, prevalence, professor, Public, questionnaire, sad, school, seasonal, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Seasonal Affective Disorders, serum, shanghai, shanghai china, shortage, skin, study, sunlight, supplementation, Symptoms Of Seasonal Affective Disorder, University, university of warwick, vitamin, vitamin d deficiency, Warwick, Washington, winter

Low-carb diets can help control type 2 diabetes

January 6, 2009 By Rajiv Gupta Leave a Comment

Washington, January 6 (ANI): After conducting a comparison of low-carb diets for six months, Duke University Medical Center researchers have found that diets that encourage eating carbohydrates with the lowest-possible rating on the glycemic index lead to greater improvement in blood sugar control.

Dr. Eric Westman, director of Duke”s Lifestyle Medicine Program, revealed that patients who followed the no-glycemic diet experienced more frequent reductions, and in some cases elimination, of their need for medication to control type 2 diabetes.

“Low glycemic diets are good, but our work shows a no-glycemic diet is even better at improving blood sugar control. We found you can get a three-fold improvement in type 2 diabetes as evidenced by a standard test of the amount of sugar in the blood. That”s an important distinction because as a physician who is faced with the choice of drugs or diet, I want a strong diet that”s shown to improve type 2 diabetes and minimize medication use,” he said.

For their study, the scientists randomised eighty four volunteers with obesity and type 2 diabetes to either a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet (less than 20 grams of carbs/day) or a low-glycemic, reduced calorie diet (500 calories/day).

According to the researchers, both groups attended group meetings, had nutritional supplementation, and an exercise regimen.

After 24 weeks, the participants’ glycemic control was determined by a blood test that measured haemoglobin A1C, a standard test used to determine blood sugar control in patients with diabetes.

The researchers said that, among the participants who completed the study, those in the low-carbohydrate diet group had greater improvements in haemoglobin A1C.

Diabetes medications were reduced or eliminated in 95 percent of the low-carbohydrate volunteers, compared to 62 percent in the low-glycemic group.

The low-carbohydrate diet also resulted in a greater reduction in weight.

“It”s simple. If you cut out the carbohydrates, your blood sugar goes down, and you lose weight which lowers your blood sugar even further. It”s a one-two punch,” says Westman.

Highlighting the fact that the diet is not easy for everybody, Westman added: “This is a therapeutic diet for people who are sick. These lifestyle approaches all have an intensive behavioural component. In our program, people come in every two weeks to get reinforcements and reminders. We”ve treated hundreds of patients this way now at Duke and what we see clinically and in our research shows that it works.”

The findings have been published online in Nutrition and Metabolism. (ANI)

Filed Under: Health News Tagged With: a1c, ANI, better, blood, calorie, carbohydrates, control, determine, diabetes, diet, distinction, duke, eliminated, faced, found, glycemic, greater, group, haemoglobin, improvement, intensive, Lifestyle, low-carbohydrate, low-glycemic, measured, medication., meetings, no-glycemic, nutrition, participants, patients, people, percent, program, reduced, reduction, reinforcements, researchers, shows, standard, study, sugar, supplementation, test, type, volunteers, weeks, weight, westman, work