News

Calm Young Adults
Magnesium reduced hostility in young adults Earlier clinical trials found a link between magnesium and improved mood, but this is the first to explore magnesium and hostility. In this study, doctors estimated magnesium in the diets of 4,716 young adults, aged 18 to 30, from their answers to food questionnaires and nutritional supplement reports. They found a direct link: as the level of magnesium in the diet increased, measures of hostility decreased. Those who also got more omega-3s in the diet along with better magnesium levels were even less likely... Read more...
Vitamin B12, folate, lutein, and zeaxanthin aid cognition
Vitamin B12 and folate have cognitive benefits Evidence is increasing that those over age 50 should take a vitamin B12 supplement. In this study, doctors measured nutrients and gave a battery of cognitive tests to 1,408 participants, average age 57. Overall, those with high levels of vitamin B12 and folate had better global cognitive test scores, and those who were deficient in vitamin B12 had lower cognitive test scores. Doctors also measured methylmalonic acid (MMA), high levels of which indicated vitamin B12 deficiency. Discussing the findings, doctors said, “More attention... Read more...
Moms’ folic acid, and kids’ inulin, boost mental and physical health
Mothers’ folic acid improves child cognition In this follow-up to a study of seven-year-olds we reported previously, boys and girls whose mothers took folic acid during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, compared to those whose moms took a placebo, by age 11, scored higher on cognitive processing speed tests, and 11-year-old girls scored higher on tests of verbal comprehension. The study included healthy pregnant women, aged 18 to 35, with a single-child pregnancy, who had taken 400 mcg of folic acid in the first trimester and continued to... Read more...
Circulation
Multivitamins, fish oil, and vitamin C improve circulation, heart health Multivitamins, fish oil, reduced heart and circulatory events Doctors analyzed findings from a long-term study covering 69,990 participants, aged 45 and older, who periodically filled out food, supplement, and lifestyle questionnaires. Over the 10-year follow-up period, overall, obesity increased to 35.2 from 26.9 percent, and heart and circulatory disease increased to 29.2 from 15.6 percent. Those who regularly took a multivitamin-mineral or fish oil were 19 and 11 percent, respectively, less likely to develop heart or circulatory disease, and were... Read more...
Kids Deficient in Nutrients
This study measured nutrient levels in 9,848 children, aged one to six years, and found several common deficiencies. For vitamin D, 80 to 90 percent were not getting enough; for omega-3 DHA, 98 percent fell short. For vitamin E, 69 percent didn’t get enough, and more than 7 percent were anemic from low iron. Levels were also low for calcium, choline, fiber, potassium, and vitamin B6 in a significant percentage of the children. “The early years between the ages of one and six are a period of rapid physical, social,... Read more...
Vitamin K and Covid-19
The nutrient increased survival rates We are beginning to gather consistent evidence of nutritional factors that improve chances of surviving Covid-19. In this study, doctors compared vitamin K status in 138 patients with Covid-19 to 138 similar healthy people. Doctors can’t directly measure vitamin K in the body, so instead, they measure Matrix Gla Protein (MGP), which increases in body tissues when vitamin K levels are low. In two important comparisons, MGP levels were higher—meaning vitamin K levels were lower—in those who died from Covid-19 compared to those who had... Read more...
Metabolics - Vitamins Improved Metabolic Factors
Delta tocotrienols lowered A1C and inflammation There are many forms of vitamin E, with increasing clinical evidence of their health benefits. In this study, 110 people with type 2 diabetes took a placebo or 250 mg of delta-tocotrienol vitamin E per day, while continuing on oral hypoglycemic medications, diabetic diets, and regular exercise. After 24 weeks, long-term average blood sugar—A1C—decreased to 7.8 from 8.3 percent while remaining elevated for placebo. Fasting blood sugar levels, insulin levels, and signs of insulin resistance also fell for the delta-tocotrienol group. Doctors measured several... Read more...
Extending Life
Zinc, selenium, and CoQ10 support healthy aging Zinc and selenium linked to anemia Being low in iron is not the only cause of anemia. In this study, doctors measured zinc, selenium, and iron levels in 285 nursing home residents. Although fewer than 2 percent were low or deficient in iron, 31.6 percent had anemia. Doctors discovered 71.9 percent of participants were deficient in zinc, and 38.3 percent were deficient in selenium. Those who were deficient in zinc were nearly five times as likely to have anemia as those with sufficient... Read more...
Live with Omega-3
Many studies have found omega-3 health benefits, but this is among the first on lifespan. The largest to date, doctors combined data from 17 long-term studies following 42,466 people an average of 16 years. Using the new Omega-3 Index, doctors found those in the 90th omega-3 percentile—about 7.6 percent in circulation compared to 3.5 percent in the 10th percentile—were on average about 13 percent less likely to have died from heart or circulatory diseases, cancer, or from all other causes combined. The Omega-3 Index is a more precise measure of... Read more...
Early-Stage Discoveries: EGCG, Resveratrol and CBD
Good results in the lab can lead to larger human trials. Here are some of the most promising recent findings. EGCG boosts anti-cancer protein A natural anti-cancer protein in the body, p53, appears to interact directly with the green tea polyphenol, epigallocatechingallate (EGCG). “Mutations in p53 are found in over 50 percent of human cancer,” doctors said. After the body produces it, p53 quickly degrades when it comes into contact with another protein, MDM2, keeping levels low. Doctors found EGCG binds at the same place—the N-terminal domain—on p53, competing with... Read more...
More Good Sleep
Vitamin D and melatonin improve sleep in children and adults Vitamin D key to daytime wakefulness Children who are often sleepy during the day may have excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), and vitamin D and exercise can help. Earlier studies found a link between low levels of vitamin D and EDS. In this study of 618 school children, aged 10 to 12, doctors found 18 percent had EDS. When vitamin D levels fell below 20 nanograms per milliliter of blood and levels of HDL, the “good” cholesterol, fell below 40 milligrams... Read more...
Gut
Curcumin and vitamin A linked to better gut health Curcumin reduced gut complaints Studies are beginning to find digestive benefits for curcumin. In this study, 77 adults with digestive complaints who also reported on mood, anxiety, and quality of life, took a placebo or 500 mg of curcumin per day. After eight weeks, while there were no differences in the gut microbiome between the curcumin and placebo groups, those taking curcumin saw a 28 percent improvement in gut symptom scores including reflux, abdominal pain, indigestion, diarrhea, and constipation, compared to... Read more...