ScienceDaily: Dietary Supplement News

Re-emergence of moderate iodine deficiency in developed countries

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:10:10 EDT

A commentary accompanying research calls for greater public health policies to eradicate iodine deficiency in the U.K. and other developed countries, including the United States.

Calcium supplements linked to longer lifespans in women

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:09:09 EDT

Taking a calcium supplement of up to 1,000 mg per day can help women live longer, according to a recent study.

Fish oil may help the heart beat mental stress

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:19:19 EDT

Why is fish oil good for the heart? A new study suggests that this omega 3 fatty acid-rich nutrient could blunt some cardiovascular effects of mental stress.

Vitamin C can kill drug-resistant TB, researchers find

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:12:12 EDT

In a striking, unexpected discovery, researchers have determined that vitamin C kills drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) bacteria in laboratory culture. The finding suggests that vitamin C added to existing TB drugs could shorten TB therapy, and it highlights a new area for drug design.

New tumor-killer shows great promise in suppressing cancers

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:56:56 EDT

Scientists have bioengineered a novel molecule which has been proven to successfully kill tumor cells.

Making ice-cream more nutritious with meat left-overs

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:48:48 EDT

Most of the animal proteins found in the meat industry waste have, until now, been underutilized. The challenge is to transform such waste into food of higher functionality and added value.

Attacking MRSA with metals from antibacterial clays

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:37:37 EDT

Medical researchers have come up with a new approach for developing effective, topical antibacterial agents -- one that draws on a naturally occurring substance recognized since antiquity for its medicinal properties: clay.

Vitamin C does not lower uric acid levels in gout patients, study finds

Thu, 16 May 2013 06:37:37 EDT

Despite previous studies touting its benefit in moderating gout risk, new research reveals that vitamin C, also known ascorbic acid, does not reduce uric acid (urate) levels to a clinically significant degree in patients with established gout. Vitamin C supplementation, alone or in combination with allopurinol, appears to have a weak effect on lowering uric acid levels in gout patients, according to the results of a new study.

Fish oil doesn't seem to help age-related macular degeneration

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:24:24 EDT

A large-scale study of age-related macular degeneration suggests fish oil supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids do not alter the progression of age-related macular degeneration, and that lutein and zeaxanthin may be safer than beta-carotene in reducing risk of disease progression.

Sunshine could benefit health and prolong life, study suggests

Tue, 07 May 2013 19:58:58 EDT

Exposing skin to sunlight may help to reduce blood pressure, cut the risk of heart attack and stroke -- and even prolong life, a study suggests.

Study provides clarity on supplements for protection against blinding eye disease

Mon, 06 May 2013 09:56:56 EDT

Adding omega-3 fatty acids did not improve a combination of nutritional supplements commonly recommended for treating age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a major cause of vision loss among older Americans, according to a new study. The plant-derived antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin also had no overall effect on AMD when added to the combination; however, they were safer than the related antioxidant beta-carotene.

Preterm infants may need 800 IU of vitamin D3 per day

Sun, 05 May 2013 07:37:37 EDT

Preterm infants may need to be given 800 international units of vitamin D a day to ensure they develop strong bones, according to a new study.

Magnesium may be as important to kids' bone health as calcium

Sun, 05 May 2013 07:37:37 EDT

Parents are advised to make sure their children drink milk and eat other calcium-rich foods to build strong bones. Soon, they also may be urged to make sure their kids eat salmon, almonds and other foods high in magnesium -- another nutrient that may play an important role in bone health, according to a new study.

Vitamin C may head off lung problems in babies born to pregnant smokers

Sat, 04 May 2013 16:33:33 EDT

Pregnant women are advised not to smoke during pregnancy because it can harm the baby's lungs and lead to wheezing and asthma, among other problems. If a woman absolutely can't kick the habit, taking vitamin C during pregnancy may improve her newborn's lung function and prevent wheezing in the first year of life, according to a new study.

Computer simulations reveal the energy landscape of ion channels

Fri, 03 May 2013 10:51:51 EDT

Ion channels are important drug targets. A young team of researchers investigated the opening and closing mechanisms of these channels. The time consuming calculations were performed using the high performance computer cluster, which is currently the fastest computer in Austria.

Diet, 'anti-aging' supplements may help reverse blood vessel abnormality

Wed, 01 May 2013 19:31:31 EDT

A diet low in grains, beans and certain vegetables -- combined with "anti-aging" supplements -- improved blood vessel function, in a new study.

Vitamin D: More may not be better; Benefits in healthy adults wear off at higher doses, research suggests

Wed, 01 May 2013 19:29:29 EDT

In recent years, healthy people have been bombarded by stories in the media and on health websites warning about the dangers of too-low vitamin D levels, and urging high doses of supplements to protect against everything from hypertension to hardening of the arteries to diabetes. But new research finds that blood levels of the so-called "sunshine vitamin" that are higher than the top of the range suggested by the Institute of Medicine confer no additional benefit. This finding, combined with results of a previous study noting potential harm from higher vitamin D levels in healthy people, has urged investigators to prescribe caution.

Zinc: The Goldilocks metal for bioabsorbable stents?

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:44:44 EDT

Stents can be lifesavers, propping open blood vessels to allow for healthy blood flow. But the longer a stent is in the body, the greater the risk of side effects such as inflammation and clotting. Designing a stent that will dissolve harmlessly after the artery has healed has been a challenge. Now scientistsare experimenting with a novel material that may lead to a new generation of bioabsorbable stents: zinc.

The right amount of vitamin D for babies: 400 IU daily dose for suggested for infants under one year of age

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:40:40 EDT

Vitamin D is crucial to the growth of healthy bones. It is especially important that babies get enough of it during the first twelve months of their lives when their bones are growing rapidly. This is why health care providers frequently recommend that parents give their babies a daily vitamin D supplement. But how much vitamin D should babies be given?

Researchers pinpoint upper safe limit of vitamin D blood levels, study suggests

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:16:16 EDT

Researchers claim to have calculated, for the first time, the upper safe limit of vitamin D levels, above which the associated risk for cardiovascular events or death raises significantly, according to a recent study.

Possible alternative to bariatric weight loss surgery

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:15:15 EDT

An experimental procedure successfully tested in obese laboratory rats may provide a less-invasive alternative to bariatric weight-loss surgery. Scientists used a catheter to redirect the flow of bile from the bile duct into the small intestine, producing the same metabolic and weight-loss benefits as bariatric surgeries such as gastric by-pass.

Mild iodine deficiency in womb associated with lower scores on children's literacy tests

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:14:14 EDT

Children who did not receive enough iodine in the womb performed worse on literacy tests as 9-year-olds than their peers, according to a recent study.

Gastric bypass surgery alters hormones to relieve diabetes symptoms

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:14:14 EDT

Gastric bypass surgery alters the hormones and amino acids produced during digestion, hinting at the mechanisms through which the surgery eliminates symptoms of type 2 diabetes, according to a recent study.

Women who drink before pregnancy less likely to take multivitamins

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:11:11 EDT

Researchers have found a link between multivitamin use and alcohol consumption before pregnancy, uncovering a need for education about the importance of vitamin supplementation, particularly among women who drink alcohol during their childbearing years.

Low vitamin D levels a risk factor for pneumonia

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 09:16:16 EDT

A new study has shown that low serum vitamin D levels are a risk factor for pneumonia. The risk of contracting pneumonia was more than 2.5 times greater in subjects with the lowest vitamin D levels than in subjects with high vitamin D levels.

Scientists discover how a protein finds its way

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:59:59 EDT

Scientists have uncovered how an enzyme co-factor can bestow specificity on a class of proteins with otherwise nonspecific biochemical activity. Proteins can have more than one function, but they often need to be very specific in their action or they create cellular havoc, possibly leading to disease.

Will green tea help you lose weight?

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:47:47 EDT

Green tea extract in tandem with an additional compound could be effective for body weight control and type 2 diabetes, a new study in mice indicates. Evidence has shown that green tea extract may be an effective herbal remedy useful for weight control and helping to regulate glucose in type 2 diabetes.

Guide on new oral anticoagulant drugs

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 13:48:48 EDT

A practical guide on the use of the new oral anticoagulants (NOACs) has been produced. A guide was needed to summarize existing information on different drugs, to answer clinical questions that fall outside what drug companies can legally answer, and to make distinctions between the different drugs.

Sunshine hormone, vitamin D, may offer hope for treating liver fibrosis

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:01:01 EDT

Liver fibrosis results from an excessive accumulation of tough, fibrous scar tissue and occurs in most types of chronic liver diseases. In industrialized countries, the main causes of liver injury leading to fibrosis include chronic hepatitis virus infection, excess alcohol consumption and, increasingly, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

Dietary medium chain triglycerides prevent nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:11:11 EDT

The incidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) associated with obesity is increasing rapidly and is a major source of liver pathology. A new study suggests dietary substitution of saturated fat in the form of medium chain triglycerides (MCT) for polyunsaturated fats can prevent progression of NAFLD-associated liver injury and that MCT containing oils could be a new NAFLD therapy.

Vitamin E identified as potential weapon against obesity

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:40:40 EDT

A potential new way to fight obesity-related illness has been uncovered, thanks to a serendipitous finding.

The biology of fats in the body

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 10:21:21 EDT

Researchers are studying triglycerides, cholesterol and other fats to learn more about normal and abnormal biology. Chew on these findings the next time you ponder the fate of the fat in a French fry.

Quit smoking? Vitamin E may give extra boost to heart health

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 09:08:08 EDT

Taking a specific form of a vitamin E supplement can accelerate the health benefits that occur when people quit smoking, new research suggests.

Mushrooms can provide as much vitamin D as supplements

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 13:28:28 EDT

Researchers have discovered that eating mushrooms containing Vitamin D2 can be as effective at increasing and maintaining vitamin D levels (25–hydroxyvitamin D) as taking supplemental vitamin D2 or vitamin D3.

More efforts needed to regulate dietary supplements, experts urge

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:49:49 EDT

Dietary supplements accounted for more than half the Class 1 drugs recalled by the US Food and Drug Administration from 2004-12, meaning they contained substances that could cause serious health problems or even death, a new study has found.

No evidence drugs, vitamins, supplements help prevent cognitive decline in healthy older adults

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:14:14 EDT

A review has found no evidence that drugs, herbal products or vitamin supplements help prevent cognitive decline in healthy older adults.

Excess vitamin E intake not a health concern, study suggests

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:14:14 EDT

Despite concerns that have been expressed about possible health risks from high intake of vitamin E, a new review concludes that biological mechanisms exist to routinely eliminate excess levels of the vitamin, and they make it almost impossible to take a harmful amount.

Vitamin D may reduce risk of uterine fibroids

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:44:44 EDT

Women who had sufficient amounts of vitamin D were 32 percent less likely to develop fibroids than women with insufficient vitamin D, according to a new study.

L-carnitine significantly improves patient outcomes following heart attack, study suggests

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 13:23:23 EDT

L-carnitine significantly improves cardiac health in patients after a heart attack, say a multicenter team of investigators in a study. Their findings, based on analysis of key controlled trials, associate L-carnitine with significant reduction in death from all causes and a highly significant reduction in ventricular arrhythmias and anginal attacks following a heart attack, compared with placebo or control.

Hangover remedy examined: Yak-a-mein soup, a.k.a., ‘Old Sober’

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 15:58:58 EDT

One of the Crescent City's time-honored traditions -- a steaming bowl of Yak-a-mein Soup, a.k.a., “Old Sober” -- after a night of partying in the French Quarter actually does have a basis in scientific fact, according to new research.

New evidence that natural substances in green coffee beans help control blood sugar levels

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 12:47:47 EDT

Scientists today described evidence that natural substances extracted from unroasted coffee beans can help control the elevated blood sugar levels and body weight that underpin type 2 diabetes.

Month of birth impacts immune system development

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 18:46:46 EDT

Newborn babies' immune system development and levels of vitamin D have been found to vary according to their month of birth, according to new research.

Higher mercury levels in humans associated with increased risk for diabetes

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 21:15:15 EDT

A new study found that higher levels of mercury exposure in young adults increased their risks for type 2 diabetes later in life by 65 percent.

First tests of old patent medicine remedies from a museum collection

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 13:29:29 EDT

What was in Dr. F. G. Johnson’s French Female Pills and other scientifically untested elixirs, nostrums and other quack cures that were the only medicines available to sick people during the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries?

Flies reveal kidney stones in-the-making

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 09:07:07 EDT

Kidney stones usually make their presence known suddenly, often sending a person to the hospital in excruciating pain. New research identifies an important role zinc plays in the disease process.

Pathogen's scissor-like enzyme provides new clues to treatment of infectious disease

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 09:28:28 EDT

Researchers report that a pathogen annually blamed for an estimated 90 million cases of food-borne illness defeats a host's immune response by using a fat-snipping enzyme to cut off cellular communication.

White blood cell enzyme contributes to inflammation and obesity

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 16:32:32 EDT

Researchers have discovered that an imbalance between the enzyme neutrophil elastase and its inhibitor, ±1-antitrypsin, causes inflammation, obesity, insulin resistance, and fatty liver disease.

Fatty acid metabolite shows promise against cancer in mice

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 14:39:39 EDT

Scientists have found that a product resulting from a metabolized omega-3 fatty acid helps combat cancer by cutting off the supply of oxygen and nutrients that fuel tumor growth and spread of the disease.

Vitamin P as a potential approach for the treatment of damaged motor neurons

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 10:11:11 EDT

Biologists in Germany have explored how to protect neurons that control movements from dying off. In a new paper, they report that the molecule 7,8-Dihydroxyflavone, also known as vitamin P, ensures the survival of motor neurons in culture. It sends the survival signal on another path than the molecule Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), which was previously considered a candidate for the treatment of motoneuron diseases or after spinal cord damage.

Eating fish associated with lower risk of dying among older adults: Risk of dying from heart disease significantly lowered

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 18:15:15 EDT

Older adults with higher levels of blood omega-3 levels -- fatty acids found in fish and seafood -- may be able to lower their mortality risk by as much as 27 percent and their mortality risk from heart disease by about 35 percent, report researchers. Older adults with the highest blood levels of the fatty acids lived, on average, 2.2 years longer than those with lower levels.

Monounsaturated fats reduce metabolic syndrome risk

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 12:51:51 EDT

Canola oil and high-oleic canola oils can lower abdominal fat when used in place of other selected oil blends, according to a new study. Researchers also found that consuming certain vegetable oils may be a simple way of reducing the risk of metabolic syndrome, which affects about one in three US adults and one in five Canadian adults.

How diabetes drug delays aging in worms

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 12:51:51 EDT

A widely prescribed type 2 diabetes drug slows down the aging process by mimicking the effects of dieting, according to a study using worms to investigate how the drug works.

Vitamin D insufficiency linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 19:41:41 EDT

There is a link between vitamin D insufficiency and adverse health outcomes such as gestational diabetes and preeclampsia in mothers-to-be and low birth weight in newborns, suggests a new article.

Vitamin D may lower diabetes risk in obese children and adolescents

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 12:17:17 EDT

Being obese puts individuals at greater risk for developing type 2 diabetes, a disease in which individuals have too much sugar in their blood. Now researchers found vitamin D supplements can help obese children and teens control their blood-sugar levels, which may help them stave off the disease.

Vitamin D benefits breathing in tuberculosis patients

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 10:15:15 EDT

Maintaining adequate levels of vitamin D can help people breathe better and may even protect against tuberculosis, according to a recent study. The study of more than 10,000 Korean adults found that lung function improved when people had absorbed more vitamin D into their bodies.

Foods can help fight inflammation

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 15:40:40 EDT

Chronic inflammation can lead to chronic diseases, but it can be reduced naturally through the proper diet.

Quirky Lyme disease bacteria: Unlike most organisms, they don't need iron, but crave manganese

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 20:57:57 EDT

Scientists have confirmed that the pathogen that causes Lyme disease -- unlike any other known organism -- can exist without iron, a metal that all other life needs to make proteins and enzymes. Instead of iron, the bacteria substitute manganese to make an essential enzyme, thus eluding immune system defenses that protect the body by starving pathogens of iron.

Potential immune benefits of strong vitamin D status in healthy individuals

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:28:28 EDT

Research shows that improving vitamin D status by increasing its level in the blood could have a number of non-skeletal health benefits. The study reveals for the first time that improvement in the vitamin D status of healthy adults significantly impacts genes involved with a number of biologic pathways associated with cancer, cardiovascular disease, infectious diseases and autoimmune diseases.

DNA catalysts do the work of protein enzymes

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 12:42:42 EDT

Chemists have used DNA to do a protein's job, creating opportunities for DNA to find work in more areas of biology, chemistry and medicine than ever before.

Living in a sunny climate does not improve vitamin D levels in hip fracture patients

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 09:14:14 EDT

While it is well known that a majority of hip fracture patients of all ages and both sexes have insufficient or deficient levels of vitamin D, a new study looks at whether or not living in a warm, sunny climate improves patient vitamin D levels.