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December 24, 2003
Magnesium may fight onset of type 2 diabetes
A diet high in magnesium may help prevent the development of type 2 diabetes, especially in people who are overweight, suggests evidence reported in two new studies out next month. The findings add weight to theories that vitamins and minerals could play an important role in stemming the rapidly increasing incidence of this disease
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
December 23, 2003
Kenyan parliament to debate traditional medicine
Kenya is developing a national policy to promote traditional medicine that is intended to regulate a practice on which 80 per cent of its inhabitants depend for medical treatment. A bill drawn up by the department of standards and regulatory services at the Ministry of Health Policy is due to be tabled soon in the National Assembly by the attorney general. "Our goal is to help incorporate traditional knowledge into modern healthcare while still ensuring access to quality healthcare for all Kenyans," says Tom Mboya Okeyo, head of the department
Read article at SciDev.net
December 22, 2003
Vitamin may restore smokers' lungs
Retinoic acid, a form of vitamin A, appears to cure the lung disease emphysema in mice, according to a new study that suggests the vitamin could one day provide a treatment for the disease in humans, currently without cure.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
December 17, 2003
Low selenium associated with pregnancy complications
Slightly increasing levels of the trace mineral selenium might help prevent pre-eclampsia in susceptible women, suggests a new study from the UK. The researchers found that women with low levels of the mineral raised their risk of developing the condition by up to four times.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
December 16, 2003
Vitamin Supplementation Lowers C-Reactive Protein Levels
The American Journal of Medicine states that an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease, C-reactive protein (CRP), can be reduced by simply consuming a multivitamin.
The study showed that a group taking a 24-ingredient multivitamin reduced its CRP level by 32 percent. The greatest reductions in CRP were found in individuals with elevated baseline values.
Read article at PRNewswire.com
December 9, 2003
Vitamin D may protect against colon cancer precursor
A diet rich in vitamin D appears to protect people from developing potentially cancerous growths in the colon, a study of more than 3,100 veterans found.
Patients who consumed the amount of vitamin D contained in daily servings of milk and fish were 40% less likely to develop polyps than those got little or no vitamin D.
Read article at USAToday.com
December 8, 2003
Pycnogenol could act as 'polypill'
The pine bark extract Pycnogenol could combat each of the important cardiovascular risk factors simultaneously, according to a new review examining evidence on the supplement. R esearch from different countries concludes that Pycnogenol helps lower blood pressure, reduce LDL cholesterol, improve microcirculation and prevent platelet aggregation.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
December 3, 2003
Medical care for children is a right
The Ghanaian Minister of Women and Children's Affairs said there was the need to safeguard the health and future of children, stressing that, of the children who did not live to their fifth birthday in the region, 43 per cent of them died as a result of protein-energy malnutrition and 34 per cent as a result of vitamin A deficiency. It was against this backdrop that the government fully supported programmes aimed at improving the nutritional status, especially of mothers and children
Read article at Accra-Mail.com
December 3, 2003
Elderly falls linked to vitamin deficiency
An unexpected risk factor for the potentially fatal falls suffered by many elderly people has been discovered - vitamin D deficiency
Read article at NewScientist.com
December 3, 2003
Calcium, vitamin D partner in colon cancer prevention
Calcium and vitamin D work in tandem, not separately, to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, according to a new study reported in today's issue of Journal of the National Cancer Institute
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
December 2, 2003
Vitamin B12 linked to better recovery from depression
Vitamin B12 supplements may help people to fight depression as they appear to improve response to treatment, shows research by Finnish researchers published today. The prospective, follow-up study concludes that vitamin B12 supplements may increase the probability of a patient's recovery from a major depressive disorder
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
November 25, 2003
UK backs vitamin supplement trial
A major international trial is to investigate whether supplements of B vitamins can protect people from a second stroke. The trial aims to gather 8000 patients by the end of the year. The UK's Medical Research Council has awarded £280,000 (€403, 000) to fund the UK arm of the Vitatops study that will see up to 1,000 stroke patients recruited from the UK.
Read article at Foodnavigator.com
November 24, 2003
Lack of vitamin D threatens to raise cancer risk
Populations that lack exposure to sunlight during winter months should take vitamin D supplements to reduce their risk of cancer, warns a letter published in this week's British Medical Journal. Professor Cedric Garland of the University of California challenges a previous editorial warning against the dangerous rays of the sun. He argues that staying out of the sun altogether could cause a severe deficiency of the vitamin, which has been linked in studies to protection against cancers of the colon, breast, prostate and others.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com November 18, 2003
Experts say vitamins poor substitute for balanced diet
A U.S. government task force has found that the vitamins in pills don't prevent cancer and disease as effectively as the vitamins found naturally in foods. “A ‘magic bullet' pill isn't going to do the trick,” said Melanie Polk, director of nutrition education for the American Institute for Cancer Research. Does your body know the difference?
Read article at Kansan.com
November 13, 2003
Green tea agent fights HIV infection
The main active agent in green tea, EGCG, prevents the first step in HIV infection and could one day be used as a new anti-HIV drug, suggests a new study this week Epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG, is the most abundant catechin in green tea and thought to be responsible for the numerous health benefits attributed to the beverage, including prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
November 12, 2003
Vitamin C reduces stroke risk, especially in smokers
Dietary intake of the antioxidant vitamin C may be associated with reduced risk for stroke, especially in people who smoke, report Dutch scientists in a new study.
The people with the lowest amounts of vitamin C in their diets were 30 per cent more likely to have a stroke than people in the highest intake group (more than 133 milligrams daily), according to the study published in the latest issue of Neurology .
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
November 11, 2003
Malnutrition 'affects 2 million in UK'
Around 2 million Britons, including 60% of hospital patients, are malnourished, according to a report published today. The report, by the Malnutrition Advisory Group (MAG), suggested that £226m could be saved each year if the condition, which it says is often undiagnosed, was identified and properly treated.
Read article at Guardian.co.uk
November 11, 2003
Study: Vitamins combat age-related blindness
Hundreds of thousands of people could benefit from vitamin supplements shown to help prevent macular degeneration, a condition that is the leading cause of blindness from age 65, according to a new study
Read article at CNN.com
October 31, 2003
New research provides more evidence to back green tea's anti-cancer effects in humans
The tea's active agent Epigallocatecin-3-gallate, already thought to lower cholesterol, prevent heart disease, fight bacteria and dental cavities, and possibly aid weight loss, may also slow tumour growth in breast and liver cancers, suggests research presented this week.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
October 28, 2003
Lack of vitamin D made worse in winter
Millions of people in the Northern Hemisphere may not get enough vitamin D, a nutrient important for strong bones. It is a problem made worse in the winter, when the sun's rays are not intense enough in most of the country to help bodies make the sunshine vitamin.
Read article at CNN.com
October 19, 2003
NHS should use herbal remedies, says adviser
Herbal and other "alternative" medicines should be available
on the National Health Service although there is little scientific
evidence that they work, according to UK government adviser Harry Cayton,
who is known to have firm backing from Downing Street.
Read article at Telegraph.co.uk
October 17, 2003
US study finds that vitamin C inhibits lipid
oxidation in human HDL
HDL are susceptible to oxidation, which affects their cardioprotective properties.
Although several studies have reported inhibition of HDL oxidation by vitamin
E, none has determined the potential protective effect of vitamin C, another
important blood antioxidant.
Read article at Nutrition.org
October 15, 2003
Fortification programme successful in Chile
Fortification of wheat flour with folic acid has substantially improved folate
status in a population of women of reproductive age in Chile, report researchers
in this month's Journal of Nutrition. Similar initiatives, designed to reduce
the incidence of birth defects, have already shown positive results in the
US and Canada.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
October 15, 2003
Antioxidants blanched out of cooked veg
Certain methods of preparation and cooking can cause vegetables to lose their
cancer-fighting compounds, with microwaving the biggest culprit, finds a new
study published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
October 12, 2003
Alternative medicine grows in popularity
More people in the UAE are looking towards alternative medicine to cure their
ills as it is less expensive and has fewer side effects, according to speakers
at a special medical conference. At the inauguration of the First Conference
on Alternative Medicine, Sheikh Mohammed bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Director of the
Sharjah Medical Zone, said the trend is growing worldwide.
Read article at GulfNews.com
October 9, 2003
How nutrition affects our genes
With the help of some fat yellow mice, scientists have discovered how
a mother's diet can permanently alter the functioning of genes in her
offspring without changing the genes themselves.
Read article at IHT.com
October 9, 2003
Elderly could benefit from B supplements
Elderly people should consider taking supplements of B vitamins as
many are deficient in the nutrient, thought to protect against heart
disease, argue German researchers in a new study.
Elderly people should consider taking supplements of B vitamins as many are deficient in the nutrient, thought to protect against heart disease, argue German researchers in a new study.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
October 9, 2003
Fortification begins in South Africa
South African millers must fortify flour and maize meal with a blend
of vitamins and minerals, including folic acid, following new legislation
introduced to improve malnutrition in the country.
South African millers must fortify flour and maize meal with a blend of vitamins and minerals, including folic acid, following new legislation introduced this week to improve malnutrition in the country.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
October 8, 2003
Timing key to multivitamin benefits
People who have been taking multivitamins for a long period of time
could see a reduced risk of colorectal cancer, report researchers in
the US.
People who have been taking multivitamins for a long period of time could see a reduced risk of colorectal cancer, report researchers in the US. However they noted that the vitamins had no effect after a short period of use.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
September 26, 2003
Folic acid slashes neuroblastoma figures
Folic acid food fortification has more than halved the incidence in
Canada of the deadly childhood cancer neuroblastoma, report researchers
from The Hospital for Sick Children (HSC) and the University of Toronto.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
September 25, 2003
Minerals Worth Their Salt to Curb Hypertension
A new study finds that while salt may increase blood pressure, this
effect appears to be worsened by meager intake of calcium, potassium,
magnesium and other beneficial nutrients.
Read article at HealthDay.com
September 24, 2003
Vitamins to reduce homocysteine may help cognition
Elderly people could gain some protection against cognitive decline
by taking B vitamins to reduce levels of homocysteine, an independent
predictor of cognitive
function, report researchers in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition this
month.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
September 22, 2003
Vitamin C reverses osteoporosis in mice
Antioxidant supplements, such as vitamin C tablets, could
become the new remedy for osteoporosis, say researchers in the UK. The need for such treatment is growing as trials continue to show that hormone replacement therapy, previously the mainstay of osteoporosis prevention, may have serious side effects.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com September 12, 2003
Vitamins Help Trauma Patients
Vitamins
C and E are known to boost the immune system. Now, there's evidence
massive doses of these anti-oxidants may help the body recover after
a traumatic injury. Kellie Cosner and her husband, Jason, were on their way to celebrate their first anniversary when a fierce wind snapped two giant trees. “One of them just fell right on our moving vehicle. It was very much a freak accident,” Kellie tells Ivanhoe. Jason died instantly. Kellie spent nearly a month in a drug-induced coma.
Read article at Ivanhoe.com September 02, 2003
Lipids
found to fight TB bacteria
Dietary fats could help the body fight against tuberculosis, according
to a team of Portuguese and German researchers.
The team found that certain fatty acids, such as arachidonic acid, could help the body's defence system fight bacteria, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis, responsible for the disease that kills around 2 million people each year.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
September 02, 2003
Nigeria
establishes council for traditional medicine
The Minister of Health, Professor Eyitayo Lambo has announced that the
draft bill establishing the Traditional Medicine Council of Nigeria
has been articulated. Professor Lambo said this at a ministerial briefing to mark the maiden African Traditional Medicine Day last week in Abuja. He said the traditional medicine policies formulated so far, represent only a policy framework for regulating its practice, adding that the policies lack legal instrument necessary for implementation, regulation of its practitioners, and the accreditation of traditional medicine training institutions.
Read article at MTrustOnline.com
August 31, 2003
Health
minister opens traditional medicines centre
South African Health minister opens traditional medicines centre in
Pretoria. The centre will serve as a database on African traditional medicines and it will strive to also promote patents and intellectual property rights in the field of traditional medicines. It will also promote research and standardisation of products based on medicinal plants.
Read article at SABCNews.com
August 14, 2003
Green tea could halt bladder cancer
Independent research shows that the active ingredient in green tea,
epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) blocks the growth of bladder tumours
in rats – we told you so!
EGCG is increasingly regarded as an active anti-cancer agent, although most trials study its power in tea consumption. In a previous study, drinking more than five cups per day seemed to protect against the cancer.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
August 12, 2003
Calcium deficiency raising ricket incidence among infants
Fizzy drinks and juices could be causing rickets associated with calcium
deficiency in North American children. Researchers linked cases of rickets - a disease usually attributed to a lack of vitamin D or insufficient exposure to sunlight, and more prevalent than previously thought – to a lack of dietary calcium.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
August 12, 2003
Vitamins may restore healthy cholesterol levels in children
Vitamin supplements could help protect children with abnormally high
cholesterol levels from heart attacks in later years, according to a
small study. Children with inherited lipid disorders – some 50 million in the US – are usually advised to avoid the cholesterol-lowering drugs taken by adults. However their condition puts them at high risk for suffering heart attacks as adults.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
August 11, 2003
Polyphenols may dimish intestinal cancer risk
Increasing intake of polyphenols, by eating more fruits and vegetables
or taking supplements, may help to prevent intestinal cancer.
Increasing intake of polyphenols, by eating more fruits and vegetables such as apricots or onions, or taking supplements, may help to prevent intestinal cancer, reports a European research group.
Read article at Foodnavigator.com
August 8, 2003
Natural
Health Products Regulations
Canada publishes its new Natural Health Products Regulations: "
Her Excellency the Governor General in Council, on the recommendation of the Minister of Health, pursuant to subsection 30(1) (see footnote a) of the Food and Drugs Act, hereby makes the annexed Natural Health Products Regulations."
Read article at CanadaGazette.gc.ca
August 5, 2003
Study
Finds Green Tea Might Fight Cancer
Green tea appears to be a more potent cancer-fighter than was first
thought. That's according to a study by the University of Rochester's Environmental Health Sciences Center. Traditional Chinese medicine promotes drinking green tea for health, and scientists have found that people who drink it are less likely to develop cancer.
Read article at WOKR13.tv
August 4, 2003
Vitamin
cocktail cuts cancer deaths
A dietary supplement of vitamins and minerals may help to slash the
risk of cancer, research has found. The supplement contained the same levels of antioxidant nutrients found in a diet rich in fruit and vegetables. Antioxidants help to mop up highly reactive molecules called free radicals which can cause damage to the body's tissues.
Read article at BBC.co.uk
August 2, 2003
Impact of supplementing newborn infants with vitamin A on early infant
mortality
Ocular signs of vitamin A deficiency are associated with increased
mortality among children aged 6 months or older. Supplementation with
vitamin A can significantly reduce total mortality. Ocular signs of vitamin A deficiency are associated with increased mortality among children aged 6 months or older. Supplementation with vitamin A can significantly reduce total mortality.
Read article at BMJ.com
August 1, 2003
Vitamin C may reduce stomach cancer risk
Increasing intake of vitamin C may be able to help prevent stomach cancer,
suggest researchers in the US this week. The team from the San Francisco
VA Medical Center (SFVAMC) found that the lower the level of vitamin
C in the blood the more likely a person will become infected by Helicobacter
pylori, the bacteria that can cause peptic ulcers and stomach cancer.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
July 31, 2003
Tooth loss link to heart disease
Losing teeth due to gum disease could indicate a person has cardiovascular
disease before they show any symptoms, researchers say. [This study tries
to make a causal link between periodontal disease and atherosclerosis,
whilst completely ignoring the fact that the real
link is lack of vitamin C].
Read article at BBC.co.uk
July 30, 2003
Multivitamins
may reduce heart attack risk, new study
People who take low dose multivitamin supplements may be less likely
to have a heart attack, say Swedish researchers. There has been much debate about whether antioxidants, such as vitamins E and C, can protect the heart from cardiovascular disease, with several studies failing to support the use of vitamins. But results from the Stockholm Heart Epidemiology Program (SHEEP) showed that in a Swedish population, both men and women who took multivitamins had a significantly lower risk of myocardial infarction than those who did not take supplements, irrespective of their diets.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
July 30, 2003
Vitamin
deficiency linked to elderly disability
Anaemia, a condition caused by vitamin and mineral deficiency, doubles
the risk of serious physical decline in the elderly, according to a
new study. The researchers do not yet know if treating the condition, through supplements, could prevent the decline that eventually results in disability.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
July 29, 2003
University
of Florida Researcher Finds Vitamins,
Exercise May Slow Harmful Effects
of Aging
University of Florida nursing researchers found that older men and women
who exercised regularly and took vitamin E supplements became healthier
and significantly decreased their levels of a blood marker that signals
the destruction of certain cells by unstable molecular fragments called
free radicals.
Read article at Ascribe.org
July 22, 2003
Riverside's
Seniors Get A Boost Through Vitamin Relief USA
A new pilot program from The Healthy Foundation begins this month called
Vitamin Relief USA Senior Support that provides free daily multi-vitamins
to seniors at Riverside YMCA, Riverside Parks and Recreation and the
Riverside Medical Clinic.
Read article at NPICenter.com
July 17, 2003
ADB
aid to improve nutrition planning in China
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed to provide a 500,000-US-dollar
technical assistance (TA) grant to strengthen national public nutrition
planning in China. The project will be undertaken in partnership with the United Nations Children's Fund. Its objectives include capacity building for planning and carrying out nutrition strategies and policies.
Read article at Xinhuanet.com
July 15, 2003
Vitamins 'could prevent pregnancy danger'
A new study will give women at high-risk of pre-eclampsia vitamin supplements
in an attempt to stop them developing the condition.
A new study will give women at high-risk of pre-eclampsia vitamin supplements in an attempt to stop them developing the condition.
Read article at BBC.co.uk
July 15, 2003
Swiss lobby for fortification
A Swiss lobby group is stepping up pressure on the Government to introduce
mandatory folic acid fortification of flour, according to a report in
the Zurich-based newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
July 15, 2003
Antioxidant may lower breast cancer risk
Increasing levels of the amino acid cysteine may be able to reduce the
risk of breast cancer, according to a study presented at the 94th Annual
Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
July 11, 2003
Mineral deficiency could be causing increase
in asthma
British scientists are hoping to discover if a lack of iron and selenium
in the womb increases our risk of asthma later on. The study could lead
to pregnant women increasing their use of supplements to prevent wheezing
in their offspring.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
July 11, 2003
Programme to train students on health, nutrition launched
The Exemplary Educator Programme, devised to train secondary and university
students to become health educators and spread awareness of health issues
in their community, was inaugurated last week by the Primary Health Care
(PHC) Department at the Dubai Department of Health and Medical Services
(Dohms). The programme is the first of its kind to be offered to students
in areas of nutrition and health.
Read article at KhaleejTimes.com
July 8, 2003
Vitamin E - beyond the antioxidant effects
Vitamin E may be more important for its anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular
benefits than its antioxidant activity, suggest authors of a recent
Harvard Medical School publication.
Vitamin E may be more important for its anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular benefits than its antioxidant acitivity, suggest authors of a recent Harvard Medical School publication.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
July 7, 2003
Making folate available for mental health
Taking folate supplements may help suppress depression suggests a new
study, which found that people with high blood levels of homocysteine,
thought to be broken down by the B vitamin, were more likely to suffer
from the condition.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
July 4, 2003
Could traditional medicine fight off Aids?
The South African Medical Research Council, acting on a request by
Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, is investigating whether
African traditional medicines have the power to stave off Aids by boosting
the immune system.
Read article at IOL.co.za
July 3, 2003
Do vitamins make for quick-thinkers?
Scientists are to study the impact of supplementing children's diets
with certain nutrients that are necessary for the continuing development
of the brain, especially the frontal lobes which are associated with
a set of cognitive abilities called 'executive functions'
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
July 2, 2003
Herbal medicine complexes to sprout
Daegu in South Gyeongsang Province, Korea, plans to inject 600 billion
won ($500 million) into a plan to build an herbal medicine biotech
valley sprawling over 400,000 pyeong (1.32 million square meters) around
Suseong-gu. The valley will house a planned governmental body, which
has been temporarily dubbed the Korea Herbal Medicine Administration.
It will be responsible for controlling the quality and safety of herbal
drugs and developing herbal medicine resources
Read article at KoreaHerald.co.kr
June 30, 2003
Dubai Herbal & Treatment Centre attracts
big names in traditional medicine
'The Dubai Herbal and Treatment Center (DH&TC) has attracted three
world authorities in complementary medicines to head their traditional
medicines departments', announced Dr Ali Redha, Director General, Dubai
Herbal and Treatment Center.
Read article at Ameinfo.com
June 30, 2003
Antioxidants protect against inflammatory
reactions and obstructed airways
Fruit and veg fans are likely to have better respiratory health than
those with less healthy diets, suggests a recent review, highlighting
the role of antioxidants in fruit and vegetables in protecting against
inflammatory reactions and obstructed airways.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
June 23, 2003
Confusing report from US scientists says
both high and low levels
of
vitamin A contribute to lower bone density.
Both high and low levels of vitamin A can increase hip fractures in older
women, reported researchers at a scientific meeting in the US last week.
Recent studies have shown that high intake of vitamin A can be associated with lower bone density and increased risk of fracture. However the new results suggest that recent calls to decrease vitamin A supplementation may need to be reassessed, said Dr Alexander Opotowsky, the lead investigator in the study, at the US Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Philadelphia on Friday.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
June 22, 2003
UK scientists to test effects of vitamin D on osteoarthritis
Scientists hope adding vitamin D to the diet could help prevent one of
the most common and painful forms of arthritis. Osteoarthritis affects more than a million people in the UK, many of them elderly. There is currently no cure and all doctors can do is control pain and keep patients active and mobile.
Read article at BBC.co.uk
June 19, 2003
Stroke 'Belts' Tied to Long-Ago Malnutrition
The ill effects of generations of malnutrition are still being felt
today in the form of increases in risk of stroke and other medical
problems in the United States and England, researchers say. Dr. Larry
B. Goldstein, a professor of medicine at Duke University Medical Center,
says the report provides "another compelling argument to ensure
adequate prenatal care and maternal nutrition."
Read article at HealthDay.com
May 29, 2003
Harvard Medical School says vitamin E promotes strong cells
Vitamin E, best known as an effective
antioxidant, also has features that may be even more important to your
health,
the Harvard Medical School says. In a new special health report entitled "The Benefits and Risks of Vitamins and Minerals: What You Need to Know," Harvard experts said Vitamin E's abilities also can include two traits that can have "substantial cardiovascular benefits" -- inhibiting inflammation and aiding the proliferation of smooth muscle cells.
Read article at PRNewswire.com
May 18, 2003
Thailand to build first government sponsored
traditional healing hospital
within three years
Thailand is to build an alternative hospital offering holistic and herbal treatments
-- the most serious test to date of the efficacy of ayurvedic and natural remedies
including Thai cures, a report said on Sunday.
Read article at KhaleejTimes.com
May 17, 2003
BMJ accuses UK government of public health malpractice resulting
in
350,000 unnecessary deaths in the past ten years
As many as 350 000 deaths could have been prevented over the last
decade if the UK government had acted on the compelling evidence
for the benefits of folic acid, a conference was told last week.
Had flour been fortified with folic acid when the evidence regarding
neural tube defects was published, thousands of people would not
have died from coronary heart disease.
Read article at BMJ.com
May 14, 2003
Council puts the spotlight on herbal medicine
South African Health Minister reveals that the Medical Research Council
has set up a special unit to study the use of traditional medicines
in the fight against HIV and Aids.
The Medical Research Council has set up a special unit to study the use of traditional medicines in the fight against HIV and Aids, Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang revealed.
Read article at IOL.co.za
May 13, 2003
Harvard Medical School say antioxidant vitamins can protect eyes
against
age-related macular degeneration
Antioxidant vitamins such as Vitamin E
may protect the eyes against cataracts and age-related macular degeneration,
according to a new special health report from Harvard Medical School. There's some truth to the belief that "eating carrots is good for the eyes," the Harvard publication said, but noted that diets containing more antioxidant vitamins such as Vitamin E and Vitamin C "are even better."
Read article at PRNewswire.com
May 13, 2003
Vitamin C – an effective treatment for
SARS say Australian doctors
Two Australian doctors believed massive doses of injected vitamin C could
effectively treat severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). According to The Canberra Times on Tuesday, Archie Kalokerinos,a GP from Newcastle in New South Wales, and John West, a medical researcher from Queensland, said it had been shown scientifically that vitamin C could neutralisz any virus provided it was properly administered at a correct dose level.
Read article at Xinhuanet.com
May 9, 2003
Dutch conference focuses on nutrition and cancer
Scientists are to gather at an upcoming conference in the Netherlands
to discuss nutrigenomics and nutritional systems biology. The international conference, the second in the series, 'From nutrigenomics to nutritional systems biology', will focus on the impact of various applied nutrigenomics technologies and databases, model systems and transgenics, on the nutritional and health sciences.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
May 8, 2003
Knock-on effect of Australian shelf-clearing of vitamins felt in South
Africa
Australia's largest-ever medical recall continues to have ripple effects
in South Africa as the Medicines Control Council (MCC) investigates the
origins of hundreds of herbal products on sale across the country. Its Australian counterpart, the Therapeutical Goods Administration (TGA), has suspended giant drug group Pan Pharmaceuticals' licence and retailers in Australia, Europe, Asia and New Zealand have cleared the shelves of hundreds of herbal, vitamin and mineral supplements made by Pan.
Read article at IOL.co.za
May 8, 2003
Report of the Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals
14 UK MPs sign a motion calling on the government to pause before acting
on the report of the Expert Committee on Vitamins and Minerals and
instead to submit it for further comment, particularly by other international
bodies that have reached different conclusions
Read article at AIS.co.uk
May 7, 2003
Multivitamin supplementation may reduce the risk
of
birth defects in
children born to diabetic mothers
Taking multivitamins around the time of conception may reduce the risk
of birth defects in children born to diabetic mothers, according to a
study in the journal Pediatrics. The scientists from the Division of Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia in the US set out to evaluate whether the risk for birth defects associated with maternal diabetes is reduced by use of multivitamin supplements during the periconceptional period.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
May 3, 2003
UK to test the effectiveness of vitamins in preventing Alzheimer's
disease
A trial to see if vitamins can help prevent Alzheimer's is vital, say
experts.The incurable brain disease affects six million elderly people
in the EU and the number is expected to double over the next 20 to 30
years.
Read article at BBC.co.uk
May 2, 2003
Script addicts loath to admit natural medicine is effective
Australian President of Complementary Healthcare Council defends vitamins
and minerals following the TGA attack. It is the medical experts decrying alternative therapies who are ill informed, not the public, writes Ian Brighthope. The recent medicine recall has flushed out the detractors of natural medicine who have hijacked the situation to criticise the efficacy of complementary medicine.
Read article at SMH.com.au
May 1, 2003
Chinese turn to herbal remedies to ward off
SARS
The chunks of brown bark, yellowish slivers of roots and dried
light-green flower buds look and smell more like garden mulch than medicine.
But millions of Chinese believe this traditional herbal remedy - "Ba Wei,'' or "Eight Ingredients'' - offers some of the best protection against the SARS virus.
Read article at ABCNews.com
April 25, 2003
Folate deficiency in the womb may lead to
leukaemia in children
Further evidence of the harmful effects of folate deficiency during
pregnancy are revealed as scientists at the Institute of Cancer Research
report a possible link between levels of folic acid available to the
baby in the womb and leukaemia in children.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
April 25, 2003
Scientists find that poor maternal nutrition at time of conception
can lead to premature birth
Women who want to get pregnant should ensure that they eat properly before
conception to minimise the risk of a premature birth, research suggests.
Scientists have found that even modest restrictions in maternal nutrition around the time of conception can lead to premature birth.
Read article at BBCNews.com
April 24, 2003
Folate may protect against Down’s
syndrome
An adequate intake of folic acid during pregnancy, believed to protect
against neural tube defects (NTDs) in babies, may also help prevent Down's
syndrome, researchers report in The Lancet this week.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
April 23, 2003
Tea Believed to Boost Body's Defenses
An ordinary cup of tea may be a powerful infection fighter, a study suggests. Researchers report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that they have found in tea a chemical that boosts the body's defense fivefold against disease. They said the chemical primes immune system cells to attack bacteria, viruses and fungi and could, perhaps, be turned into a disease-fighting drug someday.
Read article at ABCNews.com
April 14, 2003
As Vitamin B-6 levels go down, numbers
of DNA strand breaks go up
New US study finds that as vitamin B6 levels go down, DNA strand breaks
go up, leading to increased cancer risks. Now we know why the RDA for
B6 is so low…
Read article at Eurekalert.org
April 14, 2003
Canadians taking vitamins believe they have
an impact
on health and help prevent a number of diseases
More than three-quarters of Canadians regularly taking vitamin supplements think they are having a moderate to strong impact on their overall health. And more than 80 percent believe vitamins can help prevent a number of diseases, including heart disease, cancer, diabetes and birth defects. Those are just two of the findings from the latest bi-annual survey of 1,000 Canadians commissioned by the Vitamin Information Service.
Read article at NPICenter.com
April 10, 2003
Study finds that green tea polyphenols
reduce heart disease risk factors
A derivative of the green tea leaf may help reduce risk factors for
heart disease, including bad cholesterol and high blood pressure, report
researchers.
A study on Tegreen, a tea polyphenols product containing more than 65 per cent tea catechins, found that the product is capable of improving glucose and lipid metabolism in an obese rat model.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
April 9, 2003
US study finds a direct link between lack of folate intake and bladder
cancer
Individuals who are especially susceptible to genetic damage
and who do not eat enough dietary folate are almost three times as
likely to develop bladder cancer as those who eat plenty of fruit
and vegetables and who have efficient capacity to repair DNA damage,
say researchers in the US.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
April 8, 2003
US organizations support nutrition
initiatives as an integral part of school health programs
Leading nutrition organizations unite to improve children’s eating
choices.
A joint position statement by the American Dietetic Association, Society for Nutrition Education and American School Food Service Association urges that comprehensive nutrition services be provided to all the nation's schools to educate children and help them develop healthful eating habits for life. The full paper, “Nutrition services: An essential component of comprehensive school health programs,” is published in the April Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
Read article at Eurekalert.org
April 7, 2003
US doctors say infants need more vitamin D
Doctors in the US have raised recommended levels of vitamin D for infants
because they say exposure to sunlight, which generates production of
the vitamin in the skin, is no longer a safe way to prevent deficiency
in children.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
April 3, 2003
South African deputy President Zuma
supports nutrition strategy against Aids
Deputy president Jacob Zuma has come out in support of the health minister's
controversial prescription of nutritious food to fight Aids and hinted that
the government is poised to provide nutrition to HIV positive people.
Read article at IOL.co.za
April 2, 2003
Vitamin D supplementation aids bone health - increases absorption of
calcium
Researchers from Creighton University find even women with normal levels
of vitamin D can benefit from vitamin D supplementation. They say the
vitamin D ensures calcium is effectively absorbed. Doctors have long known calcium absorption is impaired in the presence of vitamin D deficiencies, but they have been less clear about the level of vitamin D needed to fully normalize absorption of calcium.
Read article Ivanhoe.com
April 1, 2003
Vitamin C, role in early development of heart?
The powers of vitamin C have been highlighted in an early release study
showing that the nutrient helped convert mouse embryonic stem cells growing
in the laboratory to heart muscle cells. The discovery could lead to future research on ways to treat people suffering from damaged heart muscle, suggest authors writing in today's rapid track publication of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
March 31, 2003
Combining foods combats cancer
Eating certain foods together, such as chicken and broccoli or salmon and watercress
could help to fight cancer, say researchers. Combining two food components called sulforaphane and selenium make them up to 13 times more powerful in attacking cancer together than they are alone, they suggested. The discovery could mean it could be possible to design special cancer-fighting foods or diets.
Read article at BBC.co.uk
March 31, 2003
US researchers are exploring the immune boosting properties of vitamin
A
US researchers, trying to understand why vitamin A helps fight certain diseases and not others, say that the vitamin influences the types and amounts of immune cells and molecules produced in response to attack.
Read article at FoodNavigator.com
March 31, 2003
Green tea polyphenols may block the enzyme that destroys cartilage say
UK researchers
Dr David Buttle has found that the active green tea compounds EGCG and ECG can block the enzyme that destroys cartilage.
Cartilage destruction is one of the major factors in the progression of osteoarthritis, according to the charity Arthritis Research Campaign which partly funded the research. This degenerative form of arthritis causes stiff, painful joints in more than 2 million people in the UK.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
March 28, 2003
Can vitamin
D prevent osteoarthritis?
British researchers are mounting a major trial to see if vitamin D can
prevent osteoarthritis.
The trial of 600 people with osteoarthritis of the knee is being funded by a £500,000 grant (€728,300) from medical research charity the Arthritis Research Campaign (arc).
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
March 26, 2003
Vitamin E,
Vitamin C in Supplement Form
Found
to Improve Outcomes For Surgical
Patients
Supplements of both Vitamin E and
Vitamin C can improve outcomes of surgical patients, according to the Johns Hopkins Medical Letter. The medical publication, in its coming April edition, reports on a study of 600 patients that has been published in the Annals of Surgery. The study found that trauma patients who received Vitamin E and Vitamin C were "less likely to experience organ failure."
Read article at PRNewswire.com
March 26, 2003
Heart Disease Caused by Vitamin D Deficiency?
Scientists from the University of Bonn, in co-operation with the Bad Oeynhausen Heart Centre, have now been studying the causes of cardiac failure. They detected `clear indications` that vitamin D deficiency contributes to the emergence of the disease. They have now published their findings in the prestigious Journal of the American College of Cardiology (vol. 41, no. 1, 2003, pp.105-112).
Read article at Foodingredientsfirst.com
March 21, 2003
Fruits
and vegetables protective overall against cancer
Eating fruits and vegetables may lower the risk of
cancer, particularly cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, according to a
high-level international review of research findings. The scientific review, coordinated by the WHO's International Agency of Research on Cancer (IARC), was carried out by a Working Group of 22 scientists, from 10 countries (IARC Communications).
Read article at Health.FGov.be
March 19, 2003
Vitamin
C may help prevent arthritis
A diet that is high in fruit and vegetables – particularly those
containing vitamin C – may help prevent arthritis, according to
UK researchers.
A joint study by the Arthritis Research Campaign's epidemiology unit at Manchester University and the Institute of Public Health at the University of Cambridge, found that reduced fruit and vegetable intake increases the risk of developing inflammatory arthritis.
Read article at ARC.org.uk
March 10, 2003
Tea as good as pharma drugs against certain
cancer
Evidence continues to mount in favour of the consumption of white and
green tea with the publication of findings from a new study that suggest
these teas provide as much protection against colon tumours as the well
recognised, and effective, prescription drug sulindac. But of particular
interest - the powerful combination of tea and drugs.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
March 5, 2003
Scottish MP criticises European Union's
Food Supplement Directive
Battling MSP Margo MacDonald last night blasted EU chiefs over a new food
supplement law that will affect Scots.
The legislation, due to be implemented in August, would deny Edinburgh cancer victim Sandra Buchanan the vitamin pills that help her fight the disease.
Read article at Dailyrecord.co.uk
March 5, 2003
High intake of folate and vitamin B6
may reduce breast cancer incidence
A higher intake of folate and possibly vitamin B6 may reduce the risk
of developing breast cancer, report researchers in the US.
The team from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, also report that adequate levels of folate may be particularly important for women at higher risk of developing breast cancer because of higher alcohol consumption.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
March 4, 2003
US researchers conclude that daily vitamin
and mineral supplementation is beneficial to health
A daily multivitamin may reduce the chances of getting ill, say US researchers,
who find that diabetics could gain significant benefits from a daily vitamin. The researchers report that more participants receiving placebo reported an infectious illness over the study year than did participants receiving multivitamin and mineral supplements (73 per cent versus 43 per cent of those receiving vitamins). Infection-related absenteeism was also higher (57 per cent) in the placebo group than in the treatment group (21 per cent).
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
March 2, 2003
Study finds vitamin E supplements reduce
risk of bladder cancer
Vitamin E supplements are believed to reduce the risk of bladder cancer
mortality, according to a study conducted by the American Cancer Society. Antioxidants such as Vitamin E have long been recognized as fighting off free radicals, which are molecules associated with aging and certain diseases, including cancer.
Read article at NPICenter.com
February 25, 2003
EU-funded 'Lipidiet' project to investigate
how diet can protect against Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases
Europe continues to assess the role that diet can play in keeping our
minds healthier for longer with the launch of a new study in Germany.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
February 22, 2003
Attacks on natural health alternatives
continue
From helping your heart to protecting you from cancer to lengthening your
life, there's no question that nutrition plays a vital role in keeping
you healthy.
Read article at HealthScoutNews.com
February 22, 2003
The effects of zinc deficiency have
been known for 40 years and yet continue to be ignored by global health
organizations
Although it has been known for more than six decades that zinc is essential
for the growth of micro-organisms, plants, and animals, until 1961 it
was believed that zinc deficiency in humans could never occur. It is now
clear that nutritional deficiency of zinc is widely prevalent and its
morbidities are severe. This article describes the history of the study
of zinc deficiency from a single case report in 1961 to its current state.
Read article at BMJ.com
February 22, 2003
The American Heart Association recommends
making people aware of the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke and
providing health education
Information to prevent heart disease must be taken to workplaces, schools,
and religious institutions, not left to health professionals, says a new
guideline from the American Heart Association.
Read article at BMJ.com
February 21, 2003
Yet again, the European Commission attacks
natural health alternatives
On 17th January 2003, the European Commission released a draft proposal
for a Regulation on the Addition of Vitamins and Minerals and Certain
Other Substances to Food.
February 20, 2003
Scottish parliament introduces £ 63 million scheme to set nutritional standards
for children -- first scheme of its kind in the UK
CHILDREN in their first two years of primary school are to be given free
fruit at playtime as part of an Executive bid to improve the nation's
health.
Read article at Dailyrecord.co.uk
February 20, 2003
South African Health Minister says "...the issue of health and nutrition
becomes absolutely paramount..."
Speaking on the issue of food security in an interview this morning, Manto
Tshabalala-Msimang, the Health minister, said seriously ill patients who
come to state institutions will be fed in future to ensure that they are
strong enough to take their medicines.
Read article at SABCNews.com
February 20, 2003
Study finds eating lots of fruit in
childhood may cut
the risk of developing cancer in later life
High consumption of fruit as a child might cut the risk of developing
cancer later in life by as much as a third, according to a study that
looked at the health records of nearly 3,900 people aged over 60.
Read article at Guardian.co.uk
February 20, 2003
Dr Thomas Stuttaford of The Times newspaper
recommends
vitamin D and calcium supplementation to prevent osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a relatively silent condition, which becomes obvious only when limbs break or the spine becomes rounded as vertebrae collapse. Every year 60,000 hips, 50,000 wrists and 40,000 vertebrae fracture as a result of osteoporosis.
A recent survey has shown that more than 70 per cent of people living in institutions are deficient in vitamin D, which is essential for the absorption of calcium.
Read article at TimesOnline.co.uk
February 19, 2003
Long term vitamin E intake may reduce
the risk of Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease affects an estimated 1 million Americans, and about
60,000 new cases are diagnosed annually. The average age of onset is 60
years, although it does strike younger people. The disease is characterized
by a significant decline in brain production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter.
Symptoms include a rigid torso combined with tremors in the arms and legs,
along with poor balance and coordination. The standard pharmaceutical
treatment, L-dopa, significantly increases the patient's risk of dementia
within 10 years.
Read article at NPICenter.com
February 19, 2003
Study finds vitamin E may reduce blood
vessel inflammation
"Adhesion" molecules, such as ICAM-1, promote inflammation.
One way they do this is by enabling white blood cells to stick to other
cells, such as the endothelial cells lining arteries. These white blood
cells then secrete a variety of inflammation-promoting chemicals. The
activity of adhesion molecules is of particular interest to researchers
because of the role inflammation plays in many different diseases.
Read article at NPICenter.com
February 18, 2003
German researchers find heart failure
may be linked to a lack of vitamin D
German scientists have found that levels of the vitamin are considerably
lower in the blood of patients with chronic heart failure.
Read article at BBC.co.uk
February 18, 2003
National Standards for dietary supplements
introduced in the USA
NSF International, announces the adoption of NSF/ANSI Standard 173-Dietary
Supplements. NSF is the leading global provider of public health and safety
risk management solutions. NSF/ANSI 173 is the first and only American
National Standard for dietary supplements and for the ingredients used
in dietary supplements.
Read article at NSF.org
February 17, 2003
Chinese study finds that ginseng fights
stroke-induced memory loss
A small study found that a ginseng compound improved memory scores of
people suffering from stroke-induced dementia, Chinese researchers reported
last week.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
February 17, 2003
Welsh Government introduces new nutrition
programme
to combat heart disease and cancer
A strategy to improve the health of people in Wales through their diet
is being launched by Welsh Assembly Government health and social services
minister Jane Hutt.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
February 12, 2003
Grape seed extract may prevent radiation
fibrosis -
UK Institute of Cancer Research to conduct study
Grapes could help women to avoid the painful scarring often associated
with breast cancer treatment. Doctors at The Institute of Cancer Research
in London believe the antioxidants in grapes may protect against radiation
fibrosis.
Read article at BBC.co.uk
February 11, 2003
US study finds nutrition has a direct
influence on cancer risks
Women who eat a typical 'Western diet', high in red meats, sweets, fried
food and refined grains, have a 50 per cent greater risk of colon cancer
than those who consume less of these foods, according to a study published
in the recent issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
February 9, 2003
Food Based Dietary Guidelines issued
by Ministry of Health in Sri Lanka
The purpose of this article is to draw the attention of the general public
as well as health professionals to a document-Food Based Dietary Guidelines
(FBDG) - that has, at long last, been published by the Ministry of Health.
Read article at Sundayobserver.lk
January 30, 2003
US study finds vitamins C and E lower
the risk of organ damage
that can occur in insulin dependent diabetics
Boosting insulin with vitamins C and E may improve the drug's effectiveness
for treating diabetes. A UC Irvine College of Medicine study has found
that the popular antioxidant supplements not only enhance insulin's ability
to reduce blood sugar, but also lower the risks of organ damage that can
occur despite insulin treatments. The study appears in the January issue
of Kidney International.
Read article at Scienceblog.com
January 27, 2003
Royal Society of Medicine conference
concludes
doctors need more training in nutrition
A symposium of top UK cardiologists and international heart experts last
week confirmed the key role of diet in reducing the burden of coronary
heart disease (CHD). They said that the health care profession needed
to push diet up the agenda, and presented data showing the benefits of
several functional foods in research.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
January 27, 2003
US Department of Health appoints two
naturopathic doctors
to the Meidicare Coverage Advisory Committee
Alternative medicine will be recognized for the first time by a Medicare
advisory group after the appointment of two naturopathic physicians from
Bastyr University in Kenmore.
Bastyr co-founder Dr. Joseph Pizzorno Jr. and Dr. Pamela Snider have accepted appointments to the Medicare Coverage Advisory Committee, convened by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The group is charged with advising what medical services should be covered by Medicare.
Read article at SeattleTimes.com
January 24, 2003
Research by Dutch scientists confirms
that B vitamin
supplementation reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease
People with a genetically determined, reduced breakdown of the amino acid
homocysteine have an increased risk of coronary heart disease compared
to healthy people. This is revealed in doctoral research carried out by
Mariska Klerk at Wageningen University.
Read article at NWO.nl
January 14, 2003
Scientists in Bonn say vitamin D deficiancy
leads to heart disease
For several years now it has been known that Vitamin D in cell cultures
slows down the production of the `dehydration` hormone.
Scientists from the University of Bonn, in co-operation with the Bad Oeynhausen Heart Centre, have now been studying the causes of cardiac failure. They detected `clear indications` that vitamin D deficiency contributes to the emergence of the disease.
Read article at Uni-Bonn.de
January 11, 2003
Polyphenols in hops from regular beer
consumption may lower risk of heart attack
Pale lager beer causes structural changes in the blood clotting protein
fibrinogen that can significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks, according
to Israeli researchers. But it is the hops in beer that is largely responsible
for this effect, rather than the alcohol, said Dr Shela Gorinstein, a
senior researcher at the department of medicinal chemistry and natural
protects at the Hebrew University School of Pharmacy in Jerusalem.
Read article at BMJ.com
January 8, 2003
Long term lutein intake boosts eyesight
in age-related cataract patients
Eating fruit and vegetables rich in the antioxidant lutein may improve
eyesight in people with age-related cataracts, suggest researchers in
Spain reporting on results from a two-year study.
Cataracts are responsible for about 30 to 50 million cases of blindness throughout the world. Cataract increases with age, reducing visual acuity and constituting a major cause of disability in the elderly, according to the researchers.
Read article at Nutraingredients.com
January 2, 2003
New epidemiological research points to
link
between high iron levels and cardiovascular disease
Women with high iron levels could find themselves at risk for cardiovascular
disease, according to the findings of a new study.
Due to the growing percentage of iron levels among people living in heavily industrialized nations and the potential risk of cardiovascular disease among men with high iron levels, researchers have raised questions as to the possible link between high iron levels in women and the risk for CVD.
Read article at Ivanhoe.com
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