https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/974257
News Release 12-Dec-2022
Peer-Reviewed Publication
University of South Australia
With an emphasis on fruits, vegetables and legumes, the Mediterranean diet has long been applauded for its multiple health benefits. Now, new research shows that it may also help overcome infertility, making it a non-intrusive and affordable strategy for couples trying to conceive.
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https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/974288
News Release 13-Dec-2022
Researchers in Brazil and the UK analyzed data for more than 3,000 people aged 50 or more to prove the importance of vitamin D to muscles.
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Vitamin D plays an important role in the regulation of calcium and phosphorus absorption by the organism. It also helps keep the brain and immune system working. Researchers at the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar) in Brazil and University College London (UCL) in the United Kingdom have now shown that vitamin D supplementation reduces the risk of dynapenia in older people by 78%.
Dynapenia is an age-associated loss of muscle strength. It can be partially explained by muscle atrophy and is a major risk factor for physical incapacity later in life. People with dynapenia are more likely to fall, need to go to hospital, be prematurely institutionalized, and die.
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hyaluronan is also called hyaluronic acid. I have been taking it several years for my joint, and it has improved my problem with dry eyes, although I still have to take artificial tears at night. But I no longer need them during the day.
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/964744
News Release 14-Sep-2022
Can hyaluronan cure dry eye disease?
Already known to reduce wrinkles, hyaluronan under the microscope at UH College of Optometry
Grant and Award Announcement
University of Houston
As you read this are your eyes burning, itchy, tired, dry or red? If so, you may be one of 21 million people in the United States living with dry eye disease (DED). If you don’t have it now, you may soon – the numbers are expected to rise as the population ages, and as anyone who suffers from it can tell you, it will decrease your productivity and reduce your quality of life.
Unfortunately, treatment options for DED are limited. What is known is that the Meibomian gland undergoes age-related changes that may account for the disease. Clinical studies suggest that 85% of all dry eye cases are caused by some form of Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). Meibomian glands are oil glands on the edge of the eyelids; the oil they produce is an important part of the eye's tears, keeping tears from quickly drying.
Enter a discovery in the lab of Vivien Coulson-Thomas, associate professor of optometry in the University of Houston College of Optometry: an extra cellular matrix or ECM (a network of proteins and other molecules) that surrounds and supports the Meibomian gland and is rich with hyaluronan (HA), a molecule known to protect and lubricate soft tissue. Hyaluronan is widely used for treating numerous conditions, including application around the eyes and into the eyelids in order to reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
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https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/966291
News Release 28-Sep-2022
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Oregon State University
Cystic fibrosis patients who supplement their diet with vitamin C can also derive greater benefit from another antioxidant, vitamin E, resulting in a reduction in damaging inflammation, a study led by Oregon State University suggests.
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The benefits of the findings, published in the journal Nutrients, are not unique to cystic fibrosis patients, she noted. Smokers, for example, typically have problems associated with oxidative stress and can benefit from extra vitamin C and possibly extra vitamin E. Metabolic syndrome patients have issues with vitamin C and E as well.
“This study used vitamin C far in excess of what someone can easily obtain from the diet,” she said. “One thousand milligrams is the equivalent of 15 oranges or four or five medium bell peppers. But the research does suggest a high dosage may be beneficial in inflammatory conditions.”
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https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/943870
News Release 17-Feb-2022
Peer-Reviewed Publication
University of Toledo
A new review of COVID-19 hospitalization data by researchers at The University of Toledo has found that taking immune-boosting supplements such as vitamin C , vitamin D and zinc do not lessen your chance of dying from COVID-19.
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Their analysis did find that treatment with vitamin D may be associated with lower rates of intubation and shorter hospital stays, but the researchers say more rigorous study is needed to validate that finding.
Vitamin C and zinc were not associated with shorter hospital stays or lowering the chance a patient would be put on a ventilator.
While the study predominately looked at patients who were already sick and hospitalized with COVID-19 when given the supplements, researchers did analyze a smaller subset of individuals who had been taking vitamin D prior to contracting the virus. They found no significant difference in the mortality rate of that population either.
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https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/941014
News Release 26-Jan-2022
Vitamin D supplementation over five years reduced autoimmune disease rate by 22 percent compared to placebo
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Autoimmune diseases (AD) such as rheumatoid arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica, autoimmune thyroid disease and psoriasis, are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality as people age. Few effective treatments are available for AD, but some preclinical studies have hinted that supplements, including vitamin D and omega-3 (or n-3) fatty acids, may have beneficial effects. In a new study published in BMJ, investigators from Brigham and Women’s Hospital evaluated whether taking vitamin D and/or omega fatty acid supplements could affect rates of AD. The team tested this in the large-scale vitamin D and Omega-3 Trial (VITAL), a randomized study which followed participants for approximately five years. Investigators found the people who took vitamin D, or vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids had a significantly lower rate of AD than people who took a placebo.
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https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/939150
News Release 3-Jan-2022
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Cornell University
Seven-year-old children performed better on a challenging task requiring sustained attention if their mothers consumed twice the recommended amount of choline during their pregnancy, a new Cornell study has found.
The study, which compared these children with those whose mothers had consumed the recommended amount of choline, suggests that the recommended choline intake for expectant mothers does not fully meet the needs of the fetal brain.
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Choline – found in egg yolks, lean red meat, fish, poultry, legumes, nuts and cruciferous vegetables – is absent from most prenatal vitamins, and more than 90% of expectant mothers consume less than the recommended amount.
Several decades of research using rodent models has shown that adding extra choline to the maternal diet produces long term cognitive benefits for the offspring. In addition to improving offspring attention and memory throughout life, maternal choline supplementation in rodents has proven to be neuroprotective for the offspring by mitigating the cognitive adversities caused by prenatal stress, fetal alcohol exposure, autism, epilepsy, Down syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease.
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https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/938340
News Release 16-Dec-2021
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Centro Universitario de la Costa
The links between diet-related diseases and Covid-19 is now widely accepted based on scientific evidence. In this regard, obesity has been identified by the CDC as a strong risk factor for severe COVID-19 illness. Still scientists trying to understand why Covid19 had mild symptoms in some and much more severe symptoms in others.
Vaccination against Covid19 is essential. Vaccine have been proven to be safe and effective and should be promoted as the first line of defence. However, attention to the preventative effect of diet related mitigations, is largely missing. As a mitigating factor, diet impact on Covid19 should be carefully explored.
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The study showed that those Covid19 positive individuals, with an increased habitual intake of legumes, grains, bread & cereals food groups, showed decreased overall symptom severity.
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https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/938068
News Release 15-Dec-2021
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Aston University
chi
Parents who struggle to encourage their children to eat vegetables can now play a more influential part at their mealtimes – concludes a study by psychologists in the College of Health and Life Sciences at Aston University.
The recent study, which was published in the journal Appetite, was carried out by doctoral researcher Katie Edwards, who found that children watching adults eat a green vegetable with positive facial expressions tasted and consumed more than double the amount of that vegetable.
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https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/935079
News Release 18-Nov-2021
Prescribed meds, elimination diet, yoga and meditation provided no or little symptom relief
Peer-Reviewed Publication
BMJ
It may be worth adopting a plant based diet, rich in dark green leafy vegetables, to ease the symptoms of chronic migraine, suggest doctors in the online journal BMJ Case Reports.
The recommendation comes after they treated a man who had endured severe migraine headaches without aura for more than 12 years.
He had tried prescribed meds (Zolmitriptan and Topiramate); cutting out potential ‘trigger’ foods, including chocolate, cheese, nuts, caffeine, and dried fruit; and yoga and meditation in a bid to blunt the severity and frequency of his headaches. Nothing had worked.
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The report authors advised the man to adopt the Low Inflammatory Foods Everyday (LIFE) diet, a nutrient dense, whole food, plant-based diet.
The LIFE diet includes eating at least five ounces by weight of raw or cooked dark green leafy vegetables every day, drinking one 32-ounce daily green LIFE smoothie, and limiting intake of whole grains, starchy vegetables, oils, and animal protein, particularly dairy and red meat.
After 2 months on the LIFE diet, the man said that the frequency of his migraine attacks had fallen to just 1 day a month; the length and severity of the attacks had also lessened. Blood tests showed a substantial rise in beta-carotene levels, from 53 µg/dl to 92 µg/dl.
He stopped taking all his migraine meds. Even when he tried certain ‘challenge’ foods, such as egg whites, salmon, or iced tea, which triggered headache attacks, these were much less painful and much shorter in duration than before.
After 3 months his migraines stopped completely, and they haven't returned in 7.5 years.
The man was allergic, and previously published research suggests that better control of allergies may lead to fewer migraine headaches. In this case, the man’s allergy symptoms improved to the point that he no longer needed to use seasonal medication.
He was also HIV positive, and HIV has been linked to a heightened risk of migraines, so it is certainly possible that the man’s HIV status and antiretroviral drugs had contributed to his symptoms, say the report authors.
But it wasn’t possible to study this further without stopping the antiretroviral treatment, which is a limitation of the study, they acknowledge.
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https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/934213
News Release 10-Nov-2021
three times greater risk of dementia linked to diet low in fruits, vegetables, beans, tea
Peer-Reviewed Publication
American Academy of Neurology
As people age, inflammation within their immune system increases, damaging cells. A new study shows that people who consumed an anti-inflammatory diet that includes more fruits, vegetables, beans, and tea or coffee, had a lower risk of developing dementia later in life. The research is published in the November 10, 2021, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
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After adjusting for age, sex and education, researchers found that each one-point increase in dietary inflammatory score was associated with a 21% increase in dementia risk. Compared to the lowest third of participants who consumed the least inflammatory diet, those in the top third were three times more likely to develop dementia.
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I have personally found zinc helpful in fighting infections. Taking it on an empty stomach can cause nausea, but in this case, eating something makes the nausea go away.
News Release 1-Nov-2021
Peer-Reviewed Publication
NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University
A new rapid systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials shows zinc can prevent symptoms and shorten the duration of a community-acquired acute viral respiratory tract infections, such as the common cold and flu-like illnesses. When participants were purposely infected with human rhinovirus strains, the risk reduction was insignificant. Rhinovirus is one of the most common causes of upper respiratory tract infections. Other common respiratory viruses include coronavirus, adenovirus, parainfluenza virus, and influenza virus.
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The international team of researchers from Western Sydney University, the University of Sydney, Southern Cross University, McMaster University and the National University of Natural Medicine found that:
When zinc was used for prevention, there was a 28% lower risk of contracting symptoms consistent with the common cold and a 68% lower risk of contracting a flu-like illness. However, the protective effects of zinc were insignificant (4% lower risk) when participants were purposely infected with human rhinovirus.
When used for treatment, zinc was found to shorten the duration of symptoms by around 2 days and reduce day 3 symptomatic severity around the peak of illness, but the reduction in overall symptom severity were insignificant.
While there was an increased risk of non-serious adverse events that may limit tolerability for some (such as nausea or mouth and nasal irritation), the risk of serious adverse events (such as copper deficiency from oral zinc and loss of smell from zinc nasal sprays and gels) was low.
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https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/933083
News Release 2-Nov-2021
American Heart Association Scientific Statement
Peer-Reviewed Publication
American Heart Association
The American Heart Association has outlined 10 key features of a heart-healthy eating pattern in a new scientific statement that emphasizes the importance of overall dietary pattern rather than individual foods or nutrients and underscores the critical role of nutrition in all stages of life. These features can be adapted to accommodate individual food likes and dislikes, cultural traditions and whether most meals are consumed at home or on-the-go, according to the statement, “2021 Dietary Guidance to Improve Cardiovascular Health,” published today in the Association’s flagship journal Circulation.
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The statement details 10 features of a dietary pattern to promote heart health:
Balance food and calorie intake with physical activity to maintain a healthy weight.
Choose a wide variety and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables to get a full range of nutrients from food rather than supplements;
Choose whole grains and other foods made up mostly of whole grains;
Include healthy sources of lean and/or high-fiber protein such as plant proteins (nuts and legumes), fish or seafood, low fat or non-fat dairy, lean cuts of meat and limit red and processed meats;
Use liquid non-tropical plant oils such as olive or sunflower oils;
Choose minimally processed foods rather than ultra-processed foods as much as possible;
Minimize intake of beverages and foods with added sugars;
Choose or prepare foods with little or no salt;
Limit alcohol consumption; if you don’t drink, do not start; and
Apply this guidance no matter where food is prepared or consumed.
Processed foods include meats that are preserved by smoking, curing or adding chemical preservatives, and plant-based foods that have added salt, sugar or fats. Many processed meats are high in salt, saturated fat and cholesterol. Research shows that replacing processed meat with other protein sources is associated with lower death rates. Ultra-processed foods are those that go beyond added salt, sweeteners or fat to also include artificial colors, flavors and preservatives that promote shelf stability, preserve texture and increase palatability.
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https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/932598
News Release 29-Oct-2021
Peer-Reviewed Publication
NYU Langone Health / NYU Grossman School of Medicine
An increasing number of studies suggest a link between a neighborhood’s built environment and the likelihood that its residents will develop chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes (T2D) and certain types of cancers. A new nationwide study led by researchers from NYU Grossman School of Medicine published online today in JAMA Network Open suggests that living in neighborhoods with higher availability of fast-food outlets across all regions of the United States is associated with higher subsequent risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Findings also indicated that the availability of more supermarkets could be protective against developing T2D, particularly in suburban and rural neighborhoods.
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https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/931842
News Release 18-Oct-2021
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Penn State
Filling half of a child’s plate with fruits and veggies isn’t just recommended by the United States Dietary Guidelines, it also helps increase the amount of produce that kids end up eating, according to Penn State research.
In a controlled feeding study, the researchers tested two strategies for encouraging kids to eat more fruits and vegetables.
The first was simply adding 50 percent more to fruit and vegetable side dishes at kids’ meals throughout the day. The second was substituting 50 percent more fruits and vegetables for an equivalent weight of the other foods. For example, if they added 50 grams of veggies to the lunch meal, they also subtracted 50 grams of mac-and-cheese.
The researchers found that adding more fruit and vegetable side dishes resulted in the kids eating 24 percent more veggies and 33 percent more fruit compared to the control menus. Substituting fruits and veggies for some of the other foods resulted in kids consuming 41 percent more veggies and 38 percent more fruit.
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https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/931911
News Release 19-Oct-2021
A study published in Annals of Internal Medicine shows that participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by older adults dually enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid is associated with fewer hospital visits and lower healthcare costs.
Peer-Reviewed Publication
University of North Carolina Health Care
Food insecurity among older adults takes a toll on the nutrition and health of those affected. According to data from 2019, 5.2 million people age 60 and above in the U.S. were food insecure – equaling 7.1% of that population – and that number has likely grown during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Older adults facing food insecurity are more likely to have chronic health conditions like depression, asthma, diabetes, congestive heart failure and heart attack. Only 48% of older adults who qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides benefits to supplement budgets to purchase healthy and nutritious foods, are enrolled in the program.
A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine shows the importance of older adults taking advantage of this nutrition benefit, as it is associated with fewer hospital visits and lower healthcare costs.
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https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/932391
News Release 22-Oct-2021
Research looks at warming, browning effects on freshwater systems
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Dartmouth College
HANOVER, N.H. – October 25, 2021 – Climate change impacts on freshwater systems can lower nutrition and increase toxicity at the base of the food web, according to research from Dartmouth College and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.
The research, published in Scientific Reports, focused on the effects of warming water temperatures and browning—a discoloration of water caused by increased dissolved organic matter—using controlled outdoor environments known as mesocosms.
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The research found that a combination of warmer, browner water resulted in the higher transfer of methylmercury from water to phytoplankton at the base of food web. Lower concentrations of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids in phytoplankton were also observed.
Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids—such as omega-3 and omega-6—support the growth and survival of animal and plant life by providing energy and by regulating immune systems. Methylmercury is a form of mercury that is easily absorbed by living organisms and acts a potent neurotoxin.
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Phytoplankton are the main suppliers of polyunsaturated fatty acids in aquatic ecosystems. According to the study, the less nutritious phytoplankton that result from browning and warmer water cause higher-level organisms—such as zooplankton, fish, other wildlife, and humans—to be exposed to more methylmercury as they consume more to achieve fatty acid quotas.
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https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/931111
News Release 13-Oct-2021
Recent trials lack scientific rigour; substantial change needed to protect participants from harm and protect consumers from misleading information
Peer-Reviewed Publication
BMJ
Formula milk trials have a high risk of bias, authors almost always report favourable conclusions, transparency is lacking, and findings are selectively reported, finds a review of evidence from recently published trials in The BMJ today.
The researchers say their findings “support the need for a substantial change in the conduct and reporting of formula trials to adequately protect participants from harm and protect consumers from misleading information.”
Formula milk is consumed by most European and North American infants, and new formula products need to be tested in clinical trials. But concerns have been raised that formula trials are biased and could undermine breastfeeding.
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https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/930154
News Release 30-Sep-2021
Peer-Reviewed Publication
University of California - Davis
A small sachet of a fortified food-based supplement added to young children’s daily diets in low- and middle-income countries has shown remarkable results in preventing child mortality and malnutrition, while also promoting healthy development. The new findings from researchers at the University of California, Davis, based on an analysis combining data from 14 trials, were published in a series of four papers in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
The study examined randomized trials in which children, ages 6 to 24 months old, were given about 4 teaspoons (20 grams) per day of a lipid-based nutrient supplement, which is a paste that typically includes oil, peanut butter, milk powder, vitamins and minerals. The trials were conducted in seven countries in sub-Saharan Africa as well as Bangladesh and Haiti.
“This is the first intervention for children to show beneficial effects across four different outcomes of child health, including growth, development, anemia and mortality,” said project leader Kathryn Dewey, distinguished professor emerita in the UC Davis Department of Nutrition and Institute of Global Nutrition. Dewey played a key role in a collaborative research group that developed various formulations of the small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements starting in 2003.
The study included more than 37,000 children. Those who received the supplements had a 12% to 14% lower prevalence of stunted growth and of being underweight for their height, and a 16% to 19% lower prevalence of adverse language, social-emotional and motor development outcomes. The children also had a 16% lower prevalence of anemia and a 64% lower prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia. This builds on previous research demonstrating a 27% reduction in mortality between 6 and 24 months of age among children provided with the supplements.
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https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/929312
News Release 27-Sep-2021
Peer reviewed / observational study / children
Peer-Reviewed Publication
University of East Anglia
Children who eat a better diet, packed with fruit and vegetables, have better mental wellbeing – according to new research from the University of East Anglia.
A new study published today is the first to investigate the association between fruit and vegetable intakes, breakfast and lunch choices, and mental wellbeing in UK school children.
It shows how eating more fruit and veg is linked with better wellbeing among secondary school pupils in particular. And children who consumed five or more portions of fruit and veg a day had the highest scores for mental wellbeing.
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We also found that the types of breakfast and lunch eaten by both primary and secondary school pupils were also significantly associated with wellbeing.
“Children who ate a traditional breakfast experienced better wellbeing than those who only had a snack or drink. But secondary school children who drank energy drinks for breakfast had particularly low mental wellbeing scores, even lower than for those children consuming no breakfast at all.
“According to our data, in a class of 30 secondary school pupils, around 21 will have consumed a conventional-type breakfast, and at least four will have had nothing to eat or drink before starting classes in the morning.
“Similarly, at least three pupils will go into afternoon classes without eating any lunch. Thchils is of concern, and likely to affect not only academic performance at school but also physical growth and development.
“Another interesting thing that we found was that nutrition had as much or more of an impact on wellbeing as factors such as witnessing regular arguing or violence at home.
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