expert opinion
Perspectives in nutrition and brain aging
Epidemiological studies and basic research suggest a protective effect of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants and B vitamins against brain aging.
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Topic of the Month
Key nutrients in the prevention of eye diseases
Optimizing vision throughout the lifespan is a public health priority worldwide, not only because of its central importance to quality of life, but also because of the health care costs associated with the loss of vision in an aging population. Oxidative stress is thought to be a key pathogenic mechanism of compromised vision, and the antioxidant properties of some nutrients show the capacity to modulate disease conditions linked to oxidative stress. Considerable evidence has accumulated showing that vitamins A, C, E, beta-carotene and zinc help support vision and may be protective against the development or progression of some common – especially age-related – eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. In addition, increased intakes of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin and the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) – all concentrated in the eye – have been associated consistently with lower likelihood of sight-threatening conditions. There has also been some promising research with B vitamins in age-related eye diseases and with vitamin A and DHA in the rare disease retinitis pigmentosa (see also Key nutrients for healthy vision).
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expert opinion
Controversies in omega-3 fatty acid research
Long chain omega-3 fatty acids play important roles in growth, development, optimal functioning, and maintenance of health and well-being right across the life course.
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expert opinion
The controversy around antioxidants and prooxidants
Antioxidant research has progressed over the past decades from the initial enormous potential of antioxidants envisioned by researchers when the free radical theory of aging was proposed, through to the current reality of positive, negative, and inconsistent results from clinical trials investigating antioxidant interventions in numerous health conditions.
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News
Increased vitamin D levels could help to prevent asthma attacks
According to a new study from Israel asthmatics who are vitamin D-deficient seem to be at a higher risk of an asthma attack.
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News
Increased intakes of vitamin D and calcium may reduce risk of stress fractures
A new US study reports that a daily supplementation with calcium and vitamin D may help to increase bone density of people with a higher risk of skeletal stress fractures due to intense physical fitness training.
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News
Increased vitamin D intakes may decrease triglyceride levels
A new study from Mexico reports that a daily dose of vitamin D seems to decrease blood triglyceride concentrations of post-menopausal women with an increased risk of heart disease.
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News
Children who drink non-cow’s milk may have an increased risk for vitamin D deficiency
According to a new study from Canada children who drink non-cow’s milk such as rice, almond, soy or goat’s milk, are twice as likely to have low blood levels of vitamin D.
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News
A sufficient supply with vitamin E and folate seems to be key for cognitive health
A new review concludes that the strongest evidence for preventing cognitive decline and/or improving cognitive function is related to increased intakes of vitamin E and folate among individuals with low status of these vitamins.
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Topic of the Month
Key nutrients for healthy vision
The eye is rich in nutrients and other dietary components that support and complement each other. Some nutrients are necessary for the basic physical structure of the eye, some for the physiology of sight, and others for protection. Nutrients within the visual system can be thought of as a hierarchy representing a complex of interacting factors: while vitamin A (retinol) is essential for the formation of visual pigments, the antioxidants vitamin E, vitamin C, lutein and zeaxanthin help to protect the lens and retina against light-induced oxidative damage, and the long-chain omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) enriches neural tissues including the photoreceptor cells. These nutrients are known to be important for visual development early in life, starting from the fetus through infancy to early childhood. Visual acuity gradually improves until about age four, when it is comparable to that of adults. For adults a sufficient intake of these nutrients is needed throughout the lifespan to maintain visual performance, such as the ability to adapt to low light, recover from intense light and distinguish objects from their background.