News
Adequate beta-carotene intake may decrease risk of cardiovascular disease
5 January 2012
Vitamin D supplements could reduce blood pressure in patients diagnosed with hypertension, states a new study from Denmark.
17 January 2017
Marine-derived, long chain, omega-3 fatty acids are widely believed to play an important role in cognitive performance throughout all life stages. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is the dominant omega-3 fatty acid in the brain and a major component of neuronal cell membranes. DHA is important for the efficacy of neurological pathways and processes. A recent review of current scientific evidence suggests that consumption of DHA may enhance cognitive performance relating to learning, cognitive development and the speed of performing cognitive tasks in children and throughout adulthood (2). The DOLAB (DHA Oxford Learning and Behaviour) study demonstrated that an intervention of 600 mg algal DHA/day for 16 weeks in 493 healthy British children, aged 7 to 9 years (but who were underperforming in reading) improved reading ability and parent-rated behavior of the lower quintile (3).
A new study suggests that it is not just the tissue levels of DHA that are important in cognitive development, but that the omega-6/omega-3 ratio is also important (1). The study applied a battery of cognitive tests to 78 American children divided into two age ranges, 7 to 9 years old and 10 to 12 years old. Their dietary intake and tissue levels of DHA were also determined. The results demonstrated that both an optimal omega-6/omega-3 balance (10:1 or less) and a high DHA tissue level were required for optimal cognitive development. Interestingly, the two age groups differed, with the omega-6/omega-3 ratio being more important for the younger children, while total tissue DHA levels were important for the older children. This may be because the onset of puberty brings about increased accretion of DHA in the hippocampus and frontal cortex, both of which are associated with high-level decision making.
5 January 2012
Vitamin D supplements could reduce blood pressure in patients diagnosed with hypertension, states a new study from Denmark.
16 November 2009
Mothers who ate vegetables only three to fives times per week increased the risk of type 1 diabetes in their children by 70 percent, compared to women who consumed vegetables daily during pregnancy, according to new study results.
1 January 2015
Until now, recommendations for adequate nutrition could only be generalized, or at best specialized for target groups like children, sportsmen and -women or the elderly. In contrast, personalized nutrition aims to define dietary recommendations and possibly appropriate products for each individual based on their genetic and physiological characteristics. These recommendations would be designed to maintain health and avert the disease risks to which that individual might be predisposed. Micronutrients are involved in specific biochemical processes at all points in the metabolic process and play an important role in regulating health and in the onset of diseases. New analytical techniques make it possible to examine and describe the influence of micronutrients in health-preserving processes. This is usually done by analyzing a combination of biomarkers so as to provide the individual with a tailored micronutrient intake recommendation.