News
Omega-3 fatty acid may improve exercise economy
17 September 2014
According to a new study from Japan a daily supplementation with EPA-rich fish oil may boost exercise economy, a predictor of endurance exercise performance.
01 January 2014
A new study from Germany reports that increased blood levels of B vitamins, carotenoids, vitamin E and zinc after supplementation are associated with an improved self-perception of general health status in elderly with mild cognitive impairment.
In the observational study, serum concentrations of vitamins, carotenoids and trace elements as well as potential markers of vascular disease risk (e.g., homocysteine) were measured in 42 patients aged 61 to 87 years with mild cognitive deficits before and after a two-month multi-micronutrient supplementation (1). The study showed that the blood levels of B vitamins, folic acid, lutein, beta-carotene and vitamin E (alpha-toco- pherol) were significantly increased after supplementation, while a decrease in homocysteine levels was measured. No increase in intracellular antioxidant levels was observed. In addition, supplementation was associated with an improved self-perception of general health status.
The researchers concluded that for patients with insufficient micronutrient status, a supplementation may be helpful for improving cognitive function, as already shown in other studies (2). Micronutrient supplements need to be adjusted for specific population groups to optimize their supply. Several epidemiological studies have shown that in cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease, lower levels of micronutrients within the normal range are observed than among controls, suggesting that there is an additional need for specific micronutrients (3, 4). Whether supplementation with micronutrients is capable of reducing the risk of demen- tia remains controversial.
17 September 2014
According to a new study from Japan a daily supplementation with EPA-rich fish oil may boost exercise economy, a predictor of endurance exercise performance.
18 August 2014
According to a new review current evidence does not support the hypothesis that calcium supplements increase the risk for post-menopausal women to develop heart disease.
11 January 2016
A new paper has re-examined data from the large Australian DOMInO (DHA to Optimize Mother and Infant Outcome) study which looked at the effects of an intervention with a supplement containing the marine omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on the birth outcomes of 2,399 pregnant women. The intervention enabled cost savings for the hospitals – particularly in terms of shorter hospital stays – equivalent to an average of 92 AUD per singleton pregnancy (equivalent to 60 EUR or 66 USD), which equates on an annual basis to potential annual savings of between 15 to 51 million AUD (10 to 33 million EUR) for the Australian public hospital system.