Topic of the Month
Using Good Nutrition to Support Healthy Cognition in Aging
26 October 2016
Nutrition plays a pivotal role in healthy aging, including maintaining cognition.
12 May 2014
A new US study reports that low blood vitamin D concentrations seem to be related to an increased chance of developing prostate cancer.
The observational study measured blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations in 667 men, between the ages of 40 and 79, who had undergone a prostate biopsy following detection of abnormal prostate-specific antigen and/or digital rectal examinations (1). The study results showed that participants with low vitamin D levels were significantly more likely to have a high-grade canker diagnosed on biopsy: a 3.7 times higher chance in European-Americans below 30 nmol/L and a 4.9 times higher chance in African-Americans below 50 nmol/L. In total, approximately 40% of the participants were found to be vitamin D deficient (defined as below
50 nmol/L, while the Institute of Medicine defines deficient as below 30 nmol/L and above 50 nmol/L as sufficient).
The researchers commented that because the average diet is not particularly rich in vitamin D, supplemen- tation and/or spending time in the sun are important. People with darker, more pigmented skin need to spend more time in the sun to synthesize and maintain normal vitamin D levels. An earlier study reported that daily intakes of 4000 IU vitamin D3 and average serum vitamin D concentrations of 82 nmol/L signi- ficantly reduced the risk of cancer diagnosis on biopsies (2). Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of death in American men; lung cancer is number one.
26 October 2016
Nutrition plays a pivotal role in healthy aging, including maintaining cognition.
20 January 2009
According to a U.S. survey, individuals with low vitamin D blood levels have a higher risk of nose and throat infections. In a secondary analysis of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a survey of the U.S. population, found that individuals with low blood levels of a vitamin D marker (25-hydroxyvitamin D) were also more likely to have an upper respiratory tract infection (URTI). Specifically, the analysis found that compared to those with levels greater than 30 nanograms/milliliter (ng/ml), individuals with less than 10 ng/mL had a 36% higher risk of having a recent URTI; those with 10–<30 ng/mL had a 24% higher risk (1). In recent years, vitamin D deficiency has reemerged, resulting in the resurfacing of diseases such as rickets in children. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, “Older adults, people with dark skin, and people exposed to insufficient ultraviolet band radiation (i.e., sunlight) should consume extra vitamin D from vitamin D-fortified foods and/or supplements.” The researchers commented that the evidence supporting the benefits of vitamin D continues to build. Given that vitamin D levels are relatively low in most foods and there are serious risks associated with excessive sun exposure, dietary supplements can be an effective alternative for achieving a sufficient intake. However, this study on its own does not mean that higher vitamin D intake will ensure prevention of upper respiratory tract infection. 1.Ginde A. et al. Association Between Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Level and Upper Respiratory Tract Infection in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Archives of Internal Medicine, 2009; 169 (4):384–390.
13 September 2011
According to a new Finnish study, substituting potassium and/or magnesium salts for regular salt may lower blood pressure in people with hypertension.