30 June 2014
A new US study reports that low blood vitamin D levels may increase the chance of developing symptoms of anxiety and depression during early pregnancy.
The observational study measured the blood vitamin D concentrations of 498 women who had been pregnant for an average of 15.4 weeks and documented self-reported symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress and other mental health disorders (1). The study results showed that about 12% of the participants had moderate anxiety and depression symptoms. The women with the lowest vitamin D levels reported more often about more severe symptoms of depression and anxiety compared to women in the group with the highest levels. Every 1 ng/ml decrease in vitamin D levels was related to an increase in severity. The results also showed that lower vitamin D levels were related to more severe depression symptoms among women who reported no physical activity. This relationship did not exist in women who did report physical activity. The symptoms of depression were independent of factors such as BMI, skin color, season, age or smoking.
The researchers called for future studies to look at the relationship between vitamin D and depressive symp- toms throughout the course of pregnancy and to further explore the role of physical activity in this relation- ship. Depression and anxiety are relatively common during pregnancy, with an estimated 15% to 30% pre- valence among women in the United States. Previous research has suggested that mood disorders during early pregnancy may increase the risk for smoking during pregnancy, complications such as preeclampsia during pregnancy, and poor mental health after birth (2). Vitamin D has been shown to play a role in certain mood disorders (3, 4).
23 April 2012
A new study from the UK suggests that intake of oral vitamin D at 5,000 IU daily for three months has a superior effect than 2,000 IU daily in treating mild to moderate vitamin D deficiency.
10 April 2017
1 June 2013
Like carotenoids, polyphenols are among the estimated 60,000 secondary phytochemicals that help plants defend against pests and also serve as coloring, flavoring or fragrance agents. Polyphenols are broadly classified as phenolic acids and flavonoids (pigments), which are mainly found in fruits and drinks derived from plants, such as fruit juices, tea, coffee, cocoa and red wine, but also in vegetables, cereals and chocolate. Since polyphenols are present in large numbers in many foods and are involved in different biological processes, studying them is complex. According to current research, polyphenols may contribute to the prevention of chronic diseases; however, the evidence available to date is not sufficient enough to derive concrete intake recommendations in general or for specific populations with specific disease risks.
