News
Increased iron intakes may benefit blood donors
4 March 2015
According to a new US study blood donors who take low-dose iron supplements may restore their pre-donation hemoglobin levels faster.
10 February 2009
A combination of vitamin B6, vitamin B9, and vitamin B12 may decrease the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of severe irreversible vision loss in the elderly.
The randomized controlled trial, part of the Women’s Antioxidant and Folic Acid Cardiovascular Study (WAFACS), followed 5,442 female healthcare professionals aged 40 years or older, who already had or were at high risk of heart disease for a little more than seven years (1). Participants were assigned to receive a placebo or a combination of folic acid (2.5 mg/day), vitamin B6 (50 mg/day) and vitamin B12 (1 mg/day).
After two years, the beneficial effects on those women taking B vitamins emerged and persisted throughout the entire trial. After 7.3 years of follow-up, women taking the supplements had a 34% lower risk of any AMD and a 41% lower risk of visually significant AMD.
Previous observational studies have suggested an association between lower homocysteine concentrations in the blood and lower risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), while intervention studies have shown that vitamin B6, vitamin B9 (folic acid), and vitamin B12 may lower homocysteine levels. But no intervention study had yet examined the effect of B vitamin supplementation on AMD risk.
The researchers suggested that B vitamins could be combined with other supplemental nutrients including the antioxidants vitamins Cand vitaminE and carotenoids beta-carotene and lutein, which have also been shown to lower the risk of AMD. These supplements in turn can be combined with other preventive measures, including avoiding smoking and excessive sun exposure to provide even further protection.
4 March 2015
According to a new US study blood donors who take low-dose iron supplements may restore their pre-donation hemoglobin levels faster.
26 June 2013
A new study from Greece suggests that a daily treatment with omega-3 fatty acids may support endothelial function and the elastic properties of arteries in healthy smokers.
21 January 2019
Are there cost savings in reducing vitamin and mineral deficiencies in high-income countries? This question is explored in the latest NUTRI-FACTS expert opinion by nutrition researcher, Julia Bird, BSc, MPH.