News
Increased levels of the protective macular pigment in the fovea of the eye are shown to be positively associated with increased blood serum of lutein, zeaxanthin and DHA in a new human study (1)
19 December 2016
06 March 2013
A new Chinese data review says that daily folic acid supplementation may reduce hardening of the arteries and decrease atherosclerosis risk.
The meta-analysis included data from 10 randomized controlled trials investigating the heart health benefits of folic acid, involving a total of 2,052 people (1). The study results showed that regular supplementation with folic acid was consistently associated with significantly reduced thickening of artery walls (carotid intima-media thickness, CIMT), particularly for people with chronic kidney disease or with a high risk of severe cardiovascular disease. The benefits were most significant when folic acid intakes were associated with the greatest reductions of high homocysteine levels, which have been linked to heart disease.
The researchers concluded that increased folic acid intakes are associated with less hardening of the arterial walls, which has proved to be a good marker for both the presence of early atherosclerosis and the degree of atherosclerosis within an individual. In addition, the analysis proved, according to them, that folic acid supplementation could not possibly increase the progression of atherosclerosis, irrespective of baseline homocysteine concentrations.
Some clinical trials including participants at risk of, or already suffering from, cardiovascular disease showed no clear effect from folic acid supplementation. Experts argued that short-term supplementation with B vita-mins cannot be expected to reverse the long-term development of heart disease.
19 December 2016
1 January 2012
Sexual health is of particular importance to a man: not only when he wants to start a family, but during all phases of his life. And while sexuality’s functions differ from man to man, in almost all societies there is a connection between a man’s success and his sexual health. This applies to most aspects of a man’s life as his body’s functionality and performance must be just as good sexually as it is in his working life and in sports. Hence, sexual health affects a man’s quality of life and his self-esteem. A balanced, micronutrient-rich diet plays an important part in maintaining sexual and reproductive health.
19 July 2013
Post-menopausal women who take a combination of hormones plus calcium and vitamin D supplements may be better protected from hip fractures than with either therapy alone, suggests a new US study.