11 April 2011
Increased intake of docosahexaenoic acid in baby formula or breast milk is safe and may benefit the growth of the pre-term infants, says a new Australian study.
In the randomized controlled trial, 657 infants born before the 33rd week of pregnancy were randomly assigned to one of four groups (1): Two groups received breast milk and two received formula. One of the groups receiving breast milk and one receiving formula were given a standard docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) dose (0.2-0.3 percent of dietary fatty acids). The other two groups received a higher DHA dose (approx.
1 percent of dietary fatty acids). The feeding experiment was conducted from between two and five days after the pre-term babies were born and continued up to the due date that they had been scheduled to be born. The study results showed that, at 18 months of age, the infants fed the higher dose of DHA were, on average, about 0.7 cm longer and had a greater growth rate in the size of their heads than the babies fed the standard DHA dose. In addition, the trial showed that high dietary intake of DHA has no adverse effects of the growth of premature infants.
The researchers noted that the small difference in head growth was associated with a modest but noticeable increase in the mental development. However, it was not clear if this difference can be considered clinically significant. The association should be further investigated.
1 October 2015
Mitochondria, the cells energy powerhouse, slowly loose function with ageing. Professor Eckert of the Nutritional Neuroscience research group at Goethe University, Frankfurt, has demonstrated that mitochondrial dysfunction can produce age-related cognitive impairment, but normal function can be largely restored with an intervention of fish oil.
14 June 2013
According to a new study from Norway insufficient supply of vitamin D seems to significantly increase the risk of suffering a hip fracture for older adults.
1 July 2012
Mental energy is seen as a combination of high cognitive functioning, high levels of alertness, a motivation to do more and a positive, optimistic mood. Depending on individual circadian rhythms, mental energy levels can change within a 24 hour time period. There is no clear explanation for occasions where mental performance is at its highest in some people and lowest in others. Besides genetics, sleep and pain, oxygen supply and water intake can also influence mental energy or arousal. In addition, the types of foods consumed can enhance or reduce one’s level of mental energy. While glucose is the favorite energy source for the nerve cells, caffeine can increase reaction speed and enhance alertness. Micronutrients such as B vitamins, antioxidant vitamins, coenzyme Q10 and omega-3 fatty acids are also known to influence mental energy.
