News
Multivitamins apparently safe
7 January 2013
A new Australian review claims that the use of dietary supplements does not increase the risk of death.
15 April 2013
Older adults who have higher blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids may be able to lower their overall mortality risk by up to 27% and their mortality risk from heart disease by about 35%, says a new US study.
The observational study analyzed blood omega-3 fatty acid concentrations of 2,692 healthy adults with an average age of 74 along with cases of death and incidents of fatal or nonfatal coronary heart disease (CHD) as well as stroke over a period of16 years (1). The results showed that – after adjusting for demographic, cardiovascular, lifestyle, and dietary factors – increased blood concentrations of three fatty acids, both individually and combined, were associated with a significantly lower risk of mortality: in particular docosa-hexaenoic acid (DHA) was most strongly related to lower risk of CHD-related death (40% lower risk), especially CHD death due to disturbances of the heart rhythm (45% lower risk). Increased blood levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) were most strongly associated with lower risk of death due to stroke, and EPA was most strongly linked with lower risk of nonfatal heart attack. Study participants with the highest levels of all three types of fatty acids had a 27% lower risk of all-cause mortality overall. The steepest rise in blood omega-3 fatty acid levels occurred when participants went from very low intake to a modest intake of about 400 mg per day or about two servings of fatty fish per week.
The researchers concluded that participants who had the highest blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids lived, on average, 2.2 years longer than those with lower levels. The findings would thus support the importance of adequate blood levels for cardiovascular health, and suggest that later in life these benefits could actually extend the years of remaining life. Previous studies have found that increased intakes of fish, which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, may reduce the risk heart disease-related death. However, the effect on other causes of death or on total mortality remains unclear.
7 January 2013
A new Australian review claims that the use of dietary supplements does not increase the risk of death.
6 November 2018
Created in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organization, World Diabetes Day is observed annually on November 14. There are close links between diabetes and heart health. General practitioner, Hilary Jones, shares his tips for a heart healthy diet that supports the health of all adults, and especially those with diabetes.
27 October 2015
A new study has shown that people with metabolic syndrome are less able to process vitamin E than the normal population. As this population suffers from a high visceral lipid burden, any reduction in the levels of this potent fat-soluble antioxidant is of concern and suggests that dietary recommendations of vitamin E intake for this group should be revised upward. Metabolic syndrome is extremely common in the Western world and is closely associated with the development of atherosclerosis and type 2 diabetes.