News
Vitamin E Supplementation May Decrease the Incidence of Pneumonia in Elderly Male Smokers, New Study Suggests
10 April 2017
08 September 2015
A new study from Singapore suggests that increased maternal folate concentrations during late pregnancy seem to be associated with longer gestational age and a lower risk of preterm birth.
The observational study measured the blood concentrations of folate, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 in 999 women in the 26th–28th weeks of gestation as well as birth weight and gestational age of their babies (1). The study results showed that higher plasma folate concentrations were associated with a longer gestational age and tended to be associated with lower risk of all preterm birth (delivery earlier than 37 weeks gestation) and spontaneous preterm birth. Little or no benefit was measured of higher vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 concentrations for reducing the risk of preterm birth.
The researchers commented that several recent cohort studies in Western countries also suggested that higher maternal folate concentrations (mainly measured during early pregnancy) were associated with longer gestational age or lower preterm birth risk (2, 3). A review of 3 clinical trials concluded that folic acid supplementation starting at mid- or late pregnancy through delivery had no effect on preterm birth risk (4). Nonetheless, the authors of the review commented that their findings were likely to have been influenced by bias and confounding due to methodological limitations of the original studies. There is an increased requirement for folate intake and folate-containing supplement use during pregnancy due to rapid maternal and fetal cellular growth and development. Folate plays critical roles in nucleotide (purine and thymidine) synthesis, which can subsequently affect DNA synthesis and mitotic cell division.
10 April 2017
1 December 2013
Micronutrients have many functions in the human organism. For example, they are needed to make macromolecules or as cofactors for essential enzymatic reactions. Micronutrient functions are based on their biochemical properties and are utilized in food technology. Many industrially processed foods contain additives that are in fact natural or nature-identical micronutrients. Their purpose is to improve the consistency of the food and to give it certain characteristics. Additives are selected based on their primary function in the finished food product. Micronutrients are usually used as antioxidants – to prevent oxidative processes that impair food quality – and as coloring agents to compensate for color lost during processing. Additives are generally labeled with E numbers. The use of additives in food is only permitted if it is technologically necessary, if they have been investigated and found to be harmless, and have passed inspection by the food safety authorities.
15 October 2012
Adults with increased blood concentrations of antioxidants, such as beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin are less likely to have depression, a new US study suggests.