News
Genes may play a role in vitamin D deficiency
10 June 2010
Gene variants may indicate a risk of having low levels of vitamin D, suggests a new study.
28 March 2014
A new review from the US concludes that adequate intakes of omega-3 fatty acids can decrease systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
The meta-analysis included results of 70 randomized controlled trials (mean duration 69 days) evaluating a potential link between intakes of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and blood pressure in participants with normal blood pressure and patients with hypertension (1). The analysis showed that among all participants with increased intakes of DHA plus EPA (mean EPA+DHA dose: 3.8g/day), systolic blood pressure decreased by an average 1.52 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by 0.99 mm Hg, while placebo showed no significant effect. Among those with hypertension, the effect was even greater, with an average reduction in systolic blood pressure of 4.51 mm Hg and an average reduction in diastolic blood pressure of 3.05 mm Hg.
The researchers commented these findings show that omega-3 fatty acids can be as effective or more effec- tive in lowering blood pressure than other lifestyle interventions, including restricting sodium and alcohol in- take and increasing physical activity. The decrease of systolic blood pressure among those with high blood pressure could prevent an individual from having to take medication to control blood pressure levels or pre- vent an individual from moving toward a more progressive stage of hypertension.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 31% of Americans are hypertensive, 30% are prehypertensive, and approximately 20% are hypertensive yet unaware of their status (2). Only 47% of those with hypertension are adequately controlled. Prior research shows that diet and lifestyle modifications, including physical activity, sodium reduction, and fish oil supplementation, can reduce blood pressure, enhan- ce antihypertensive drug efficacy, and decrease cardiovascular disease risk (3).
10 June 2010
Gene variants may indicate a risk of having low levels of vitamin D, suggests a new study.
1 January 2013
Humans require an adequate intake of micronutrients in order to maintain normal bodily function. Though it is possible to obtain sufficient doses from a healthy diet, proper micronutrient nutrition is not always possible, especially in low- and middle-income countries. In developed countries, national intake surveys have shown inadequate micronutrient status for vulnerable population groups, such as children, women during pregnancy and lactation, the elderly, and people who are ill, as well as for young to middle-aged adults who make unhealthy food and other lifestyle-related choices that become risk factors. Micro-nutrient deficiencies and long-term insufficient intakes are associated with adverse health effects ranging from severe birth defects to chronic diseases. The costs of treating these health implications, as well as the productivity lost due to micronutrient deficiency-related morbidity and mortality, have been found in various studies to be economically significant. Interventions aimed at correcting insufficient micronutrient intakes have been generally proven cost effective.
1 July 2012
A new review of national dietary surveys shows that vitamin intakes below recommended levels arecommon in representative Western populations in countries such as Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and the USA.