News
B vitamins may help to reduce colorectal cancer risk
10 January 2013
According to a new study increased intakes of vitamin B2 and B6 are associated with a 20% reduction in the risk of colorectal cancer.
27 January 2010
Higher blood levels of vitamin B9 (folate) may reduce the risk of depressive symptoms in men, says a new study.
In the study, vitamin B9 (folate) and homocysteine blood levels in 530 Japanese people were compared with depressive symptoms identified in over 36 percent of the male and female participants (1).
The results showed that depressive symptoms were less common in men with higher folate levels. Indeed, the highest levels were associated with a 50 percent reduction in the prevalence of depressive symptoms, compared to the lowest folate levels. On the other hand, a link between higher levels of the amino acid homocysteine and a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms in men was observed. In women, neither folate nor homocysteine was associated with depressive symptoms.
The research adds to a growing body of research linking folate and folic acid intake to improved mood, and follows a review of 11 studies involving 15,315 participants that reported low folate levels were linked to increased depression (2).
In 2003, U.S. researchers reported that folic acid supplements may help reduce the prevalence of depressive symptoms (3).
The World Health Organization (WHO) forecasts that within 20 years more people will be affected by depression than any other health problem; it ranks depression as the leading cause of disability worldwide, with around 120 million people affected.
10 January 2013
According to a new study increased intakes of vitamin B2 and B6 are associated with a 20% reduction in the risk of colorectal cancer.
15 July 2015
Helena Pachon is Research Associate Professor at the Rollins School of Public Health in Atlanta, USA. Her team has been involved in a systematic assessment regarding the effectiveness of the fortification of flour to prevent anemia. They found that each year of flour fortification was associated with a 2.4% reduction in the prevalence of anemia. There was no reduction in those countries that did not fortify.
21 November 2019
Two recent articles that buttress each other hit Michael Roizen, M.D.’s reading stack this past month. These studies reinforce the notion that what is good for your brain, is also good for your heart. Read more about his analysis of these studies.