News
Vitamin E may help liver disease patients
28 April 2010
A daily supplement of vitamin E may improve liver health of people with non-alcoholic liver disease, says a new study.
08 September 2015
A new study from Norway suggests that people who consume salmon, a food containing some of the highest amounts of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids, seem to experience reduced anxiety compared to people who consumed alternative meals.
The interventional study measured the heart rate (HR), the heart rate variability (HRV), the level anxiety, as well as blood concentrations of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids of 95 male criminal inpatients who consumed Atlantic salmon or an alternative meal (e.g., chicken, pork or beef) three times per week for 23 weeks (1). The study results showed that, compared to the participants who ate meat, the fish consumers showed significant improvements in both HR and HRV as well as reductions in (temporary) anxiety about a situation or an event. In addition, they had increased blood levels of vitamin D, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
The researchers commented that the beneficial effect of fish consumption on HRV could be due to the participants’ improved vitamin D status – a key factor in the regulation of serotonin, which in turn is very important for the regulation of HRV (2). HRV is regarded as an essential underlying biological mechanism involved in anxiety and emotion-regulation (3). If this is solely a vitamin D effect, a routine vitamin D supplementation could be adequate, they said. However, the beneficial effect of Atlantic salmon consumption may also be due to increased intakes of marine omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, iodine, vitamin B12 and their multiple mechanisms.
28 April 2010
A daily supplement of vitamin E may improve liver health of people with non-alcoholic liver disease, says a new study.
1 October 2013
Inflammation is a normal reaction of the body intended to remove harmful internal or external irritants and create conditions conducive to repair processes. An inflammatory reaction is a complex process involving numerous elements of the immune system. An excessive immune response or an immune system that attacks the body’s own structures (e.g. certain cells or tissues) can lead to persistent (chronic) inflammation. In this case, the immune system not only attacks pathogenic factors but also damages healthy structures, thus forming the basis for many chronic diseases. In recent years the incidence of chronic inflammatory diseases has greatly increased, especially in industrialized countries. A major cause of this increase, apart from genetic factors, is an unhealthy lifestyle, in particular an unbalanced diet and lack of exercise. A diet with plenty of micronutrients, some of which possess anti-inflammatory properties, can help prevent the development of chronic inflammatory diseases.
30 November 2010
A new report from the US Institute of Medicine has set out new, increased, dietary recommendations for calcium and vitamin D.