News
Vitamin D3 seems to be more effective than vitamin D2
20 September 2013
New research from Norway reports that supplements containing vitamin D3 can increase blood concentrations more effectively than the D2 form.
17 May 2013
A regular supplementation with docosahexaenoic acid or a multivitamin/mineral/trace element combination may reduce the incidence of aggressive behavior, impulsivity and/or perceived stress, says a new study from UK.
This randomized controlled trial examined laboratory-based measures of aggression, impulsivity, and stress in 173 young adult men without a history of aggressive or impulsive behavior. They received either a supple-ment with vitamins (A, C, D, E, K and the B vitamins), minerals and trace elements, a supplement with doco-sahexaenoic acid (672 mg of DHA/day), a combination of both supplements, or a placebo for three months (1). The study results showed that participants who took DHA had a decrease in aggressive behavior and a decrease in impulsivity (the ability to inhibit already initiated behavior). The multivitamin, mineral and trace element supplement did decrease perceived stress but not the other parameters. No synergistic effects were observed in the group receiving vitamins/minerals plus DHA.
The researchers commented that previous studies may have shown positive findings with vitamin/minerals supplementation because they used participants who were deficient in micronutrients at the beginning of the study. Clearly, future studies would benefit from measuring the participants’ micronutrient status.
A series of randomized, placebo-controlled double-blind studies have reported that supplementation with vitamins/minerals, omega-3 fatty acids or both reduce the incidence of aggressive behavior in participants with a history of antisocial behavior. One study found that the disciplinary record of young male offenders improved by 26% following 13 vitamins plus 12 minerals and omega-3 fatty acid supplementation (80 mg/ day of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 44 mg/day of DHA) (2). A replication of this study used higher doses of fatty acids (400 mg of DHA and 400 mg of EPA per day), and found that aggression and rulebreaking decreased by 34% (3).
20 September 2013
New research from Norway reports that supplements containing vitamin D3 can increase blood concentrations more effectively than the D2 form.
14 December 2015
The results of the recent, comprehensive Age-Related Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) failed to support the prevailing view that marine omega-3 fatty acids could have a protective role in preventing the onset and progression of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). Professor Eric Souied, Head of the Department of Ophthalmology at both the Hôpital Intercommunal de Créteil and the Hôpital Henri Mondor in France, has carefully reviewed the study and found that the null results could be due to methodological differences between this and other recent studies. He thinks that the evidence from laboratory and other clinical studies still provides hope that omega-3 fatty acids could provide benefits in relation to ARMD.
1 December 2014
Optimizing vision throughout the lifespan is a public health priority worldwide, not only because of its central importance to quality of life, but also because of the health care costs associated with the loss of vision in an aging population. Oxidative stress is thought to be a key pathogenic mechanism of compromised vision, and the antioxidant properties of some nutrients show the capacity to modulate disease conditions linked to oxidative stress. Considerable evidence has accumulated showing that vitamins A, C, E, beta-carotene and zinc help support vision and may be protective against the development or progression of some common – especially age-related – eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. In addition, increased intakes of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin and the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) – all concentrated in the eye – have been associated consistently with lower likelihood of sight-threatening conditions. There has also been some promising research with B vitamins in age-related eye diseases and with vitamin A and DHA in the rare disease retinitis pigmentosa (see also Key nutrients for healthy vision).