News
Vitamin D may reduce risk of Alzheimer’s disease
27 April 2012
A new study from France suggests that increased vitamin D intakes can lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
18 July 2012
Fortifying foods with iron is effective and could be a viable public health option to help combat iron deficiency, says a new review from India.
To evaluate the effect of iron fortification in the context of iron deficiency and anemia, the meta-analysis included data from 60 randomized controlled trials (1). The analysis showed that fortifying foods with iron resulted in a significant increase in hemoglobin concentrations, and a reduced risk of anemia and iron deficiency. No instances of zinc depletion were observed – a theoretical risk of iron fortification, particularly in vegetarian populations with very low zinc intake.
The researchers noted that iron deficiency anemia is a widespread problem with health and economic consequences, such as poor cognitive development in children, lower worker productivity, and increased maternal mortality (2). Anemia affects nearly one third of the world’s population, primarily infants and young children in developing countries (3). Dietary strategies to counter anemia include iron supplementation or fortification, or dietary modification. It is often proposed that food fortification is the most realistic way to increase iron intake on a widespread and sustainable basis, and it is currently implemented above all in the United States, Britain, and most of Latin America. Biofortification of crops is also currently being intensively researched, with experts hoping it will provide a more sustainable and complementary alternative to food fortification.
27 April 2012
A new study from France suggests that increased vitamin D intakes can lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
15 June 2014
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).