03 August 2009
Higher levels of lycopene in the blood are associated with lower stiffness in the arteries, a South Korean study reports.
According to the study results, women with the highest average lycopene blood levels had the lowest arterial stiffness values compared to people with the lowest average lycopene blood levels (1). Furthermore, these women also had lower oxidized low-density lipoprotein ( LDL ) levels, as well as larger LDL particles.
Oxidation of LDLs is thought to play an important role in the development of atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. Increasing LDL's resistance to oxidation is thought to possibly delay the progression of the disease. The study finding suggests that high blood serum concentrations of lycopene may play an important role in preventing the development of atherosclerosis, supporting the heart health benefits of the carotenoid.
15 September 2014
Discussions about the sense and nonsense of dietary supplements take place regularly. Studies suggesting that high doses of vitamins and minerals may even shorten lives are gladly taken up by the media and enhance this dispute, the result of which being that many consumers who had previously been promised a health benefit of supplements are sometimes left feeling very uncertain.
1 June 2012
The globally rising need for and use of medicines continues unabated. In the context of an ever widening range of medicinal therapies and a constantly growing number of pharmaceutical substances, interactions between bioactive substances are very significant. In the past, interactions between drugs and micronutrients received little attention in pharmaceutical and medical practice, but now medication-induced disturbances of micronutrient status are leading to a number of undesirable pharmacological effects. More-over, concomitant food intake can reinforce or diminish the bioavailability and effect of a pharmaceutical substance. In some cases, synergistic effects can arise from interactions between pharmaceuticals and micronutrients: micronutrients may complement medicinal treatment and enhance its effectiveness or reduce potential side-effects.
5 December 2011
Vitamin D deficiency and low calcium intakes may be highly prevalent in patients with prostate cancer, says a new Spanish study.
