Topic of the Month
Big Data and Nutrition in the Information Age
5 April 2018
In the information age, data is key. The amount of digital information produced is estimated to be doubling in size every two years.
01 February 2012
US researchers have developed a new standard for vitamin D testing measuring the serum concentrations of different vitamin D metabolites.
Current methods detect levels of a vitamin D metabolite called 25(OH)D. Measuring vitamin D itself does not work because it is rapidly changed into another form in the liver. However, the test methods that do exist do not always agree and produce different results. To help laboratories come up with consistent and accurate methods, researchers developed a Standard Reference Material called SRM 972, which measures different levels of the vitamin D metabolites 25(OH)D2, 25(OH)D3 and 3-epi-25(OH)D3 in human serum (1) – the latter was previously thought to only exist in the blood of infants but was recently found in adults, too.
The researchers commented that the new reference material would provide a mechanism to ensure measurement accuracy and comparability and represent a first step toward standardization of 25(OH)D measurements. Research suggests vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency may be even more common than previously thought and a risk factor for more than just bone diseases. An estimated 50–75% of people in the US may not be getting enough vitamin D. Low levels of vitamin D have been linked to the development of several conditions, including rickets, osteoporosis, some cancers, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease.
5 April 2018
In the information age, data is key. The amount of digital information produced is estimated to be doubling in size every two years.
6 April 2012
Regular intake of supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids may support the function of blood vessels in cardiovascular patients, suggests a new Chinese meta-analysis.
12 September 2014
According to a new review from the UK, vitamin D supplementation can increase upper and lower limb strength.