04 August 2014
According to a new US study a supplementation with docosahexaenoic acid seems to reduce the extent of the gum disease.
In the randomized controlled trial, the extent of moderate periodontitis (e.g., average depth of the pockets between the teeth and the gums) was measured in 46 adult patients who received either 2,000 mg per day of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) plus 81 mg per day of aspirin or placebo plus aspirin for three months (1). The study results showed that participants who received DHA had significantly improved symptoms and reduced concentrations of inflammatory biomarkers in the gum tissue, compared to the placebo group.
The researchers commented that these findings support a potential therapeutic use of DHA due to its antibacterial efficacy. An earlier study indicated that omega-3 fatty acids could inhibit the growth of oral pathogens, including Streptococcus mutans, Candida albicans, and Porphyromonas gingivalis at relatively low doses (2). Another study reported that the average number of dental disease events was 1.5 times higher in people with low DHA levels, compared to those with the highest average levels of DHA (3). Periodontitis is a serious gum infection that destroys the soft tissue and bone supporting the teeth. It is thought to be the second most common disease worldwide, with 30–50% of the US population suffering from it.
17 October 2011
According to a new Norwegian study, the use of folic acid supplements by pregnant women may be associated with a reduced risk of the child having severe language delay.
15 September 2011
Micronutrient needs are ideally met by consuming foods that provide a well-balanced, nutrient-dense diet. However, many individuals have diets that are low in one or more micronutrients.
1 July 2014
It has long been known that vitamin K, which is involved as a coenzyme in the production of coagulation factors, is essential to the regulation of blood coagulation. But vitamin K also fulfils an important role in the activation of certain enzymes which, together with vitamin D, regulate metabolism and can combat the hardening of soft tissues such as blood vessels and help slow bone demineralization. In recent years interest in this vitamin has grown considerably following the discovery of other potentially health-promoting properties. Attention centers on research into the function of vitamin-K-dependent enzymes (Gla proteins), which are found in bones and teeth as well as in blood vessel linings, the brain and other soft tissues, where they appear to regulate cell division and cell differentiation, among other things. Studies indicate that a sufficient intake of vitamin K could help prevent the occurrence of atherosclerosis, osteoporosis, insulin resistance and inflammation of the joints, and above all could protect against the age-related loss of cognitive abilities.
