News
UK experts urge vitamin D supplementation for all children
30 October 2013
A new report from the United Kingdom’s Chief Medical Officer makes a case for providing vitamin D to all children under the age of five.
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.
30 October 2013
A new report from the United Kingdom’s Chief Medical Officer makes a case for providing vitamin D to all children under the age of five.
14 March 2014
A new US study reports that vitamin D helps to regulate three genes involved in autism.
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).