News
Adequate vitamin D supply early in life may prevent type 1 diabetes
11 October 2013
A new review concludes that babies with sufficient vitamin D intakes seem to have a reduced risk of developing type 1 diabetes later in life.
15 September 2011
Increased intake of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids http://www.nutri-facts.org/eng/essential-fatty-acids/essential-fatty-acids/ from marine sources may reduce the risk of ischemic heart disease in women, a new Danish study suggests.
In this prospective cohort study spanning more than 23 years, the omega-3 fatty acid intake of 3277 Danish women and men free of known ischemic heart disease (IHD) was observed (1). During the study, 471 cases of IHD were documented. An analysis showed that high intake of long-chain omega-3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) – 0.45 to 11.2 grams per day – was associated with a 38% reduction in the risk of IHD in women only. High intake of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) – with a median daily intake of 1.2 g/d to 1.6 g/d – and intake of omega-6 fatty acid linoleic acid (LA) did not significantly decrease the risk of IHD among men or women. However, there was no statistically significant trend showing a reduced risk of IHD in men with increased ALA intake.
The researchers concluded that only a higher intake of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids such as EPA and DHA – not ALA or LA – may reduce the risk of ischemic heart disease in women. EPA and DHA are common in fish and in fish oil supplements, while ALA and LA come from plants. They noted, however, that about one-half of the study population was under the estimated minimum requirement of ALA (about 1.2 g/d in adults). Further larger studies would be necessary to examine the potential effect modification of different omega-3 fatty acids.
Past studies indicated that the conversion rate of ALA to the longer chain EPA is very small. It has been reported that in humans only between 8 and 20 percent of ALA is converted to EPA, while between 0.5 and
9 percent of ALA is converted to DHA. In addition, gender seems to play an important role among women of reproductive age, reportedly converting ALA to EPA at a 2.5-fold greater rate than healthy men. Moreover, the conversion could also affected by the existing levels of EPA and DHA in the body.
11 October 2013
A new review concludes that babies with sufficient vitamin D intakes seem to have a reduced risk of developing type 1 diabetes later in life.
5 April 2017
1 August 2013
Improved living conditions – arising as a result of better medical care and hygiene, and better nutrition – mean that a large majority of the population in the industrialized world is living longer than would have been possible just a few decades ago. However, living longer does not always equal a better quality of life. The aging process, an inevitable, gradual decline in the function of physical systems, cannot be stopped – but the rate of this decline can be influenced. The changes that accompany the aging process are more a consequence of our way of life than the length of time we have been alive. Many degenerative diseases are the outcome of physical damage caused by poor diet, too much alcohol and tobacco, and too little exercise. A healthy lifestyle which includes an adequate intake of micronutrients such as vitamins, minerals, trace elements and essential fatty acids can help maintain health well into old age.