News
Higher folate intake may reduce hearing loss risk
1 February 2010
Increased intakes of vitamin B9 may reduce the risk of hearing loss in elderly men, says a new study.
28 February 2011
According to a new review, people following a vegan diet low in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin B12 may have a high risk of developing blood clots and atherosclerosis.
In a review of data accumulated over 30 years of studies on the biochemistry of vegetarianism, it has been shown that vegetarians and vegans have lower concentrations of serum vitamin B12 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid levels in tissue membranes when compared with meat-eaters (1). Thus, they may have a higher risk of developing blood clots and atherosclerosis – both of which increase the risk for heart attacks and stroke. As such, researchers suggested that an increased intake or supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin B12 may help to alleviate such risks.
The scientists also noted that meat eaters are known to have a significantly higher incidence of certain cardiovascular risk factors when compared with vegetarians. Such risks include increased body mass index, waist to hip ratio, blood pressure, plasma total cholesterol, and serum lipoprotein concentration. However, people following strict vegetarian and vegan diets are not be immune to cardiovascular risk, as their diets tend to lack several key nutrients, including iron, zinc, vitamin B12, and omega-3 fatty acids. Previous study findings suggested that vegetarians and vegans who do not take vitamin B12 supplements often may have abnormally low serum concentrations of vitamin B12, which has been shown to significantly correlate with higher plasma homocysteine levels and potentially be linked to an increased thrombotic and atherosclerotic risk
1 February 2010
Increased intakes of vitamin B9 may reduce the risk of hearing loss in elderly men, says a new study.
14 November 2017
In 2013, approximately 8.3 percent of the global population was thought to have Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). Learn more about the latest science focused on micronutients impacting Type 2 Diabetes.
1 August 2014
Excessive intake of high-energy macronutrients and their potential consequences for people’s health are a problem in many industrial nations. In the case of micronutrients, however, epidemiological data suggests that over-supply is the exception rather than the rule across the globe. Many people are therefore concerned that their dietary habits are failing to provide them with a sufficient supply of essential nutrients such as vitamins and carotenoids. Given that intakes of some nutrients are below officially recommended levels, it might at first sight appear unnecessary to set upper intake levels for micronutrients. However excessive intake of food supplements and fortified foods in addition to normal diets could conceivably lead to intake levels which could potentially be considered harmful. It may be sensible to define an upper daily intake level at which the risk of adverse effects on health is unlikely, particularly in the case of fat-soluble vitamins which are stored in small quantities in the body.