2016
A diet of anti-inflammatory nutrients is associated with a lower risk of depression in middle-aged Australian women, new study finds
09 September 2013
A new US study shows that higher blood vitamin D concentrations may decrease the risk of developing new lesions in the brains of patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis.
In the observational study, the blood vitamin D concentrations, brain lesions and number of relapses of 469 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients taking vitamin D supplements were measured (1). The study results showed that each 10ng/ml increase in 25hydroxyvitamin D concentration was associated with a 15% lower risk of a new brain lesion and lower levels of disability. In addition, higher vitamin D levels were associated with lower, but not statistically significant, relapse risk.
The researchers commented that these findings seem to provide further support for the role of vitamin D in inflammatory activity related to MS. However, the results did not provide evidence that vitamin D supple-mentation is beneficial to individuals with MS, which needs to be investigated in randomized controlled trials.
MS is an autoimmune disorder occurring in those who possess or are exposed to a combination of genetic and environmental risk factors. A few environmental MS risk factors have been identified: cigarette smoking, infection with EpsteinBarr virus, and lower vitamin D levels. Lower vitamin D levels have recently been asso-ciated with increased relapse risk among patients with relapsing/remitting MS or those who have suffered a clinically isolated syndrome (2,3).
5 July 2013
The majority of people following a vegetarian or vegan diet develops vitamin B12 deficiency, a situation which could be prevented by a daily supplementation of at least 250 micrograms, suggests a new US review.
27 January 2010
Higher blood levels of vitamin B9 (folate) may reduce the risk of depressive symptoms in men, says a new study.