News
Increased levels of the protective macular pigment in the fovea of the eye are shown to be positively associated with increased blood serum of lutein, zeaxanthin and DHA in a new human study (1)
19 December 2016
28 April 2010
A daily supplement of vitamin E may improve liver health of people with non-alcoholic liver disease, says a new study.
In the randomized controlled trial, 247 adults with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and without diabetes were randomly assigned to receive daily vitamin E (800 IU) or an insulin sensitizing drug (30 mg pioglitazone) or placebo for 96 weeks (1). According to the results 43 percent of the participants receiving vitamin E showed significant improvement of the liver, compared with only 19 percent of those receiving a placebo. The difference in the rate of improvement with the drug as compared with placebo was not significant.
Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) affects about 4 percent of all American adults and is characterized by excessive fat that causes inflammation and damage in the liver. The disease is linked to weight gain and obesity, and can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer and death.
19 December 2016
15 February 2012
Vitamin D has important functions that are essential to health. The vitamin is needed for bone mineralization and for supplying the myocardium and the nervous system with calcium.
1 May 2014
The formation of cell membranes as well as many other physiological functions crucially depends on the availability of sufficient amounts of the omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eico- sapentaenoic acid (EPA). Omega-3 fatty acids appear to have a key function in the formation, growth and regeneration of cells and in the transmission of cell signals throughout life. During pregnancy and breastfeed- ing the essential polyunsaturated fatty acids are already playing an important role in the development of the infant brain and eye cells. Studies found that omega-3 fatty acids could also improve sight and brain function in adults. Fatty acids are needed for the production of hormone-like substances (eicosanoids) which act in the body in multiple ways. Hence fatty acids appear to be involved in the regulation of lipid metabolism, blood pressure, immune system, inflammatory processes and psychological wellbeing. An adequate intake of ome- ga-3 fatty acids could therefore help in the prevention of many diseases.