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RECENT STUDIES/BENEFITS OF VITAMINS
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Aug. 26 2009
More Support for Multivitamins in Lowering Heart Disease Death risk
By Dr. Reginald B. Cherry, M.D.
Long-term regular use of a multivitamin may reduce the risk of dying from heart disease by 16%, and vitamin E use was associated with a 28% decrease in risk, according to a new study.
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20090826/more-support-for-multivitamins-in-lowering-heart-disease-death-risk/index.html
Aug 3, 2009
New Orleans, LA - A new review concludes that there is extensive evidence from three decades of research that fish oils, or more specifically the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) contained in them, are beneficial for everyone
http://www.theheart.org/article/989749.do
April 12, 2009
Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Help Cancer Patients Undergoing Major Operations
According to an article on News-Medical.net, new research from Trinity College Dublin published in this month's Annals of Surgery found that patients given the standard feed (without omega 3) suffered clinically severe weight loss post surgery - losing an average of 4 lbs of muscle mass post surgery, where as in the omega 3 group patients maintained all aspects of their body composition.
Internet Resources:
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=48222
April 2009
Omega-3 EPA/DHA May Decrease Risk of Developing Prostate Cancer
According to a release from Ocean Nutrition, a new study presented in Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Clinical Cancer Research, shows diets high in Omega-3 EPA and DHA may decrease the risk of prostate cancer. This link appears to be most apparent in those individuals with a genetic tendency towards developing the disease.
http://www.npicenter.com/anm/templates/newsATemp.aspx?articleid=23708&zoneid=28
March 2009
Study: Omega-3 Kills Cancer Cells in Rat Model
DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid found in fish oils, has been shown to reduce the size of tumours and enhance the positive effects of the chemotherapy drug cisplatin, while limiting its harmful side effects. The rat experiments, described in BioMed Central's open access journal Cell Division, provide some support for the plethora of health benefits often ascribed to omega-3 acids.
Internet Resources:
http://www.npicenter.com/anm/templates/newsATemp.aspx?articleid=23676&zoneid=28
Dec. 2008
Since 2004, the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency have advised women who are pregnant, nursing or of childbearing age, as well as young children, to stick to 12 ounces or less of certain fish per week to avoid exposure to harmful amounts of mercury. This advice has been widely regarded as solid as a can of albacore tuna, but now the FDA has decided to go against it.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-mercury13-2008dec13,0,4026365.story
Sept. 2008
Supplements of chondroitin sulphate may reduce swelling in the knee of osteoarthritis sufferers, according to new analysis of GAIT II.
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Chondroitin-sulphate-linked-to-lower-knee-swelling
Oral supplements of vitamin D may boost production of protective compounds in the skin, and may ultimate help prevent skin infections, according to a new study.
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Vitamin-D-may-protect-skin-from-within-Study
Combining conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) with calcium may enhance bone mass, and explain inconsistencies from earlier studies, says new research from the US.
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Calcium-may-be-vital-for-CLA-s-bone-benefits-Study
Latest Studies related to Calcium with Vit D, Role of Fish Oil other than healthy heart
http://www.nof.org/prevention/calcium_and_VitaminD.htm
National Osteoporosis Foundation’s Updated Recommendations for Calcium and Vitamin D Intake
July 26, 2007
In recent years, calcium and vitamin D deficiency have been the topics of significant research and professional debate. Based on substantial research findings on consensus among the leading experts on this topic, the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) is updating its recommendations for daily adequate calcium and vitamin D intake to the following amounts:
Calcium
According to NOF recommendations, adults under age 50 need 1,000 mg of calcium daily, and adults age 50 and over need 1,200 mg of calcium daily.
Vitamin D
According to NOF recommendations, adults under age 50 need 400-800 IU of vitamin D3 daily, and adults age 50 and older need 800 – 1,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily. Vitamin D3 is the form of vitamin D that best supports bone health. It is also called cholecalciferol. Vitamin D can also be obtained from fortified milk, egg yolks, saltwater fish, liver and supplements.
Role of Calcium
Getting the daily recommended amount of calcium, whether through diet, supplements, or combination, is essential to maintaining bone strength and can play a vital role in preventing osteoporosis-related fractures.
Role of Vitamin D
Vitamin D plays a major role in calcium absorption and bone health. Vitamin D3 is manufactured in the skin following direct exposure to sunlight; however, there are many different factors that affect a person’s ability to make adequate amounts of vitamin D.
NOF revised its recommendations after careful consideration and review of a growing body of evidence that calcium and vitamin D deficiency is widespread throughout the world as well as in the U.S., particularly in adults 50 and older.
NOF will be working in the coming months to update its resources and materials. For additional information on calcium and vitamin D, please click here.
Source:
Dawson-Hughes B, Heaney RP, Holick M, Lips P, Meunier P, Vieth R.
2005 Estimates of optimal vitamin D status. Osteoporosis Int 16: 713-716.
http://www.arthritis.org/strong-advice-for-bones-calcium.php
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| You Need to Know about Calcium -Follow these tips to get the most out of your supplement. |
by Kenna Simmons
Posted 2/17/07
The advice is simple: to keep bones strong, especially as you age, get enough calcium – 1,000 milligrams (mg) per day if you’re younger than 50; 1,200 mg if you’re older. You can get calcium in your diet by eating green leafy vegetables; consuming low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese; or opting for calcium-fortified juice, bread and cereal. If you don’t get enough calcium in your diet, be sure to take a calcium supplement daily. But you may need to increase your knowledge about calcium to ensure your body gets what it needs.
Calcium Basics
- Make sure you check the amount of elemental calcium in a supplement; that’s what your body will actually absorb.
- Take several smaller doses per day, because your body can absorb only 500 mg at a time.
- Your body needs vitamin D to use calcium most efficiently, so look for a supplement that contains both.
Calcium “Cheat Sheet”
There is several different types of calcium; check out the chart below for the three most popular types. Other kinds, such as calcium gluconate and calcium lactate, have very low amounts of elemental calcium and are not recommended. Coral calcium and oyster-shell calcium products also are best avoided because they may contain lead.
| Calcium Type |
Pros |
Cons |
Calcium citrate
(Citrical, Solgar) 21% calcium |
Most easily absorbed |
Most expensive; doesn’t contain much elemental calcium |
Calcium carbonate
(Tums, Caltrate, Rolaids) 40% calcium |
Least expensive; has more elemental calcium |
Must be taken with meals or glass of acidic (orange) juice; may cause gas or constipation |
| Calcium phosphate (Posture) 39% calcium |
Does not cause gas or constipation; easily absorbed |
More expensive than calcium carbonate | |
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Omega 3 (Fish Oil)
Eating Fish May Reduce Inflammation |
http://www.arthritis.org/eating-fish-to-reduce-inflammation.php
Eating seafood with omega-3s may reduce your need for anti-inflammatory medications.
Posted 5/16/07
Talk about health food; the kinds of fish loaded with omega-3 fatty acids are good for everything from heart disease to depression – including arthritis, according to researchers at Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, Mass.
Not only can omega-3s significantly reduce joint pain and shorten the duration of morning stiffness, but studies, such as those reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, show that increased levels of omega-3 fatty acids also have enabled people taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to reduce their dosage or discontinue use.
Adding about two 3-ounce servings of seafood to your menu each week is a good way to increase your levels of omega-3s and help decrease the body’s inflammatory reaction. The highest levels of omega-3 can be found in cold-water, fatty fish such as salmon, trout, mackerel, tuna, sardines and herring.
Many studies use fish oil supplements to increase intake of omega-3s. If you’re averse to fish and are considering fish-oil supplements, check with your doctor first for proper dosage, especially if you are taking blood thinners.
Omega-3s from the Sea
The United States Department of Agriculture recommends two servings a week (3.5-ounce portions) of the following fish for healthy omega-3 fatty acids benefits, which can help reduce inflammation:
- Atlantic salmon
- Sockeye salmon
- Lake trout
- Tuna canned in oil or water
(Arthritis Today, July - August 2007)
http://www.acc.org/media/releases/highlights/2005/june05/fish.htm
Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplements May Help Relieve Neck, Low Back Pain CME
News Author: Laurie Barclay, MD
CME Author: Désirée Lie, MD, MSEd
Release Date: April 10, 2006;
April 10, 2006 — Omega-3 fatty acid supplements may be effective for relieving neck and low back pain, according to the results of a short-term trial reported in the April issue of Surgical Neurology.
"The use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is a well-established effective therapy for both acute and chronic nonspecific neck and back pain," write Joseph Charles Maroon, MD, and Jeffrey W. Bost, PAC, from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pennsylvania. "Extreme complications, including gastric ulcers, bleeding, myocardial infarction, and even deaths, are associated with their use. An alternative treatment with fewer side effects that also reduces the inflammatory response and thereby reduces pain is believed to be omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) found in fish oil."
From March to June 2004, 250 patients evaluated by a neurosurgeon and found to have nonsurgical neck or back pain were asked to take a total of 1200 mg/day of omega-3 EFAs (eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA] and decosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) found in fish oil supplements. Approximately 1 month after starting the supplement, these patients were sent a questionnaire.
Of the 250 patients, 125 returned the questionnaire. Average duration of fish oil therapy at the time of returning the questionnaire was 75 days. Dosage of EFAs was 1200 mg in 78% and 2400 mg in 22%. Reported benefits were discontinuation of prescription NSAIDs in 59% of patients, improvement in overall pain in 60%, improvement in joint pain in 60%, and satisfaction with the level of improvement in 80%. There were no significant adverse effects reported, and 88% stated they would continue to take the fish oil supplements.
"Our results mirror other controlled studies that compared ibuprofen and omega-3 EFAs demonstrating equivalent effect in reducing arthritic pain," the authors write. "Omega-3 EFA fish oil supplements appear to be a safer alternative to NSAIDs for treatment of nonsurgical neck or back pain in this selective group."
Study limitations include retrospective, non–placebo-controlled survey design; variability in underlying patient pathology; and lack of long-term follow-up.
"That close to two thirds of patients could discontinue NSAIDs is certainly provocative, especially given the recent FDA [Food and Drug Administration] warnings regarding their complications," the authors write. "The effectiveness of omega-3 EFAs in rheumatoid and some cases of osteoarthritis has been demonstrated. Appropriately designed studies are needed to confirm the effectiveness of omega-3 EFA for pain relief in discogenic pain."
The authors have disclosed they are stockholders in Inflammation Solutions, a dietary supplement retailer.
Surg Neurol. 2006;65:326-331
Clinical Context
More than 70 million NSAID prescriptions are written each year in the United States, and 30 billion over-the-counter NSAID tablets are sold annually with an estimate that 5% to 10% of the US population and 14% of elderly use this class of medication for pain control. NSAID-associated adverse effects affect up to 50% of users and 8% to 20% will have ulceration with 100 000 hospitalizations and a cost of 1.5 billion dollars for complications, according to the current authors.
Omega-3 EFAs found in fish and in pharmaceutical-grade fish oil supplements have as active ingredients EPA and DHA that can competitively inhibit the proinflammatory interleukins and may be useful for anti-inflammatory effects on joints. However, according to the current authors, the US Department of Agriculture has limited fish consumption to 1 serving weekly for children and pregnant women because of concerns about toxic contaminants in fish.
The authors selected omega-3 EFA as a fish oil supplement to examine its effect on pain and use of NSAIDs in patients with nonsurgical discogenic and arthritic neck and back pain presenting to a neurosurgical unit. The current trial is a nonrandomized, non–placebo-controlled retrospective descriptive study.
Study Highlights
- 250 patients were evaluated for nonsurgical spine pain by one neurosurgeon, and the majority had degenerative disc disease with facet arthropathy in the lumbar or cervical spine.
- All were taking NSAIDs with 75% on cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors.
- They were asked to take pharmaceutical-grade omega-3 EFAs at a dose of 2.4 g orally daily for 2 weeks then 1.2 g orally daily.
- The brand name of the supplement used for the study was not given.
- The omega-3 EFA consisted of EPA and DHA.
- Participants were asked to taper off their NSAIDs for 1 to 2 weeks after the initial 2 weeks.
- There was no placebo group, and participants were not randomized.
- One month later, participants were sent a questionnaire about subjective pain, adverse effects, and use of NSAIDs.
- Method of statistical analysis was not reported.
- Of 250 patients, 125 (50%) returned the questionnaire.
- Respondents spent an average of 75 days on fish oil.
- Mean age, sex, and other demographics of respondents and nonrespondents were not reported.
- 78% of respondents were taking 1.2 g, and 22% reported taking 2.4 g of omega-3 EFAs daily.
- Actual respondent adherence to supplements was not assessed or reported.
- 59% of respondents reported discontinuation of NSAID for pain control.
- 60% of respondents stated that their overall pain was improved vs before starting omega-3 EFAs.
- 80% of respondents stated that they were satisfied with the improvement in pain.
- 88% of respondents stated that they would continue to take omega-3 EFA.
- There were no significant adverse effects reported by respondents, except for loose bowel movements in 2 respondents.
- Potential differences between respondents and nonrespondents in use of omega-3 EFA, pain control, and use of NSAID response were not discussed.
Pearls for Practice
- Use of omega-3 EFA fish oil supplement at 2.4 g daily then 1.2 g daily for 4 weeks in patients with discogenic and arthritic neck and back pain is associated with improvement in subjective pain.
- Use of omega-3 EFA fish oil supplement for 4 weeks is associated with reduced use of NSAID in patients with nonsurgical neck and back pain, and no major adverse effects were reported, except loose bowels.
Medscape Medical News 2006. ©2006 Medscape
Other studies references:
Fish oil appears to help against heart failure - Yahoo! News
Fish oil supplements may work slightly better than a popular cholesterol-reducing drug to help patients with chronic heart failure, according to new research released Sunday....... http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080831/ap_on_he_me/med_heart_fish_oil
Keeping Baby Boomer Healthier Longer:
Baby boomers are susceptible to a range of health problems as they age, but the combination of regular exercise and a balanced diet can help them live longer—and better—lives.
http://www.nutritionaloutlook.com/article.php?ArticleID=2164
Under Pressure (role of Omega 3)
Cognitive-health supplements rise to the challenge
http://www.nutritionaloutlook.com/article.php?ArticleID=2159
Cardiovascular Ingredients Take Heart
From probiotics to pomegranate, a range of heart-healthy ingredients is now available to consumers
http://www.nutritionaloutlook.com/article.php?ArticleID=2145
Research Mounts on Benefits of Omega-3s
New peer-reviewed studies add to a growing body of evidence linking DHA and EPA to cognitive health
http://www.nutritionaloutlook.com/article.php?ArticleID=2133 |
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