Why was the study done?
Vitamin C and vitamin D insufficiency are very prevalent in hospitalized patients, and both vitamins have been linked to psychological abnormalities, including abnormal mood states. Researchers suspected that supplementation might therefore improve mood in hospital in-patients.
You exercise, you eat well, and feel lucky that you seem fitter and healthier than many of your contemporaries. Then a routine blood test shows an abnormally high white blood cell count. After more tests you get a diagnosis of …
Probiotics are currently receiving a lot of attention from the food industry. At the supermarket, probiotics are to be found in yogurt, but are also showing up in orange juice and even cereal. But ice cream? Wouldn’t freezing kill these delicate organisms?
A new study from Korea suggests that combining high dose omega 3 fats – 4g/day providing 1.86 grams of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 1.4 grams of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) – may be more effective in managing patients with mixed dyslipidemia …
You have just had the results of your annual physical and have been told that your fasting blood glucose has come back high, putting you at increased risk of type 2 diabetes. And if you are also overweight you know that your risk of developing diabetes is greatly increased. But if your weight and waist circumference are in the normal range you may think you have nothing to worry about.
As distance from the equator increases, serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin (25-(OH)D), the storage form of vitamin D, fall during the winter months. Since fall and winter are peak seasons for colds and flu, it has been speculated that higher circulating levels of 25-(OH)D may increase resistance to infection and conversely, lower levels in the winter would increase vulnerability. The study was done to see if there was a link between circulating blood levels of 25-(OH)D and the incidence of acute viral respiratory tract infections.
A significant proportion of the general population report that they supplement their daily diet with one or more vitamins or minerals. Common reasons given for doing so are to combat stress, reduce fatigue and improve mental functioning. This study looked at the effect of supplementing a range of essential nutrients on mood and cognitive function in 215 healthy males aged 30 to 55 years, who were in full-time employment.
Swallowing vitamins as well as medications in pill form can be hard for some individuals. Children in particular often baulk at taking anything but liquid or chewable forms of vitamins, and even those may be rejected if the taste is not to their liking.
If you are taking vitamin D supplements does it matter how and when you take your pills or drops? Recent research suggests yes: Take them with the largest meal of the day. And for most of us, that’s dinner.
Researchers …
