Category Archives: In Brief

Omega-3 fats appear to enhance the effect of anti-cholesterol (statin) drugs: Does this study tell the whole story?

Posted on by aileen

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 …

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Watch your waist to avoid diabetes

Posted on by aileen

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.

“Healthy” lab rats are really sick

Posted on by aileen
The use of laboratory animals – usually rats and mice – as “stand-ins” for human conditions, or to test new drugs for safety and efficacy can be criticized on many grounds. Laboratory animals have different nutritional needs. For example, rats

Do daily multivitamins and minerals combat stress and fatigue?

Posted on by aileen

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.

How to Swallow Vitamins

Posted on by aileen

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.

Take D with dinner ?

Posted on by aileen

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 …

Genes determine how much vitamin D you need.

Posted on by aileen

More proof that there is no “one size fits all” dose of vitamin D that will work for everyone, and that different individuals achieve different blood levels of 25-hydroxy D on similar doses of supplements. 25-hydroxy D is a reliable marker of vitamin D status and higher blood levels help protect against numerous serious diseases, including many types of cancer, autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease, heart disease and stroke.

Scurvy in Toronto?

Posted on by aileen

Is scurvy, a symptom of serious vitamin C deficiency, common in Toronto? Apparently it’s not as uncommon as we have been led to believe, even in fit, young, non-smoking men and women. What is more, deficiency has observable negative health …