The Healthy Home: Hidden Household Dangers: How Healthy is Your Home?

30 times better absorption of curcumin (turmeric extract)

Total curcuminoid absorption was about 29-fold higher for Meriva than for its corresponding unformulated curcuminoid mixture.



Source: Comparative absorption of a standardized curcuminoid mixture and its lecithin formulation, John Cuomo et al, Journal of Natural Products, March 17, 2011

Study shows Vitamin D supplements taken early in life help in the prevention of osteoporosis

Clinical study at Australian Catholic University indicates the benefits of USANA Active Calcium chewables on bone development in females ages nine to 13

“Eat your veggies,” “Don’t run with scissors” and now “Take your calcium and Vitamin D.”

A clinical study conducted at the School of Exercise Science at Australian Catholic University, has shown that taking high quality calcium supplements like USANA’s Active Calcium could help preadolescent girls set the stage for a lifetime of strong, mineral-rich bones. Study results indicated that a supplement containing high quality calcium plus Vitamin D significantly improved bone density, mass and strength in girls ages nine to 13—exactly what experts want to achieve in that time of life to prevent future skeletal issues.

This study is unique because it’s the first randomized, controlled trial to assess bone responses to calcium in twins. Using twins factors out genetic complications that have plagued studies; in working with the Australian Twin Registry, 20 pairs of female twins between the ages of nine and 13 were selected to participate. Scientists administered one twin in each pair a placebo and one twin USANA’s Active Calcium. After six months the study showed significant improvements in bone development in the twin who received the supplement.

“Experts regard osteoporosis as a pediatric disease because the best time to prevent is during childhood and early adolescence,” says Dr. Tim Wood, Executive Vice President of Research and Development at USANA Health Sciences, Inc. “Women put on 50% of their adult bone mineral mass during their teenage years. As such, this is the best time to grow strong, mineral rich bones and the mosteffective way to prevent osteoporosis later in life.” Dr. Wood adds, “We are particularly excited about these findings because they confirm results previously shown in another study conducted in the U.S. at the University of Utah.”

Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to break. If not prevented or if left untreated, osteoporosis can progress painlessly until a bone breaks. While women are four times more likely than men to develop the disease, men also suffer from osteoporosis. It’s important for the body’s bone structure and integrity that bones absorb the right levels of calcium and magnesium, and vitamin D helps this process. USANA’s Active Calcium is a balanced and complete formula of these important ingredients. For a calcium supplement to be effective, it must be absorbable, and USANA’s Active Calcium formula is the outstanding choice among competitors.

Source: Usana Health Sciences

60 to 80% of cases of chronic degenerative disease are preventable

Three randomised clinical trials to consider showing considerable improvement in risk profiles for chronic degenerative disease (heart disease, stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes):

Vitamin E in the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer, Lee et al, Journal of the American Medical Association, 2005;294:56-65.

Effect of Selenium and Vitamin E on Risk of Prostate Cancer and Other Cancers, Clarke et al, Journal of the American Medical Association, 2009;301(1):39-51.

Calcium plus Vitamin D Supplementation and the Risk of Fractures, Jackson et al, N Engl J Med 2006;354:669-683.

Zinc supplementation may protect against heart disease

In a recent study, zinc supplementation demonstrated a protective effect on the heart by functioning as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.

Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress are important risk factors for heart disease. Zinc is an essential mineral with both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant functions. Because of these properties, zinc may play a role in protecting the heart.

To examine the effect of zinc on markers of inflammation, researchers conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of zinc supplementation in elderly subjects. Forty healthy elderly subjects (aged 56-83 years) were randomly assigned to 2 groups. One group received placebo; the other received 45 mg of zinc per day for 6 months.

Compared to the placebo, six months of zinc supplementation increased plasma zinc concentrations and decreased several markers associated with inflammation. Higher zinc levels were also related to a decrease in markers associated with oxidative stress.

The findings of this research suggest that zinc may have a protective effect in coronary artery disease thanks to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Source: Bin Bao, et al. Zinc decreases C-reactive protein, lipid peroxidation, and inflammatory cytokines in elderly subjects: a potential implication of zinc as an atheroprotective agent. 2010. Am J Clin Nutr 91:1634-41.

Source: USANA Health Sciences