Diet study may find ways to breathe easier on smoggy days

There are more than 100 days each year with poor air quality in Cache Valley, Utah. Poor air quality impacts health by limiting lung function and by weakening defenses against illness; children and the elderly are at higher risk.

A new partnership between the Applied Nutrition Research team at Utah State University and USANA Health Sciences, a Utah-based global nutritional supplement company, was announced this week. Clinical research to study the effects of nutritional supplementation to combat health consequences associated with Cache Valley’s poor air quality will begin soon.

Cache Valley experiences poor air quality most often during winter months when high-pressure systems act as a lid to trap pollutants from car exhaust and wood burning chimney fires. The problem isn’t specific to Cache Valley. Other areas of the state, including the Salt Lake Valley, experience poor air quality and lengthy inversions. Air pollution is a global issue.

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Heart disease - a 30 minute video on coronary heart disease

Source: Dr Gerald Lewis MB ChB, FRCP. FRACP, MD, Cardiologist and a General Physician

Children's diseases - a 40 minute video on children's diseases

Source: Dr Gerald Lewis MB ChB, FRCP. FRACP, MD, Cardiologist and a General Physician

Diabetes - a 30 minutes talk on type 2 diabetes and how it can be helped and treated

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Statin drugs - do we need to take statins?

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How to fight fatigue - for doctors, pilots, shift workers and other people working long hours

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Multiple sclerosis - what you can do

Multiple sclerosis - what you can do from Gerald Lewis on Vimeo.

Source: Dr Gerald Lewis MB ChB, FRCP. FRACP, MD, Cardiologist and a General Physician

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

Lack of sleep may promote obesity

New research shows a connection between short-term sleep deprivation and increased food intake, indicating that lack of sleep may be a factor that promotes obesity.

It is known that short-term sleep deprivation increases plasma concentrations of ghrelin (a hormone related to increased appetite) and decreases those of leptin (a hormone related to satiety.)

In a randomized crossover study, researchers studied twelve normally healthy non-obese men to observe the effect of sleep deprivation on energy intake and physical activity. During the first night of each 48-hour session, subjects had either 8 hours (from midnight to 8:00 a.m.) or 4 hours (from 02:00 a.m. to 06:00 a.m.) of sleep. All foods consumed thereafter (jam on buttered toast for breakfast, buffet for lunch, and a free menu for dinner) were eaten ad libitum (with no restrictions.) Physical activity was also recorded. Sensations of hunger, perceived pleasantness of the foods, desire to eat some foods, and sleepiness were also evaluated.

In comparison with the 8-hour sleep session, subjects consumed 559 (22%) more calories on the day after sleep restriction, and hunger was higher before breakfast and dinner. Researchers observed no change in the perceived pleasantness of the foods or in the desire to eat the foods. Physical activity was slightly higher after sleep restriction than after 8 hours of sleep, even though the sensation of sleepiness was more apparent.

In this group of healthy men, one night of reduced sleep led to an increase in food intake and, to a lesser extent, physical activity-related energy expenditure. Although further research is needed to confirm the results of this small study, these results suggest that sleep restriction could be a factor that promotes obesity.

Source: Acute partial sleep deprivation increases food intake in healthy men. Laurent Brondel et al Am J Clin Nutr 91: 1550-1559, 2010.

Source: USANA Health Sciences

DHA supplementation improves memory in healthy adults with age-related cognitive decline

New research indicates that regular supplementation with DHA may improve memory and learning in older adults with mild age-related memory loss.

Recent research published online in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association illustrates a benefit for docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation in a clinical trial of individuals with age-related cognitive decline (ARC). DHA is a long-chain omega-3 fatty acids found most prominently in algae, fatty fish and fish oil supplements.

Participants included 485 individuals aged 55 and older with complaints of mild memory loss. The subjects were given a daily dosage of 900 milligrams of DHA or a placebo for 6 months. Memory and learning tests were given at the beginning of the study and at 12 and 24 weeks.

At the end of the study period, the group receiving the DHA supplement had improved test scores that correlated with an increase in plasma DHA levels. At 12 weeks there were no significant differences in the test scores of the two groups. However, at 24 weeks the group taking the DHA had a 2-fold reduction in the number of learning and memory errors tested compared to the placebo group.

The results of this study are the first to clinically confirm that DHA meaningfully improves memory and learning functions in healthy adults with age-related cognitive decline. Since it is estimated that up to one-third of the aging population in the U.S. will experience a decline in cognitive function with age, the benefits of a daily DHA supplement can have a significant impact on public health.

Source: Beneficial effects of docosahexaenoic acid on cognition in age-related cognitive decline, Yurko-Mauro K et al, Alzheimers & Dementia 29 April 2010

Source: USANA Health Sciences

Soy food & isoflavone intakes reduce breast cancer risk

A recent study among Chinese women showed that those with the highest intakes of soy foods and soy isoflavones had a significantly lower risk of breast cancer.

Research seeking to find a connection between soy food consumption and breast cancer risk has produced conflicting results.

A recent case-control study was conducted to assess the relationship between soy food intake and breast cancer risk according to the estrogen receptor (ER) and/or progesterone receptor (PR) status of breast cancer. Participants included 438 Chinese women with primary breast cancer that were matched by age and residence (rural/urban) with 438 women free of cancer. Dietary intake was assessed by face-to-face interviews using a validated food frequency questionnaire.

Researchers observed a statistically significant inverse association between soy isoflavone and soy protein intake with breast cancer risk. The women in the group with the highest soy isoflavone intake had a 46% decreased cancer risk compared to the group with the lowest intake. Women in the group with the highest soy protein had a 38% reduced cancer risk compared to the lowest intake group. A preventive effect of soy food was found for all subtypes of ER and/or PR status of breast cancer. The inverse association was more evident among premenopausal women.

This study suggests that consumption of soy foods and soy isoflavones may reduce the risk of breast cancer, and that the protective effects of soy do not seem to differ by ER and PR breast cancer status.

Source: Soy product and isoflavone intake and breast cancer risk defined by hormone receptor status, Zhang C et al, Cancer Sci Feb;101(2):501-7, 2010

Source: USANA Health Sciences

Multivitamin supplements unrelated to breast cancer risk in large U.S. study

A recent Harvard Medical School study followed more than 37,000 U.S. women for 10 years and found no correlation between multivitamin use and breast cancer risk.

Researchers from Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital recently evaluated possible associations between multivitamin supplements and risk of breast cancer. At the beginning of the study, 37,920 cancer-free U.S. women aged 45 and older provided detailed information on multivitamin supplement use. Throughout an average of 10 years of follow-up, 1,171 cases of breast cancer were documented.

The use of multivitamin supplements was not associated with an overall risk of breast cancer in this large study group. High frequency of use (at least 6 times per week) and duration of supplementation (current use for at least 20 years) were not associated with an increase in risk compared to non-users. A small reduction in breast cancer risk was seen in multivitamin users who consumed 10 grams/day of alcohol or more. There was also a slight decrease in risk of estrogen receptor negative-progesterone receptor negative breast cancer among multivitamin users.

The researchers stated that although there was no overall statistically significant association between multivitamin use and breast cancer, multivitamins may reduce the risk for women consuming alcohol and in certain estrogen receptor negative cancers.

Source: A Prospective Study of Multivitamin Supplement Use and Risk of Breast Cancer, Ishitani K, Lin J, Mason JE, Buring JE, Zhang SM, Am J Epidemiol 167(10):1197-206

Source: USANA Health Sciences

Researchers recommend pregnant women take 4,000 IU Vitamin D a day

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – Taking vitamin D supplements during pregnancy is not only safe for mother and baby, but also can prevent preterm labour/births and infections, according to results of a randomized controlled study to be presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

In the 1950s and ’60s, people were concerned that vitamin D could cause birth defects, according to Carol L. Wagner, MD, lead author of the study and a pediatric researcher at Medical University of South Carolina. It now is known that vitamin D is important for maternal and infant health, including bone health and immune function.

Recent studies have shown that vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy is a serious public health issue.

“Diet doesn’t provide enough vitamin D, and we don’t go in the sun as much as we need,” Dr. Wagner said.

Therefore, she and her colleagues, including Bruce W. Hollis, PhD, who has worked in the field of vitamin D research for the last 30 years, set out to determine the optimal dose of vitamin D supplements for pregnant women without doing harm.

Researchers randomized 494 pregnant women at 12-16 weeks’ gestation into three treatment groups. Group one received 400 International Units (IU) of vitamin D a day until delivery; group two received 2,000 IU and group three received 4,000 IU. The women were evaluated monthly to ensure safety.

“No adverse events related to vitamin D dosing were found in any of the three arms of the study,” Dr. Wagner said.

Investigators also looked at the effects of vitamin D supplementation on complications during pregnancy, including preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, infections, and preterm labor and birth.

“The spectacular part of the study was it showed women replete in vitamin D had lower rates of preterm labor and preterm birth, and lower rates of infection,” Dr. Wagner said.

The greatest effects were seen among women taking 4,000 IU of vitamin D per day. Therefore, the researchers recommend this daily regimen for all pregnant women.

Dr. Wagner will discuss the two parts of the study in separate presentations. The outcomes of vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy will be presented on Saturday, May 1, and the safety of vitamin D supplementation will be presented on Sunday, May 2.

Reporters wanting to interview any of the speakers should call the PAS Press Office at 778-331-7694. Reporters who wish to attend the session must first check in with the PAS Press Office at the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre to receive press credentials.

To view part 1 of the study on safety, go to

http://www.abstracts2view.com/pas/view.php?nu=PAS10L1_2450&terms.

To view part 2 of the study on outcomes, go to

http://www.abstracts2view.com/pas/view.php?nu=PAS10L1_2481&terms.

Diets high in B-vitamins reduce risk of death from cardiovascular disease

New research out of Japan reports an inverse association between a diet rich in B-vitamins and risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

Begun in 1988, the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study (JCCS) examined the dietary patterns of 130,000 Japanese adults over nearly ten years. Analyses continue to be performed on the enormous dataset generated by this long-term, large-scale study.

In the latest JCSS analysis (published in the journal Stroke in April 2010), researchers compiled information on dietary levels of folate, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 as reported in JCSS food frequency questionnaires. They then examined possible correlations between dietary intake of these nutrients and risk of death from common cardiovascular diseases. Data from 23,119 men and 35,611 women (age 40-79 years) met the study criteria, making this one of the largest sample sizes to date for this type of analysis.

Based on the available data, dietary folate and vitamin B6 intakes were inversely associated with mortality from heart failure for men. (Inverse association means that higher dietary levels of folate and vitamin B6 are connected with lower risk of disease.) For women, folate and vitamin B6 intakes were inversely associated with mortality from stroke and coronary heart disease, as well as total cardiovascular disease incidence. Interestingly, these associations remained statistically significant even after adjusting for common cardiovascular disease factors. A statistically significant association could not be determined for vitamin B12 intake and risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

This large-scale collaborative study from Japanese researchers correlates with similar results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) performed in the United States, further confirming the benefits of a diet high in certain B-vitamins.

Source: Dietary folate and vitamin b6 and B12 intake in relation to mortality from cardiovascular diseases: Japan collaborative cohort study, Cui et al, Stroke, ePub ahead of print, doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.110.578906, 2010

Source: USANA Health Sciences

The benefits of exercise in postmenopausal women

A new study out of Australia shows significant benefits to bone mineral density among postmenopausal women who participate in a twice-weekly exercise program.

A February 2010 research study from the University of New South Wales examined the effect of an aerobic weight-bearing exercise program on bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women. The purpose of the study was to examine what specific role - if any - regular exercise had on BMD.

30 postmenopausal women were divided into two groups for the study. The first group (19 women, mean age 66.4 years) was assigned a two-year exercise program consisting of twice-weekly aerobic weight-bearing exercises. The second group (11 women, mean age 65.4 years) did not participate in an exercise program. Before and after the two-year study period, bone density measurements were taken at the spine and hip of each study participant.

At the end of the study, women in the exercise group experienced less than one-fourth the spinal BMD loss compared to the control group (-0.8 compared to -3.8, 95% CI 0.3-5.7% difference.) Results were even more impressive for the hip measurement, where the exercise group saw a 9.6% improvement compared to a 4.4% loss in the controls (14.0% difference, 95% CI 4.6-23.5.)

The authors of the study concluded: “this study adds strong evidence that twice-weekly weight-bearing aerobic exercise has a protective effect on bone density in postmenopausal women as well as being associated with other measurable benefits."

Source: The benefits of exercise in postmenopausal women, Caplan GA, Ward JA, Lord SR, Australian Journal of Public Health 17(1):23-6 2010.

Source: USANA Health Sciences

Inadequate DHA intake in infants is related to decreased visual acuity

New research shows that infants receiving milk or formula with adequate docosahaxaenoic acid (DHA) have improved visual acuity compared to infants receiving the lowest levels. Higher dietary intakes of DHA (a fat contained in highest amounts in fish oil) can positively affect levels in milk.

The range of human milk docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) concentrations can vary considerably since maternal diet can greatly influence breast milk fatty acid composition. In one study, average DHA levels in human milk ranged from 0.17% to 0.99%, with U.S. and Canadian women among those with the lowest levels.

New research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition sought to determine the effect of 4 amounts of DHA supplementation on the visual acuity of formula-fed infants. Other objectives were evaluated, including visual acuity maturation, red blood cell fatty acids, tolerance, anthropometric measures, and adverse events.

This double-blind randomized trial included 343 healthy, term, formula-fed infants. The infants were enrolled at 1-9 days of age and randomly assigned to be fed one of four infant formulas containing differing levels of DHA (0%, 0.32%, 0.64% and 0.96%). All other nutrients were equivalent between the formulas. Visual acuity of the infants was measured at the completion of the study at 12 months.

Infants fed control formula (0% DHA) had significantly poorer visual acuity at 12 mo of age than did infants who received any of the DHA-supplemented formulas. There were no significant differences in the visual acuity of the infants fed any of the other DHA-supplemented formulas.

DHA supplementation of infant formula at 0.32% of total fatty acids improves visual acuity. Higher amounts of DHA supplementation do not appear to provide additional improvements to visual acuity.

Source: The DIAMOND (DHA Intake And Measurement Of Neural Development) Study: a double-masked, randomized controlled clinical trial of the maturation of infant visual acuity as a function of the dietary level of docosahexaenoic acid, Birch EE, Carlson SE, Hoffman DR, Fitzgerald-Gustafson KM, Fu VLN, Drover JR, Castañeda YS, Minns L, Wheaton DKH, Mundy D, Marunycz J, Diersen-Schade DA, AJCN 91(4):848-59 2010.

Source: USANA Health Sciences