Daily vitamin D chocolate wafer achieves sufficiency in three months, study suggests
Daily supplementation of vitamin D3 at doses of 400–800 IU consumed as a chocolate wafer for 12 weeks significantly improved serum 25(OH)D concentrations in vitamin D-deficient young Indian women, according to a new study.
Researchers in India and Qatar observed that while a 400IU daily dosage was effective at eliminating deficiency, higher doses of 600-800IU were more consistently associated with attaining sufficiency, with 65.4% of participants receiving 800 IU/day normalizing their levels by week 12.
“In this context, serum 25(OH)D serves as a robust biochemical marker of vitamin D status, reflecting the cumulative effects of dietary intake and endogenous synthesis,” they wrote in Nutrients.
Postbiotics use reduces gingival inflammation - Japan study
The supplementation of heat-inactivated Lactiplantibacillus pentosus ONRICb0240 has been shown to benefit certain aspects of oral health, specifically gingival inflammation, in a six-week study that took place in Japan.
This is seen from the significant improvements to bleeding on probing percentage (BOP) - a criterion widely used to diagnose gingival inflammation - researchers wrote in the Journal of Periodontology.
There were also significant improvements to the Gingival Index (GI) - a scale that quantifies the degree of gingival inflammation, based on visual assessment of redness and swelling etc.
Beta-glucan oligosaccharides could lower cholesterol levels - Thai study
A 12-week study in Thailand found that daily supplementation of beta-glucans, either β-1,3/1,6-glucan oligosaccharides or polysaccharides, could significantly reduce total cholesterol levels.
However, two weeks post-supplementation, cholesterol levels remained significantly lower than baseline only in the oligosaccharide group, suggesting a more sustained effect, researchers wrote in Food Science and Nutrition.
Similarly, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels were significantly reduced in the oligosaccharide group after 12 weeks, with the effect persisting for two weeks post-intervention. This effect was not seen in the polysaccharide group.
HMB protein aids functional outcomes in sarcopenic surgical patients - Abbott
Taking a high-protein beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) supplement, together with physical exercise, was shown to improve functional outcomes in sarcopenic surgical patients in a six-month pilot study.
Writing in Nutrients, researchers pointed out that supplementation with high-protein HMB, alongside an exercise regimen, has significantly improved chair rise repetitions and the six-minute walk test at six months post-operation in sarcopenic patients who have undergone gastrointestinal surgery.
Anthropometric measurements such as mid-arm muscle circumference, mid-arm muscle area, weight and body mass index, also increased significantly at six months post-operation.
NMN shown to suppress post-exercise inflammation
A new pilot study conducted in Taiwan showed that the supplementation of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) could lower inflammation in young men who have undergone blood flow restriction-resistance exercise.
Specifically, NMN supplementation was reported to have lowered inflammatory cytokine mRNA expression, such as TNF-α, in skeletal muscle after blood flow restriction-resistance exercise.
Writing in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, researchers said that this was the first human study to report the findings.
