Exposure to cigarette smoke may sap blood levels of folate, the
vitamin thought to protect against birth defects and reduce risk of
some cancers, reported researchers.
An alarming increase in obesity in UK men is placing many at an
increased risk of a number of cancers, with a diet full of junk
food and lack of exercise cited as the main culprits, revealed a
Cancer Research report yesterday.
Supplements of oral arginine reduced pulmonary hypertension by 15
per cent after five days of therapy in sickle cell patients, report
researchers in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical
Care Medicine this week.
Supplementing infant formula with probiotics may be a safe and
effective way to boost the immune system in day care infants,
suggest two new studies. BioGaia's human strain L. reuteri
ATCC 55730 was found to be particularly effective.
Adequate intake of antioxidant vitamins and minerals appears to
significantly reduce the risk of cancers and mortality among men,
report researchers from the French health and medical institute
Inserm.
Soyfoods and soybean isoflavone supplements seem to be most
effective at alleviating the hot flushes experienced during
menopause when the frequency of hot flushes is greater, report
researchers in this quarter's Journal of Medicinal...
A theaflavin-enriched green tea extract significantly reduced LDL
cholesterol in patients with raised cholesterol levels, according
to a study in this week's Archives of Internal Medicine.
Both high and low levels of vitamin A can increase hip fractures in
older women, reported researchers at a scientific meeting in the US
last week. The study shows that calls to reduce vitamin A
supplementation may need to be reconsidered,...
More information on the effects of phytoestrogens on bone, heart
and breast health is needed before recommendations on
supplementation can be safely made, argues a report in this month's
issue of the Journal of Nutrition.
Child nutrition will be the main topic on the agenda tomorrow as
the British Nutrition Foundation prepares to welcome industry
members to its 16th annual National Nutrition Education Conference
in Cambridge in the UK.
Scientists at the UK's Institute of Food Research have begun work
to identify the compounds in strawberries responsible for
inhibiting the growth of cancer cells with the aim of developing
new varieties in which the anticarcinogenic...
A group of the world's nutrition experts met at the International
Olympic Committee's headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, this
week to review the latest developments in the world of sports
nutrition.
Talks on solutions to combat the growing global incidence of
chronic disease continued this week when officials from the World
Health Organisation (WHO) met in Geneva with representatives of
some 30 food, beverage and producer associations.
Folic acid, found to lower plasma homocysteine levels, did not
prevent heart attacks and strokes in heart disease patients
receiving supplements of the vitamin, report researchers in the
Netherlands.
Only 38 per cent of people in the UK have heard of Age-Related
Macular Degeneration (AMD), reveals this year's omnibus survey
carried out by lutein manufacturer Kemin Foods.
Consuming high levels of isoflavones, in the form of foods such as
miso soup, may reduce the risk of breast cancer, especially in
postmenopausal women, suggests new Japanese research, which
counters previous studies showing no such...
Milk drinks that contain non-esterified plant sterols can
significantly inhibit cholesterol absorption report researchers,
testing the efficacy of the cholesterol-lowering ingredient when
dissolved in milk.
Preoperative administration of an immune-enhancing oral supplement
helps patients to fight off infections after operations, and spend
less time in hospital, concludes a study presented recently.
The trace element selenium may prove to be an important nutritional
supplement for preventing breast cancer if a person is genetically
predisposed to the disease, suggest researchers in the US.
A compound found in the root of the liquorice plant could be more
effective at treating the SARS virus than currently used drugs,
reported researchers from the Institute of Medical Virology at
Frankfurt University Medical School in...
The obesity epidemic affecting the UK's children needs to be
addressed by all sectors, urges a health specialist, or we could
soon see a dramatic rise in diabetes cases.
A meta-analysis of trials on antioxidant vitamins concludes that
they are not effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular
disease. The authors, writing in tomorrow's Lancet, even go
as far as warning that beta-carotene supplements...
The Enova brand cooking oil, produced jointly by ADM and Japan's
Kao, has been shown to increase the body's ability to burn fat and
may also improve appetite control and energy balance, according to
new research.
The herbal and pharmaceutical industries should invest more time
and resources in studying herb-drug interactions, suggest
researchers in the UK, who found 'a widespread lack of interest' in
this area from both industries...
The more nuts you eat, the lower your cholesterol, a new study
appears to suggest. Researchers at the Lorna Linda University in
California found that people who replaced 20 per cent of their
energy intake with almonds significantly...
Two researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have received
awards for developing 'nanovehicles' to improve the delivery of
nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals into the body's blood stream and
tissues.
The World Health Organisation has set up an international
organisation which aims to reduce the crippling effects of poor
health around the world through fortifying foods with essential
nutrients like vitamin A and iron.
Buckwheat should be considered as a health food, according to
researchers in Madrid, who found that the fibre has both prebiotic
and cholesterol-lowering properties.
A herb used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine could
treat some of the dementia resulting from stroke just as
effectively as conventional drugs prescribed for the condition,
suggests new research.
Belgian supplier of prebiotic ingredients Orafti Active Food
Ingredients will hold its fourth research conference, 'Inulin and
Oligofructose: FeelGood Factors for Health and Well-being', in
Paris in February 2004.
Seaweed species have been found to defend themselves from specific
pathogens with naturally occurring antibiotics, which could present
oppportunities for future nutraceuticals, report US researchers.
Supplements containing a soy compound were no better than a placebo
at relieving the symptoms of menopause, according to a Finnish
study published in this month's Obstetrics and Gynecology
journal.
EU-funded projects to explore the physiological effects from eating
foods with added soy-derived isoflavones are hoping to see benefits
for bone health and heart disease reduction in women.
A plant-based diet may be important in reducing the risk of ovarian
cancer, report US researchers this month. Fibre, carotenoids and
lignans were all found to lower the risk.
Scientists in the US have developed a form of vitamin D that
greatly enhances radiation treatment for breast cancer tumours, and
does not result in the side effects seen with high doses of the
natural vitamin form.
Waste water from olive oil production may be used as a source of
valuable bioactive antioxidants - widely believed to have a
protective effect on human health - as scientists in southern
Europe develop a new technique to recover the...
Anti-ageing foods are set to grow significantly as the worldwide
elderly population expands and looks for improvements in their
quality of life, confirmed speakers at a recent seminar organised
by the Northern Ireland Centre for Food...
A new 'functional' cooking oil made from a blend of tropical,
olive, coconut and flaxseed oils, may soon offer relief to
calorie-counters and cholesterol-watchers, according to Canadian
researchers.
Nutritional oils company Loders Croklaan Lipid Nutrition reports
that a study on its Clarinol conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) found
improved weight reduction and fewer of the negative effects
normally experienced when dieting.
The value of dietary fibre in the adult diet is now recognised as
important but in a journal this month researchers suggest that
babies may also benefit from the effects on bowel health by adding
fibre to milk formula.
Public sector caterers and their suppliers are being asked once
again by the Food Standards Agency to reduce the amount of salt
used in their food production and supplies of processed foods.
Drinking fermented milk appeared to eliminate or drastically reduce
symptoms related to lactose intolerance in people with the allergy,
report US researchers on a small study.
Taking copper supplements had a protective effect against oxidation
in erythrocytes in older adults, according to new European
research, investigating the role of the trace mineral on human
health.
Greek Orthodox Christians who avoid specific foods at certain times
of the year as part of their religion's fasting regimes have lower
levels of LDL cholesterol, report researchers, suggesting fasting
can be beneficial for the...
A major initiative to tackle the growing epidemic of obesity
launched in Finland today, with a campaign for improved medical
education and a new register of obesity expertise in Europe.
Probiotics given to pregnant women and babies around the time of
childbirth could protect children from atopic eczema for up to four
years - two years longer than previously reported, researchers will
report in tomorrow's Lancet.
The UK Dairy Council is launching a campaign to try to improve the
image of milk. A survey found that women are not eating the
recommended three portions of dairy products a day and many believe
the fat content of milk to be much...
