An extract from the common herb known as 'self-heal' may prove to
be a powerful new herpes treatment, researchers reported at the
annual American Society of Microbiology meeting in Washington last
week.
Eating oily fish like salmon, tuna or bluefish at least twice a
week can prevent sudden cardiac death, write experts in a journal
published today. They also explain in detail how fish fatty acids
act on dangerous heart rhythms.
Even non-anaemic women with fatigue may benefit from taking an iron
supplement, suggests research from Switzerland in this week's
British Medical Journal.
Chitosan, the substance derived from crustacean shells, may
decrease mild to moderate cholesterol levels in women, suggest
Japanese researchers, without them changing their regular diet.
A non-pathogenic strain of E. coli probiotic oral suspension
appeared to relieve patients of the major symptoms of inflammatory
bowel disease (IBD) in a pilot trial, according to US firm
BioBalance.
Compounds found in tea can stop the growth of bacteria that cause
bad breath, according to researchers at the University of Illinois
at Chicago, presenting results of a new study this week.
Research deemed to be the first 'controlled' trial of the Atkins
Diet finds it may be as safe and effective as conventional diets.
The study also found Atkins Dieters to have greater increases in
good cholesterol (HDL) and...
Taking supplements of the vitamin A precursor beta-carotene may
increase the risk of colorectal cancer in smokers and drinkers,
according to new research published this week. The study, from four
research centres in the US, comes...
The Food Standards Agency has launched a new section on its website
providing information on 24 different types of food intolerance.
Foods marketed to those with food intolerance is a growing segment
in supermarket aisles.
Researchers are to evaluate whether the positive effects of tomato
lycopene in reducing oxidative stress, previously seen in
non-smokers, is also produced in smokers, a high-risk group for
lung cancer.
Selenium may inhibit progression toward oesophageal cancer among
people with the precancerous condition Barrett's oesophagus,
according to a new study from the US.
A highly concentrated probiotic preparation may be an effective
treatment for ulcerative colitis patients who fail to respond to
conventional medicine, reported researchers in the US yesterday.
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, claim they
have found that a chemical produced when digesting green vegetables
like broccoli and kale can stifle the growth of human prostate
cancer cells, acting as the first...
Creatine serum supplements seem to have no effect on muscle ATP or
creatine stores, despite claims by one US manufacturer, say
researchers. Creatine manufacturer Degussa BioActives says the
study highlights the value of its creatine...
Research-based Probi, headquartered in Lund in Sweden, has signed a
licence agreement with the French dairy giant Danone, regarding the
bacteria lactobacillus Lp 299 v.
A new study published in this week's issue of The Lancet
confirms earlier findings that there is no detectable risk between
mercury in seafood and impaired neurodevelopment in young children.
Good news for pregnant mothers with...
A new multi-stakeholder project on the future of the nutrition and
health trend in Europe is to be launched by two Belgium-based
consultancy firms. The project, entitled Nutrition and Health 2020,
will explore how the nutrition and...
Compounds in green tea may one day be able to treat common skin
diseases and wounds, claims a researcher in the US, who has found
that the polyphenol EGCG can reactivate dying skin cells.
The UK Food and Drink Federation has launched an action plan to cut
salt in breakfast cereals, soups and sauces. The move follows the
publication by FDF of the first national manufacturers' survey of
salt use in 2000.
A high calorie diet seems to increase the chances of surviving
bowel cancer for longer, although it may also be the cause of it in
the first place, suggests research in Gut.
The UK Food Standards Agency has commissioned a study of the
possible association between maternal caffeine consumption and low
birthweight by the Universities of Leicester and Leeds in the UK.
Dutch company Loders Croklaan Lipid Nutrition yesterday presented
the findings of new research to support the immune boosting
function of its conjugated linoleic acid product Safflorin.
Increasing levels of selenium in the diet could protect the skin
against damage caused by ultraviolet rays from the sun, suggests
new research from Edinburgh University.
A micronutrient-fortified beverage can prevent iron deficiency,
reduce anaemia and improve the haemoglobin concentration of
pregnant women in the developing world, say researchers
The World Health Organisation (WHO) hosted the first of a series of
roundtable meetings with senior executives from the food industry
on Friday, to discuss ways of improving the global diet.
Doses above 1000mg of vitamin C and more than 1500mg daily of
calcium could cause serious health effects, says a new report
commissioned by the UK's Food Standards Agency. The FSA advice,
which also proposes a ban on weight loss...
Danish probiotics maker Chr. Hansen reported flat sales in its food
ingredients division for the first six months of the year although
there was good growth in cultures.
Herbal teas may not be such a healthy alternative after all.
Researchers at the University of Bristol Dental School in the UK
reveal the potential damaging effects they may have on our teeth.
Taking multivitamins around the time of conception may reduce the
risk of birth defects in children born to diabetic mothers,
according to a study in the journal Pediatrics.
The Food Standards Agency is advising parents to give young
children no more than three beakers (about 180ml each) a day of
dilutable soft drinks, or squashes, containing the sweetener
cyclamate.
Norwegian and Japanese scientists have confirmed several culinary
and medicinal herbs as important sources of dietary antioxidants.
But they say there is more than a 1000-fold difference among
antioxidant concentrations.
Infants fed different infant formulas can develop significantly
different levels of bone mineral content and bone mineral density -
key indicators of bone strength - according to a new study in the
journal Pediatrics.
People eating a mixed diet of lower-fat and high-fat foods consume
more vitamins and minerals than those who stick to only lower-fat
foods or high-fat foods, according to a study by researchers in the
US.
New research suggests that women exposed to polychlorinated
biphenyls contamination, usually found in fish, are less likely to
give birth to boys. These findings add to a growing body of
evidence suggesting that environmental pollution...
Many of the health benefits linked with foods have yet to be fully
proven, and following on from last week's report highlighting the
conflicting evidence on soya, the latest reports on fibre seem
equally confusing. Two new studies...
A dietary supplement containing soy extract genistein reduced
prostate-specific antigen levels by as much as 61 per cent in a
group of prostate cancer patients undergoing 'watchful waiting' for
their disease, report US researchers.
A combination of daily followed by weekly iron supplementation
appears to be the answer for treating severe anaemia in babies in
the developing world, according to a new French - Vietnamese study.
Adding long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids to infant formula
milk appears to be linked to lower blood pressure later in
childhood, and may cut the risk of heart disease in adult life,
finds a study in this week's BMJ.
The UK's independent scientific Committee on Toxicity (COT) is
urging the government to review its advice on the use of soya-based
infant formulas, following a new report suggesting that there is a
lack of evidence on phytoestrogens...
A new mouse study suggests fasting every other day can help fend
off diabetes and protect brain neurons as well as or better than
either vigorous exercise or caloric restriction.
Substituting sesame oil for other cooking oils appears to help
reduce high blood pressure and lower the amount of medication
needed to control hypertension, Indian researchers reported in the
US yesterday.
Even small restrictions in a mother's nutrition around the time of
conception can lead to premature births and long-term adverse
health effects for the offspring, finds an international study.
Body weight is directly associated with mortality from cancer, US
researchers report, suggesting that overweight and obesity could
account for up to 20 per cent of all deaths from cancer in American
women.
Scientists at the Institute of Cancer Research report a possible
link between levels of folic acid available to the baby in the womb
and leukaemia in children.
Japanese researchers have discovered a new vitamin that has an
important role in immune response and fertility in mice. The
chemical, pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ), may have a similar
function in humans, they said.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health
Organization (WHO) released their controversial report on diet and
its impact on disease in Rome yesterday, despite severe lobbying
from the US Sugar Association.
An adequate intake of folic acid during pregnancy, believed to
protect against neural tube defects (NTDs) in babies, may also help
prevent Down's syndrome, researchers report in The Lancet
this week.
A collaboration between US scientists and a Nigerian agriculture
agency may have found a way of reducing iron deficiency in western
Africa without resorting to more expensive fortification
programmes.
