Supplement-makers on both sides of the Atlantic, and in other parts
of the world, too, are tapping into consumer anxiety to become, or
remain the brightest button in the box, with the number of new
products aimed at cognitive function...
A low glycemic index (GI) diet with a supplement of soy proteins
and phytosterols for 12 weeks cut the risk of death from heart
problems by 17 per cent compared to the American Heart Association
diet (AHAD), claims a new study.
Dairy dominates the cholesterol-lowering foods category in Europe,
but in the US dietary supplements are almost as popular, indicates
data from Mintel.
A daily supplement of soy isoflavones reduced bone loss in early
post-menopausal women, but the effect is not dependent on the dose,
researchers report.
Consumer confusion over vitamin D and calcium seems likely to grow,
following claims from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) trial
about their effect on bone health that oppose other studies.
Pregnant women who do not take folic acid-containing supplements
are eight times more likely to have low serum folate values,
despite eating folate-fortified foods, claims a new study.
UK consumer watchdog Which? has cast doubts over the effectiveness
of eye health supplements in an article that could affect
confidence in products and have a detrimental affect on the
industry.
Supplements and diet, and not sunlight, should be your source of
vitamin D, dermatology experts have concluded after reviewing
studies from both sides of the on-going debate.
Supplement marketers seem to be taking notice of the growing trend
towards vegetarianism, bringing more products to market that do not
contain animal-derived ingredients.
Supplement products made by Denmark's Ferrosan have been withdrawn
from sale in the EU after being found to contain undeclared
irradiated white tea extract.
A small number of supplements on the UK market have been found by
authorities to contain amounts of iron, manganese or zinc above
levels recommended by experts, said the Food Standards Agency
yesterday.
A UK firm looking to market the naturally occurring mineral
clinoptilolite as a food supplement for smokers or people in
contact with high levels of heavy metals has been told it does not
have enough safety data.
Bed sores, which afflict up to one-tenth of hospital patients, heal
more quickly when key supplements are added to a standard hospital
diet, reports new research from Australia.
Vegetarians should take supplements of the omega-3 fatty acid DHA
(docosahexaenoic acid) to reduce their risk of heart disease, says
German firm Nutrinova, manufacturer of vegetarian DHA.
A Utah-based company's reintroduction of ephedra-containing dietary
supplements when the legal position is still unclear could prove
damaging for the industry at large.
An herbal extract developed by New Chapter suppresses the growth of
prostate cancer cells and induces prostate cancer cells to
self-destruct, according to new research.
A new law that bans Californian high school athletes from using
ephedra, DHEA or bitter orange was signed by governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger on Friday, raising industry fears that it could harm
the reputation of all supplements.
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), including herbal
supplements, could make a cost-effective contribution to health
care in the UK, according to a report commissioned by the Prince of
Wales.
Calcium supplements may not increase the bone mineral density in
young women after a certain threshold level of intake has been
achieved, according to a new study from Creighton University.
The European dietary supplements market has yet to achieve
saturation and the next six years will present the industry with a
unique set of challenges and opportunities, according to Frost
& Sullivan.
Iron supplements could be improved by new research in the UK that
has identified for the first time a molecule responsible for
absorption of the mineral in the gut.
Opportunities in the mature enzyme market lie in developments,
driven by biotechnology, that provide food and beverage makers with
the right tools to meet consumer trends, claims a new report.
Taking supplements of L-Carnipure tartrate during pregnancy can
significantly reduce the increased level of plasma free fatty acids
that is considered the main cause of insulin resistance in pregnant
women, shows a new study.
The shellfish fibre chitosan has been shown in some trials to help
weight loss but inconsistent product quality has led to conflicting
results, believes one supplier.
Consumption of vitamins and minerals in China is growing, thanks to
immense economic growth and the emergence of a new consumer
culture. There may be opportunities for foreign companies to export
to the country to make up for a shortfall...
Swiss research institute VitaPlant is embarking on a research
project to develop six new plant extracts, in partnership with US
natural products supplier EuroPharma. Jess Halliday speaks
to Dr Bernd Bueter about plans to market the...
Supplement makers will need more innovative products and more
effective marketing to capitalize on a surge in demand for bone
health care in coming years, writes Dominique Patton.
UK trade officers and a charity are calling on industry to include
labelling about the risks of vitamin A to pregnant women on all
multivitamin supplements, writes Dominique Patton.
The court ruling on the European food supplements directive has
resulted in a win-win situation for industry, says one of the
groups that took the Commission to court over the laws, reports
Dominique Patton.
An extract of resveratrol-rich walnuts could offer supplement
makers a new ingredient for tackling the onset of age-related
macular degeneration, writes Dominique Patton.
Iron supplements could prevent irreversible brain damage in
thousands of children in Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe,
believe UK researchers, who have started investigating the link
between iron deficiency and lead pollution,...
Regularly taking copper supplements could lead to excess levels of
the mineral that may impact health, said a US researcher last week,
calling for the current upper safe limit for the mineral to be
lowered, reports Dominique Patton.
The UK-based lobby group the Alliance for Natural Health said today
that it has commissioned independent experts to develop a new
approach to regulating food supplements to replace that proposed by
the 2002 European directive, already...
Taking a Chinese herbal supplement containing ginseng and other
plants everyday for three months has been found to improve memory
in people with mild cognitive impairment, writes Dominique
Patton.
The UK's food authority said this week that it will provide up to
£20,000 (€30,000) to pay for external scientists to produce more
dossiers for supplement ingredients not currently on the European
directive's positive list,...
Fresh from its acquisition of Solgar, the US' biggest supplement
maker NBTY said today that it has also bought the Canadian
supplement maker and distributor SISU, writes Dominique
Patton.
Irradiated herbal supplements, not permitted in the EU, are still
being sold in Ireland, says the country's food safety authority,
despite attempts to increase compliance last year.
A superoxide dismutase supplement, one of the first marketed
commercially, could reduce the susceptibility to sunburn, report
Dominique Patton and Jess Halliday.
The government has again demonstrated its commitment to
investigating the medicinal properties of botanicals, with the
National Cancer Institute (NCI) providing $1 million in funding to
Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center...
