A recently published article suggests that consumer enthusiasm for
taking vitamin C as a treatment for the common cold may be
unjustified, writes Anthony Fletcher.
DSM is to close down production of bulk vitamin C in the US and cut
costs at its plant in Dalry, Scotland, as part of a series of
measures to ease pressure on its vitamin business, reports
Dominique Patton.
A review of the evidence on vitamins C and E, currently one of the
most controversial nutritional products, will give industry support
following the safety questions raised by recent studies.
Smokers need more vitamin E, say researchers who have found that
the vitamin is used up more quickly than in non-smokers to fight
off the damage done by cigarettes.
Italian firm Labochim has introduced a new alpha-lipoic acid
(ALA)chemically combined with the vitamin-like substance
L-carnitine, which increases the antioxidant's solubility,
reports Dominique Patton.
Mothers that consumed high levels of dietary vitamin C during late
pregnancy were more than twice as likely to report wheezing in
their children two years on, shows a new study.
People who supplement with high doses of vitamin C could be
reducing their risk of major heart disease events like heart
attack, suggests a new analysis of prospective studies.
A potent antioxidant abundant in apples and some other fruits and
vegetables appears to protect brain cells against oxidative stress,
a tissue-damaging process associated with Alzheimer's and other
neurodegenerative disorders.
Food makers continue to reap the benefits from new science that
backs the health promoting properties of food with researchers
finding an antioxidant-rich soup raised vitamin C levels, and
reduced stress levels, in consumers.
Further evidence to support the antioxidant power of broccoli and
cabbage revealed this week following a small investigation into the
phenol and flavonoid levels of ten common vegetables.
Vitamin E supplements had no effect on improving asthma symptoms in
a recent trial, reported UK scientists this week, but they said
their results do not rule out vitamin therapy for the condition.
The world's number two vitamin maker BASF opened a new production
plant for the chemical citral yesterday, the key building block for
vitamins A and E, as well as the carotenoids beta-carotene and
canthaxanthin.
The cactus pear fruit appears to fight free radical damage in
humans, according to Italian researchers, who suggest that it may
be due to their high polyphenol content.
People who have high levels of oxidative stress due to chronic
health problems might benefit from taking supplements of vitamin E
in doses higher than the currently recommended daily intake, say
experts in the US.
High-dose vitamin C supplementation over an eight-month period
appeared to make osteoarthritis worse in guinea pigs, report the
authors of a new study.
Lutein supplements can reverse some of the damage done by 'dry'
age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most prevalent form of
the disease, according to a study out yesterday.
Zila, a US pharma and biotech company, has achieved double-digit
sales growth for the first half of 2004, mainly due to the
performance of its nutraceutical division. Operational costs
exceeded sales however, due to higher cost of...
The current thinking that oxygen free radicals are responsible for
the development of numerous diseases, including cancer and
arthritis, may be a red herring, says a team of UK scientists.
Dietary intake of the antioxidant vitamin C may be associated with
reduced risk for stroke, especially in people who smoke, report
Dutch scientists in a new study. Vitamin E also appears to reduce
stroke risk in smokers, but not in...
Increasing intake of antioxidants could be the cheapest and most
practical way to delay cataract formation, report researchers, who
found that women who used vitamin C supplements for 10 or more
years were 64 per cent less likely...
Women who take vitamin C supplements may have a lower risk of
developing coronary heart disease than women with low intakes of
vitamin C, according to a new study. But researchers are still
calling for more trials before making recommendations.
Supplement manufacturers can expect an end to falling vitamin
prices over the next few years, with growth markets in Asia and
overall higher consumption offsetting the continuing battle with
Chinese competitors.
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...
UK-based Feel Good Drinks Company has launched a new variant of its
functional soft drinks range, after good response to the line
introduced in July last year.
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.
Vitamin E and C supplements may have a positive effect on cognitive
function in older women due to their antioxidative effects, suggest
Harvard researchers.
Biochemists at the University of California have developed a
technology that increases the amount of vitamin C in plants,
including grains, by increasing the amount of the enzyme that is
responsible for recycling vitamin C.
Roche has completed its previously announced exit from the vitamins
business, signing a contract yesterday with Dutch speciality
chemicals group DSM, the new owner of its vitamins and carotenoids
unit. Roche added that it has also...
Russian company Oligopharm has developed a new dietary supplement
based on chitosan oligosaccharide ascorbate. The company claims the
ingredient has powerful effects on a number of symptoms, including
osteoarthritis and can also lower...
The antioxidants in dark grape juice, noted for their health
benefits in fighting heart disease, may have a downside, according
to new research. In cell studies, scientists with the US Department
of Agriculture and Cornell University...
US researchers reported findings this week from a vitamin E dose
response and time course study which could help supplement
manufacturers to select the appropriate dose of a particular
antioxidant ingredient or formula.
Eating fresh grapes provides the same heart-health benefits touted
for red wine, finds new research published this month by a group of
researchers from the University of Connecticut. The team found that
table grapes from California...
Increasing dietary intake of vitamin E could help reduce the risk
of developing Parkinson's disease, according to research published
this month in the journal Neurology. Setting out to examine
if there was any positive impact...
Early results from a new study show that adults who eat raisins
prior to and during intense workouts may modulate their levels of
oxidative DNA stress.
German herbal extract company Plantextrakt last week launched a new
antioxidant system for use in a range of functional foods. The
ingredients, viewed at Health Ingredient Europe in Paris, were
featured in four different flavours...
Patients who have recently undergone an operation experience less
breathing problems after being given a cocktail of vitamins C and
E, researchers from the Leiden University Medical Center in the
Netherlands have found.
Raw garlic consumption could help limit the damage done to the
heart after surgery because of its natural antioxidant properties,
according to a new study published this week.
Taking vitamins to combat the effects of heart disease or cancer is
a waste of time, according to researchers from Oxford University's
Clinical Trial Service.
Researchers from the University of Surrey in the UK have suggested
a novel method of reducing the number of offences committed by
young offenders - feed them fresh vegetables.
Vitamin E could play a key part in fighting Alzheimer's disease,
according to a recent study of the effects of various antioxidants.
However, the research also showed that vitamin E supplements had no
significant effect on the...
