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MEDICINAL PLANTS AND EXTRACTS REPORT

The 33rd issue of the Market News Service (MNS) Medicinal Plants and Extracts report was released in December 2009. Prepared by the International Trade Centre, the aim of the report is to promote international trade in medicinal plants and botanical extracts. This new, revised version includes substantially more information on the structure ...

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AAMPS INITIATIVE

The African Association for Medicinal Plants Standards (AAMPS) together with the International Foundation for Science (IFS) have launched a special joint initiative to develop the capacity of young scientists and encourage applied research in the field of quality control, quality assurance and the preparation of standards/monographs for ...

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PSSA OPEN LETTER AND HPA RESPONSE

Many pharmacists have expressed concern regarding claims made in advertising complementary medicines. In the PSSA Newsletter #14 of 31 March 2009 is an open letter from the PSSA to the Medicines Control Council that deals with the call-up of complementary medicines. Below is the open letter in its entirety. This is followed by a ...

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MONICA FAIRALL-MORRELL - A TRIBUTE

Renowned broadcaster, journalist and media personality, Monica Fairall-Morrell, died on the winter solstice of 21 June, 2009. She had been diagnosed with myeloma in late 2008 and finally succumbed to complications arising from pneumonia. Despite the discomfort of her condition and the side-effects of aggressive treatment, Monica remained ...

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HONEYBUSH PROJECT TO BOOST GENADENDAL COMMUNITY

The historical town of Genadendal is the focus of a new indigenous knowledge project that aims to establish the town's small farmers as independent producers of a unique African herbal tea. The project, which will run for three years until 2012, is funded by South Africa's Department of Science and Technology.
"We believe ...

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SUDDEN DEATH RISK MY BE DIMINISHED BY MAGNESIUM

New research, which has examined the association between magnesium and the risk of sudden cardiac death, has established that that the relative risk of sudden cardiac death was significantly lower in women in the highest quartile of dietary magnesium consumption. In fact, women with the highest blood levels of magnesium, which has ...

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DO ENERGY DRINKS POSE A DANGER TO CHILDREN?

A report published in the journal Pediatrics, suggests that energy drinks may be dangerous to children's health. Dr. Steven Lipshultz, chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Miami, and his colleagues collected all the existing studies on the health effects of energy drinks and found that not only do 30% to 50% of ...

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IRON SUPPLEMENTS COULD AID LOW BIRTH WEIGHT BABIES

Researchers from Umea University and the Karolinska Institute in Sweden suggest that nutrition recommendations regarding babies born with marginally low birth weight should change to ensure they are given iron supplements in order to reduce the risk of them developing iron deficiency and anaemia. The scientists, led by Umea's Magnus Domellof, ...

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GLOBAL PROBIOTIC MARKET BOOM

The global probiotic market is expanding exponentially as more people worldwide chose the route of preventative healthcare in order to avoid rising healthcare costs. Although this market is still considered to be in its infancy, Global Industry Analysts (GIA) predict that it has the potential to be worth$28.8b by 2015. GIA wrote in the report, ...

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VITAMIN D HEALTH CLAIM FILED IN THE US

The Alliance for Natural Health USA is filing a Qualified Health Claim Petition with the FDA for vitamin D. For years, the FDA held that health claims could only be made if there was Significant Scientific Agreement (SSA) about the claim -- a standard almost impossible to reach in science. Following court losses, the Agency finally ...

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EFSA APPROVES SUGAR-FREE CHEWING GUM HEALTH CLAIM

A health claim application for sugar-free chewing gum has been approved by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The application - submitted by leading gum manufacturer, Wrigley, under Article 14 of the health claims process - was for the health claim that xylitol, sorbitol and mannitol-based sugar-free chewing gum reduces the risk of ...

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LIPID CONTROL MAY BE MORE EFFECTIVE WITH OMEGA-3/STATIN COMBO

A study conducted in Korea has established that combining omega-3 fatty acids with statins could be more effective at controlling blood lipid levels than statins alone. For the study - funded by the Innovative Research Institute for Cell Therapy (IRICT) and the Clinical Research Center for Ischemic Heart Disease in South Korea - ...

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ZINC SHOWS PROMISE FOR COLD RELIEF

Researchers Meenu Singh and Rashmi Das from the Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh, India,  have established that zinc may help to shorten the duration of a cold and reduce the severity of its symptoms. They reviewed 15 studies involving zinc's effects on colds. Their data, published in the Cochrane Library, included ...

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NIACIN COULD HELP PROTECT AGAINST RADIATION INDUCED DNA DAMAGE

Ionising radiation can have detrimental effects on health - most specifically the potential of increased risk of DNA damage. Dr Lee Yong and Martin Petersen from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted the first study to establish the correlation between ...

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KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS MAY BE RELIEVED WITH PASSION FRUIT PEEL

A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted by scientists from Iran, the USA, and New Zealand has established that purple passion fruit peel has the potential to alleviate symptoms associated with knee osteoarthritis. Researchers led by Ronald Watson from The University of Arizona and Southwest Scientific Editing and ...

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STROKE DAMAGE COULD BE REPAIRED WITH CURCUMIN COMPOUND

Paul A. Lapchak, PhD, director of Translational Research in the Department of Neurology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and his associates have found that a compound derived from curcumin can help protect and regenerate brain cells after a stroke. Dr Lapchak and his associates at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies tested the curcumin ...

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MULTIVITAMINS MAY REDUCE HEART ATTACK RISK IN WOMEN

Researchers, led by Dr Susanne Rautiainen, from the Divisions of Nutritional Epidemiology at the Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, have found that women who take multivitamins every day could decrease their risk of heart attacks. The study investigated the association between multivitamin use and myocardial infarction in a population of over ...

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CAN PYCNOGENOL ALLEVIATE TINNITUS SYMPTOMS?

Pycnogenol - the extract of French maritime pine bark - may improve blood flow to the ear and provide relief from tinnitus, according to a study conducted by Dr Gianni Belcaro and collleagues from Chieti-Pescara University in Italy. The study involved 82 patients aged between 35 and 55 who were randomly assigned to receive 100 or 150 ...

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LIFE EXPECTANCY COULD INCREASE WITH LITHIUM

Dr Michael Ristow of the University of Jena in Germany and his colleagues in Japan have discovered an association between the increased intake of the element lithium and greater life expectancy. The study evaluated the effect on mortality of varying amounts of lithium found in the tap water of 18 Japanese municipalities.  "We found ...

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GYMNEMA RESEARCH REVEALS POTENTIAL DIABETES BENEFITS

A traditional Indian folk remedy - Gymnema sylvestre (GS) - has been found to help reduce blood glucose levels in the first human clinical trial conducted on the extract. Researchers from King's College London and Burdwan Medical College, J. B. Ayurveda College and Calcutta University, West Bengal recruited seven female and ...

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WATERMELON EXTRACT COULD REDUCE PRE-HYPERTENSION

An extract from watermelon - L- citruline - may reduce pre-hypertension according to researchers from the Florida State University. The small pilot study, conducted by food scientists led by Dr. Arturo Figueroa, found supplementation with six grams of L-citrulline for six weeks, resulted in improved arterial function, and lowered aortic ...

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OMEGA-3S MAY BE EFFECTIVE AGAINST GUM DISEASE

In a study published early in 2010, researchers from the University of Kentucky reported that omega-3 polyunstaturated fatty acids EPA, DHA and ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), as well as their fatty acid ethyl esters could inhibit the growth of oral pathogens, including Streptococcus mutans, Candida albicans, and ...

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CAN VITAMIN D HELP CONTROL BLOOD SUGAR?

An Iranian study has established that vitamin D could assist blood sugar regulation in diabetics. For the trial, Tirang Neyestani, associate professor at the National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute in Iran, and colleagues recruited 90 adults with diabetes -55 women and 35 men - who were divided into three groups of 30. ...

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ANTIHERPETIC POTENTIAL IN TANSY

Scientists from Britain and Spain believe that the plant tansy, (Tanacetum vulgare), may have medicinal benefits as a treatment for herpes. "Our research focused on the anti-viral properties of tansy, especially the potential treatment it may represent for herpes," said lead author Professor Francisco Parra from the ...

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STRESS REDUCTION WITH PROBIOTICS?

Probiotics could play a valuable role in stress reduction according to French scientists from contract research company ETAP-Ethologie Appliquee. Led by Michael Messaoudi, the researchers investigated the effects of probiotics on anxiety-type symptoms in rats, and also on anxiety, depression, and stress in healthy human volunteers. For the rat ...

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EU HERB DIRECTIVE KEEPS CONSUMERS IN THE DARK

Consumers across Europe will be denied the right to use the majority of herbal remedies currently available in health food stores and on the Internet when a new European law is fully implemented on 1st May 2011, according to data published today by the Alliance for Natural Health International (ANH-Intl).
ANH-Intl has collated and ...

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US DIETARY GUIDELINES UPDATED

The 'Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010' was released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in January 2011 -  the first update since 2005. While these concentrate primarily on strategies to tackle obesity, primarily through dietary changes, the Guidelines do recognise the benefits of ...

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ESSENTIAL OIL PILL COULD HELP ALLEVIATE PMS

Edilberto Rocha Filho and  a team of researchers from the Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil, conducted  tests devised to ascertain the effects of a pill containing a mix of essential oils on reducing premenstrual syndrome (PMS). One hundred and twenty women took part on the randomised, controlled trial. Women who were given ...

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WEIGHT LOSS PILLS - FRAUDULENT & ILLEGAL

According to US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials a popular type of weight-loss product heavily promoted on the Internet is fraudulent and illegal. Human chorionic gonadotropoin weight-loss products that promise dramatic results and claim to be homeopathic are sold as drops, pellets and sprays on the web, and via retail ...

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VITAMIN D & LUNG CANCER LINK?

A new study has found that an enzyme that plays a role in metabolizing vitamin D can predict lung cancer survival. The study, from researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, suggests that this enzyme stops the anti-cancer effects of vitamin D.Levels of the enzyme, called CYP24A1, were elevated as much as 50 times ...

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LAVENDAR OIL MAY HAVE ANTI-FUNGAL PROPERTIES

Lavender oil could be a weapon in the fight against antifungal-resistant infections. The essential oil shows a potent effect against fungi responsible for common skin and nail infections. Scientists tested lavender oil and found it to be lethal to a range of skin-pathogenic strains known as dermatophytes, as well as various species of Candida. ...

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JAMA WARNS ON CAFFIENE-CONTAING ENERGY DRINKS

In a published commentary in the Journal of the American Medicines Association, (JAMA), the authors point out that the announcement by the Food and Drug Administration in November 2010 that caffeine is an unsafe food additive to alcoholic beverages will effectively make several "premixed" alcoholic energy drinks prohibited for sale ...

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CHRONDROITIN SHOWS POTENTIAL FOR ALLEVIATING SYMPTOMS OF KNEE ARTHRITIS

Quebec researchers have established a benefit for chondroitin sulfate in men and women with osteoarthritis of the knee. The compound is a major component of cartilage, and helps build cartilage tissue when supplemented. The double-blinded trial enrolled 69 participants between the ages of 40 and 80 who displayed warmth, swelling, or ...

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CONTAMINATED HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS RECALLED

Internet and overseas trade has been cited as the source of contaminated herbal supplements that have been recalled in Australia and Denmark. The Australian case involved an Ayurvedic product called Vatyog  that was found to be contaminated with 448μg of lead per capsule and which caused a man seeking back pain relief to ingest more ...

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HEAVY FINES FOR MISLEADING ADVERTISING

In the United States, a distributor of food supplements has agreed to pay a total of $2.65 million in costs, civil penalties and restitution in the settlement of a lawsuit which alleged that that the company engaged in false and misleading advertising in connection with the marketing and sale of certain of its dietary supplement products. ...

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EFSA ACCEPTS HEALTH CLAIMS FOR IODINE AND IRON

Health claims linking iodine and iron to children's development have been accepted by the European Food Safety Authority and written into the EU legislature. Commission Regulation (EU) No 958/2010 of 22 October 2010 refusing to authorise a health claim made on foods, other than those referring to the reduction of disease risk and to children's ...

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DECREASED STROKE RISK COULD BE LINKED TO POTASSIUM-RICH DIET

A study conducted in Italy has established a link between the consumption of potassium-rich foods and decreased stroke risk. For the study, researchers led by Dr. Lanfranco D'Elia, of the University of Naples Medical School, combined the results of 11 international studies that followed 247,510 adults for up to 19 years. In most of the studies, ...

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BONE BENEFITS OF CALCIUM AND VITAMIN D

Researchers from the University of Kuopio in Finland have established that the bone mineral density (BMD) of post-menopausal women increased significantly more when they received daily doses of 800 International Units of vitamin D (cholocalciferol) and 1,000 milligrams of calcium for three years, compared with women who received no ...

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SENTENCED FOR SELLING ILLEGAL SUPPLEMENTS

A UK man was given a six months suspended prison sentence and 200 hours of community service for selling illegal herbal supplements. Ramchandre Damle, of Southall, Middlesex, pleaded guilty to three counts of selling and supplying ‘DBCare', ‘BControl' and ‘SX Power', which were deemed to be unauthorized diabetic medicines. The ...

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TOP FIVE HEALTH SUPPLEMENTS

In the US, the most popular food supplement products today are fish oil, multivitamins, vitamin D, calcium and CoQ10. This is according to a new survey of over 6 000 supplement users by ConsumerLab.com, which conducts independent evaluations of health and nutrition products. Vitamin D in particular has increased in popularity over the ...

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ONLINE COMMUNICATIONS UNDER INVESTIGATION

The UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has since 2008 received 4 500 complaints about online marketing, which it was unable to process due to previous restrictions in its activities. This is now to be rectified. In March 2011, the ASA launched a six-week campaign to educate industry and consumers about its new remit to police online ...

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BEETROOT JUICE MAY IMPROVE BLOOD FLOW TO BRAIN

Scientists at Wake Forest University in the US undertook to investigate the potential impact of beetroot juice on brain health and found that it could improve blood flow to the brain and may therefore assist in protecting against dementia. They took a group of 14 adults aged 70 or over and for two days fed half of them a high nitrate ...

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POTENTIAL OF AGED GARLIC FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

An Australian study, reported to be the first to examine the potential of aged garlic extracts for reducing hypertension, has established that although garlic may reduce systolic blood pressure by 10,2 mmHg, benefits were only observed in people with initial systolic pressure (SBP) of 140 mmHg or over. The Adelaide-based scientists, led by ...

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PRODUCTION PROCESS CAN AFFECT PROBIOTICS

A study done in Finland reveals the importance of quality control in probiotic production as differences in the production of bacterial strains can change the potential probiotic properties of functional foodstuffs. Researchers from the University of Turku, led by Lukasz Grzeskowiak, examined the effects of the processes used to produce a ...

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ANTI-OXIDANTS MAY DIMINISH ALZHEIMERS EFFECTS

Researchers from the Catholic University of San Antonio in Murcia, Spain have established that daily consumption of an antioxidant-rich drink for eight months may counter the detrimental inflammatory effects associated with Alzheimer's disease by reducing homocysteine levels. Previous epidemiological studies have reported that ...

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BITTER ORANGE CONCERNS COULD BE UNWARRANTED

Sidney J. Stohs, dean emeritus of the Creighton University School of Pharmacy and Health Professions has reviewed FDA reports on bitter orange and the p-synephrine compound it contains. "The conclusion that bitter orange and p-synephrine are responsible for adverse events presented in these reports is unwarranted and unjustified, based on ...

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HEART FAILURE PATIENTS MAY BENEFIT FROM OMEGA-3S

A small study co-authored by Dr. Mihai Gheorghiade, professor of cardiology at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, suggests that, combined with standard care,.omega-3 fatty acids may improve the condition of heart failure patients. The research team randomly assigned 133 heart failure patients with minimal symptoms on ...

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CRN ENCOURAGES NCCAM TO FOCUS ON SCIENCE

The US Council for Responsible Nutrition VP of scientific and regulatory affairs, Douglas MacKay, ND, released a statement emphasising the importance of the National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicines (NCCAM) increasing support for basic science and mechanistic studies of dietary supplements to "better inform the design ...

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L-THEANINE RESEARCH SHEDS LIGHT ON BRAIN BENEFITS

New research on L-theanine, conducted by scientists from Unilever R & D, provides new model data. which could support further research into the potential health benefits of this amino acid. In what is apparently the first study to measure the pharmacokinetic parameters of L-theanine, the scientists assessed how the compound is absorbed and ...

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USE STRICTER CLINICAL TRIALS TO REVEAL ANTI-OXIDANT BENEFITS

Keiichiro Suzuki and co-workers from the Department of Biochemistry at Hyogo College of Medicine believe that stricter clinical trial designs and a multifaceted approach are necessary to establish the clinical potential of antioxidants. While numerous epidemiological studies have linked increased dietary intake of antioxidants from fruits and ...

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ISOFLAVONES MAY REDUCE INFLAMMATION AND INSULIN RESISTANCE

Researchers, led by Dr. Lluís Arola, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Spain have established that isoflavones from soybeans may have a beneficial role in improving inflammation and reducing obesity-related insulin resistance. Obesity and diabetes are both associated to a low level, ...

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EFAS COULD HELP DECREASE BLOOD PRESSURE

New findings from Copenhagen University and the Technical University of Denmark reveal that omega-3 fatty acids can help reduce blood pressure levels in mildly overweight teenage boys. For the study78 slightly overweight adolescent boys aged between 13 and 15 were randomly assigned to consume a supplement of 1.5 grams of omega-3 fatty acids ...

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SESAME OIL ON OFFER

The producers of Assagay coffee in Natal have secured a 50 year lease on a 1000Ha farm in the Manica Province of Mozambique on which they've planted 12 Ha of sesame - a crop that grows exceptionally well in the area. "We would like to know if any HPA members would be interested in purchasing sesame oil in bulk," asks Rick James. ...

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PROBIOTICS COULD REDUCE RESPIRATORY ILLNESS IN INFANTS

Researchers from the University of Turku in Finland and probiotics player Chr. Hansen conducted a study that has established probiotic efficacy in the reduction of respiratory illness in infants during their first eight months of life. Led by Turku University's Teemu Taipale, the researchers recruited 109 one-month-old infants and randomly ...

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DIABETES RELATED HEART DISEASE MAY BE ALLEVIATED WITH GARLIC OIL

Research on rats indicates that diabetes related heart problems could be alleviated with garlic oil supplementation. Researchers, led by Wei-Wen Kuo from the China Medical University in Taiwan investigated the effects of garlic oil on the cardiac function of rats induced with diabetes. Diabetes related cardiac dysfunctions were dose-dependently ...

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EFSA OPINIONS WILL BE LAW BY 2012

All non-botanical, European Food Safety Authority generic, article 13.1 opinions will be written into European Union law books by early 2012. So said the, European Commission's Unit Head of Food Law, Nutrition and Labelling Basil Mathioudakis at a European Health Claims Alliance conference in Brussels in October 2010. He stated that the ...

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POSSIBLE ASTHMA PROTECTION IN SYNBIOTICS

Findings from the Synbad study group in the Netherlands indicate that daily supplements with probiotics and prebiotics may prevent asthma-like symptoms in children with atopic dermatitis (AD). According to the FAO/WHO, probiotics are defined as "live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit ...

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EFSA HEALTH CLAIMS UPDATE

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has released their fourth batch of opinions on health claims, and assessment of 442 Article 13 general function claims in areas such as protection against oxidative damage to body cells, contribution to either cognitive or bowel function; and maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels.  Claim ...

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PAIN RELIEF POTENTIAL IN CURCUMIN

A study from Italy has found that supplements containing a mixture of curcumin and soy phospholipids may relieve pain and increase mobility in patients with osteoarthritis. The new study compared the effects of NSAIDs with NSAIDs plus Indena's Meriva proprietary formulation supplement - composed of 20 percent natural curcuminoid mixture, 40 ...

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CAN OMEGA-3S HELP DECREASE DIABETES RISK?

According to two news studies, high dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids could help lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. In one study, of more than 3,000 older US adults, researchers found that those with the highest blood levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were about one-third less likely to develop diabetes ...

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DANES ON THE LOOKOUT FOR MISLEADING PRODUCTS

A campaign by the Danish Food Administration is seeking to curb misleading marketing of dietary supplements in retail stores, with random inspections and fines for the worst offenders. Inspectors are primarily checking for dietary supplement products which make medicinal claims - illegal both under national legislation and the EU health claims ...

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DOES GINSENG HAVE BRAIN PROTECTION PROPERTIES?

Researchers, led by Dr Qiong-Lan Yuan from Tongji University School of Medicine in China have established that an active protein found in ginseng root shows signs of neuroprotective support against stroke, and may benefit other neurodegenerative diseases. The study assessed the effects of Ginsenoside Rb1 (GRb1) - an active protein component of ...

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AUSTRALIA CONSIDERS AUTHORISING HEMP FOODS

Responding to an application to permit Cannabis sativa extracts in the food supply that were low in the psychoactive constituent, delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) - Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) noted its use in other parts of the world:  "Hemp is cultivated worldwide, including in Australia and New Zealand, ...

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SALES OF HERBALS SET TO SKYROCKET

A report entitled, "Herbal Supplements and Remedies: A Global Strategic Business Report" by Global Industry Analysts, predicts that the global herbal supplements and remedies market is to hit almost $100 billion by 2015. Negative publicity surrounding herbal ingredients such as ephedra that tarnished the image of herbal ...

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OLIVE OIL MAY HELP LOWER STROKE RISK

A new study, led by Cécilia Samieri of the Université Bordeaux, has established that olive oil could potentially reduce stroke risk. Researchers surveyed 7,625 people age 65 or older in three French cities to determine their levels of olive oil consumption. Then, they examined the participants' medical records for occurrence of ...

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FOLIC ACID FORTIFICATION SUCCESS IN AUSTRALIA

Mandatory folic acid fortification of bread products since September 2009  has resulted in increased blood folate levels in the Australian population according to the Medical Journal of Australia. A 77 % reduction in low serum folate levels was recorded after analysing more than 20,000 blood samples collected from a varied group of ...

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DIETARY ANTI-OXIDANTS MAY BENEFIT MALE URINARY HEALTH

A Harvard study has established that dietary antioxidants can be linked to reduced lower urinnary tract symptoms (LUTs) in men. Researchers from Harvard and Northwestern Universities - led by Nancy Maserejian, affiliated with Boston-based New England Research Institutes - analysed data from 1,466 men aged between 30 and 79 enrolled in the ...

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FDA LAUNCHES IMPROVED SEARCH ENGINE FOR CONSUMERS

US consumers can now search for food and other product recalls more easily and quickly on the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) recently-launched   improved website.  For greater ease of use, the search results provide data from news releases and other recall announcements in a table that organises information from news ...

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TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE RESEARCH

Researchers at the University of Sydney are using computer science to investigate the efficacy of herbal treatments widely used in China to treat common ailments. The long-term goal is to build a database that health-care providers could use to help them decide if such treatments would benefit their patients. Central to the program is ...

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PMS MAY RESPOND TO EFAS

Dr Edilberto Rocha Filho and colleagues based at the Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil, conducted a randomised placebo-controlled trial with 120 female volunteers suffering from PMS  and found that women given capsules containing 2 grams of a combination of essential lipids - including gamma linolenic acid, oleic acid, linoleic ...

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NORWAY LAUNCHES NEW CONSUMER WEBSITE

In preparation for the new European Union health claims regulation, the Norwegian supplement association Bransjerådet for Naturmidler (BRN) has launched an information website for consumers.The website provides consumers with objective and product-neutral information about substances and how they can be used in regards to prevention of ...

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BONE BOOST FROM FORTIFIED DAIRY

Researchers from Harokopio University and the University of Athens, Greece, led by Dr Yannis Manios, examined the effects of the fortified dairy on a variety of markers linked to bone strengthening and weakening. Their results indicate that the combination of vitamin D and calcium led to significant decreases in levels of a compound called ...

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GREEN TEA EXTRACT MAY SCAVENGE FREE RADICALS

Researchers, led by Subramanian Kaviarasan from the University Annamalai, India conducted a study to investigate the ability of a green tea extract to react with different types of free radicals and singlet oxygen. They found that Sunphenon, a polyphenol rich fraction of green tea that contains between 75 and 80%  green tea polyphenols, ...

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UK WARNS ON HERBAL PRODUCT CONTAINING ANTIHISTAMINE

The UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) warned UK consumers not to purchase an unlicensed herbal product because it contains an undeclared medicinal ingredient, Chlorpheniramine, which is an antihistamine and can cause serious side effects, particularly in those hypersensitive to antihistamines. The product is ...

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SUPPLEMENTS MAY ALLEVIATE ED SYMPTOMS

The amino acids L-arginine and aspartic acid combined with French maritime pine bark extract have been demonstrated to significantly improve erectile dysfunction (ED) symptoms in a double-blinded trial. Twenty-four Japanese men with mild to moderate erectile dysfunction who did not have diabetes or heart disease were selected for the trial. ...

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BERRIES COULD HELP LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE

A collaboration between scientists from the University of East Anglia (UK), Harvard School of Public Health, and Harvard Medical School has established that anthocyanins - mainly from blueberries and strawberries may assist in reducing high blood pressure  and thereby aid in hypertension prevention. Led by Harvard's Eric Rimm, the ...

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MICRONUTRIENTS MAY INCREASE PROBIOTIC BENEFITS

According to researchers, led by Dr Supriya Yadav from the Agharkar Research Institute, India, the ingestion of probiotics in conjunction with micronutrient supplementation may offer a double beneficial effect to the host by improving zinc and iron status, and by boosting the microbial balance of the colon. The researchers noted the trend in ...

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CRN'S ROADMAP FOR RETAILERS

The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), the leading trade association for the dietary supplement industry, released "Roadmap for Retailers: Safely Navigating What You Say About Dietary Supplements,"as an educational tool to remind the supplement industry about its responsibilities with regard to the laws and regulations under ...

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CANADIAN CONFIDENCE IN HEALTH CLAIMS DECLINES

A survey commissioned by Health Canada has found that scepticism about health claims made by the manufacturers of vitamins, herbal supplements and non-prescription drugs has increased in the last five years, with about half of Canadians (49%) now saying the claims are unproven.  In 2005 the figure was 46%. Similarly, the public's level of ...

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MORE RESVERATROL BENEFITS

Yet another benefit can be attributed to resveratrol - a polyphenol found in red wine and grapes.  New research suggests that resveratrol could help protect against the adverse effects of weightlessness during space flight as well as those caused by a sedentary lifestyle, which has been linked to cardiovascular disease, obesity and ...

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US PRODUCT RECALLS

Various problems have prompted numerous product recalls in the US in the last few months including possible contamaination, undeclared ingredients, inaccurate usage information and ‘spiked' products. Following three voluntary recalls by manufacturers of whey protein, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) identified a further supplier to ...

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VITAMIN D MAY HELP CLEAR BRAIN PLAQUE

Experiments conducted by a team from Tohoku University in Japan have found a role for vitamin D in clearing the brain of amyloid beta, a toxic compound that accumulates in the plaques that occur in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients.  "It was reported that single nucleotide polymorphisms in the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene ...

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SUPPORT FOR BOTANICAL RESEARCH

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has made grant funds available for the support of a cooperative agreement with the University of Mississippi's National Centre for Natural Products Research (UM-NCNPR). The goal of the agreement is to promote the efficient development and dissemination of natural products research and science. The ...

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COULD DAIRY REDUCE DIABETES RISK?

Researchers led by Dariush Mozaffarian, at Harvard School of Public Health, have established that a fatty acid - trans-palmitoleic acid - which is found in milk, cheese, yoghurt and butter may help prevent Type 2 diabetes.  For the study, researchers examined 3,736 participants in the government-funded Cardiovascular Health Study. Risk ...

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FDA WARNS OF VITAMIN LEVELS IN DIETARY SUPPLEMENT

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned consumers to stop using a Spanish-labelled vitamin solution because the product may contain dangerously high levels of vitamins A and D. FDA notes that it has received seven reports of serious adverse effects associated with the product, and states that the product cannot be marketed legally ...

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GREEN TEA MAY HELP REDUCE CHOLESTEROL

Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College in Beijing have reviewed 14 randomised controlled trials that evaluated the effects of a green tea beverage or extract on serum lipids and deduced that green tea may help lower cholesterol.  The trials included a total of 1,136 men and women.  ...

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DANES SPONSOR RESVERATROL RESEARCH

The Danish Council for Strategic Research has committed €2.47m to a resveratrol study that to investigate multiple metabolic syndrome endpoints for the antioxidant including obesity, type-2 diabetes, osteoporosis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The five-year, human research project will be the longest ever completed to date using ...

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LYCOPENE COULD BENEFIT HEART HEALTH

A study from South Korea has established that lycopene, the compound that gives tomatoes their red color, may benefit heart health by boosting the body's natural antioxidant defenses and protecting against DNA damage. A daily supplement of 15 milligrams for eight weeks was associated with increased activity of SOD (super oxide dismutase), a ...

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EFAS & PMS

A study conducted by lead author Dr Edilberto Rocha Filho, and his co- workers, based at the Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil has established that supplements containing 2 grams of a combination of essential lipids - including gamma linolenic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, other polyunsaturated acids and vitamin E - can ...

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HEALTH CLAIMS FILED FOR VITAMIN D

The Alliance for Natural Health USA is filing a Qualified Health Claim Petition with the FDA for vitamin D. For years, the FDA held that health claims could only be made if there was Significant Scientific Agreement (SSA) about the claim - a standard almost impossible to reach in science. Following court losses, the Agency finally acknowledged ...

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FDA LAUNCHES IMPROVED SEARCH ENGINE FOR CONSUMERS

US consumers can now search for food and other product recalls more easily and quickly on the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) recently-launched   improved website.  For greater ease of use, the search results provide data from news releases and other recall announcements in a table that organizes information from news ...

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AUSTRALIAN CONSUMERS WARNED ABOUT ONLINE PURCHASES

Following media coverage on the dangers associated with purchasing complementary medicines online from overseas retailers, the Australian Complementary Healthcare Council (CHC) has put out a strong warning on this issue, coupled with reassurance for consumers that the Australian Complementary Medicines industry is tightly regulated. Products ...

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COCOA MAY BOOST HDL CHOLESTEROL

A  Japanese study conducted by researchers from the Food and Health R&D Laboratories at the Meiji Seika Kaisha company report that cocoa's potential ability to boost HDL levels is related to a proteins which boost levels of a compound called apolipoprotein A1 (Apo-A1), which is required by the body to produce HDL-cholesterol.  ...

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ZINC COULD REDUCE COMMON COLD DURATION

A systematic review of evidence has revealed that zinc lozenges have a beneficial effect on common cold duration, depending on the total dosage of zinc and the composition of lozenges. Dr Dr. Harri Hemila of the University of Helsinki, Finland, who authored the review stated, "Controlled trials that have examined the effect of zinc ...

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NIH LAUNCHES WEB RESOURCE ON CAM

The US National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) launched a new online resource designed to give health care providers easy access to evidence-based information on Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). With this new resource, providers will have the tools necessary ...

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CURCUMIN AND VITAMIN D3 MAY HELP TREAT ALZHEIMERS

Alzheimer's patients suffer from brain amyloidosis, a condition related to defective clearance of amyloid-beta in their brains by their innate immune system. In order to improve the innate immune system of Alzheimer's patients, researchers looked at the immune stimulation effects of vitamin D3 in combination with curcumin, an active compound ...

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WHEY PROTEIN COULD IMPROVE BLOOD LIPID PROFILES

Researchers, led by Murielle Bortolotti from University of Lausanne, have found that supplementation with whey protein may significantly reduce the markers of fatty liver disease in obese women by reducing the amount of fat inside liver cells by up to 20%. The research revealed that whey protein improved key markers of blood lipid ...

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FENUGREEK FOR HEARTBURN?

Results of a pilot study from Ohio-based Columbus Nutraceuticals Consulting Inc., led by Dr Robert DiSilvestro, reveals that consumption of Frutarom's FenuLife ingredient -  a galactomannan-rich extract from fenugreek -  30 minutes prior to a meal significantly reduced heartburn severity, with effects "generally similar to the ...

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ANTI-OXIDANTS LINKED WITH IMPROVED MEMORY

Results from the French SU.VI.MAX trial indicate that supplementing with antioxidants could help middle aged people maintain memory skills that often decline with aging.  "Oxidative stress and a proinflammatory state were hypothesised to play a central role in dementia and the decline of age-related cerebral functions through lipid ...

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CAN RESVERATROL ACTIVATE FAT CONTROL HORMONE?

The fat controlling hormone adiponectin may be controlled by resveratrol, according to a researchers from the University of Texas who have  found that the this antioxidant compound stimulates the expression of adiponectin - a hormone released from fat cells, which plays an important role in the regulation of insulin sensitivity and ...

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HIGH FOLATE INTAKE MAY BE LINKED TO LOWER COLORECTAL RISK

American Cancer Society (ACS) researchers have concluded that diets that contain higher amounts of the B vitamin folate are associated with s reduced risk of colorectal cancer. The finding contradicts recent speculation that consuming additional folate via food fortification or supplements could increase the risk of the disease. For this ...

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POMEGRANATE JUICE COULD ASSIST KIDNEY DIALYSIS PATIENTS

A study by led by Dr Batya Kristal from the Western Galilee Hospital in Israel has revealed that pomegranate juice could be beneficial for kidney disease patients on dialysis. Dr Kristal and colleagues studied 101 dialysis patients who received either pomegranate juice or another placebo drink at the beginning of each dialysis session, three ...

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CINNAMON MAY HAVE ANTI-DIABETIC PROPERTIES

According to findings of a randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial conducted at Imperial College, London, cinnamon may be a useful complementary supplement to conventional medications for people with type-2 diabetes. For the study, Dr Rajadurai Akilen and his co-workers recruited 58 people with type-2 diabetes and an ...

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INFLAMMATORY DISEASE DEATH RISKS MAY DIMINISH WITH OMEGA-3S

Research conducted by Paul Mitchell at the University of Sydney and his colleagues has uncovered that a greater intake of omega-3 fatty acids and nuts exerts a protective effect against death from inflammatory disease.  The investigation utilised data from 2,514 participants in the Blue Mountains Eye Study, which evaluated eye diseases and ...

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EFFECTS OF TOMATO JUICE ON OSTEOPOROSIS

Researchers at the University of Toronto (UT) claim that 30mg of lycopene found in tomatoes - the equivalent to two glasses of tomato juice- is enough to help prevent osteoporosis. According to the UT scientists, Lycopene (the red pigment in tomatoes and several fruits) it is a potent carotenoid (a group of naturally occurring pigments ...

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CAN FISH OIL HELP ALLEVIATE POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION?

Michelle Judge of the University of Connecticut  School of Nursing and her team conducted a small trial that established that women who took fish oil supplements during pregnancy had fewer symptoms of postpartum depression than women who took placebo.  Judge's team studied 42 pregnant women who took either 200 mg of fish oil, in the ...

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VITAMIN D AND DEPRESSION

Data from the third US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey revealed that people with vitamin D deficiency were at an 85 percent increased risk of having current depressive episodes, compared with people with sufficient levels, according to findings published in the International Archives of Medicine. "It is not known, ...

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CAM COULD SAVE ON HEALTHCARE COSTS

A report conducted in Australia has estaablished that health supplements could potentially save the country millions in healthcare costs. Conducted by Access Economics for the National Institute of Complementary Medicine (NICM) at the University of Western Sydney (UWS), the report entitled ‘Cost effectiveness of complementary medicines' ...

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POSITIVE POTENTIAL OF CHINESE THERAPIES

The results of a clinical trial suggest that green tea polyphenols as well as a traditional Chinese form of exercise known as tai chi could help maintain bone health and muscle strength in older women, while reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center associate professor Chwan-Li Shen and her ...

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LINK BETWEEN IRON AND DEGENERATIVE DISEASES?

Douglas Kell, professor of Bioanalytical Science at the University of Manchester has published a review in which he suggests that the majority of debilitating illnesses are, in part, caused by poorly-bound iron, which may lead to the production of dangerous toxins, called hydroxyl radicals, which react with cells and tissues in the body and ...

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EFFECTS OF VITAMIN D ON BREAST CANCER AND INSULIN RESISTANCE

Researchers at the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, a part of Georgetown University Medical Center, found in mice models that vitamin D significantly reduced development of estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer both in lean and obese mice, but had no beneficial effect in estrogen receptor-negative (ER-) cancer. In fact, ...

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CAN CREATINE BOOST COGNITIVE FUNCTION?

A study conducted by David Benton from the University of Swansea and Rachel Donohoe from London Ambulance Service NHS Trust has established the creatine supplementation may boost cognitive function in vegetarians. The researchers recruited 121 young women, both vegetarians and omnivores, and randomly assigned them to receive either a daily ...

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POSITIVE PROPERTIES OF POLYPHENOLS

Japanese researchers, led by Yuji Moriwaki from the Hyogo College of Medicine, have found that intake of highly bioavailable polyphenols - in the form of the branded ingredient Oligonol, extracted from lychee fruit - may reduce the risk of developing hyperinsulinemia (excess levels of circulating insulin) and gout by blocking the production of ...

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OMEGA 3 MAY REDUCE MACULAR DEGENERATION

Regular consumption of fish and omega-3 fatty acids found in fish is associated with a significantly reduced risk of developing age-related macular degeneration in women, according to a report posted online that will appear in the June issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Using the Women's Health Study, William ...

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LINK BETWEEN WHOLEGRAIN FOODS AND LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE

A study conducted in Scotland has revealed that consumption of wholegrain foods could help lower blood pressure. Study leader Dr Frank Thies, Senior Lecturer at The Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health University of Aberdeen, and colleagues recruited approximately 200 middle-aged healthy individuals who were randomly allocated into two ...

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VITAMIN A IMPORTANCE ELEVATED

In a study mapping the structure and function of the so-called "orphan" nuclear receptor TR4, Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) investigators suggest that Vitamin A may play a more direct role than was previously known in certain physiological functions including sperm cell formation and the development of the central nervous ...

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HEART HEALTH BENEFITS OF OLIVE OIL?

Researchers from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid have discovered that an olive extract rich in hydroxytyrosol - thought to be the main antioxidant compound in olives - may be effective for reducing levels of oxidized LDL cholesterol. For the study they researchers recruited 22 healthy volunteers aged between 20 and 45 years and with a BMI ...

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VITAMIN D DOSE REVIEWED

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha have reported that a markedly higher intake of vitamin D is needed to reach blood levels that can prevent or markedly cut the incidence of breast cancer and several other major diseases than had been originally thought. ...

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SOY ISOFLAVONE MAY WORK AGAINST CANCER BY TARGETING COPPER

A study conducted in India suggests that the soy isoflavone genistein blocks the growth and development of cancer cell lines due to its ability to target copper and generate pro-oxidant signalling cascades that target cancer cells. Study leader Dr Mohammad Ullah from the Faculty of Life Sciences, at the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), India ...

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BENEFITS OF LOW DOSE FOLIC ACID FORTIFICATION

Researchers led by Helene McNulty from the University of Ulster, Coleraine in Northern Ireland report that low doses of folic acid are enough to lower homocysteine levels - . an amino acid linked to increased risks of heart disease and dementia. McNulty and her co-workers conducted their double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial ...

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PROBIOTICS MAY BENEFIT MOTHER AND CHILD

Two studies have now added to the body of science supporting the potential benefits of specific probiotic strains for mother and child. According to findings published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Bifidobacterium breve and Lactobacillus casei were associated with protection against necrotizing enterocolitis ...

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CAN THIS PLANT OIL HELP REDUCE OBESITY?

James Perfield, assistant professor of food science in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) at the University of Missouri, has found that a specific plant oil, known as sterculic oil, may be a key in the fight against obesity. Sterculic oil is extracted from seeds of the Sterculia foetida tree. The oil ...

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EU APPROVES CHROMIUM PICOLINATE FOR USE IN FOOD

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has approved the use of chromium picolinate in foodstuffs after performing a safety review that applies to functional and medical foods and included over 140 references. If the opinion is accepted the ingredient could enter the food supply as early as next year. It is already approved for use in food ...

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ORANGE JUICE BENEFITS

A study, devised to compare the effects of orange juice with those of pure hesperidin on blood vessel functioning, blood pressure, and systemic markers linked to CVD risk in order to determine whether hesperidin contributes to the protective effects of orange juice, has revealed that this flavanone may significantly reduce blood pressure and ...

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GARLIC COULD REDUCE OSTEOARTHRITIS RISK

Research from King's College London reveals that consumption of vegetables high in allium - like garlic, onions and leeks - could assist in reducing osteoarthritis risk, thus highlighting the protective potential of diet. Results from the Framingham study suggested a protective effect of vitamin D on progression of knee osteoarthritis as well ...

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VITAMIN D/SUNLIGHT COMBO MAY BE BEST FOR REDUCING BREAT CANCER RISK

Data collected over a decade of study from 67,721 women indicates that a combination of sun exposure and vitamin D supplements could be the most effective way to reduce breast cancer risk. The data established that postmenopausal women living in sunny climates combined with high dietary or supplemental intakes of vitamin D were at a ...

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IOC INDICATES THAT SUPPLEMENTS MAY BOOST ATHLETIC PERFROMANCE

The International Olympics Committee (IOC) has done an about-turn on health supplements by admitting that some may enhance athletic performance. The IOC - which previously warned athletes against food supplements - now states that, "a very small number may enhance performance for some athletes" but did not go into specifics about what ...

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EU RULES ERECT HIGH BARRIERS TO HERBAL REMEDIES

A new European Union Directive has come into force that erects high barriers to herbal remedies and food supplements containing herbs. The Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive (THMPD) allows only herbal medicines that have been registered under the scheme to be sold in the EU - effectively banning hundreds of herbal products. ...

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POSSIBLE BRAIN PROTECTION IN GREEN TEA COMPOUNDS

An in vitro study conducted in the U.K. has confirmed that digested polyphenol compounds from green tea show protective potential against dementia and may play a role in protecting the body against cancer. Lead researcher Dr Ed Okello from Newcastle University, said that just because a consumed food is generally accepted to contain ...

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FERMENTED SOY ISOFLAVONES MAY BE MORE BIOAVAILABLE

A study from Japan has revealed that isoflavones in the aglycone form - as found naturally in fermented soy foods - are more bioavailable than the glucoside-form from non-fermented soy. Researchers from Ajinomoto Co., Ltd. established that 25% more isoflavone was absorbed in the aglycone-form and this was absorbed five times faster than ...

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DANES TARGET ILLEGAL WEIGHT LOSS SUPPLEMENTS

The Danish Medicines Agency (DKMA) is actively campaigning against illegal weight loss supplements that contain substances like ephedrine, rimonabrant and sibutramine, even setting up a website to focus on the issue. The Danish-language website - www.nix-pille.dk - meaning "don't touch", offers advice about dangerous products, ...

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VITAMIN E COULD HELP REDUCE FATTY LIVER DISEASE IN CHILDREN

According to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health, a specific form of vitamin E improved the most severe form of fatty liver disease in some children, A previous study found vitamin E effective in some adults with the disease. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease among U.S. children ...

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CAN TOMATO COMPOUND REDUCE BLOOD LIPID LEVELS?

A team of Japanese researchers have discovered a tomato compound that may help reduce blood lipid levels. The research suggests that an extracted compound, 9-oxo-octadecadienoic (9-oxo-ODA) works to reduce blood lipid levels and restore ‘normal' fat metabolism in the liver, which could in turn be of benefit in preventing the onset of ...

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BENEFICIAL FATTY ACIDS PRESENT IN FISH LIVERS

Researchers from the Spanish University of Almeria have found that fish livers are a good source of beneficial polyunsaturated fatty acids. Fish livers are usually discarded by the fishing industry and, with the exception of cod livers, are seldom used to produce medicinal oil. This could soon change. "The livers of edible fish are a good ...

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HIGH PREVALENCE OF DIETARY SUPPLEMENT USERS IN US

According to a survey of 20 000 people conducted by researchers from the National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements about 50% of Americans use dietary supplements. More women/girls than men/boys were supplements users with 44% of males listed as users, compared with 53% of females. Multivitamin-multimineral supplements were ...

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LOW VITAMIN D LEVELS FOUND IN OBESE ADOLESCENTS

A new study from Hasbro Children's Hospital has found that most obese adolescents are lacking in vitamin D. Lead author Zeev Harel, M.D., a pediatrician specialising in adolescent medicine at Hasbro Children's Hospital, reports that screening obese adolescents for vitamin D status by measuring their blood 25 OH D level has become a routine ...

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COULD MAGNESIUM SUPPLEMENTS REDUCE DIABETES RISK?

German scientists have established that daily supplements of magnesium for six months improved two out of three measures of insulin sensitivity, compared with placebo, while blood sugar levels, measured as fasting levels of glucose in the blood, improved by about 7%. Researchers, led by Prof. Frank Christoph Mooren, from the Institute of ...

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BOOM IN INDIAN SUPPLEMENTS MARKET

Researcher Frost and Sullivan reveals that booming interest in food supplements in India will translate into a market worth 107.7 billion rupees (€1.84bn) in 2016 - nearly triple 2009 levels. In 2009 the market was worth INR37.7bn (€645m), Frost observed of a market being driven by increasing health awareness and desire to use ...

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HOW RESVERATROL EXERTS HEALTH BENEFITS

Researchers from the University of Texas have found that the antioxidant compound resveratrol stimulates the expression of adiponectin - a hormone released from fat cells, which plays an important role in the regulation of insulin sensitivity and energy. Senior author Dr Feng Liu, professor of pharmacology at UT says, "Our study uncovers a ...

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STUDY REVEALS VITAMIN D3 MORE POTENT THAN VITAMIN D2

Scientists led by Robert Heaney, MD, from Creighton University in Nebraska have established that Vitamin D3 is 87% more potent at raising blood levels of the vitamin than vitamin D2. Vitamin D3 also produced a 2- to 3-fold increase in the storage of the vitamin, compared with vitamin D2. For the study the researchers supplemented 33 healthy ...

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COULD PLANT EXTRACT BE NEW HAYFEVER REMEDY?

A clinical study conducted by researchers of the Center of Allergy & Environment (ZAUM) of Helmholtz Zentrum München and Technische Universität München has established that the plant extract Ze 339 (Petasol butenoate complex) could alleviate symptoms of hay fever more effectively that regular antihistamines. In a randomised ...

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JAPAN GRANTS RED GRAPE LEAF PRODUCTS OTC STATUS

A medicine containing a mixture of Red Grape Leaf Extracts ( for example Resveratrol) as a main active substance has been evaluated and approved as a direct over the counter (OTC) medicine by the Investigation Committee of Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW). The product is permitted to claim that it improves swelling of the ...

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VITAMIN C COULD BENEFIT THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

Henrique von Gersdorff, PhD of Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and his associates have established that the eye's nerve cells need vitamin C, which suggests the vitamin may be required by other areas of the nervous system. The researchers studied goldfish retinal cells, which are similar to those found in humans.  They found ...

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PERFORMANCE BOOSTING POTENTIAL IN NITRATES?

The study led by Professor Eddie Weitzberg from the Karolinska Institutet, Sweden reports that short term increases in dietary nitrates - which are found in green leafy vegetables and beetroot juice - can boost muscle efficiency during exercise, and finds that the improved performance is linked to increased efficiency of the mitochondria that ...

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FISH OIL DURING PREGNANCY MAY HELP DECREASE COLDS IN NEWBORNS

Researchers at Emory University and in Mexico have established that women taking 400 mg of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid found in fish oil, helped their one-month newborns to fight off more cold symptoms such as coughing, nasal congestion and runny noses than those who took a placebo. The cold-fighting effect lasted for six ...

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HOW OMEGA-3S CAN AFFECT MOOD

Researchers, led by Olivier Manzoni and Sophie Layé, from the Université de la Méditerranée and University of Bordeaux respectively have suggested the potential mechanism for the effects of omega-3 on mood. The researchers used a specific diet to mimic lifelong omega-3/omega-6 imbalance of essential PUFAs in mice and ...

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SUPPLEMENTS FOR JAPANESE EVACUEES

Japan's Miyagi prefecture has started to give out nutritional supplements to some 7,200 people to compensate for the lack of nutrients in their food. Although food supplies have now improved, most food aid consists of meals high in carbohydrates such as rice-balls or bread, lacking vitamins or protein. As a consequence and because of ...

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VITAMIN D MAY HELP REDUCE COLORECTAL CANCER RISK

A new meta-analysis, led by Philippe Autier from the International Prevention Research Institute (IPRI) in Lyon, France, has established that high blood levels of vitamin D are associated with a reduced risk of colorectal concer. Dr Autier and his co-workers analysed data from 35 epidemiological studies of vitamin D ((25-hydroxyvitamin D) ...

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EFSA HEALTH CLAIMS UPDATE

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has released their fourth batch of opinions on health claims, and assessment of 442 Article 13 general function claims in areas such as protection against oxidative damage to body cells, contribution to either cognitive or bowel function; and maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels.  ...

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ASTAXANTHIN MAY CONTRIBUTE TO PREVENTION OF DEMENTIA

A Japanes study has found that 12 weeks of supplementation with astaxanthin could reduce the abnormal accumulation of compounds associated with dementia. Astaxanthin - the pink pigment that gives salmon its colour - was associated with significant reductions in levels of compounds called phospholipid hydroperoxides (PLOOH), known to accumulate ...

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NCCAM FIVE-YEAR CAMS PLAN

NCCAM released its third strategic plan, Exploring the Science of Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Third Strategic Plan 2011-2015 in February 2011. The plan presents a series of goals and objectives to guide NCCAM in determining priorities for future research in complementary and alternative medicine. The plan highlights the growing ...

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CURCUMIN COULD HELP ALLEVIATE TENDINITIS

Researchers at The University of Nottingham and Ludwig-Maximilian University in Munich have discovered that curcumin, a compound derived from the spice turmeric, may help alleviate tendinitis. Tendinitis is a painful inflammatory condition of the tendons, which connect the muscles to the bones. Mehdi Shakibaei of ...

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KRILL OIL MAY ASSIST IN CONTROLLING METABLIC DISORDERS

A study conducted by a team of scientists from Finland, Norway, Italy and the USA and krill supplier Aker Biomarine has found that daily supplements of omega-3 rich krill oil could help alleviate metabolic symptoms in obese people. Researchers led by, led by Sebastiano Banni from the University of Cagliari, recruited 63 overweight and obese ...

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FRANKINCENSE FOR ARTHRITIS?

According to Cardiff University scientists may help relieve and alleviate the symptoms of arthritis. "The search for new ways of relieving the symptoms of inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis is a long and difficult one," according to Dr Emma Blain, who leads the research with her co-investigators Professor Vic Duance from ...

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FENIGREEK MAY REDUCE HEARTBURN SEVERITY

Results of a pilot study reveal that a galactomannan-rich extract from fenugreek may be a safe alternative to pharmaceutical acid-reflux and heartburn medications. In collaboration with Marian Verbruggen from Frutarom Netherlands and E. Jann Offutt, a Ohio-based private medical practitioner and study leader  Dr DiSilvestro ...

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UV PROTECTION FOUND IN GRAPES

Compounds in grapes may be able to protect the skin from ultraviolet (UV) radiation, according to researchers from the University of Barcelona and the Spanish National Research Council. A team led by University of Barcelona Faculty of Biology member Marta Cascante tested the effects of several antioxidant polyphenolic fractions found in grapes ...

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CHIA SEED BENEFITS

Research from the University of Queensland, Australia, has established that rats fed chia seed supplements were protected from heart and liver problems associated with a high-fat diet, including improved insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance, reduced visceral adiposity, decreased liver fat, and lower cardiac and hepatic inflammation and ...

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VITAMIN C MAY HELP DISSOLVE ALZHEIMER'S AMYLOID PLAQUE

Researchers at Lund University have discovered that vitamin C ca dissolve the toxic protein aggregates that build up in the brain in Alzheimer's disease. The brains of people with Alzheimer's disease contain lumps of so-called amyloid plaques which consist of misfolded protein aggregates. They cause nerve cell death in the brain and the first ...

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OBESITY REDUCTION POTENTIAL IN MOLASSES EXTRACT

Dietary supplementation with molasses extract may provide a novel approach for weight management in humans according to a study conducted in mice by Richard Weisinger, Ph.D., who investigated the impact of adding molasses extract to a high fat diet. Molasses extract is rich in polyphenols, a group of chemical compounds found in plants that are ...

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GREEN TEA COMPOUNDS COULD HELP TREAT CONGENITAL DISEASE

Dr Thomas Smith of The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center and his colleagues at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia has determined that green tea compounds epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and epicatechin gallate (ECG) may be beneficial in the treatment of a congenital disease known as hyperinsulinism/hyperammonemia (HHS) as well as two ...

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POPLAR BID EXTRACT MAY DECREASE SKIN AGEING

Scientists Xavier Vitrac and colleagues have discovered that the leaf buds of poplar trees provide beneficial antioxidants that could help prevent skin ageing. The researchers noted that there's a long history of using poplar buds to treat various health problems, such as colds, sinusitis, sunburn and arthritis. A substance found in ...

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CORIANDER OIL SHOWS ANTI-BACTERIAL POTENTIAL

A new study suggests that oil from coriander seeds may be effective against a broad range of harmful bacteria, including drug-resistant bugs and those that commonly cause food poisoning. In the new study, Dr. Fernanda Domingues of the University of Beira Interior, in Portugal, and her team tested the effect of coriander oil against 12 ...

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PHYTOSTEROLS EXHIBIT LIPID CONTROL BENEFITS

Researchers from the Agricultural University of Athens have found that phytosterols can help minimise some of the deleterious health effects associated a Westernised style diet in people suffering from metabolic syndrome.  The scientists recruited 108 people with metabolic syndrome, aged between 30 and 65 and with average BMIs of 29 kg/m2. ...

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SPIRULINA AIDS SENIOR HEALTH

Spirulina supplementation has been associated with the ability to boost the immune system and counter anaemia in seniors, according to a study supervised by Dr M. Eric Gershwin at UC Davis with Gerry Cysewski, PhD, chief science officer and executive vice president at Cyanotech, as co-researcher. The researchers recruited 40 seniors with a ...

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SAFFRON COULD HELP PROTECT AGAINST LIVER CANCER

Researchers led by said Professor Amr Amin from United Arab Emirates University, have established in animal models, that saffron could help protect against liver cancer. They administered saffron extract to rats with diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced liver cancer, finding that the extract reduced cancer cell proliferation and stimulated cell ...

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SLEEP TIGHT WITH PASSION FLOWER TEA

Consumption of a low dose of passion flower (Passiflora incarnata), in the form of tea, can yield short-term subjective sleep benefits for healthy adults with mild fluctuations in sleep quality, according to researchers led by senior author Dr Russell Conduit from the School of Psychology and Psychiatry at Monash University, Australia. ...

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CAN FENUGREEK BOOST MALE LIBIDO?

Scientists from Applied Science and Nutrition Pty Ltd, Clinical Trials, Brisbane and the University of Queensland have found that a formulation containing a standardised extract of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum) and minerals was associated with an improvement in libido for 81 percent of the men in the study, and a 63 percent ...

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GLUTATHIONE SYNTHESIS MAY BE RESTORED WITH AMINO ACIDS

Glutathione synthesis in older individuals can apparently be reversed by supplementing with the precursor amino acids N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and glycine according to researchers at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Glutathione is a tripeptide antioxidant compound associated with protection against reactive oxygen species.  ...

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VITAMIN A COULD SAVE CHILDREN'S LIVES

A study published online in the British Medical Journal concludes that Children in low and middle income countries should be given vitamin A supplements to prevent death and illness, Vitamin A is an essential nutrient that must be obtained through diet. Vitamin A deficiency in children increases vulnerability to infections like diarrhoea and ...

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UK CAMS LEADERS QUESTION COMPETANCE OF ASA TO ASSESS CAMS RELATED COMPLAINTS

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), the UK's media industry watchdog and self-regulator, has brushed off concerns raised by complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) leaders at Alliance for Natural Health International (ANH-Intl) and The Complementary Medical Association (The CMA) over its scientific competence to adjudicate ...

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SENIOR DEPRESSION MAY BE ALLEVIATED WITH OMEGA 3

Researchers from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences report that six months of supplementation with 300 mg of both omage-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) resulted in significant improvements in depression scores of seniors suffering from mild to moderate depression, as measured by the Geriatric ...

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POTENTIAL HEART HEALTH BENEFIT OF SEA BUCKTHORN

The new study suggests that daily consumption of sea buckthorn (in quantities of more than 28 grams per day of berries or 5 grams per day of oil) may hold promising health benefits for humans, particularly for cardiovascular disease (CVD). "Sea buckthorn is a natural source of vitamins and several other bioactive compounds such as ...

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MICRONUTRIENT INTAKE BELOW PAR IN US

Americans apparently fail to obtain the recommended micronutrient intake levels set forth in the Dietary Reference Intake for several nutrients, according to Victor L. Fulgoni III of Nutrition Impact LLC, and his colleagues at the Office of Dietary Supplements in Bethesda, Maryland and Tufts University in Boston. They assessed the usual ...

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GLOBAL GMP GUIDE PUBLISHED

The International Alliance of Dietary/Food Supplement Associations (IADSA) has released a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) guide for supplements makers globally. The guide covers quality management, premises and equipment, personnel and training, product and process development, manufacture, storage, transport and distribution. Other topics ...

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VITAMIN B1 FOR INFANT BRAIN HEALTH CLAIM APPROVED BY EFSA

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) approved a health claim linking thiamin (vitamin B1) and ‘normal neurological development and function' in infants and children up to three years of age. EFSA's Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) backed German firm HiPP's article 14 claim as it affirmed that thiamin ...

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HPA GENERAL MEETINGS

Two HPA General meetings are scheduled to take place in September - one at Kelvin Grove in Cape Town at 1 p.m. on Thursday 15th and one in Johannesburg at the Bryanston Country Club at 3,30 p.m. on Thursday 22nd. Dr Alan Tomlinson will discuss technical and regulatory matters and Celecia Pleass will present an update on the Self-Monitoring ...

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LINK BETWEEN MELATONIN LEVELS AND INFANT MENTAL CAPACITY

Lower melantonin levels may result in lower mental capacity in pre-term infants according to a study involving 39 Israeli babies. Authors Ferber et al., highlighted the fact that medically low-risk pre-term infants score lower results (5 to 10 points on average) on the Mental Development Index (MDI) of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. ...

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ANTHROCYANINS COULD LOWER PARKINSON'S RISK

Regularly consumption of foods rich in the group of flavanoids known as anthocyanins (found in berries), could decrease the risk of developing Parkinson's disease according to a study from the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston. Researchers led by Dr Xiang Gao, conducted a prospective study of nearly 50,000 men and over 80,000 women from ...

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EU PROJECT ON PERSONALISED NUTRITION

A four-year European Union (EU) funded project, Food4Me, is to examine the application of nutrigenomic research to personalised nutrition, and identify the opportunities and limitations. A group of international experts will consider all aspects of personalised nutrition; from investigating consumer understanding to producing technologies ...

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MORE POTASSIUM, LESS SODIUM

A team from the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta and the Harvard School of Public Health report that having a lower sodium to potassium ratio is associated with a reduced risk of dying from any cause over a 14.8 year median period. Quanhe Yang PhD and colleagues evaluated data from 12,267 adults enrolled in the Third National Health and ...

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EU NANOTECHNOLOGY GROUP: DELIVERY ON VITAMINS AND MINERALS

The Observatory/Nano project, funded by the European Union Framework 7 Programme and led by the Institute of Nanotechnology has published a paper entitled "Improving delivery of essential vitamins and minerals". The paper outlines the challenge to find solutions to provide the necessary nutrients for a healthy lifestyle, while ...

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CAN VITAMIN C BENEFIT ASTHMATIC CHILDREN?

According to a study published in the journal Clinical and Translational Allergy. vitamin C has greater or smaller beneficial effect against asthma in children depending on their exposure to molds or dampness in their bedroom and on the severity of their asthma. Drs Mohammed Al-Biltagi from the Tanta University in Egypt and Harri ...

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OMEGA-3 AND MUSCLE HEALTH

Omega-3 fatty acids may potentially benefit muscle health and reduce degenerative muscle loss, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. In order to test this theory, Bettina Mittendorfer, PhD, from the Division of Geriatrics and Nutritional Science at Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis and ...

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SOY PROTEIN MAY EXHIBIT PROTECTIVE EFFECT AGAINST POSTMENOPAUSAL ARTHEROSCLEROSIS

Researchers from the University of Southern California report that soy protein may protect against the progression of arthersclerosis in postmenopausal women if initiated five years after menopause. For the study, Howard N. Hodis, MD of USC's Keck School of Medicine and his associates randomised 350 postmenopausal women aged 45 to 92 who did ...

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LOW VITAMIN B12 LINKED TO BRAIN SHRINKAGE

Older people with low blood levels of vitamin B12 markers may be more likely to have lower brain volumes and have problems with their thinking skills, according to researchers at Rush University Medical Center. The study involved 121 older residents of the South side of Chicago who are a part of the Chicago Health and Aging Project (CHAP), ...

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GRAIN FIBRE HEALTH BENEFITS

US researchers based at the National Cancer Institute in Maryland and the AARP in Washington DC have found that dietary fibre from grains may reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular, infectious, and respiratory diseases by 24 per cent to 56 per cent in men and by 34 per cent to 59 per cent in women. The team's objective was to ...

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EFSA OPINION ON CALCIUM CARBONATE

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)'s Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food (ANS Panel) has published its favourable opinion on Calcium carbonate (E 170) online, which can be found via the following link:

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RESVERATROL MAY DECREASE METABOLIC SYNDROME RISK

Researchers at the University of Alberta have established that reseveratrol may protect against metabolic syndrome. Jason Dyck of the University of Alberta's departments of Pediatrics and Pharmacology and his colleagues exposed pregnant rats to a normal environment or one that was low in oxygen during the latter third of their gestational ...

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ROLE OF ANTIOXIDANTS AS ANTI-CANCER AGENTS

Researchers from the Thomas Jefferson Hospital's Kimmel Cancer Center in Philadelphia have found a link between antioxidant-based drugs, which have a similar effect in combating oxidative stress as certain types of fruit, to the suppression of cancers such as mesothelioma. The research revealed that the loss of a tumour-suppressing protein ...

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EFSA TO REVIEW EU OMEGA-3 LEVELS

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has been asked by the European Commission (EC) to carry out a review of omega-3 levels. The request comes as a result of a report from the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) which outlines suggests that harmful effects of over-consumption could include increased cholesterol levels, ...

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PROBIOTIC SHOWS CHILD CONSTIPATION POTENTIAL: PILOT STUDY

The probiotic bifidobacterium breve may be effective in increasing stool frequency in children with functional constipation according to a new pilot study. For more information:

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CHOCOLATE MAY HELP DECREASE STROKE RISK

Researchers from Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm have established that chocolate consumption may help lower stroke risk. Susanna Larsen and her colleagues tapped into data from a mammography study that included self-reports of how much chocolate more than 33 000 women ranging in age from 49 to 83 years old, ate in 1997. Over the next ...

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VITAMIN D COULD IMPROVE IMMUNE RESPONSE TO TB

A new study published in the journal Science Translational Medicine reveals that vitamin D may help activate the immune system's response to tuberculosis (TB). While researchers have been aware for some time that this vitamin plays a role in the body's response to TB, this new study shows that it must be present in adequate amounts to ...

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BLACK ELDERBERRY EXTRACT SHOWS ANTI-INFECTION ACTIVITY: STUDY

 A liquid extract from black elderberry may inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria by upwards of 70 percent, suggest data from cell studies from Justus-Liebig University in Germany. For more information:

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HEALTH CLAIMS UPDATE

At the end of June, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published opinions on a further 536 claims, bringing the total number evaluated to 2723.  Positive opinions included:
* Dietary fibres and blood cholesterol
* Cereal fibre and bowel function
* Carbohydrate-electrolyte drinks and endurance performance
* Low ...

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CRN CALLS NEW STUDY ON SUPPLEMENTS AND MORTALITY "A HUNT FOR HARM"

In response to the published study, "Dietary Supplements and Mortality Rate in Older Women1," published in the Archives of Internal Medicine (a publication of the American Medical Association), the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), the leading trade association representing the dietary supplement industry, issued the ...

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HPA SPECIAL EVENT

The HPA will be hosting a talk by leading legal expert Anthony Norton from Norton Inc. Attorneys at Law on the Consumer Protection Act Compliance of Complementary Medicines as well as a demonstration by Ian Puttergill from TrustaTAG of a ...

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OLIVE OIL POLYPHENOL'S HEART HEALTH BENEFITS BOOSTED: HUMAN STUDY

Daily doses of polyphenol-rich olive oil may boost levels of an antibody that counters oxidised LDL cholesterol, thereby reducing the risk of artery hardening and heart disease, suggest data from a pan-European stsudy. For more information:

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A TASTE OF HONEY

Dr. Zahiruddin Othman and colleagues from Universiti Sains Malaysia in Kubang Kerian have conducted a study which established that a daily spoonful of Malaysian honey may boost postmenopausal women's memory. In the study, 102 healthy women were randomly assigned to eat 20 grams of honey a day, take hormone-replacement therapy containing ...

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EU PROJECT ON PERSONALISED NUTRITION

A four-year European Union (EU) funded project, Food4Me, is to examine the application of nutrigenomic research to personalised nutrition, and identify the opportunities and limitations. A group of international experts will consider all aspects of personalised nutrition; from investigating consumer understanding to producing technologies ...

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CAN ALPHA-LIPOIC ACID HELP RETARD DIABETIC NEUROPATHY?

Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) may assist in retarding the progression of diabetic distal symmetric sensorimotor polyneiropathy(DSPN), according to the Neurological Assessment of Thioctic Acid in Diabetic Neuropathy (NATHAN) 1 trial  - a multicentre, randomised, double-blinded trial which compared the effects of four years of daily ...

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SELENIUM DEFICIENCY MAY INCREASE RISK OF CHRONIC DISEASE: STUDY

Ensuring adequate intakes of selenium may reduce the risk of age-related diseases such as cancer and heart disease, says a study that supports Bruce Ames' triage theory. For more information:

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SAMA OPPOSES TRADITIONAL MEDICINE

President Jacob Zuma's call on the SABS to speed up the standardisation of traditional medicines has met with resistance from the South African Medical Association (Sama). For more: http://www.health24.com/news/Medications_Medicines/1-927,66961.asp

(If you ...

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CAN ZINC AID BRAIN CELL COMMUNICATION?

Researchers at Duke University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have found that zinc is essential to control the efficiency of communication between two critical populations of nerve cells in the hippocampus. Senior author James McNamara, MD, of Duke University and his colleagues utilised a novel zinc chelator to help bind and ...

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NEW METHODS TO DETECT SPORTS DRINK ADULTERANTS

Earlier this year, the Taiwanese authorities warned that significant amounts of phthalates had been illegally added to certain categories of sports drinks to obtain the characteristic ‘cloudy' appearance.  Significant amounts of products were exported to Canada, the United States, Malaysia and China.   Small amounts also ...

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FOLIC ACID DURING PREGNANCY COULD HELP DECREASE CHILDREN'S LANGUAGE DELAYS

Women who took folic acid supplements in the first two months of pregnancy were less likely to have kids with severe language delays according to a new study from Norway. The researchers gave surveys to close to 40,000 Norwegian women a few months into their pregnancies. These included questions on what supplements women were taking in the four ...

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EFSA TO REVIEW OMEGA-3 LEVELS

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has been asked by the European Commission (EC) to carry out a review of omega-3 levels. The request comes as a result of a report from the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) which outlines suggests that harmful effects of over-consumption could include increased cholesterol levels, ...

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RESVERATROL MAY BOOST BLOOD FLOW TO THE BRAIN

High doses of resveratrol may improve blood flow in the brain, say results from a human study in the UK. For more: http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Research/Resveratrol-may-boost-blood-flow-in-the-brain-Study/

(If you have ...

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WHOLE CRANBERRY SHOWS ACTIVITY AGAINST RECURRENT UTIS

Daily consumption of a supplement contaianing whole cranberry powder may reduce the risk of recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs), says a recent study. For more:

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EFSA SAYS IT WILL CLEAN UP ITS ACT IN BRUSSELS WORKSHOP

ANH-Intl asks is this a sign of real change or just more window dressing? 

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), one of the European Union's seven institutions, admitted in a consultative workshop in Brussels that it was trying to get its house into order. The high profile, web-casted workshop, moderated by ...

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HOODIA CONTROVERSY

A new Unilever report reveals why the consumer goods giant chose to pull the plug on the alleged fat-fighting supplement Hoodia after spending a reported R192 million developing it. For more: http://www.health24.com/news/Natural_health/1-932,67231.asp

(If you ...

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SOY SUPPLEMENT MAY IMPROVE CROW'S FEET

An experimental supplement derived from soy may help postmenopausal women smooth their "crow's feet" a bit, a small pilot study suggests. For more:

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CRN REACTS TO JAMA'S SELECT TRIAL ON VITAMAIN E

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 11, 2011-In response to the published study, "Vitamin E and the Risk of Prostate Cancer; The Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT)1," published in JAMA (the Journal of the American Medical Association), the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), the leading trade association ...

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BEWARE OF OTC THYROID SUPPLEMENTS

A new study warns that "over-the-counter "thyroid support" supplements commonly used for weight loss and to fight fatigue are mostly ineffective and may pose a health threat. The supplements contain widely varying amounts of two kinds of thyroid hormones -- triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) -- apparently derived largely ...

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EU MUST DRIVE "LIMITED IP" VITAMIN D RESEARCH: BISCHOFF-FERRARI

Vitamin D will fail to deliver on its promise to reduce healthcare spending by billions of euros until further human intervention studies are commissioned, says leading researcher, professor Heike Bischoff-Ferrari. Read more:

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EU NANOTECHNOLOGY GROUP: DELIVERY OF VITAMINS & MINERALS

The Observatory/Nano project, funded by the European Union Framework 7 Programme and led by the Institute of Nanotechnology has published a paper entitled "Improving delivery of essential vitamins and minerals". The paper outlines the challenge to find solutions to provide the necessary nutrients for a healthy lifestyle, while ...

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AMAZING ACAI MAY ALLEVIATE ATHEROSCLEROSIS: STUDY

Acai juice may provide anti-inflammatory benefits thata offer protection from hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) according to recent research. For more:

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EU PROJECT TO INCREASE KNOWLEDGE OF CAM

A European Union (EU) funded project has recently been launched, aimed at improving knowledge about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in Europe. Included in the many specific objectives of the project is the establishment of an EU network involving centres of research excellence for collaborative projects, the development of ...

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SUPPLEMENTS - UNDERSTANDING THE POSSIBILITIES, ACCEPTING THE LIMITATIONS

As the furore fades over whether multivitamains boost mortality risk, a new study shows the true benefits of supplements, and industry shouldn;t be timid in promoting the implications. For more:

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FIBRE-LOVING TEENS HAVE LOWER HEART, DIABETES RISK

Teenagers who eat a lot of fiber-rich foods, such as vegetables and whole grains, are less likely to have risk factors for diabetes and heart disease, a new study shows. For more:

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VITAMIN D AND CALCIUM SUPPLEMENTATION UP, REVEALS US GOVERNMENT SURVEY

Government data on dietary supplement usage has revealed asharp rise in calcium and vitamin D supplementation amongsst American women over 60 and a steady increase in multi-vitamin usage among all American adults. Read more:

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OMEGA-3 MAY SLOW OSTEOARTHRITIS PROGRESSION

According to the University of Bristol study, funded by Arthritis Research UK and published in the journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, omega-3-rich diets fed to guinea pigs, which naturally develop osteoarthritis, reduced disease by 50 per cent compared to a standard diet. Lead researcher Dr John Tarlton, from the Matrix Biology ...

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UK AGENCY WARNING ON TCM SIDE-EFFECTS

Following a report of a serious adverse reaction, the UK Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has advised consumers not to use certain Traditional Chinese Medicines  (TCM) due to concerns about possible serious side effects. The warning applies to all traditional Chinese medicines containing Lei Gong Teng (tripterygium ...

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GRAPE POLYPHENOLS SHOW ANTI-DIABETIC POTENTIAL: STUDY

Antioxidant compounds from red grapes may prevent the build-up of fat in muscle tissue and favourably affect the body's response to insulin, the hormone responsible for sugar and fat metabolism, says a French study. Read more:

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RECALL OF FENUGREEK PRODUCTS EXTENDED

Recently, the European Commission directed all European Union (EU) Member States to immediately withdraw from the market and destroy certain batches of fenugreek seed (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) imported from Egypt. Since then, Germany has also recalled fenugreek active-drug substances and finished herbal medicinal products (HMPs) ...

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OBESE ADOLESCENTS COULD BENEFIT FROM HIGH DOSES OF VITAMIN D

University of Missouri associate professor of nutrition and exercise physiology, Catherine Peterson, has established that adolescents suffering from obesity could benefit from high doses of vitamin D. It seems that obese adolescents have a tenendy to suffer from vitamin D deficiency because they are half as efficient at utilizing the ...

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GREEN TEA MAY HELP FIGHT CHOLESTEROL

After studying 20 past clinical trials that involved a total of 1,415 adults, researchers have established that green tea reduced LDL cholesterol by 5 to 6 points. Senior researcher Olivia J. Phung, an assistant professor of pharmacy at Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, California and colleagues tested either green tea itself ...

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UK SUPPORT FOR STEVIOL GLYCOSIDE PROPOSALS

The UK Food Standards Agency has published an update on steviol glycosides. The European Union is currently examining whether the sweeteners should be authorised for use in food. Earlier in the year, member states voted in favour of a European Commission proposal to authorise steviol glycosides in a range of foods. The proposal ...

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ASTAXANTHIN SHOW BENEFITS FOR OBESE HEALTH

Daily supplements containing astaxanthin, the pink pigment that gives salmon its colour, may boost the body's antioxidant defense in obese people, says a study for South Korea. Read more:

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CONFIRMATION OF CINNAMON BENEFIT FOR DIABETICS

Drs Paul A. Davis of the University of California, Davis and Wallace Yokoyama of Western Regional Research Center in Albany, California conducted a meta-analysis that has confirmed a benefit for cinnamon in lowering fasting blood glucose in diabetic or prediabetic men and women. They selected 8 randomised, placebo-controlled trials of cinnamon ...

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UK MEDICINES COMMITS TO BOTANICALS "CRACKDOWN"

Borderline botanical products making medicinal or therapeutic claims but not holding appropriate registrations under new European Union laws, are coming under increased scrutiny from the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which says it has instigated a "crackdown". Read more:

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FOURTH IADSA SCIENTIFIC FORUM IN BEUNOS AIRES

Achieving micronutrient adequacy with food supplements and minimising the risk of over-consumption was the focus of the 4th Annual IADSA Scientific Forum held in Buenos Aires, Argentina in early September. Scientists from across the globe debated scientific and regulatory issues relating to harmonisation of definitions, claims, scientific ...

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GREEN TEA EXTRACT SHOWS MEMORY BOOSTING ACTIVITY: STUDY

Daily supplements of green tea extract may boost mental alertness and enhance memory, according to a randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled study from Korea. Read more:

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CRN TO EDUCATE PHARMACISTS ON DIETARY SUPPLEMENT REGULATION