Friday, January 13, 2006

Highlights from the January issue of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

  • In a multiple regression analysis of 168 prepubertal girls aged 4–8 y living in the southeastern United States, Vitamin D status was adequate in the children. There was a fluctuation in levels depending on season (fall/winter the levels dipped a bit lower), but were still normal. Steve - as we have said many times, in warmer climates, increasing vitamin D intake is not as crucial as it is for those living in colder climates. Even though we have heard many wonderful things about vitamin D lately, we are not one size fits all. In short, consult with a health professional before supplementing with vitamin D.
  • Iron from purified soybean ferritin is well absorbed and may provide a model for novel, utilizable, plant-based forms of iron for populations with a low iron status.
  • In a community-based, cross-section of 7137 men, 4585 premenopausal women, and 2248 postmenopausal women aged 25–64 y, a study found risks of osteoporosis, osteopenia, and nonspine fractures were significantly higher for subjects with higher percentage body fat independent of body weight, physical activity, and age. Thus, fat mass has a negative effect on bone mass in contrast with the positive effect of weight-bearing itself.
  • A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled intervention study including thirty-seven healthy, nonsmoking postmenopausal women aged 50–70 y were randomly assigned to 1 of 5 groups. They consumed a daily dose of mixed carotenoids (ß-carotene, lutein, and lycopene; 4 mg each), 12 mg of a single carotenoid (ß-carotene, lutein, or lycopene), or placebo for 56 d. The results indicated that carotenoid supplementation decreases DNA damage and that a combination of carotenoids (4 mg each of lutein, ß-carotene, and lycopene), an intake that can be achieved by diet, or a larger dose (12 mg) of individual carotenoids exerts protection against DNA damage. Steve - translation...eat your veggies, fruits, supplement if you have to for reducing oxidative stress due to lifestlye, diet, and environment.

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