Vitamin D News and Research

Latest Vitamin D News and Research

Pork consumption is safe, says USDA scientists

"USDA has confirmed that hogs at the Minnesota State Fair may have screened positive for the novel H1N1 virus. USDA's National Veterinary Services Laboratories expects to have confirmatory results within the next few days. This event is not unexpected given that much like humans, hogs can contract influenza viruses.

19 Oct 2009

More nutrition guidance needed to build good eating habits in growing children, says Nestle FITS survey

Parents and caregivers are hearing and following the feeding guidance for infants, yet continued work needs to be done to help them also build good eating habits for their growing children, suggests data from the Nestle Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study (FITS) released today at a symposium at the American Dietetic Association's Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo.

19 Oct 2009

WHO, UNICEF publish plan to reduce childhood diarrhea deaths

The WHO and UNICEF have released a seven-point treatment and prevention plan to reduce the number of children around the world who die from diarrhea, the BBC reports (10/14). BMJ News writes, "Every year 1.5 million children aged under 5 years die from diarrhoea, more than 80% of them in Africa and south Asia" (Zarocostas, 10/14).

19 Oct 2009

Opinions: Fighting hunger; property ownership, trade key to Africa's development

"For one billion people around the world, the daily effort to grow, buy or sell food is the defining struggle of their lives. This matters to them, and to all of us," Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton writes in a Times of India opinion piece.

19 Oct 2009

UNICEF and WHO call for an urgent plan to control diarrheal disease

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and World Health Organization (WHO) released a joint report today demonstrating the urgent need to focus attention on diarrheal disease, a neglected illness responsible for the deaths of about 1.5 million children under 5 each year. This unacceptable loss of life can be stopped.

15 Oct 2009

Medications to reduce folic acid during pregnancy increase the risk of abnormalities in fetus

Pregnant women are advised to take vitamin supplements containing folic acid as part of their routine pre-natal care. Now, a new study warns that taking medications that reduce or block the actions of folic acid during the first trimester of pregnancy increase the risk that the growing baby will develop abnormalities.

14 Oct 2009

Study shows elevated levels of antioxidant urate can slow the progression of Parkinson's disease

By examining data from a 20-year-old clinical trial, a research team based at the MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases (MGH-MIND) and Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), has found evidence supporting the findings of their 2008 study - that elevated levels of the antioxidant urate may slow the progression of Parkinson's disease.

14 Oct 2009

Parkinson's patients with higher urate levels in their blood and CSF had slower functional decline

Individuals with Parkinson's disease who have higher levels of a metabolite called urate in their blood and in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) have a slower rate of disease progression, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health.

14 Oct 2009

Common myths about children's eye health and the medical reality behind them

Many parents grew up with medical adages or advice that have since been proven by scientists to be incorrect or outdated. Here are five common myths about children's eye health and the medical reality behind them, prepared by the physicians at The Vision Center at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.

12 Oct 2009

Keep oral health in mind during Thanksgiving Day

This weekend, as your family celebrates Thanksgiving Day, it's important to keep your oral health in mind. When preparing your holiday meal, include foods that are nutritious and beneficial for your teeth and gums.

9 Oct 2009

Inclusion of vitamin D values in National Nutrient Database

The next time you run nutritionals using the government's database, you might be pleasantly surprised that some of your favorite foods seem to have received a nutrient boost, virtually overnight.

9 Oct 2009

Gluten-free diet leads to complete recovery of bone mineralization in CD affected children

Celiac disease (CD) is an inherited intestinal disorder characterized by life-long intolerance to the ingestion of gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. Although CD can be diagnosed at any age, it commonly occurs during early childhood (between 9 and 24 months). Reduced bone mineral density is often found in individuals with CD.

9 Oct 2009

Overdose of vitamin A can impact cell growth

If a little vitamin A is good, more must be better, right? Wrong! New research published online in the FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org) shows that vitamin A plays a crucial role in energy production within cells, explaining why too much or too little has a complex negative effect on our bodies.

9 Oct 2009

Emisphere Technologies announces commercial launch of oral Eligen B12

Emisphere Technologies, Inc. today announced that the Company is introducing and launching its first commercially available product, oral Eligen® B12 (100 mcg). Oral Eligen® B12 (100 mcg) has been specifically developed to help improve Vitamin B12 absorption and bioavailability with a patented formulation.

8 Oct 2009

Kaiser Permanente launches osteoporosis prevention campaign

Encouraging everyone to “Embrace Your Inner Strength,” Kaiser Permanente has launched a campaign throughout Southern California aimed at getting teenagers, seniors and everyone in between to get serious about building up their skeletons and preventing osteoporosis.

8 Oct 2009