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Breaking News on Supplements Nutrition
The Month in Review Dr. J. J. Levine
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Vitamin C linked to lower stroke risk Source
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition1/7/2008

• 1/7/2008- Increased blood levels of vitamin C may
  reduce the risk of stroke by 42 per cent,
  suggests a large European-based study.Increased
  levels of the vitamin, associated with increased
  intake of fruit and vegetables, were found to
  offer significant cardiovascular benefits among
  the 20,649 men and women taking part in the
  European Prospective Investigation into
  Cancer.The authors, led by Phyo Myint from the
  University of Cambridge, state that blood levels
  of the vitamin could be used as a biological
  marker of lifestyle used to identify people at
  high risk of stroke."An intriguing possibility
  is that the plasma vitamin C concentration is a
  good marker of a wider range of health behaviors,
  such as fruit and vegetable consumption, that may
  be protective against stroke," wrote Myint in the
  American Journal of Clinical Nutrition."It is
  also plausible that vitamin C may biochemically
  affect stroke risk."Strokes occur when blood
  clots or an artery bursts in the brain and
  interrupts the blood supply to a part of the
  brain. It is the leading cause of disability and
  the third leading cause of death in Europe and
  the US. According to the Stroke Alliance for
  Europe (SAFE), about 575,000 deaths are stroke
  related in Europe every year. In the US, every 45
  seconds someone will experience a stroke,
  according to the American Stroke
  Association.Myint and co-workers followed the
  subjects for 9.5 years and documented 448 strokes
  during this time. The subjects completed a health
  and lifestyle questionnaire at the start of the
  study, and blood samples were taken to measure
  vitamin C levels. The highest average blood
  levels of vitamin C (greater than 66 micromoles
  per litre) were associated with a 42 per cent
  lower risk of stroke, compared to the lowest
  average blood levels (less than 41 micromoles per
  litre), after adjusting the results for
  potentially confounding factors such as age, sex,
  smoking habits, alcohol consumption, blood
  pressure, cholesterol levels, BMI, physical
  activity, and use of supplements.When the
  Cambridge researchers excluded participants who
  consumed vitamin C-containing supplements the
  results were the same, indicating that the
  benefits could have been from vitamin C-rich
  foods, such as fruit and vegetables. "We
  believe that these findings are of interest for
  several reasons," stated the authors.  "First,
  the strong inverse association between plasma
  vitamin C and stroke suggests that plasma vitamin
  C is likely to be a good biomarker of whatever
  causal factors affect stroke risk, most plausibly
  the dietary intake of plant foods."Second,
  irrespective of any causal associations, plasma
  vitamin C appears to be a good predictive risk
  indicator of stroke, independent of known risk
  factors such as age, BP, smoking, lipids,
  diabetes, and BMI. "Given that about half of
  the risk of stroke is unexplained by conventional
  cardiovascular disease risk factors and that the
  predictive validity of traditional cardiovascular
  disease risk factors appears to diminish with
  age, risk markers that may help to identify those
  persons at greatest risk of stroke for targeted
  preventive interventions with established
  therapies, such as BP reduction, may be of
  interest."While further study is necessary,
  Myint and co-workers aid that it is unlikely that
  long-term randomised controlled trials using
  isolated vitamin C supplementation would be
  conducted using cardiovascular disease as an
  end-point. "Nevertheless, the magnitude of the
  association between plasma vitamin C and
  subsequent stroke is substantial and independent
  of known major risk factors for stroke," they
  concluded.In an accompanying editorial,
  Sebastian Padayatty and Mark Levine from the
  National Institutes of Health (NIH) welcomed the
  study as "refreshing in that its findings are
  both clear and not overstated"."We need readily
  measurable and reliable biomarkers of fruit and
  vegetable intake," they continued. "Vitamin C is
  an attractive marker of fruit and vegetable
  intake because these foods are the primary
  sources of dietary vitamin C. "However, use of
  vitamin C as an intake indicator has limitations.
  With ingestion of pure vitamin C, there is a
  steep sigmoidal dose-concentration relation in
  humans for doses between 30 and 100 mg. At 100
  mg, fasting steady state plasma vitamin C
  concentrations are about 60 micromoles per litre.
  At 200 mg, corresponding to an intake of about 5
  servings of fruit and vegetables, fasting steady
  state plasma concentrations are about 70
  micromol/L and do not increase much with higher
  doses. "It is unknown whether the same dose-
  concentration relationships hold for vitamin C in
  foods."The take-home message from the study,
  said Padayatty and Levine, was that the public
  should aim for between five and nine servings of
  fruit and vegetables per day and to consume a
  wide variety of such foods.Source American
  Journal of Clinical NutritionJanuary 2008,
  Volume 87, Pages 64-69"Plasma vitamin C
  concentrations predict risk of incident stroke
  over 10 y in 20 649 participants of the European
  Prospective Investigation into Cancer - Norfolk
  prospective population study"Authors P.K.
  Myint, R.N. Luben, A.A. Welch, S.A. Bingham, N.J.
  Wareham, and K.-T. KhawEditorial American
  Journal of Clinical NutritionJanuary 2008,
  Volume 87, Pages 5-7"Fruit and vegetables think
  variety, go ahead, eat!"Authors S.J. Padayatty
  and M. Levine

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Vitamin C linked to lower stroke risk Source
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition1/7/2008

• Increased blood levels of vitamin C may reduce
  the stroke risk by 42
• plasma vitamin C appears to be a good predictive
  risk indicator of stroke, independent of known
  risk factors such as age, BP, smoking, lipids,
  diabetes, and BMI.

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Low vitamin D levels linked to increased heart
disease riskSource Circulation 1/8/2008

• 1/8/2008- Low levels of vitamin D could increase
  the risk of cardiovascular events like heart
  attack, heart failure or stroke by 62 per cent,
  suggests a new study from the US.And the
  outlook could be even worse for those with high
  blood pressure and low blood levels of vitamin
  with a doubling of the risk, report researchers
  in the journal Circulation - the Journal of the
  American Heart Association."The possibility of
  a causal link between vitamin D deficiency and
  cardiovascular disease is supported by biological
  plausibility, the demonstration of a temporal
  association, and the finding of a dose response
  between 25-OH D deficiency and risk," wrote lead
  author Thomas Wang from Harvard Medical
  School."These data raise the possibility that
  treatment of vitamin D deficiency, via
  supplementation or lifestyle measures, could
  reduce cardiovascular risk."Interest in vitamin
  D has been increasing in recent months with an
  increasing number of studies linking the vitamin
  to protection against osteoporosis and certain
  cancers. There is also evidence that a higher
  intake of vitamin D may be helpful in preventing
  and treating high blood pressure, fibromyalgia,
  diabetes mellitus, multiple sclerosis and
  rheumatoid arthritis.The researchers used data
  from the 1739 participants in the Framingham
  Offspring Study (average age 59 years, 55 per
  cent women, all Caucasian). None of the subjects
  had any heart health problems at the start of the
  study and the researchers used blood samples to
  measure levels of the 'storage' form of the
  vitamin, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D).Wang
  and co-workers found that 28 per cent of subjects
  had blood levels of 25(OH)D lower than 15
  nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL). Over 5.4 years
  of follow-up, 120 people developed a
  cardiovascular event, and people with the lower
  vitamin D levels were 62 per cent more likely to
  develop these events than people with 25(OH)D
  levels over 15 ng/mL. Although levels above 30
  ng/mL are considered optimal for bone metabolism,
  only 10 per cent of the participants had levels
  in this range.People with low vitamin D levels
  and high blood pressure (hypertension), defined
  as having a systolic and diastolic blood pressure
  (BP) greater than 140 and 90 mmHg, were at an
  increased risk, were found to be at a 113 per
  cent increased risk than those with normal blood
  pressure and higher vitamin D levels."We found
  that people with low vitamin D levels had a
  higher rate of cardiovascular events over the
  five-year follow-up period," said Wang. "These
  results are intriguing and suggestive but need to
  be followed up with further study." "Vitamin D
  receptors have a broad tissue distribution that
  includes vascular smooth muscle and endothelium,
  the inner lining of the body's vessels," he
  added. "Our data raise the possibility that
  treating vitamin D deficiency, via
  supplementation or lifestyle measures, could
  reduce cardiovascular risk. "What hasn't been
  proven yet is that vitamin D deficiency actually
  causes increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
  This would require a large randomized trial to
  show whether correcting the vitamin D deficiency
  would result in a reduction in cardiovascular
  risk." Calls for raising the recommended daily
  allowance (RDA) of the vitamin have been growing
  after reports that higher intakes could protect
  against osteoporosis and certain cancers.
  Consumer awareness of these health links is also
  increasing with some outlets reporting massive
  boosts in sales.Vitamin D refers to two
  biologically inactive precursors - D3, also known
  as cholecalciferol, and D2, also known as
  ergocalciferol. The former is produced in the
  skin on exposure to UVB radiation (290 to 320
  nm). The latter is derived from plants and only
  enters the body via the diet, from consumption of
  foods such as oily fish, egg yolk and
  liver.Recent studies have shown, however, that
  sunshine levels in some northern countries are so
  weak during the winter months that the body makes
  no vitamin D at all, leading some to estimate
  that over half of the population in such
  countries have insufficient or deficient levels
  of the vitamin.Moreover, increased skin
  pigmentation also reduces the effect of UVB
  radiation meaning darker skinned people are more
  at risk."The findings of the new study may
  have potentially broad public health
  implications, given the high prevalence of
  vitamin D deficiency in developed countries, the
  contribution of lifestyle and geography to
  vitamin D status, and the ease, safety, and low
  cost of treating vitamin D deficiency," concluded
  the researchers.Both D3 and D2 precursors are
  hydroxylated in the liver and kidneys to form 25-
  hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), the non-active
  'storage' form, and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D
  (1,25(OH)2D), the biologically active form that
  is tightly controlled by the body.Source
  Circulation January 2008, doi10.1161/CIRCULATION
  AHA.107.706127 "Vitamin D Deficiency and Risk of
  Cardiovascular Disease"Authors T.J. Wang, M.J.
  Pencina, S.L. Booth, P.F. Jacques, E. Ingelsson,
  K. Lanier, E.J. Benjamin, R.B. D'Agostino, M.
  Wolf, R.S. Vasan

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Low vitamin D levels linked to increased heart
disease riskSource Circulation 1/8/2008

• Low levels of vitamin D could increase the risk
  of cardiovascular events like heart attack, heart
  failure or stroke by 62
• These data raise the possibility that treatment
  of vitamin D deficiency, via supplementation or
  lifestyle measures, could reduce cardiovascular
  risk."

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Lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin E eyed for
cataractsSource Archives of Ophthalmology1/15/2
008

• A higher intake of the carotenoids lutein and
  zeaxanthin, as well as vitamin E, could reduce
  the risk of developing cataracts by about 15 per
  cent, suggests a new study.Over 35,000 women
  took part in the study, which showed that a high
  intake of the two carotenoids reduced the risk of
  cataracts by 18 per cent, while vitamin E was
  associated with a 14 per cent reduction, reports
  the study in the Archives of Ophthalmology."The
  results of the present study add to the growing
  body of observational evidence that suggests a
  possible beneficial effect of lutein/ zeaxanthin
  in delaying cataract formation," wrote lead
  author William Christen from Brigham and Women's
  Hospital and Harvard Medical School."Lutein and
  zeaxanthin are the only carotenoids detected in
  the human lens, and the presence of oxidation
  products of lutein and zeaxanthin in the lens
  further supports a functional role for
  xanthophylls in maintaining lens clarity."The
  study adds to an ever-growing body of science
  supporting the role of lutein and zeaxanthin for
  eye health, with the majority supporting their
  role against age-related macular degeneration,
  the leading cause of legal blindness for people
  over 55 years of age in the Western world,
  according to AMD Alliance International."The
  oxidative hypothesis of cataract formation posits
  that reactive oxygen species can damage lens
  proteins and fibre cell membranes and that
  nutrients with antioxidant capabilities can
  protect against these changes," wrote the
  authors, led by William Christen in background
  information in the article. The researchers
  recruited 39,876 female health professionals
  (average age 53.5) and obtained detailed dietary
  information from 35,551, using food frequency
  questionnaires (FFQ).After following the women
  for 10 years, 2031 cases of cataract were
  confirmed. By quantifying intakes of lutein and
  zeaxanthin into five groups, the researchers
  report that women with the highest average intake
  (6716 micrograms per day) had an 18 per cent
  lower risk of developing cataracts than women
  with the lowest average intake (1177 micrograms
  per day).Moreover, women with the highest
  average vitamin E intake from food and
  supplements (262.4 milligrams per day) were 14
  per cent less likely to develop cataracts than
  women with the lowest average intake (4.4
  milligrams per day). No relationship was
  observed between cataract risk and intakes of
  other carotenoids and antioxidants, including
  beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, and
  alpha-carotene."In conclusion, these
  prospective data from a large cohort of female
  health professionals indicate that higher intakes
  of lutein/zeaxanthin and vitamin E are associated
  with decreased risk of cataract," the authors
  write. "Although reliable data from randomized
  trials are accumulating for vitamin E and other
  antioxidant vitamins, randomized trial data for
  lutein/zeaxanthin are lacking. Such information
  will help to clarify the benefits of supplemental
  use of lutein/zeaxanthin and provide the most
  reliable evidence on which to base public health
  recommendations for cataract prevention by
  vitamin supplementation."Source Archives of
  OphthalmologyJanuary 2008, Volume 126, Issue 1,
  Pages 102-109"Dietary Carotenoids, Vitamins C
  and E, and Risk of Cataract in Women - A
  Prospective Study"Authors W.G. Christen, S.
  Liu, R.J. Glynn, J.M. Gaziano, J.E. Buring

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Lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin E eyed for
cataractsSource Archives of Ophthalmology1/15/2
008

• A higher intake of the carotenoids lutein and
  zeaxanthin, as well as vitamin E, could reduce
  the risk of developing cataracts by about 15
• The study adds to an ever-growing body of science
  supporting the role of lutein and zeaxanthin for
  eye health, with the majority supporting their
  role against age-related macular degeneration,
  the leading cause of legal blindness for people
  over 55 years of age in the Western world

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Vitamin B6 may slash colorectal cancer
riskSource Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers
Prevention 1/17/2008

• 1/17/2008- Increased intake of vitamin B6 from
  dietary and supplements may reduce the risk of
  colorectal cancer by over 20 per cent, suggests a
  large Scottish study.Almost 5,000 people took
  part in the study, which reported a
  dose-dependent link between intake of the vitamin
  and the risk of colorectal cancer, report the
  researchers in the journal Cancer Epidemiology
  Biomarkers Prevention. The study, by
  researchers from the University of Edinburgh,
  Western General Hospital (Edinburgh) and the
  University of Aberdeen, adds to an ever growing
  body of science supporting the potential
  colorectal benefits of higher intake of the B
  vitamins.There are 363,000 new cases of
  colorectal cancer every year in Europe, with an
  estimated 945,000 globally. There are about
  492,000 deaths from the cancer each year. Only
  about five per cent of colorectal adenomas are
  thought to become malignant, and this process
  could take between five and ten years.The new
  case-control study involved 2,028 hospital-based
  colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and 2,722
  population-based controls. After adjusting the
  results for potentially confounding factors such
  as age, sex, location of the tumour, folate
  status, and certain genotypes, lead author Evropi
  Theodoratou report "Moderately strong inverse
  and dose-dependent associations in the whole
  sample were found between CRC risk and the intake
  of dietary and total vitamin B6."Furthermore, a
  meta-analysis of published studies supported
  these results, wrote the researchers. High
  vitamin B6 intakes were reported to reduce the
  risk of colorectal cancer by 19 per cent. The
  protective effect was found to be higher among
  55-year-old individuals (1,001 cases compared to
  1,010 controls), they added. "Evidence from
  larger cohort and experimental studies is now
  required to confirm and define the
  anticarcinogenic actions of vitamin B6 and to
  explore the mechanisms by which this effect is
  mediated," concluded the researchers.However,
  late in 2007, researchers from Tufts University
  reported that the link between B vitamin intake
  and the health of the colon and rectum may be
  more complicated than previously thought.
  Writing in the Journal of Nutrition (Vol. 137,
  pp. 2701-2708), the Tufts researchers stated that
  moderate deficiency of folate, riboflavin, and
  vitamins B6 and B12 together may promote the risk
  of DNA damage and increase the risk of colorectal
  cancers.This earlier study focused on the Wnt
  pathway - a cellular signalling pathway linked to
  more than 85 per cent of colon cancers - and
  found that mild depletion of all four B vitamins
  was needed to promote the risk of tumour
  formation.Previously, studies have suggested
  that folate deficiency alone may promote the risk
  of colorectal cancer. The new research suggests a
  more complex interaction.However, the subject
  of folate and colorectal cancer is controversial,
  however, with some studies reporting that the
  B-vitamin may in fact increase the risk of the
  disease. On the other hand, other studies have
  reported protective benefits from folate for
  colorectal cancer.Source Cancer Epidemiology
  Biomarkers Prevention 1st January 2008, Volume
  17, Pages 171-182, doi 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-07-0
  621"Dietary Vitamin B6 Intake and the Risk of
  Colorectal Cancer"Authors E. Theodoratou, S.M.
  Farrington, A. Tenesa, G. McNeill, R. Cetnarskyj,
  R.A. Barnetson, M.E. Porteous, M.G. Dunlop, H.
  Campbell

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Vitamin B6 may slash colorectal cancer
riskSource Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers
Prevention 1/17/2008

• Increased intake of vitamin B6 from dietary and
  supplements may reduce the risk of colorectal
  cancer by over 20
• Tufts researchers stated that moderate deficiency
  of folate, riboflavin, and vitamins B6 and B12
  together may promote the risk of DNA damage and
  increase the risk of colorectal cancers.

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Green tea shows benefits against fatty
liverSource Journal of Nutrition1/22/2008

• 1/22/2008- Extracts from green tea may stop the
  build-up of fatty deposits in the liver, and
  offer benefits for this silent killer linked to
  obesity, suggests a new study with mice.If the
  results can be translated to humans, green tea
  and its extracts could become a useful
  preventative in the development of fatty liver, a
  condition that is usually symptomless but said to
  increase the risk for liver inflammation, and
  ultimately results in liver failure. Fatty
  liver is reportedly on the rise in the US, with
  between one quarter and one half of Americans,
  and the prevalence if nonalcoholic fatty liver
  disease (NAFLD) has increased in line with the
  ongoing obesity epidemic, state the researchers
  in the Journal of Nutrition. Richard Bruno and
  colleagues from the University of Connecticut
  used genetically-obese mice (ob/ob) and, using
  lean mice as a comparison, fed them a diet
  containing zero, one, or two per cent green tea
  extract (GTE) for six weeks. At the end of the
  study, the researchers report that the obese mice
  fed the GTE-supplemented diets had 23 to 25 per
  cent less body than the obese mice fed the
  non-supplemented diet. Moreover, the lean mice
  fed the GTE-supplemented diets had 11 to 20 per
  cent less body than their lean counterpart on the
  non-supplemented diet.Measurements of the blood
  enzymes alanine aminotransferase and aspartate
  aminotransferase, used as markers of liver
  damage, showed that GTE-supplementation was
  associated with 30 to 41 per cent and 22 to 33
  per cent lower activities, respectively.It is
  also noted that no significant differences were
  observed in food intake between lean and obese
  animals in any group, a result that suggested the
  extract worked by decreasing intestinal fat
  absorption or altering liver fat
  metabolism."Nearly 40 million Americans are
  afflicted with this silent and tragic disease.
  Weight loss is the primary recommendation for
  those with fatty liver disease. Since this is
  difficult for most people, we hope that our
  continued studies on green tea will lead to the
  understanding of its protective properties and to
  what extent green tea protects humans from this
  disease," said Bruno. "Further study is
  underway to define the events by which GTE
  protects against obesity-triggered NAFLD,"
  concluded the researchers.Green tea is a rich
  source of catechins, compounds suggested to play
  a beneficial role in reducing the risk of various
  diseases, including Alzheimer's, certain cancers,
  cardiovascular and oral health, with some, namely
  epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), now emerging as
  particularly powerful.Green tea contains
  between 30 and 40 per cent of water-extractable
  polyphenols, while black tea (green tea that has
  been oxidized by fermentation) contains between 3
  and 10 per cent. Oolong tea is semi-fermented tea
  and is somewhere between green and black tea.
  The four primary polyphenols found in fresh
  tealeaves are epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG),
  epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate, and
  epicatechin.Previous in vitro and in vivo
  studies reported that high-purity EGCG could help
  with weight loss, and three mechanisms were
  proposed EGCG could increase energy metabolism
  and fatty acid oxidation inhibit fat cell
  development (apidogenesis) and/or reduce lipid
  absorption and increase fat excretion.Source
  Journal of NutritionFebruary 2008, Volume 138,
  Pages 323-331"Green tea extract protects
  leptin-deficient, spontaneously obese mice from
  hepatic steatosis and injury"Authors R.S.
  Bruno, C.E. Dugan, J.A. Smyth, D.A. DiNatale,
  S.I. Koo

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Green tea shows benefits against fatty
liverSource Journal of Nutrition1/22/2008

• green tea and its extracts could become a useful
  preventative in the development of fatty liver, a
  condition that is usually symptomless but said to
  increase the risk for liver inflammation, and
  ultimately results in liver failure.
• Nearly 40 million Americans are afflicted with
  this silent and tragic disease. Weight loss is
  recommended to stop the progression of this
  disease.
• the researchers report that the obese mice fed
  Green Tea had 25 less bodyfat than the obese
  mice fed the non-supplemented diet.

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Omega-3 with high fat meal eases cardiovascular
changes Source Journal of Nutrition 1/24/2008

• 1/24/2008- Consuming the omega-3 eicosapentaenoic
  acid along with a high fat meal may counter the
  detrimental effects on arterial stiffness,
  suggests new research.The small study with 17
  healthy men adds to an ever-growing body of
  science supporting the cardiovascular benefits of
  omega-3 consumption, which all started with Jörn
  Dyerberg, Hans Olaf Bang and Aase Brondum in the
  early 1970s.Increased consumption of EPA, and
  the longer chain docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), has
  previously been linked to improved heart rhythms,
  reduced risk of a second heart attack, and
  reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.Researche
  rs form King's College London investigated how
  ingestion of EPA with a high fat meal could
  affect vascular function post-prandially (after a
  meal) - something that has not previously been
  studied. Wendy Hall and co-workers report their
  findings in the new issue of the Journal of
  Nutrition.The volunteers were randomly assigned
  to consume a high fat meal (51 grams of fat per
  serving) with one meal containing only high-oleic
  sunflower oil (HOS) or HOS plus five grams of
  EPA. A one-week wash-out period was observed
  before the men consumed the other meal. On both
  occasions, a second high fat (44 grams of fat)
  was consumed four hours after the first.Hall
  and co-workers report that, as could be expected,
  blood levels of EPA increased following the
  EPA-supplemented meal, peaking at 2.10 millimoles
  per litre (mm/L) five hours after consumption,
  while no such increases were observed in the
  HOS-only group.Stiffness of the arteries,
  measured using digital volume pulse (DVP) to
  derive a stiffness index (DVP-SI), showed
  significant improvements after the EPA-supplement
  meal, compared to the control group, report the
  researchers. No differences between the HOS and
  HOS plus EPA meals were observed three hours
  after consumption, however."In conclusion,
  adding EPA to a high-fat meal results in acute
  changes in vascular tone, independent of changes
  in oxidative stress," wrote Hall.Supporting
  scienceThe study follows on the heels of
  similar results, published last September in the
  European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (doi
  10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602886), that supplementation
  with omega-3 fatty acids may improve the
  elasticity of blood vessels and improve overall
  cardiovascular health.The older study reported
  improvements in arterial elasticity but no effect
  on blood pressure in overweight hypertensive
  patients.This challenged previous studies that
  reported improvements in blood vessel elasticity,
  but also reductions in blood pressure and levels
  of inflammatory markers.Such conflict in the
  science highlights the need for considerable
  further research into the area.Sourcing
  concernsThe risk of pollutants from oily fish,
  such a methyl mercury, dioxins, and
  polychlorinated biphenols (PCBs) have led to some
  to advocate a reduction in fresh fish intake,
  despite others advising that the benefits of fish
  consumption outweigh the risks.Such conflicting
  views on fish intake have seen the number of
  omega-3 enriched or fortified products on the
  market increase as consumers seek omega-3s from
  'safer' sources. Most extracted fish oil is
  molecularly distilled and steam deodorised to
  remove contaminants.But fears about dwindling
  fish stocks have pushed some industries to start
  extracting omega-3s from algae. Indeed, companies
  such as Martek Biosciences and Lonza are already
  offering algae-derived omega-3 DHA as a dietary
  supplement.Source Journal of
  NutritionFebruary 2008, Volume 138, Pages
  287-291"A High-Fat Meal Enriched with
  Eicosapentaenoic Acid Reduces Postprandial
  Arterial Stiffness Measured by Digital Volume
  Pulse Analysis in Healthy Men"Authors W.L.
  Hall, K.A. Sanders, T.A.B. Sanders, P.J. Chowie

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Omega-3 with high fat meal eases cardiovascular
changes Source Journal of Nutrition 1/24/2008

• Consuming omega-3 with a high fat meal may
  counter the detrimental effects on arterial
  stiffness, suggests new research.
• Researchers form King's College London
  investigated how ingestion of EPA with a high fat
  meal could affect vascular function after a meal-
  something that has not previously been studied.
• Stiffness of the arteries showed significant
  improvements after the Omega 3 supplement meal,
  compared to the control group, report the
  researchers.

15
Late-onset Alzheimer's slowed by DHA
omega-3Source The Journal of Neuroscience1/25/2
008

• 1/25/2008- Supplements of the omega-3
  docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) can reduce levels an
  enzyme linked to Alzheimer's disease, suggests a
  new study from the University of California, Los
  Angeles (UCLA).Using both mice and cultured
  human cells the UCLA researchers report that DHA
  could increase the production of LR11, a protein
  key to the clearance of enzymes in the brain that
  make the beta amyloid plaques that are thought to
  cause Alzheimer's disease."In this study, we
  report that DHA significantly increases LR11 in
  multiple systems, including primary rat neurons,
  aged non-Tg mice and an aged DHA-depleted APPsw
  AD mouse model. DHA also increased LR11 in a
  human neuronal line," wrote lead author Qiu-Lan
  Ma in the The Journal of Neuroscience.The
  research adds to a growing body of science
  linking intake of the omega-3 fatty acids, mainly
  DHA, to improved cognitive function and slower
  cognitive decline.Indeed, previous studies have
  reported that omega-3 fatty acids may slow mental
  decline in people with very mild Alzheimer's
  disease (Archives of Neurology, Vol. 63, pp.
  1402-1408 and pp. 1545-1550).Alzheimer's
  disease is the most common form of dementia and
  currently affects over 13 million people
  worldwide. The direct and indirect cost of
  Alzheimer care is over 100 bn ( 81 bn) in the
  US alone. The direct cost of Alzheimer care in
  the UK was estimated at 15 bn ( 22 bn).The
  new study suggests that DHA may be most useful
  for early intervention and prevention of
  late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD), the most
  common form of the disease that occurs later in
  life and has no obvious family inheritance
  pattern.Ma and co-workers report that DHA
  induced increases in LR11 in all the systems
  studied, as well as from an in vivo model of
  type-2 diabetes, another AD risk
  factor."Because reduced LR11 is known to
  increase beta-amyloid production and may be a
  significant genetic cause of LOAD, our results
  indicate that DHA increases in LR11 levels may
  play an important role in preventing LOAD,"
  concluded the authors. The data was welcomed by
  Dr. Edward Nelson, vice president of medical
  research for Martek, who provided the vegetarian
  DHA used in the study."This study adds to the
  evidence supporting the important brain health
  benefits provided by an enhanced DHA status, and
  there are a number of ongoing studies
  investigating the role of DHA in reducing the
  risk for neurological diseases like Alzheimer's,"
  said Nelson.Study in this area is ongoing with
  a National Institutes of Health- funded
  multi-million dollar clinical study on DHA in the
  progression of Alzheimer's disease. Results from
  this NIH clinical study will be available in
  2010.The new results build on an earlier
  pre-clinical study using genetically modified
  mice, reported to be the first study to show that
  DHA may slow the accumulation of a protein, tau,
  that leads to the development of neurofibrillary
  tangles, one of two signature brain injuries of
  Alzheimer's disease (Journal of Neuroscience,
  Vol. 27, No. 16).Source The Journal of
  Neuroscience26 December 2007, Volume 27, Issue
  52, Pages 14299-14307, doi10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3593-
  07.2007"Omega-3 Fatty Acid Docosahexaenoic Acid
  Increases SorLA/LR11, a Sorting Protein with
  Reduced Expression in Sporadic Alzheimer's
  Disease (AD) Relevance to AD Prevention"Authors
  Qiu-Lan Ma, B. Teter, O.J. Ubeda, T. Morihara,
  D. Dhoot, M.D. Nyby, M.L. Tuck, S.A. Frautschy,
  G.M. Cole

16
Late-onset Alzheimer's slowed by DHA
omega-3Source The Journal of Neuroscience1/25/2
008

• Omega-3 supplements can reduce levels an enzyme
  linked to Alzheimer's disease, suggests a new
  study from UCLA.
• The new study suggests that DHA may be most
  useful for early intervention and prevention of
  late-onset Alzheimer's disease
• Study in this area is ongoing with a National
  Institutes of Health- funded multi-million dollar
  clinical study on Omega 3 DHA oils in the
  progression of Alzheimer's disease. Results from
  this NIH clinical study will be available in
  2010.

17
Soy isoflavone linked to blood pressure
improvements Source Journal of
Nutrition1/30/2008

• /30/2008- Genistein, an isoflavone from soy, may
  stimulate the expression of an enzyme linked to
  better blood flow, suggests a new animal study
  that my have implications for high blood pressure
  in humans.Rats, bred to suffer from high blood
  pressure (hypertension), were found to benefit
  from dietary supplementation of genistein, with
  restoration of levels of endothelial nitric oxide
  synthase (eNOS), an enzyme linked to improved
  synthesis of nitric oxide (NO) and better
  vascular health, reports the study in the Journal
  of Nutrition. "Our data suggest that genistein
  has direct genomic effects on the vascular wall
  that are unrelated to its known actions, leading
  to increased eNOS expression and NO synthesis,
  thereby improving hypertension," wrote Hongwei Si
  and Dongmin Liu from Virginia Polytechnic
  Institute and State University.High blood
  pressure (hypertension),defined as having a
  systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP)
  greater than 140 and 90 mmHg, is a major risk
  factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) - a
  disease that causes almost 50 per cent of deaths
  in Europe, and reported to cost the EU economy an
  estimated 169bn (202bn) per year.Si and Liu
  tested genistein in both human cells - primary
  human aortic EC (HAEC) and human umbilical vein
  EC (HUVEC) - and in spontaneously hypertensive
  rats.The researchers report that the isoflavone
  enhanced the expression of eNOS by 1.8 to
  2.6-fold of control, and the subsequent synthesis
  of NO in both HAEC and HUVEC when used in doses
  between one and 10 micromoles per litre. These
  concentrations are "physiologically achievable
  concentrations in individuals consuming soy
  products," they said.Nitric oxide (NO) is a
  molecule used by the endothelium (cells lining
  the surface of blood vessels) to signal
  surrounding muscle to relax, leading to a
  reduction in blood pressure, reduced blood
  clotting and protection against myocardial
  infarction and strokes.Interestingly, the
  effects were not achieved by activating oestrogen
  signalling, a result that challenges previous
  results that suggested a role for oestrogen to
  act directly to enhance NO synthesis in vascular
  endothelial cells (EC). Isoflavones are well
  known phytoestrogens - active substances derived
  from plants that have a weak oestrogen-like
  action.When the rats were supplemented with
  genistein, the researchers observed a restoration
  of eNOS levels in the aorta, in addition to
  improvements in aortic wall thickness. The
  hypertension of the animals was eased, wrote Si
  and Liu.The research adds and expands the
  science linking isoflavones to improvements in
  cardiovascular health. Previously, studies have
  reported improvements in blood cholesterol
  levels, and easing blood clotting.However, the
  link between soy and cholesterol is controversial
  and a recent scientific statement by the American
  Heart Association (AHA) in the journal
  Circulation concluded that soy had little effect
  on cholesterol levels, and raised doubts about
  health claims associated with soy.Source
  Journal of NutritionFebruary 2008, Volume 138,
  Pages 297-304"Genistein, a Soy Phytoestrogen,
  Upregulates the Expression of Human Endothelial
  Nitric Oxide Synthase and Lowers Blood Pressure
  in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats"Authors
  Hongwei Si and Dongmin Liu

18
Soy isoflavone linked to blood pressure
improvements Source Journal of
Nutrition1/30/2008

• Genistein, from soy, may stimulate the expression
  of an enzyme linked to better blood flow, which
  may have positive implications for high blood
  pressure in humans
• The research expands the science linking
  isoflavones to improvements in cardiovascular
  health. Previously, studies have reported
  improvements in blood cholesterol levels, and
  easing blood clotting.
• Genistein is 1 of the ingredients in Estera 3

19
Folic acid intake may also reduce premature
births Source 28th Annual Society for
Maternal-Fetal Medicine 2/1/2008

• 2/1/2008- The risk of having a premature baby may
  be halved if women take folic acid supplements
  for at least one year before conception, suggests
  new data.The results are based on a study of
  folate supplementation by 38,033 participants,
  researchers from the University of Texas Medical
  Branch at Galveston told attendees at the 28th
  Annual Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM)
  meeting.According to the researchers, this
  study represents the first and largest U.S. study
  to look at the effects of folate supplementation
  prior to conception on early pre-term
  delivery.The results add to the
  well-established benefits of the vitamin that
  links folate deficiency in early pregnancy to
  increased risk of neural tube defects (NTD) -
  most commonly spina bifida and anencephaly - in
  infants.This connection led to the 1998
  introduction of public health measures in the US
  and Canada, where all grain products are
  fortified with folic acid - the synthetic,
  bioavailable form of folate.While preliminary
  evidence indicates that the measure is having an
  effect with a reported 15 to 50 per cent
  reduction in NTD incidence, parallel measures in
  European countries, including the UK and Ireland,
  are still on the table.Women of childbearing
  age are currently recommended a daily dose of 400
  micrograms starting before conception.Lead
  researcher Radek Bukowski told attendees that the
  benefits were of particular note against very
  early premature births, those babies who are at
  the greatest risk of complications such as
  cerebral palsy, mental retardation, chronic lung
  disease, and blindness.The study is an
  observational analysis based on data from an
  earlier trial sponsored by the National
  Institutes of Health (NIH)."Thanks to the depth
  and breadth of the NIH study, which included an
  early pregnancy ultrasound of each participant,
  we had highly accurate evidence of the
  gestational ages of the preterm deliveries," said
  Bukowski. "This evidence enabled us to
  determine that folate supplementation for at
  least one year is linked to a 70 per cent
  decrease in very early preterm deliveries (20 to
  28 weeks in gestational age) and up to a 50 per
  cent reduction in early preterm deliveries of 28
  to 32 weeks."Bukowski and co-workers limited
  their study to singleton pregnancies and excluded
  pregnancies with complications including
  pre-eclampsia, chronic hypertension, and
  congenital or chromosomal abnormalities.The
  research was welcomed by leading non-profit
  organization for pregnancy and baby health, March
  of Dimes. Commenting on the research, Alan
  Fleischman, senior vice president and medical
  director said "Dr. Bukowski's research makes us
  optimistic that taking folic acid for at least
  one year before pregnancy also may greatly reduce
  the risk of premature birth."We hope this new
  research also will spur more health care
  professionals to urge their female patients to
  make folic acid part of their daily routine as a
  simple step toward having a healthy baby in the
  future."Katharine Wenstrom, president of the
  Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM), said
  "In addition to its benefits in preventing
  pregnancy complications, previous studies have
  suggested that folic acid may also have
  beneficial effects in preventing stroke and
  cardiovascular disease in adults."Further
  benefits of folic acid and folate intakes were
  reported recently by Norwegian scientists.
  Writing in the British Medical Journal (doi
  10.1136/bmj.39079.618287.0B), researchers
  reported that folic acid supplements during early
  pregnancy could also reduce the risk of cleft lip
  in infants by 33 per cent.Source 28th Annual
  Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM)
  meeting"Preconceptional Folate Prevents Preterm
  Delivery"Authors R. Bukowski et al.

20
Folic acid intake may also reduce premature
births Source 28th Annual Society for
Maternal-Fetal Medicine 2/1/2008

• The risk of having a premature baby may be halved
  if women take folic acid supplements for at least
  one year before conception
• According to the researchers, this study
  represents the first and largest U.S. study to
  look at the effects of folate supplementation
  prior to conception on early pre-term delivery

21
Folic-acid linked to fewer pregnancy
complications Source American Journal Obstetrics
and Gynecology 2/4/2008

• 2/4/2008- The risk of pre-eclampsia, which
  affects two to three per cent of all pregnancies,
  may be reduced by multivitamin supplements that
  contain folic acid, suggests new study.The
  folic acid-containing multivitamin supplements
  were found to reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia by
  63 per cent amongst the 2,951 pregnant women
  followed for the new study, report Canadian
  researchers in the American Journal of Obstetrics
  and Gynecology."The findings of our study and
  others give hope of a new prevention strategy for
  pre-eclampsia, which needs further evaluation,"
  wrote lead author Shi Wu Wen from the University
  of Ottawa.Pre-eclampsia occurs when a mother's
  blood pressure rises to the hypertensive range,
  and excretion of protein in the urine becomes too
  high. It is estimated to be responsible for about
  60,000 deaths worldwide.It is not known why
  some expectant mothers develop pre-eclampsia,
  although oxidative stress has been proposed to
  play a part. The role of antioxidants to reduce
  oxidative stress had been supported by a small
  clinical trial that linked vitamin C and E intake
  to fewer biomarkers for pre-eclampsia for
  predominantly low-risk participants.However,
  trials and a recent review of ten trials, five of
  which were deemed to be high quality, reported
  that the overall science for vitamins C and E was
  unconvincing.The new observational study
  suggests that folic acid supplementation during
  the second trimester of pregnancy. The
  researchers collected demographic and clinical
  data for the women, with only regular daily
  supplement takes included in this study. Blood
  samples were taken to determine levels of folate
  and homocysteine.Wen and co-workers report that
  supplementation with multivitamins containing
  folic acid was associated with an average 10.5
  micromoles per litre increase in folate levels,
  an average decrease pf 0.39 micromoles per litre
  in homocysteine levels, and a 63 per cent
  reduction in the risk of pre-eclampsia."We did
  not observe however an association between
  serum folate or plasma homocysteine level with
  pre-eclampsia," noted the researchers. "In
  large-scale epidemiologic studies, it is
  difficult to tightly control for factors that may
  affect the measured values of folate or
  homocysteine."In discussing the mechanism, the
  researchers stated that there are compelling
  biologic reasons why folic acid may reduce the
  risk of pre-eclampsia."Supplementation of large
  doses of folic acid in early gestation may work
  at both stages of pre-eclampsia development,"
  they wrote. "Folic acid, or folate, is one of
  the B vitamins. It is a coenzyme in the
  production of nucleic acids and therefore is
  required by all cells for growth. The placenta
  develops from a single cell to a complex entity
  with a weight of about 500 g during pregnancy. An
  adequate cellular folate supply may play an
  important role in the implantation and
  development of the placenta," explained the
  researchers."Folate may also reduce the risk of
  developing pre-eclampsia by improving endothelial
  function at both placental and systemic levels,
  directly or indirectly by its effect on lowering
  blood homocysteine level."Wen and co-workers
  called for randomised, controlled trials to
  investigate the link between folic acid
  supplementation and pre-eclampsia risk and
  "provide definitive evidence regarding the
  relationship.""Findings from observational
  studies such as the current one can help the
  design of future randomised trials (eg, when the
  supplementation should be initiated and what dose
  should be used, etc) and to establish the
  equipoise for future randomised trials," they
  concluded.  The results add to the
  well-established benefits of the vitamin that
  links folate deficiency in early pregnancy to
  increased risk of neural tube defects (NTD) -
  most commonly spina bifida and anencephaly - in
  infants.This connection led to the 1998
  introduction of public health measures in the US
  and Canada, where all grain products are
  fortified with folic acid - the synthetic,
  bioavailable form of folate.While preliminary
  evidence indicates that the measure is having an
  effect with a reported 15 to 50 per cent
  reduction in NTD incidence, parallel measures in
  European countries, including the UK and Ireland,
  are still on the table.Women of childbearing
  age are currently recommended a daily dose of 400
  micrograms starting before conception.Source
  American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
  January 2008, Volume 198, Issue 1, Pages
  45.e1-45.e7"Folic acid supplementation in early
  second trimester and the risk of
  pre-eclampsia"Authors Shi Wu Wen, X.-K. Chen,
  M. Rodger, R. Rennicks White, Q. Yang, G.N.
  Smith, R.J. Sigal, S.L. Perkins, M.C. Walker

22
Folic-acid linked to fewer pregnancy
complications Source American Journal Obstetrics
and Gynecology 2/4/2008

• folic acid-containing multivitamin supplements
  were found to reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia by
  63
• Pre-eclampsia occurs when a mother's blood
  pressure rises to the hypertensive range, and
  excretion of protein in the urine becomes too
  high. It is estimated to be responsible for about
  60,000 deaths worldwide.

23
Folic acid intake may also reduce premature
births Folic-acid linked to fewer pregnancy
complications

• Women of childbearing age are currently
  recommended a daily dose of 400 micrograms
  starting before conception
• LifePak Prenatal has 400 micrograms of Folic acid
  

24
Astaxanthin may boost muscle endurance and fat
loss Source Biochemical Biophysical Research
Communications 2/5/2008

• Mice supplemented with astaxanthin (AstaReal 50F,
  BioReal) and were found to have accelerated body
  fat reduction or "fat-burning" when combined with
  exercise compared to just exercise alone, reports
  the study in the journal Biochemical
  Biophysical Research Communications."Our
  present observations firstly demonstrated that
  astaxanthin could elevate fat utilization as
  energy substrate during exercise, at least
  partly, due to the antioxidant effect, which
  leading to improvement of endurance in prolong
  exercise and efficient reduction of adipose
  tissue with sustained exercise," wrote the
  researchers from Kyoto Prefectural University of
  Medicine, University of Shizuoka, University of
  Hyogo, and University of Nagoya report that.The
  study adds to a small but growing body of
  research linking the carotenoid to potential
  weight management benefits. Astaxanthin, the
  nutrient that gives salmon its pink colour, has
  been found to be a potent antioxidant, with tests
  suggesting that it may have a free radical
  fighting capacity worth 500 times that of vitamin
  E.The carotenoid is produced by the
  Haematacoccus pluvialis algae when water supplies
  in its habitat dry up to protect itself against
  the effects of UV radiation. Research has shown
  it to have a similar structure to lutein and
  zeaxanthin, but there are indications that it has
  an even stronger antioxidant activity.Research
  on animals and some human clinical trials have
  suggested that the carotenoid may help protect
  against cataracts and UVA damage to the skin, as
  well as a number of other serious conditions such
  as stroke.Annual growth of the global market
  for astaxanthin for human use is thought to be at
  least 15 per cent, with current estimates valuing
  the market at 15-20m (12.4-16.6m) per
  year.Lead researcher Wataru Aoi reports that
  the carotenoid appeared to protect the function
  of carnitine palmitoyl transferase I (CPT I) in
  mitochondria. CPT I is a lipid transport enzyme
  found on the membrane of mitochondria and
  reportedly supplies lipids or "fuel" into the
  mitochondria for energy production. The
  researchers divided mice into four groups no
  exercise, no exercise plus with astaxanthin,
  exercise, and exercise plus astaxanthin. After
  four weeks the animals in the exercise groups
  were placed on a treadmill to test a range of
  physical parameters. Aoi and co-workers report
  that astaxanthin supplementation "accelerated the
  decrease of body fat accumulation with exercise
  training." Moreover, the carotenoid was found
  to increase the co-localisation of fatty acid
  translocase with carnitine palmitoyltransferase I
  (CPT I) in skeletal muscle. Fatty acid
  translocase is a glycoprotein found on the
  surface of the cell receives and transports
  long-chain fatty acids. Finally, they also report
  that modifications of CPT I by hexanoyl-lysine,
  which occurred during exercise, where prevented
  by astaxanthin. "Our results suggested that
  astaxanthin promoted lipid metabolism rather than
  glucose utilisation during exercise via CPT I
  activation, which led to improvement of endurance
  and efficient reduction of adipose tissue with
  training," concluded the researchers. The study
  supports previous studies that show the
  carotenoid may have a role to play in the
  burgeoning weight management market. With 50 per
  cent of Europeans and 62 per cent of Americans
  classed as overweight, the food industry is
  waking up to the potential of products for weight
  loss and management. The category estimated to
  already be worth 7bn (5.1bn).Source
  Biochemical Biophysical Research Communications
  (Elsevier)22 February 2008, Volume 366, Issue 4,
  Pages 892-897"Astaxanthin improves muscle lipid
  metabolism in exercise via inhibitory effect of
  oxidative CPT I modification"Authors W. Aoi, Y.
  Naito, Y. Takanami, T. Ishii, Y. Kawai, S.
  Akagiri, Y. Kato, T. Osawa, T. Yoshikawa

25
Astaxanthin may boost muscle endurance and fat
loss Source Biochemical Biophysical Research
Communications 2/5/2008

• Astaxanthin, the carotenoid mostly associated
  with eye health, may enhance the burning of fat
  during exercise and lead to improved muscle
  endurance
• Astaxanthin, the nutrient that gives salmon its
  pink color, has been found to be a potent
  antioxidant, with tests suggesting that it may
  have a free radical fighting capacity worth 500
  times that of vitamin E.
• The researchers state that astaxanthin
  supplementation "accelerated the decrease of body
  fat accumulation with exercise training."

26
Antioxidants and carotenoids linked to AMD
improvements Source Ophthalmology 2/6/2008

• A combination of vitamins C and E, zinc, copper,
  lutein, zeaxanthin, and astaxanthin was found to
  improve the function of the central retina among
  27 people with non-advanced AMD, scientists
  report in the journal Ophthalmology. "Because
  of the small number of patients enrolled, the
  present trial can be considered a pilot study and
  caution must be taken against drawing general
  conclusions," wrote lead author Vincenzo Parisi.
  "It is necessary to confirm our findings in a
  larger population and with long-term
  follow-up."AMD is the leading cause of legal
  blindness for people over 55 years of age in the
  Western world, according to AMD Alliance
  International.Despite the fact that
  approximately 25 to 30 million people worldwide
  are affected by AMD, awareness of the condition
  is low, according to AMD Alliance International.
  And as the generation of Baby Boomers gets older,
  the Alliance expects incidence to be on the rise
  and triple by 2025. AMD is a degenerative
  retinal disease that causes central vision loss
  and leaves only peripheral vision. Early
  detection is cited as a means of prevention so
  that treatment or rehabilitation can be
  undertaken early enough. However, links to diet
  have also been underscored.Parisi, from the
  Fondazione G. B. Bietti-Istituto di Ricovero e
  Cura a Carattere Scientifico in Rome and
  co-workers from the University of Padova,
  recruited 27 people with non-advanced AMD
  (average age 69.6) and randomly assigned them to
  receive daily antioxidant supplements (15
  subjects) or placebo (12 subjects) for 12 months.
  The daily antioxidant and carotenoid
  supplements provided 180 mg vitamin C, 30 mg
  vitamin E, 22.5 mg zinc, 1 mg copper, 10 mg
  lutein, 1 mg zeaxanthin, and 4 mg astaxanthin
  (AZYR SIFI, Catania, Italy).The researchers
  report that people in the antioxidant/ carotenoid
  supplement group showed improvements in the
  function of the central retina (zero to five
  degrees), while no improvements were observed in
  the peripheral retina (five to 20 degrees). "In
  non-advanced AMD eyes, a selective dysfunction in
  the central retina can be improved by the
  supplementation with carotenoids and
  antioxidants," stated the researchers.They
  added that it would be useful to obtain
  multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) recordings
  after a period of suspension of the antioxidant
  supplements in order to investigate if the
  improvements were supplement dependent."Neverthe
  less, considering the beneficial functional
  effects of antioxidant supplementation, the
  suspension of supplementation with consequent
  exposure of the AMD patient to a possible
  decrease in macular function could represent an
  ethical problem," they added. Previous studies
  have reported a link between AMD and lutein and
  zeaxanthin, found in leafy green vegetables,
  corn, egg yolks, squash, broccoli and peas. The
  carotenoids supposedly reduce the risk of AMD by
  absorbing blue light that could damage the
  macula, preventing free radicals from damaging
  eye cells and strengthening eye cell
  membranes.Source Ophthalmology
  (Elsevier)February 2008, Volume 115, Issue 2,
  Pages 324-333.e2 "Carotenoids and Antioxidants
  in Age-Related Maculopathy Italian Study
  Multifocal Electroretinogram Modifications after
  1 Year"Authors V. Parisi, M. Tedeschi, G.
  Gallinaro, M. Varano, S. Saviano, S.
  Piermarocchi, and the CARMIS Study Group

27
Antioxidants and carotenoids linked to AMD
improvements Source Ophthalmology 2/6/2008

• Supplements of carotenoids may improve retinal
  health in people with age-related macular
  degeneration (AMD), suggesting a role beyond
  prevention
• The researchers report that people in the
  antioxidant/ carotenoid supplement group showed
  improvements in the function of the central
  retina
• Nevertheless, considering the beneficial
  functional effects of antioxidant
  supplementation, the suspension of
  supplementation with consequent exposure of the
  AMD patient to a possible decrease in macular
  function could represent an ethical problem,"

28
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