Studies in Brief 39731

Studies in Brief

Vitamin E supplementation may reduce cytokine expression,according to in vitro research conducted at the Emory University School ofMedicine in Atlanta (Cancer Lett, 187, 1-2:17-24, 2002). ... Researchersat George Washington University in Washington, D.C., concluded from a researchreview that soy protein and its isoflavones and flaxseed and itslignans improve glucose control and insulin resistance (Am J Clin Nutr,76, 6:1191-1201, 2002). ... Based on results of a double blind, randomizedstudy, researchers from Abbott Laboratories in Columbus, Ohio, concludedsupplementation with 200 mg/d of tocotrienols did not reduce risk factorsof cardiovascular disease in adults with elevated blood lipid concentrations (AmJ Clin Nutr, 76, 6:1237-43, 2002). ... Plant sterols and stanolslower plasma LDL cholesterol in subjects with high cholesterol by suppressingcholesterol absorption, according to researchers at McGill University inMontreal (Am J Clin Nutr, 76, 6:1272-8, 2002). ... Increasing folicacid, physical activity and dietary fiber may be important for controllinghomocysteine levels in men, thereby reducing cardiovascular disease risk,according to researchers in Dijon, France (Am J Clin Nutr, 76, 6:1279-89,2002). ... A study presented at the 130th Annual Meeting of the American PublicHealth Association (www.apha.org) compared therandomly selected brands of Lactobacillus supplements, none of whichtested for organisms identical to those labeled and 30 percent of which werecontaminated with other microorganisms, leading researchers to concludeLactobacillus supplements may be unreliable or unsafe for consumers. ... Oralsupplementation with pine bark extract (as Pycnogenol, distributed byHillside, N.J.-based Natural Health Science) increased plasma antioxidant statusand favorably affected lipid profiles, as demonstrated by a six-week studyconducted at the University of California, Davis, with 25 healthy subjects (Lipids,37:931934, 2002). ... Lactobacillus plantarum may reducecardiovascular disease risk and could prevent atherosclerosis in smokers,according to researchers at the Pomeranian Academy of Medicine in Poland (AmJ Clin Nutr, 76, 6:1249-55, 2002). ... Three sources of dietary calcium--orangejuice fortified with calcium-citrate malate, skim milk and a calcium carbonatesupplement--were deemed equivalently bioavailable by researchers at the JeanMayer U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging inBoston (Am J Clin Nutr, 76, 6:1345-50, 2002). ... The Ephedra EducationCouncil (www.ephedrafacts.com)released a report containing more than 55 clinical studies supporting ephedra'ssafety and weight-loss benefits. ... Boswellic acids, derived from Boswelliaserrata, may be useful against colon cancer, as demonstrated by in vitroresearch conducted at Lund University in Sweden (Carcinogenesis, 23,12:2087-93, 2002). ... Contrary to results from prior research, conclusionsdrawn from an analysis of 77 healthy men and women indicated LDL oxidativesusceptibility, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, is unaffected bysubtle variations in iron status (Am J Clin Nutr, 77, 1:56-62,2003). ... Low serum levels of lycopene may be linked to a greater riskof atherosclerosis, according to researchers at the University of Kuopio inFinland (Am J Clin Nutr, 77, 1:133-8, 2003). ... Omega-3 fatty acidsmight be useful in the management of inflammatory and autoimmune disease,according to a research review compiled by investigators at The Center forGenetics, Nutrition and Health in Washington, D.C. (J Am Coll Nutr, 21,6:495-505, 2002). ... A combination of therapies--including antioxidants,non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and a cholinergic agent--may be moreeffective in treating Alzheimer's disease than individual agents alone,according to researchers at the University of Colorado, Denver (J Am CollNutr, 21, 6:506-22, 2002). ... Continuous dietary intake of soyisoflavones may prevent postmenopausal osteoporosis, according to a study of40 women conducted in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (J Am Coll Nutr, 21,6:560-3, 2002). Vitamin C supplementation in subjects with low plasmaascorbate was shown to improve lymphocyte ascorbate by 51 percent and increaselymphocyte glutathione by 18 percent, changes that may improve the body'sdefenses against free radicals and decrease chronic disease risk, according toCanadian researchers (Am J Clin Nutr, 77, 1:189-95, 2003). ... Canada's folicacid fortification program has decreased the number of neural tube defectsfrom 113 per 1,000 pregnancies before fortification in January 1998 to 58 per1,000 pregnancies after fortification, according to researchers at Sunnybrookand Women's College Health Sciences Center in Toronto (Lancet, 360, 9350:2047-8, 2002). ... Zincum gluconicum nasal gel (as Zicam, manufacturedby Phoenix-based Matrixx Initiatives Inc.) appears to reduce the median durationof cold symptoms, as demonstrated by a company-sponsored, randomized,placebo-controlled study of 78 patients (QJM, 96, 1:35-43, 2003). ... Aproduct combining green tea and caffeine (as Xenadrine EFX fromCytodyne Technologies) increased post-prandial calorie burning rates withoutaffecting blood pressure, making it a safe alternative to ephedra, according toa study presented at the 2002 NIH/NIDDK The Interaction of Physical Activity andNutrition conference held in Washington, D.C., Dec. 8 to 10.