Regular dosing of vitamin D (2000 IU/day) in early childhood has been shown to reduce the risk of developing Type 1 diabetes (up to an 80% reduction projected over the next 30 years), additionally, vitamin D treatment has improved glycemic control and insulin sensitivity in people with Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, and normal individuals."

 References: Schwalfenberg, Gary.  Vitamin D and diabetes - Improvement of glycemic control with vitamin D3 repletion.  Canadian Family Physician, Vol 54: June 2008, p. 864-866

Researchers at Dartmouth Medical School found that selenium levels were far lower amongst newly diagnosed bladder cancer patients than in the general population.  They also found that those with p53 positive cancers were deficient in selenium, suggesting, "if it is true that selenium can prevent a certain subset of individuals, like women, from developing bladder cancer, or prevent certain types of tumors, such as those evolving through the p53 pathway, from developing, it gives us clues about how the tumors could be prevented in the future and potentially lead to chemoprotective efforts.

 References: K. Wallace, K.T. Kelsey, A. Schned, J.S. Morris, A.S. andrew, M.R. Karagas.

A recent study from the University of California, Los Angeles found that vitamin D supplementation in pregnant women increased the production of an antimicrobial protein called cathelicidin.  They concluded that despite the fact that the precise mechanism of vitamin D functioning within the placenta is undetermined, "data suggests that it may play a key role in placental innate immunity.

References: N. Liu, A.T. Kaplan, J. Low, L. Nguyen, G.Y. Liu, O. Equils, M. Hewison. Vitamin D induces innate antibacterial responses in human trophoblasts via an intracrine pathway.  Biology of Reproduction.  Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1095/biolreprod.108.073577.

Pantethine is a stable, disulfide form of pantetheine, a precursor of coenzyme A, and is the coenzymatic form of B5.  However, unlike pantothenic acid, pantethine has been shown to be an effective lipid lowering agent.  A double blind, randomized, placebo controlled, crossover study performed at the University of Minnesota Medical School using 600 mg and 900 mg of pantethine daily for 6 weeks concluded that pantethine appears to be safe, effective and affordable lipid-altering therapy.

References: Pinns JJ, First S, et al.  Pantethine beneficially affects apolipoprotein A I, apolipoprotein B, low-density lipoprotein particle size, but not high sensitivity C-reactive protein in a dyslipidemic population.  Circulation, 2004; 110 (17 supp 3): 111-778.

A study of 26,779 women concluded that supplementation with vitamin E may reduce the risk of VTE in women, and those with a prior history or genetic predisposition may particularly benefit.

References: Glynn R, Ridker P, et al. Effect of Random Allocation to Vitamin E Supplementation on the Occurrence of Venous Thromboembolism. Circulation.  Sep 2007; 116: 1497-1503.

A Japanese study comparing native Japanese men, American men living in the United States, and Japanese born men living in the United States has found that men with the highest consumption of omega-3 fatty acids, such as that typically seen in the native Japanese diet had far superior (two-fold higher) levels of omega-3 fatty acids.  Given pollution concerns that surround many forms of fresh fish, it was recommended that supplementation with 'safe' sources of omega-3 fatty acids is an ideal way to promote cardiovascular health.

References: Sekikawa A, Curb JD, Ueshima H, et al.

A Canadian study reports that the risk of pre-eclampsia, which affects 2-3% of all pregnancies, may be reduced by 63% by supplementing with a multivitamin formula that contains folic acid.

References: Wen S, Chen X, et al

A long-term study (median follow-up period of 7.7 years) found that low levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D were significantly correlated with variables of inflammation (C-reactive protein and interleukin 6 levels), oxidative burden (serum phospholipid and glutathione levels), and cell adhesion (vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 and intracellular adhesion molecule 1) levels.  Collectively  supporting the model that low vitamin D levels are independently associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.

References: Dobnig H, Pilz S, Scharnagl H, et al.  Independent Association of Low Serum  25-Hydroxyvitamin D and 1, 25-Dihydroxyvitamin D Levels With All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality.  Arch Intern Med. 2008;1 68(12):1340-1349.

In yet another study extolling the virtues of vitamin D, it has been noted that not only were low serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D associated with higher risk of myocardial infarction but also with controlling factors known to be associated with coronary artery disease.

References: Giovannucci E, Liu Y, Hollis B, Rimm E. 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and risk of Myocardial Infarction in Men.  Arch Intern Med. 2008; 168(11):1174-1180.

A French study demonstrated that as little as 3 weeks of fish oil supplementation elicited a significant, positive effect on adrenal function.

References: Delarue J, Matzinger O, Binnert C, Schneiter P, Chiolero R, Tappy L, Fish Oil Prevents the Adrenal Activation Elicited by Mental Stress in Men. Diabetes Metabolism. 2003 June; 29(3):289-95.

Two nested Italian studies found that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation improved morbidity and mortality in symtomatic cardiac-failure patients.  The same study found that statins failed to have any beneficial effects amongst the same group of patients.

European Society of Cardiology (ESC) 2008 Congress.

Summary reports from the World Health Organization have shown that iodine deficiency is epidemic and that iodine deficiency may give rise to numerable symptoms of clinical and subclinical hypothyroidism despite 'normal' clinical lab values.

 References: Verheesen, RH. Schweitzer, CM. Iodine Deficiency, more than cretinism and goiter.  Medical Hypotheses, Elsevier.  (2008) 71, 645-648.

A recent Costa Rican study of 616 children ages 6-14, found that "lower vitamin D levels are associated with increased markers of allergy and asthma severity."  Their results also suggested that vitamin D deficiency is relatively common amongst equatorial populations. 

Brehm JM, Celedon JC, Soto-Quiros ME, Avila L, Hunninghake GM, Forno E, Laskey D, Sylvia JS, Hollis BW, Weiss ST, Litonjua AA.  "Serum Vitamin D Levels and markers of Severity of Childhood Asthma in Costa Rica". American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care, Volume 179, Pages 765-771

Finnish researchers reported that supplementing Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium during early pregnancy were associated with less central obesity and total percentage of body fat.  Central obesity is defined as body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more or a waist circumference over 80 centimeters (~31.5 inches).

Kirsi Laitinen et al.  European Congress on Obesity.  Thursday, 7 May 2009.

A study from researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences looked at telomeres-lengths of DNA sequences that shorten as cells replicate and age.  In normal cells, with each replication, the telomeres shorten, and when the telomeres have been totally consumed, the cell is destroyed (apoptosis).  Thus aging and the finite lifespan of cells is linked.  The lead researcher of the study noted that telomere length may therefore be a marker of biological aging, and that multivitamin use may affect telomere length via modulation of oxidative stress and chronic inflammation.  The study concluded that telomere length was over 5%longer amongst daily multivitamin users and recommended further investigation to understand "the role of multivitamin use and telomere length and its implication in the etiology of chronic disease."

Xu Q, Parks CG, DeRoo LA, Cawthon RM, Sandler DP, Chen H.  "Multivitamin use and telomere length in women." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, June 2009, Volume 89, Number 6, Pages 1857-1863.

A recent study in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, & Prevention reported that the highest selenium levels - 1.3 - 2.8 micromoles per liter were associated with a 57% reduction in basal cell carcinoma and a 64% reduction in squamous cell carcinoma.

van der Pols JC, Heinen MM, Hughes MC, Ibiebele TI, Marks GC, Green AC.  "Serum Antioxidants and Skin Cancer Risks: An 8 Year Community-Based Follow-up Study", Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.  2009, Volume 18, Issue 4, Pp. 1167-1173.

A comprehensive review of studies on the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids have led to recommendations for the formal establishment of DRI's for eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to be between 250 to 500 mg/day.

Harris WS, Mozaffarian D, Lefevre M, Toner CD, Colombo J, Cunnane SC, Holden JM, Klurfeld DM, Morris MC, Whelan J.  Towards Establishing Dietary Reference Intakes for Eicosapentaenoic and Docosahexaenoic Acids.  The Journal of Nutrition, February 25, 2009.

Dutch researchers reported that daily supplementation of vitamin K2 significantly improved levels of osteocalcin - a vitamin K dependent protein essential for the utilization of calcium in bone.  Further research was recommended to determine the extent of vitamin K2's benefits on healthy bone formation.

van Summeren MJH, Braam LAJLM, Lilien MR, Schurgers LJ, Kuis W, Vermeer C.  "The effect of menaquinone-7 (vitamin K2) supplementation on osteocalcin carboxylation in healthy pre-pubertal children".  British Journal of Nutrition Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1017/S0007114509382100, May 19, 2009

A British study found that a mixture of prebiotics selectively boosted levels of beneficial gut flora, eased symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, and also appeared to inhibit detrimental or opportunistic gut flora from adhering to the gut wall.  Researchers recommended further study of prebiotics, as IBS is the most common functional gastrointestinal disorder - affecting approximately 20% of the general population.

Silk DBA, Davis A, Vulevic J, Tzortzis G, Gibson GR.  "Clinical trial: the effects of trans-galactooligosaccharide prebiotic on faecal microbiota and symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome".  Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics.  December 2008.

A recent study of 219 women in an eight week basic combat training program found that the female soldiers receiving iron supplementation saw notable improvements in two-mile running tests and cognitive performance.  The researchers noted that iron deficiency anemia is relatively common and leads to a reduction in the ability to perform work, and may result in "impaired aerobic adaptation and endurance capacity in women."

McClung JP, Karl JP, Cable SJ, Williams KW, Nindl BC, Young AJ and Lieberman HR.  Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of iron supplementation in female soldiers during military training: effects on iron status, physical performance, and mood.  The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.  2009;90:1-8.

A recent Iranian study found that daily supplementation of diabetic patients with omega-3 fatty acids cuts levels of homocysteine significantly: 22 per cent, compared to less than 1 per cent amongst the placebo group.  Researchers from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences concluded that diabetic patients should be encouraged to consume omega-3 supplements daily in order to decrease their already elevated risk of heart disease.

Pooya S, Jalali MD, Jazayery AD, Saedisomeolia A, Eshraghian MR, Toorang F.  "The efficacy of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on plasma homocysteine and malondialdehyde levels of type 2 diabetic patients." Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases.  2009.04.002.

A Danish study of type 2 diabetes found that of the various forms of proteins tested - including casein, gluten, whey, and cod protein - that whey protein "outperformed other proteins in terms of postprandial lipema improvement" (as measured by triglycerides, retinyl palmitate (RP), free fatty acids, insulin, glucose, glucagons, glucagons-like peptide, and glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide responses). 

Mortensen LS, Hartvigsen ML, Brader LJ, et al.  Differential effects of protein quality on postprandial lipemia in response to a fat-rich meal in type 2 diabetes: comparison of whey, casein, gluten and cod protein.  Am J Clin Nutr 2009;90:41-8.

A recent study of 150 Iranian men found that infertile men had lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their sperm.  Additionally, the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 was found to be higher in infertile men.  Researchers concluded, "These results suggest that research should be performed to assess the potential benefits of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation as a therapeutic approach in infertile men." 

Safarinejad MR, Hosseini SY, Dadkhah F, Asgari MA, "Relationship of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids with semen characteristics, and anti-oxidant status of seminal plasma:  A comparison between fertile and infertile men."  Clinical Nutrition.  Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2009.07.008.

According to research recently published in the journal Atherosclerosis, higher serum levels of the carotenoid lycopene are associated with reduced stiffness of the arteries.  Additionally, women with the highest levels of lycopene had the lowest levels of oxidized cholesterol (LDL).  It is believed that oxidation of LDL cholesterol plays a significant role in the devopment of atherosclerosis.  Levels of C-reative protein, a marker of inflammation status, were also lower in the women who had the highest levels of serum lycopene.

Yoe HY, Kim OY, Kim HJ, Paik JK, Park JY, Kim JY, et al.  "Independent inverse relationship between serum lycopene concentration and arterial stiffness".  Atherosclerosis, Published online ahead of print, 13 August 2009, doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis. 2009.08.009.

A recent study from researchers from the UK and Spain has revealed that traditional methods to determine antioxidant values of fruits have failed to measure the amounts of non-extractable polyphenols - thereby causing a noteable underestimate of the true antioxidant value(s).

Arranz S, Saura-Calixto F, Kroon PA, "High Contents of Nonextractable Polyphenols in Fruits Suggest That Polyphenol Contents of Plant Foods Have Been Underestimated", Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Volume 57, Issue 16, Pages 7298-7303.

A recent Danish study linked moderate vitamin C deficiency during the first months of infancy to impaired neuron development and deficits in spacial memory.

Tveden-Nyborg P, Johansen LK, Raida Z, Villumsen CK, Larsen JO, Lykkesfeldt J, "Vitamin C deficiency in early postnatal life impairs spatial memory and reduces the number of hippocampal neurons in guinea pigs", American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2009.27954.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates 9.2 million cases and 1.7 million deaths from tuberculosis at last count.  Unfortunately rates of tuberculosis hae been steadily rising, and multi-drug resistant tuberculosis strains have become an increasing cocern.  Luckily tuberculosis is an ineffective disease with only 1 in 10 infected people becoming ill with the active form of the disease.  Several studies in a variety of populations have associated vitamin D deficiency with an increased risk of developing tuberculosis.  Other studies have established that vitamin D modulates the immune system by a variety of means, and have further suggested that vitamin D may reduce the viability of tuberculosis by enhancing the fusion of the phagosome and lysosome in infected macrophages, and by enhancing the production of the antimicrobial peptide LL-37.

Chocano-Bedoya P, Ronnenberg AG.  Vitamin D and tuberculosis.  Nutrition Reviews, Vol. 67(5):289-293.

A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that a multi-year, community-based randomized trial of antenatal supplementation of folic acid, zinc, and iron resulted in improved linear growth and reduced peripheral adiposity amongst school-aged children.

Stewart CP, Christian P, LeClerq SC, West KP Jr., Khatry SK.  Antenatal supplementation with folic acid + iron + zinc improves linear growth and reduces peripheral adiposity in school-aged children in rural Nepal.  AM J Clin Nutr 2009;90:132-40.

As part of The Sleep AHEAD study, 264 obstructive sleep apnea participants (OSA) with type 2 diabetes and statistically obese BMI scores were studied to determine if weight loss garnered by intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) or diabetes management education would experience a reduction in OSA.  The study concluded that "weight loss will result in significant and clinically relative improvements" amongst these patients.

Foster GD, Borradaile KE, Sanders MH, Millman R, Zammit G, et al.  A Randomized Study on the Effect of Weight Loss on Obstructive Sleep Apnea Among Obese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.  Arch Intern Med, Vol 169 (No. 17), Sept 28, 2009. p1619-1626.

Researchers at Emory University found that a diet rich in sulfur-bearing amino acids was critical in the regulation of reduction-oxidation (redox) status.  Cysteine, the precursor to glutathione, in particular, was found to be very protective against oxidative stress.  Study participants suffered from Short Bowel Syndrome (SBS), a condition associated to poor absorption of nutrients, and is commonly seen amongst individuals who have had 50% or more of their small intestine removed.  SBS patients may frequently exhibit chronic diarrhea - which leads to dehydration, weight loss and malnutrition.  It was determined that supplementation with sulfur-bearing amino acids exhibited significantly improved intestinal healing, as measured by cellular growth in the ileal mucosa.

Shyntum Y, Lyer SS, Tian J, Hao L, Mannery YO, Jones DP, Ziegler TR.  Dietary sulfur amino acid supplementation reduces small bowel thiol/disulfide redox state and stimulates ileal mucosal growth after massive bowel resection in rats.  The Journal of Nutrition Published online ahead of print: doi:10.3945/jn.109.105130.

A recent British study of osteoarthritic (OA) patients found that supplementation with glucosamine and omega-3 fatty acids offered superior results over glucosamine supplementation alone.  The study was comprised of177 people with moderate to severe knee or hip OA and placed them into either of the aforementioned groups.  Since all participants had moderate to severe OA, ethical reasons mandated that a placebo group not be used.  After 26 weeks ofsupplementation, those receiving the combination supplementation saw an average reduction of morning stiffness and pain by 48.5 to 55.6 percent (WOMAC score), compared to 41.7 to 55 percent in the group receiving solely glucosamine.

Gruenwald J, Petzold E, Busch R, Petzold HP, Graubaum HJ.  "Effects of glucosamine sulfate with or without omega 3 fatty acids in patients with osteoarthritis."  Advances in Therapy, Vol 26, Issue 9, pp 858-871.

A joint study from researchers at Emory University, University of Minnesota, the National Cancer Institute, and the National Institute of Health indicates that calcium and vitamin D supplementation was found to normalize the cells of the colon and rectum in individuals with a history of benign colorectal tumors.  Study participants received a combination of 2.0 g calcium and 800 IU of Vitamin D3 daily or placebo for six months.

A study recently published in the British Journal of Nutrition found the consumption of polyphenol-rich dark chocolate may protect DNA from oxidative damage, and thereby reduce arterial hardening and heart disease.  Measurements were taken at specific intervals after chocolate consumption, and the benefits were noted to appear rather quickly, with increases in plasma catechin rising as quickly as 2 hours after consumption, and decreases in mononuclear blood cell DNA damage also noted.