

Nutrients protect brain, support cognitive health
Omega-3s and air pollution Earlier studies found omega-3s reduced brain damage due to lead and mercury, but there are no studies on omega-3s and air pollution. Fine particle matter, 2.5 microns in size—30 times smaller than the width of a hair—can directly enter the bloodstream through the respiratory tract, damaging body systems including the brain. Maintaining brain volume, or size, is essential for healthy cognition later in life. In this study, doctors compared omega-3 in


Better Vision - Nutrients slow progression to late-stage AMD
Vitamins, minerals, carotenoids and omega-3s beneficial In age-related macular degeneration (AMD) people gradually develop blind spots in the center field of vision. In this study, doctors analyzed findings from two large clinical trials that photographed the interior surfaces of 14,135 eyes annually for over 10 years. Doctors periodically measured the diets of study participants and found several nutrients appeared to significantly decrease chances of progressing to late-sta


Ashwagandha for Sleep
Ashwagandha improved sleep quality and mental alertness in those with and without insomnia. In this study, 40 insomniacs and 40 non-insomniacs took a placebo or 600 mg of ashwagandha per day. After eight weeks, compared to placebo, both groups saw improvements in sleep efficiency—how quickly sleep came at bedtime, and how long it continued uninterrupted—total sleep time, and mental alertness on rising. Participants also had improved anxiety scores on a standard mood scale. Al


Longevity - Vitamin D and K increase survival
Vitamins D and K extend life This is the first study to test for a link between levels of vitamins D and K and life expectancy in the general population. A total of 4,742 men and women, average age 53, enrolled in this 14-year study during which doctors measured blood levels of vitamins D and K, and tracked all causes of death. Twenty percent of study participants were low in both vitamins D and K, and were 22 percent Doctors considered levels of vitamin D below 20 nanograms


Covid Update - Zinc and Vitamin D - linked to better outcomes
Zinc and hospitalizations Between March 15, 2020, and April 30, 2020, doctors measured fasting levels of zinc in 249 Covid patients admitted to a university hospital in Barcelona, Spain. Zinc levels averaged 61 micrograms per deciliter of blood (mcg/dL), and among those who later died in the hospital, average zinc levels were 43 mcg/dL. Overall, those whose zinc levels fell below 50 mcg/dL were 2.3 times more likely to die in the hospital than those with levels at or higher t


Brain - Omega-3 and CBD beneficial for brain function
Omega-3 and Alzheimer’s disease People with a gene mutation known as APOE4 (E4) are four times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Doctors thought those with E4 would need larger doses of the omega-3 DHA—one of the most prevalent fatty acids in the brain—to have adequate levels in their brain matter. In this six-month study, 33 men and women, 15 with E4, at least age 55, with a family history of AD, but without the disease themselves, took a placebo or 2,152 mg o


Nutrients Improved Blood Flow and Lipids
Anthocyanin-bromelain improved circulation This is the first study to measure changes in circulation by combining naturally occurring anthocyanins in tart cherry and hawthorn with bromelain. In the study, 18 healthy adults, average age 24, took 480 mg of tart cherry, 465 mg of hawthorn extract, and 400 mg of bromelain, alternating with placebo in two separate phases. While there were no significant changes during the placebo phases, during the anthocyanin-bromelain phases, pa