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Vitamin D low in sleep apnea When the upper respiratory tract is partly or fully blocked during sleep, and breathing becomes shallow, excessive carbon dioxide can build up in the bloodstream, altogether a condition called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Here, doctors reviewed 29 OSA studies, covering 6,717 participants. Overall, those with moderate to severe OSA had significantly lower vitamin D levels compared to similar, but healthy study participants. OSA was most common in

Cocoa flavanols boost cognition in adults “Flavanols are small molecules found in many fruits and vegetables, giving them their bright colors, and are known to benefit circulation,” doctors said. In this study, 18 healthy adult non-smokers took a high-flavanol or low-flavanol cocoa. Two hours after taking the cocoa, participants breathed air with 5 percent carbon dioxide—about 100 times the content in normal air—which triggered an increase in blood flow to the brain, raising

Low levels are a factor We now know that vitamin D is a hormone, with cell receptors throughout the body, particularly in the bladder, urethra, prostate, and pelvic-floor muscles. In this review of 23 studies covering 86,332 participants, those who were deficient in vitamin D, in placebo-controlled trials, were two to three times more likely to have lower urinary tract symptoms. In studies that observed populations over time, but did not treat or try to prevent urinary tract

CoQ10 for muscle and endurance Over time, cartilage that cushions and separates bone joints breaks down. In this study, 100 people with osteoarthritis (OA) and 100 without, at least 40 years old, took a series of muscle and physical tests. Doctors measured levels of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), and found 75 percent of those with OA were deficient compared to 59 percent for those without OA, with greater deficiencies in more severe cases of OA. Both those with OA, and those who were

Leucine increased muscle strength in CP When parts of the brain that control movement are damaged or fail to develop fully, muscles do not function properly, a condition called cerebral palsy (CP). Over time, in those with CP, muscles can shrink and muscle tissue can decline. In this study, 21 adolescents and young adults with CP took a fruit beverage placebo or one with 87 mg of leucine per pound of body weight, per day. After 10 weeks, while there were no changes for placeb

The B vitamins are essential for producing energy in the body, are water soluble, and leave the body quickly. In this study, doctors found that when vitamin B2, or riboflavin, is low, levels of vitamin B6 are more likely to be low as well. In a group of 407 healthy adults, aged 18 to 92, 37 percent of those who were low in vitamin B6 were also low in riboflavin. Discussing the findings, doctors said vitamin B6 depends on riboflavin, “which may be the limiting nutrient, partic

Probiotics reduced colds The most frequent reason people stay home from work or school is an upper respiratory viral infection—the common cold. Earlier studies have shown probiotics to be effective in reducing the number and severity of colds. In this study, 898 healthy adults, aged 18 to 70, who had at least four colds in the last 12 months, took a placebo or a half-billion colony-forming units of lactobacillus plantarum and paracasei, each, per day. The study lasted for 12