

Less Stress - Grape seed extract improves blood pressure
Polyphenols may help lower perceived stress levels This study followed 80 healthy men and women, aged 40 to 70, with mildly elevated systolic blood pressure between 125 and 140 mmHg. Body mass index scores ranged from 19 to 32, and all the women were postmenopausal. Participants measured blood pressure for seven days before taking a placebo or 300 mg of grape seed extract per day. Until the fourth week, women in the placebo group saw a greater reduction in systolic blood pres


Healthy Kids - Nutrients improve children's mood, skin and allergy
Pine bark extract improved ADHD In what may be the first study of its kind to use pine bark extract, doctors tested boys and girls, average age 10, for signs of inattention and impulsivity. In this study, 17 boys and three girls took a placebo or pine bark extract for four weeks, paused for two weeks, then switched placebo and pine bark groups. The daily pine bark dose was 25 mg for kids under 110 pounds, and 50 mg for those 110 pounds or more. Parents and teachers evaluated


Melatonin and vitamin D improve cancer outcomes
Melatonin increased survival after radiation Melatonin promotes sleep and plays a role in immunity. In this study, doctors compared outcomes over 10 years in 955 men with various stages of prostate cancer who had combined hormone and radiation treatment, and who did or did not take melatonin. While there was little difference in outcomes for men with a favorable or intermediate prognosis, men with a poor prognosis who took melatonin survived an average of 154 months compared


Diabetes Update
Fish oil and zinc lower chances, improve diabetes factors Fish oil lowers chances for type 2 diabetes In this large, long-term study, doctors measured oily and non-oily fish in the diets of 163,706 men and women, aged 50 and older, who submitted one to five 24-hour diet diaries between 2009 and 2012. Over an average of 10 years of follow-up, compared to those who ate no fish, those who ate fish less than once per week were 18 percent less likely to have developed type 2 diabe


Healthy Knees
Turmeric and curcumin reduce OA knee pain Osteoarthritis In osteoarthritis (OA) joint cartilage, ligaments, linings, and nearby bone break down. The most common affected areas include hips, knees, hands, and spine, which become stiff and painful. Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines reduce symptoms, but do not have a clear clinical effect on the condition, and do have serious long-term side effects. Doctors are searching for safer, clinically effective treatments, with turmeric a


Healthy Women - Nutrients reduce chances for breast cancer, boost bone density
Carotenoids reduce chances for breast cancer One of the controllable factors that can reduce chances for cancer is carotenoid levels. In this study, Harvard doctors measured carotenoids in 1,919 women from the Nurses’ Health Study who later developed breast cancer, and 1,695 women who did not. Doctors also measured breast tissue density, a separate factor that doubles chances. Overall, when carotenoid levels reached 142 micrograms per deciliter of blood (mcg/dL), chances were


Ladies' Knees
L-glutamine supplements strengthened knees and improved metabolics in older women. In this study, 21 women, aged 60 to 80, took a placebo or 10 grams of L-glutamine per day. After 30 days, those taking L-glutamine had greater strength and peak power in knee muscles; lower levels of oxidation, greater antioxidant capacity, and lower long-term average blood sugar and insulin levels compared to the placebo group, and to the start of the study. Women who were physically active be