It’s common to see vitamin D deficiencies tied to a host of health problems in news headlines; for example, previous research has found associations between a D deficiency and an increased risk of weight-related health conditions, including cardiovascular disease and insulin resistance. The Mayo Clinic reported on a study that found that teens who are overweight or obese may not benefit from taking vitamin D supplements. The study was one in a series of Mayo Clinic studies on childhood obesity, and was published in the journal Pediatric Obesity. In the study, researchers administered vitamin D3 supplements (100,000 IU once a month) to 19 adolescents, ages 13 to 18, who were obese and had low vitamin D levels. After three months, researchers found that while the participants’ vitamin D levels did rise, their cholesterol and triglyceride levels increased and they did not experience significant changes in body weight, body mass index (BMI), waistline, blood pressure, or blood flow.

While this study may provide some insight into vitamin D’s relationship with obesity, it’s important to be aware of the limitations of this research, and to understand the valuable health benefits vitamin D may offer. In particular:

• Vitamin D is vital to children’s bone health—D deficiency has been found to increase the risk of bone deformities and rickets. Research has also linked vitamin D supplementation to a decreased risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures later in life.
• In the study, lifestyle factors, such as lack of exercise and poor diet, may have contributed to the markers of obesity (cholesterol, body weight, etc.) that the researchers measured. These factors could have masked health benefits that the vitamin D supplements may have otherwise provided.
• The study was also small, relatively short, and did not have a control group, so more clinical research is needed to understand the relationship between vitamin D supplementation and adolescent obesity.

In the end, the study’s researchers concluded that the jury is still out on the benefits of vitamin D supplementation for overweight adolescents. However, there’s plenty of research that has found vitamin D may provide important health benefits: In addition to bone health, vitamin D has been linked to increased immune function and decreased risk of death from any cause.

Source: Mayo Clinic

A randomized, single-blind study shows that omega-3 oils can reduce cholesterol levels and improve other disease biomarkers, but in different ways depending on the type of omega-3. Published in Lipids in Health and Disease, the study divided 59 participants with early-stage type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome into three groups: the control group received corn oil, the second group received a combination of borage oil and echium oil, and the third group received fish oil—all in capsule form. The daily amount of borage and echium oil given to participants contained 1.9 grams of the omega-3 alpha-linoleic acid (ALA). In contrast, the daily amount of fish oil contained a small amount of ALA, but did have significant amounts of the omega-3s EPA (3.58 grams) and DHA (2.44 grams). The daily amounts of corn oil had relatively low levels of these omega-3s. The study lasted for eight weeks. Here’s what the researchers discovered at the end of it:

• People in the borage and echium oil group experienced a significant reduction in both total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, compared to their pre-treatment levels.
• People in the fish oil group saw a significant reduction in triglycerides, an increase in HDL cholesterol, and a significant decrease in hemoglobin A1c (an important biomarker for type 2 diabetes), compared to their pre-treatment levels.
• Taking corn oil did not produce a change in any of these disease biomarkers.

While it is important to confirm these results in studies with longer treatment durations and larger sample sizes, the study not only suggests that different omega-3s may affect disease biomarkers differently, but also indicates a possible role for botanical oils like borage and echium in addressing health issues related to type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

Source: Lipids in Health and Disease

The old saying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” may have some truth to it after all. According to a Harvard study, women who consume higher amounts of flavonoids are more likely to experience healthy aging. Flavonoids are water-soluble plant pigments found in fruits, such as apples, and other foods like vegetables, chocolate, and tea. Published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the study examined dietary data from 13,818 middle-aged women (median age of 59). The researchers then looked at which of these women aged healthily over the course of 15 years. “Aging healthily” was defined as living to be 70 years or older with no major chronic diseases and no major cognitive, physical, or mental impairments. Here’s what the researchers discovered:

• Women with the highest average intakes of flavones, flavanones, anthocyanins, and flavonols—all of which are types of flavonoids— increased their chances of healthy aging by 32%, 28%, 25%, and 18% respectively, compared to those with the lowest average flavonoid intake.
• Consumption of flavonoid-rich foods, in particular oranges, berries, onions, and apples, was also associated with healthy aging.

Supplements, such as bilberry extract, can also be a good source of flavonoids.

Source: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Concerned about the future of your child’s heart health? One study may have found an association between higher vitamin D levels and lower non-HDL cholesterol (total cholesterol minus HDL [“good”] cholesterol) in young children. According to some research, higher non-HDL cholesterol is a better predictor in childhood of adult dyslipidemia—an imbalance of fats in the blood that can increase the risk for cardiovascular disease—than LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. Published in PLOS ONE, the study examined blood samples taken during doctor’s visits from 1,961 healthy children ages one to five. The children in the study consumed an average of 452 ml (just under 2 cups ) of cow’s milk per day, and 56% of them regularly took a vitamin D supplement. After adjusting for age, sex, milk intake, BMI, and other characteristics, researchers found:

• An inverse relationship between vitamin D and non-HDL cholesterol—each 10 nmol/l increase of vitamin D in the blood was associated with a 0.89 mg/dl decrease in non-HDL cholesterol.
• However, it’s important to note that the study did not adjust for inflammation in the participants, which may have skewed the results. Inflammation can cause vitamin D levels to decline, which means it’s possible that the high non-HDL cholesterol levels were related more to inflammation than to low vitamin D levels. Most controlled clinical trials have failed to show that vitamin D has an effect on cholesterol.

Vitamin D levels have been linked to childhood bone health, diabetes risk, and ear health. So, although more clinical research is needed to directly link vitamin D with lower non-HDL cholesterol, this study may be one more reason to ensure your child gets adequate amounts of vitamin D. If you have a picky eater, vitamin D-fortified cereal, cheese, milk, and yogurt are just a few of the kid-friendly foods that contain vitamin D, in addition to a multivitamin that may include vitamin D. As always, consult your pediatrician before starting your child on a supplement regimen.

Source: PLOS ONE

P. longum, sometimes called long pepper, is closely related to black pepper, Piper nigrum, but generally has a hotter flavor. Fruits of the Piper genus contain the same active constituent, piperine—an alkaloid largely responsible for these peppers’ pungent flavor and physiologic effects. Animal studies suggest that P. longum has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-microbial, and immunomodulatory activities. It has also been shown to reduce high cholesterol levels, prevent blood clot formation in blood vessels, and protect liver and heart tissue from toxic damage. In addition, it is used to stimulate appetite and relieve indigestion.

P. longum and piperine have been found to enhance the bioavailability of other herbs and medications by inhibiting a transport protein in the cells lining the intestinal wall that returns certain compounds back into the intestine. P. longum alkaloids have also been shown to inhibit the clearance of certain drugs and plant compounds in the liver, further enhancing their activity in the body; therefore, it should be used cautiously by individuals taking medications.

Source: Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies