Although vitamin D is best known for its role in bone health, this fat-soluble vitamin participates in many physiological processes, such as blood pressure regulation, immune function, and cell growth. Now, new research shows that vitamin D also supports neurodevelopment. Young children who received supplemental vitamin D were less likely to have neurobehavioral problems later in childhood than those who didn't. Researchers gave 346 infants either low-dose (400 IU) or high-dose (1,200 IU) vitamin D daily from two weeks to two years of age. Then, when the children were between six and eight ye... vitamin d brain behavior mental health development
Read morePoor strength and muscle mass are linked with many disease states, including obesity, diabetes, and chronic inflammation. A new study in mice shows that vitamin D is critical in building and maintaining muscle. Mice with higher vitamin D levels had greater strength and muscle mass and less fat mass than those with lower levels. Researchers fed mice three different diets over a period of 12 weeks to induce deficient, normal, and high blood concentrations of vitamin D. They measured the animals' strength and body composition before and after each dietary intervention. They also measured levels ... vitamin d obesity muscle
Read moreThe Omega-3 Index, a biomarker developed by Drs. Bill Harris and Clemens von Schacky, measures the amount of EPA + DHA as a percentage of total fatty acids in red blood cell membranes.[ref doi='10.1016/j.ypmed.2004.02.030'] The Omega-3 Index has been proposed as a measurable biomarker of sudden cardiac death risk.[ref doi='10.1016/j.ypmed.2004.02.030'] and may provide a means of standardizing methodologies that produce equivalent measures in clinical trials, allowing researchers to interpret clinical trial outcomes more accurately.[ref doi='10.1017/S0029665120006989'] Since its inception in 20... omega-3 heart disease blood test brain mortality biomarkers
Read moreA new study shows that premature infants who received supplemental DHA, a type of omega-3 fatty acid, at birth performed better on intelligence tests later in childhood than those who did not receive DHA. This was true regardless of whether the infants were fed breast milk, formula, or both. Researchers monitored the cognitive performance of more than 650 children born before 29 weeks' gestation. From birth until roughly the age of 36 weeks' gestation, about half of the children received DHA (60 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day) via tube feeding, while the other half did not. Whe... omega-3 development
Read morePatients with melanoma who received immunotherapy drugs were 65% less likely to develop colitis if they also supplemented with vitamin D. These findings were validated in another group of 169 patients, which found that vitamin D supplementation lowered the chances of developing colitis by 54%. These data suggest that larger randomized controlled trials are warranted to investigate the protective effects of vitamin D on the side effects associated with immunotherapy cancer drugs. ... vitamin d cancer
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