Nutraceuticals Research

Nutraceutical: Calcium and vitamin D

Indication: Breast Cancer

Source: Arch Intern Med, May 28, 2007; 167(10):1050-9.

Research: Researchers prospectively evaluated total calcium and vitamin D intake in relation to breast cancer incidence among 10,578 premenopausal and 20,909 postmenopausal women 45 years or older who were free of cancer and cardiovascular disease at baseline in the Women’s Health Study. Baseline dietary intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire.

Results: During an average of 10 years of follow-up, 276 premenopausal and 743 postmenopausal women had a confirmed diagnosis of incident invasive breast cancer. Higher intakes of total calcium and vitamin D were moderately associated with a lower risk of premenopausal breast cancer. The inverse association with both nutrients was also present for large or poorly differentiated breast tumors among premenopausal women. By contrast, intakes of both nutrients were not inversely associated with the risk of breast cancer among postmenopausal women. The one-fifth of premenopausal women who consumed the highest levels of calcium and vitamin D—nearly 1400 mg and 1000 units of calcium and vitamin D, respectively—reduced their risk by 30% compared with those women consuming the least amounts of calcium and vitamin D. In analyzing these results, researchers believe that higher intakes of calcium and vitamin D may be associated with a lower risk of developing premenopausal breast cancer. The likely apparent protection in premenopausal women may be more pronounced for more aggressive breast tumors.

Nutraceutical: Calcium and vitamin D

Indication: Weight gain (postmenopausal women)

Source:

Arch Intern Med, May 14, 2007;167(9):893-902.

Research:

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was performed with 36,282 postmenopausal women, aged 50 to 79 years, who were already enrolled in the dietary modification and/or hormone therapy arms of the Women’s Health Initiative clinical trial. Women were randomized at their first or second annual visit to receive a dose of 1000 mg of elemental calcium plus 400 IU of cholecalciferol (vitamin D) or placebo daily. Change in body weight was ascertained annually for an average of 7 years.

Results:

Women receiving calcium plus cholecalciferol supplements vs. women receiving placebo had a minimal but consistent favorable difference in weight change. After 3 years of follow-up, women with daily calcium intakes less than 1200 mg at baseline who were randomized to supplements were 11% less likely to experience small weight gains (1-3 kg) and 11% less likely to gain more moderate amounts of weight. The greatest benefits were seen in women who began the study with inadequate calcium intakes—those consuming less than the current recommendation of 1200 mg of calcium per day. As a result, researchers believe these latest findings do not justify altering current dietary recommendations, and that postmenopausal women should continue to be advised to consume 1200 mg a day of calcium.

Nutraceutical: CoQ10 (see "bottom line" monograph below)

Indication: Parkinson’s disease

Source:

Arch Neurol, May 14, 2007 [Epub ahead of print]

Research:

The aim of this study was to determine whether nanoparticular CoQ10 is safe and displays symptomatic effects in patients with mid-stage Parkinson’s disease without motor fluctuations. In this multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial 131 patients were given either 300 mg of CoQ10 or placebo for a period of three months—a total of 106 subjects completed the trial. The subjects underwent evaluation with the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) at each visit on a monthly basis. The primary outcome variable was the change of the sum score of the UPDRS parts II and III between baseline and 3-month visits.

Results:

Statistical analysis according to the stratification did not result in significant changes of the primary outcome variable. No secondary outcome measure showed a significant change between the placebo group and the CoQ10 group. The frequency and quality of adverse events were similar in both treatment groups. Although nanoparticular CoQ10 at a dosage of 300 mg per day is safe and well tolerated and leads to plasma levels similar to 1200 mg per day of standard formulations, add-on CoQ10 does not display symptomatic effects in mid-stage Parkinson’s disease.

Nutraceutical: Fish oil

Indication: Body composition

Source:

Am J Clin Nutr, May 2007;85(5): 1267-74.

Research:

Researchers examined the individual and combined effects of long-chain omega 3 fatty acid supplementation and regular exercise on body composition and cardiovascular health by assigning 75 subjects to one of four treatment groups: one that took 6 grams of fish oil daily; one that consumed fish oil and walked for 45 minutes three days per week; one that consumed pills containing sunflower oil; and a group that took sunflower oil and walked for 45 minutes three days per week.

Results: At the conclusion of 12 weeks, researchers found that subjects taking fish oil had greater improvements in blood fats and blood vessel function compared to those that took sunflower oil. In addition, those that added exercise to their regimen reduced body fat, leading researchers to conclude that increasing intake of fatty acids could be a useful adjunct to exercise programs aimed at improving body composition and decreasing cardiovascular disease risk.

Nutraceutical: Ginseng

Indication: Fatigue (due to cancer)

Source: 43rd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Chicago, IL (June)

Research: In a pilot study of 282 patients, researchers randomly assigned them to take either a placebo or one of three daily doses of ginseng: 750 mg, 1000 mg or 2000 mg. The product used in the study was 4-year-old American ginseng root, which was assayed by an independent company. The study tested the three doses of ginseng in patients with a variety of cancers and a life-expectancy of at least 6 months. About half of the patients were receiving chemotherapy.

Results: After 8 weeks, responses on the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI) and on the vitality subscale of the SF-36 quality-of-life questionnaire showed an improvement over placebo for the two higher doses of ginseng. In addition, 25% of patients taking 1000 mg of ginseng and 27% of patients taking 2000 mg reported feeling “moderately better” or “much better,” compared with only 10% of patients in both the placebo and the 750 mg ginseng groups.

Nutraceutical: Omega 3 fatty acids

Indication: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)

Source:

Arch Ophthalmol, May 2007;125(5):671-9.

Research: Researchers set out to evaluate the association of lipid intake with baseline severity of AMD in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS). This study  included over 4500 participants aged 60 to 80 years at enrollment, who provided estimates of habitual nutrient intake through a self-administered semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Stereoscopic color fundus photographs were used to categorize participants into four AMD severity groups and a control group (participants with <15 small drusen).

Results: Of the 4519 subjects, 1115 patients had no symptoms of disease at the outset, while 658 people had a severe form of the disease. When their diets were evaluated, the researchers found that people who ate more fish—more than two medium servings per week or more than one serving of broiled or baked fish—were least likely to have the disease. More specifically, dietary total omega 3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) intake was inversely associated with neovascular (NV) AMD, as was docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a retinal omega 3 LCPUFA. Dietary arachidonic acid was directly associated with NV AMD prevalence, but no statistically significant relationships existed for the other lipids or AMD groups.

Nutraceutical: Omega 3 fatty acids

Indication: Blood pressure

Source: Hypertension, June 4, 2007 [Epub ahead of print]

Research: Data are lacking on food omega 3 fatty acids and blood pressure in general populations. The International Study of Macro- and Micro-nutrients and Blood Pressure (INTERMAP) is an international cross-sectional epidemiologic study of 4680 men and women aged 40 to 59 from 17 population-based samples in China, Japan, U.K., and U.S. Researchers reported associations of food omega 3 intake (total, linolenic acid, long-chain) of individuals with blood pressure. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were measured 8 times at 4 visits.

Results: With several models to control for possible confounders (age, weight, exercise, salt intake, etc.), researchers found high dietary intake of omega 3 fatty acids to be associated with 0.6 mmHg lower systolic blood pressure and 0.6 mmHg lower diastolic blood pressure, on average, for the entire group. Re-searchers also noticed about 1.0 mmHg lower systolic blood pressure and 1.0 lower diastolic blood pressure among the 2239 people who were not on a special diet or taking supplements or medication to treat high blood pressure, heart disease or diabetes. Lastly, researchers found 0.9 mmHg lower systolic blood pressure and 0.9 mmHg lower diastolic blood pressure among the 2038 people without high blood pressure. The effect of omega 3’s on blood pressure was more pronounced among those not taking medication or who had already developed high blood pressure.

Click here to download this month's "Bottom Line" monograph on CoQ10 provided by Natural Standard.