VOLUME 2008 issue 14

Combination of Vitamin D and Calcium Fights Bone Loss in Men

Robin Daly, from Deakin University (Australia), and colleagues assessed the long-term bone densities of 109 men (ages 50+) who had previously completed a two-year long study in which they were given daily supplements of calcium and vitamin D3 (in the form of fortified milk). The team found that an average of 1.65% increase in bone mineral density persisted for up to 18 months after the supplements were halted.
[Daly RM, Petrass N, Bass S, Nowson CA. “The skeletal benefits of calcium- and vitamin D3-fortified milk are sustained in older men after withdrawal of supplementation: an 18-mo follow-up study.” Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Mar;87(3):771-7.]

Dr. Klatz remarks: “Osteoporosis affects 75 million people in Europe, the United States, and Japan, While the condition is more four-times more common in women, it does affect aging men as well. This study shows the sustained benefits of vitamin D and calcium for bone mineral density, making a strong case for the value of supplementation in older men.”

Green Leafy Vegetables Slash Lung Cancer Risk

Olga Dosil-Diaz, from the Galician Public Foundation for Health Emergencies (Spain), and colleagues studied the dietary intakes of 295 Spanish residents with lung cancer and 322 healthy counterparts. The researchers found that consumption of at least one portion daily of green leafy vegetables (such as cabbage, lettuce, turnip tops) correlated to a 50% reduction in the risk of lung cancer. Consumption of other vegetables, such as tomatoes and green beans, showed a protective but non-significant effect. The team also found that fruit was only nominally protective. They cite that green leafy vegetables contain 10 to 100 times the level of Vitamin A than other vegetables and fruit, and thus conclude that: “Vitamin A possesses the greatest protective effect against lung cancer by reducing the risk posed by different mechanisms, particularly with regard to its antioxidant potential.”
[Olga Dosil-Díaz, M.D., Ph.D.Alberto Ruano-Ravina Ph.D., Juan J. Gestal-Otero M.D., Ph.D., and Juan M. Barros-Dios M.D., Ph.D. “Consumption of fruit and vegetables and risk of lung cancer: A case-control study in Galicia, Spain.” Nutrition, published online ahead of print 7 March 2008, doi:10.1016/j.nut.2008.01.005.]

Dr. Goldman observes: “As oxidative stress is generally considered to be a contributor to the onset of cancer, this is among the latest of a group of studies suggesting that antioxidant-rich diets may protect against certain cancers. This underscores the impact of making smart dietary choices on an everyday basis.”

Caretonoids and Zinc Slash Risk of Age-Related Vision Loss

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a condition that causes loss of central vision and the leading cause of legal blindness for people age 55+ in the Western world. Jennifer Tan, from thee University of Sydney (Australia), and colleagues followed 3,654 men and women, average age 49 years at the study’s start, for a ten-year period. They found that people with the highest dietary intake of the carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, had a 65% reduced risk of AMD (as compared to those with the lowest intakes). Additionally, the team found that higher zinc intake correlated to a 44% reduction in any type of AMD, and a 46% reduction in early-onset AMD.
[Tan JS, Wang JJ, Flood V, Rochtchina E, Smith W, Mitchell P. “Dietary antioxidants and the long-term incidence of age-related macular degeneration: the Blue Mountains Eye Study.” Ophthalmology. 2008 Feb;115(2):334-41. Epub 2007 Jul 30.]

Dr. Klatz comments: “AMD causes central vision loss and leaves only peripheral vision. This study suggests a role for carotenoids and zinc in warding off or delaying the disease, which, when coupled with early detection, may significantly reduce the total worldwide numbers of AMD cases.”

< PREVIOUS PAGE NEXT PAGE >