Just thought I’d quickly share a couple of bits of news and research with you!

Sugar can eat away your brainpower!
According to US scientists from UCLA (University of California Los Angeles), who recently published consuming too much sugar can eat away your brainpower!

The study which introduced high-fructose corn syrup (a common ingredient in processed foods) to the diet for six weeks, noted that there was a significant reduction in memory and brain function at the end of the period, compared with the control group.

“Because insulin can penetrate the blood-brain barrier, the hormone may signal neurons to trigger reactions that disrupt learning and cause memory loss” Gomez-Pinilla said.

The average American consumes more than 40 pounds (18 Kg) of high-fructose corn syrup per year, according to the US Department of Agriculture. “Our study shows that a high-fructose diet harms the brain as well as the body. This is something new!”, “Our findings illustrate that what you eat affects how you think,” said Gomez-Pinilla.

I know this study won’t come as a big shock to most of you, but I do find it slightly worrying as more and more American processed food hits our shores!

This is why we have NO SUGAR in 99% of our products!

Multivitamin Supplements Boost Brain Function, say UK Researchers!
No, this doesn’t mean that you can have a high sugar diet and then just take a multivitamin! lol

In a series of studies published in the British Journal of Nutrition, Psychopharmacology, and Human Psychopharmacology, teams of British neuroscientists investigated the effect of multivitamin supplementation on mood and cognitive function.

The researchers monitored groups of healthy children, men and women who took commercially available vitamins and minerals supplements daily for 12 weeks, and tested their cognitive performance through tasks requiring attention, memory, accuracy and/or multitasking ability. The mood or stress levels of participants were also assessed.

Their findings indicated that taking a multivitamin supplement daily can improve cognitive performance in both children and adults, after only a few weeks of supplementation.

Men taking high dose B-Complex vitamins showed improved performance on cognitive tasks, were less mentally tired and showed improved vigor. Women taking multivitamins & mineral supplements were demonstrated to have increased accuracy and speed on multitasking. Children, aged 8-14, showed increased accuracy in attention-based tasks.

These findings add solid evidence indicating that good quality multivitamin supplements offer significant and varied benefits. According to the UK’s National Diet and Nutrition Survey, the general population in the UK has vitamin deficiencies or insufficiencies across most vitamin groups.

Multivitamins aren’t the only supplements that have an impact on brain activity. In a study the same group of scientists found that supplementing with 1-2 grams of fish oil containing DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) was associated with increased cerebral blood flow, and therefore an influence on brain function, especially as we age!

I hope these studies have got you thinking and maybe even considering a daily multivitamin!

Sources:
Yahoo! News UK: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/sugar-dumb-us-scientists-warn-18091874.html
Nutra Ingredients.com: http://www.nutraingredients.com/content/view/print/628612.html

Here’s a couple of interesting studies I’ve recently found.

Vitamin D supplements may help you live longer!
Vitamin D supplements may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes and boost survival for older people, suggests a new analysis.

The greatest benefits of the supplements were observed in people with vitamin D deficiency, researchers from the University of Kansas report in the American Journal of Cardiology. The findings could have implications for current guidelines, said the researchers, since supplements providing at least 400iu per day may be needed to avoid deficiency.

“Because vitamin D deficiency is widespread, strategies directed at population-based supplementation programmes could prove beneficial,” wrote the researchers.

Vitamin D refers to two biologically inactive precursors – D3, also known as cholecalciferol, and D2, also known as ergocalciferol. Both D3 and D2 precursors are transformed in the liver and kidneys into 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), the non-active ‘storage’ form, and 1.25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1.25(OH)2D), the biologically active form that is tightly controlled by the body.

While our bodies do manufacture vitamin D on exposure to sunshine, the levels in some northern countries are so weak during winter months that our body makes no vitamin D at all, meaning that dietary supplements and fortified foods are seen by many as the best way to boost intakes of vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency in adults is reported to cause osteopenia, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, fractures, common cancers, auto-immune diseases, infectious diseases and cardiovascuar diseases. There is now also more evidence that the vitamin may reduce the incidence of several types of cancer and type-1 and -2 diabetes.

Probiotic intake linked to fewer birth complications!
Regular consumption of probiotic formulations are associated with a 20% reduction in the risk of pre-eclampsia, suggests new data from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.

The potential benefits were even more pronounced when researchers studied severe pre-eclampsia, with daily intakes associated with a 39% reduction, according to results published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

“This large observational study indicates an independent protective association between intake or probiotic products and pre-elampsia, especially when severe, suggesting that probiotics might specifically ‘target’ and modify the type of inflammation underlying severe pre-eclampsia,” wrote the authors, led by Dr Anne Lise Brantsaeter.

The Norwegian researchers analysed data from 33,399 women participating in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort study. Results showed that a daily intake of strong probiotics was associated with a 20% reduced risk of pre-eclampsia, with even more pronounced effects for severe pre-eclampsia, showing a 39% reduced risk!

So, that’s four great studies across three great products, I hope you found this interesting!

Sources:
Nutra Ingredients.com: http://www.nutraingredients.com/content/view/print/624036.html
Nutra Ingredients.com: http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Probiotic-intake-linked-to-fewer-birth-complications.html

You might have seen the 1% For The Planet logo on our stationary and on our website. 1% For The Planet is an organisation that commits member companies to contributing 1% of gross turnover to ecological and environmental charities and organisations across the world. By committing 1% of gross turnover, rather than profit, the amount given is much higher than it otherwise would be.

Thanks to all our lovely customers, we’ve once again been able to increase our contribution over what we gave last year. So, congratulations – you’ve made a real difference to the environment by buying your supplements from Bio Nutrition and giving 1p in every £ you spend directly back to the environment,

As we live on an island, and as Bio Nutrition is right on the south coast (we can see the sea from our front door – if we stand on tip-toe!) we’ve once again given your 1% to an organisation that works tirelessly to keep our beaches and waters as clean as possible – Surfers Against Sewage. You can find out more about the sterling work they do at their website www.sas.org.uk. If you live by the sea, too (and even if you don’t), why not consider becoming a member? Clean water is something that affects us all.

You can find out more about Surfers Against Sewage at www.sas.org.uk, and 1% For The Planet at www.onepercentforthe planet.org. If you’d like to contribute to SAS yourself, why not donate to their Just Giving page at: www.justgiving.com/surfersagainstsewage/donate?

This week I’d like to do a couple of women based stories, all about good health!

Maternal Supplementation Could Aid Unborn Baby Growth!
A newly released study from the Prince Leopold Institute of Tropical Medicine has suggested that supplementation with multiple vitamins and mineral throughout pregnancy could help to boost the growth of unborn babies. The study followed the growth of 1500 babies.

Dr Dominique Roberfroid and his colleagues gave 1500 pregnant women either a daily supplement of 15 micro-nutrients, or the usual WHO (World Health Organisation) recommended Iron & Folic Acid only supplements. The tablets were designed to look identical to exclude possible placebo effects.

The team reported that the babies in the group with the multiple micro-nutrients on average were heavier, adding that the effect of the micro-nutrients seemed cumulative – with a linear dose response. i.e. The longer the multivitamin was taken the heavier and larger and healthier the baby, adding that with the multivitamin and mineral the odds for a small baby birth, reduced by 40% in mothers who had been taking the supplements longest. Leading to a suggestion that supplements pre conception could be of major benefit! Many women avoid vitamin A when pregnant, but at RDA levels retinol is perfectly safe, in fact not enough vitamin A is worse than too much vitamin A!

Dr Roberfroid said ‘whilst there was pretty good evidence that the multivitamins and minerals improve growth even more than iron and folic acid, there needs to be further research in the area…’ ‘we still don’t know the added value, stating that further research on the long term benefits as the child develops needs to be done!’

This study is great news for mothers or mothers to be that wish to take charge of their own and the the life with-ins development, and we would heartily recommend our Pregnancy Formula!


Pycnogenol May Ease Menopause Symptoms!
A daily supplement of Pycnogenol (French Maritime Park Extract) may ease the symptoms of the menopause and ease digestive problems, says a new Italian study.

A daily intake of Pycnogenol for eight weeks was associated with improvements in signs and symptoms associated with the menopause including hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, irregular periods, loss of libido and vaginal dryness, according to the findings of the Pescara University, published in the PubMed-listed journal Panminerva Medica.

‘Pycnogenol may arguably represent a very good basic, daily dietary supplement for menopausal women due to an extended range of health benefits,’ wrote researchers led by Dr Gianni Belcaro. ‘Menopausal women live at elevated risk for cardiovascular disease and the improved endothelial function related to Pycnogenol may prove helpful for women at this stage in life. Pycnogenol normalises elevated platelet activity and was shown in high risk individuals, male and female, to help prevent thrombosis.

Dr Belcaro and his co-workers recruited 70 peri-menopausal women aged 40-50 and randomly assigned them to either receive a placebo or the Pycnogenol for eight weeks.

Results indicated that those receiving the Pycnogenol had a significant reduction in menopausal symptoms, as well as showing a reduction of levels of oxidative stress.

OK, that’s it, short but sweet this time, I hope you found it interesting!

Sources:
Nutra Ingredients.com: http://www.nutraingredients.com/content/view/print/620408.html
Nutra Ingredients.com: http://www.nutraingredients.com/content/view/print/619004.html

Extracts from the New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel may benefit joint mobility and reduce pain more than fish oil supplements, report researchers from Poland.

According to findings published in Rheumatologia, the official journal of Rheumatology and the Polish Rheumatological Society, a daily dose of 1.2 grams of a green lipped mussel (Perna Canaliculus) produced ‘significantly less pain, greater joint mobility and no side effects’ in all the people taking the supplements for 12 weeks.

The New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel, ranked among the top ‘eco-friendly seafoods’ according to the US environmental agency Blue Oceans Institute’s list, is already used as a source of nutraceuticals.

The extract, a rich source of iron, betain, and glycoaminoglycans (including chondroitin sulphate) has gained a reputation amongst consumers as a natural product with anti-inflammatory properties – an effect that has been attributed to a body of science to its lipid factions.

Bio Nutrition has been touting the benefits of Green Shelled Mussel on joint health for many years now and it’s finally nice to see a bit of research that supports us!

Sources:
Nutra Ingredients.com: http://www.nutraingredients.com/content/view/print/575988.html

The sudden cold snap that has hit the UK seems to have taken many people by surprise, including us!

But to help try and keep you all in good health over the next coming weeks, I would recommend strengthening your immune system!

As always I would recommend a good basic vitamin & mineral nutritional foundation, heavy on the antioxidant to help stimulate the immune system. In the Health Plus range there are really two ways to go here, firstly Protection Plus for a one-a-day single tablet for men, or All Purpose Multivitamin for women, which contain antioxidant nutrients including vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C, Selenium and Zinc.

Once you have this basic foundation there are many other supplements you can take on top of these to really boost your immune system and improve general health and fitness! These include Co Enzyme Q10, Echinacea, Mushroom Complex and many other products found in our Antioxidant website section. But, of course if you don’t want to take a multivit then we would always recommend Vit C and Zinc.

And in other news, not totally related!

Study Unlocks Pycnogenol®’s Skin Health Mechanism!
A daily supplement of an extract from the French Maritime Bark, called Pycnogenol, may boost skin elasticity by 25% and skin hydration by 8%, according to a new study!
Twelve weeks of supplementation with Pycnogenol was associated with increases in skin elasticity and hydration, and an increase in the production of hyaluronic acid in skin by 44%, according to findings published in Skin Pharmacology and Physiology. These increases have now been associated with a 3% reduction in skin wrinkles, said the researchers from Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine (IUF) in Dusseldorf, Germany.

This is not the first time that Pycnogenol has been linked with skin health benefits, with the study being carried out on a group of healthy women aged between 55 and 68.

Sources:
Nutra Ingredients.com: http://www.nutraingredients.com/content/view/print/606714.html

With obesity and diabetes being quite high on the health news agenda recently, I thought I’d let you know about a couple of studies that make very interesting reading!

Low Vitamin D Status May Be Associated With Diabetes Development!
A study of obese and non-obese children in the USA has found that low vitamin D levels were significantly more prevalent in obese children – and were associated with risk factors for type 2 diabetes, including insulin resistance.

The study team measured plasma vitamin D levels, blood sugar levels, serum insulin, BMI and blood pressure, and the participants were asked to provide dietary information – including daily intake of fizzy drinks, juice and milk, average fruit and veg intake, and whether or not they routinely skipped breakfast.

The team found that 92% of the obese subjects had a 25 (OH) D level below the ‘adequate’ levels of 75 nmol per litre, whilst 50% were classed as deficient – with levels below 50 nmol per litre.

“Our study found that obese children with lower vitamin D levels had higher degrees of insulin resistance,” said Dr Micah Olson of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center – the lead author of the study.

“Poor dietary habits such as skipping breakfast and increasing soda and juice were (also) associated with the lower vitamin D levels seen in obese children,” revealed Olson.

High rates of vitamin D deficiency have been found in obese populations and past studies have linked low vitamin D levels to cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

However the authors noted that the mechanics by which obesity and its related illnesses are related to vitamin D deficiency are not fully understood and needed more research!

Living in a more northerly hemisphere as we do, with less sunshine in winter months and kids propensity to not play out as much, we feel that a vitamin D supplement is well worth the investment!


Grapefruit compound may boost diabetic kidney health!
Naringenin, responsible for the bitter taste in grapefruits, lemons and tomatoes, has already been reported to offer potential benefits for people with diabetes, arteriosclerosis and hyper-metabolism.

A new study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, adds to this body of science, and suggests that the compound may boost kidney health in people with diabetes, and it has been suggested that inflammation may contribute to its development.

It’s because of this effect on health and blood sugars that we have added Grapefruit powder to our Acai Berry Extract product to help people control blood sugar levels whilst helping them to lose weight effectively!

Sources:
Nutra Ingredients.com: http://www.nutraingredients.com/content/view/print/594785.html
Nutra Ingredients.com: http://www.nutraingredients.com/content/view/print/583599.html

Everyone at Bio Nutrition would like to wish you all a Happy New Year and look forward to a prosperous and healthy 2012!

Everyone at Bio Nutrition would like to wish it’s customers and friends, new and old a very Merry Christmas!

Sometimes memory, mood and mental health get forgotten (no pun intended!), but there are ways of helping these conditions nutritionally that, well stop them becoming a problem!

Low Vitamin B12 levels may increase the risk of reduced mental function!
We’ve known for a long time that vitamin B12 is essential for the proper formation of the brain in a foetus during pregnancy, but it would also appear from recent studies that it may also be just as necessary to slow down the loss of brain volume as we age.

The markers of vitamin B12 status were associated with lower scores on a cognitive test and a smaller brain volume for those with lower B12 levels. “Our findings definitely deserve further examination,” said the study’s lead author Christine Tangney, PhD.

This is not the first report of the potential benefits of B12 on brain shrinkage.

“Our findings lend support for the contention that poor vitamin B12 status is a risk factor for brain atrophy and possible white matter hyperintensity, which in turn may contribute to cognitive impairment,”.

Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is mainly found in food of animal origin, including meat, milk and eggs, so can become very deficient in vegetarians and vegans. Although many supplements are now available which are made using a fermentation method and so are suitable for both these groups.


Vitamin B can slow cognitive decline!
A double-blind clinical study with people who have mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has found vitamin B can slow the ailment.

“In this small intervention trial, B vitamins appear to slow cognitive and clinical decline in people with MCI, in particular those with elevated homocysteine,” the researchers wrote in the University of Oxford-sponsored study.

The research team, led by Celeste A de Jager, focused on homocysteine levels – a risk factor in the onset of Alzheimer’s disease – which among the 70 year+ participants dropped by 30% compared to those on a placebo. The participants of the study each received a daily dose of 800µg Folic Acid, 500µg vitamin B12 and 20mg vitamin B6 for two years, whilst a second group received only a placebo.

The results produced quite significant findings and is yet again another triumph for the B vitamin group and how significant they are in our daily lives.


Multivitamins may boost alertness and mood for men!
Finally here’s a great story for all you women out there, who complain that your men just don’t listen to you. Maybe you need to increase their multivitamin intake!

A new study following hot on the heels of a report in Psychopharmacology, indicated that a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement may boost alertness and memory in men, especially older men!

Multivitamin and mineral supplements are the most commonly used supplements in industrialised countries to help ensure an adequate nutrient intake, and boost overall health. Most multivitamins contain a wide spectrum of nutrients, including antioxidants, B vitamins, and minerals such as magnesium, calcium and selenium – all of which have at various times been linked to improved health and helping to prevent a wide variety of conditions.

The study took place over an eight week period and involved men between the ages of 50 and 69, who were split into two groups, one set taking the multivitamin and the other a placebo. The effect of the supplement on mood and alertness was assessed using a range of questionnaires, and results showed an improvement in the multivitamin group according to the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (DASS), but no benefits were recorded for the placebo group.

Yet another reason to make sure we get a good all-round multivitamin nutritional foundation, especially us men who unfortunately make up a very tiny proportion of supplement purchasers in the UK.

Sources:
BBC Health news: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11569602
Nutra Ingredients.com: http://mobile.nutraingredients.com/research/low-b12-levels-may-boost-brain-shrinkage-study.html
Nutra Ingredients.com: http://www.nutraingredients.com/content/view/print/560690.html
Nutra Ingredients.com: http://www.nutraingredients.com/research/multivitamins-may-boost-alertness-and-mood-for-men-rct-data.html