The daily taking of a simple 1000mg fish oil capsule could save the lives of 10,000 heart failure sufferers every year, research has shown. The study found that people with heart failure, where the organ fails to beat with sufficient force, were less likely to die if they took fish oils.

Around 700,000 people in Britain suffer from the condition that has debilitating symptoms, including breathlessness and fatigue, that can be so severe patients may remain virtually housebound, and around one third die within a year of being diagnosed.

Prof Martin Cowie, of Imperial College London and the Royal Brompton Hospital in London, reviewed the study of almost 7,000 people. After two years there was a nine percent reduction in deaths amongst those taking the capsules, as well as a significant reduction in hospital admissions. This has also lead to the speculation that using the capsules as a preventative measure could have a significant reduction in cases occurring.

Prof Cowie said, “if two thirds of heart failure patients took the capsules daily, it would mean around 10,000 lives a year would be saved.”

The review, published in the European Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine, said cost-effectiveness studies were under way and are likely to show that prescribing fish oil to patients would pass evaluation by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).

It is thought the fish oils help regulate heart rate and have an anti-inflammatory action which may help to relax blood vessels to ease the workload on the heart.

Dr Jeremy Pearson, deputy medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said: “Researchers have been trying to find something that fish oils really do so this is interesting. If people feel they can tolerate it, which most people do if they take capsules and not liquid, I don’t think there is any suggestion that they might be doing themselves any harm.”

Sources:
Daily Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7976563/Daily-fish-oils-could-save-lives-of-10000-heart-patients.html
The Daily Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1308181/Fish-oil-save-10-000-lives-year-preventing-heart-failure-deaths.html

Calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, iron… how much does your body need and are you getting enough of each of them? Minerals are essential for digestion and to help your body absorb other nutrients!

There are 15 minerals that our bodies need, and all of them should be available from our food. When eaten those minerals become available to our body for use in building cells, cleaning blood, filtering impurities and many other essential uses. Unfortunately, in today’s world, depleted soils lead to low mineral content in the food we eat, including calcium and magnesium – two of the most well-known minerals our bodies need.

The minerals we need are divided into two groups – major/essential minerals and trace minerals.

Major minerals are those that your body requires in amounts of 250mg or more daily. These include: calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, sodium, potassium, sulphur and chloride.

Trace minerals are those that your body needs in far smaller amounts – less than 20mg, but are in no way any less important. These include: chromium, copper, fluoride, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium and zinc.

Despite the relatively small amounts needed, a deficiency in any one of these essential minerals can cause difficulties in digestion and absorption of other nutrients and malformations in nearly every one of your body’s systems. At the same time, many of the trace minerals that your body needs in much smaller amounts can be toxic in large amounts. That’s why it’s vitally important you use a properly formulated and well-balanced supplement.

So when assessing your health and your nutritional needs, please don’t forget about minerals! They are equally as important as vitamins and in many cases one cannot work efficiently without the other. Supplements are a great way of insuring you top up on the nutrients you might miss out on in your diet.

Sources:
Nutritional Supplements Center: http://www.nutritionalsupplementscenter.com/info/minerals
The Optimum Nutrition Bible, Patrick Holford, Piatkus Books, 2009.

Hello,

Just a quick post to say a big thank you to you all for your custom, friendship and support!

I’ve been meaning to put this up for a little while now, but just keep running out of time!

Thanks to you guys we’ve been able this year to donate some money to Surfers Against Sewage through our 1% for the Planet membership. We also took the opportunity to match the donation with the equivalent in product for them to either distribute or use as prizes etc. for more fund raising.

Together we can help make the UK shoreline and surrounding waters clean and usable.

So, thanks again.

Everyone @ Bio Nutrition

A new study funded by the World Cancer Research Fund has concluded that high levels of B vitamins in the blood could slash the risk of lung cancer. People with above average levels of vitamin B6 and the related nutrient methionine are half as likely to develop the disease. The study was carried out by a team of researchers at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

Lead researcher, Dr Paul Brennan, pointed out: “More research is needed to confirm that B vitamins actually reduce the risk of lung cancer. However, these results are significant because the reduction in risk was consistent among current smokers, former smokers and people who had never smoked”, whilst Dr Panagiota Mitrou, Science Programme Manager at the World Cancer Research Fund, described the results as exciting. He added: “But while this is an important study, it is vital that we get the message across to smokers that increasing B vitamins is not – and never will be – a substitute for stopping smoking. However, we should also recognise that a significant number of lung cancer cases occur among people who have never smoked or who have stopped smoking.”

Here at Bio Nutrition we’ve always recommended everyone takes a good multi vitamin and mineral, which include B vitamins, but if you need an extra boost a separate B Complex can always be added safely!

Sources:
Health Food Business: August 2010, Volume 23, Issue 10, Page 8.

Supplementation measured against sun exposure!

Oral supplementation of vitamin D remains the safest way to get adequate levels, researchers have concluded in a study, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. The study compared the sun exposure required to achieve serum vitamin D3 concentrations equivalent to 400iu.

Looking at Boston, America between April and October, it was found that an individual on average would need 8 minutes in the sun to synthesise 400iu, but in Miami, Florida it would only take about 4 minutes. Concluding the research, the team noted that although sun exposure is a good way to obtain vitamin D, there are too many well-known detrimental side effects related to ultraviolet irradiation. Therefore, oral supplementation remains the safest way for increasing vitamin D status.

Low Vitamin D levels ‘linked to Parkinson’s disease’

In a Finnish study of 3000 people, published in Archives of Neurology, found that people with the lowest levels of vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, had a three-fold higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. It was suggested that vitamin D could help protect the nerve cells gradually lost by people with the disease. The study was conducted over 30 years and also concluded that as we age our bodies ability to produce vitamin D through the action of sunlight on the skin diminishes.

Further research is required to find out whether taking a dietary supplement, or increased sun exposure may have an effect on Parkinson’s, and at what quantity and stage these would be most beneficial.

Sources:
Health Food Business: August 2010, Volume 23, Issue 10, Page 10.
BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/10601091.stm

It’s really hard to believe, but it has now been two years since Bio Nutrition made its debut on the world wide web. Where does the time go? It seems like only yesterday that I was writing a blog post to tell you all about the new site.

We’ve seen quite a few changes over the last two years, as well. Since launch day – which was actually 1 July 2008, so I’m a little late with this blog post – our main site has undergone quite a few changes, in response to feedback from customers. We’ve seen a number of changes in design, as well as changes in functionality – all of which have been done in our ongoing effort to make the site as easy to use, and simple to navigate, as possible.

We’ve also added more content to the site as we’ve gone along, to the point where now for each product there’s detailed information about what the ingredients can be used for, as well as full formulations. Buying from the site has been made as quick and simple as possible, but without sacrificing security.

Social media has also grown significantly in the last two years, and we’ve tried to keep on top of that too. Bio Nutrition has a Twitter feed (www.twitter.com/bionutrition), where we publish quick little snippets that we hope you’ll find interesting, as well as a Facebook Page (www.facebook.com/bionutrition) and a Facebook Group (www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=74207770224). Join any of these (or all of them) and you’ll also get access to exclusive discounts and special offers.

And we’re also contributing back to the world around us with our membership of the 1% For The Planet organisation. This is an initiative where member companies commit to giving 1% of their gross turnover per year to environmental causes. So by buying our products, you directly contribute to improving the world around us. This year, we’ve given our contribution to Surfers Against Sewage – being based on the sunny South Coast, clean beaches and seawater are something that we feel strongly about.

So, in all, it has been a busy two years. Roll on the next two!

General Health

New evidence shows that people with higher levels of vitamin D experience a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes, have higher activity in the body’s immune system against infectious diseases like flu and also have better balanced moods and energy levels. Vitamin D  also helps build healthy bones, hearts, nerves, skin and teeth, and it supports the health of the thyroid gland, maintaining healthy weight and a balanced metabolism.

Whilst moderate sunlight exposure is the best source of vitamin D, many people incorrectly think that a small amount of sunshine exposure daily is sufficient to meet their vitamin D needs. However, after your skin is exposed to sunlight, it takes about 48 hours to convert it into vitamin D.  During that time, the sunlight-initiated precursors to vitamin D can be washed off with soap and water. So if you scrub your skin with soap in the shower, your body will not convert most of your skin’s sun exposure to vitamin D.

This leaves us in a quandary. Whilst vitamin D can be found in many foods, like oily fish, sweet potatoes, sunflower seeds, mushrooms and many other sources, it is in fairly low amounts and not that easily absorbed. This is where a good vitamin D supplement comes in!

Many nutritional experts agree that the current RDA of 5µg (200iu) is insufficient and should be more like 25µg. However, we do think this may be a little excessive, but regularly recommend 10µg on a daily basis for better health!

Pregnancy

A team at University College London Institute of Child Health say that there is a very “strong case” for a daily dose of vitamin D in pregnancy to go alongside the 400µg of Folic Acid currently recommended.

The Department of Health advises pregnant women to ensure they receive a certain level of vitamin D – 10µg per day. The researchers say this in effect endorses the use of supplements, because diet and the sun provide too little. Women should be informed about the importance of having adequate vitamin D levels during pregnancy and whilst breast feeding.

It is worth noting here that pregnant women on low incomes are entitled to a range of nutrients – including vitamin D – as part of the Healthy Start Scheme.

Dr Elina Hypponen, co-author of the paper, said “The incidence of vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women in Britain is unacceptably high, especially during winter and spring”. The paper also said that the UK was the only one of 31 countries examined which did not recommend that women of reproductive age took a vitamin D supplement, and that it also failed to endorse a daily supplement for expectant mothers. “We believe that the routine provision of a daily supplement throughout pregnancy would significantly decrease the number of mothers who are clearly vitamin D deficient, reducing related serious risks to their babies.”

If pregnant, thinking of becoming so, or breast feeding we would recommend good all-round nutrition in the guise of our Pregnancy Formula!

“Vitamin D Supplementation in the UK might be beneficial for the whole population.”, Mr Patrick O’Brien, RCOG.

Sources:
Care2.com: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/vitamin-d-lined-to-diabetes-cancer-depression-and-more.html
BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/health/8645104.stm

Protecting the environment is very important to us here at Bio Nutrition. It’s our view that everyone – individuals, companies, governments – should do as much as they can to reduce their impact on the world around them.

That’s why we formulated our Green Policy – to set down what we want to achieve and how we’re going to do it. We use it as our benchmark for everything that we do that may affect the world around us – whether that be sourcing raw materials for the products we market, or making sure that we don’t put too much water in the kettle when we make a cup of tea!

As part of our ongoing efforts to lessen our environmental impact, we’ve been busy over the last few months. All of our computer systems have been replaced with low energy alternatives, bringing the energy usage per machine down by about 65%, and we’ve also improved our “switch it off” policy so that it’s now second nature to everyone in the office to switch off anything that isn’t needed. This has enabled us to keep our daily electricity usage below 33 units – the level which the UK Government has set as being climatically significant.

Now, as a continuation of that process, we’ve changed our electricity supply to 100% renewable. Every unit of electricity that we use has been generated by renewable sources such as hydro, wind and solar power rather than fossil fuels. All-in-all, our carbon footprint is now much, much smaller than it has ever been before.

Our commitment to the environment is ongoing and we’ll be doing more in the months and years to come; we’ll keep you updated with how we get on.

Do you have any energy saving tips you’d like to share with other Bio Blog readers? Let us know by leaving a comment.

Normally we like to report on just one story at a time, but today I’m going to do a bit on two stories as, well I couldn’t make up my mind which one to cover as they’re both interesting! So here goes!

B Vitamins Cut Lung Cancer risk!
In a recent European study of 400,000 people (no small number) over eight years, it has been found that people with higher B vitamin levels in their blood appear to be at a reduced risk of lung cancer.

High levels of vitamin B6 and the amino acid methionine cut the risk by half, the study suggested. These occur naturally in many foods or can be taken as supplements.

These higher vitamin levels could simply reflect a healthier lifestyle, so it’s too early to say that taking vitamins would provide extra protection, but there is a suggestion that increasing levels of B vitamins would be of significant benefit.

Lung Cancer is the second most common cancer in the UK after breast, but experts have also made it very clear that stopping smoking remained the single best way of reducing the risk of lung cancer. However, this could mean that ex-smokers and people who have never smoked can do something to reduce their risk of lung cancer.

Dr Paul Brennan, lead researcher of the study from the International Agency for Research on Cancer, said: “If further research does confirm our findings then the the next step would be to identify the optimum B vitamin levels for reducing future cancer risk.”

I’ve never been a great believer in promoting just single B vitamins (although they are a great top up to B Complex) as I believe all the B vitamins work better when taken as a whole, but Bio Nutrition have a great selection of B vitamins together with amino acids like l-methionine and a the greatest range of multi vitamin & mineral formulas which are just brilliant for improving health in general.

Rheumatoid Arthritis ‘on the rise in women’!
One of the most common forms of arthritis is on the rise amongst women. Researchers from the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota say rheumatoid arthritis cases rose by 2.5% between 1995 and 2007, after 40 years of decline, but fell among men in the same 12 year period.

Rheumatoid Arthritis affects around 350,000 people in the UK and is a condition that occurs when the body’s own immune system attacks it’s own joints, causing swelling and pain which in turn affects joint mobility. Women are three times more likely to be affected than men and normally between the ages of 40 and 50 when the menopause starts to set in.

Many previous studies have shown a link between smoking and rheumatoid arthritis and a deficiency in vitamin D has also been associated. Vitamin D production decreases as we age and lower levels have especially linked to the menopause. In recent years there has also been a noted increase in the use of sun blocks (which is a good thing to help protect the skin), but has this slowed down the production of vitamin D, in the suns action on the skin? (This is only my opinion and not grounded in any research!)

Bio Nutriton believe that the safest and most effective way of getting enough vitamin D is thorough supplementation.

Stay Healthy

Sources:
BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/10318410.stm
BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/10166727.stm

Here’s a feature that you may have missed – Bio Nutrition Product Spotlight. Every month, we select a product from the extensive range of supplements we offer and give you a great deal on it.

This month, just in time for hitting the beach in the good weather, we’re featuring CLA Slim 1000mg. From the product details page:

CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) is a powerful fatty acid. Research has shown that CLA combined with moderate exercise and a healthy diet, may help to reduce body fat and retain lean muscle tissue. It appears to reduce the amount of fat your body stores after eating, by interfering with the enzyme that moves fat from the blood stream into fat cells. This happens at the same time as increasing the rate of fat burning, by enhancing the body’s ability to break down fat as well as reducing the body’s total number of fat cells.

Until the end of June, you can buy 90 capsules at only £15.95 so why not check it out now? Just click here.