New research shows that EFAs from fish oil enhances white blood cell activity, challenging the idea that the sole role of fish oil in preventing disease is by reducing inflammation.1 Research, led by Dr. Jenifer Fenton, found that in mice, fish oil enhanced B cell activation and select antibody production. In a human study, researchers…

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is common in children, especially impacting African American (AA) and obese children. Researchers conducted an observational cross-sectional study of children (mean age 6.8 yrs). The children underwent overnight polysomnographic evaluation and a fasting blood draw the morning after the study, along with a lipid profile, homeostatic model of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR),…

Although Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is commonly diagnosed in children, the etiopathogenesis of ADHD is obscure. As low levels of vitamin D are found to be associated with many disorders, including neuropsychiatric diseases, a group of researchers decided to investigate serum vitamin D levels in pediatric ADHD patients. Participants included 60 ADHD patients and…

Past research has shown that vitamin D impacts the growth and differentiation of benign and malignant prostate cells in cell lines (in-vitro) and in animal models of prostate cancer. Recently, researchers examined serum vitamin D levels with prostate biopsy results in men with an abnormal prostate specific antigen (PSA) and/or digital rectal examination (DRE). Of…

Researchers at LSU’s Division of Sleep Medicine conducted a study to determine if there is a cor¬relation between vitamin D deficiency (VitDd) and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). 81 sleep clinic patients who complained of sleep problems and nonspecific pain were evaluated. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) was measured, and sleepiness was determined using the Epworth Sleepiness…

The learning effect of phenibut, a beta-phenyl derivative of the inhibitory neuromediator GABA, used in a subcutaneous does of 40 mg/kg 2 hours before each experiment, was studied in rabbits. The injection of phenibut was shown to enhance not only the inhibitory, but also exciatory components of cerebral neuronal responses to all applied stimuli. The…

Italian researchers conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial on volunteers with mildly elevated cholesterol levels. The supplemented group received Red Yeast Rice along with 10 mg of coenzyme Q10. Compared to the placebo group, the supplemented group had reductions in total cholesterol of 12.5%, LDL cholesterol of 22% and a reduction of hs-CRP of…

New Hope for Obesity and Diabetes: Humans have 2 types of fat tissue: white fat which stores excess energy in the form of triglycerides, and brown fat, which efficiently dissipates stored energy as heat. While white fat can be “browned” by the use of thiazolidazine drugs (TZD’s), their use results in many adverse side effects…

In a recent randomized study of 120 patients with stable COPD, study participants, aged 50 – 80 yrs, received either 600 mg of NAC twice daily or placebo. Participants averaged 2 exacerbations and 1 COPD hospitalization during the previous year. At 1 year, there was significant improvement on Forced Expiratory Flow (FEF 25-75%) and forced…

In a double blind, placebo-controlled study of overweight and obese people, participants received either 4,000 IU daily of vitamin D or a placebo for 13 weeks, in combination with resistance training. Researchers observed a significant decrease in the waist-to-hip ratio for the supplemented group, and stated that the “study demonstrated that vitamin D supplementation improved…