Vitamin D reduces the need for ICU treatment

Summary This study measured the effects of vitamin D supplementation on Intensive Care Unit Admission and death rate among 76 hospitalized COVID-19 patients. The supplementation of a high dose of vitamin D showed that the need for Intensive Care Unit Treatment decreased and reduced the severity of the disease. Further details can be found in…

Vitamin D can help prevent COVID-19

Summary In this study, vitamin D levels and rates of vitamin D deficiency were measured in 62 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 and 80 healthy controls. The results showed that vitamin D levels were much lower in COVID-19 patients than in the healthy control group. The lowest vitamin D levels were found in the most severe…

Coenzyme Q10 reduces inflammation in sepsis

Summary 40 patients were involved in this study. 20 patients received 100 mg coenzyme Q10 twice a day in combination with a standard sepsis therapy. The other 20 patients received only the standard sepsis therapy. This study showed decreased inflammation markers and a lower death rate in the test group if the micronutrient supplementation was…

Vitamin E intake and risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a pooled analysis of data from 5 prospective cohort studies

Summary This study examined 5 earlier studies and investigated whether vitamin E intake was associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The researchers found that long-term vitamin E supplement use was associated with lower ALS rates and concluded that a possible protective effect of vitamin E in this disease deserves further consideration. Further details can be…

Vitamin D confers protection to motoneurons and is a prognostic factor of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Summary This study reports that a severe vitamin D deficiency in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients accelerates the rate of decline by 4 times and is associated with a marked shorter life expectancy. The researchers say their findings support a neuroprotective function of vitamin D on motoneurons and propose vitamin D as a reliable prognostic…

Intakes of vitamin C and carotenoids and risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: pooled results from 5 cohort studies

Summary This study investigated the risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) by analyzing 5 studies involving a total of over 1.1 million participants. The researchers found that consumption of foods high in carotenoids may help prevent or delay onset of ALS. Further details can be found in the study. References Fitzgerald et al.   Link…

Intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E reduces the risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Summary This study was based on a food-frequency questionnaire and assessed whether dietary intake of fatty acids, cholesterol, glutamate or antioxidants was associated with the risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The researchers concluded that a high intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E is associated with a 50-60% decreased risk of developing…

Fruit and vegetable intake and risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in Japan

Summary This study investigated the relationship between dietary intake of vegetables, fruit, and antioxidants and the risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Its findings suggest that higher intake of food rich in antioxidants such as fruit and vegetables confer protection against the development of ALS. Further details can be found in the study. References Sheweita…

Essential trace element alterations in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Summary This study found statistically significant decreased cerebrospinal fluid and serum levels of copper in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients compared to the control group. The researchers concluded that their findings indicate an essential trace element imbalance in ALS. Further details can be found in the study. References S A Sheweita, B Y Sheikh   Link…

Effect of ultrahigh-dose methylcobalamin on compound muscle action potentials in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a double-blind controlled study

Summary This double-blind trial compared the effects of the methylcobalamin form of vitamin B12 on muscle function in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients when given intramuscularly in ultrahigh-dose (25 mg/day) and low-dose (0.5 mg/day) for 14 days. The researchers found that ultrahigh-dose intramuscular injection of methylcobalamin may provide a clinically useful measure to improve or…

Clinical trials of ultra-high-dose methylcobalamin in ALS

Summary This study summarizes clinical trials of ultra-high-dose vitamin B12 in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The researchers state that patients given the methylcobalamin form of vitamin B12 at a dose of 50 mg/day via a twice weekly intramuscular injection had a significantly longer survival time, or period to become respirator-bound, than those who didn’t receive…

Blood levels of trace metals and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Summary This case-control study examined blood levels of trace metals in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The researchers found that selenium and zinc were inversely associated with ALS, particularly among patients with worse function, suggesting that supplementation with these nutrients may benefit such patients. Further details can be found in the study. References Tracy L Peters, John…

Nutrient mixture inhibits cancer progression

Summary Evidently, cancer progression, metastasis and shortened patient survival is associated with elevated levels of matrix metalloproteinase MMP-9. MMPs are substances produced by cancer cells to digest the surrounding tissues and spread through the body. Against this background, this study investigated the effect of a nutrient mixture containing lysine, proline, ascorbic acid and green tea…

Enhanced efficacy of nutrients combinations in inhibiting cancer progression

Summary This study evaluated the effect of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and green tea extract independently, compared to a micronutrient mixture containing lysine, proline, ascorbic acid and green tea extract on cancer progression, indicated by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). MMPs are substances produced by malignant cells to digest the surrounding tissues and promote metastasis. The experiments were…

Nutrient combinations with polyphenols are effective against cancer

Summary This article focuses on the effects of different nutrient combinations with polyphenols on cancer. It included studies with experiments on human cancer cell lines. A mixture containing quercetin, curcumin, green tea, cruciferous vegetables extract (cruciferex®) and resveratrol inhibited head and neck tumor growth. Furthermore, a combination of polyphenols (quercetin and green tea extract) with…

Patients with tinnitus and noise-induced hearing loss exhibits vitamin B12 deficiency

Summary This study examined the effect of vitamin B12 deficiency on tinnitus. 57 patients with chronic tinnitus and noise-induced hearing loss, 29 patients with noise-induced hearing loss only and 27 patients demonstrating normal hearing were included. The results showed that patients with tinnitus and noise-induced hearing loss exhibited vitamin B12 deficiency in 47% of cases…

Antioxidant treatment reduces tinnitus

Summary The present study evaluated the validity of antioxidant treatment in tinnitus sufferers with high oxidative stress (imbalance between free radicals production and the body´s antioxidant defenses). 31 patients with tinnitus underwent an 18-week treatment with glycerophosphorylcholine, glycerophosphorylethanolamine, beta-carotene, vitamin C and vitamin E. The results showed that oxidative stress was significantly reduced following antioxidant…

Coenzyme Q10 improves hearing

Summary This study analyzed the effects of coenzyme Q10 on hearing. However, the solubility (capability of being dissolved in water) of coenzyme Q10 should be improved in order to ameliorate the efficacy in tissues and fluids. The experiments were conducted in a model of acoustic trauma in a guinea pig where the effectiveness of coenzyme…

Efficacy of magnesium in acoustic trauma

Summary This study evaluated the effects of magnesium against acoustic trauma. Tests were performed in two groups of noise-exposed guinea pigs treated either with magnesium or placebo. The results showed that permanent threshold shifts (permanent hearing loss) were significantly lower in the magnesium than in the placebo group. Further details can be found in the…

Protective properties of idebenone in noise-induced hearing loss

Summary Idebenone is an analogue of coenzyme Q10 with antioxidant properties. The present study investigated the antioxidant activity of idebenone in the rescue of acoustic trauma. Noise-induced hearing loss was provoked in guinea pigs in which idebenone was injected. The results suggested an antioxidant function of idebenone in protection from noise-induced hearing loss. More details…

Vitamin C prevents hypercholesterolemia induced atherosclerosis

Summary This study investigated the effect of vitamin C on the development of hypercholesterolemia (high blood levels of cholesterol) induced atherosclerosis. The experiments were performed with rabbits, and they showed that a high dose of vitamin C was effective in reducing atherosclerosis. The results suggest that vitamin C can prevent hypercholesterolemia induced atherosclerosis. Further details…

Effectiveness of vitamin C supplementation in patients with heart attacks and reperfusion

Summary Reperfusion is a treatment which aims to restore the blood flow to body´s tissues which are blood flow deficient, but it can damage organs and tissues by increasing oxidative stress (imbalance between the production of free radicals and the ability of the body to counteract their harmful effects). The present study investigated the effect…

Efficacy of vitamin C against oxidative stress in patients with heart disease

Summary This study evaluated the relationship between vitamin C and oxidative stress (imbalance between the production of free radicals and the ability of the body to counteract their harmful effects) in patients with heart disease. The effect of oxidative stress on blood flow was measured in 12 patients with heart disease, before and after the…