Summary An analysis of 12 clinical trials investigated the correlation between coenzyme Q10 supplementation, a cofactor of cellular energy metabolism, and hypertension. Based on all results, the researchers concluded that coenzyme Q10 supplementation can reduce systolic blood pressure by up to 17 points (mmHg) and diastolic blood pressure by up to 10 points. Among the…
Summary In an evaluation of 11 double-blind, placebo-controlled trials, the correlation between dietary supplementation with the natural amino acid arginine and changes in blood pressure was investigated. The analysis of these trials showed that arginine supplementation led to a highly significant reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. One particularly remarkable aspect of this…
Summary In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with patients suffering from an early form of hypertension (pre-hypertension and stage 1 hypertension), the effect of quercetin on blood pressure was investigated. This dietary supplement led to a reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The reduction in diastolic blood pressure was statistically significant (P < 0.01).…
Summary An analysis of 8 clinical trials investigating the association between vitamin C supplementation and essential hypertension showed that vitamin C supplementation led to a significant reduction in blood pressure. For daily supplementation above 500 mg of vitamin C, these results were even statistically significant (P = 0.005). What is particularly remarkable about this research…
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…
Summary This study assessed the bone health of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and found that the serum concentration of the 25-hydroxyvitamin D form of vitamin D was significantly lower in patients than in controls. Dietary intake of vitamin D was below the recommended level in 10 of the 11 ALS patients studied. Further…
Summary This case report summarizes the case of a 49-year-old male patient suffering from a variant of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), who was diagnosed after extensive examinations ruling out other diseases. The patient received treatments that included the restoration of his teeth due to supposed mercury exposure from residual amalgam, as well as supplements such…
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…
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…
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…
Summary This study examined the association between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acid intake in the risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Based on an analysis of over 1 million patients who had taken part in 5 other studies, the researchers concluded that consumption of foods high in omega-3 fatty acids may help prevent or delay…
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…
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…
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…
Summary This study assessed the safety and tolerability of high doses of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). CoQ10 may improve the mitochondrial dysfunction in ALS. The researchers found that CoQ10 was safe and well tolerated in 31 patients treated with doses as high as 3,000 mg/day for 8 months. Further details can…
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…
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…
Summary This meta-analysis evaluated the results of several studies investigating the effects of vitamin C, including its effect on the length of stay in the ICU. 18 relevant controlled trials were identified with a total of 2004 patients. Vitamin C was found to decrease the length of ICU stay on average by 8%. Further details…
Summary In this study, vitamin and mineral concentrations and several parameters related to immune function were measured in two groups. One group received a vitamin and mineral product daily for 12 weeks; the other group received a placebo. Before and after the intake, vitamin and mineral concentrations and all involved parameters were measured. Among others,…
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…
Summary This study was conducted in 196 premature infants on alternate days during a period of 28 days. 98 infants received 10000 IU vitamin A, and 98 received a placebo supplement. This study showed that through supplementation of vitamin A the all-cause death rate and oxygen requirements decreased in this vulnerable group of patients. Further…
Summary This study examined whether individuals who regularly use supplements of the antioxidant vitamins E and C have a lower risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) than nonusers. The study followed 957,740 individuals 30 years of age or older. Regular use of vitamin E supplements was associated with a lower risk of dying of ALS.…
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…
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…
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…
Summary This study evaluated the effects of coenzyme Q10 on tinnitus symptom. Tinnitus and blood levels of coenzyme Q10 were evaluated in 20 patients. The results showed that the supply of coenzyme Q10 in patients with a low blood levels of coenzyme Q10 can decrease the tinnitus symptom. Further details can be found in the…
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…
Summary The current study evaluated the efficacy of vitamin E and vitamin C in the treatment of sudden hearing loss. 87 patients were treated with conventional drugs and a group of them additionally received vitamin E and vitamin C. The results suggested that the administration of vitamin E and vitamin C to patients with sudden…
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…
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…
Summary This study determined whether treatment with magnesium improves the outcome of sudden hearing loss. 133 participants were included: 60 patients were treated with carbogen inhalation and 73 were treated with a combination of carbogen inhalation and magnesium. The researchers found that magnesium improved hearing recovery in cases of sudden hearing loss. More details can…
Summary This study investigated the effect of vitamin E in the treatment of sudden hearing loss. A total of 66 patients with sudden hearing loss were divided in 2 groups. One group was treated with bed rest, steroids, magnesium and carbogen inhalation; the remaining group was treated with bed rest, steroids, magnesium and carbogen inhalation…
Summary This study tested whether vitamin C is able to protect the heart during heart attack. The experiments were performed with rats. Vitamin C was administered before a treatment-induced heart attack, and it was found that vitamin C was effective in reducing the extent of heart damage during the heart attack. Further details can be…
Summary This study evaluated the effects of micronutrients in patients suffering from tinnitus. The patients were 44 to 85 years old and had been suffering from tinnitus for more than three consecutive months. They all took a specifically designed micronutrient supplement. The results showed that more than 75% of the patients experienced some reduction in…
Summary Acoustic trauma is one of the major causes of hearing loss and tinnitus. This article presents some arguments that emphasize the interest of magnesium therapy in acoustic trauma. The efficacy of magnesium, administered either to prevent or to treat hearing loss, has been demonstrated in several studies in animals and in humans. More details…
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…
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…
Summary This study tested the effect of vitamin C supplementation on tumor growth and metastasis. Humans cannot produce vitamin C. However, most animals can. To investigate the effect of vitamin C supplementation on metastasis and tumor growth in mice, the researchers altered the mice in a way that they were not able to synthesize vitamin…
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…
Summary This study investigated the effect of a nutrient mixture containing ascorbic acid, lysine, proline and green tea extract on the growth of brain tumors. For the experiments, brain tumor cells were induced in mice. Afterwards they were fed a regular diet or a regular diet supplemented with the nutrient mixture for 4 weeks. The…
Summary This study evaluated whether vitamin A and E are able to decrease cervical cancer risk. The four year study included women between the ages of 16 and 40 who had cervical cancer (intraepithelial neoplasia), a precancerous condition of the cervix. It was found that vitamin E levels were significantly decreased in many cancer patients,…
Summary This study collected data on the relationship between antioxidants intake and brain tumors. The results showed that high intake of vitamin E correlated with greater survival, and dietary supplementation with vitamins C and E was found to reduce the incidence of brain tumors in children whose mothers took these vitamins throughout pregnancy. The authors…
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…
Summary This study investigated the effect of zinc administration in the treatment of tinnitus. Patients with tinnitus were investigated: 28 patients received zinc and 13 patients were given a placebo. It was concluded that patients with tinnitus can have low blood zinc levels and improvements in tinnitus can be achieved by zinc treatment. More details…
Summary This study assessed the effect of vitamin D supplementation on the risk of diabetes. 130 men without diabetes and with vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency were given vitamin D or no supplementation. The results showed that the men administered with vitamin D had maintained insulin levels (the action of insulin is important in decreasing blood sugars)…
Summary This study evaluated the effect of vitamins supplementation in diabetic people. The study on consumption of vitamins C, E and combination of C and E was completed in 170 patients with type 2 diabetes on consumption of vitamins C, E and combination of C and E. Blood pressure, blood sugar levels and oxidative stress…
Summary Diabetic patients can suffer from insulin resistance (the diminished ability of the body to respond to the action of insulin in decreasing blood sugars) and oxidative stress (imbalance between the production of free radicals production and the body´s antioxidant defenses). This study investigated the effects of vitamin C supplementation on insulin resistance and oxidative…
Summary Osteoporosis is a chronic disease associated with decreased bone density. Pharmacological treatments are often limited, and a new interest in the use of naturally occurring compounds is growing. Alpha-lipoic acid is a naturally occurring compound with antioxidant properties, and current data indicate that alpha-lipoic acid protects from bone loss. More details can be found…
Summary This study evaluated the effect of maternal deficiency of vitamin B12 on growth and bone mass of the offspring. The experiments, performed with an animal model, showed that vitamin B12 deficiency resulted in severe growth retardation and osteoporosis of the offspring. These results identify B12 as an essential vitamin which suggests possible therapies in…
Summary Vitamin C is an important antioxidant that is involved in the regulation of development, function, and maintenance of several tissues in the body. This review examines the importance of vitamin C in the development and maintenance of bone tissue. The results showed that vitamin C exerts a positive effect on bone formation. More details…