Summary This study, conducted by several Chinese and American research institutes, evaluated the effect of calcium levels on stroke risk and the efficacy of folic acid supplementation to prevent stroke among patients with high blood pressure (hypertension). 19644 males patients were included and divided into two groups. The patients received either a hypertension drug and…
Summary A Turkish study examined whether vitamin D levels are related to deep vein thrombosis. It included 140 participants in the thrombosis group and 140 in the control group. Basic and general information about the participants (age, gender, height, weight and BMI), comorbidities and vitamin D levels were recorded and compared between the two groups.…
Summary Researchers from three Iranian research institutes investigated the effects of coenzyme Q10 on several factors influencing metabolic syndrome. This new and common lifestyle disease includes high blood pressure, obesity, and increased glucose and cholesterol levels. This trial was performed with 60 patients, aged 40 to 85 years, with overweight or obesity, type 2 diabetes,…
Summary This Chinese study investigated the effect of a micronutrient supplement containing vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids on blood glucose and blood lipid levels in patients with gestational diabetes, i.e. a type of diabetes that can develop during pregnancy. 150 patients with gestational diabetes, aged between 18 and 40 years, were involved in this…
Summary This study by different Chinese research institutes investigated the effect of coenzyme Q10 on several risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in patients with abnormal blood lipid levels. 101 patients who did not take any lipid- or glucose-lowering drugs received coenzyme Q10 (120 mg) or a placebo daily for 24 weeks. Several parameters were measured…
Summary This trial was conducted by Iranian researchers who examined the effects of vitamin D on heart cell death and changes in parameters indicating inflammation in patients who underwent coronary artery bypass surgery. 70 patients were involved and divided into two groups. The patients received either a vitamin D supplement or a placebo for 3…
Summary This Iranian study aimed to evaluate the potential beneficial effects of dietary antioxidants on several cardiovascular risk factors in patients waiting for coronary artery bypass surgery. In this study, 454 hospitalized patients aged between 35 and 80 years were involved. Vitamin D levels and other parameters and were measured in blood. Also, the level…
Summary This Turkish study investigated the preventive effect of high-dose vitamin D supplementation on the occurrence of atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass surgery. 116 patients with vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency were divided into two groups: 58 patients (treatment group) received oral vitamin D 48h before the surgery. The other group, which also included…
Summary This review, conducted by two Egyptian research centers, gives an overview of the role of various nutrients on immune function. Several studies showed, among others, that multiple micronutrients, essential fatty acids, some amino acids, but also pre- and probiotics boost the immune system and beneficially affect immune function. At the same time, micronutrient deficiencies…
Summary This review, conducted by several Australian research institutes, gives an overview of the effects of probiotics on immunity after intense physical exercise. Probiotics are well-known as modulators of the so-called microbiota. A well-functioning microbiota contains varied bacteria, which, among others, contribute to the regulation of the immune system and protection of the body from…
Summary According to this Ecuadorian study, micronutrient deficiencies and infectious diseases are common in the Ecuadorian elderly. In this study, 145 elderly were involved. It showed, among others, that participants in this group have deficiencies of zinc (50%), iron (44%), vitamin B12 (43%), vitamin D (19%), and folate (18%). Furthermore, an increased number of respiratory…
Summary This review gives an overview of the beneficial effects of zinc supplementation on infectious diseases like diarrhea and their prevention and treatment in young children. Studies show that zinc supplementation can reduce diarrhea incidence (11 to 23%), the duration of the illness (up to 9%), and diarrhea mortality (23%) in young children. Other studies…
Summary Zinc plays an important role in immune function. Therefore, a study executed by several research institutes in Boston, USA, investigated whether zinc concentrations in the blood are associated with the incidence and duration of pneumonia, use of antibiotics, and pneumonia-associated deaths. 578 residents of 33 nursing homes in Boston were involved. All participants received…
Summary This review, conducted by Swiss researchers, gives an overview of several studies investigating the immune-enhancing effect of vitamin C and zinc and their influence on clinical conditions. The results showed that vitamin C concentrations rapidly decline during infections and that supplementation of vitamin C improves the function of the human immune system. Zinc deficiency…
Summary To determine if selenium deficiency intensifies an influenza infection, selenium-deficient mice were infected with a mild strain of the influenza virus. The results showed that selenium-deficient mice developed much more severe lung tissue inflammations than mice without selenium deficiency. The researchers concluded that an adequate intake of antioxidants, like selenium, is essential for a…
Summary A German research institute conducted this study to investigate the long-term effects of probiotic bacteria consumption on various respiratory tract infections. To this end, 479 healthy adults were supplemented daily with vitamins and minerals, and additionally probiotic bacteria (test group) or without probiotic bacteria (control group). The intake of the probiotic led to a…
Summary This review gives an overview of the role of selenium deficiency on the development of several viral infectious diseases. According to numerous studies, selenium deficiency negatively affects the metabolic system, impairs the immune response, stimulates the progression of viral infectious diseases, and increases the number of harmful viral mutations. Additionally, some studies also showed…
Summary This study, conducted by American and Ecuadorian researchers, investigated the effects of micronutrient deficiencies on the immune response and respiratory infections in elderly Ecuadorians. 352 elderly were involved in this study. Several important micronutrients for immune function were measured in the participants’ blood. The results showed that micronutrient deficiencies were associated with a high…
Summary An American study investigated whether selenium administration may suppress a specific type of the human immunodeficiency virus. 262 participants infected with HIV initiated the treatment. 141 participants were treated with a selenium product (200 µg), and 121 participants received a placebo product during the first 9 months of this study. In total, 174 participants…
Summary This study, conducted by several British researchers, aimed to investigate whether additional selenium intake can improve immune function, support the treatment of poliovirus infections, and decrease mutations of the poliovirus in healthy British adults. Therefore, 22 British participants with relatively low plasma selenium levels received additional selenium (50 µg or 100 µg) or a…
Summary This study, conducted by several research institutes in Pakistan and China, investigated the effects of black cumin and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) to enhance the efficacy of antiviral medication in hepatitis C patients. In this study, 30 hepatitis C patients were involved. 15 patients received only the antiviral drug, and the other 15 patients…
Summary According to a study conducted by the University of Michigan, USA, zinc supplementation may decrease the infection rate in older people. 50 healthy participants aged between 55 and 87 years were involved in the study and divided into two groups: One group (25 participants) received a zinc supplement, and participants in the other group…
Summary This review, executed by a research institute in Boston, USA, gives an overview of different factors involved in aging in less developed countries. For instance, malnutrition and related micronutrient deficiencies account for many chronic diseases and increase the incidence of infectious diseases due to an impaired immune function. According to various studies, supplementation with…
Summary This study, executed by three research institutes in Uzbekistan, investigated seasonal changes in vitamin D status and its influence on upper respiratory tract infections among water sports athletes. 40 elite athletes and 30 controls were involved in the study. In the course of one year, vitamin D levels and inflammation parameters were measured, whereafter…
Summary This study, conducted by several American, Tanzanian, and Canadian research institutes, aimed to investigate whether daily oral supplementation with vitamin A and/or zinc can reduce the risk of placental malaria and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Placental malaria is a life-threatening illness caused primarily by infection with a malaria-causing parasite. 2500 pregnant women were divided into…
Summary This study aimed to investigate whether coenzyme Q10 could improve several parameters related to liver inflammation. 41 subjects with chronic liver disease took part in the study and were divided into two groups. One group received coenzyme Q10 capsules, and the other group received a placebo for 12 weeks. Blood samples were taken before…
Summary This study, conducted by the University of Auckland, New Zealand, investigated the effect of vitamin D supplementation on primary care visits during pregnancy and infancy due to acute respiratory infections. Additionally, the required dose to achieve a normal vitamin D status during infancy was determined. To this end, healthy pregnant women were assigned in…
Summary Researchers from the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, USA, investigated the effect of vitamin D supplements on the risk of acute respiratory infections in children in Mongolia. To this end, 247 Mongolian schoolchildren were divided into two groups. The test group received milk supplemented with vitamin D (143 children), and the control group (104…
Summary This study, conducted by the University of Kabul in Afghanistan, investigated the effects of vitamin D supplementation on children with diagnosed pneumonia. 453 children aged between 1 and 36 months and diagnosed with non-severe or severe pneumonia were included in the study. 224 patients received 100,000 IU of vitamin D, and 229 patients received…
Summary This study, conducted by research institutes from Vietnam and Germany, investigated the adverse effects of vitamin D deficiency on liver diseases associated with hepatitis B infections in patients in Vietnam. Vitamin D levels were determined in 400 chronic hepatitis B patients and 122 healthy control persons. The study results showed vitamin D inadequacy in…
Summary According to a Chinese study, vitamin D may benefit pregnant women with chronic hepatitis B infections. Vitamin D levels of 142 pregnant women with chronic hepatitis B infections and 251 healthy pregnant women were measured. The results showed lower vitamin D levels in participants with chronic hepatitis B infection compared to healthy participants. Thus,…
Summary According to this Japanese study, vitamin D supplementation could reduce influenza A incidence in Japanese schoolchildren. Schoolchildren (aged between 6 and 15 years) were divided into a test group (167 children) and a placebo group (167 children). The results showed an incidence of 10.8% in the test group and 18.6% in the placebo group.…
Summary This study, conducted by a Canadian University, investigated whether vitamin D supplementation could prevent viral upper respiratory tract infections. 600 participants were divided into four groups. 1st group: vitamin D and gargling; 2nd group: placebo and gargling; 3rd group: vitamin D only, and 4th group: placebo only. The results showed that vitamin D supplementation…
Summary This Swedish study aimed to investigate whether vitamin D supplementation could reduce infectious symptoms and antibiotic consumption in patients with frequent respiratory infections. 140 suitable participants were involved who received either a supplement or a placebo daily for one year. The results showed a significantly reduced number of infections and decreased antibiotic use in…
Summary A study from Nigeria investigated the effects of high-dose vitamin A supplementation on malaria in infants. 152 pregnant women were involved who were at least 6 months pregnant. The participants were divided into two groups with 76 participants each: a supplementation group that received a vitamin A supplement 3 times a week and a…
Summary According to this review by Romanian and British research institutes, vitamin D can benefit immune response (the reaction which occurs within our organism to defend against foreign invaders) in respiratory viral infectious diseases. This is because patients with respiratory infections are often vitamin D deficient. As a result of its increased antiviral and anti-inflammatory…
Summary This review, conducted by several Canadian and British research institutes, gives an overview of the beneficial effects of vitamin D on the regulation of immune function. Vitamin D showed, among others, a beneficial interaction with multiple processes executed by the immune system and several effects on immune cells. Moreover, vitamin D deficiency at a…
Summary This review, conducted by several American and Canadian research institutes, gives an overview of studies investigating the effects of vitamin A on general morbidity and mortality in children aged between 6 and 59 months in low- and middle-income countries. The review shows that vitamin A significantly reduces general morbidity and mortality as an underlying…
Summary This study, conducted by Bengali and Swedish research institutes, investigated whether short-term zinc supplementation improves the immune response in malnourished children with acute Shigella infections in Bangladesh. 28 children aged between 12 and 59 months were supplemented with zinc and other micronutrients daily for 2 weeks. A control group with 28 children received a…
Summary This study by various U.S. research institutes aimed to find out whether vitamin D supplementation affects the risk of diabetes. The study included 2,158 participants with prediabetes (elevated blood sugar levels that fall below the threshold to diagnose diabetes) who were assigned to either a vitamin D group (1,074 individuals) or a placebo group…
Summary Studies suggest that vitamin D deficiency is associated with metabolic disorders such as hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) and dyslipidemia (abnormal amount of lipids in the blood), as well as increased oxidative stress, which can cause a variety of diseases. Scientists at the Medical University of Łódź (Poland) explored the effect of vitamin D supplementation…
Summary A study at the University of Chile explored whether omega-3 fatty acids and specific vitamins can strengthen the antioxidant system and, in this way, reduce the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation. The antioxidant system is a group of enzymes and antioxidant molecules that control the formation of free radicals and reactive oxygen compounds and…
Summary A multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted to evaluate the benefit and safety of long-term intravenous iron administration in patients with heart failure. For this purpose, 152 heart failure patients with iron deficiency received a daily intravenous iron supplement for one year. The treatment led to long-term improvements in the patients’ functional capacity (ability…
Summary High oxidative stress and chronic inflammation may contribute to the development of coronary heart disease. Therefore, a study from Taiwan investigated the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of coenzyme Q10 in patients with coronary heart disease who were taking statins. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups. One group received 300 mg of coenzyme…
Summary Coronary heart disease is a narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries usually caused by the buildup of plaque. In this study, Turkish scientists investigated the vasodilatory effect of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and vitamin E (α-tocopherol) – i.e., their ability to widen blood vessels – in patients with coronary heart disease. For this…
Summary This study investigated the effect of a specific micronutrient combination on insulin levels in patients with cardiac arrhythmias. This study aimed to improve the function of the left ventricle with the help of the selected micronutrients. For 6 weeks, 30 subjects with cardiac arrhythmias took twice daily 2 tablets with 145.8 mg magnesium, 469.2…
Summary This study investigated the efficacy of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in the treatment of chronic heart failure. Subjects with moderate to severe heart failure took either 300 mg of CoQ10 or a placebo daily for 2 years. Compared to the placebo group, the CoQ10 participants showed a significant reduction in deaths, primarily from cardiovascular disease,…
Summary This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in chronic heart failure. For this purpose, a total of 420 subjects with moderate to severe heart failure were observed for 2 years. The participants were divided into two groups, one of which supplemented CoQ10 100 mg 3 times daily in addition to…
Summary A study conducted in the USA investigated the efficacy of quercetin against high blood pressure (hypertension). For this purpose, participants with elevated blood pressure values and participants with a mild form of hypertension were given 730 mg of quercetin daily for 28 days. It was found that quercetin supplementation contributed to a reduction in…
Summary This Japanese study investigated whether curcumin can be used to treat heart failure. The study, conducted on animal models, found that curcumin administration resulted in improved systolic function. (The term systole describes the part of the cardiac cycle during which some chambers of the heart muscle contract after refilling with blood.) Furthermore, the increase…