Calcium supplementation increases bone mineral mass and stature in adolescent boys

A study published on March 8 2005 online in Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that calcium supplementation in adolescent boys increased skeletal growth and bone mineralization. Twice per day for 13 months the adolescent boys were given either a placebo or 500 milligrams of calcium as calcium carbonate.

Bone mineral content, bone area, lean and fat mass, height, and weight were measured before, during and following the treatment period. They were also grouped according to activity level.

Both groups experienced increases in height, weight, lean and fat mass and most bone measurements over the course of the study. However, the group receiving calcium was found to have a significant increase in height, lean mass and bone mineral content of the whole body, lumbar spine and hip compared to the boys who received a placebo. Physical activity level increased the effect of calcium supplementation on bone mineral content only in an area of the upper leg bone.

Calcium supplementation early in life may improve bone mineral content and stature and help reduce future osteoporotic fractures.

Higher vitamin E levels reduce prostate cancer risk

In a Brief Communication published in the March 2, 2005 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, researchers analyzed data from the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention (ATBC) Study, which found an association between supplementation with vitamin E and lower risk of prostate cancer among 29,133 men.

For the current study, the researchers selected 100 participants who had developed prostate cancer during the ATBC study follow-up, and matched them with 200 subjects who did not have the disease.

Based on blood samples taken at the beginning of the study, men with serum levels of alpha-tocopherol within the top one-third of participants had a 51 percent lower risk of developing prostate cancer than those whose levels were in the lowest third. Those with higher gamma- tocopherol levels were similarly protected, with a 43 percent reduction in risk.

In addition, the reduction in cancer risk was even greater in those taking vitamin E supplements, providing evidence that alpha-tocopherol supplements were beneficial and did not negatively impact gamma-tocopherol status.

Total Sport Nutrition Call Online

If you weren't able to listen to the March Total Sport Nutrition conference call with Sport Dietitian Dallas Parsons, SportMedBC President and CEO Lynda Cannell, and USANA Director of Field Development Marie-France Morin, it's now available on the Web!

Don’t miss out on this excellent opportunity to hear about the new Total Sport Nutrition program and gain important insights from a well-educated sport nutritionist. To access the call, click here. Enjoy!

Vitamin E supplements are safe and beneficial

The press has not been kind to vitamin supplements lately, especially vitamin E. Headlines generated from a study published in the March 16 Journal of the American Medical Association, have once again called into question the safety of vitamin E supplements.

I recognize that dietary supplements, including vitamin E, are for optimizing health and not curing disease. This study, however, used a study population of older patients who already had vascular disease, diabetes, and other strong risk factors. The majority were also taking a variety of medications for different health conditions. Concluding that a vitamin is useless or dangerous because it didn't cure a chronically ill population entirely misses the point of long-term nutritional supplementation.

Another important point to consider is that the study participants were taking high dosages of vitamin E as an individual supplement. Most research has supported our view that balance and synergy are extremely important for optimal benefit and safety from nutritional supplementation. This is especially important in populations exposed to high levels of oxidative stress, such as smokers and chronically ill patients.

Vitamin E has many potential long-term benefits for healthy people, including reducing harmful inflammation and preventing oxidative damage to body cells. The best way to take advantage of the benefits of vitamin E is to eat a varied, healthy diet and take a high-quality balanced supplement that includes a broad spectrum of antioxidants along with vitamin E.

For more information regarding the latest study and the benefits of vitamin E supplementation, see the following links:

http://www.crnusa.org/HOPETOO.html

http://www.crnusa.org/vitaminei ssafe.html

Junk food makes up nearly one-third of calories in American diet

A study of 4,700 adults showed that, despite the increased popularity of low- carbohydrate diets, almost one-third of Americans' calories are coming from 'empty calorie' foods such as sweets and desserts, soft drinks, and alcoholic beverages. Salty snacks and fruit-flavored drinks make up another five percent. Lead researcher Gladys Block, a professor of epidemiology and public health nutrition at University of California, Berkeley, used data from a U.S. government survey called the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. She analyzed the answers of participants interviewed in 1999 and 2000 who were asked to report all the foods they ate in the previous 24 hours.

"We know people are eating a lot of junk food, but to have almost one-third of Americans' calories coming from those categories is a shocker. It's no wonder there's an obesity epidemic in this country," Block said in a statement.

Sodas contributed 7.1 percent of the total calories eaten. Sweets topped the list, followed by hamburgers, pizza, and potato chips. By contrast, fruits and vegetables made up only about 10 percent of calories in the diet.

"It's important to emphasize that sweets, desserts, snacks, and alcohol are contributing calories without providing vitamins and minerals," said Block.

"You can actually be obese and still be undernourished with regard to important nutrients. We shouldn't be telling people to eat less, we should be telling people to eat differently."

Vitamins May Reduce Children's Heart Disease Risk

Scientists from the University of California and in Austria, studied 15 youngsters, age 9 to 20, who had high cholesterol levels. The researchers gave one group of subjects 400 IU of vitamin E plus 500 mg of C for six weeks and the other group a placebo.

Since stiffening of the arteries is an early sign of atherosclerosis, the scientists measured blood flow of the brachial artery to determine what effect, if any, the vitamins had on arterial elasticity. Taking the supplements was associated with significant improvements in blood vessel function, leading the scientists to conclude that the vitamins may prevent, and even reverse, arterial damage. Based on these results, the researchers speculate that the supplements protect the endothelium (blood vessel lining) by blocking free radicals, allowing the lining to release nitric oxide which causes the arteries to expand.

Circulation 2003 Sep 2;108(9):1059-63