Diabetic retinopathy may benefit from Astragalus root supplementation

This study investigated the efficacy and safety of Astragalus root (radix astragali) and its prescriptions for diabetic retinopathy. The researchers conducted a computer-based online and manual search for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) addressing radix astragali and its prescriptions for diabetic retinopathy. 16 RCTs involving 977 subjects and 1586 eyes were identified. Meta-analysis indicated that the effect of radix astragali and its prescriptions in improving visual acuity and fundus manifestations, lowering fasting blood glucose, triglyceride, plasma viscosity, and RBC aggravation index, was superior to that of the control group. However, the efficacy of radix astragali and its prescriptions was not superior to those of control group in descending HbA1C and total cholesterol. The authors comment "The evaluated studies were of low methodological quality, indicating that the previous findings should be read with care".

Cheng L, Zhang G, Zhou Y, Lu X, Zhang F, Ye H, Duan J. Systematic review and meta-analysis of 16 randomized clinical trials of radix astragali and its prescriptions for diabetic retinopathy. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:762783.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3618930/pdf/ECAM2013-762783.pdf

Olive leaf extract improves insulin sensitivity

This randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover trial conducted in New Zealand investigated the effects of supplementation with olive leaf (Olea europaea) polyphenols (51.1 mg oleuropein, 9.7 mg hydroxytyrosol per day) on insulin action and cardiovascular risk factors in middle-aged overweight men. 46 participants were randomized to receive capsules with olive leaf extract (OLE) or placebo for 12 weeks, crossing over to other treatment after a 6-week washout. OLE supplementation was associated with a 15% improvement in insulin sensitivity compared to placebo. There was also a 28% improvement in pancreatic β-cell responsiveness. OLE supplementation also led to increased fasting interleukin-6, IGFBP-1, and IGFBP-2 concentrations. There were however, no effects on interleukin-8, TNF-α, ultra-sensitive CRP, lipid profile, ambulatory blood pressure, body composition, carotid intima-media thickness, or liver function. The authors conclude "Supplementation with olive leaf polyphenols for 12 weeks significantly improved insulin sensitivity and pancreatic β-cell secretory capacity in overweight middle-aged men at risk of developing the metabolic syndrome".

de Bock M, Derraik JG, Brennan CM, Biggs JB, Morgan PE, Hodgkinson SC, Hofman PL, Cutfield WS. Olive (Olea europaea L.) leaf polyphenols improve insulin sensitivity in middle-aged overweight men: a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. PLoS One. 2013;8(3):e57622.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3596374/pdf/pone.0057622.pdf

Dry needling of myofascial trigger points reduces pain after total knee replacement

This study investigated whether the dry needling of myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) is superior to placebo in the prevention of pain after total knee arthroplasty. Forty subjects were randomised to a true dry needling group (T) or to a sham group (S). All were examined for MTrPs by an experienced physical therapist 4-5 hours before surgery. Immediately following anesthesiology and before surgery started, subjects in the T group were dry needled in all previously diagnosed MTrPs, while the S group received no treatment in their MTrPs. Subjects in the T group had less pain after intervention, with statistically significant differences in the variation rate of the visual analogue scale (VAS) measurements 1 month after intervention and in the need for immediate postsurgery analgesics. Differences were not significant at 3- and 6-month follow-up examinations. The authors conclude "a single dry needling treatment of MTrP under anaesthesia reduced pain in the first month after knee arthroplasty, when pain was the most severe".

Mayoral O, Salvat I, Martín MT, Martín S, Santiago J, Cotarelo J, Rodríguez C. Efficacy of myofascial trigger point dry needling in the prevention of pain after total knee arthroplasty: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:694941.
http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2013/694941/

Malnutrition highly prevalent in colorectal cancer patients

This study investigated nutritional status in 70 patients with colorectal cancer. Malnutrition was found to be highly prevalent in patients with colorectal cancer and nutritional status was associated with the Glasgow Prognostic Score.

Maurício SF, da Silva JB, Bering T, Correia MI. Relationship between nutritional status and the Glasgow prognostic score in patients with colorectal cancer. Nutrition. 2013 Apr;29(4):625-9.

Fish oil may improve heart rate variability

This meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was performed to investigate the influence of fish oil on heart rate variability. 15 studies were included. The results showed that short-term fish-oil supplementation favorably influenced the frequency domain of heart rate variability, as indicated by an enhanced vagal tone, which may be an important mechanism underlying the antiarrhythmic and other clinical effects of fish oil.

Xin W, Wei W, Li XY. Short-term effects of fish-oil supplementation on heart rate variability in humans: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013 May;97(5):926-35.

Higher vitamin D levels has positive effect on pregnancy

In this systematic review and meta-analysis, researchers assessed the effect of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (vitamin D) levels on pregnancy outcomes and birth variables. 31 eligible studies were included in the final analysis. Insufficient serum levels of vitamin D were associated with an increased risk of gestational diabetes by 49%, pre-eclampsia by 79%, and small for gestational age infants by 85%. Pregnant women with low serum vitamin D levels had an increased risk of bacterial vaginosis and low birthweight infants but not delivery by caesarean section.

Aghajafari F, Nagulesapillai T, Ronksley PE, Tough SC, O'Beirne M, Rabi DM. Association between maternal serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level and pregnancy and neonatal outcomes: systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. BMJ. 2013 Mar 26;346:f1169.
http://www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.f1169?view=long&pmid=23533188

DHA supplement improves cognitive performance

This study investigated whether a docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplement improves cognitive performance in healthy young adults. Healthy adults (n = 176; age range: 18-45 years; nonsmoking and with a low intake of DHA) completed a 6-month randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind intervention in which they consumed 1.16 g DHA daily or a placebo. The results showed that reaction times (RTs) of episodic and working memory improved with DHA compared with placebo. Compared with placebo, DHA improved episodic memory in women and RTs of working memory in men.

Stonehouse W, Conlon CA, Podd J, Hill SR, Minihane AM, Haskell C, Kennedy D. DHA supplementation improved both memory and reaction time in healthy young adults: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013 May;97(5):1134-43.

Vitamin D supplementation benefits obese adolescents

This study investigated in obese adolescents the efficacy and safety of 4000 IU vitamin D3 daily and whether subsequent increased circulating concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) are associated with improved markers of insulin sensitivity and resistance and reduced inflammation. 35 obese adolescent patients were recruited from the University of Missouri Adolescent Diabetes and Obesity Clinic and were randomly assigned to receive either vitamin D3 or placebo as part of their standard care. After 6 months, participants supplemented with vitamin D3 had increases in serum 25(OH)D concentrations (19.5 compared with 2.8 ng/mL for placebo), fasting insulin (-6.5 compared with +1.2 μU/mL for placebo), HOMA-IR (-1.363 compared with +0.27 for placebo), and leptin-to-adiponectin ratio (-1.41 compared with +0.10 for placebo). The authors conclude "The correction of poor vitamin D status through dietary supplementation may be an effective addition to the standard treatment of obesity and its associated insulin resistance".

Belenchia AM, Tosh AK, Hillman LS, Peterson CA. Correcting vitamin D insufficiency improves insulin sensitivity in obese adolescents: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013 Apr;97(4):774-81.

Artificially sweetened drinks may increase risk of type 2 diabetes

This study evaluated the association between self-reported sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), artificially sweetened beverages (ASB), and 100% fruit juice consumption and type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk over 14 years of follow-up in a total of 66,118 women. The results showed that compared with nonconsumers, women who consumed more than 359 mL/wk of SSB had a 34% increased risk of T2D. ASB consumers who consumed more than 603 mL/wk increased their risk of T2D by 121%. No association was observed for 100% fruit juice consumption. The authors conclude "Both SSB consumption and ASB consumption were associated with increased T2D risk. We cannot rule out that factors other than ASB consumption that we did not control for are responsible for the association with diabetes, and randomized trials are required to prove a causal link between ASB consumption and T2D".

Fagherazzi G, Vilier A, Saes Sartorelli D, Lajous M, Balkau B, Clavel-Chapelon F. Consumption of artificially and sugar-sweetened beverages and incident type 2 diabetes in the Etude Epidemiologique aupres des femmes de la Mutuelle Generale de l'Education Nationale-European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013 Mar;97(3):517-23.

Mindfulness program reduces and helps prevent depression in adolescents

In a randomized controlled trial, researchers investigated the efficacy of a group school-based mindfulness program aimed at reducing and preventing depression in 408 adolescents. The results showed that the mindfulness intervention goup had significantly greater reductions in depression compared with the control group at the 6-month follow-up. The authors conclude "The findings suggest that school-based mindfulness programs can help to reduce and prevent depression in adolescents".

Raes F, Griffith JW, Van der Gucht K, Williams JMG. School-based prevention and reduction of depression in adolescents: a cluster-randomized controlled trial of a mindfulness group program. Mindfulness, 2013 March

Higher omega-3 intake reduces insulin resistance

This study investigated the associations of total omega-3 fatty acid and saturated fatty acid (SFA) intakes with insulin resistance in a Canadian First Nation sample of 126 at risk for type 2 diabetes. The results showed that insulin resistance by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR) was negatively associated with dietary omega-3 fatty acid intake and positively associated with dietary SFA intake. The authors conclude "Intake of dietary omega-3 fatty acids may be protective against whereas SFA intake may promote insulin resistance in this high-risk Canadian First Nation sample. Reduced dietary SFA intake and greater omega-3 fatty acid intake may assist the prevention of glycaemic disease among First Nations peoples. More rigorous, controlled trials are required to test whether dietary supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids in natural or supplement-based form might reduce diabetes risk in high-risk aboriginal groups".

Paquet C, Propsting SL, Daniel M. Total n-3 fatty acid and SFA intakes in relation to insulin resistance in a Canadian First Nation at risk for the development of type 2 diabetes. Public Health Nutr. 2013 Mar 21:1-5.

Probiotic reduces allergy in infants

This study investigated the immunomodulatory effect of probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri supplementation from week 36 for pregnancy on allergen- and mitogen-induced immune responses in children until 2 years of age. Blood mononuclear cells were collected at birth, 6, 12 and 24 months from 61 children (29 probiotic and 32 placebo treated) and cultured with ovalbumin, birch and cat extract and Phytohaemagglutinin (PHA). L. reuteri supplementation was found to decrease allergen and mitogen responsiveness, reduce IgE-associated eczema and enhance immunoregulatory capacity during infancy.

Forsberg A, Abrahamsson TR, Björkstén B, Jenmalm MC. Pre- and post-natal Lactobacillus reuteri supplementation decreases allergen responsiveness in infancy. Clin Exp Allergy. 2013 Apr;43(4):434-42.

Vitamin D supplementation benefits heart failure patients

This study investigated whether vitamin D supplementation could improve biochemical findings and functional capacity of patients with heart failure (HF). One hundred patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class I through III HF were included in this prospective study and their 25-hydroxyvitamin D (vitamin D) levels were evaluated. Only 6% of the participants had a sufficient serum concentration of vitamin D >30 nmol/L. Patients with insufficient or deficient serum levels of vitamin D (<30 ng/mL and <20 ng/mL, respectively) received oral vitamin D₃ (cholecalciferol) for a total period of 4 months. The treatment regimen included 50,000 IU every week for 8 consecutive weeks followed by 50,000 IU every month for 2 consecutive months. Vitamin D supplementation increased mean serum concentration of vitamin D from 12.63 nmol/L to 54.49 nmol/L. After vitamin D supplementation, the serum level of pro-brain natriuretic peptide and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level markedly decreased. Restoration of serum vitamin D level was also associated with substantial improvement in NYHA class and 6-minute walk distance.

Amin A, Minaee S, Chitsazan M, Naderi N, Taghavi S, Ardeshiri M. Can Vitamin D Supplementation Improve the Severity of Congestive Heart Failure? Congest Heart Fail. 2013 Mar 21 [Epub ahead of print]
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/chf.12026/pdf

Coenzyme Q10 reduces gingivitis

In this randomized controlled study, researchers have found that coenzyme Q10 when applied topically to teeth for 28 days can reduce plaque induced gingivitis. The authors conclude "Promising results were obtained after the solitary application of coenzyme Q10 as well as when it was used as an adjunct to scaling and root planing for treatment of plaque induced gingivitis".

Chatterjee A, Kandwal A, Singh N, Singh A. Evaluation of Co-Q10 anti-gingivitis effect on plaque induced gingivitis: A randomized controlled clinical trial. J Indian Soc Periodontol. 2012 Oct;16(4):539-42.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3590723/

Low vitamin D associated with higher risk of cancer in smokers

This prospective population-based study investigated whether vitamin D status influenced risk of tobacco-related cancer in 9791 of the general population. During up to 28 years of follow-up, 1081 participants developed a tobacco-related cancer and 1506 developed other cancers. Lower plasma vitamin D was associated with higher risk of tobacco-related cancers, but not with risk of other cancers.

Afzal S, Bojesen SE, Nordestgaard BG. Low plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin d and risk of tobacco-related cancer. Clin Chem. 2013 May;59(5):771-80.
http://www.clinchem.org/content/59/5/771.full.pdf+html

Omega-3 supplementation for sickle cell anemia

This study investigated the therapeutic potential of omega-3 fatty acids for patients with homozygous sickle cell disease in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. 140 patients recruited from a single center in Sudan were randomly assigned and received, daily, 1 (age 2-4 years), 2 (age 5-10 years), 3 (age 11-16 years), or 4 (age ≥17 years) omega-3 capsules containing 277.8 mg DHA and 39.0 mg EPA or placebo for 1 year. The results showed that omega-3 treatment reduced the median rate of clinical vaso-occlusive events (0 compared with 1.0 per year), severe anemia (3.2% compared with 16.4%), blood transfusion (4.5% compared with 16.4%), white blood cell count (14.4 compared with 15.6 ×10(3)/μL), and the inability to attend school at least once during the study period because of illness related to the disease was reduced by 60%. The authors conclude "The findings of this trial, which need to be verified in a large multicenter study, suggest that omega-3 fatty acids can be an effective, safe, and affordable therapy for sickle cell anemia".

Daak AA, Ghebremeskel K, Hassan Z, Attallah B, Azan HH, Elbashir MI, Crawford M. Effect of omega-3 (n-3) fatty acid supplementation in patients with sickle cell anemia: randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013 Jan;97(1):37-44.

Ultraviolet-B light reduces rheumatoid arthritis risk

This study examined the association between ultraviolet-B (UV-B) light exposure and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) risk among women in two large prospective cohort studies, the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and the Nurses' Health Study II (NHSII). A total of 106,368 women from NHS, aged 30-55 years in 1976, and 115,561 women from NHSII, aged 25-42 in 1989, were included in the analysis. Researchers identified women with incident RA from the start of each cohort until 2008 (NHS) and 2009 (NHSII). Cumulative average UV-B flux, a composite measure of ambient UV exposure based on latitude, altitude and cloud cover, was estimated according to state of residence and categorised as low, medium or high. Estimates of UV-B at birth and age 15 years were also examined. 1314 incident RA cases were identified in total. Among NHS participants, higher cumulative average UV-B exposure was associated with decreased RA risk; those in the highest versus lowest category had a 21% decreased RA risk. UV-B was not associated with RA risk among younger women in NHSII. Results were similar for UV-B at birth and at age 15. The authors conclude "These results suggest that ambient UV-B exposure is associated with a lower RA risk in NHS, but not NHSII. Differences in sun-protective behaviours (eg, greater use of sun block in younger generations) may explain the disparate results".

Arkema EV, Hart JE, Bertrand KA, Laden F, Grodstein F, Rosner BA, Karlson EW, Costenbader KH. Exposure to ultraviolet-B and risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis among women in the Nurses' Health Study. Ann Rheum Dis. 2013 Apr;72(4):506-11.
http://ard.bmj.com/content/72/4/506.full.pdf+html

Walking for low back pain

This randomized controlled clinical trial assessed the effect of aerobic walking training as compared to active training, which includes muscle strengthening, on functional abilities among 52 sedentary patients, aged 18-65 years with chronic low back pain. The walking group did moderate intense treadmill walking and the control exercise group did specific low back exercises, twice a week for six weeks. The main measures were six-minute walking test, Fear-Avoidance Belief Questionnaire, back and abdomen muscle endurance tests, Oswestry Disability Questionnaire, Low Back Pain Functional Scale (LBPFS). The results showed significant improvements in all outcome measures in both groups with non-significant difference between groups. The mean distance in metres covered during 6 minutes increased by 70.7 in the walking group and by 43.8 in the exercise group. The trunk flexor endurance test showed significant improvement in both groups, increasing by 0.6 in the walking group and by 1.1 in the exercise group. The authors conclude "A six-week walk training programme was as effective as six weeks of specific strengthening exercises programme for the low back".

Shnayderman I, Katz-Leurer M. An aerobic walking programme versus muscle strengthening programme for chronic low back pain: a randomized controlled trial. Clin Rehabil. 2013 Mar;27(3):207-14.

Acupuncture combined with paroxetine for major depressive disorder

In this 6-week randomized controlled trial with 4-week follow-up, 160 patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) were randomly assigned to paroxetine alone (n = 48) or combined with 18 sessions of manual acupuncture (MA, n = 54) or electrical acupuncture (EA, n = 58). Treatment outcomes were measured mainly using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17), Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), clinical response and remission rates. Both additional MA and EA produced a significantly greater reduction from baseline in score on HAMD-17 and SDS at most measure points from week 1 through week 6 compared to paroxetine alone. The clinical response was markedly greater in MA (69.8%) and EA (69.6%) groups than the group treated with paroxetine alone (41.7%). The proportion of patients who required an increase dose of paroxetine due to symptom aggravation was significantly lower with MA (5.7%) and EA (8.9%) than paroxetine alone (22.9%). At 4 weeks follow-up after completion of acupuncture treatment, patients with EA, but not MA, continued to show significantly greater clinical improvement. Incidence of adverse events was not different in the three groups. The authors conclude "Our study indicates that acupuncture can accelerate the clinical response to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and prevent the aggravation of depression. Electrical acupuncture may have a long-lasting enhancement of the antidepressant effects".

Qu SS, Huang Y, Zhang ZJ, Chen JQ, Lin RY, Wang CQ, Li GL, Wong HK, Zhao CH, Pan JY, Guo SC, Zhang YC. A 6-week randomized controlled trial with 4-week follow-up of acupuncture combined with paroxetine in patients with major depressive disorder. J Psychiatr Res. 2013 Jun;47(6):726-32.

Omega-3 intake associated with reduced risk of asthma

This study prospectively investigated the association between long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and fish intake and incidence of asthma among young American adults. A 20-year follow-up longitudinal analysis was conducted in 4162 Americans, aged 18-30 years, with a history of asthma at baseline. During the 20-years of follow-up, 446 incident cases of asthma were identified. Omega-3 intake was significantly inversely associated with incidence of asthma after adjustment for sociodemographic, major lifestyle, and dietary confounders. There was a 54% reduced risk of asthma in the highest quintile of omega-3 intake as compared with the lowest quintile. However, a higher frequency of nonfried fish consumption was not significantly associated with the risk of asthma. DHA showed a greater inverse association than did EPA.

Li J, Xun P, Zamora D, Sood A, Liu K, Daviglus M, Iribarren C, Jacobs D Jr, Shikany JM, He K. Intakes of long-chain omega-3 (n-3) PUFAs and fish in relation to incidence of asthma among American young adults: the CARDIA study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013 Jan;97(1):173-8.