Taking supplements of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) appeared to
restore normal blood vessel function in children with inherited
high cholesterol, report researchers.
Consuming fruit and vegetables has no effect on reducing breast
cancer risk, according to a large study that looks set to override
previous evidence showing potential protective effects.
There is insufficient evidence on the association between bone
health and vitamin A intake to justify a change in dietary advice
to consumers, concludes a draft report by experts in the UK.
Scottish drug delivery and encapsulation specialist Encap has
invested approximately £1.2 million (€1.7m)in new premises in order
to boost its manufacturing capacity by 50 per cent.
US-based Soft Gel Technologies has developed a completely
solubilized form of coenzyme Q10, shown to be more bioavailable
than traditional CoQ10 softgels in a small trial, reports
Dominique Patton.
The US International Trade Commission imposed duties on shrimp
imports from six Asian and South American countries last week, in
the final stage of a trade dispute that has been blamed for high
glucosamine prices.
The UK Milk Development Council has received a £1.5 million (€2.1
million) grant from the European Commission which it will use to
tackle the growing misconceptions surrounding dairy consumption,
Tom Armitage reports.
Lack of sleep is increasingly being linked to the epidemic of
obesity in many developed nations, with new research showing that
obese people sleep less than their normal weight peers.
German group Cognis, the supplier of plant sterols and CLA, is
considering the issue of a €500 million bond to fund a dividend
payment to its private equity owners, it said last week.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is associated with an increased
risk of stroke, finds a new review of trials that aims to clear up
some of the confusion over HRT's side effects.
The UK's number two supermarket Asda will spend £17 million
(€24.3m) on reducing the prices of its healthy food range in a
major initiative to promote consumer health.
Irish food and drink companies are pooling funds under a new
project designed to increase healthy eating in their home market,
reports Dominique Patton.
The vitamin-like substance acetyl-L-carnitine appears to help ease
the pain caused by diabetic neuropathy, a common complication of
diabetes that results in painful damage to nerves.
Health-related quality of life, or functioning, begins to decline
as soon as a child is above average weight, say researchers, but
the effects may not be obvious to parents.
Problems with the way the body processes vitamin A may contribute
to the development of breast cancer, show preliminary findings on
the vitamin pathway.
A French supplier of konjac gum, most commonly known for its use as
a texturant in food products, is hoping to move into the health
ingredients sector, after preliminary research found that konjac
derivatives may have benefits for...
Health remains one of the top 10 consumer 'mega-trends' dictating
the success of new product launches this year, say market analysts
Datamonitor, which claims that almost three-quarters of Europeans
are now more concerned...
Dutch health insurer VGZ is to reimburse policyholders who buy
Unilever's range of cholesterol-lowering margarine, yoghurt and
milk products in a bid to reduce medical costs related to heart
disease, it said yesterday.
New ingredients supplier Valensa, a joint venture between US Nutra
and Israel-based Algatechnologies, has appointed Chesham Chemicals
as its exclusive distributor in the UK and Ireland.
Young adults who eat frequently at fast-food restaurants gain more
weight and have a greater increase in insulin resistance in early
middle age, according to a large multi-center study published in
the January 1 issue of The Lancet.
There is little evidence to support the use of many commercial
weight loss programmes, according to a study in the US, which
suggests that the search for new, more effective methods will
continue to preoccupy dieters.
Curcumin, the yellow pigment in curry spice, is to be investigated
for its potential in prevention of Alzheimer's disease after tests
on mice found it to be more effective than drugs currently being
investigated for treatment.
The UK's medicines regulator is setting up a new herbal medicines
advisory committee to provide it with expert advice on herbal
medicines in anticipation of the forthcomin European traditional
medicinal herbal products directive.
Europe's herbals market is set to regain some of its momentum over
the next year, with strong sales in supermarkets and non-pharmacy
channels demonstrating that consumers are regaining confidence in
natural products, writes Dominique...
Essential oils usually used in aromatherapy have been found to kill
the deadly MRSA bacteria causing increasing numbers of deaths in
hospitals round the world.
More than 50 countries around the world are still iodine-deficient,
according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), which is calling
for strengthened salt iodisation programmes.
People who eat oily fish or take fish oil supplements score 13 per
cent higher in IQ tests and are less likely to show early signs of
Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study in Scotland.
The rapid decline in the use of HRT, along with a general lack of
nationalised screening programmes and an ageing population, may
lead to a significant increase in the prevalence of osteoporosis,
according to a new report.
Irish biopharma firm Alltracel Pharmaceuticals has reinforced its
position in the dissolvable film market with a reverse takeover of
London firm Westone Products.
Consuming products with plant sterols as well as exercising may
offer additional benefits for those at risk of coronary heart
disease, say Canadian researchers.
German ingredients firm Nutrinova is expanding its presence in the
omega-3 market with new projects underway with Chinese supplement
makers and producers of infant nutrition products.
Probiotic chocolate bars and cereals could emerge on the market
next year as strong demand for the gut health ingredient pushes
food makers to invest in the complex processes required to
formulate with live bacteria.
Consumers should forget about taking medication to help them stay
healthy longer and change their diet instead, suggest scientists
writing in this week's British Medical Journal.
Iron supplements may be useful for children with attention-deficit
hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), say researchers that have found a
small group of these children to be deficient in the mineral.