A Mediterranean-style diet could help reduce cardiovascular disease
in Asian populations, especially among Asian people living in
western countries, according to a study by researchers from India
and Israel published in The Lancet...
Israel-based company Herbamed has launched Ultrasome (Emulsome), a
new drug delivery technology, specifically targeted at water
insoluble nutraceuticals.
A team of US and UK-based scientists presented research about an
appetite-reducing hormone found naturally in the body this week.
The findings are seen as an important step towards creating an
obesity-fighting drug.
Yesterday we reported on a major study to investigate a potential
cancer drug based on red wine compounds. However there is also
evidence to show that wine can have harmful effects. Researchers in
France report that heavy wine drinkers...
A Hebrew University parasitologist claims to have shown that a
natural head lice remedy is more effective than the commonly-used
conventional medication. The study is published in the October
issue of the Journal of the Israel Medical...
British healthcare retailer and chemist Boots today reported a drop
in interim profits by almost 3 per cent to £279.6 million (€m) for
the first six months ended 30 September 2002. Profits were impacted
by a £40m investment in Boots...
The University of Leicester in the UK has been selected as one of
the first centres in the world to trial a revolutionary new cancer
prevention drug, based on a natural compound found in red wine.
PC-SPES, a dietary supplement taken by some men to treat prostate
cancer, may compromise the effectiveness of chemotherapeutic drugs
for the disease, such as paclitaxel, according to a new study.
Consumption of garlic, chives, and other allium vegetables may be
associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer, according to a
study carried out by researchers in Shanghai, China.
Cannabis-based medicine could be on the UK market as early as 2003,
according to GW Pharmaceuticals, the UK company developing
cannabis-based prescription medicines, which this week released
results from four Phase III clinical trials.
Evolutec, the British biotechnology company which develops novel
therapeutic products from parasites, is to begin Phase I and II
clinical trials with rEV131, its treatment for allergic and
inflammatory diseases.
Hain Europe, a division of the US natural and organic food company
the Hain Celestial group, is set to launch a range of healthy
drinks, made from a mix of fruit juice and soy, on the European
market in coming months.
A Swedish researcher has found that nitric oxide, naturally present
in the body's immune system, may play a positive role in protecting
against tuberculosis. A supplement of the amino acid arginine,
which is found in peanuts,...
New research from Germany suggests that bread, a staple of many
diets, could be a rich source of antioxidants. The study identifies
the crust as a particularly good source of the cancer-fighting
compounds.
Provexis, a UK-based company which develops novel functional food
ingredients, said this week it has secured the venture capital
required to bring its lead product, a tomato extract which helps to
reduce blood clotting, to market.
People who overeat may end up contributing to the poor health of
their grandchildren, according to Swedish researchers writing in
the current issue of the European Journal of Human Genetics.
People already eating a healthy diet could lower their cholesterol
even further by using a margarine enriched with plant sterols. A
Japanese study published today reveals the potential heart health
benefits of Flora pro.activ, a functional...
As probiotics find increasing favour with food manufacturers a new
European funded study, PROGID, is set to investigate the impact of
two probiotic strains on easing the symptoms of inflammatory bowel
diseases (IBD).
A non-metallic element found in food and food supplements could
have an impact on the health of ex-smokers. According to a recent
study in the Netherlands, former smokers with high quantities of
selenium in their toenails experienced...
The UK Food Standards Agency is said to be drawing up proposals
which would require restaurants and hotels to provide nutritional
information on their food menus - and it is hoping to introduce the
same measures across Europe.
An EU-funded project has developed new tools that enable more
extensive and rapid analysis of our gut microbiota than has been
possible earlier. Better knowledge of the microbiota may help
scientists to prevent gut diseases or improve...
Medical researchers at the University of Kuopio, Finland, have
found evidence of the positive effects of hempseed oil on eczema,
acording to a report from MotherHemp, a UK supplier of hemp oil and
food products.
Worldwide, healthy life expectancy can be increased by five to 10
years if governments and individuals make combined efforts against
major health risks, the World Health Organisation said in its
yearly report this week. It identifies...
The UK Government's Department of Health is to reform its social
welfare food scheme, which targets mothers and children in
low-income families, by adding a broader range of foods such as
fruit and vegetables and cereal-based...
A low-cost, fortified, orange-flavoured drink can reduce Third
World deficiencies in essential nutrients such as iron, iodine and
vitamin A, according to new research from the US. The researchers
believe that when the new dietary...
The TransAtlantic Consumer Dialogue, an organisation of European
and US consumer groups, has criticised American and European
governments for backing business interests over consumer concerns
in their trade policies.
Eating less helps us stay young, report researchers this week.
There is already much evidence to support the theory, but a new
study shows how reduction of calories slows down the ageing process
in the heart and identifies the genetic...
The company behind miam!, the UK brand of the traditional Spanish
drink horchata, said that the product has seen a strong take-up
since its recent launch and is now widely available throughout the
UK.
Dutch life science group and new owner of Roche Vitamins, DSM
reported an operating profit of €104 million in the third quarter,
up 8 per cent from the same period in 2001. The board said the
results reflected currently poor market...
A group of European scientists meeting recently to review and
discuss current knowledge on vitamin E and promising lines of
future research concluded that the vitamin has been underestimated
in the past. They urged further research...
US researchers have discovered that a chemical called nornicotine,
naturally present in tobacco and also produced as a metabolite of
nicotine, may contribute to the pathology of diabetes, cancer,
ageing, and Alzheimer's disease.
Long-term treatment with glucosamine sulphate has been shown to
slow down the progression of knee osteoarthritis, according to a
study by Czech researchers published in the 14 October issue of the
Archives of Internal Medicine.
David Byrne, the European Commissioner responsible for Health and
Consumer Protection, yesterday issued a message of support to the
Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD), a forum of US and EU
organisations, ahead of its forthcoming...
Ocean Spray, the company best known for its cranberry juices, has
launched a new grapefruit juice which it claims can give drinkers
an energy boost and meet all their vitamin C requirements.
Usana Health Sciences, which already sells its nutritional products
in Hong Kong and Japan, last week completed its launch of
operations in Taiwan, its newest international market.
Leading vitamins and carotenoids supplier Roche Vitamins has signed
a co-operation agreement with German biotech company AnalytiCon
Discovery to assist in its search for new nutraceuticals.
The natural stress management ingredient Relora may also help cut
snacking in stressful situations according to a new study backed by
Next Pharmaceuticals, the research and development company behind
the ingredient.
Elderly people who eat fish or seafood at least once a week are at
lower risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer's disease,
finds a study in this week's British Medical Journal.
Dietary supplements containing the herb ephedra are associated with
more reports of death, heart attack, hypertension, stroke, and
seizure than all other dietary supplements combined, according to
Dr Sidney Wolfe, director of Public...
The European Parliament this week rejected a Commission proposal to
extend pharmaceutical powers to cover food supplements. The
proposal was part of a series of amendments to the
'all-encompassing' and outdated 1965 medicines...
In a study in Tanzania, researchers have found that multivitamins
had an influential role in the pregnancies of the large proportion
of HIV-infected pregnant women. Vitamin supplementation
successfully prevented weight-loss, which...
Leading US vitamins and supplement maker Weider Nutrition is
launching a new supplement for prostate health under the company's
Schiff brand.Schiff claims that the formula is one of the first to
use calciumD-glucarate, a patented...
Isoflavone-enriched soy proteins fail to increase bone mineral
density in young women, according to a new study by researchers at
the University of North Carolina in the US. While a small study,
the findings throw into doubt the claims...
The UK's Advertising Standards Authority has upheld two complaints
against a leading British tea company for making misleading claims
about the health benefits of tea. The incident highlights the
problematic area of advertising...
Increasing dietary intake of vitamin E could help reduce the risk
of developing Parkinson's disease, according to research published
this month in the journal Neurology. Setting out to examine
if there was any positive impact...
US firm Balchem, which specialises in encapsulated products for the
health and feed industries, said it has achieved third quarter
records in both sales and net earnings, following growth in both
the ARC Specialty Products and Encapsulates...
Nature's Sunshine Products, the US-based manufacturer of
encapsulated herbs and vitamins, remained consistent with poor
recent performance and reported a 5 per cent drop in sales revenue
for the third quarter. The company saw...
The link between dietary fat intake and heart disease is strongly
linked to genes, according to research reported in today's rapid
access issue of Circulation. Researchers suggest that the
information could be used to help formulate...
New report reveals that growth in value-added products designed for
specific applications is set to drive the food additives market in
the US. Flavours will gain nearly fifty per cent of the market,
with alternative sweetners revealing...
