‘Is vitamin D the next Viagra?,’ plus more of your favorites in supplement and vitamin research
Key Takeaways
More than half of adult Americans report taking nutritional supplements, yet only 23% take them on the advice of their health-care provider, according to a JAMA study based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Nearly one third (31%) of Americans take multivitamins, while 12% use fish oil supplements, more than 4% are on amino acids, and about 3% gulp down green tea extract.
But does the research support the use of such nutritional supplements, not to mention the many millions of dollars Americans spend on them ($32.5 billion at last count)? Here, MDLinx presents 10 of the top articles on vitamins, nutritional supplements, and related remedies that garnered the most attention in the past year.
Is vitamin D the next Viagra?
Vitamin D is primarily known to help bone health and for its role in calcium-phosphorous homeostasis—but a new study found it also improves erectile dysfunction. Men who received vitamin D supplements showed increased testosterone levels and improved erectile function, researchers reported. The trial included only 41 men, so a larger study is needed to confirm the results. But what mechanism might be behind vitamin D's erectile effect? Click here to find out.
Mixed messages on multivitamins and heart health
Despite their widespread use, multivitamins and mineral supplements don't prevent heart attacks, strokes, or cardiovascular death, according to a recent meta-analysis. Then again, the study's researchers reported that taking multivitamins was associated with a 12% lower risk of coronary heart disease incidence. So, are multivitamins heart-healthy, or aren't they? Put your finger on the pulse of the problem here.
Fish oil leads to unwanted fat
There have been some fishy results on fish oil. It's purported to lower blood pressure, reduce serum triglycerides, decrease the risk of stroke, and ameliorate arthritis. But scientists recently reported that fish oil does something else—it may cause fat to accumulate in the liver and result in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, a particularly harmful form of fatty liver disease. However, the scientists also found that another type of oil causes the least damage to the liver. Read here to find out more.
Zinc fights inflammation in liver disease
In other liver research, investigators recently reported that zinc may be a simple and effective treatment against acute and chronic liver inflammation. In patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, researchers found that zinc may inhibit the inflammatory and antiviral effects of a protein associated with tissue damage caused by chronic liver disease. But is therapy as simple as giving a patient a zinc supplement? Learn what's involved.
Pomegranate extract may inhibit breast cancer
A glass of pomegranate juice a day keeps the oncologist away? Such may be the case if further evidence confirms a recent investigation of the pomegranate's ability to inhibit breast cancer cells. Previous studies have shown that pomegranate juice disrupts metastasis of breast and prostate cancers, but in a new study, researchers found that phytochemicals in pomegranate extract altered breast cancer stem cells, inhibiting cell growth and differentiation. Does this warrant more investigation? Find out here.
Nine of out of 10 PCPs can't be wrong: Traditional Chinese medicine works
A nationwide MDLinx survey found that 91% of primary care physicians said that traditional Chinese medicine, or Oriental medicine, is at least somewhat effective. Indeed, more than 3 in 4 PCPs reported that they've prescribed or referred patients for acupuncture. Also, as many as 36% of respondents have prescribed traditional Chinese herbal medicines, our study found. Maybe 36% doesn't seem like a lot, but perhaps some physicians have prescribed herbal medicines or their derivatives without even realizing it—such as the malaria drug developed from a common herb through Nobel Prize-winning research. Read this to learn more.
Turning off cancer cells by robbing them of riboflavin
Starving cancer stem cells of vitamin B2 (riboflavin) depletes their energy and puts them into a state of "suspended animation," researchers reported. To accomplish this, the researchers used drug screening to identify a compound called diphenyleneiodonium chloride (DPI). The compound, which inhibits vitamin B2, reduced mitochondrial energy production in cancer stem cells by 90%. DPI is not only potent but highly selective, so it may not produce the toxic effects of current chemotherapeutic cancer treatments, researchers predicted. How does it work? Here's what they discovered.
The one vitamin that works against MS
Most patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) report an interest in using dietary supplements to potentially reduce the severity and symptoms of the disease, and more than half of MS patients are already taking them. But which supplements have evidence of a beneficial effect? Researchers reviewed studies on more than 20 vitamin and dietary supplements—including vitamins A, C, D, E, and many B vitamins, as well as caffeine, lipoic acid, probiotics, and other supplements—but found that only one had sufficient evidence to recommend routine supplementation. Click here to find out which one.
Chinese herb overpowers ovarian cancer?
The active ingredient wogonin in the traditional Chinese herb Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (commonly known as Chinese skullcap or Baikal skullcap) has been shown to inhibit ovarian cancer cells, according to oncology researchers in China. Although further investigation is needed, the researchers found that wogonin not only induces cancer cell apoptosis, but fights cancer cells through other mechanisms as well. To find out how, read about it here.
Unless you have a vitamin deficiency, supplements don't do anything
The most common vitamin and mineral supplements that people consume—such as vitamin C, vitamin D, calcium, and multivitamins—do no harm, but don't provide any benefits either, reported authors of a recent meta-analysis. The possible exceptions were folic acid, which may reduce cardiovascular disease and stroke, and niacin and antioxidants, both of which showed possible increases in all-cause mortality. The researchers said that a healthy diet should provide enough vitamins and minerals without the need for supplements. Guess which foods they recommended? If you guessed "ice cream," then you'd better click here to get the real scoop.
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