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Normally we like to report on just one story at a time, but today I’m going to do a bit on two stories as, well I couldn’t make up my mind which one to cover as they’re both interesting! So here goes!
B Vitamins Cut Lung Cancer risk!
In a recent European study of 400,000 people (no small number) over eight years, it has been found that people with higher B vitamin levels in their blood appear to be at a reduced risk of lung cancer.
High levels of vitamin B6 and the amino acid methionine cut the risk by half, the study suggested. These occur naturally in many foods or can be taken as supplements.
These higher vitamin levels could simply reflect a healthier lifestyle, so it’s too early to say that taking vitamins would provide extra protection, but there is a suggestion that increasing levels of B vitamins would be of significant benefit.
Lung Cancer is the second most common cancer in the UK after breast, but experts have also made it very clear that stopping smoking remained the single best way of reducing the risk of lung cancer. However, this could mean that ex-smokers and people who have never smoked can do something to reduce their risk of lung cancer.
Dr Paul Brennan, lead researcher of the study from the International Agency for Research on Cancer, said: “If further research does confirm our findings then the the next step would be to identify the optimum B vitamin levels for reducing future cancer risk.”
I’ve never been a great believer in promoting just single B vitamins (although they are a great top up to B Complex) as I believe all the B vitamins work better when taken as a whole, but Bio Nutrition have a great selection of B vitamins together with amino acids like l-methionine and a the greatest range of multi vitamin & mineral formulas which are just brilliant for improving health in general.
Rheumatoid Arthritis ‘on the rise in women’!
One of the most common forms of arthritis is on the rise amongst women. Researchers from the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota say rheumatoid arthritis cases rose by 2.5% between 1995 and 2007, after 40 years of decline, but fell among men in the same 12 year period.
Rheumatoid Arthritis affects around 350,000 people in the UK and is a condition that occurs when the body’s own immune system attacks it’s own joints, causing swelling and pain which in turn affects joint mobility. Women are three times more likely to be affected than men and normally between the ages of 40 and 50 when the menopause starts to set in.
Many previous studies have shown a link between smoking and rheumatoid arthritis and a deficiency in vitamin D has also been associated. Vitamin D production decreases as we age and lower levels have especially linked to the menopause. In recent years there has also been a noted increase in the use of sun blocks (which is a good thing to help protect the skin), but has this slowed down the production of vitamin D, in the suns action on the skin? (This is only my opinion and not grounded in any research!)
Bio Nutriton believe that the safest and most effective way of getting enough vitamin D is thorough supplementation.
Stay Healthy
Sources:
BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/10318410.stm
BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/10166727.stm