Research Notes
Omega-3 fatty acids linked to younger biological age
High Blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids may slow cellular ageing in people with coronary heart disease, suggests a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Researchers studied the length of telomeres (DNA sequence) that appear to shorten as cells age, they found an inverse relationship between omega-3 fatty acids and the rate of telomere shortening over a 5 year period, hence raising the possibility that omega-3s ability to reduce oxidative stress, known to drive telomere shortening and the possibility that omega-3s increase the activity of an enzyme that works to maintain telomere length and subsequently a younger biological age.
Magnesium for Asthma
A new American study published in the Journal of Asthma indicates that daily magnesium supplements have a beneficial outcome for asthmatics. Fifty five mild-to-moderate asthma sufferers between the ages of 21 and 55 were randomly assigned to receive either a daily dose of 340mg of magnesium or a placebo for period of six months. A six per cent improvement in lung function was observed among the magnesium group and none in the placebo group. The researchers concluded that the mineral may influence cell membrane properties, thereby improving the ability of lungs to expand.
Vitamin D and calcium combo benefits everyone
Analysis of data pooled from seven major trials throughout Europe and the US found that supplementing daily with a vitamin D and calcium combination significantly reduced the risk of fracture in everyone, not just older women. Nearly 70,000 people took part in the trials and 15 per cent of participantswere men. The results, published in the British Medical Journal, found that supplementing with only vitamin D at a dose of 10 or 20mcg (400IU-800IU) did not significantly reduce risk of fracture. However, talking 10mcg of vitamin D together with calciyum reduced the risk of fracture by 8 per cent, and the risk of hip fracture by 16 per cent, irrespective of age, gender or previous fractures.