Vitamin D3 supplementation in healthy adults: a comparison between capsule and oral spray solution as a method of delivery in a wintertime, randomised, open-label, cross-over study

AbstractVitamin D is typically supplied in capsule form, both in trials and in clinical practice. However, little is known regarding the efficacy of vitamin D administered via oral sprays – a method that primarily bypasses the gastrointestinal absorption route. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of vitamin D3liquid capsules and oral spray solution in increasing wintertime total 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations. In this randomised, open-label, cross-over trial, healthy adults (n22) received 3000 IU (75 µg) vitamin D3daily for 4 weeks in either capsule or oral spray form. Following a 10-week washout phase, participants received the opposite treatment for a final 4 weeks. Anthropometrics and fasted blood samples were obtained before and after supplementation, with samples analysed for total 25(OH)D, creatinine, intact parathyroid hormone and adjusted Ca concentrations. At baseline, vitamin D sufficiency (total 25(OH)D&gt;50 nmol/l), insufficiency (31–49 nmol/l) and clinical deficiency (&lt;30 nmol/l) were evident in 59, 23 and 18 % of the participants, respectively. Overall, baseline total mean 25(OH)D concentration averaged 59·76 (sd29·88) nmol/l, representing clinical sufficiency. ANCOVA revealed no significant difference in the mean and standard deviation change from baseline in total 25(OH)D concentrations between oral spray and capsule supplementation methods (26·15 (sd17·85)v. 30·38 (sd17·91) nmol/l, respectively;F=1·044, adjustedr20·493,P=0·313). Oral spray vitamin D3is an equally effective alternative to capsule supplementation in healthy adults.</jats:p

The Ursinus Weekly, November 14, 1974

15 U.C. seniors named to Who\u27s who • Puzzle solved • Letter to the Editor • Part two: The Legend of the three doors • Growth of the Greeks: Green and gold - KDK • Library metamorphosis • Rebuilding Bears lose to Dickinson • Only one game lost • Alumna corner: First foreign student • Pages from Ursinus past: Freshmen regulations • Photo reviewhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1025/thumbnail.jp

The effect of a randomized 12-week soy drink intervention on everyday mood in postmenopausal women

Objective: Dietary soy may improve menopausal symptoms, and subsequently mediate mood. This novel study examines various doses of dietary soy drink on everyday mood stability and variability in postmenopausal women. Methods: Community-dwelling women (n = 101), within 7 years postmenopause, consumed daily either a low (10 mg, n = 35), medium (35 mg, n = 37), or high (60 mg, n = 29) dose of isoflavones, for 12 weeks. Menopausal symptoms and repeated measures of everyday mood (positive [PA] and negative [NA] affect) (assessed at four time points per day for 4 consecutive days, using The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule) were completed at baseline and follow-up. Results: The dietary soy intervention had no effect on everyday mood stability (for PA [F{2,70} = 0.95, P = 0.390] and NA [F{2,70} = 0.72, P = 0.489]) or variability (for PA [F{2,70} = 0.21, P = 0.807] and for NA [F{2,70} = 0.15, P = 0.864]), or on menopausal symptoms (for vasomotor [F{2,89} = 2.83, P = 0.064], psychological [F{2,88} = 0.63, P = 0.535], somatic [F{2,89} = 0.32, P = 0.729], and total menopausal symptoms [F{2,86} = 0.79, P = 0.458]). There were between-group differences with the medium dose reporting higher PA (low, mean 24.2, SD 6; and medium, mean 29.7, SD 6) and the low dose reporting higher NA (P = 0. 048) (low, mean 11.6, SD 2; and high, mean 10.6, SD 1) in mood scores. Psychological (baseline M = 18 and follow-up M = 16.5) and vasomotor (baseline M = 4.2 and follow-up M = 3.6) scores declined from baseline to follow-up for the overall sample. Conclusions: Soy isoflavones had no effect on mood at any of the doses tested. Future research should focus on the menopause transition from peri to postmenopause as there may be a window of vulnerability, with fluctuating hormones and increased symptoms which may affect mood

Associations of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids with bone mineral density and bone turnover in postmenopausal women

PURPOSE: The immunomodulatory properties of n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) are reported to reduce bone loss through alteration of bone remodelling and n-3 LCPUFA, therefore, may benefit bone health in post-menopausal women, a vulnerable group at high risk of osteoporosis. METHODS: Measures of bone mineral density (BMD) were determined using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) in 300 post-menopausal women. The bone turnover markers osteocalcin (OC), C-terminal telopeptides of type 1 collagen (CTX) and total alkaline phosphatase were quantified in serum along with urinary creatinine corrected deoxypyridinoline (DPD/Cr) and CTX/Cr and the CTX:OC ratio calculated. Total serum n-6 PUFA (LA + AA) and n − 3 LCPUFA (ALA + EPA + DPA + DHA) were measured and the n − 6:n − 3 ratio was calculated. RESULTS: Mean (SD) age and body mass index (BMI) were 61 (6.4) years and 27.4 (4.8) kg/m(2), respectively with participants being 12.6 (7.6) years post-menopause. Multiple regression analysis identified no association between n-3 LCPUFA and any of the measures of T-score or BMD albeit a significant positive association between total n − 3 LCPUFA and femur BMD (β = 0.287; p = 0.043) was observed within those women with a low n − 6:n − 3 ratio. There was a significant inverse association between ALA and urinary DPD/Cr (β = − 0.141; p = 0.016). CONCLUSION: A favourable low n − 6:n − 3 ratio was associated with higher femur BMD and a higher n − 3 LCPUFA (ALA) was associated with lower bone resorption. These results support a beneficial role for n − 3 LCPUFA in reducing postmenopausal bone resorption and favourably influencing BMD. TRIAL NUMBER & DATE OF REGISTRATION: ISRCTN63118444, 2nd October 2009, “Retrospectively registered”

Mercury in Hair Is Inversely Related to Disease Associated Damage in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune inflammatory disease, and environmental factors are proposed to exacerbate existing symptoms. One such environmental factor is mercury. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between exposure to mercury (Hg) and disease activity and disease associated damage in Total Hg concentrations in hair and urine were measured in 52 SLE patients. Dental amalgams were quantified. Disease activity was assessed using three indexes including the British Isles Lupus Assessment Group Index (BILAG). Disease associated damage was measured using the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology SLICC/ACR Damage Index. Pearson’s correlation identified a significant negative correlation between hair Hg and BILAG (r = −0.323, p = 0.029) and SLICC/ACR (r = −0.377, p = 0.038). Multiple regression analysis identified hair Hg as a significant predictor of disease associated damage as determined by SLICC/ACR (β = −0.366, 95% confidence interval (CI): −1.769, −0.155 p = 0.019). Urinary Hg was not related to disease activity or damage. Fish consumption is the primary route of MeHg exposure in humans and the inverse association of hair Hg with disease activity observed here might be explained by the anti-inflammatory effects of n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids also found in fish

Persistence of anticancer activity in berry extracts after simulated gastrointestinal digestion and colonic fermentation

Fruit and vegetable consumption is associated at the population level with a protective effect against colorectal cancer. Phenolic compounds, especially abundant in berries, are of interest due to their putative anticancer activity. After consumption, however, phenolic compounds are subject to digestive conditions within the gastrointestinal tract that alter their structures and potentially their function. However, the majority of phenolic compounds are not efficiently absorbed in the small intestine and a substantial portion pass into the colon. We characterized berry extracts (raspberries, strawberries, blackcurrants) produced by in vitro-simulated upper intestinal tract digestion and subsequent fecal fermentation. These extracts and selected individual colonic metabolites were then evaluated for their putative anticancer activities using in vitro models of colorectal cancer, representing the key stages of initiation, promotion and invasion. Over a physiologically-relevant dose range (0–50 µg/ml gallic acid equivalents), the digested and fermented extracts demonstrated significant anti-genotoxic, anti-mutagenic and anti-invasive activity on colonocytes. This work indicates that phenolic compounds from berries undergo considerable structural modifications during their passage through the gastrointestinal tract but their breakdown products and metabolites retain biological activity and can modulate cellular processes associated with colon cancer

Vitamin D and SARS-Co V-2 virus/COVID-19 disease

Summary for social mediaVitamin D is essential for good health, especially bone and muscle health. Many people have low blood levels of vitamin D, especially in winter or if confined indoors, because summer sunshine is the main source of vitamin D for most people. Government vitamin D intake recommendations for the general population are 400 IU (10 µg) per day for the UK7 and 600 IU (15 µg) per day for the USA (800 IU (20 µg) per day for >70 years) and the EU.9 Taking a daily supplement (400 IU /day (10 µg/day) in the UK) and eating foods that provide vitamin D is particularly important for those self-isolating with limited exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D intakes greater than the upper limit of 4000 IU (100 µg) per day may be harmful and should be avoided unless under personal medical/clinical advice by a qualified health professional

Consumption of a soy drink has no effect on cognitive function but may alleviate vasomotor symptoms in post-menopausal women; a randomised trial

Purpose: Cognitive decline is commonly reported during the menopausal transition, with memory and attention being particularly affected. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a commercially available soy drink on cognitive function and menopausal symptoms in post-menopausal women. Methods: 101 post-menopausal women, aged 44–63 years, were randomly assigned to consume a volume of soy drink providing a low (10 mg/day; control group), medium (35 mg/day), or high (60 mg/day) dose of isoflavones for 12 weeks. Cognitive function (spatial working memory, spatial span, pattern recognition memory, 5-choice reaction time, and match to sample visual search) was assessed using CANTAB pre- and post-the 12 week intervention. Menopausal symptoms were assessed using Greene’s Climacteric Scale. Results: No significant differences were observed between the groups for any of the cognitive function outcomes measured. Soy drink consumption had no effect on menopausal symptoms overall; however, when women were stratified according to the severity of vasomotor symptoms (VMS) at baseline, women with more severe symptoms at baseline in the medium group had a significant reduction (P = 0.001) in VMS post-intervention (mean change from baseline score: − 2.15 ± 1.73) in comparison to those with less severe VMS (mean change from baseline score: 0.06 ± 1.21). Conclusions: Soy drink consumption had no effect on cognitive function in post-menopausal women. Consumption of ~ 350 ml/day (35 mg IFs) for 12 weeks significantly reduced VMS in those with more severe symptoms at baseline. This finding is clinically relevant as soy drinks may provide an alternative, natural, treatment for alleviating VMS, highly prevalent among western women