Vitamins, minerals & supplements Archive

News briefs

Getting enough vitamins through diet (or a multivitamin, if necessary) is one of the best ways to bolster your immune system. And you may wonder if vitamins can also ward off colds and other respiratory conditions. An observational study published Oct. 27, 2020, by BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health offers encouraging news. Researchers evaluated the self-reported diet information of more than 6,000 British adults over eight years. People who reported the highest intakes of vitamins A and E from both diet and supplements, and high intake of vitamin D just from supplements, had the fewest complaints of respiratory illness, such as colds, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The study doesn't prove that these vitamins prevented respiratory problems, but other studies have linked them to lower risks for respiratory disease. Vitamins are most effective when they come from diet. Good sources of vitamin A include liver; whole milk; cheese; carrots; and dark, leafy greens. Good sources of vitamin E include vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds. It's difficult to get enough vitamin D from food (such as fish or fortified milk), so taking 1,000 IU of vitamin D₃ provides some insurance.

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New findings challenge the widespread belief that aggressive blood pressure treatment may trigger a condition linked to fainting and falls.

When doctors treat older people with high blood pressure, they often worry about a condition that causes blood pressure to plummet when a person stands up from a seated or lying position. Known as orthostatic hypotension (hypotension means low blood pressure), it affects as many as one in five people ages 65 and older.

Because orthostatic hypotension can make you feel dizzy or lightheaded after standing, it may lead to fainting and falls — with possibly serious repercussions. This concern leads some doctors to ease up on prescribed blood pressure medications. But a new study suggests that practice actually might do more harm than good.

On call

Q. I eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, but are whole grains also important?

A. Fruits and vegetables seem to get top billing on the healthy food list, but I put whole grains right up there. There are two types of grain: whole and refined. All grains grow as kernels, and each kernel has three layers:

Editor's note: This year, we're highlighting fruits on this page. Starting in February, we'll showcase a different type of fruit or group of related fruits, such as citrus fruits or melons. We'll include ideas about the best ways to add more of these heart-healthy foods into your diet.

If you eat berries with breakfast, snack on a banana, and toss some cubed apple or pear in your dinner salad, you can easily meet the recommended amount of fruit for adults, which is 1.5 to 2 cups per day. But such habits are unusual: Fewer than one in 10 Americans consumes even the minimum recommended amount of fruit, according to a national federal survey.

Research we're watching

Think you're doing your heart a favor by drinking diet instead of regular soda? That may be wishful thinking, according to a research letter published Nov. 3, 2020, in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Researchers studied nearly 105,000 people who filled out three 24-hour dietary recall surveys every six months. During a 10-year follow-up, researchers tracked the participants' cardiovascular health.

In the journals

Because older adults often experience temporary changes in memory and thinking after having general anesthesia, they may worry that it increases their risk of dementia. A recent study should help put their minds at ease. Researchers found no association between the type of anesthesia and dementia risk, according to findings published online Oct. 6, 2020, by the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

The study looked at almost 7,500 people ages 66 or older without diagnosed dementia who underwent surgery requiring either general anesthesia (where you are unconscious) or regional anesthesia (where you are awake and the surgical area is numbed). The researchers included only people who had not had any previous surgery and stopped assessing those who had a second surgery later.

Schedule shifts can hurt your health. The New Year is a great time to hit the reset button.

Throughout most of human history, the pattern of daily life was regular. Dreary for many, but regular. In recent centuries, "modern" life has introduced many irregularities, including changing work schedules. Advances in information technology mean that many of us are always connected — and that we spend time connecting at all hours. And the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced whole new irregularities into daily life.

One thing is certain: "When your schedule changes, you can lose the regular self-care routines that kept you active, eating right, and managing stress — things we need to control weight and inflammation and fight disease," says Dr. Monique Tello, a primary care physician and healthy lifestyle specialist with Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.

In the journals

Colon cancer prevention involves following a healthy lifestyle — for instance, exercising and not smoking — and periodically getting a screening test such as a colonoscopy. But what impact do diet and medications have? A recent review of 80 statistical analyses published over the last 40 years explored this question. The review was published online Oct. 1, 2020, by the journal Gut.

Over all, the results were disappointing in that no specific drug, food, or supplement stood out in the body of evidence. Yet some of the reviewed studies did show a link between a lower risk of colon cancer and use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) — such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), and naproxen (Aleve) —and a higher intake of fruits, vegetables, and fiber. But other studies did not.

Even if you're isolating to avoid COVID-19, it's still important to be proactive when it comes to allergies.

This is normally the time of year to think about taking medications to ward off spring allergies. Starting treatment about a month before the season (which begins in February in some parts of the country) gives the drug time to achieve its full effect and prevent symptoms.

But the pandemic may have you questioning that approach: is an early regimen necessary if you're isolating and you're not going outside very often? The answer is yes. "Even a short walk around the neighborhood, sitting on a patio, or simply opening the windows for fresh air could expose you to allergens," says Dr. Anna Wolfson, an allergist and immunologist at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.

Make this year's batch of New Year's resolutions stick by taking a new approach.

It's a new year, and you've got a resolution in mind. Whether it's aiming for a healthier diet, improving your stress management, or finally committing to that daily workout, achieving your goal probably won't be easy. Resolutions made on New Year's Day are often in the trash bin by Valentine's Day. But this year can be different if you learn how to COACH yourself to success.

Dr. Beth Frates, an assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School, designed a strategy she calls COACH to move you toward your goals. It's a process that can help sidestep pitfalls that may have derailed you in the past.