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New Research Highlights the Importance of Getting Enough Vitamin D During Pregnancy

Recommendations for vitamin intake during pregnancy are constantly being modified to reflect new research. Most people are aware of the importance of taking in enough folic acid and other B vitamins during their child-bearing years. A new study on taking vitamin D during pregnancy suggests that this vitamin also may be crucial to developing children, especially in the areas of social development and motor skills.

The Effects of Vitamin D During Pregnancy

It is well known that it is important to get a wide range of vitamins as part of your prenatal care while pregnant or planning a pregnancy. However, not all vitamins are created equal. Some vitamins, such as folic acid, are more important during pregnancy because we know that a deficiency can cause very serious and specific problems.

Vitamin D is perhaps best known for its effects on mood and on bone growth. Unsurprisingly, it has been linked to fetal bone growth as well. Pregnant women are routinely told to get enough of this vitamin to ensure that their fetus can develop healthy bones. Vitamin D also helps to keep an expecting mother’s bones strong at a time when their body is facing a range of new demands. However, this may not be the only role of this nutrient in growth and development. New research on vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy suggests that a deficiency of this vitamin may have very serious effects on the developing fetus in the areas of social and motor development, effects that can last a lifetime.

Vitamin D and Social Development

Researchers looked at a group of pregnant women who had low vitamin D levels as well as those who had normal amounts of this vitamin while expecting. They assessed the health of the children resulting from these pregnancies and found surprising results. Children who were born to mothers who had a vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy scored lower on both social and motor skills. They scored lower on motor skills such as kicking a ball and jumping. In addition, these children had more trouble with social skills in their preschool years.

How can vitamin D affect such a diverse range of skills in a developing fetus? While researchers are not sure of the exact mechanism, it definitely appears that this nutrient has a more profound effect on fetal development than was previously known. Although the effects of low vitamin D are acknowledged by the medical field, American doctors do not currently recommend routine screening of pregnant women for a deficiency of this vitamin. As a result, many expecting mothers may be deficient without knowing it. At a time when many mothers are worried about their children developing autism and other increasingly common neurological disorders, taking a vitamin D supplement may be an easy way to give children a better chance at a healthy life.

Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D?

Although vitamin D is one of the most important nutrients for human health, many modern people are deficient. This vitamin is produced mainly through a reaction found in skin cells when they are exposed to ultraviolet light. Many people in the modern world wear sunscreen to lower their skin cancer risk, leaving them with low vitamin D levels. However, there are several ways to ensure that you get the vitamin D you need without increasing your risk of skin cancer.

• Spend a few minutes a day in direct sunlight without sunscreen. This is not enough to get a sunburn or increase cancer risk but will ensure that your cells are able to manufacture vitamin D.

• Eat foods that are rich in this vitamin. These include eggs, meat, leafy greens and also cereals. Cereals in Western countries are fortified with vitamins A and D, so they are a rich source of this nutrient.

• Take a vitamin D supplement to ensure that you get enough of this vitamin even if you lack sun exposure or a diet rich in animal foods.

• Consider getting a special lamp that emits ultraviolet rays, such as the ones used to treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD). These have the wavelength of light needed to encourage your skin to produce vitamin D.

Not Just for Pregnant Women

Even if you are not pregnant, your body needs vitamin D to survive and to thrive. Vitamin D has a variety of effects that are beneficial to all people. It is important in producing the biochemicals that contribute to maintaining a happy and positive mood, which is why a deficiency has been shown to cause depression and seasonal affective disorder. It also is important to the growth and remodeling of your bones. Vitamin D serves as a cofactor in a variety of important metabolic reactions. People who are deficient in this vitamin often find that they suffer fatigue, malaise and sleep disorders. Last, this vitamin is important to the immune system. Without it, you may find that you become sick more easily and take longer to recover from even minor and routine illness.

Eating a well-balanced diet is crucial to human health. However, the food supply is more depleted in nutrients than ever before. More and more people are finding that they have better health when taking a multivitamin with a wide range of essential vitamins and nutrients. Good nutrition is the building block of good health, so getting your vitamins either from a balanced diet or a supplement is more important than ever.

Top 6 Crucial Vitamins for Men’s Health

Jun 20 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Today, the “Standard American Diet” has become, well, standard — especially among men. This diet is based on processed foods that are often lacking in nutrients and vitamins. The result is that many men in the United States are deficient in vitamins. In addition, men have slightly different nutritional needs than women and require more of certain vitamins to produce testosterone, prevent heart disease and otherwise promote good health. Exactly which vitamins are western men lacking? We’ve identified the following top six.

1. Vitamin D

Many modern people do not get enough vitamin D due to widespread sunscreen use. While protecting against skin cancer is important, it is also important to take in enough vitamin D. Not only does this vitamin help you to feel energetic and have good bone strength, it may also be important for the future health of your children. Men need vitamin D to produce the testosterone needed for high fertility and good health. Maternal vitamin intake is not the only kind that matters. Recent studies have found that men who take vitamin D around the time of conception have healthier children with lower rates of obesity.

2. B Vitamins

B vitamins are essential to your metabolism and immune system. They may also be especially important for protecting your cells and tissues from harmful elements in our environment. Air pollution is a health risk in many American cities, contributing to higher rates of cancer and even neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Researchers have found that B vitamins keep pollutants from doing as much damage in your cells. If you live in a city or town with air pollution, taking enough B vitamins could significantly impact your health.

B12 is especially important for men as they age. Many of the medications taken for heart disease and other common male problems keep the body from absorbing this nutrient. The result is that many men are deficient in this important vitamin.

3. Antioxidants

Antioxidants such as vitamin A, C and E are crucial to preventing tissue breakdown and aging. Our bodies produce free radicals in normal cellular processes, which can accumulate and cause a great deal of damage as we age. Anti-oxidants help to remove these free radicals before they can cause damage. Not only does this slow aging, but it also can help to prevent diseases that are unfortunately common in men such as cancer, heart disease, stroke and dementia.

4. Vitamin K

Vitamin K is well known for being important for bone health and for maintaining good clotting. However, there are other benefits to this vitamin for men. Vitamin D has been found in several research trials to reduce heart disease, which is one of the top killers of men. Because it is found mainly in leafy greens, broccoli and similar foods that are not eaten enough in the Western world, many men may benefit from a supplement.

5. Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral that is not just important for maintaining healthy muscles and blood vessels but as an electrolyte that helps our bodies to run more efficiently. Without enough of this mineral, people may suffer muscle spasms, hypertension, headaches and a variety of other health complaints. Unfortunately, the amount of magnesium in our food supply has become depleted in modern times. In addition, modern men are subject to a wide range of conditions that lower magnesium levels such as stress and excessive workouts. If you’re a man and you aren’t taking a supplement or a multivitamin that contains ample amounts of magnesium, you probably aren’t getting enough.

6. Omega-3 Fish Oils

Omega-3 fish oils may not technically be a vitamin, but they function as one in the male body. These oils help to lubricate joints, reduce rates of heart disease, promote healthy mood and cognitive function and otherwise improve your whole body health. Because we can only get these oils from certain types of oily fish, the average man simply does not take in enough. Taking an omega-3 supplement will improve your health by ensuring that you always get enough of these oils.

Vitamins for Men Throughout the Lifespan

Getting enough of the right vitamins is not just important in youth, but as we age as well. In fact, older men have very special dietary needs. Vitamin B12 keeps your muscles and other tissues healthy, while vitamin B6 ensures that you have the healthy blood supply you need for high energy and effective healing. Vitamin D and calcium are also important in preventing osteoporosis and bone loss as men age.

How can you make sure that you get enough of these essential vitamins for men? Eating a variety of healthy foods is a start, but it is not enough for many people. Our soils have been depleted of many nutrients, leaving our food without enough of the vitamins we need. Taking a multivitamin is the best answer for many modern men. This is a simple way to ensure that you get all of the vitamins that you need to be healthy over a long lifetime.

Sunscreen and Vitamin D Deficiency Linked, Says New Study

May 12 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

If you are like many modern people, you spend much of your life avoiding the sun. We all have heard about the links between ultraviolet light exposure and skin cancer. As a result, even sun worshipers now take precautions to protect their skin from these harmful rays. We wear sunscreen on a daily basis and cover ourselves with hats and long sleeved shirts. However, this avoidance of sunlight may be leading to epidemic levels of vitamin D deficiency.

The Importance of Vitamin D

Vitamin D is one of the most important vitamins, needed for a variety of crucial cell processes. Without it, our immune systems cannot function properly and our teeth become weak. Our nerve and muscle function suffers as well. Most importantly, it is essential in absorbing calcium and maintaining strong bones. Without enough vitamin D, children can develop rickets, a condition in which their bones become so soft that they bend and become malformed. In adults, vitamin D deficiency can lead to weak muscles, as well as osteomalacia and osteoporosis, conditions in which bones become brittle and weak, easily prone to fractures.

Vitamin D is indeed necessary for good health, but it is available in only a small number of foods. This vitamin can be also synthesized in our own skin cells using ultraviolet rays from direct skin exposure. Historically most people got their vitamin D this way. However, in a modern world where an increasing number of people work to reduce ultraviolet light exposure, an equally increasing number are deficient in this important vitamin.

Sunscreen and Vitamin D Deficiency

The recommended daily allowance of vitamin D set by the government is 600 IU for children and adults, with adults age 70 and over needing 800 IU. However, this goal may be too low. New research estimates that modern people who do not receive a great deal of direct unprotected sunlight may need as much as 10 times this amount. The daily allowances were based on a population that gets much more sun exposure than we currently receive. Modern sunscreen use is estimated to reduce vitamin D production in the skin by as much as 99 percent, leaving many people deficient in this key nutrient.

Sunscreen is not the only culprit in our collective vitamin D deficiency. Several diseases that are common in the modern world also can make it difficult for the body to absorb vitamin D from the diet. These include digestive diseases along with chronic kidney disease and even the common type 2 diabetes. These together may be responsible for as many as one million cases of vitamin D deficiency worldwide every year.

In addition, people with certain diets are at risk of a vitamin D deficiency because they do not take in enough vitamin D-rich foods. These at-risk diets include vegan diets as well as diets lacking dairy products, which are fortified with this vitamin.

Could You Be Deficient?

Are you one of the many people who are not getting enough vitamin D? A blood test is the only definitive way to diagnose this, but there are a few signs and symptoms that you can watch for as well. These include:

bone pain
muscle weakness
fatigue
increased infections, especially respiratory infections such as colds and pneumonia
depression
low metabolism
foggy thinking

If you or a loved one have these symptoms, it may be time for a visit to the doctor. You can also find ways to increase your vitamin D intake to see if this relieves your symptoms.

Getting More of the Sunshine Vitamin

The obvious way to get more vitamin D is to get more unprotected sun exposure. However, there are downsides to this as well, including sunburns, accelerated aging and increased rates of skin cancer. If you are not willing to give up your sunscreen, there are several ways that you can get enough of this important nutrient. First, consider getting a vitamin D lamp. These emit wavelengths of light that cause your skin to produce vitamin D, but in controlled amounts that are less likely to cause damage.

Second, add more vitamin D-rich foods to your diet. These include fortified products such as milk, other dairy products, orange juice and soy milk. There are also foods that are naturally high in vitamin D such as beef liver, egg yolks and fatty fish like salmon and tuna. Last, many people take a vitamin D supplement to get the vitamin D that they need without spending time in the sun or changing their diet.

The links between sunscreen and vitamin D deficiency are concerning when we consider how many people are taking steps to protect themselves from the sun. However, there are many ways to get enough of this nutrient in your diet and maintain good health for a lifetime. Whether you decide to spend more time in the sunshine, add vitamin D-rich foods to your plate or simply take a daily vitamin, you can ensure that you get all of the positive health benefits of this important vitamin.

The Healing Effect of Probiotics for Anxiety, Stress and Mood

Mar 13 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Recent research on the gut-brain axis suggests that taking probiotics for anxiety and other mood concerns may be an effective choice.

Anxiety and stress are ubiquitous in the modern world. While many people rely on coping mechanisms that allow them to deal effectively with this stress, the core problem remains. Stress in daily life is so common and so severe in contemporary life that many people bow and even break under the strain. However, what if the modern diet is at least partly to blame for this increase in stress and the accompanying mood changes? New research on probiotics for anxiety suggests that your “gut instincts” may indeed be important: Many of our resources for handling stress may reside deep inside your gastrointestinal tract.

Your Gut-Brain Axis

We may not think of our GI tracts and brains as being related, but research suggests that the connections are more common and deeper than we ever could have previously imagined. The bacteria in our guts help to metabolize not just precursors for important GI hormones, but the hormones themselves. In fact, there are more receptors for important neurohormones such as serotonin in our gut than anywhere else in the body.

If you have noticed that your mood changes according to your diet, you are not alone. What you eat appears to have a huge effect on the microbiome in your intestines. Our diets can feed healthy bacteria and at the same time subdue bacteria that have more pathological effects. If we do not eat a diet rich in probiotics and the prebiotic foods that feed healthy GI flora, we may notice the effects on our mood far before we notice them in other areas.

The Healing Potential of Probiotics for Anxiety, Stress and More

With millions of Americans struggling with mental health disorders, new research on probiotics for anxiety and other mental health disorders can have far-reaching effects on public health. Recent findings suggest that the bacteria lactobacillus may be part of the key to managing many mental disorders. When people ingest probiotics, which are generally rich in lactobacillus and other beneficial bacterial species, they see a decrease in anxiety and their perception of stress.

This link between probiotics and anxiety relief is even stronger when the effects of prebiotics are taken into account. Prebiotics are special kinds of indigestible carbohydrates that are designed to support a healthy GI tract. While humans cannot digest and absorb these sugars, they serve as food for lactobacillus and other healthy GI fauna. Taking a prebiotic supplement can be effective in managing anxiety because it helps the healthy serotonin-producing bacterial populations to thrive.

More Bacteria, Less Stress

Zebrafish are often used in studies regarding human health because they have similar hormones and exhibit similar behavior in response to these hormones. Recent research on these fish suggests that probiotics may be especially important for increasing positive hormones such as serotonin while reducing negative biochemicals that cause stress. In fact, zebrafish that were given probiotics in a recent study began to show not just a healthier hormonal balance, but less stress-related behaviors. Like humans, fish act differently, and in predictable ways, when they are under stress. Fish who are given supplements to encourage healthy gut fauna show fewer behaviors related to stress, suggesting that taking probiotics and prebiotics for anxiety and stress may indeed be effective for humans as well.

How can gut bacteria affect both fish and humans so profoundly? Like humans, fish have many receptors for neurochemicals such as serotonin in their GI tract. Scientists are not sure why these receptors are more prominent in our intestines than in our brains, but the effect remains clear. People who have gut flora producing serotonin and its precursors are less likely to feel anxious or depressed. This is why taking probiotics for anxiety, stress and other mood disorders may have a meaningful impact.

The Links Between Gut and Brain

Have you ever felt nauseated or had a stomachache from stress? If so, you are not alone. Many people have intuitively noticed the link between their gut and their brain even before scientific research supported this connection. A healthy gut leads to less physical symptoms of stress and anxiety; a stomachache often is a symptom that something in our emotional lives has gone awry. If your stress often comes with a stomach ache or other GI symptoms, it may be time to try probiotics for anxiety. Our “gut instinct” that GI health affects the brain and mental health may be more accurate than we previously realized.

Mental health is not entirely in your head. According to research, it may be just as much in your stomach, small intestine and other components of your GI tract. Eating the right foods and taking measures to support healthy gastrointestinal flora may be the best thing you can do to support mental health. If you struggle with anxiety, it is not all in your head. Your gastrointestinal tract likely plays just as large of a role in how you are feeling on any given day. Consider taking a probiotic supplement to help soothe anxiety and help your brain to function at its very best.

Melatonin for Anxiety: Promising New Applications for a Familiar Sleep Supplement

Mar 01 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Many people all over the world take melatonin to help them sleep. However, new research suggests that some may benefit from taking melatonin for anxiety as well.

Around one in five adults suffer from anxiety. While certain types of therapy and medications such as SSRIs can help, many people struggle to manage their symptoms. The loss of daily function and lack of sleep can severely interfere with the lives of people who suffer from this concern. As a result, many people are on a search for safe, natural remedies that will help manage their anxiety and the often-associated occasional difficulty sleeping once and for all. Several new studies suggest that taking melatonin for anxiety may be the answer many have been looking for.

Deciphering the Underlying Causes of Anxiety

Scientists and doctors do not understand why some people suffer from anxiety on a daily basis while others do not. However, there is a lot that we do know about this condition thanks to a great deal of research. PET scans show that the root cause appears to be an imbalance of certain neurotransmitters such as serotonin and epinephrine. The autonomic nervous system, which controls instincts such as “fight-or-flight” behavior, also appears to play a role. People with anxiety appear to have a smaller temporal lobe volume, reduced numbers of serotonin receptors and increased blood flow in areas of the brain that mediate emotions such as fear. While people once thought that anxiety was a personal weakness, we now know that it can have very real physical causes.

The result is that people with anxiety suffer from excessive panic and fear compared to other people in similar situations. They also have a wide range of physical symptoms such as sweating, tremors, rapid heart beat, dilated pupils and insomnia. The constant presence of anxiety in one’s life can make it difficult to function normally both at work and with loved ones. Doctors currently treat anxiety with therapy as well as a range of pharmaceuticals that quiet physical symptoms and increase serotonin levels. Sedating medications are also a popular treatment as they quiet a mind and body that are on edge.

Melatonin for Anxiety: A Natural Treatment with Potential

Melatonin may be a potential treatment for helping to soothe anxiety, especially anxiety that comes with occasional difficulty falling asleep and other sleep concerns. Melatonin has long been noted to decrease anxious behaviors in research animals, even as far back as 1984. Researchers noted that animals who had higher levels of melatonin showed less of the hallmark behaviors of anxiety while also performing better on tests, making fewer errors. They also slept better at night. Part of this was believed to be due to melatonin’s slightly sedating effect as well as the fact that these lab animals were getting better sleep. After all, sedatives of various kinds are already used successfully in treating anxiety. In addition, melatonin is a hormone that helps us to fall asleep at night and stay asleep, so it is no surprise that we will generally be better rested while taking a melatonin supplement.

However, more recent research suggests that melatonin may have a calming effect on people with anxiety even outside of its sleep benefits. People who take melatonin before and after surgery—times when physiological and psychological stress run high—have less anxiety and also fewer instances of postoperative delirium. This is significant because many anesthetics, such as Propofol, reduce plasma melatonin levels. This may actually be contributing to high levels of anxiety in patients undergoing surgical procedures. This is more significant when you consider that Ramelteon, a drug that increases melatonin, has already been shown to be effective in treating anxiety associated with insomnia.

More Sleep and Less Stress

Anxiety is one of the most common mental afflictions in the world, while occasional difficulty falling asleep also affects millions of people. Could these disorders be somehow linked? Scientists are still studying the connections between difficulty sleeping and anxiety, but the remedies for these two disorders remain very similar. Whether you are suffering from anxiety, occasional difficulty sleeping, or both, cognitive behavioral therapy, lifestyle modifications and increasing melatonin are promising treatments. Whether you increase melatonin levels by taking a melatonin supplement or taking a drug such as Ramelteon, you may find that you are less anxious and more able to handle the stresses of daily life without unpleasant physical symptoms.

Melatonin may help anxiety simply by sedating sufferers, increasing sleep or even by a mechanism that is not yet known. The research is clear that taking melatonin for anxiety appears to help treat many of the symptoms. It is important to talk to your physician before adding any medication or supplement to your regimen, especially if you are already being treated for anxiety or insomnia with pharmaceuticals. However, the evidence behind melatonin indicates that it may have a very beneficial effect for people with a variety of health concerns.

The Health Benefits of Tryptophan (and Why Getting it From Your Thanksgiving Turkey Isn’t Enough)

Nov 22 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Most of us have experienced the feeling of sleepiness and well-being that comes after a large turkey meal (think Thanksgiving dinner). A popular misconception is that this feeling comes from tryptophan, an amino acid that is present in high amounts in turkey. Despite this popular rumor, it’s not necessarily the tryptophan in your turkey that makes you groggy or sleepy. Many experts now believe that the huge number of carbs eaten along with your Thanksgiving turkey are actually the culprit when it comes to post-Thanksgiving fatigue.

However, this does not mean people who actually relish that post-meal food coma should reject turkey for a plate of mashed potatoes. While it may not be responsible for your afternoon nap this Thursday, the benefits of tryptophan can positively impact your health and well-being in other ways.

What Is Tryptophan?

Experts recommend that people eat a diet rich in all of the essential amino acids, including tryptophan. Like other amino acids, tryptophan serves as a building block for the many proteins and hormones we need to perform vital cellular processes and generally be healthy. The exact form of this amino acid used in the human body is L-tryptophan, and luckily that’s the kind also found in many animal foods and supplements. Tryptophan’s most important role in the human body is to serve as a precursor to the biochemicals that sustain good mental health and functioning. Most notably, tryptophan is a building block for serotonin, also known as the “happy hormone,” and thus can improve mood and decrease anxiety. In fact, people who are low on tryptophan are more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, and other potentially debilitating mental illnesses.

However, the health benefits of tryptophan extend far beyond improving your mood. It is a precursor for several neurotransmitters that help your brain to transmit signals efficiently. It has been found to protect the liver, help heal an inflamed GI tract, and encourage good, quality sleep. It’s important to get enough tryptophan in your diet on a daily basis and not just holidays, so don’t let your Thanksgiving Day feast be your only source of this vital nutrient.

Are You Getting Enough Tryptophan in Your Diet?

Determining whether you are low on tryptophan is not as simple as getting a blood test. Low levels of tryptophan are not the only reason you may suffer the effects of a deficiency. Some people do not use this amino acid as efficiently as others, while some have higher tryptophan needs that the recommended daily allowance simply doesn’t accommodate. These people may eat plenty of tryptophan-rich foods even while at the same time suffering from a functional deficiency.

While turkey is a well-known way to get this essential amino acid in your diet, there are actually many foods that contain tryptophan. You can get some of the benefits of tryptophan from eating poultry, seafood, legumes and dairy products. Because all animals use tryptophan in a similar way to humans, their meat can contain a great deal of this amino acid. However, because it’s often difficult to eat enough tryptophan-rich foods to maintain proper levels of this important amino acid, many people still find that they see tangible health benefits when they take an L-tryptophan supplement.

The Benefits of a Tryptophan Supplement

There are several conditions that have been found to respond well to tryptophan supplementation, even in people who eat a well-balanced diet with ample amounts of this amino acid. These include:

depression
bipolar disorder
insomnia
premenstrual syndrome
anxiety
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
migraine
obesity
high blood pressure

Because tryptophan is important as a building block of many different hormones and neurotransmitters, increasing your intake can improve your health in a variety of ways. Although the Western diet includes many tryptophan-rich foods, some people simply need more of this amino acid to maintain optimal health and mood. These people may see their health improve when they include a simple supplement in their diet.

While many of us are planning to reap the benefits of tryptophan this fall from Thanksgiving turkey, it shouldn’t be merely an annual event. Getting enough of this essential amino acid is too important to leave it for once or twice a year. Fill your diet with foods rich in tryptophan or consider taking a high-quality tryptophan supplement to ensure that you always have the building blocks you need for good physical and mental wellness.