In a recent study conducted on 5000 female US Navy recruits over 8 weeks, half were given 2000mg of Calcium and 800 IU of Vitamin D daily to supplement their regular diet and the others were given a placebo.

During the 8-week study, scientists were impressed in the results, which showed a drastic decrease in the number of stress fractures in the treated group. Overall, the treated group showed 25% fewer stress fractures than the placebo group. What amazed the scientists more was that they were able to see such drastic results in a short period.

Obviously there can be no assumptions made about the long-term results of such a test, but this should certainly open the door for other tests which, perhaps, may be conducted over a longer period.

Vitamin B6 has been known to assist, and is used in the treatment of conditions including PMS, depression, vomiting and carpal tunnel syndrome. Although Vitamin B6 has been known to interact with many enzymes within the human body, acting as a catalyst for many biochemical reactions within the body, there are few studies which have been conducted to prove the benefits of Vitamin B6.

Recent results of a study in Taiwan may point to further benefits of this vitamin. The study was conducted with critically ill patients in Taiwan, who were given doses of 50-100mg of Vitamin B6 daily. The results of the 2007 study were thatVitamin B6 appears to boost the immune system. In some cases the immune system appeared to increase 100%.

A similar study, also conducted in Taiwan, showed that a variety of “immunity markers”, including blood cells which help the body fend off disease, were drastically increased as the levels of Vitamin B6 increased.

These studies may lead to further developments or studies to develop the understanding of Vitamin B6 and, possibly, develop new uses for the vitamin in everyday life.

Winter is in full swing and you can be sure that before the spring you will find yourself with a cold. However, there are some simple ways that you can decrease the severity of the common cold by boosting your immune system during the cold season.

The easiest ways to combat the common cold may be easier than you think. First, it goes without saying that shielding yourself from the cold will help to reduce your exposure to the elements and keep your body temperature at an optimal level. Second, fatigue can contribute to decreased immune response, so make sure you get a full 7-8 hours of sleep at night. Finally, increasing the nutrients in your system during times when your immune system might be at risk is paramount. Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Zinc are great ways to boost your immune system, so make sure you are getting enough of these important nutrients in your diet. If not, a multi-vitamin or individual vitamin supplements can help you to boost that nutritional intake.

In the event that you do find yourself curled up on the couch with a blanket, try some echinacea. This herb stimulates the immune system and may help to reduce the duration of the cold and get you back on your feet fast!

In a study published in the Journal of Science in November, a US-led group of scientists have completed a study of wheat where introducing a cloned gene within the wheat (GPC) shows to have drastically increased the nutritional content.

The cloned gene appears to speed the maturing process of the wheat and also boosted the micronutrient content by 10 percent. A counter-study was performed to prove the results, where specimens of wheat with reduced levels of the GPC gene matured several weeks later than those with the cloned gene and showed 30 percent less grain content, as noted by the lead author of the study, Professor Jorge Dubcovsky of the University of California-Davis.

For years now doctors have been focused on lowering the bad cholesterol in patients in order to reduce the risk of serious heart problems such as heart attacks and strokes. This has commonly been handled with statins, marketed under such names as Lipitor and Zocor. The difficulty is that these statins commonly have adverse effects on the heart themselves. 

A new approach that is gaining popularity is to raise the good cholesterol. Kos Pharmaceuticals Inc. has recently introduced a new drug to market called Niaspan, which is an extended version of Niacin. Niacin is known for boosting the good cholesterol in the body to escort the fat out of the blood and into the liver to be disposed of. This process is accepted as being less difficult for the body to execute and may be the safer alternative to drugs which lower the bad cholesterol.