Reexamination of data relating to over 15,000 people has cast doubt on claims that increased vitamin D intake may reduce cancer mortality rates.Previous studies have suggested that high vitamin D consumption may reduce the likelihood of contracting various cancers and other diseases, prompting calls for greater supplementation.Published yesterday in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, the latest study calls these findings into question, concluding that there is no general link between vitamin D and the risk of death from cancer.Scientists at the National Cancer Institute in Maryland examined the relationship between circulating blood levels of Vitamin D and cancer mortality among the 16,818 participants aged 17 and older in the third national Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.A decade after the survey began, 536 participants had died of cancer but on a general level no connection was found between the deaths and vitamin D levels.However, the data did indicate that high levels of the vitamin (80 nmol/L or more) reduced the risk of dying from colorectal cancer by 72 per cent.The authors of the study said knowledge of the benefits and limitations of vitamin D is currently insufficient to recommend its use for the prevention of disease or death.In an editorial accompanying the analysis, Cindy Davis and Johanna Dwyer said: "These findings must be put into the context of total diet and lifestyle."There are many risk factors other than diet for colorectal cancer, and there are many dietary risk factors other than vitamin D that have been linked to cancer risk."Several studies have previously suggested that vitamin D can reduce cancer mortality by decreasing cancer incidence or improving patients' chances of survival.On a cellular level, scientists have suggested that Vitamin D reduces tumor growth and provokes cancer cell death.While the existence of a connection between vitamin D and cancer mortality remains in question, vitamin D deficiency has been linked to several health problems including cancer.A meta-analysis, published in Archives of Internal Medicine in September, of 18 previous studies involving a total of 57,311 participants indicates that vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of death from cancer, heart disease and diabetes.In another recent study, researchers said the recommended intake of vitamin D is 2000 IU per day whereas the mediam adult daily consumption in the US is 230 IU. Vitamin D is unusual among vitamins in that it is absorbed through exposure to sunlight as well as food.Deficiency of vitamin D is therefore of particular concern in cooler climates where a lack of sunshine means people absorb lower levels of the so-called sunshine vitamin.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Mintel: Teens getting a bigger piece of the pie
Food and drink makers need balance between style and substance to capture a slice of the growing market for teen-targeted products, Mintel tells FoodNavigator-USA.com in the first of a series of exclusive articles contributed by global market research firms."No one understands me" goes the lament of teenagers around the world. This familiar cry has registered with at least one group, which has taken the call for attention to heart. Realizing that teenagers remain an untapped market for tailored food and drink products, many food manufacturers have started launching products designed specifically for the teen consumer. Across the globe, Mintel Global New Products Database (GNPD) observes a burgeoning trend towards teen-centric food and drink marketed via teen-friendly advertising. These customized new products attempt to attract teenagers the way that sugar-coated cereals attract children or 'light' dessert products attract dieting adults. They single out the teen, making him or her feel unique and desirable and therefore, making him or her crave the product that brings on those feelings.This movement towards teen-focused advertising in food and drink seems wise. Teenagers represent approximately 25 million citizens in the US alone, making them a substantial part of the population. But marketers want them for more than just their demographic size; around the globe, teens are obsessed with trends. They often hold firm opinions on what they will or will not do, eat or say, and manufacturers lucky enough to catch them can look forward to dedicated customers who will sing their products' praises to friends and family. Additionally, many teens influence what their parents purchase at the grocery store. In a 2006 consumer survey by Mintel, over 80 percent of US teens reported helping their parents choose grocery items at least some of the time. For their influence, their fervent beliefs and their mere numbers, food and drink manufacturers around the globe want to secure the teen consumer as a purchaser and follower.Style SellsFood and beverage companies targeting teens often market their products with packaging and branding that strikes a chord with teen culture. Tending towards bold styles and specific overtones, Mintel GNPD shows many new food and drink products unapologetically marketed toward teens. In Brazil, Perfetti Van Melle's Mentos Teens candy targets them explicitly with its bold product name and bright, colorful packaging. Likewise, Chengdu Geeronic Food reinforces the youth credentials of its Jumping Dragon fruit candy in China by packaging it in an orange bag depicting an attractive, trendy teenage girl.Some brands take it a step further, using designer labels to zero in on the more fashionable teenager. In the US, Coca-Cola launched Von Dutch energy drink in the latter part of 2005. Packaged in a hip camouflage can, the product - named after the trendy, teen-friendly fashion label Von Dutch - markets for stylish males and females younger than the average energy drinker.Character merchandizing, which permeates food and drink marketing for pre-teens, tends to drop off in products aimed at teenagers. Instead, companies focus on franchises with serious teen appeal, such as Pop Idol in the Netherlands. Bolletje's Idols Biscuits play on the TV show's hype by retailing with collectable pictures of competing singers. The crunchy, chocolate-backed biscuits also feature the imprint, 'Idols.'Other companies position their products as teen-appropriate by connecting with key aspects of teen culture. In Argentina, PepsiCo expanded its Snacks Pep Cool Bocaditos range with a four cheese Hip Hop variety. This snack appeals to teenagers' musical tastes as well as their inclination for extreme, innovative flavors.Substance SustainsWhile style rather than substance appears to be the norm for teen branding in food and drink, Mintel GNPD also shows movement towards more practical new product development. During an average day, teens have many occasions to select and prepare their own food, including the unique after-school period. In fact, Mintel's 2006 survey of US teens reveals that over three-quarters prepare their own meals at home. This makes them an enticing market for convenience foods and many new products offer everything needed to prepare a single-serving meal with ease and confidence.In the UK, Masterfoods launched My Dolmio, a range of microwaveable pasta and sauce combos that allow teens to prepare their own meals while their parents are out. Ready to eat in just 45 seconds, My Dolmio products are low in fat, low in sugar and free from artificial colors, flavors and preservatives. General Mills likewise offers Microwave Singles as an extension of its popular Hamburger Helper brand in the US. The all-in-one pouch product contains everything hungry teens need to prepare a warm, hearty snack or meal for themselves in just five minutes. Beyond making food preparation more convenient for teens, some manufacturers look to offer them better nutrition. In line with escalated global interest in healthy living, Mintel GNPD shows new food and drink launches designed specifically for active teens. In Germany, Adelholzener Alpenquellen's Active Fresh Orange and Starfruit water comprises mineral water, juice and vitamins. Through both its name and its healthy contents, it markets for healthy, athletic young people.Dutch company Bolletje's Sport Repen Soft Cake Bars likewise boast wholesome ingredients, claiming a raisin filling, added B vitamins and iron. The bars are targeted at sports fans aged 12-20, with each box depicting a well-known sports star to lure in active teens and fans.As food and drink manufacturers continue trying to tap into the needs and desires of teenage consumers, Mintel expects to see substantial teen-centric product development globally. Creating true synergy across product and marketing strategies - in essence, merging substance with style - will undoubtedly lead to the most successful products for teens.
Vitamin K shows potential in the fight against wrinkles
Recent studies have linked vitamin K to the elasticity of skin in patients suffering from pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE), an inherited condition resulting in severe wrinkling of the skin on the face and body. Although the link between vitamin K and normal levels of skin wrinkling seen in healthy populations is unknown, scientists suggest that these studies illustrate that the vitamin is involved, in some capacity, in the skin's elastic qualities. The findings add to an increasing body of research illustrating the effects of nutritional intake and supplements of skin health, tapping in to the ever trend for beauty from within. This severe loss of elastic qualities is due to the calcification of the elastic fibers. The high concentrations of calcium and phosphate in the extracellular space would lead to calcification if it wasn't inhibited by families of proteins. The recent study published online in the journal Laboratory Investigation illustrates the involvement of Matrix γ-carboxyglutamic acid protein (MGP) in the inhibition of calcium precipitation in sufferers of PXE. However this protein must be activated by a vitamin K dependent enzyme. Furthermore, prior research has shown that individuals who are unable to metabolise vitamin K also exhibit the PXE symptoms, thereby confirming the role of the vitamin in the skin wrinkling seen in sufferers. "For the moment the link between vitamin K and skin elastin in the population that does not have PXE is unknown" Leon Schurgers, from the University of Maastricht, the Netherlands, and co-author of the report told NutraIngredients.com's sister site, CosmeticsDesign. However, the fact that the research has identified a strong link between vitamin K and the PXE phenotype, leads Schurgers to speculate that the vitamin may be linked to signs of wrinkling and loss of skin elastin in aging individuals in healthy populations. "It is often easier to investigate the diseased form, in order to reveal a protein's function, as in healthy populations the differences are too subtle" Schurgers explained. Similarly, the effect of vitamin K supplements on the skin in healthy individuals is not yet known, although Schurgers imagined that the findings might be of particular interest to those working in the supplements market. There are two main forms of vitamin K: phylloquinone, also known as phytonadione, (vitamin K1) which is found in green leafy vegetables such as lettuce, broccoli and spinach, and makes up about 90 per cent of the vitamin K in a typical Western diet; and menaquinones (vitamins K2), which make up about 10 per cent of Western vitamin K consumption and can be synthesised in the gut by microflora.Menaquinones (MK-n: with the n determined by the number of prenyl side chains) can also be found in the diet; MK-4 can be found in animal meat, MK-7, MK-8, and MK-9 are found in fermented food products like cheese, and natto (a Japanese fermented soy food) is a rich source of MK-7.
Vitamin E pills may cut heart disease risk in diabetics
Supplements of vitamin E may counteract complications in type-2 diabetics linked to an increased risk of heart disease, says a new study from Italy.Daily vitamin E supplements (500 International Units) were found to decrease levels of a protein associated with higher risk of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and ultimately cardiovascular disease in this study with 37 type-2 diabetics, published in the journal Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases."Vitamin E might therefore be effective in preventing early endothelial damage in type 2 diabetes mellitus, possibly representing a new tool for endothelial protection," wrote lead author Arianna Vignini from Polytechnic University of Marche in Ancona.An estimated 19 million people are affected by diabetes in the EU 25, equal to four per cent of the total population. While the US document over 20 million people with diabetes, equal to seven per cent of the population. The total costs are thought to be as much as $132 billion, with $92 billion being direct costs from medication, according to 2002 American Diabetes Association figures. Type 2 diabetics are known to be at increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and this has been linked to a decrease in fibrinolysis - a process whereby the protein fibrin is broken down in the bloodstream. Fibrin plays an active role in coagulation of the blood.The decrease is fibrinolysis has been linked to increased production of plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1), as is observed in diabetics, as well as cellular adhesion molecules, including the vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and the intracellular adhesion molecule (ICAM). The researchers assigned the 24 men and 13 women to receive the daily vitamin E supplements for 10 weeks, and then followed them for a further 20 weeks. At the end of the study, Vignini and co-workers report that PAI-1 levels decreased by 32 per cent after ten weeks, and returned to approximate baseline levels after a further 20 weeks without supplementation.Moreover, VCAM-1 and ICAM levels decreased after 10 weeks, by 12 and 19 per cent, respectively.In addition, the production of nitric oxide (NO) - a molecule key for better blood flow - increased by about 50 per cent after ten weeks of vitamin E supplementation. Nitric oxide (NO) is a molecule used by the endothelium (cells lining the surface of blood vessels) to signal surrounding muscle to relax, leading to a reduction in blood pressure, reduced blood clotting and protection against myocardial infarction and strokes.Despite the positive results and implications for type-2 diabetics, the authors sounded a note of caution, stating that no control arm with a placebo was used, and the study was not double-blind and randomised. "Because of these limitations, our results can be considered highly suggestive of an effect of vitamin E supplementation on endothelial function in T2DM, but also indicates the need for further placebo-controlled studies on this issue," they stated.In terms of vitamin E supplements and heart health for the wider population, a recent study reported that a higher dose - 3200 International Units - of vitamin E is needed to reduce oxidative stress in individuals at risk for cardiovascular disease, and this may be why previous trials using lower doses failed to show any benefits for the vitamin (Free Radical Biology and Medicine, doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2007.06.019). A number of epidemiological and animal studies have reported that antioxidants like vitamin E, vitamin C and beta-carotene might offer some protection against heart attack in individuals at risk.There are eight forms of vitamin E: four tocopherols (alpha, beta, gamma, delta) and four tocotrienols (alpha, beta, gamma, delta). Alpha-tocopherol (alpha-Toc) is the main source found in supplements and in the European diet, while gamma-tocopherol (gamma-Toc) is the most common form in the American diet.