Scott Greenberg, NatureCity author & contributor

For the first time, a study has investigated the subjective effect of multivitamins. The researchers found that taking a multivitamin may improve people’s perception of their mood and energy levels by 15%.

The study included 116 individuals. Over the course of 16 weeks, half of the group took a supplement that consisted of 185% to 4500% of the recommended daily intake (RDI) of B vitamins, 365% of the RDI of vitamin C, 100% of the RDI of vitamin D, and up to 475% of the RDI of vitamin E. The other half took a placebo.

15.1% more participants in the supplement group reported improved mood and emotional state compared with the placebo group. Participants in the supplement group also reported better sleep and higher energy levels.

The researchers noted that women in particular reported higher energy levels.

The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Melbourne and the Swinburne University of Technology in Australia. It was published on December 12, 2012, in Nutrition Journal.

Previous studies have shown that multivitamins may aid in weight loss, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, and boost general physical health. Other studies have also shown that the cells of people who routinely take multivitamins actually have a younger biological age.

Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

A recent study suggests that taking a multivitamin that has vitamins, minerals, plant extracts, and antioxidants may improve the brain functioning of mature woman, perhaps by lowering levels of the amino acid homocysteine. Previous research suggests that high levels of homocysteine are linked to dementia.

Fifty-six women between the ages of 64 and 79 with complaints of memory loss participated in the study. Over the course of 16 weeks, half of the group consumed a placebo and half took the multivitamin, mineral and herbal supplement.

The researchers measured brain activity at the beginning of the trial and at the conclusion of the study. They noted that the supplement group had greater performance accuracy than the placebo group, suggesting enhanced neural efficiency.

The study was conducted at Swinburne University in Australia and published online ahead of print on August 23, 2012, in the journal Physiology and Behavior.

Previous studies have shown that multivitamins may aid in weight loss, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, and boost general physical health. Other studies have also shown that the cells of people who routinely take multivitamins actually have a younger biological age.

Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

Although a way to reverse the effects of Alzheimer’s has proven elusive, recent studies suggest that there may be ways to slow down the advancement of the disease, especially if it’s caught early. Two recent studies suggest that consuming a combination of DHA omega-3 fatty acid, choline and uridine may markedly improve memory in individuals with early onset Alzheimer’s.

For the first study, conducted by researchers at the Alzheimer Center at VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam, included 225 participants with diagnoses of mild Alzheimer’s. Over the course of three months, the volunteers were assigned either a cocktail of the nutrients listed above or a placebo. At the conclusion of the study, the supplement group showed a 40% improvement in verbal-memory, while the placebo group showed only a 24% improvement.

The second study was conducted by the same researchers using the same nutrient supplement was administered, but this time the volunteers were followed for six months. At the conclusion of the study, the supplement group showed changes in brain patterns that seemed to indicate that the brain was functioning in a healthier manner, while no changes were noted in the placebo group.

Additionally, both the placebo group and the supplement group showed verbal-memory improvements in the first three months, just as in the first study. However, the placebo group actually showed a decline in the second three months, while the supplement group continued to show improvements.

The researchers believe that the nutrients stimulated synapse growth. Synapses are the connections between brain cells that are often destroyed by Alzheimer’s.

The studies were published online ahead of print on July 9, 2012, in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Previous studies have shown that consuming high levels of vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin B and vitamin E may also slow the advancement of Alzheimer’s. Keep an eye out for future studies about nutritional interventions for this devastating illness, as new research is being released every day.

Scott Greenberg, NatureCity author & contributor

According to a recent study, approximately 75% of the populations of the US, the UK, the Netherlands and Germany do not get the recommended dietary intake levels of vitamins through their diet.

The researchers examined data from national dietary intake surveys of the 4 countries. They found that the populations of all 4 showed significant vitamin inadequacies, most notably in vitamin D and niacin, a form of vitamin B. The Netherlands had the least deficient diet of all of the countries studied.

The variation between the countries is probably due to differences in recommendations, levels of fortification and local dietary habits.

The study was conducted by researchers at DSM Nutritional Products in Switzerland and was published online ahead of print on June 13, 2012, in the British Journal of Nutrition.

Vitamin deficiency may increase your risk for health problems including heart disease, diabetes, cancer and poor bone health.

The best way to get all the daily vitamins you need is to eat a balanced diet that contains a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, fortified dairy foods, legumes (dried beans), lentils, and whole grains. Vitamin supplements are another way to get the vitamins you need if your diet is not supplying sufficient quantities.

Emma McGowan NatureCity author & contributor

In an ideal world, we’d all be eating a variety of foods that would satisfy all our nutritional needs. As this is not the case, many people try to fill the gap by taking vitamins and supplements. But even if they are taking enough to meet the nutritional guidelines set by governments, they still may not be getting optimal levels for brain health.

Speaking at the 2012 Vitafoods Conference, Professor David Kennedy, director of the Brain, Performance and Nutrition Research Centre at the Northumbria University in the UK, suggests that the current government recommendations are too low.

He and his team of researchers determined that following government guidelines for dietary intake will result in enough nutrients to ward off disease, but not enough to allow the brain to operate at full capacity.

They analyzed a series of studies and found that supplementation with a multivitamin improved brain function in children and adults whose diets already met nutritional recommendations. Had the participants been at the optimal nutritional status, the multivitamin would not have had such a positive effect on brain function.

So what’s the solution? Kennedy suggests supplementing your diet with a high quality multivitamin in order to boost what you’re getting naturally from foods, especially if you’re concerned about brain health.

Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

Cognitive decline as we age was once considered inevitable, but researchers are finding that there may be ways to slow it and possibly even prevent it. Recently, researchers from Australia discovered that an herbal supplement combining more than 50 vitamins minerals, antioxidants, and plant extracts may improve memory in mature women.

The researchers were based at the NICM Collaborative Centre for Neurocognition at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne. The findings were published in the journal Psychopharmacology online ahead of print on October 18, 2011.

Study participants included 56 mature women suffering from cognitive decline. Half of the group consumed the herbal supplement and half the group consumed a placebo. The herbal supplement contained, among other ingredients, calcium, magnesium, CoQ10, ginkgo, St. Mary’s thistle, grape seed and turmeric.

After 16 weeks, the group that took the herbal supplement showed higher mental functioning, as measured by response times during memory and attention tasks. The researchers also noted a decrease in homocysteine levels. Homocysteine is an amino acid that is associated with dementia.

The researchers concluded that supplements may help with cognitive decline, but they could not identify which components of the herbal supplement used contributed to the positive effects seen in this study.

Previous studies have shown that multivitamins may aid in weight loss, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, and boost general physical health. Other studies have also shown that the cells of people who routinely take multivitamins actually have a younger biological age.

Emma McGowan NatureCity author & contributor

Vitamins and minerals not only keep your body in shape, they may help keep your mind in shape as well. A study published in The American Journal of Nutrition on July 20, 2011 suggests that taking supplements can improve your long term memory.

The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Paris, followed 4,447 French men and women between the ages of 45 and 60. For 8 years (1994-2022), half of the group consumed a daily dose of 120mg of vitamin C, 6mg of B-carotene, 30mg of vitamin E, 100g of selenium, and 20mg of zinc. The other half consumed a placebo.

After 8 years, all of the participants were given the option of taking the vitamin or placebo supplements for another six years. At the conclusion of those six years, the participants who had opted to continue supplementation were given memory tests. While many of the results were similar between the two groups, the supplement group had better results with the long-term memory exercises.

The scientists believe that these improvements were due to the antioxidant effects of the vitamins and minerals.

These vitamins have been linked to numerous other health benefits, including immune system function, heart health, improved mood, lower cholesterol, healthier skin, and maintaining a proper hormonal balance. Raw fruits and vegetables are a good source of these vitamins but if you still feel like you’re not getting enough, consider adding a high quality supplement to your daily routine.

Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

A nutraceutical that combines a number of bone health enhancing ingredients has been shown to improve bone health for postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome. The study was conducted by researchers with MetaProteomics, LLC.

The results of the study were published in the May 2011 edition of Nutrition Research.

Metabolic syndrome is a collection of syndromes that include abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high triglyceride levels and high glucose. Postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome are at a higher risk for osteoporosis.

This study tested the effect on bone health of a nutraceutical supplement comprised of vitamin D1 and K1, rho iso-alpha acids and berberine sulfate trihydrate. Rho iso-alpha acids have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties and berberine sulfate trihydrate has been shown to shown to have a positive effect on bone metabolism.

51 postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome were recruited for the 14 week study.

All of the participants were instructed to eat a Mediterranean-style diet and to engage in daily aerobic exercise. Half of the participants were also randomly selected to receive the nutraceutical supplement twice daily. The other half received a placebo.

At the end of the 14 weeks, the participants receiving the supplement had a 25% decrease in a marker for bone turnover, compared to levels at the beginning of the study. The participants who received the placebo saw a 21% increase in the bone turnover marker.

High bone turnover results in increased bone resorption which can lead to a thinning of the bone structure, and increased risk for fracture.

Previous studies have also shown that soy and vitamin K may be particularly helpful for bone health, especially among post-menopausal women.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

An herbal supplement containing lignans and indole-3-carbinol may reduce the risk of breast cancer according to a recent study by scientists from Nutrasource Diagnostics and Hackensack University Medical Center.

Lignans are natural plant compounds and one of the major classes of phytoestrogens which are estrogen-like chemicals that act as antioxidants inside the body.

Indole-3 carbinol is a naturally occurring phytochemical found in cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli and kale. Recent studies indicate that indole-3 carbinol may prevent the development of estrogen-enhanced cancers.

The study was published in the December 2010 issue of the journal Breast Cancer.

For the study the researchers recruited 47 pre-menopausal with an average age of 37 and 49 post-menopausal women with an average age of 56. They randomly assigned these participants to receive either the herbal supplement containing lignans and indole-3 carbinol or a placebo for 28 days.

They found that women given the herbal supplement had increased hydroxylation of the female hormone estrogen. This increase is linked to reductions in hormone sensitive breast cancer, the most common type of breast cancer tumors in the United States.

These findings follow a large meta-analysis published in the May 2010 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition which found that postmenopausal women with the highest lignan intakes had a 14% reduction in breast cancer risk.

If you are looking to increase your lignan intake, flaxseed has by far the highest lignan content of any food. You can also get more lignans in your diet through sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, broccoli and kale.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

A study published in the January 2010 issue of the journal Reproductive Health found that a supplement containing a combination of essential fatty acids and vitamins may significantly reduce symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

According to the study authors, who are with the Federal University of Pernambuco in Brazil, 80-95% of women are estimated to suffer from at least one of the symptoms of PMS and 35% of those women have symptoms severe enough to affect their routine activities.

In order to find new, effective and natural ways to reduce PMS symptoms, the researchers recruited 120 women volunteers suffering from PMS. The women were randomly divided into three groups, each given either 1 gram daily of the supplement, 2 grams or a placebo.

The supplement contained, among other things, gamma linolenic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, other polyunsaturated acids and vitamin E.

Over the course of 6 months, the researchers measured the women’s PMS symptoms using the Prospective Record of the Impact and Severity of Menstruation (PRISM) calendar.

At the end of the study period the researchers found improvements in PMS symptoms among the group given 1 gram of the supplement and even more significant improvements for women given 2 grams.

This study adds yet another potential benefit of essential fatty acids. Over the past few years, essential fatty acids, particularly omega-3′s, have gained an immense amount of attention for their numerous health benefits. Boosting heart health is the most scientifically backed benefit but studies have also shown that it may reduce the risk of age related vision loss, certain cancers and even boost mood.