Vitamin D, Omega-3 & Frailty / Shilajit & Collagen / Probiotic & Regularity

Probiotic May Help Support Healthy Bowel Function 

As both men and women age, it becomes more challenging to stay regular and maintain healthy bowel movements.  A new study suggests that probiotic supplementation may help support healthy bowel function in mature adults.

Researchers from Juntendo University School of Medicine enrolled 79 adults over the age of 65 in their study. All had been diagnosed with chronic constipation. They were given 5 billion CFUs of the probiotic Bifidobacterium longum BB536 or a placebo daily for 4 weeks.

The severity of the bowel movement challenges was evaluated at baseline and at the end of the study period using the Constipation Scoring System.

Participants in the probiotic group saw improvements in their scores compared to the placebo group. They also saw improvements in stool frequency and failure to evacuate compared to no significant changes in the placebo group. Failure to evacuate refers to unsuccessful attempts to empty the bowels.

The study was published online ahead of print on December 23, 2022 in The American Journal of Gastroenterology.

A previous study found that probiotics may help improve stool consistency.

article 2Supplementation With Shijajit May Help Promote Collagen Levels

Type I collagen is a protein that makes up skin, tendons and other connective tissues and it is the most abundant collagen of the human body. According to a recent study, supplementation with Shilajit may help promote type I collagen levels in the body.

Participants in the study included 35 recreationally trained adults with an average age of 21. They consumed 500 mg of Shilajit, 1,000 mg of Shilajit, or a placebo daily for 8 weeks. The researchers measured levels of serum pro-c1α1 at baseline and at the end of the study period. Pro-c1α1 is a biomarker of type I collagen synthesis.

Both Shilajit groups saw significant increases in levels of serum pro-c1α1, compared to no statistically significant changes in the placebo group. Participants in the high-dose Shilajit group saw the greatest increases.

The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. It was published online ahead of print on December 22, 2022 in the Journal of Dietary Supplements.

Shilajit was found to provide bone health benefits in a previous study.

article 3Fermented Fiber May Help Support Healthy Blood Pressure

Dietary fiber, and fermented fiber in particular, are digested in the large intestine leading to the release of short chain fatty acids (SCFA), which play an important role in gut and overall health A new study found that a fermented fiber designed to deliver high levels of two SCFAs, acetate and butyrate, may help support healthy blood pressure.

The researchers enrolled 20 adults struggling with their blood pressure in their study. They were given the fermented fiber or a placebo daily for 3 weeks. Following a washout period, participants switched interventions.

24-hour systolic blood pressure was measured at baseline and at the end of the study period. The researchers also measured plasma levels of acetate and butyrate and gut microbial composition.

During the supplementation phase, participants saw a 6.1 mmHg reduction in 24-hour systolic blood pressure compared to the placebo group. They also saw significant reductions in day and night systolic blood pressure.

Plasma levels of acetate and butyrate were increased during the supplementation phase. Changes were also seen in gut microbiota composition, with increased prevalence of producers of acetate and butyrate.

The study was conducted by researchers from Monash University. It was published online ahead of print on January 12, 2023 in the journal Nature Cardiovascular Research.

Pine bark was found to help support healthy blood pressure in a previous study.

article 4Vitamin D and Omega-3’s Combined With Exercise May Help Support Healthy Aging

As a person ages, their body loses muscle mass which increases the risk of pre-frailty and frailty. Pre-frailty is characterized as having 3 of the following 5 frailty risk factors: low grip strength, low energy, slow walking speed, low physical activity, and/or unintentional weight loss. According to a recent study, supplementation with vitamin and marine omega-3’s combined with a simple home exercise program (SHEP) may help support healthy aging.

For the study, 1,137 healthy adults over the age of 70 were divided into 8 groups:

  1. 2,000 IU/d of vitamin D and 1 gram of marine omega-3’s daily combined with SHEP
  2. 2,000 IU/d of vitamin D and 1 gram of marine omega-3’s daily
  3. 2,000 IU/d of vitamin D and SHEP
  4. 2,000 IU/d of vitamin D
  5. 1 gram daily of marine omega-3’s and SHEP
  6. 1 gram daily of marine omega-3’s SHEP
  7. Placebo

The intervention period lasted for 3 years. Frailty status was evaluated at baseline, year 1, year 2, and year 3.

Participants in the group that supplemented with vitamin D and marine omega-3’s and participated in SHEP had significantly decreased risk of becoming pre-frail compared to the other groups. The risk was not significantly lower in any of the other groups.

The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Zurich. It was published in the January, 2023 edition of The Journal of Frailty & Aging,

A previous study found that a pro-inflammatory diet may be associated with increased risk of frailty.

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