Both zinc acetate and zinc gluconate lozenges are effective in shortening the duration of common colds, but zinc doses higher than 100mg don’t appear to provide an additional boost.
Vitamin D supplementation for patients with type 2 diabetes improves cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle mitochondria among those who are taking statins, a new RCT reveals
Weight gain in the years leading up to conception can triple the risk of gestational diabetes, with the odds also increased for mums-to-be who gain weight but still maintain a healthy body mass index (BMI).
Specialised diets designed to release large amounts of acetate or butyrate after bacterial fermentation in the colon protected against type 1 or juvenile diabetes in mice, said researchers from Monash University in Australia.
A new systematic re-analysis of prenatal exposure to the Great Chinese Famine of 1959-61 suggests that schizophrenia may have been the leading health consequence.
A two-week course of a liquid supplement improved the nutritional status and reduced inflammation in elderly people living in community settings, a new trial from Korea reports.
Low levels of vitamin A, D and E have been associated with Recurrent Respiratory Tract Infections (RRTI) among children living in Northern China, a new case control study reports.
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is associated with a 26% increase in the risk of death from cancer in Asians, with people in the region also at greater risk of death from certain site-specific cancers than those in the West.
Dietary soy products are safe and even beneficial for women diagnosed with breast cancer, according to new research which aimed to help resolve the controversy over its link to treatment outcomes.
New meta-analysis suggests that vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor for TB, not something that is caused by the condition, while the role played by ethnicity in this relationship merits further investigation.
Adding vitamin B supplementation alongside conventional treatment can help treat cases of complicated vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), according to two studies.
Fish oil supplementation may have no benefit in preventing the failure of fistulas in dialysis patients, with a failure rate similar to placebo, a new RCT suggests.
The use of probiotics on very low birth weight (VLBW) infants is associated with a reduced risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), late-onset sepsis, and mortality, but the effects on extremely low birth weight (ELBW) babies is inconclusive.
Probiotic soy milk improves several indexes of kidney function in type 2 diabetic patients with nephropathy – a major complication of diabetes and the foremost cause of end-stage renal failure.
Cannabidiol (CBD) can exert a potentially neuroprotective effect against brain ischemia/reperfusion injury, with a new study from China documenting how it does so “for the first time”.
An anticipated perfect storm in Australia, involving the recent legalisation of medical cannabis and the expected approval of hemp in foods and nutrition later this year, has led to the government stopping the export of hemp products to ensure national...
Ready-to-eat therapeutic foods designed to boost the nutritional status of people with HIV in Thailand should contain clear health claims, be manufactured in a soft, or liquid form, and be easy to carry, a study conducted by the World Food Programme has...
South East Asia functional food and supplement firms need to help educate consumers that whey protein isn’t just for body builders, and formulate new products that can help treat the rising number of sarcopenia cases among the elderly in the region.
A 300mg daily coenzyme Q10 supplement significantly increased antioxidant capacity and reduced oxidative stress and inflammation levels post-surgery for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) – the most common type of liver can
Indian-based but global-facing herbals player OmniActive Health Technologies has won a $35 million (€33m) investment from venture capitalist Everstone Group, as it pursues expansion and acquisition targets.
A study of school children in a Northern Territory Indigenous community has found that around half are iron-deficient, leading researchers to claim it is a major public health problem.
An increased risk of high blood glucose levels and diabetes is not only greater for people who were born at a time of famine, but it is also then passed down to their children, research into China’s 1959-1961 food crisis has discovered.
A recently developed “Singapore equation” is the most accurate basal metabolic rate (BMR) equation to predict energy requirements for Chinese adults, a new study has found.
There is an urgent need for more research on infant nutrition that is centred on South East Asia, with the vast majority of published studies focusing on the western world, a new paper states.
The Indian Direct Selling Association (IDSA) has welcomed new rules for supplements and nutraceuticals announced by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), saying it is a crucial step towards better regulation in the country
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued its long-awaited rules for functional foods and supplements – publishing a 79-page set of criteria on its website.
A project in Australia’s Northern Territory is to trial giving anaemic children rapid iron infusions before they are discharged from hospital in an attempt to reduce the risk of ongoing iron deficiency.
A novel combination of prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides could significantly improve absorption of certain minerals, according to new research in rats.
To ‘continue neglecting nutrition’ is incompatible with the World Health Organization’s goal of reducing tuberculosis (TB) by 90% by 2035, a leading academic from India has claimed.
The type of fat used as a carrier for phytosterol in fortified foods and drinks could have a major impact on the ability of the ingredient to lower cholesterol, according to a new meta-analysis of trials.
The small number of dieticians in Thailand’s hospitals along with the absence of national guidelines for nutrition screening and assessment are hampering efforts to make early interventions with patients who are at risk of malnutrition.
They say that grey hair is a symbol of wisdom. This is so true as many Australian seniors are now taking a more proactive approach to their own healthcare by doing independent research to stay healthy and active.
Poor nutrition is a key driver for poor outcomes for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a study from Australia has discovered.
Women whose babies are conceived in winter are more likely to develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy, with a lack of vitamin D during these months one of the likely factors, research from Australia suggests.
Singapore health officials will launch the county’s first Diabetes Action Plan next year in response to the City State being identified as having the second-highest proportion of diabetics among developed nations.
Young cancer patients in Delhi, India, will soon get nutritional support from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) as part of their treatment regime.
Australian company Medlab Clinical Limited is preparing to start Australia’s first clinical trial using cannabis for oncology patients suffering intractable pain.
Researchers in Vietnam have argued that routine screening of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients could avoid the development of malnutrition and its associated risks, costs and complications.
China may have opened up its economy even more in the last several years but it's not as if the floodgates are wide apart. Much of this "openness" is actually born out of necessity rather than a love of equity. It's foreign trade policies...
By Natasha Flynn, business development manager, HealthDirection
With more than 30,000 businesses generating sales of over A$4bn (US$3.1bn), the Australian complementary medicines industry has created a highly competitive landscape.
Specialists in Myanmar are warning that unhealthy lifestyles and the low intake of essential vitamins and minerals is leading cardiovascular problems to spiral out of control.
A new study of classical Chinese medical texts has found almost 1500 references to age-related memory impairment similar to Alzheimer's disease, and to several plant-based ingredients that should be assessed further for their treatment potential...
High reported rates of type 2 diabetes in some Pacific Island nations have been called into question after Australian researchers found deficiencies in the methods used to test for the disease - a finding which may have wider global implications.
