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| | July/August 2007 Â | Â Â
Small berries, super health benefits!  
Luscious, delicious and brightly hued, berries are a great summer treat and healthy, too. In fact, they're even healthier than you might have thought, as science continues to provide new insights into why berries deserve "super-food" status.
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Blueberries: Just one of many berries now under the microscope for disease prevention, from Alzheimer's to arthritis to cancer.
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In particular, berries are capturing the attention of researchers worldwide because of their high antioxidant content. Here are research findings on some of the leading berries with health-enhancing effects:
. Acai berry: This small purple berry found in the Amazon forest has been a traditional food there for centuries and recently made its debut in Western markets. In a University of Florida study, researchers prepared six different chemical extracts from acai fruit pulp, each in seven different concentrations. Acai (ah-SAH'-ee) extracts prompted a "self-destruct response" in up to 86% of leukemia cells tested, depending on the extract and concentration, researcher Stephen Talcott said.
. Blueberry: Eating blueberries may help prevent colon cancer, reduce "bad" cholesterol, counteract the adverse effects of radiation, and decrease the risk of Alzheimer's disease and inflammation associated with arthritis, various preliminary studies suggest. The compound "pterostilbene" is a potent antioxidant found in blueberries. In a joint study conducted by Rutgers University and the US Department of Agriculture, rats that were given a compound to induce colon cancer and then fed pterostilbene for eight weeks had fewer precancerous lesions of the colon than control rats.
. Cranberry: This berry is perhaps most well known for its effectiveness in treating and preventing urinary tract infections. Now it appears cranberries may also help reduce the severity of stroke damage and fight cancer. A preliminary rat cell tissue study based at the University of Massachusetts concluded that an "antioxidant mechanism" involving compounds in cranberries may protect against the brain cell damage that occurs during stroke. As well, laboratory testing has shown that antioxidants called proanthocyanidins in cranberries restrain the growth of certain cancer cells, notably those of the colon.
. Goji berry: This small red berry has been used for centuries in Asia as an overall health tonic and to enhance eyesight. Again, studies are preliminary but it appears that high levels of the nutrient zeaxanthin in goji berries (sometimes called "wolfberries") may help to prevent age-related macular degeneration, a common disorder causing irreversible loss of central vision. One human supplementation trial found that the zeaxanthin in whole wolfberries is bioavailable, and that a modest daily intake of 15 grams significantly increases fasting blood levels of zeaxanthin.
Iron vital for brain at any age Â
Iron deficiency can hamper brain function, new research suggests. Conversely, iron sufficiency can enhance cognitive ability
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Two recent studies - one on women and one on toddlers - indicate that iron deficiency may hamper proper brain function.
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In a Pennsylvania State University study, women ages 18 to 35 years old of varied iron status were randomly assigned to receive iron supplements or a placebo.Even before treatment, the iron-sufficient women performed better on cognitive tasks than the iron-deficient women did. After 16 weeks, the cognitive performance of women who received iron supplements improved, as did their speed in completing cognitive tasks.
Meanwhile, a research review from the Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York associates iron deficiency with impaired cognition in toddlers.The daily iron intake of one- and two-year-olds is lower than at any other stage of life, presenting the risk of iron deficiency anemia (IDA). "IDA during the first two years of life is associated with impaired mental and psychomotor development and these deficits are long lasting, and perhaps irreversible, despite the correction of the anemia," the research review says.
Recommended supplementation once breastfeeding or an iron-fortified formula is stopped: 10 mg of elemental iron daily via iron-fortified vitamins, iron drops or iron-fortified drinks.
Prenatal vitamins cut kids' cancers Â
Prenatal vitamins cut kid's cancer rates, say Canadian researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (Sick Kids) in Toronto. More specifically, taking prenatal multivitamins fortified with folic acid can reduce the risk of three common childhood cancers: leukemia, brain tumours and neuroblastoma.
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Researchers say a "large proportion" of childhood cancers can be avoided.
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"Our research indicates that a large proportion of [these] cancers can be prevented by taking a prenatal multivitamin before and during pregnancy, " said Dr Gideon Koren, director of the Motherisk Program at Sick Kids hospital.
"This affordable approach could contribute to a significant reduction in the number of childhood cancer cases diagnosed each year."
After examining the findings of seven scientific articles that met the inclusion criteria, the study found that prenatal supplementation of multivitamins containing folic acid is associated with a 47% protective effect for neuroblastoma.
For leukemia, the protective effect is 39%; for brain tumours, 27%.
Fix low EFAs in ADHD kids: studies Â
Essential fatty acids (EFAs) may be useful in treating Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), preliminary research suggests.
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In Australia, researchers selected 132 children age seven to 12 with the ADHD symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. The children were randomly assigned to take EFAs alone, EFAs plus micronutrients, or a placebo.
After 15 weeks, parent rating scores of ADHD symptoms in their children showed "significant medium to strong treatment effects" for both EFA groups, with or without micronutrients.
In a second stage of the study, when all of the children received EFAs, "these results were replicated in the placebo group." As well, during this time, the original treatment groups continued to improve.
"These results add to preliminary findings that ADHD-related problems with inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity might respond to treatment with EFAs and that improvements may continue with supplementation extending to 30 weeks," the researchers concluded.
A study from West Lafayette, Indiana also points to the relevance of omega-3 fatty acid status in relation to ADHD. In this study, researchers found that compared to individuals in a control group, those with ADHD had lower proportions of omega-3 fatty acids in the blood and higher proportions of saturated fatty acids. "Intake of saturated fat was 30% higher in the ADHD group, but intake of all other nutrients was not different."
Herb cuts hot flashes, cancer risk Â
Black cohosh is commonly used to help alleviate menopausal symptoms. Now it appears black cohosh may also reduce breast cancer and heart disease risk.
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Higher good cholesterol scores were another benefit seen in the black cohosh group.
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Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine looked at 1,000 women with breast cancer and about 1,500 other women. Participants completed questionnaires addressing demographic information and the use of hormone-related supplements.
African American women were more likely than European American women to use any herbal preparation, the researchers found. As well, they discovered that the use of black cohosh was associated with a 61% reduction in the risk of breast cancer.
"Additional confirmatory studies are required to determine whether black cohosh could be used to prevent breast cancer," the researchers say.
Meanwhile, Korean researchers set out to examine the effects of black cohosh and St John's wort on vaginal atrophy, hormone levels and lipid profiles in menopausal women.About 90 peri- or postmenopausal women received a combination of St John's wort and black cohosh extract or a placebo for 12 weeks. While symptoms in the two groups were similar at the outset, a measurement tool called the Kupperman Index (KI) revealed changes as the study progressed.
"Mean KI scores and hot flushes after four and 12 weeks were significantly lower" in the treatment group, the researchers found. As well, HDL ("good") cholesterol levels decreased in the control group and increased in the treatment group.
Folic acid pills reduce risk of stroke Â
Folic acid supplements can reduce the risk of stroke by 18% or more, conclude authors of a recent article published in The Lancet. Professor Xiaobin Wang and colleagues did a meta-analysis of eight trials of folic acid, all of which had stroke as one of the endpoints.
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Folic acid supplementation lowers the levels of homocysteine in the blood. High amounts of homocysteine are thought to increase the risk of stroke, as well as that of cardiovascular disease and deep vein thrombosis.
They found folic acid supplementation reduced the relative risk of stroke by an average of 18%. In subgroup analyses, an even greater reduction of risk was seen when the treatment lasted over 36 months (29% less risk); if it reduced the concentration of homocysteine in the blood by more than 20% (23% less risk); or if the patient had no previous history of stroke (25% less risk).
The authors conclude: "Our meta-analysis provides coherent evidence that folic acid supplementation can significantly reduce the risk of stroke in primary prevention."
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