Pleasant Stone Farm Clinical Reports

Drinking green tea every day for a month may protect against damage at a genetic levels, with benefits linked to the beverage’s antioxidant content, says a new study.

Combined results from a human supplementation trial and an in vitro study indicated a 20 percent reduction in levels of DNA damage, while measures of whole-body oxidative stress were unaffected, say findings published in the British Journal of Nutrition.

“The results indicate that green tea has significant genoprotective effects and provide evidence for green tea as a ‘functional food’,” wrote researchers from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Tea break

The study adds to an ever-growing body of science supporting the potential benefits of green tea and the polyphenolic compounds it contains. Hundreds of studies report that the beverage may reduce the risk of certain cancers, aid weight management, and protection against Alzheimer’s.

Green tea contains between 30 and 40 per cent of water-extractable polyphenols, while black tea (green tea that has been oxidized by fermentation) contains between 3 and 10 per cent.

The four primary polyphenols found in fresh tealeaves are epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate, and epicatechin.

Study details

Led by Professor Iris Benzie, the researchers recruited 18 healthy volunteers to participate in a placebo-controlled, cross-over supplementation study. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive two cups of 1 percent green tea (‘Longjing’ green tea or ‘screw-shaped’ green tea) or water every day for 4 weeks. Six week washout periods separated each four-week intervention, and blood and urine samples were collected before and after each intervention.

Analysis of these bodily fluids showed a 20 percent reduction in DNA damage, measured using the formamidopyrimidine glycosylase (Fpg) enzyme-assisted comet assay.

For the in vitro study, the researchers pre-incubated human blood cells with green tea and then exposed these cells to the oxidising agent hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). “In vitro testing results of tea-treated cells showed increased resistance of DNA to the challenge,” they stated.

On the other hand, the human study showed no changes in urine levels of 7,8-dihydro-2-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG), reported to be “a biomarker of whole-body oxidative stress”.

Biological aging

At the start of this year, scientists from the Chinese University of Hong Kong reported that the cells of regular tea drinkers may have a younger biological age than cells from non-drinkers.

By looking at the length of telomeres, DNA sequences at the end of chromosomes that shorten as cells replicate and age, the Chinese researchers reported that the telomeres of people who drank an average of three cups of tea per day were about 4.6 kilobases longer than people who drank an average of a quarter of a cup a day.

This average difference in the telomere length corresponds to “approximately a difference of 5 years of life”, wrote the Hong Kong-based researchers (British Journal of Nutrition, Vol. 103, pp 107-113).

Source: British Journal of Nutrition
Published online ahead of print, doi:
“Genoprotective effects of green tea (Camellia sinensis) in human subjects: results of a controlled supplementation trial”
K. C. Hana1, W. C. Wonga1 and Iris F. F. Benzie

High selenium intake could have a beneficial effect on bladder cancer risk, according new research.

A meta-analysis of seven previously published studies found that the minerals’s potential protective effect was seen mainly among women, which suggests gender-specific differences in selenium accumulation and excretion, according to findings published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

“Results suggest a beneficial effect of high selenium intake for bladder cancer risk,” wrote the researchers, led by Dr Núria Malats, from the Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology Group at the Spanish National Cancer Research Center.

“The lower the levels of selenium, the higher the risk of developing bladder cancer,” said Dr. Malats.

Essential nutrient

Selenium is an essential macronutrient, and is considered to be an antioxidant. High levels of selenium have been inversely associated with risk of developing several cancers, including bladder, prostate and thryroid .

Selenium has also been linked with a lower risk of skin cancer , but studies on lung cancer have suggested the nutrient ‘has no benefit’ .

Last year Bayer Healthcare had to change health claims about prostate cancer on its ‘One A Day’ vitamins, following threats of a lawsuit calling the claims “misleading”.

Inverse association

The analysis found overall risk of bladder cancer was inversely associated with levels of selenium.

A significant protective effect for selenium was seen mainly among women. The researchers suggest this may result from gender-specific differences in selenium accumulation and excretion.

“This meta-analysis supports an inverse association between selenium concentration and bladder cancer risk,” wrote the researchers.

Although the results suggest a protective effect of selenium for bladder cancer risk, the Dr. Malats warned that additional large-scale studies are warranted to support this preliminary evidence.

“More studies are needed to confirm these findings before an enforcement of high selenium intake is recommended,” stated Malats.

Prof. Elizabeth A. Platz from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and editorial board member for Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention said: “These findings provide a valuable lead for what to do next to understand if there is a role for selenium supplementation in bladder cancer prevention.”

The researchers suggest further research is needed in to the relationship between selenium and bladder cancer, focusing especially on the dose-response relationship.

“Addressing this [dose-response] relationship is of public health importance for setting recommended daily intakes for selenium and for targeting subsets of the population for selenium supplementation”, added Prof. Platz.

Source: Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-10-0544
“Selenium and Bladder Cancer Risk: a Meta-analysis”
Authors: A.F.S. Amaral, K.P. Cantor, D.T. Silverman, N. Malats

Cranberry juice could offer protection from serious ‘staph infections’ like toxic shock syndrome and MRSA, according to researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

The researchers, led by Dr Terri Camesano, professor of chemical engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), reported the surprise finding of the study – that that a cranberry juice cocktail blocked a strain of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) from beginning the process of infection.

“Most of our work with cranberry juice has been with E. coli and urinary tract infections, but we included Staphylococcus aureus in this study because it is a very serious health threat,” Prof Camesano said. “This is early data, but the results are surprising.”

Protective effects?

Cranberry has long been linked with protection from UTIs, with previous studies showing mixed reviews for the benefits of cranberry juice.

In a systematic review of the evidence the Cochrane collaboration reported: “There is some evidence that cranberry juice may decrease the number of symptomatic UTIs over a 12 month period, particularly for women with recurrent UTIs.”

However, last year the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) issued a negative opinion to global cranberry leader Ocean Spray for an article 14 health claim relating consumption of cranberry and urinary tract infection (UTI) in women.

E. coli is accountable for around 80 percent of urinary tract infections (UTIs), whilst S. aureus can cause a range of “staph infections”, ranging from minor skin rashes to serious infections like toxic shock syndrome.

Antibiotic resistant strains of S. aureus like Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are a growing problem – in the USA deaths from MRSA more than doubled between 199 and 2005.

Infection occurs when bacteria manage to adhere to a host cell and form a biofilm, this thin film creates an environment where the bacteria can multiply and thrive.

Significant results

The researchers tested a cranberry juice cocktail against placebo fluid that looked and tasted like cranberry juice. Urine samples were then incubated in petri dishes with strains of E. coli or S. aureus.

Analysis showed urine samples from subjects who had recently consumed cranberry juice cocktail significantly reduced the ability of E. coli and S. aureus to form biofilms on the surface of the dishes.

“What was surprising is that Staphylococcus aureus showed the most significant results in this study,” said Camesano.

“We saw essentially no biofilm in the staph samples, which is very surprising because Staph aureus is usually very good at forming biofilms. That’s what makes it such a health problem,” she added.

Important area

In E. coli it is known that small hair-like projections known as fimbriae act like hooks and help the bacteria attach to cells lining the urinary tract.

Exposure to cranberry juice is suggested to cause the fimbriae on E. coli to curl up, blunting their ability to attach to cells, so offering a possible protective effect for UTIs.

Howver, S. aureus do not have fimbirae like E. coli.

“There must be other reasons why the cranberry juice affected its biofilm formation in the study,” suggests Prof Camesano.

The results of the research have been said to “create more questions than answers.”

“We believe this is an important new area to explore, and we are now thinking about how best to proceed,” added Camesano.

Source: Data was reported by Dr Terri Camesano in a poster presentation at the national meeting for the American Chemical Society, in Boston, August 23 2010.

READING, England—According to a current study published in International Journal of Probiotics & Prebiotics, the probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum WCFS1 showed benefits in autistic Individuals (2010;5(2):69-74).There is growing interest in the role of gastrointestinal (GI) pathology and clinical expression of autism. Recent studies have demonstrated differences in the fecal clostridial populations harbored by autistic and non-autistic children. The potential of L.plantarum WCSF1 to modulate the gut microbiota of autistic subjects was investigated during a double blind, placebo-controlled, crossover-designed feeding study. The fecal microbiota, gut function and behavior scores of subjects were examined throughout the 12-week study. L. plantarum WCFS1 feeding significantly increased Lab158 counts (lactobacilli and enterococci group) and significantly reduced Erec482 counts (Clostridium cluster XIVa) compared to placebo. Probiotic feeding also resulted in significant differences in the stool consistency compared to placebo and behavior scores compared to baseline. The major finding was the importance of study protocol in relation to the specific considerations of this subject population, with an extremely high dropout rate seen. Furthermore, the relatively high inter-individual variability observed suggested subsequent studies should use defined subgroups of autistic spectrum disorders, such as regressive or late-onset autism.

People with metabolic syndrome are nearly twice as likely to reverse the condition if they adhere to a healthy diet, according to a study published in Diabetes Care.

Metabolic syndrome is the name given to a host of related health conditions including raised blood sugar levels, excess abdominal fat, high blood pressure, and blood fat disorders such as high triglyceride levels, low levels of HDL cholesterol and high levels of LDL cholesterol. According to the American Heart Association, over 50 million Americans have metabolic syndrome, defined as having at least three of the above mentioned conditions.

This latest research is important because it suggests the effectiveness of an entire dietary pattern for combating risk factors for chronic illness, rather than pinpointing individual dietary components.

The study, led by Dr. Tasnime Akbaraly of University College London, examined whether adherence to the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) was effective for reversing metabolic syndrome over five years in a middle aged population.

The AHEI was developed by Harvard researchers as an alternative to the US Food Pyramid. It is characterized by prioritizing white meats and fish over red meat, whole grains over refined grains, and unsaturated fats over saturated ones.

Akbaraly and her colleagues looked at data on the health of 339 British office workers with metabolic syndrome participating in the Whitehall II study, a long-running study looking at social determinants of health among civil servants, one-third of whom are women.

After five years, nearly half no longer had metabolic syndrome, while those who adhered most closely to the AHEI were almost three times as likely to have reversed the condition, the researchers found.

“Our findings emphasize the potential benefits of adherence to the dietary recommendations of the AHEI in middle-aged individuals with MetS [metabolic syndrome], especially those with central obesity or high triglyceride levels,” they concluded.

The anthocyanin content of black rice may rival that of the blueberries and blackberries, and be available for a fraction of the cost, suggests new data from Louisiana.

Black rice, or ‘Forbidden Rice’ as it was known in ancient China, is a rich source of anthocyanin antioxidants and could offer food manufacturers an alternative to berries for a range of products, including breakfast cereals, beverages, cakes, cookies, and other foods. The results were presented at the 240th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS)

“Just a spoonful of black rice bran contains more health promoting anthocyanin antioxidants than are found in a spoonful of blueberries, but with less sugar and more fiber and vitamin E antioxidants,” said Zhimin Xu, Associate Professor at the Department of Food Science at Louisiana State University Agricultural Center in Baton Rouge.

“If berries are used to boost health, why not black rice and black rice bran? Especially, black rice bran would be a unique and economical material to increase consumption of health promoting antioxidants,” added Dr Xu.

Market potential

Data from Leatherhead Food International (LFI) shows that the world functional antioxidants market is increasing year on year by around 3 per cent, and was valued at US$ 400 million in 2004, and US$ 438 million in 2007. Europe, the US, and Japan account for 90 per cent of this market.

With flavonoids and polyphenols reported to be 45 per cent of this functional antioxidant market, equivalent to almost US$ 200 million,

Black rice

Dr Xu and colleagues analyzed samples of black rice bran from rice grown in the southern United States, and found that, in addition to high contents of gamma-tocotrienol (vitamin E), and gamma-oryzanol antioxidants, black rice bran possess higher level of anthocyanins antioxidants, which are water-soluble antioxidants.

The Louisiana-based scientists also told attendees at the ACS meeting that pigments in black rice bran extracts may also produce a variety of different colors, ranging from pink to black, and offer ‘natural’ options for foods and beverages.

Dr Xu noted that farmers in Louisiana have already expressed an interest in growing black rice and that he would like to see people in the country embrace its use.

Structure is key

Polyphenols, and flavonoids in particular, are not all created equal. For example, scientists from The Ohio State University reported that the structure of anthocyanins, the antioxidant pigments from a range of fruit and vegetables, is key to the cancer fighting abilities.

According to findings published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (doi: 10.1021/jf8005917), certain types of anthocyanins have greater activity against colon cancer than others.

“The chemical structures of anthocyanins do have a significant impact on their biological activity, and data suggest that non-acylated monoglycosylated anthocyanins are more potent inhibitors of colon cancer cell growth proliferation,” wrote lead author Pu Jing.

The researchers cautioned that more research is necessary to explore the role of anthocyanin structure and the chemo-protective effects.

Dietary supplementation with soluble plant fibers could reduce the effects of Crohn’s disease, whilst emulsifiers in processed foods could be exacerbating the problem, new research reports.

The study, reported in the BMJ journal Gut, suggests translocation of Escherichia coli in gut mucosal M-cells is reduced by plantain and broccoli soluble fibers, but increased by the emulsifier Polysorbate-80.

“This implies that dietary supplementation with such fibers might have a protective effect against Crohn’s disease relapse by preventing bacterial invasion of the mucosa,” wrote the researchers, led by Dr. Barry Campbell and Dr Jonathan Rhodes, both from the University of Liverpool.

Low fiber link?

Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory disease that can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract, causing a wide variety of symptoms including abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and weight loss.

Crohn’s disease is common in developed nations where the typical diet is low in fiber and high in processed food. Its incidence has been rising, with diet believed to be linked to higher prevalence in industrialized countries.

Increased numbers of E coli have been found in association with Crohn’s mucosa by previous research. A bacterial invasion of gut epithelium cells is known to occur initially through specialized microfold epithelial cells (M-cells).

Researchers reported that parts of the world – like as Africa, India and Central America – where plantains form an important part of the staple diet have low rates for inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s disease.

The new study aimed to assesses the effects of soluble plant fibers and food emulsifiers on translocation of Escherichia coli across M-cells in Crohn’s disease and from non-Crohn’s patients.

The effects of non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) plant fibers from plantain, broccoli, apple and leek were assessed and compared with the effects of food emulsifiers Polysorbate-80 and Polysorbate-60 – commonly used in the food industry.

Reduced translocation

The study reports plantain and broccoli NSP distinctly reduced E coli translocation across M-cells, whereas apple and leek NSP had no significant effects.

“Plantain NSP was shown to significantly block translocation of Crohn’s disease E coli through M-cells, both at 5 and 50 mg/mL. Likewise, broccoli NSP significantly inhibited bacterial translocation across M-cells in a dose-dependent manner,” reported the researchers

At high concentrations Polysorbate-80 was seen to increase E coli translocation across M-cells.

Similarly, E coli translocation across human Peyer’s patches was reduced by over 4,500 percent by soluble plantain NSP, whereas translocation was doubled with polysorbate-80 emulsions.

Achievable reductions

“Soluble plant fibers, particularly those present in plantain and broccoli, are shown to inhibit translocation of Crohn’s mucosa associated E coli isolates across M-cells, at concentrations that should be readily achievable in vivo,” wrote the researchers.

The researchers suggest the effects of food emulsifiers on E coli translocation could offer potential explanations for the association between the modern ‘Western’ diet and Crohn’s disease.

“Different dietary components may have powerful and contrasting effects on bacterial translocation across intestinal M-cells. These effects may be relevant to the role of environmental factors in the pathogenesis of Crohn’s disease and suggest possible novel therapeutic approaches

“These effects occur at relevant concentrations and may contribute to the impact of dietary factors on Crohn’s disease pathogenesis,” reported the authors

Intervention studies are needed to assess the effects of dietary changes in soluble plant fiber and emulsifier intake on Crohn’s disease activity, conclude the researchers.

Source: Gut

Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1136/gut.2009.195370

“Translocation of Crohn’s disease Escherichia coli across M-cells: contrasting effects of soluble plant fibres and emulsifiers”

Authors: C.L Roberts, A.V Keita, S.H Duncan, N. O’Kennedy, J.D Soderholm, J.M Rhodes, B.J Campbell

Increasing intakes of green leafy vegetables may reduce the risk of developing type-2 diabetes by about 15 per cent, according to a meta-analysis of six studies.

Researchers from the University of Leicester in the UK state that the benefits of the vegetables may be linked to their antioxidant content, with other observational studies highlighting the likes of beta-carotene, vitamin C, polyphenols and magnesium.

Writing in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), the researchers state, however, that the their results “support the evidence that ‘foods’ rather than isolated components such as antioxidants are beneficial for health”.

“The results support the growing body of evidence that lifestyle modification is an important factor in the prevention of type 2 diabetes,” wrote Professor Melanie Davies and her co-workers. “The potential for tailored advice on increasing intake of green leafy vegetables to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes should be investigated further.”

Diabetes affects an estimated 24 million Americans, equal to 8 percent of the population. The total costs are thought to be as much as $174 billion, with $116 billion being direct costs from medication, according to 2005-2007 American Diabetes Association figures.

Caution

In an accompanying editorial in the BMJ, Professor Jim Mann from the University of Otago in New Zealand, and Dr Dagfinn Aune from Imperial College, London (UK), said that the findings are a useful reminder that giving dietary advice may be just as good, if not better, than prescribing drugs.

“Although it may be reasonable to draw attention to the potential benefits of green leafy vegetables, which could be incorporated as one of the five recommended portions of fruit and vegetables a day, we must be careful that the message of increasing overall fruit and vegetable intake is not lost in a plethora of magic bullets,” they added.

Study details

Professor Davies and her co-workers searched the literature and found six studies that met their criteria. The studies provided data for 223,512 people aged from 25 to 70. While no overall association was seen for the consumption of vegetables, fruit, or fruit and vegetables, a greater intake of green leafy vegetables was associated with a 14 percent lower risk of type-2 diabetes.

“Further investigation is warranted to understand the mechanisms involved in the proposed relation between green leafy vegetables and risk of type-2 diabetes,” added the researchers.

Sources: BMJ
2010, 341:c4229, doi:10.1136/bmj.c4229
“Fruit and vegetable intake and incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus: systematic review and meta-analysis”
Authors: P. Carter, L.J. Gray, J. Troughton, K. Khunti, M.J. Davies

Eating too much red meat may increase the risk of heart failure by 24 per cent, according to a data from American male physicians.

An average of 9.5 servings of red meat per week was associated with a significant increase in heart failure risk, compared with only 1.5 servings per week, according to data from 21,120 men participating in the Physicians’ Health Study.

“To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the relationship between red meat consumption and HF risk in a large cohort,” state the researchers in Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases.

Bad press for meat products

The study is yet more bad news to the meat industry, following previous reports that consumption of red meat may increase the risk of certain cancers. Such reports are negatively impacting on the industry, according to a recent survey commissioned by the World Cancer Research Fund that found that over 10 per cent of people have tried to cut down on processed meat intake.

The survey was commissioned one year after the fund published a report that claimed that eating 150g of processed meat a day increased the risk of bowel cancer by 63 per cent.

Study details

Led by Dr Luc Djoussé from Division of Aging, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, the researchers analysed data from seemingly healthy men with an average age of 54.6. Crunching the numbers revealed that men with the highest average intake of red meat (almost 10 servings per week) were at a 24 per cent higher risk of heart failure than men with the lowest average weekly intakes.

Commenting on the potential mechanism, the researchers note that the saturated fat and cholesterol content of red meat may increase the risks of both high blood pressure (hypertension) and coronary heart disease, both of which are risk factors for heart failure.

“Further examination underlying mechanisms and of the relationship between red meat consumption and incident heart failure in the general population is warranted,” they concluded.

Source: Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2010.03.009
“Red meat consumption and risk of heart failure in male physicians”
A. Ashaye, J. Gaziano, L. Djoussé Eating too much red meat may increase the risk of heart failure by 24 per cent, according to a data from American male physicians.

An average of 9.5 servings of red meat per week was associated with a significant increase in heart failure risk, compared with only 1.5 servings per week, according to data from 21,120 men participating in the Physicians’ Health Study.

“To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the relationship between red meat consumption and HF risk in a large cohort,” state the researchers in Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases.

Bad press for meat products

The study is yet more bad news to the meat industry, following previous reports that consumption of red meat may increase the risk of certain cancers. Such reports are negatively impacting on the industry, according to a recent survey commissioned by the World Cancer Research Fund that found that over 10 per cent of people have tried to cut down on processed meat intake.

The survey was commissioned one year after the fund published a report that claimed that eating 150g of processed meat a day increased the risk of bowel cancer by 63 per cent.

Study details

Led by Dr Luc Djoussé from Division of Aging, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, the researchers analysed data from seemingly healthy men with an average age of 54.6. Crunching the numbers revealed that men with the highest average intake of red meat (almost 10 servings per week) were at a 24 per cent higher risk of heart failure than men with the lowest average weekly intakes.

Commenting on the potential mechanism, the researchers note that the saturated fat and cholesterol content of red meat may increase the risks of both high blood pressure (hypertension) and coronary heart disease, both of which are risk factors for heart failure.

“Further examination underlying mechanisms and of the relationship between red meat consumption and incident heart failure in the general population is warranted,” they concluded.

Source: Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2010.03.009
“Red meat consumption and risk of heart failure in male physicians”
A. Ashaye, J. Gaziano, L. Djoussé

Vitamin D may protect asthmatics from an allergic response linked to common mold, suggests a new study from the US supporting the vitamin’s immune health effects.

Results of a cell study ,published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, identified a connection between vitamin D levels and the activity of certain allergy associated immune cells.

“We found that adding vitamin D not only substantially reduced the production of the protein driving an allergic response, but it also increased production of the proteins that promote tolerance,” said lead researcher Dr Jay Kolls from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center.

Common complication

Allergies – especially to common mold (Aspergillus fumigatus) can cause often severe complications for asthma sufferers, whilst also commonly effecting sufferers of cystic fibrosis.

The environmental mold is one of the most widespread fungal organisms inhaled by people, but does not cause any problems to the vast majority of people. However, in asthmatics and in patients with Cystic Fibrosis (CF), exposure can lead to significant allergic symptoms.

Up to 15 percent of CF patients have severe allergic responses – called Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis (ABPA) – due to the inhilation of the common mold.

Allergy regulation

Kolls and colleagues set out to identify why only certain sub-set of patients with asthma and CF suffered from the mold allergy – assessing the factors that regulate the tolerance or sensitization to common mold during the development of ABPA.

The study found that the protein OX40L was critical in driving the allergic response to A. fumigatus. OX40L was found to increase the activity of Th2 cells, with a much greater Th2 response seen in immune cells isolated from patients with ABPA.

Immune cells from patients without ABPA were found to have higher levels of certain proteins that are essential in the development of allergen tolerance.

Vitamin D links

The research revealed high Th2 allergen reactivity in ABPA patients was associated with lower blood levels of vitamin D.

“We found that adding vitamin D not only substantially reduced the production of the protein driving an allergic response, but it also increased production of the proteins that promote tolerance,” said Dr. Kolls.

The study concludes that its data “strongly implicates vitamin D deficiency as a risk factor for ABPA”. Also suggesting that vitamin D enrichment or supplementation could be a valuable way to treat, and possibly prevent allergic reactions to common mold in people that are already suffering from respiratory conditions.

“Our study provides further evidence that vitamin D appears to be broadly associated with human health,” added Kolls,

“The next step in our research is to conduct a clinical trial to see if vitamin D can be used to treat or prevent this complication of asthma and Cystic Fibrosis.”

Kolls also said that the findings of the study “may be relevant to other allergies”.

He added: “Although there is no precise experimental data so show it, some the results with knockout mice suggest that vitamin D could play a role with other allergens.”

Other recent research has suggested that low levels of vitamin D may contribute to heart disease , a higher risk of diabetes , certain cancers , and depression as well as asthma , colds and flu , and other respiratory disorders .

Source: Journal of Clinical Investigation
Published online ahead of print, doi:10.1172/JCI42388
“Immune tolerance to Aspergillus fumigatus versus Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis: roles of OX40L and vitamin D in humans and mice.”
Authors: J.L. Kreindler, C. Steele, N. Nguyen, Y.R. Chan , et al.