Benign prostatic hypertrophy is estimated to affect half of men in their 50s, increasing in prevalence to up to 90 percent of men age 80 and older. In this newly published study researchers of the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart enrolled 40 men with biopsy-confirmed BPH (Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy) and a serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) concentration of greater than 4.0 micrograms per liter. The men were randomized to receive 15 milligrams of lycopene per day or inactive placebo for six months.

The British government has told pregnant and breastfeeding women to increase their intake of vitamin D during the darker winter months to reduce the risk of seizures and the bone disease rickets in their children. The Department of Health said doctors were reporting increasing numbers of cases of vitamin D deficiency in children. It said that children from Asian, Afro-Caribbean and Middle Eastern backgrounds could be at greater risk.

Scientists at the University of Tromso in Norway analyzed the data from 93 randomized, placebo-controlled human clinical trials covering 9625 study participants evaluating the ability of Red Yeast Rice to lower cholesterol. The researched showed a significant decrease in total cholesterol levels by 35 mg/dl, a significant drop in triglycerides of 36mg/dl, and a similarly significant drop in LDL-cholesterol (lowered by a significant 22%), and a healthy 13 point increase in HDL-cholesterol by Red Yeast Rice treatments vs. placebo (all values represent the average and not the extreme effects).

EPA and DHA are omega-3 fatty acids derived from ocean-going cold-water fish such as salmon. They are conditionally essential nutrients that enhance quality of life and lower the risk of premature death. These fats function exclusively on our cells membrane where they are anchored by phospholipids such as Phosphatidylserine.

Neurological researchers tested the effects of a standardized Rhodiola rosea extract on 89 patients with depression (mild to moderate). The study was a Phase III Clinical Trial that was designed as a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled human trial with 3 parallel groups over a 6-week period. One group received a total of 340mg a day of Rhodiola and the second received 680mg a day while the third group received the inactive placebo.