People with higher levels of vitamin D in their bodies are 72 percent less likely to die from colorectal cancer, according to a new study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Colorectal cancer kills approximately 50,000 people in the United States per year. In the study researchers tracked the health status of 16,818 people in a nationwide government health survey.

     Increasing your vitamin D intake may lead to mood improvements and protect against depression, suggests new research published this week. In the study low levels of the vitamin and higher blood levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH) were associated with higher rates of depression among 1,282 community dwelling residents with a range of age from 65 to 95.      Recently, a review by Bruce Ames and Joyce McCann from the Children's Hospital and Research Center Oakland highlighted the role of the vitamin in maintaining brain health, noting the wide distribution of vitamin D receptors throughout the brain.

     Creatine kinase is an enzyme involved with energy production in muscles. When muscle is damaged it leads to elevating levels of creatine kinase and an elevated level is related to muscle breakdown. Lipid peroxidation refers to the degradation of lipids (fats) usually caused by oxidation.

     Scientists report the latest findings from MESA (Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis [an ongoing study]) - obesity is associated with long-term inflammation of the heart possibly leading to congestive heart failure. The analysis conducted by cardiology specialists at Johns Hopkins University and other institutions involved 6,814 MESA participants who were 45 to 84 years of age upon recruitment between 2000 and 2002. MESA researchers plan to follow the subjects until 2012.

In this 8-week study 55 patients with high cholesterol were placed on placebo, on 300mg of Flaxseed Lignans or on 600mg of Flaxseed Lignans. After 6 to 8 weeks of using the 600mg of Flaxseed Lignans total cholesterol decreased by 22% and LDL-cholesterol decreased by 24% over placebo. If the patients had elevated blood sugar the 600mg dosage also reduced their blood sugar by 25%.