The B-Complex Vitamins Vitamin B6 and Folic Acid have been shown through a number of studies to have value for protecting the heart, colon, and brain. In this new study Japanese researchers report that there is a reduced risk of heart failure in men and a lower risk of heart disease and stroke in women whose diets include relatively high amounts of these B vitamins; folate and vitamin B6.      Osaka University’s Hiroyasu Iso, MD and colleagues evaluated data on 23,119 men and 35,611 women aged 40 to 79 who participated in the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study Group.

     A new study reports a benefit for docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation in a clinical trial of individuals with age-related cognitive decline (ARC). The report summarized the outcome of The Memory Improvement with DHA Study (MIDAS). MIDAS included 485 individuals aged 55 and older with mild memory complaints.

A daily supplement of vitamin E was found to improve the health of the livers of people with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a liver disease that was progressing towards cirrhosis, says a new study from researchers at Saint Louis University that included 247 patients in a 96 week study. 43 % of people receiving a daily dose of 800 IU of vitamin E showed significant improvement of the liver, compared with only 19 per cent of those receiving a placebo. The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

     Flaxseed and its lignans may offer protection against breast, prostate, colon, and skin cancers while the soluble fibre they contain could help maintain steady blood sugar levels, found a review of research into the seed. The study review evaluated current research on flaxseed and any potential benefits it may have against diabetes and certain cancers.      Flaxseed has been the focus of increased interest in the field of diet and disease research due to the potential health benefits associated with some of its biologically active components: oil containing approximately 59 % alpha-linolenic acid (ALA – an omega 3 fatty acid) and the presence of plant lignans.

High doses of Resveratrol, in the order of 250mg, improve blood flow in the brain and potentially boost brain health, say results of a new human study from the UK. A single dose of 250 or 500 milligrams of Resveratrol was found to boost blood flow in the brain. “The results of the current study provide the first indication in humans that Resveratrol may be able to modulate cerebral blood flow variables,” wrote the researchers, led by Dr.