In 132,823 adults followed about 17.5 years, women taking 500 to 1,000 mg of supplemental calcium daily had up to 16% lower all-cause death risk, while men taking 1,000 mg or more were 17% more likely to die, mostly from cardiovascular causes.
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Minerals
Calcium, iron, magnesium, selenium, zinc and other minerals in the diet.
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Minerals
Potassium plus ascorbic acid kill breast cancer more effectively ***
A cell-culture study in Oncology Letters found potassium bicarbonate boosted ascorbic acid's effect on breast cancer lines, with the combination producing more apoptosis in MCF-7 cells. The authors say animal work is needed to see whether the effect holds in vivo.
Minerals
Does selenium increase risk of diabetes mellitus?
A case-control study found people with the highest serum selenium were five times as likely to have diagnosed diabetes. The article cautions this need not mean selenium causes it — patients may have been taking supplements — and cites a trial where 200 ug a day improved insulin measures.
Minerals
Folic acid may negate 5-fluorouracil in treating colon cancer
In mice carrying human colon cancer grafts, 5-fluorouracil slowed tumor growth without folic acid, but at 4x supplemental folic acid treated tumors grew faster than untreated ones, and at 12.5x the drug's effect disappeared. The authors call this a possible public health concern.
Minerals
Selenium may prevent aggressive prostate cancer
Pooling 15 prospective studies, researchers found blood selenium unrelated to total prostate cancer risk but linked to 57% lower risk of aggressive disease, while nail selenium, a marker of long-term intake, corresponded to up to 71% lower total risk.
Minerals
Potassium intake lowers kidney stone risk
Data from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study and both Nurses' Health Studies link dairy protein to lower kidney stone risk and meat protein to 15% to 20% higher risk. Potassium intake was tied to almost 56% lower risk, which the piece attributes to eating more vegetables.
Minerals
Iron may affect gestational diabetes mellitus risk
A Boston University-led study found high preconceptional heme iron intake was associated with a 55% higher risk of gestational diabetes, while high non-heme iron intake was linked to 52% lower risk and supplemental iron to 22% lower risk. The authors say causation was not proved.
Minerals
Zinc supplement boosts serum zinc, immunity in older people
In a small Tufts trial of 25 older adults reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, three months of a multivitamin with 30 mg of zinc raised serum zinc and increased the number and effectiveness of T-cells compared with a multivitamin carrying only 5 mg.
Minerals
Magnesium and Health: The Whole Truth About These Supplements
A beginner's guide from LabDoor's Benita Lee: magnesium is needed to make DNA, RNA, protein and glutathione, moves calcium and potassium across cell membranes for nerve impulses, muscle contraction and heart rhythm, and supports insulin regulation and blood glucose control.
Minerals
Dietary selenium may lower cancer risk
Pooling 69 studies, researchers report that high blood selenium was associated with up to 22 percent lower risk of breast, lung, esophageal, gastric and prostate cancer, but not colorectal, bladder or skin cancer. Supplemental selenium showed no association with cancer risk.
Minerals
Selenium bad for prostate cancer patients
Among 4,459 men with non-advanced prostate cancer, those taking 140 micrograms or more of supplemental selenium a day were twice as likely to die of the disease over a median 7.8 years. Risk rose with dose, while recurrence and overall mortality were not affected.
Minerals
Calcium, phosphorus boost lethal prostate cancer risk
Following 47,885 men for up to 24 years, Harvard researchers tied phosphorus intake independently to lethal and high-grade prostate cancer. Calcium above 2,000 mg a day was also associated with risk, but that link lost significance after adjusting for phosphorus.
Minerals
High salt can raise risk of cardiovascular disease
A review in Current Opinion in Nephrology and Hypertension argues salt damages blood vessels independently of blood pressure, inducing oxidative stress that impairs endothelial function and stiffens arteries. Its authors say even people with normal blood pressure should avoid high salt intake.
Minerals
Prenatal iron deficiency a risk for autism?
In a population-based case-control study, mothers of children with autism were 37 percent less likely to report taking iron supplements and reported lower daily iron intake. The highest quintile of intake was correlated with 51 percent lower autism risk, particularly during breastfeeding.
Minerals
Zinc supplements not good for those using steroid therapy
In rats given prednisolone for eight weeks, adding zinc supplements further lowered calcium in bone and serum and reduced bone dry weight, mineral content and density. The authors conclude moderate zinc during steroid therapy can worsen calcium deficiency and speed bone loss.
Minerals
Calcium supplements may cut death risk in type 2 diabetes mellitus
In a Wake Forest analysis of 720 people with type 2 diabetes, calcium intake showed no association with subclinical cardiovascular disease or with mortality overall, but women who used calcium supplements had a 38 percent lower risk of death from any cause.
Minerals
Moringa oleifera supplement good source of iron
Rats made iron-deficient over 10 weeks recovered better on a Moringa oleifera leaf supplement given with vitamin C than on ferric citrate, a common iron supplement.
Minerals
Do your supplements contain toxic chromium?
Chinese researchers report that chromium III, the form common in dietary supplements, caused mutations in yeast and DNA damage in yeast and Jurkat cells, and was more toxic than chromium VI. They suggest supplementation may not be safe for people who are not deficient.
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