This study was conducted to explore whether supplementation of zinc to children during persistent diarrhoea has any subsequent effect on morbidity and growth. A prospective follow-up study was conducted among children, aged 3-24 months, with persistent diarrhoea, who participated earlier in a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial. During persistent diarrhoea, children were randomly a...

With the increasing recognition of the importance of the non-skeletal effects of vitamin D (VitD), more and more attention has been drawn to VitD status in early life. However, the VitD status of newborns and factors that influence VitD levels in Shanghai, China, remain unclear. A total of 1030 pregnant women were selected from two hospitals in Shanghai, one of the largest cities in China locat...

There is intense interest in the role of vitamin D in the development of asthma and allergies. However, studies differ on whether a higher vitamin D intake or status in pregnancy or at birth is protective against asthma and allergies. To address this uncertainty, the Vitamin D Antenatal Asthma Reduction Trial (VDAART) was developed. VDAART is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial...

BACKGROUND Inadequate micronutrient intake among older adults is common despite the increased prevalence of fortified/enriched foods in the American diet. Although many older adults take multivitamin supplements in an effort to compensate, studies examining the benefits of this behavior are absent. OBJECTIVE To determine whether a daily multivitamin/mineral supplement can improve micronutrien...

For a number of years, there has been speculation about the potential benefit of Parkinson's disease by treatment with Ginkgo biloba. In this case report, my grandfather, who had a known history of Parkinson's, had dramatic improvement after supplementation with ginkgo and a multivitamin-multimineral supplement. Human studies are needed for confirmation.

BACKGROUND Poor child growth increases risks of mortality and morbidity. Micronutrient supplements have the potential to improve child growth. OBJECTIVE We assessed the effect of daily zinc, multivitamin (vitamins C, E, and B-complex), and zinc and multivitamin (Zn+MV) supplementation on growth in infants in Tanzania. DESIGN In this randomized, 2 × 2 factorial, double-blind trial, 2400 infa...

BACKGROUND Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease. A preventive role for vitamin K in CAC progression has been proposed on the basis of the properties of matrix Gla protein (MGP) as a vitamin K-dependent calcification inhibitor. OBJECTIVE The objective was to determine the effect of phylloquinone (vitamin K1) supplementation on CAC progressio...

A total of 1078 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1-infected women from Tanzania were randomized in a placebo-controlled trial using a factorial design to examine the effects of supplementation with vitamin A (preformed vitamin A and beta carotene) and/or multivitamins (vitamins B, C, and E). Supplements were given during pregnancy and lactation. Children of women in the multivitamin arms...

Two studies were conducted to compare characteristics of consumers and non-consumers of vitamin and/or dietary supplements (study 1) and to assess the effect of a multivitamin and mineral supplementation during a weight-reducing programme (study 2). Body weight and composition, energy expenditure, and Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire scores were compared between consumers and non-consumers of ...

CONTEXT Although multivitamins are used to prevent vitamin and mineral deficiency, there is a perception that multivitamins may prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD). Observational studies have shown inconsistent associations between regular multivitamin use and CVD, with no long-term clinical trials of multivitamin use. OBJECTIVE To determine whether long-term multivitamin supplementation dec...