Disclaimer – we don’t have an M.B.A. – but we have reached this financial conclusion: people like vitamins. Our office’s “guess how many GNC stores there are” game was rocked by the stunning size of the vitamin retailer (and also was marred by our mumbling, which led two contestants to think we said “guess how many GNC stories there are.”)

GNC Holdings Inc., which just filed for an initial public offering worth up to $350 million, is backed by Ares Management and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan. They bought the company from Apollo Management LP in 2007 for $1.65 billion.

As for the store count, there were an impressive 7,103 locations at June 30. This included 2,687 company-owned sites in the U.S., 171 company-owned stores in Canada, 892 domestic franchised locations, 1,381 international franchised stores and 1,972 “store-within-a-store” locations under an alliance with Rite Aid Corp. “Our network of domestic retail locations is approximately twelve times larger than the next largest U.S. specialty retailer of nutritional supplements,” the company said in its filing. GNC believes “the U.S. market can support a significant number of additional GNC stores,” and plans to expand its U.S. company-owned retail square footage by 3%.

The company’s results show that the market for Ultra Mega and Pro Performance hasn’t been exhausted yet. GNC said its second quarter marked the 20th in a row with higher domestic company-owned same-store sales. For the six months ended June 30, revenue rose to $920.7 million from $872.3 million in the comparable 2009 period. Net income rose to $51.1 million from $37.4 million while Ebitda increased to $136.5 million from $118.9 million.

Another PE-sponsored nutritional products retailer, Vitamin Shoppe, went public last year. The Irving Place Capital-backed chain, with more than 400 locations, debuted at $17 in October 2009 and closed Monday at $27.60.

Bayer HealthCare, the manufacturer of Yaz birth control pills, won government approval for Beyaz, a new oral contraceptive that is essentially identical to Yaz but is designed to boost levels of folic acid in users. There’s an interesting irony to the ploy, since supplementation with folic acid, an essential B-vitamin, is recommended for women who are or want to be pregnant in order to avoid birth defects and neural tube defects such as spina bifida. Bayer plans to market the pill as a safeguard against complications in case women *do* become pregnant while taking it.

“Combining an oral contraceptive with folate is important, because women may become pregnant during [oral contraceptive] use or shortly after discontinuation, possibly before seeking preconception counseling from their health care provider,” wrote Dr. Anita Nelson, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Harbor–University of California at Los Angeles Medical Center in a Bayer HealthCare statement.

The “perfect use” rate for preventing pregnancy with birth control pills is 99%. But few people use contraception perfectly. Doctors have calculated another rate — the “real use” rate — that reflects human errors in pill-taking and results in more limited success in preventing pregnancy. That rate is 91%, according to the Guttmacher Institute. Two common errors women make while taking the Pill: forgetting to take pills or simultaneously taking antibiotics that reduce the birth control’s effectiveness.

Aside from the addition of folic acid, Beyaz is identical to Yaz, the once bestselling oral contraceptive — marketed as “beyond birth control” — that has recently become embattled and dropped off in sales. The new pill may be a clever way to help the company sidestep the competition or simply revive a fading brand.

In 2009, the FDA cracked down on Bayer for making misleading claims in advertisements for Yaz. In television and print commercials, the government said, Bayer overstated the pill’s benefits for acne and premenstrual syndrome. (Yaz is approved for treating only moderate acne and a severe form of premenstrual syndrome called PMDD or premenstrual dysphoric disorder.) Bayer was forced to spend $20 million to correct the misleading ads.

Meanwhile, a Danish study found that users of birth control containing the newer progestin drospirenone (contained in Yaz and its sister pill Yasmin), had a 64% higher risk of pulmonary embolism — a rare side effect involving blood clots, which can occur with any combination hormone birth control — compared wit women who used an older oral contraceptive. A separate Dutch studied backed up the finding.

The overall risk of blood clots is so low, however, that some experts said even the 64% increase was no cause for concern in most women. Still, it was scary enough to consumers to help reduce sales of Yaz — which had done more than $600 million in sales in 2008 — by 15% the following year. What’s more, at least 2,000 suits are now pending against Bayer alleging that the drug-maker did not adequately warn women about the increased risk of stroke, heart attack, blood clots and other side effects of Yaz and Yasmin.

Yaz also has a competitor at its heels: Teva Pharmaceuticals began selling a generic version of the pill Bayer liked to call “beyond birth control” in June. Bayer sued Teva.

We’ll wait to see whether Beyaz can help Bayer recover some of its lost customers and shed its bad press.

Via time

People who consumed the most magnesium in foods and from vitamin supplements were about half as likely to develop diabetes over the next 20 years as people who took in the least magnesium, Dr. Ka He of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and colleagues found.

The results may explain in part why consuming whole grains, which are high in magnesium, is also associated with lower diabetes risk. However, large clinical trials testing the effects of magnesium on diabetes risk are needed to determine whether a causal relationship truly exists, the researchers note in Diabetes Care.

It’s plausible that magnesium could influence diabetes risk because the mineral is needed for the proper functioning of several enzymes that help the body process glucose, the researchers point out. Studies of magnesium and diabetes risk have had conflicting results, though.

To investigate the link, the researchers looked at magnesium intake and diabetes risk in 4,497 men and women 18 to 30 years old, none of whom were diabetic at the study’s outset. During a 20-year follow-up period, 330 of the subjects developed diabetes.

People with the highest magnesium intake, who averaged about 200 milligrams of magnesium for every 1,000 calories they consumed, were 47 percent less likely to have developed diabetes during follow up than those with the lowest intakes, who consumed about 100 milligrams of magnesium per 1,000 calories.

He and colleagues also found that as magnesium intake rose, levels of several markers of inflammation decreased, as did resistance to the effects of the key blood-sugar-regulating hormone insulin. Higher blood levels of magnesium also were linked to a lower degree of insulin resistance.

“Increasing magnesium intake may be important for improving insulin sensitivity, reducing systemic inflammation, and decreasing diabetes risk,” He and colleagues write. “Further large-scale clinical trials are needed to establish causal inference and elucidate the mechanisms behind this potential benefit.”

Via reuters

WIDESPREAD criticism of the Therapeutic Goods Administration has forced the Gillard government to consider overhauling Australia’s drugs regulator because it is failing to adequately police the $2 billion industry in ”miracle” cures and other quasi-health devices.

Claims that therapeutic products can cure everything from AIDS to cancer, guarantee weight loss or improve strength, balance and flexibility are misleading and deceptive and can sometimes lead to lethal results, health experts say.

The Federal Department of Health and Ageing released a consultation paper on the advertising of therapeutic goods in June, saying it was important the public received accurate information about the risks as well as the purported benefits of goods.

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”Concerns have been raised by some opponents of the current advertising framework that the system is not working to protect consumers as well as it might,” the paper said. ”There is a perception that the complaints-handling process is not as transparent as it could be, and that the sanctions available to the [TGA's] complaints resolution panel … do not provide sufficient deterrence.”

Unlike registered pharmaceutical drugs, most herbal and complementary medicines are ”listed” by the TGA, which means their makers pay a fee and are expected to have evidence to back their claims. Listed products are not reviewed by the TGA but are subject to random audits.

Public Health Association of Australia chief executive Michael Moore said there was a perception the TGA did not take consumer protection seriously and its ”light touch” approach was no longer appropriate in an industry in which Australians spent more than $2 billion a year.

Mr Moore said product names such as Fat Magnet, Weight-Loss Accelerate and Slim Me were misleading and deceptive, and provided minimal or no information about known side effects.

Under the Therapeutic Goods Act, there is no provision for the TGA to impose civil penalties for breaches of the advertising code. It can only remove products from the register and refer repeated breaches of the advertising code to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.

TGA spokeswoman Kay McNiece said most companies supplying therapeutic goods to the Australian market complied with advertising requirements, ”but it is acknowledged that the complaint-handling arrangements for those companies that do not comply could be improved”.

Ms McNiece said the TGA supported reforms that provided an effective complaint process.

One long-standing critic of the TGA, La Trobe University public health expert Dr Ken Harvey, who complained to the administration’s complaints resolution panel in June about Power Balance wristbands, said the company continued to make millions of dollars from wristband sales while the TGA was yet to finalise its investigation into the product.

Power Balance claims to improve strength, balance and flexibility.

via theage

More than 10 million American’s all through the United States suffer from asthma. Asthma is very frequent, with physicians considering it to be a completely new plague. The majority of Americans that suffer from asthma blame it on environmental pollution, along with the escalating exposure of toxic chemical substances throughout the atmosphere. Deaths that result from asthma are on the rise, because of those who have it not necessarily realizing the early warning signs.

The condition of bronchial asthma causes the air passages inside the lungs to swell, throw out heavy mucus, and over time spasm. The actual swelling that takes place is likely to make the air passages smaller, making it hard to breathe. The first attack from asthma that you experience might include congestion, pain, wheezing, a shortness of breath, dryness in the mouth, coughing, along with a feeling as when you have a fever.

In contrast to what you may think, anything can result in asthma. The more typical triggers of it include things like allergies, an upper respiratory infection, stress, over exertion in exercising, or deficiency of a proper diet. Of all the triggers, allergic reactions tend to be the most common.

Normally, asthma attacks are caused by exposure to issues such as smoking, pollen, gas odors, as well as motor vehicle exhaust. Foods also can bring about episodes also, for example peanuts, corn, chocolate, and virtually all dairy food. If you take any sort of antibiotics, tranquilizers, or hormones, it may induce asthma. Asthma is a critical and fairly irritating ailment, one that an incredible number of us face on a daily basis.

There are many mineral, vitamin, and herbal supplements that you could take to handle asthma. Among many that you can take, vitamin B is probably the most important. Vitamin B maintains a biochemical equilibrium by the body processes and it can likewise decrease the severity of the attacks. If you take vitamin An and E together, they can work to defend your lungs against air pollution. Also you can take significant doses of vitamin c as well, as it is extremely effective in fighting asthma.

Gingko biloba works well also, because it will enhance your breathing and also help with your bronchial responses. Oder-less garlic is an additional wonderful option, since it includes an anti-inflammatory agent that could reduce your odds of an attack. Throughout the world of vitamin products and dietary supplements, there are numerous things that you can take to fight back against asthma.

Anytime that you imagine maybe you have asthma, you should not hesitate to go to your physician and be tested for it as soon as possible. Your physician is able to tell you if you have it, and just how serious it might be. In the meantime, you must avoid identified triggers and make sure that you’re eating a high protein diet together with lots of fruits and vegetables. You should also eat a number of meals throughout the day, instead of staying with the three most common meals – breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

As a whole, asthma can be quite demanding. You will find methods that you can fight back and help to eradicate asthma, which is always great news. In case your physician tells you that you in fact have asthma, you should ask him any questions that come to mind, along with their advice on what you should and should not do. Even though it may not seem like it at the time, asthma can be averted, and it doesn’t always have to prevent you doing things you love to do.

via lons

A deficiency of Vitamin B8 in the body is almost never related to a problem with consumption, but rather is caused by a problem with the absorption of the nutrient in the intestines.  The amount of vitamin B8 needed by the body is 300mcg per day which is easily achieved.  Meats, dairy products, whole grains, yeast and most vegetables and fruits contain Vitamin B8 so there isn’t a need to specify certain foods that must be included in the diet in order to avoid a deficiency.  The vast majority of cases of Vitamin B8 deficiency are the caused by the lower absorption rates seen in the elderly, alcoholics and those taking sulpha antibiotics for extended periods of time. It is important to note that alcohol not only can prevent proper absorption in the intestines, but also can destroy vitamin B8 in food.

As with most B-complex vitamin deficiencies, Vitamin B8 deficiency causes problems related to its major role in energy production.  Fatigue, muscle weakness, depression and diminished mental processing are all common symptoms seen with a Vitamin B8 deficiency.  These symptoms are generally vague and can be very modest initially so are easily overlooked.

Probably the most obvious symptoms and first noticed signs of a Vitamin B8 deficiency are rashes on the face, especially around the eyes.  Poor skin quality over the entire body is usually present, but the rashes near the eyes are really pronounced.  Conjunctivitis is also commonly seen in patients with Vitamin B8 deficiency, which is redness of the white part of the eyes.  Along with poor skin quality, hair quality is also very diminished in vitamin B8 deficiency.  There are three different signs related to hair quality that can be seen in a Vitamin B8 deficiency.  These are loss of color, dry and brittle hair, or complete hair loss.

The final major symptom of Vitamin B8 deficiency is often overlooked.  This is a greatly increased rate of bacterial and fungal infections.  This happens for a few reasons.  First, energy is required by the immune system.  Next, Vitamin B8 is needed by the immune system direction in order to mount an immune response.  Finally, because one of the primary symptoms of a Vitamin B8 deficiency is poor skin quality, this often diminishes the ability of the skin to act as a barrier to infection.

Vitamin B8 deficiency is rarely caused by a lack of Vitamin B8 in the body, instead the major cause is usually something that inhibits the body from absorbing Vitamin B8 from food as it passes through the intestines.  The most common reasons for this are old age, alcoholism or the side effects of sulpha antibiotics.  The major symptoms of a deficiency are poor skin quality, especially in the face along with fatigue and other related energy depletion symptoms.  Finally, because Vitamin B8 is so crucial to the immune system, a drastic increase in bacterial and fungal infections can be seen.

via helium

Vitamin C not only helps to shake off the symptoms of a common cold faster but is also an essential nutrient for overall health and well being because of its remarkable and protective benefits.

According to a new study, vitamin C may work as a natural happy pill.

There is scientific evidence that supplement of the nutrient enhances the emotional state of acutely hospitalized patients, by improving their mood and making them feel happier.

Lead researcher, Dr. John Hoffer, a Senior Physician in the Divisions of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, and a professor of medicine at McGill University stated, “About one in five acute-care patients in our hospital have vitamin C levels so low as to be compatible with scurvy. But patients are rarely given vitamin supplements. Most physicians are simply unaware of the problem.

“Subclinical deficiencies of vitamin C and D have each been linked to psychological abnormalities, so we examined that aspect in our clinical trial.”

Findings of the study
In a bid to assess whether a simple dose of vitamin C makes accident and emergency patients happier, the researchers conducted a double-blind clinical trial took at the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal, Canada.

As a part of the study, the patients were randomly assigned supplements of either vitamin C (500 mg bid) or vitamin D (1,000IU bid) for seven to 10 days.

Vitamin D was used as an alternative treatment since its deficiency is also very common in acutely hospitalized patients and has been linked to abnormal mood.

Mood was assessed using the Profile of Mood States (POMS). It was noted that patients who were administered vitamin C exhibited a rapid and clinically significant improvement in their state of mood.

There was a 34 percent reduction in mood swings in them. However, no such change was observed in those taking vitamin D.

The researchers theorize that sub-normal vitamin C concentrations in the cerebrospinal fluid may be adversely affecting brain functions and mood, but once the nutrient is replenished the mood could improve.

Dr Hoffer stated, “The lack of any effect of vitamin D on mood is good evidence we are not dealing with a placebo response.

“This looks like a true biological effect. Our finding definitely requires follow up in larger studies in other centres. The treatment is safe, simple, and cheap, and could have major clinical practice implications.”

Health benefits of Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a water-soluble antioxidant which needs to be obtained through food or supplements as it is not made by the body.

It is known to lessen the severity of the common cold. Vitamin C is a potent free radical eliminator and is essential for a strong and healthy immune system.

Adequate intake of Vitamin C is linked with creation of collagen and neurotransmitters, reduction in cholesterol and gallstones, conversion of fat to energy and lowering the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer.

Vitamin C has been widely acclaimed as an antioxidant and protector of cells from oxidative damage.

Practically all fruits and vegetables contain some amount of vitamin C. Highest vitamin C content is found in orange juice, grapefruit juice, peaches, peppers (sweet and hot), papayas, strawberries, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, pineapple, and kiwi fruit.

Other fruits noted for vitamin C include jujube, acerola, camu camu, guava, red and black currants, mango and persimmon.

The National Academy of Sciences recommends an intake of least 75-90 milligrams of vitamin C each day through food or supplement sources for adults.

For those clinically deficient, the upper tolerable level for adults is 2000 milligrams per day. However, large doses may cause indigestion, nausea, and diarrhea.

HIV-positive women who are breastfeeding should not be given vitamin A supplements because it increases the risk of transmitting the AIDS virus to their infants, researchers said Thursday. Mother-to-child transmission of HIV has been largely controlled in the United States and other developed countries through the use of antiretroviral drugs, but is a major problem in the developing world. In 2008, there were 430,000 new HIV infections in infants, most of them in sub-Saharan Africa, and breast feeding accounted for more than 95% of them. Vitamin A supplements are commonly given to pregnant women in such countries, but physicians generally do not take into account the women’s HIV status.

In one study reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, epidemiologist Eduardo Villamor of the University of Michigan School of Public Health and his colleagues studied 1,078 HIV-positive women who were pregnant. Half received 5,000 international units of vitamin A and 30 milligrams of beta-carotene every day during gestation and lactation and half received a placebo. The combination of supplements increased the risk of passing the virus to the infants, and it appeared that each supplement had an effect individually, Villamor said.

In a second study in the same journal, Villamor and his colleagues found that the supplements increase the risk of subclinical mastitis in HIV-positive women. Subclinical mastitis is an inflammatory condition that causes blood plasma to leak into the mammary gland, carrying virus particles with it.

“The takeaway is that daily supplementation of HIV-infected pregnant or lactating women with vitamin A and beta-carotene at the doses tested is probably not safe and efforts need to be strengthened on preventing mother-to-child transmission through other interventions, such as antiretroviral agents,” Villamor said in a statement.

People who consumed the most magnesium in foods and from vitamin supplements were about half as likely to develop diabetes over the next 20 years as people who took in the least magnesium, Dr. Ka He of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and colleagues found.

The results may explain in part why consuming whole grains, which are high in magnesium, is also associated with lower diabetes risk. However, large clinical trials testing the effects of magnesium on diabetes risk are needed to determine whether a causal relationship truly exists, the researchers note in Diabetes Care.

It’s plausible that magnesium could influence diabetes risk because the mineral is needed for the proper functioning of several enzymes that help the body process glucose, the researchers point out. Studies of magnesium and diabetes risk have had conflicting results, though.

To investigate the link, the researchers looked at magnesium intake and diabetes risk in 4,497 men and women 18 to 30 years old, none of whom were diabetic at the study’s outset. During a 20-year follow-up period, 330 of the subjects developed diabetes.

People with the highest magnesium intake, who averaged about 200 milligrams of magnesium for every 1,000 calories they consumed, were 47 percent less likely to have developed diabetes during follow up than those with the lowest intakes, who consumed about 100 milligrams of magnesium per 1,000 calories.

He and colleagues also found that as magnesium intake rose, levels of several markers of inflammation decreased, as did resistance to the effects of the key blood-sugar-regulating hormone insulin. Higher blood levels of magnesium also were linked to a lower degree of insulin resistance.

“Increasing magnesium intake may be important for improving insulin sensitivity, reducing systemic inflammation, and decreasing diabetes risk,” He and colleagues write. “Further large-scale clinical trials are needed to establish causal inference and elucidate the mechanisms behind this potential benefit.”

Via: Reuters

Treatment with vitamin C rapidly improves the emotional state of acutely hospitalized patients, according to a study carried out by researchers at Montreal’s Jewish General Hospital (JGH) and the affiliated Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research (LDI).

In a double-blind clinical trial, patients admitted to the JGH were randomly assigned to receive either vitamin C or vitamin D supplements for seven to ten days. Patients administered vitamin C had a rapid and statistically and clinically significant improvement in mood state, but no significant change in mood occurred with vitamin D, the researchers discovered. Their results were published recently in the journal Nutrition.

“Earlier studies, both in our hospital and in other centres, demonstrated that the majority of acutely hospitalized patients have subnormal levels of vitamins C and D in their blood,” said Dr. L. John Hoffer, MD, PhD, an investigator at the Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research.

“About one in five acute-care patients in our hospital have vitamin C levels so low as to be compatible with scurvy,” added Hoffer, also a Senior Physician in the Divisions of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, and a professor of medicine at McGill University. “But patients are rarely given vitamin supplements. Most physicians are simply unaware of the problem. Subclinical deficiencies of vitamin C and D have each been linked to psychological abnormalities, so we examined that aspect in our clinical trial.”

“The lack of any effect of vitamin D on mood is good evidence we are not dealing with a placebo response,” said Dr. Hoffer. “This looks like a true biological effect. Our finding definitely requires follow up in larger studies in other centres,” he said. “The treatment is safe, simple and cheap, and could have major clinical practice implications.”

Via: Eurek Alert

Another vitamin Cinderella story may be unfolding. Not unlike the vitamin D saga, once only appreciated for its role in bone health; the vitamin K story, once known only as the clotting vitamin, is capturing the heart of research scientists.

Vitamin K is a group of fat-soluble compounds known as naphthoquinones, and encompasses a large family. The best studied are the natural forms K1 (phytonadione) and a group of K2 vitamins (menoquinones). Vitamin K1 is obtained through plant sources, such as leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, avocado, kiwi, soybean oil, cereals and wheat bran. K1 is converted to K2 by our gut bacteria, but humans do not seem to be as efficient at conversion as other mammals. Food sources of K2 include the fermented soy product Natto, dairy products, eggs and other animal sources, such as chicken, beef, liver, salmon and mackerel.

Vitamin K deficiency manifests as susceptibility to easy bruising and bleeding. Vitamin K deficiency is rare, though, because food sources are abundant and our gut bacteria also manufacture the vitamin. Issues can develop in individuals with chronic  fat malabsorption (e.g. cystic fibrosis), certain intestinal diseases, chronic liver disease (such as in alcohol abuse), or those on prolonged antibiotic therapy. In addition, individuals on blood-thinners (warfarin or Coumadin) are often instructed to avoid greens rich in vitamin K, and some drugs seem to interfere with vitamin K. Infants are at risk for hemorrhagic disease of the newborn, and are routinely given K1 injection at birth to prevent this complication.

Vitamin K assists the body in transporting calcium. Through this mechanism vitamin K is a player in promoting proper clotting and bone health. More recently, excitement generated by this phytonutrient revolves around the fact that there are a number of vitamin-K dependent proteins that are felt to be essential to maintaining long-term health. Studies are suggesting that via this route vitamin K may reduce bone loss and  prevent fractures, and reduce calcification of the arteries that feed the heart. This anti-calcification effect of the arteries promotes arterial elasticity (flexibility), and may reduce the incidence of heart disease.

Other studies suggest that vitamin K may be associated with a reduced risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, and possibly certain cancers. Although much of the research on vitamin K is still considered speculative, evidence does appear to be mounting that vitamin K may be involved in many aspects of our health and well-being.

Currently, routine supplementation with vitamin K is not being promoted. However, if you have any of the conditions mentioned you may want to conduct some of your own research and discuss the topic with your doctor. In particular, considering that many individuals on blood thinners also have some form of heart disease, it now seems prudent to discuss with your doctor ways to find the healthy balance of a consistent intake of vitamin K that will still allow for a predictable blood thinning effect.

Via:Timesunion

It’s one thing to opt for a meatless diet as an adult – but is it a healthy option for growing children too?  As a dietitian who consults to the Vegetarian Network of Victoria, this is familiar territory to Mark Surdut. Clients who come to him for advice on kids and vegetarian eating generally fall into two groups. There are those whose children – sometimes as young as eight – who want to be vegetarian, and parents who are vegetarian themselves and wonder if a meat free diet will meet a growing child’s needs for nutrients.

The bottom line says Surdut is that vegetarian diets, including vegan diets that exclude dairy food and eggs, can be healthy for kids as long as they’re well planned.  That’s not just his opinion either. Last year the professional association of dietitians in the US, the American Dietetic Association, gave the thumbs up to vegetarian diets at all life stages in a position paper that suggested vegetarian diets in childhood and adolescence can help establish lifelong healthy eating patterns.

But there are pitfalls. Because vegetarian diets are high in fibre, they’re very filling – so it’s easy to fill up a child size stomach without delivering sufficient kilojoules or a broad range of nutrients, Surdut points out. The solution, he says, is to include a variety of different foods in the diet – although he agrees  this can be a challenge with very fussy eaters.

As for meeting iron and protein needs, this is easier with a diet that includes dairy products and eggs.

“On a vegan diet, iron and protein rich sources are limited mainly to legumes and nuts, and growing adolescents need to eat a lot of these foods to get sufficient protein,” he says.”You could argue that there’s protein in whole grains – but it’s pretty dilute. Soy foods like tofu have a protein profile that’s almost identical to meat and are safe to include – the key is to eat them in moderation and as one of a mix of different plant proteins. “

Other options, he adds, are vegan convenience foods like sausages and burgers that are high in protein.

But one nutrient that’s elusive  on a vegan diet is vitamin B12 found in animal foods including eggs and dairy food – although research from the University of Western Sydney published in theJournal of Agricultural Chemistry last year suggests that button mushrooms can contribute some vitamin B12.

But to what extent we can rely on mushrooms for B12 isn’t clear, says Surdut, and more research is needed.  Although including foods fortified with B12 or B12 supplements is one way to get this vitamin it may not guarantee enough, and he advises both adults and children on a vegan diet to get their B12 levels checked regularly.

As for calcium, vegans may need a supplement, especially those with a high requirement for calcium including teenagers or women at risk of osteoporosis, he says – calcium fortified products including soy and rice milks are good sources.

But while there might a growing recognition that a well balanced vegetarian diet can be healthy for kids, it’s also an option that can draw some criticism.

“My family were the harshest critics – as eastern Europeans they believed  meat was essential for bringing up a healthy child,” says Michelle Moscova whose 13 year old son Addam  – a tall for his age basketball player – has eaten a vegetarian diet including eggs and cheese since he was a baby.

“He was always a very healthy boy. We had regular blood checks to monitor iron and B12 – he was always within normal levels,” says Moscova, a lecturer in biomedical sciences at Charles Sturt University. “When Addam started playing competitive basketball, nobody knew he was a vegetarian – his coaches are surprised when they find out because there’s a belief that competitive athletes need  meat to be able to win.  My family is still critical of my decision, but seeing Addam towering at 190 cm at the age of 13 is now my best argument,” Moscova says.

But while feeding children a vegetarian diet can raise eyebrows, we often forget about  other eating styles that can leave kids short on nutrients, says Surdut.

“One of them is a typical teenage diet that can include a lot of food but not a lot of nutrients. I often reassure parents of adolescents who’ve taken up a vegetarian diet that there are a lot of teenagers who eat a limited non-vegetarian diet and who turn out okay – so why do we make such a fuss about vegetarian teenagers, especially those who are taking a real interest in planning their diets properly?”

If you need good advice on planning meat free meals  for kids – or grownups – there’s good advice from the American Dietetic Association - or check out Hungry Human Beans: a guide to vegetarian diets for children from Sydney’s Westmead Children’s Hospital.

To find an Accredited Practising Dietitian who can help with planning a vegetarian diet contact the Dietitians’ Association of Australia

Via: The Sydney Morning Herald

We all depend on vitamins — molecules by which our bodies carry out chemical reactions that keep us healthy. Ordinarily the necessary vitamins come from a balanced diet and a little sunshine (five to 15 minutes three times a week) to activate vitamin D.

Some diseases and medications interfere with the absorption and metabolism of vitamins. A few rare hereditary diseases also cause vitamin deficiencies, despite a healthy diet; among the potentially affected vitamins are B6, B12 and D.

Children with these diseases may need to take regular supplements of the deficient vitamin to overcome their body’s inability to absorb or metabolize it.

We have never heard about multivitamins’ causing vitamin dependency. Multivitamin supplements aren’t necessary if a child eats a balanced diet. But many children don’t eat such a diet, especially in the first few years, and multivitamins can help them get the vitamins they need.

During the first year or two, iron and vitamin D are likely to be in short supply. In the first weeks of a baby’s life, we recommend that parents discuss iron and vitamin D supplements with their pediatrician.

Although breast milk is the best source of nutrition for babies, breast-fed infants often don’t get enough vitamin D, nor do babies who take in less than a quart a day of formula, which is usually fortified with vitamin D. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants take in 400 international units of vitamin D per day. Your pediatrician can guide you to the proper dose for your baby.

Depending on a mother’s diet, breast milk may not contain enough iron, though iron in breast milk is better absorbed than the iron in fortified formula. Your pediatrician can also determine your baby’s need for iron supplements.

Inadequate amounts can cause iron-deficiency anemia. During the first years of life, when the brain is growing faster than at any other time, inadequate iron intake has also been linked to learning disabilities that may only become evident later. Paying attention to nutritional needs from the beginning can make a big difference.

Between about 12 and 36 months, many children struggle to control what they eat and often limit their food intake to a few familiar items that may not contain the nutrients they need.

Many children take time to adjust to new tastes and textures. Often a parent may have to introduce a small amount of the same new food up to 15 times before a child will even try it. The process goes more smoothly if a parent simply places the new food on the plate without comment or pressure. Even gentle cajoling leads to more resistance. If you only offer a tiny taste each time, it will be less overwhelming for the child — and a little easier for you to put up with her refusal.

Multivitamins and regular visits to the pediatrician can reassure parents that a child’s growth is on track. Then parents may be less tempted to wage food battles with their children — which parents will surely lose.

There is no way to make a child eat something against her will. Repeated struggles over food are likely to lead to more struggles and perhaps even more serious eating problems later.

Via:The Portland Press Herald

MASON CITY — Keeping bones healthy should be a priority for people of any age, health officials say. “Osteoporosis (a thinning of the bones) is a very common problem,” said Dr. Linda Floden, an internal medicine physician with Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa. It can lead to fractures such as hip fractures or compression fractures of the spine — which can impede breathing and cause complications such as pneumonia, Floden said. Fractures often lead to placement in a nursing home. “It changes lifestyles.” Building strong bones, especially before the age of 30, can be the best defense against developing osteoporosis, the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) reports. Prevention is critical because there is no cure. The NOF recommends getting your daily recommended amounts of calcium and vitamin D, engaging in regular weight-bearing exercise and avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol. The NOF reports that people who exercised regularly in childhood and adolescence are more likely to have reached peak bone density. Adults under 50 need 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day. For adults 50 and older, it’s 1,200 to 1,500 milligrams a day. An 8-ounce glass of milk or 6-ounce carton of yogurt have 300 milligrams of calcium, Floden said. Cottage cheese, cheese, soy products and sardines are also high in calcium. Calcium-fortified orange juice is another option. Some vegetables also contain some calcium. Broccoli, for example, has 120 to 130 milligrams in a cup, Floden said. Vitamin D is needed for the body to absorb calcium. It comes through the skin following direct exposure to sunlight and from foods such as egg yolks, fortified milk, saltwater fish and liver. Adults under 50 need 400 to 800 international units of vitamin D daily; adults 50 and over need 800 to 1,000. Obtaining calcium in the diet is preferable to taking supplements, Floden said. If using a calcium supplement, be sure it also contains vitamin D. Women, especially Caucasian women, are at higher risk of developing osteoporosis because they have a lower bone mass than men. Women begin to lose bone tissue after menopause because of the loss of estrogen. Problems often start showing up after age 65, Floden said. Men with diabetes are also at an increased risk of developing osteoporosis. Bone density tests, known as dexa scans, are covered by Medicare for women older than 65. Medicare also covers the test for men with risk factors for osteoporosis. “People with a high risk should be screened at age 50,” Floden said. Risk factors for osteoporosis Sex (women are more at risk) Aging Sedentary lifestyle Women with small body frames Women who are too thin  or have low body fat ratios Gastric bypass surgery History of fracture in a first-degree relative Diabetes Cigarette smoking Steroid usage Alcohol intake of more than two drinks a day Excessive caffeine consumption Use of oral contraceptives Rheumatoid arthritis Thyroid disease

Via:Globegazette