New Studies Identify Health-Boosting Benefits of Vitamins

Your mother was always after you to make sure you got your vitamins, but she probably didn't know the half of it.

While it has long been known that a balanced diet that includes a wide variety of fresh, nutritious foods is good for your health, the precise properties and functions of some vitamins and minerals have remained unknown.

However, in this era of advanced research techniques, scientists have been able to delve deeper into the mysteries of the human diet. A slew of new studies have identified some of the specific health benefits and outcomes that are linked to certain vitamins. This week, we'll take a look at a few of the most significant scientific explorations of dietary vitamins that have recently seen publication.

Improved Circulation and Diminished Blood Clot Risk Linked to Vitamin E Consumption

A recent study focusing on methods of improving overall cardiovascular health and heart function in female patients identified some potentially significant properties of vitamin E. Although the researchers conducting the study initially sought to determine whether increased consumption of vitamin E could positively impact women's heart health, their results indicated that the vitamin was not very useful as a general heart health treatment.

However, careful analysis of the study's findings led the researchers to another, wholly unexpected conclusion -- higher levels of vitamin E consumption were found to be effective as a means of decreasing women's risks of developing certain types of blood clots. In some cases, women who consumed higher levels of vitamin E were seen to have improved circulation.

Specifically, the women who consumed more vitamin E were as much as 21% less likely to develop deep vein clots and pulmonary embolisms -- both of which can be potentially fatal -- than were their counterparts who consumed less vitamin E. According to the researchers, this finding may prove to be a significant part of future treatment plans for women with circulation problems or histories of blood clots.

Study Probing Folate Levels Has Mixed Findings

In recent years, the impact of the dietary nutrient folate has been a major topic of public health discussion. Although the nutrient is important for individuals in all age groups, it is particularly vital for women of child-bearing age. Folate -- also known as folic acid -- is directly linked to birth defect rates. Women with folate deficiencies are at a much higher risk of delivering infants with congenital birth defects.

As such, government health agencies have long taken the stance that folate consumption is an important public health issue. To this end, frequent studies monitoring folate levels in the general population are undertaken.

A recent study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control found that folate consumption levels have declined in recent years. After reaching a peak in the late 1990s, most Americans -- including women of childbearing age -- are not consuming the recommended amount of folate.

Although the reasons behind this dip in folate consumption are not yet fully understood, scientists at the CDC have speculated that the rise in the popularity of low-carb diets roughly coincides with the measured drop in folate consumption. This may be due to the fact that many of the food products that are supplemented with folate are starches. However, although consumption levels have dropped, there has not yet been a commensurate surge in birth defects.

The CDC continues to recommend the daily consumption of 400 micrograms of folate for women of childbearing age.

Vitamin D May Be the Fountain of Youth, Researchers Say

The quest for treatments to extend the human lifespan has been a preoccupation of scientists for centuries, but most of the possibilities that have been explored have been more exotic than the one researched by a team at the International Agency of Research on Cancer. According to their findings, the humble vitamin D may be an important part of the longevity puzzle.

The nutrient that fortifies many of our dairy products may not seem likely to be imbued with miraculous life-extending properties, but the results of the study offer a strong statistical link between increased vitamin D consumption and longevity. In a longitudinal meta-analysis that reviewed the impact of increased vitamin D in over 57,000 people, it was found that those who consume the recommended dosage on a daily basis had an across-the-board mortality rate that is 7% lower than their counterparts.

Although the scientists cautioned that more research is needed before a conclusive recommendation is made, the preliminary results seem to underscore the importance of vitamin D. For most adults, daily consumption of 400-800 IU of vitamin D is sufficient.

If you want to optimize your health with supplements, consult with your physician or registered dietician for more specific vitamin advice. And make sure to check back each week for more breaking health science news!