In this American study, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Heath have assessed exposure to dairy products at various stages of a female’s life, and in particular during adolescence, the premenopausal years, and postmenopause.

They assessed the association of dairy food and nutrient intake with the risk of ovarian cancer during 28 years of follow-up including 764 cases in the Nurses’ Health Study (NHSI) and NHSII. The results revealed no association in adulthood between EOC and the consumption of whole milk, dairy calcium or dairy fat, at any intake level.

They also observed an inverse association with skim milk intake (-24%) and with lactose intake (-13%), but the cases involved were not significant. Similar risk estimates were observed for dairy food/nutrient intake during high school, in the premenopause and postmenopause. However, lactose intake in adulthood was inversely associated with risk of endometrioid EOC (-68%), which deserves further study.

Source: Merritt et al. Cancer Causes Control. 2014 Jul;25(7):795-808. doi: 10.1007/s10552-014-0381-7. Epub 2014 Apr 11.

Some athletes avoid dairy in the meal consumed before exercise due to fears about gastrointestinal discomfort.

But according to new Australian research, substantial amounts of dairy foods can be included in meals consumed prior to strenuous cycling without impairing either gut comfort or performance. In a randomised crossover trial, 32 well-trained female cyclists completed two trials in which they consumed a meal (2 g/kg carbohydrate and 54 kJ/kg) that either included or excluded dairy (3 servings – ~1350 mg calcium) 2 hours prior to a 90 min cycling session.

Researchers monitored the effects of both meals on gastrointestinal discomfort and subsequent cycling performance. There was no statistical or clinical evidence of an effect of meal type on maximum mean power and on gut comfort before or after exercise.

Source: Haakonssen EC et al. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 2014; in press. 

As the world’s leading NGO dedicated to musculoskeletal health, IOF is seeking to build a global community of concerned individuals.

Every year, on October 20th, the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF), the world’s largest NGO dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis and related musculoskeletal diseases, organises the World Osteoporosis Day (WOD) to raise awareness on the prevalence of osteoporosis, a largely underestimated non-communicable disease, and on the importance of bone health. This year, WOD focuses on osteoporosis in men and issues a survey which finds that most respondents are unaware of how common osteoporotic fractures are in men.

It is also the occasion for OIF to launch a campaign to reach 1 million individual members and thus spread the word about osteoporosis and how to prevent it.

For signing up as a free IOF member: www.iofbonehealth.org

The benefits of free membership include:

• Access to educational slide kits & tools
• Free online access to the IOF online journals Archives in Osteoporosis and Progress in Osteoporosis
• Latest updates on IOF initiatives through the monthly BoneBlast newsletter
• Subscription to exclusive Love Your Bones e-newsletter for patients/public

A low-cost (50 USD) Professional Membership includes additional benefits, with all proceeds going towards IOF global projects and programmes.

In light of existing recommendations and the knowledge base on the impact of protein and vitamin D on muscle mass, muscle strength and bone health, the ESCEO Task Force has made the recommendations summarized in the panel for maintaining musculoskeletal health in postmenopausal women (aged 50–70 years).

From 50 years of age, postmenopausal women are at an increased risk of developing sarcopenia and osteoporosis as a result of deterioration of musculoskeletal health. Both disorders increase the risk of falls and fractures.

The risk of developing sarcopenia and osteoporosis may be attenuated through healthy lifestyle changes, which include adequate dietary protein, calcium and vitamin D intakes plus regular physical activity/exercise, and hormone replacement therapy when appropriate.

The European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis (ESCEO) recommends optimal dietary protein intake of 1.0–1.2 g/kg body weight/day with at least 20–25 g of high-quality protein at each main meal, with adequate vitamin D intake at 800 IU/day to maintain serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels >50 nmol/L as well as calcium intake of 1000 mg/day, alongside regular physical activity/exercise 3–5 times/week combined with protein intake in close proximity to exercise, in postmenopausal women for prevention of age-related deterioration of musculoskeletal health.

Source: René Rizzoli, John C. Stevenson, Jürgen M. Bauer, Luc J.C. van Loon, Stéphane Walrand, John A. Kanis, Cyrus Cooper, Maria-Luisa Brandi, Adolfo Diez-Perez, Jean-Yves Reginster, for the ESCEO Task Force DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2014.07.005

The relationship between increased snacking and obesity may well be attributed to the types of foods typically consumed in these smaller ‘in-between meal’ eating occasions that are generally high in saturated fats and/or simple sugars and may lead to an energy surplus/overeating.

These findings investigated whether the replacement of energy-dense, high-fat snacks with healthier alternatives has a beneficial effect on food intake regulations.

20 healthy women completed the randomized crossover design study which included three 8-hour test days comparing the following 160 kcal afternoon snacks: high-protein yogurt (14g protein/25g CHO/0g fat); high-fat crackers (0g protein/19g CHO/9g fat); and high-fat chocolate (2g protein/19g CHO/9g fat). The consumption of the yogurt snack led to greater reductions in afternoon hunger in comparison with chocolate.

The yogurt snack also delayed eating initiation by approximately 30 min compared to the chocolate snack and approximately 20 min vs. crackers. Finally, the yogurt snack led to approximately 100 fewer kcals consumed at dinner compared to crackers and chocolate.

These findings suggest that a less energy-dense, high-protein afternoon snack like yogurt could be an effective dietary strategy to improve appetite control and regulation of energy intake in healthy women.

Yogurt is a nutrient-dense, tasty, handy and easily digested product to help people reach their daily dairy intake without excess calories. Find out more in our guide to healthy snacking !

Source: Laura C Ortinau, Heather A Hoertel, Steve M Douglas and Heather J Leidy Nutrition Journal 2014, 13:97 doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-13-97

In a new clinical report, “Optimizing Bone Health in Children and Adolescents,” in the October 2014 Pediatrics, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) discusses strategies pediatricians can use in health care visits to optimize children’s bone health.

Around 70% of variance in bone mass is associated with genetic factors, but the researchers note that food intake, as well as exercise, lifestyle, keeping a healthy body weight and hormonal status are modifiable factors.

The team states that the primary nutrition source for infants should be human milk – or infant formula, if human milk is not feasible. The main source of dietary calcium after the first year of life is milk and other dairy products, which account for 70-80% of nutritional calcium intake.

Adding it up

Based on their report, the researchers recommend that pediatricians advise children and adolescents to increase daily consumption of calcium and foods and beverages containing vitamin D, which includes nonfat milk and low-fat yogurts.

The AAP supports the higher recommended dietary allowance for vitamin D recommended by the Institute of Medicine but does not suggest universal screening for vitamin D deficiency in healthy children. Screening for vitamin D deficiency should be targeted at children and adolescents with recurrent low-impact fractures or those with medical conditions associated with reduced bone mineral density.

Finally, the researchers say pediatricians should recommend weight-bearing activities – including walking, dancing and running – which encourage bone health in children.

Source: Optimizing bone health in children and adolescents, Neville H. Golden, et al., Pediatrics, doi: 10.1542/peds.2014-2173, published 29 September 2014.

Led by Scientists at Lawson Health Research Institute’s Canadian Centre for Human Microbiome and Probiotic Research, this study provides the first clinical evidence that a probiotic yogurt can be used to reduce the deadly health risks associated with mercury and arsenic.

Environmental toxins like mercury and arsenic are commonly found in drinking water and food products, especially fish. These contaminants are particularly high in areas where mining and agriculture are prevalent, and in the developing world where regulations for industrial activities are limited or poorly enforced.

Even at low levels, chronic exposure to heavy metals has been linked to certain cancers and delayed neurological and cognitive development in children. Yet in Canada, 15% of reproductive-aged women possess mercury levels that pose a high risk for neurodevelopmental abnormalities in their children.

Lactobacillus

Research suggests some naturally occurring bacteria in the body can influence toxic metal levels. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 is a probiotic strain that has already been used safely and effectively in yogurt in Canada with positive immune benefits. Previous lab research at Lawson showed it can also bind to heavy metals, but clinical research was needed to confirm whether this mechanism would prevent the body from absorbing them.

In the study, Dr. Gregor Reid, a Scientist at Lawson and Western University, and Jordan Bisanz and Megan Enos, trainees at Lawson and graduate students at Western, assessed 44 school-aged children and 60 pregnant women living in Mwanza, Tanzania near Lake Victoria. This area is known for having particularly high environmental pollution.

Tanzania is also home to a network of community yogurt kitchens previously set up with the scientists to provide a locally-sourced, low-cost source of nutrition. The goal of the study was to assess existing metal levels in the environment and participants’ bodies, map their natural bacteria to identify any potential links to metal absorption, and determine whether the probiotic-supplemented yogurt could influence metal absorption.

The probiotic protects

The scientists found mercury and lead levels were up to seven times higher than what is typically found in Canadian children. Silver cyprinids, small fish consumed widely in the region, were found to contain especially high levels of mercury and arsenic. DNA sequencing identified two bacteria present in children with the highest concentrations of heavy metals, suggesting the presence of these bacteria may be linked to metal absorption.

After consuming the probiotic-supplemented yogurt, the children showed positive, but not statistically effective, results. The pregnant women showed more dramatic outcomes. The probiotic yogurt protected them from further uptake of mercury by up to 36% and arsenic by up to 78%.

“The findings are exciting for many reasons,” says Dr. Reid, senior author on the publication. “First, they show a simple fermented food, easily made by resource disadvantaged communities, can provide benefits in addition to nutrition and immunity. Second, the results are relevant for many parts of the world, including Canada, where exposure to these toxins occurs daily. Finally, it confirms more attention needs to be paid to these toxins, especially in children and pregnant women.”

The study is published today in mBio, the journal of the American Society for Microbiology

Obesity and weight control was a hot topic at the 2014 Experimental Biology meeting. Because of their effect on satiety, fermented dairy products, and particularly yogurts, could be an interesting option for loosing weight.

This study evaluated the association of several dairy products with the incidence of hip fractures in 830 men and women from the Framingham Original Cohort. Participants with milk intakes of between 1 and 7 servings a week or higher (≥7 servings/wk) tended to have a 42% and 39% lower risk of hip fracture respectively than those with low intake (≤1 serving/wk).

A similar threshold was observed for milk + yogurt intake. These associations were further attenuated after adjustment for femoral neck bone mineral density.

Source: Sahni, Shivani et al. Journal of bone and mineral research Volume: 29, Issue: 8, Pages: 1756-62, DOI:10.1002/jbmr.2219, Published: 2014-Aug

This has been demonstrated by the molecular and cellular biology researchers at the Max Planck Institute who have managed to block neuron degeneration in the C. elegans worm by adding these compounds. This research has recently been published in the Biology Open journal. Parkinson’s disease affects the neurons in the substantia nigra or “black substance” of the brain. Their mitochondrial activity shuts down and the brain cells die. The DJ-1 gene, originally suspected to be carcinogenic, is now proven to be linked to Parkinson’s disease.

Its main function is to purify the organism of the toxic by-products of mitochondrial metabolism. Its derivatives, D-lactate and glycolate, allow increased mitochondrial activity to be maintained and thus prevent the degeneration of neurons linked to Parkinson’s disease.

Further research is required to better understand how these two substances produce these curative and preventive effects but a project has been set up to develop a yogurt that is enriched with D-lactate, thereby protecting against Parkinson’s. The authors conclude that it is also “very tasty”.

Source: Toyoda Y et al. Biology Open July 25, 2014 doi: 10.1242/bio.20149399