Overweight and obesity are a growing global problem that affect both quality of life and health. A substantial number of people struggle with unstable blood sugar and insulin resistance, which makes it difficult to reach satiety and leads to snacking between meals. Insulin resistance is also part of metabolic syndrome, which is considered a precursor to type 2 diabetes. According to a new meta-analysis published in the Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology, chromium supplementation appears to have a positive effect on blood sugar regulation and other parameters, including BMI (weight), waist circumference, blood pressure, triglycerides, and liver function. If you want stable blood sugar and weight loss, it's also important to ensure a sufficient protein intake with each meal, to focus on healthy fats, and to reduce carbohydrate intake.

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of illness and premature death worldwide. Major risk factors include smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, and dyslipidemia, which is an imbalance in blood lipids. However, according to a new meta-analysis published in Nutrition Journal, magnesium supplementation may help improve the lipid balance, particularly by significantly increasing HDL cholesterol, thereby improving the ratio between LDL and HDL.

Q10 plays a crucial role in cellular energy metabolism and serves as an important antioxidant that protects cells. A Q10 deficiency can therefore lead to a wide range of clinical symptoms, including ones affecting the brain, nervous system, and cognitive abilities. In the body, Q10 is synthesized via the same biochemical pathway as cholesterol, and the brain is actually the most cholesterol-rich organ. This highlights a close connection between Q10, cholesterol, and the function of nerve cells. A study published in Free Radical Biology and Medicine shows that a lack of Q10 can negatively affect the shape and function of nerve cells. It's important to note that aging and cholesterol-lowering statins inhibit the body’s own production of Q10.

Uric acid is a natural waste product in the blood formed when the body breaks down dead cells. If uric acid levels become too high, it can lead to gout, a chronic condition associated with elevated blood pressure, kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, and other illnesses marked by chronic inflammation. According to a population study published in Frontiers in Endocrinology, there appears to be a link between magnesium deficiency, elevated uric acid, and chronic inflammation.

- even during winter

At northern latitudes, our body can only produce vitamin D during the summer months, when the sun sits sufficiently high in the sky. That’s why sun worshippers now get a much-needed boost, as blood levels of vitamin D tend to drop during the winter. However, regular exercise appears to help maintain normal levels of active vitamin D even through the darker months, according to a UK study published in Advanced Science.

Chronic headaches, tension headaches, and migraines are common conditions that affect both quality of life and work capacity. Iron deficiency anemia is also widespread, particularly among women of childbearing age, children, adolescents, the elderly, vegetarians, and very active athletes. According to a meta-analysis published in Anemia, there appears to be a connection between anemia and various forms of chronic headaches. The researchers therefore recommend testing the hemoglobin levels of patients with chronic headaches and treating iron deficiency when present. However, iron supplements should only be taken when a deficiency is confirmed.

Zinc holds several crucial roles in the immune system. A zinc deficiency therefore impairs the metabolism of white blood cells and weakens the capacity of the immune system, thereby increasing the risk of influenza, COVID-19, pneumonia, and other respiratory diseases. This was outlined in a review article published in the journal Immunometabolism.

Glaucoma is a serious eye disease that is often detected too late. In worst case, it can lead to blindness. A Swedish study from Karolinska Institutet, published in Cell Reports Medicine, shows that supplementation with various B vitamins can improve the metabolism in the eye, which may slow down the deterioration of the optic nerve. It is also important to get enough of the different B vitamins if you want to prevent the condition.