The kidneys cleanse our blood. Well-functioning kidneys are vital for the circulatory system and good health in general. Normal functioning of cells, including kidney cells, hinges on a host of different selenium-containing proteins and coenzyme Q10. Studies show that older people in many parts of the world, Europe included, have deficiencies of both substances. Therefore, a team of Swedish scientists conducted a study where they looked at selenium status and kidney function in a group of seniors. They gave selenium yeast and coenzyme Q10 or placebo to the participants for a period of four years. The results showed that the supplemented group as compared with the placebo group had improved kidney function according to several parameters. The positive effect on cellular energy metabolism, inflammation, and oxidative stress was attributed to the two supplements. The study is published in the science journal Nutrients.

An estimated one billion people around the world lack vitamin D, which increases their risk of COVID-19 infections and new strains of the virus that become complicated and potentially life-threatening. In November 2020, the authorities of Andalusia, a Spanish province, started giving vulnerable groups of people supplements of a particularly active form of vitamin D. The result of this intervention showed quickly. The number of patients in intensive care plummeted and the death rate dropped by 82 percent. Meanwhile, the death rate in Great Britain and many other countries went up, most likely because vitamin D deficiencies are more common during the winter period. A British politician has therefore urged Prime Minister Boris Johnson to follow the Andalusian method, which is both effective and inexpensive. Furthermore, a Spanish study shows that supplementing hospitalized COVID-19 patients with active vitamin D can save lives. How much vitamin D do we need and how does the body activate vitamin D from sun exposure or from supplements?

Vitamin B6 is important for our energy levels, immune defense, nervous system, and a host of other functions. Vitamin B6 may even be able to reduce the severity of COVID-19 infections, according to an article written by Japanese, Chinese, and Thai scientists and published in Frontiers in Nutrition. The researchers refer to several clinical studies that show how vitamin C, vitamin D, magnesium, and zinc are able to reduce serious symptoms in COVID-19 patients, and they call for more studies of vitamin B6, simply because patients that are severely affected by COVID-19 often suffer from traumatic diseases and lack of several essential nutrients.

The most common inflammatory bowel diseases are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Lack of certain nutrients can contribute to the development of these conditions. On the other hand, the diseases and the therapies used to treat them may also impair the body’s ability to absorb or utilize certain nutrients, thereby starting a vicious cycle that can make the disease worse. This was demonstrated in a new Greek study that is published in Nutrients. Chronic inflammatory bowel diseases primarily occur in the Western countries and especially at northern latitudes, which suggests that sun exposure and typically Western diets pay a major role in the development of these diseases.

During pregnancy, the unborn child is totally dependent on the mother’s vitamin D status. Vitamin D is primarily known for its role in supporting bone development. However, the vitamin is also of vital importance to the child’s brain, cognitive skills, and intelligence. According to a new, American study that is published in The Journal of Nutrition, this is why it is so important for pregnant women to have optimal vitamin D levels in their blood. The researchers point to the fact that vitamin D deficiencies are rather common and mention that they observed significantly lower blood levels of the nutrient in pregnant women of color. They hope their study can contribute to increased focus on the benefits of vitamin D supplementation in pregnancy.

Selenium is an essential trace element that supports a host of different proteins and antioxidants that are important for pregnancy. According to a new Norwegian population study that is published in the science journal Nutrients, lack of selenium during pregnancy may stunt the growth of the fetus and result in low birth weight. This may have consequences for the child’s growth, cognitive skills, and health. Selenium deficiencies are rather common in Norway and the rest of Europe and that is a problem.

- and an alarming need to establish responsibility

Vitamin D deficiency is a widespread problem, which increases the risk of complicated COVID-19 infections, muscle weakness, cancer, and a lot of other problems. The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration now recommends that both children and adults take vitamin D supplements throughout the entire winter period and that particularly vulnerable groups take high-dosed vitamin D supplements all year round. However, the new recommendations have not yet been included in the Danish Health Authority’s awareness campaigns for fighting COVID-19 because vitamin D appears to have ended up in a legal gap between being a foodstuff on one side and medicine on the other. According to a British study that was published earlier, there is currently an alarming need to establish responsibility in order to make sure that nursing home residents and other exposed groups get their vitamin D supplements, just like they receive their prescription medicine.

If you lose your sense of smell all of a sudden, it is most likely a sign that you have been infected with the coronavirus, according two large, international studies published in the science journal Chemical Senses. Many COVID-19 patients also lose their sense of taste and even if there are no other complications, it can affect their quality of life. The big question is if there is a link between zinc deficiency, corona infection, and these symptoms. It is already an established fact that zinc is important for our immune defense, for our sense of taste and smell, and as an antioxidant that protects our cells. Also, it is known that zinc deficiencies are rather common and people with unhealthy eating habits, vegetarians, vegans, older people, and diabetics are at increased risk. Birth control pills and certain types of medicine also increase the risk of lacking zinc.

More and more people in the Western world shift to a plant-based diet but may find themselves challenged when it comes to getting enough of certain essential nutrients. A new German study shows that most vegetarians and vegans get enough vitamin B12, provided they take supplements. However, many lack iodine and iron. Also, plant-based diet fails to deliver enough vitamin D, and many lack selenium due to the nutrient-depleted farmland. A lot of deficiency diseases are insidious, which makes it difficult to link them to the diet. It is therefore a good idea for children and adults who are vegetarians or vegans to take relevant supplements.

Overweight people often suffer from prediabetes, also known as metabolic syndrome, which is a condition characterized by blood sugar disturbances and cravings that make it difficult to maintain stable body weight. In addition, many people with this condition have low levels of chromium in their blood, which can contribute to insulin resistance, abdominal obesity, elevated cholesterol levels, and hypertension – all of which are emblematic of metabolic syndrome, according to a Chinese study published in Nutrition Journal. Earlier studies also suggest that supplementation with chromium yeast may help control blood sugar levels. Another thing that is useful when regulating blood sugar levels to obtain weight loss is to adjust your intake of carbohydrate, fat, and protein in order to optimize the energy utilization.

Vitamin B6 is important for energy levels, the nervous system, our mood, our immune system, our hormone balance, and a number of other functions. This vitamin is of vital importance to our physical and mental well-being but a variety of factors may lead to a deficiency. This article will provide you with information about vitamin B6 and the 11 different symptoms that a deficiency may cause.