Refined foods and poor dietary habits are the reasons why billions of people in the world lack essential nutrients like B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, iodine, iron, selenium and zinc. This catastrophic nutrient crisis, which even affects people in the western world, contributes to infections and pandemics, impaired fertility, poor quality of life, chronic diseases, and early death, according to a study that is published in The Lancet Global Health. The study authors call their results very alarming and believe that it is necessary for health authorities to take action now to improve public health. There is also a problem with lack of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids, even though they were not included in the study.

A cold is a common and contagious virus that normally lasts around a week. If a person has poor resistance, however, complications such as sinus infections, ear infections, and pneumonia may follow. Colds cause a substantial number of sick days and represent a huge socioeconomic burden to society, but zinc supplementation seems to be able to reduce the number of sick days. Just remember to get enough vitamin D also because of interactions between the two nutrients.

Chromium plays a role in insulin sensitivity and stable blood sugar levels. Multiple studies even suggest that chromium supplementation can counteract insulin resistance, thereby lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes and its precursor, metabolic syndrome, which is linked to cardiovascular disease. This was described in a review article published in Heliyon. Here, the authors address chromium’s molecular mechanisms and the role of chromium supplements in cardiovascular disease. It is important to choose chromium in the form of chromium yeast because it has superior absorption. What is also needed to maintain stable blood sugar levels and healthy circulation is a sufficient supply of protein, healthy fats, and limited carbohydrate intake.

Magnesium is important for an array of biochemical reactions that are involved in energy turnover, the nervous system, and muscle contraction. Lack of magnesium can therefore result in impaired physical performance, sore muscles, and muscle cramps – especially after a training session. Physically active people and athletes should be sure to get enough magnesium and beware that the need for magnesium increases with increasing activity. According to a review article published in Journal of Translational Medicine, it may be wise to take a high-quality magnesium supplement prior to training.

Hypertension is a ticking bomb and can increase the risk of blood clots, stroke, and other diseases. Many people have too high blood pressure without knowing it. A contributing factor is elevated levels of the amino acid homocysteine as a result of incomplete protein metabolism. According to a study published in Frontiers in Nutrition, however, vitamin C is able to lower levels of homocysteine, thereby reducing the risk of hypertension.

Breast cancer is most widespread in the western countries, and it is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women. Diet and lifestyle play a key role in the development of the disease. Earlier studies have shown that eating more oily fish or taking fish oil supplements that contain the omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, lowers the risk. A new study has shown that DHA supplements can be used as an adjuvant in cancer therapy. This particular omega-3 fatty acid inhibits the formation of some harmful molecules that stimulate the growth of breast cancer cells.

For decades, we’ve been told how dangerous the sun is and how important it is to protect ourselves. Now, a large British population study of more than half a million participants reveals that getting more sun exposure – even using tanning beds – is linked to fewer deaths from cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other things. The explanation lies in the UVB rays, which are the best way to get essential vitamin D, but only when the sun sits sufficiently high in the sky. It appears that all the sun awareness campaigns have done more harm than good, because it is vital to get enough sunlight, as long as we don’t get burned. The British study supports an earlier Swedish population study that revealed that lack of sun is every bit as harmful as smoking. People should take a vitamin D supplement during the winter period, and those who don’t get enough sun or who have difficulty with synthesizing vitamin D should supplement all year round.

Aggressive behavior is known to be linked to social and cultural factors, but it can also be rooted in biological factors in the brain. Omega-3 fatty acids from oily fish and fish oil supplements are able to reduce the problem in both adults and children, according to a meta-analysis that is published in Aggression and Violent Behavior. The authors also mention that omega-3 fatty acids control local brain inflammation that can negatively affect mood and behavior. The diet plays a large and overlooked role in mental health, and the authors say that because aggressive behavior has huge personal and socioeconomic costs it is important to look seriously into possible ways to prevent it.