Around one in six pregnancies results in spontaneous abortion. Although there can be different reasons for this, scientists have found that eating a healthy diet with lots of vegetables, fruit, fish, shellfish, eggs, and grains can lower the risk by over 50 percent. This was shown in a meta-analysis from the University of Birmingham in England. Earlier research shows that selenium, a trace element that many people are deficient in, plays a particularly important role.

- and vice versa

All the different B vitamins are of vital importance to our energy levels, nervous system, skin, hair, and health in general. Our daily diet is the primary source of the vitamins but the intestinal flora is able to synthesize, consume, and compete for vitamin B in the host. Interactions between the body and the gut flora is therefore important for how we absorb and utilize the different B vitamins. On the other hand, lack of B vitamins or supplementation with B vitamins can also affect our gut flora, according to a review article that is published in Frontiers in Nutrition.

Several B-vitamins need to be converted into other forms before they are activated for a wide range of functions. However, enzyme defects, alcohol, medication, and aging processes can make this difficult. The form of vitamin D that we produce from the sun or get from supplements is also inactive, and factors like obesity, aging processes, and a lack of certain minerals can make it difficult to make the active form. Conversion of vitamin K1 into vitamin K2 requires a well-functioning gut flora. Optimal utilization of Q10 requires a specific selenium compound. This means that an inability to activate vitamins and Q10 can result in chronic fatigue, many serious diseases, and in the worst case, early death.

Folic acid is important for fetal growth and development, and that is why pregnant women have an increased need for the nutrient. It is commonly known that supplementation with folic acid during pregnancy lowers the risk of spina bifida. A new study shows that maternal intake of folic acid in the late part of pregnancy is of vital importance for the baby’s lingual development at the age of two years. This was shown in a study that is published in Epidemiology. Unfortunately, many pregnant women forget to take their folic acid supplements.

People suffering from the Crohn’s disease, an inflammatory bowel disorder, often lack folic acid and vitamin B12. It is also known that this disease can be triggered by an infection with Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), a type of bacteria that can survives in pasteurized milk. A new study that is published in Nutrients has found why lack of folic acid and vitamin B12 disrupts the immune defense, thereby contributing to chronic inflammation that can occur in the wake of an infection with MAP.

Metabolic syndrome, which is an early stage of diabetes, is spreading like a bushfire. This condition is characterized by overweight, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and disrupted blood sugar metabolism. The diet plays a major role, and scientists have found a direct link between the intake and serum levels of vitamin B6, folic acid (vitamin B9), and vitamin B12, according to a large American population study that is published in JAMA Network Open. The authors also address how these B vitamins can help improve the glucose metabolism and prevent metabolic syndrome.

Refined foods and plant-based diets lack vital nutrients that are highly important for a pregnant woman and the development of her unborn child’s body and brain. This was shown in a large study of mothers from high-income countries, where 90 percent of the participants lacked key nutrients such as vitamin B2, vitamin B6, folic acid, vitamin B12, and vitamin D. These widespread deficiencies have huge health consequences, which may be irreversible for the child. The scientists explain that the problem is made worse by the global push for eating more plant-based diets. Lack of omega-3 fatty acids that are primarily found in oily fish is also common and may harm the development of the child’s brain and increase the risk of postnatal depression in the mother.

Folic acid is of vital importance to fetal development which is why pregnant women have a much higher need for this nutrient. Although the Danish health authorities recommend that pregnant take folic acid supplements, some get started too late and others forget to take their supplements. In other countries, it is common practice to enrich flour with folic acid but apparently, the added quantity is insufficient. According to a new British study, many pregnant women still don’t get enough folic acid, which increases their risk of giving birth to a baby with neural tube defects that can lead to severe disabilities. Lack of folic acid can also affect the child’s mental development. The British researchers therefore recommend adding more folic acid to fluor as a way of preventing the birth defects. It’s simple and inexpensive and would also be relevant for Denmark.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an insidious disease that is spreading like a bushfire, and it is typically seen in connection with overweight. Many people with the disease develop a type of liver inflammation and scarring that can be potentially life-threatening. According to a study that is published in Journal of Hepatology, supplementation with vitamin B12 and folic acid (vitamin B9) can counteract the development of inflammation and scarring by lowering levels of the amino acid homocysteine. The scientists behind the study looked closer at homocysteine’s role in the pathogenicity of the disease.

Cardiovascular disease is still the leading cause of death, and both diet and lifestyle are of huge importance. According to a new meta-analysis, fish oil, folic acid, and Q10 are some of nutrients with the greatest potential to lower the risk. It is important to underline that supplements are not likely to make much of a difference if the dosage is too low or if the quality of the preparations is poor.