News and features related to vitamins and minerals

1. Are calcium supplements harmful for the heart?
   

   Many older people don't get enough calcium from their diet, which may increase their risk of osteoporosis, a condition marked by thin and weak bones that break easily. Women are especially vulnerable to this as they get older. Doctors often recommend taking calcium supplements to make up for this ga

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2. Selenium: friend or foe?
   

   Selenium is a nutrient that is incorporated into the body in proteins that have an effect on the immune system. The immune system fights off infection, and is also important in fighting cancer cells. Selenium is also used by the body in making sperm, and reducing inflammation. These various function

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3. Cod liver oil for TB? It helped in the 19th century
   

   The pungent taste of cod liver oil is familiar to many people born in the first half of the 20th century. This pale-yellow liquid, made from cod fish, was liberally used to improve health and treat a variety of ailments, including arthritis and skin wounds. Many children were also given regular dose

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4. Misleading health claims ban - FAQs
   

   6th December 2011 - The EU is a step closer to banning misleading food health claims. The EU Standing Committee on Animal Health and the Food Chain has voted to adopt a list of approved health claims assessed by experts at the European Food Safety Authority. What does the decision mean and when does

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5. Dietary supplements: Risk to older women
   

   11th October 2011 - A new study suggests several commonly used vitamin and mineral supplements may be doing older women more harm than good.   The benefits of a proper diet on our health have been known for years. Although a healthy diet provides sufficient amounts of vitamins and minerals, it's est

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6. Study: Vitamin D supplements may help fair-skinned people
   

   4th October 2011 - If you have fair skin, you probably can't stay in the sun for too long before you start to burn, and that UK researchers say, could be causing a lack of vitamin D that may be helped with supplements. The new research also suggests that suggested that melanoma skin cancer patients

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7. The benefits of vitamin C
   

   Vitamin C is one of the safest and most effective nutrients, experts say. It may not be the cure for the common cold (though it's possible it may help prevent more serious complications), but some research suggests the benefits of vitamin C may help maintain a healthy heart, eyes, skin and immune sy

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8. Energy boosters: Can supplements and vitamins help?
   

   Walk through your local supermarket and you may think we’re in the grip of an energy crisis. There are bottles of energy supplements, fridges packed with energy drinks and shelves full of energy bars. Energy products are one of the fastest-growing categories of dietary supplement, and it’s no wonder

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9. New herbal remedies registration rules come into force
   

   1st May 2011 -- People have been taking herbal remedies for centuries, but now companies making them need to get their products registered. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has received 211 applications for registration and so far granted 105 registrations for a variety

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10. Unlicensed herbal medicines to escape EU ban
    

    17th February 2011 - Suppliers of herbal and Chinese medicines in the UK will be able to avoid a ban on supplying unlicensed products after the Government announced plans to allow them to continue their trade providing they join a register. Under a European Union Directive, which will take full effe

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