Study shows low vitamin D levels are associated with increased negative and depressive symptoms in psychotic disorders

New research presented at this year’s International Early Psychosis Association (IEPA) meeting in Milan, Italy (20-22 October) shows that low vitamin D status is associated with increased negative…

Iron May Have A Protective Effect Against Parkinson’s Disease

Increased iron levels may be causally associated with a decreased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, says a new paper published this week in PLOS Medicine.

Energy Drinks Help Heart Function

Energy drinks improve the contractions of both the left and right ventricles of the heart; they have a beneficial effect on myocardial function, Dr Matteo Cameli, from University of Siena, Italy, explained at the European Society of Cardiology 2012 Congress, in Munich, Germany. Dr. Cameli added that energy drinks raise the risk of cardiometabolic diseases…

Weaning From Gluten May Be Pointless For Many

People who do not have celiac disease and believe they have “non-celiac gluten sensitivity” may be weaning themselves off gluten unnecessarily, researchers from the University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy, reported in Annals of Internal Medicine…

How Do Europeans React At Being Told What To Eat?

As part of the larger EATWELL Project, which is focused on effective policy interventions to promote healthy nutrition for all in the EU, the EATWELL survey is an international study based on random samples of more than 3,000 computer-aided web interviews that assessed public acceptance of nutrition policies in the UK, Italy, Belgium, Denmark and Poland depending on age, econom…

Well-defined quantity of antioxidants in diet can improve insulin resistance, study finds

A diet rich in natural antioxidants improves insulin sensitivity in insulin-resistant obese adults and enhances the effect of the insulin-sensitizing drug metformin, a preliminary study from Italy finds.