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Research Highlights of 2015: Evidence for Benefits of Natural Supplements

3 min read

Unfortunately, natural supplements don’t usually have as many studies behind them as pharmaceuticals do. This is not because they don’t work; it’s because big pharmaceutical corporations have a lot more money to fund such studies. Luckily, more attention is shifting to natural remedies. Scientists are learning more all the time about the benefits of natural supplements. Going into December, it’s a great time to review the highlights of supplement research in 2015.

Probiotics for ADHD and Autism

Gastrointestinal issues are common in kids who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or are on the autism spectrum. One theory to explain this has to do with the microbiome, meaning the bacteria that live in our bodies. The theory is that lower levels of beneficial gut flora lead to an increase in bad bacteria, increased gut permeability, and, by extension, an altered immune response. Considering the strong link between gut flora and neurotransmitters, it makes sense that a disruption to healthy gut flora could lead to different brain function.

To test this, a study was conducted in Finland: researchers gave expectant mothers 1 billion CFUs (colony-forming units) of Lactobacillus rhamnosus or a placebo for 1 month before delivery. After the babies were born, researchers continued giving either the children or the mothers (if breast-feeding) the probiotic or placebo for 6 months. The researchers checked the 75 children at age 13, and found that ADHD or autism was diagnosed in 17% of the children in the placebo group, while none (0%) of the kids in the probiotic group were diagnosed with either condition.

Probiotics for Weight Loss

The link between weight and gut flora was discovered when researchers switched the gut flora of skinny and fat mice; the skinny mice became fat, and vice versa.

A 2015 study examined the link in humans: 125 overweight men and women followed a 12-week weight loss program followed by a 12-week weight maintenance program. Throughout the study, a random 50% of participants took a probiotic with 3.2 billion CFUs of Lactobacillus rhamnosus, while the other 50% were given a placebo. After the 12-week weight loss period, the women in the probiotic group lost an average of 4.4 kg (9.7 lbs) while women in the placebo group lost 2.6 kg (5.7 lbs). After the maintenance period, the women taking the placebo kept a stable weight, while the women receiving the probiotic lost an additional 5.2 kg (11.46 lbs) per person on average. Interestingly, there were no differences in the amount of weight lost between the men’s treatment and placebo groups.

Fish Oil for Depression in College Students

A small study from the University of Pittsburgh examined fish oil’s effect on depression in undergraduate students. 23 subjects (78% female) with an average age of 20 years were randomly assigned to receive fish oil (1.4 grams EPA and DHA daily) or a placebo. These subjects had significant depression as evident by a score of greater than 10 on a standard diagnostic questionnaire (Beck Depression Inventory [BDI]) and were NOT taking an antidepressant drug. After 21 days, the subjects took the BDI assessment again. After the 3 weeks of fish oil supplementation or placebo, 67% of the students receiving fish oil no longer met the criteria for depression, compared to only 20% in the placebo group.

The quality of this study is somewhat questionable. The sample size was very small, “depression” was diagnosed by a single questionnaire and not by a psychologist (so the study participants may or may not have actually met the criteria for clinical depression), they only studied young adults, and the trial was short. Furthermore, the placebo pill contained corn oil, which is high in inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids and contains no anti-inflammatory, brain-boosting omega-3s; taking corn oil daily could theoretically worsen depression, which would further skew the results of this study.

That being said, the Peach Vitamins staff are all still big believers in the benefits of fish oil. There is evidence from many other studies that fish oil is helpful for mood disorders, including depression.

Vitamin K2 for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Like vitamin D3, vitamin K2 is not only important for bone health, but also for a wide range of other conditions.

A new study in the European Journal of Pharmacology looked at vitamin K2 for rheumatoid arthritis. 84 patients with RA (some of whom were on prescription medications) were divided into treatment and control groups. Researchers gave subjects in the treatment group 100 mcg of vitamin K2 (in the form of MK-7) daily for three months. The subjects in the vitamin K treatment group showed a statistically significant decrease in inflammation.