In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, appearing in Clinical Infectious Diseases (2012 Feb; 54(3): 340-6), 263 children who had been treated for urinary tract infections were given either cranberry juice or a placebo daily for a period of six months. Only 16% of children in the cranberry juice group contacted at least one urinary tract infection,
Research appearing in the Journal of Physiology (Published online before print April 2, 2012, doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2012.230078 May 1, 2012) looked at sugar consumption in rats and how it affected their ability to learn complex tasks. Scientists at UCLA conducted a five-day training session, teaching the rats how to navigate a complicated maze. After the training
We seem pretty clear on the idea that diet can prevent certain diseases, like heart disease and diabetes. Diet can also effect the brain. It can influence mood and cognition. A diet that is high in refined carbohydrates, for example, can create insulin insensitivity. Insulin insensitivity can make a person prone to mood swings or
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was published in the Clinical Nutrition (2012 Aug 31; S0261-5614(12)00185-9). The subjects were 96 children who were under the age of six. Over a period of two months they received either 10 mg of zinc gluconate or a placebo. The subjects were evaluated every two weeks over a period of
According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (1999;341:549-555, 601-602), if a woman is pregnant and has hypothyroidism, the IQ of the child may be adversely affected. Women with untreated thyroid deficiency during pregnancy are 4 times more likely to have children with lower IQ scores. 19% of the children whose