Do Nutrition

01/26/2026

Green tea reduced NAFLD
Those with obesity often have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. In the lab, mice on a high-fat diet got regular exercise alone, got green tea alone, or the combination of the two, for 16 weeks. Compared to exercise or green tea alone, those getting exercise with green tea extract saw a 75 percent reduction in the severity of obesity-related fatty liver disease symptoms.
Doctors said polyphenols in green tea interact with digestive enzymes in the small intestine to partially inhibit the breakdown of carbohydrates, fat, and protein.

Reference 2: Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry; 2020, Vol. 76, 108262

01/19/2026

Probiotic may treat Celiac disease

People with Celiac disease (CD), who can’t metabolize gluten, are low in the bifidobacteria strains of probiotics. Even on a gluten-free diet, those with CD may not be able to rebalance the gut microbiome on their own. In the lab, doctors extracted gluten proteins from wheat flour and exposed them to four strains of bifidobacteria: bifidum, longum, bembidion breve, and animalis; separately and together. The longum strain most effectively broke down the gluten, reducing the toxic gut response (cytotoxic) and inflammation.

Reference: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry; 2020, Vol. 68, No. 15, 4485-92

01/12/2026

Vitamin D, calcium reduce vertigo.

A sudden change in head position can give a sense of spinning, a condition called benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). The cause is calcium carbonate crystals, normally embedded in gel in the inner ear, breaking loose and migrating to the semicircular ear canals.
In this study, about half of 1,030 people with BPPV took 400 IU of vitamin D plus 500 mg of calcium carbonate per day, while the other half took no supplements. Compared to this group, after one year, those taking D with calcium saw BPPV recur 24 percent fewer times per year.

Reference: Neurology; 2020, Vol. 95, No. 9, 10343

01/05/2026

Vitamin B3 improved vision in glaucoma.

In the back of the eye, the retina contains millions of optic nerve cells that send light images to the brain, allowing us to see. One type of optic nerve cell, the retinal ganglion, is particularly vulnerable to damage from increased fluid pressure in the front of the eye, a hallmark of glaucoma.
Earlier studies found vitamin B3 (nicotinamide) is low in those with glaucoma, and also that it helps protect optic nerve function, but there were no prior glaucoma studies on B3.
In this study, 57 people with glaucoma on regular medical treatments took a placebo or 3 grams of vitamin B3 per day. After 12 weeks, visual function of the retinal ganglion cells had improved significantly for the B3 group.
Discussing the findings, doctors said, “For the first time, we have shown that daily high doses of B3 can lead to early and significant improvement in those lowering eye pressure through traditional glaucoma treatments.”

Reference: Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology; 2020, 10.1111/ceo.13818

Note from Dave Okupniak; 3 grams of vitamin B3 per day is a lot. Please consult your medical professional before trying this.

01/01/2026

12/29/2025

12/29/2025

Vitamin C may prevent metabolic syndrome

Inflammation and oxidative stress are two factors in metabolic syndrome (MetS) that can trigger each other. In this review of 26 vitamin C human trials, doctors found consistent evidence the powerful antioxidant may help prevent MetS.
In one study of 22,671 adults, those with MetS consumed an average of 7 percent less vitamin C per day, while those with high vitamin C diets had smaller waist sizes and lower triglycerides.
In another study, those who regularly consumed 100-percent fruit juice drinks had lower body-mass index (BMI) scores, lower fasting and long-term average glucose levels, and smaller waist sizes. Four other studies linked higher vitamin C levels to lower BMI scores, lower blood pressure, and reduced chances for MetS.

Reference: International Journal of Medical Sciences; 2020, Vol. 17, No. 11, 1625-38

12/22/2025

Delta-tocotrienol vitamin E improved NAFLD
When fat builds up in the liver for reasons other than alcohol, such as obesity, it is called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). In this study, 71 people with NAFLD took a placebo or 300 mg of delta-tocotrienol twice per day.
After 24 weeks, while the placebo group had not significantly improved, those taking delta-tocotrienol saw a 15 percent decrease in both fatty liver index scores and insulin resistance. A hormone, adiponectin, which helps regulate glucose levels, increased 44 percent, while another pro-inflammatory hormone, leptin, decreased 18 percent.
Body mass index scores decreased by an average of 2.4 in the delta-tocotrienol group, and waist circumference shrank by an average 1.1 inches. Doctors concluded delta-tocotrienol may be an effective therapy for treating NAFLD.

Reference: Complementary Therapies in Medicine; August, 2020, 102494

Delta-tocotrienol is a potent form of Vitamin E, distinct from the common alpha-tocopherol supplements.

12/15/2025

Selenium for mature muscle & bone

Having good selenium levels can help maintain aging muscle and bone. In this study of 791 men and women, aged at least 85, more than half were low, consuming less than 40 mcg of selenium per day, while only 14 percent got the adequate 75 mcg amount.
Women, at 73 percent, were much more likely than men, at 27 percent, to be low in selenium. In a test of hand-grip strength, those low in selenium of either s*x on average exerted six pounds less pressure compared to those with good selenium levels. In a second test of the time it takes to get up and walk from a seated position, the low-selenium group took an average 2.3 seconds longer compared to those with higher selenium levels.

Reference: Nutrients; 2020, Vol. 12, No. 7, 2068

12/07/2025

Probiotics improved performance

L. plantarum for triathlete endurance

In an earlier study by these doctors, the probiotic L. plantarum reduced inflammation and oxidative stress, improving athletic performance. Here, they wanted to understand how L. plantarum might help maintain healthy gut microbiota under the stress of a triathlon. Twenty triathletes, with a minimum five years of training, took a placebo or L. plantarum at 30 billion colony-forming units per day, along with their regular exercise program.
After four weeks, those taking L. plantarum saw running endurance increase 130 percent compared to placebo. In addition, doctors measured beneficial changes in gut microbiota, including increases in good bacteria, and decreases in unfavorable strains, in those taking L. plantarum probiotics.

Reference: Nutrients; 2020, Vol. 12, No. 8, 2315