Vitamin C and zinc play important roles in nutrition and for the immune system. A relatively recent study was conducted to see if they help with the common cold (1). An overview of the literature was presented in this review study, followed by data from two preliminary double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials. They were conducted with a combination of 1000mg of vitamin C plus 10mg of zinc in patients with the common cold. In both studies, a nonsignificant reduction of rhinorrhea duration was seened. Vitamin C plus zinc was significantly more effective than placebo at reducing rhinorrhea over 5 days of treatment. Symptom relief was quicker and the safety profile of the combination was excellent.

A recent study attempted to determine if injections of Vitamin K3 in acupuncture point sites helped with primary dysmenorrhea when compared with 2 other injection treatments (1). Chinese women aged 14-25 with severe dysmenorrhea (or painful periods) for at least 6 months not relieved by other treatments were included. Patients were randomized for the trial. Patients in each group received 3 injections at a single treatment visit. The results showed that the pain relief occurred in all 3 groups. Menstrual distress and the use of analgesics were diminished for 6 months post-treatment. The authors conclude that acupuncture point injection of vitamin K3 relieves menstrual pain rapidly and is a useful treatment in clinical settings.

A recently published study examined the vitamin D levels in those who have white coat hypertension and compare those who have normal blood pressure after versus those who have sustained high blood pressure (1). Participants in the study were matched for a number of factors. The results showed that vitamin D levels were significantly lower in those with sustained hypertension than in those with normal blood pressure afterwards. The authors conclude that white coat hypertensive patients without other cardiovascular risk factors have higher vitamin D levels than sustained hypertensive patients, suggesting that they have a lower cardiovascular risk.

In this recent meta-analysis, the authors investigated the relationship between vitamin D levels and gestational diabetes mellitus ^[1]. A systematic literature search was conducted on multiple medical databases. Utilizing 9209 participants showed that women with vitamin D deficiency experienced a significantly increased risk for developing diabetes, by about 53%. A subgroup analysis with study design showed that there were obvious heterogeneities in nested case-control studies. Sensitivity analysis showed that exclusion of any single study did not materially alter the overall combined effect. There were 20 studies used in total.

Low vitamin D has been associated with several autoimmune diseases. This study investigated the association of autoimmune thyroid disease with 25(OH) vitamin D levels in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) ^[1]. Fifty women with PCOS were enrolled and underwent routine health checkups, including a measurement of thyroid hormones. Low vitamin D was detected in 46% of the patients. Autoimmune thyroid disease was detected in 24% of the patients. The levels of vitamin D were significantly lower in women with PCOS and autoimmune thyroid disease when compared with women with PCOS and without thyroid problems.

In this study, the authors evaluated the effects of vitamin C supplementation on pregnancy outcomes, adverse effects, side effects, and use of health resources ^[1]. The authors searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trial Register and reference lists of retrieved studies. All randomized controlled trials evaluating vitamin C supplementation in pregnant women were included. 29 trials involving 24,300 women were included. The results showed that the data do not support routine vitamin C supplementation alone or in combination with other supplements for the prevention of fetal or neonatal death, poor fetal growth, preterm birth or pre-eclampsia.

In this study, the authors evaluated the effect of omega-3 supplementation on IL-6 and CRP level in chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients ^[1]. IL-6 and CRP can predict inflammatory state in end stage renal disease patients. This clinical trial was performed in 40 patients in Iran. One group received 1000mg of omega-3 three times a day for 8 weeks. The other group received placebo. The results showed that there were not any differences in CRP and IL-6 level in the beginning and end of the study between the groups. The authors conclude that omega-3 did not affect inflammatory markers.

Rhodiola rosea is a medicinal plant with adaptogenic properties. This study measured the antiviral and antibacterial properties of the bioactive metabolites of Rhiodola in the serum of marathon runners ^[1]. Marathon runners ingested 600mg day of rhodiola or placebo for 30 days prior to and 7 days post-marathon. Blood samples were collected the day before, 15 min post and 1.5 h post marathon. The use of rhiodola induced antiviral activity at early times post-infection by delaying an exercise-dependent increase in virus replication. The results indicate that bioactive compounds in the serum of subjects ingesting rhodiola rosea may exert protective effects against virus replication following intense and prolonged exercise by inducing antiviral activity.

There is some evidence that high-dose intravenous vitamin C (IVC) could increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy. In this study, the researchers carried out a phase I-II safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetic and efficacy trial of IVC combined with chemotherapy in patients whose treating oncologist judged that standard-of-care of off-label chemotherapy offered less than a 33% likelihood of a meaningful response ⁽¹⁾. Fourteen patients were enrolled. IVC was safe and generally well-tolerated, although some patients experience transient adverse events during or after IVC infusion. The results suggest that chemotherapy was improved. Three patients experienced transient stable disease, increased energy and functional improvement. They conclude that this study neither proves nor disproves IVC's value in cancer therapy, but it indicates a feasible way to evaluate it.

Can postmenopausal women absorb calcium from their diets even if calcium is low in their diets? This study evaluated calcium absorption in relation to vitamin D status ⁽¹⁾. They measured calcium absorption from green leafy vegetables and milk in postmenopausal Thai women. The study included 19 women with low calcium absorption. The results of the study showed that 95% of the women were sufficient in vitamin D and that it was positively correlated with absorption from both sources. Calcium absorption was significantly lower in milk. They conclude that vitamin D status is an important determinant of calcium absorption and that green leafy vegetables may be an important dietary source.

Those who undergo IVF can receive either acupuncture or whole systems traditional Chinese medicine (WS-TCM) as an adjuvant IVF treatment. WS-TCM is a complex intervention that includes herbal medicine, diet, and lifestyle recommendations. In this study, 1231 IVF patient records were assessed and outcomes were compared ⁽¹⁾. They compared IVF with no treatment, IVF with acupuncture, and IVF with WS-TCM. The primary outcome was live birth. WS-TCM was associated with greater odds of live birth compared with IVF alone, or embryo transfer with acupuncture only. WS-TCM was associated with increased live births compared with all groups, in donor and non-donor cycles.

Obesity and its morbidities are a major health threat. Despite many diets and exercise programs available, interest in complementary and alternative (CAM) for obesity has increased. This study reviewed available articles and trials to see if obesity could be treated with CAM ⁽¹⁾. The results showed that the evidence supporting the effectiveness and safety of methods like herbal supplements, acupuncture, and non-invasive body-countouring, is either lacking or point to a negligible clinical benefit, barely surpassing placebo. Several limitations are observed, including uncontrolled trial designs, non-random allocation of patients, small number of patients, short duration of follow-ups, and ambiguous end points. Overall, the authors conclude that various CAM therapies do not have adequate evidence to justify their use, namely due to poor research quality.

The acai fruit pulp may have effects on metabolic parameters. It is native to South America and has recently been popular as a functional food due to its antioxidant content. This is one pilot study that has been conducted in a human population, rather than in animals ⁽¹⁾. They had 10 overweight adults who took 100g of acai pulp twice a day for 1 month. They measured various endpoints, including glucose, insulin, triglycerides, and C-reactive protein. The results showed that compared to baseline, there were reductions in fasting glucose and insulin levels after 30 days. There was a reduction in total choletserol. There was no effect on blood pressure or C-reactive protein. The authors conclude that consumption of acai fruit pulp reduced levels of metabolic disease in overweight adults, indicating that further studies are warranted.

Acupuncture has been used to treat knee pain, but there is still some debate on its efficacy. A randomized clinical trial was recently published to determine the efficacy of laser and needle acupuncture (1). There were 282 volunteers over the age of 50 with chronic knee pain. They received either no acupuncture, acupuncture, laser, or sham laser. Treatments were delivered for 12 weeks. The results of the trial showed that neither needle nor laser acupuncture significantly improved pain or function, compared with sham at 12 weeks. Needle acupuncture resulted in modest improvement in pain and in function at 12 weeks compared to control, but was not significantly different than sham, and was not maintained at 1 year. The authors conclude that neither laser nor needle acupuncture conferred benefit over sham for pain or function.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are increasing in number. Hydrotherapy is used as a treatment for children with disabilities and motor delays. An article was recently published that examined the effectiveness of hydrotherapy on social interactions and behaviours in the treatment of children with ASD (1). This article was an analysis of all other trials (called a systematic review). A search was conducted of numerous research databases to identify pertinent trials. The results showed that four studies met the inclusion criteria. The participants were between the ages of 3-12. Between 10-14 weeks of hydrotherapy were used with varied outcome measures. Overall, the studies showed some improvements in social interactions or behaviors following a Halliwick-based hydrotherapy intervention. The authors conclude that hydrotherapy may be useful in these situations.