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Todays’ menu:

1) High-Dose Vitamin D may halve asthma risk

2) Caffeine Shock: Caffeinated Soda linked to increased risk of alcohol use in kids

3) Artificial Sweeteners: friend or foe?

☀️ High dose vitamin D may halve asthma risk

🤰 Timing is everything

Vitamin D deficiency is a widespread issue, particularly in northern regions with limited sunlight exposure, worsened by modern 'indoor lifestyles'.

This deficiency is linked to various physical and mental health problems, so the UK government recommends a daily vitamin D supplement of 400 IU/d. Pregnant women are also advised to follow this regimen as vitamin D plays a crucial role in foetal and brain development.

However, the benefits of vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy may be underestimated. This study conducted a comprehensive review of data from trials gathered over 15 years, comparing vitamin D supplementation at 400 IU/d versus 4000 IU/d.

The findings revealed that high-dose vitamin D supplementation for pregnant women could halve the incidence of asthma and wheezing in their children.

The authors further recommend that all pregnant women consider a daily intake of at least 4400 IU vitamin D3 throughout their pregnancy, starting at conception.

While a dose 11 times higher than the current UK recommendation may seem way too high, it is important to note that the EU Upper Safe Level of vitamin D for pregnant women is 4000 IU/d.

🥊 Punchline

Vitamin D supplementation is currently recommended for pregnant women in the UK, but the prescribed dosage may fall short of providing the full range of benefits for their children. In line with the EU's approach, the UK should re-evaluate its recommendations and establish specific guidelines tailored to pregnant women.

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☕ Caffeine Shock: Caffeinated Soda Linked to Increased Risk of Alcohol Use in Kids

🚸 Children beaware

Drinking caffeinated soda is gaining popularity, particularly among children, due to targeted marketing campaigns by brands like Prime and others.

This study revealed that regular caffeinated soda consumption among young children increases their likelihood of experiencing attention, memory, and impulse control issues. Furthermore, these children are at an elevated risk of initiating alcohol consumption in the future, even when family history of alcohol or substance abuse is taken into account.

Specifically, the study found that caffeinated soda intake predicted a 2.04 times higher probability of trying alcohol within 12 months. While the study did not investigate the underlying mechanisms, two hypotheses have been proposed to explain this association:

- The gateway hypothesis: Using ‘softer’ drugs, like caffeine, early on can make the brain more sensitive to the rewarding effects of ‘harder’ drugs, like alcohol.

- The common liability hypothesis: People with certain genes can make them more impulsive and less able to control themselves, are more likely to try ‘harder’ drugs as they get older, especially if they have easy access to them.

🥊 Punchline

Children who drink excessive amounts of caffeinated soda are more likely to experience cognitive impairments and more likely to drink alcohol later in life. While the underlying mechanisms are not yet known, the potential explanation may lie in the brain's reward system.

Importantly, we need to figure out how much caffeine is safe for kids to drink, because there is no clear answer right now, and some kids are more likely to have problems from drinking too much caffeinated soda.

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🧃 Artificial sweeteners: friend or foe?

🤨 A complex issue

The debate over artificial sweeteners is a complex one.

Recently, the WHO published their statement recommending that sweeteners may not be used for weight management.

This was based on a lack of clear benefit and possible risk of negative health effects. And it had to be changed a couple of times already because of industry backlash.

Diabetes UK advises that replacing sugar-sweetened foods and beverages with sweeteners, in the context of an overall healthy diet, may be a helpful strategy in reducing calorie intake and assisting in weight management.

So, a global panel of dietitians reviewed the scientific evidence of 283 trials on the effect of artificial sweeteners on weight management.

They found that shorter term trials generally support the use of sweeteners for weight loss in adults. Although weight loss is usually small. These effects are strongest in individuals with obesity or diabetes.

However, longer term studies have often shown associations between higher sweeteners intake and weight gain.

🥊 Punchline

Managing blood pressure has never been simpler than this – reducing Dietitians are well aware that, in the absence of fundamental behavioural changes, the benefits of weight loss programs often prove to be temporary, with weight regain occurring in the long term. The use of sweeteners to reduce sugar and energy intake is a strategy centred on calorie counting/reduction rather than promoting behavioural change.

Moreover, subjective ratings have indicated that artificial sweetener intake may be associated with decreased satiety and increased food cravings. Additionally, recent research has shed light on a potential mechanism by which artificial sweeteners can influence gut health.

Overall, substituting sugar with artificial sweeteners can be an effective strategy for achieving weight loss in the short term. However, the long-term effectiveness of artificial sweeteners for weight management remains questionable.

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😂 And finally!

At least we know what we like 😂

To your health!

Paolo

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