Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Fish Oil Reduces Eczema in Newborns

Pregnant women have long known about the positive effects of eating tuna and salmon during pregnancy to leverage the benefits of the Omega-3 fatty acids found in these seafood. Omega-3 is thought to be crucial to the development of certain brain functions in developing fetuses.
 
The advantages of eating these fish, however, have been tempered by a fear of mercury contamination, notably in tuna. Without any exact proof about the effects of either substance on fetuses, women have been left to sort out on their own whether the risks of eating the seafood are worth the benefits.

A new study out of Australia, however, has proven conclusively that women who take omega-3 supplements lower the risk of their infants developing eczema by one-third. The largest of its kind, the study examined 700 pregnant women and found mothers given fish oil capsules were three times less likely than those women who received placebo supplements to pass on eczema to their children.

The scientific hypothesis is that the omega-3 fatty acids are absorbed by the fetal cell membranes and work to reduce the presence leukotriene B4, an inflammatory substance that plays a role in producing eczema.

All mothers want their newborns to have perfect skin, and it’s hard to accept the awful looking and painful dry itchy skin that our infants sometimes develop. Although we all know that what we eat during pregnancy affects our kids, this study offers hard proof for the benefits of fish oil. That is something as parents we can definitely get behind.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Anlit teams with Axellus to launch lactose free probiotic to improve immune health of lactose intolerance children

Anlit Advanced Nutrition Supplements will add a probiotics lactose free supplement for the whole family to the line of food supplements offered in the Finnish market by Axellus Oy, a leading marketer of health supplements in Finland and part of the Nordic region’s market leader Axellus Group.

The new chewable probiotic lactose-free supplement was developed especially for the Finnish market. It will be sold in Finland under the brand name Sana-sol, which is targeted for family use.

“Lactic acid bacteria which you can eat without water is very useful for Finns when we go to the summer cottages by the lakes in summer time or when travelling abroad and defending the body against the new kind of bacteria,” said Axellus Oy’s managing director Kari Haapakorva.

The new supplement was developed by Anlit to meet the growing demand for products for those who suffer from lactose intolerance, representing some 20 percent of Finland’s population. The Finish market for probiotic products is estimated at some 20 million euro annually.

“Axellus presented us with the need to come up with lactose-free probiotic for those who suffer from lactose intolerance,” said Shai Karlinski, VP marketing at Anlit. “This is a great opportunity for us to further expand our successful partnership with Axellus and strengthen our offerings in the rapidly developing Finnish market.”

The chewable dairy free probiotic supplement promotes healthy intestinal microflora, thereby improving overall intestinal and immune health. It is delivered in white chocolate-flavored blister-pack cubes.