Reported by department of technology & communication of YaghootRooyan International Holding Group, the second festival & national exhibition of herbal medicine, natural products & Iran’s traditional medicine was held on the 29th September till 2nd October in this year.
This festival & exhibition which was held by science & technology development staff of herbal & traditional medicine related to deputy science & technology of president’s office, included 14 fundamental in this field along with 4 educational workshops.
The main range of audiences of this festival, were public &private companies, in particular private & public knowledge base institutes, researchers, industrialists, entrepreneurs & investors who wish to invest in this area. Furthermore physicians, producers of herbal products & medicine, inventors related to the field, students & professionals were present in the exhibition.
In this fair which was held by presence of Dr. Jahangiri, first deputy of president, Dr. Sattari, science & technology deputy of president & Mahmoud Hojati, agriculture minister, one of the fundamental was introducing herbal products & food supplements. In this regard 5 new products of SepidTeb pharmaceutical company were launched.
SepidTeb which is one of the active knowledge base companies in the country, not only promoted&culturized appropriate use of herbal supplements, but also took the opportunity to make agreements for cooperation in the development of this industry, through exchange of ideas, communication and consultation with manufacturers & entrepreneurs in this area.
It is noteworthy, at this festival SepidTeb pharmaceutical company was chosen as one of selected knowledge base companies in pharmaceutical field.one of the most important factors for this to happen is a research & development center belongs to this company which by considering market demand in the country, could take a significant step in the production of new products & upgrade it’s previous.
Dr.SeyedHosseinEtemadi, founder of YaghootRooyan Int’l Holding Group said that quick commercialization process, creative& innovative human resources & also keeping pace with the world’s latest technology are the other factors for success of SepidTeb pharmaceutical company.

In an article published in this month's issue of Pediatrics In Review, researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) stress the importance of physicians recognizing that many mothers use herbal supplements while breastfeeding in order to make accurate health assessments for both mother and child.

In the US, no existing regulatory guidelines set a standardized risk assessment of herbal supplement use during breastfeeding. Because of the highly limited number of studies on herb use during lactation, numerous resources have mixed reports and safety recommendations, making it confusing for both mother and clinician.

After completing a systematic review of human lactation and herbal medicine literature, the researchers found poor methodology in the few available studies and concluded that further research is needed to assess the prevalence, efficacy and safety of commonly used herbs during breastfeeding.

"It is important for physicians and clinicians to be more aware that mothers are using herbal supplements and how vital it is to ask the mothers, who are seeking a doctor's opinion when having trouble breastfeeding, about their use before making an assessment," said senior author Paula Gardiner, MD, MPH, assistant professor at BUSM and a physician of family medicine at Boston Medical Center.

Although there is little scientific evidence to support the efficacy or safety of herbal supplements, it is a common practice both nationally and internationally.

"The use of herbal supplements while breastfeeding is two-sided-there are benefits, but there are also safety concerns," she added. "About 18 percent of the US population use herbs and dietary supplements. We just want to make sure physicians and clinicians are aware of this prevalent use when communicating with breastfeeding mothers about their health."

Herbal remedies may be used to increase the milk supply, relieve engorgement, treat mastitis, or for other therapeutic uses unrelated to lactation.

"Since there is very limited research, it is difficult to develop accurate information on the safety and effectiveness of specific herbs during breastfeeding," said Gardiner. "It is crucial that more research is conducted in this area, including national prevalence studies and safety and efficacy studies."
Source:

Boston University Medical Center

Supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids promotes effective immune system response and has ameliorating effects on chronic inflammation (a condition caused by an imbalanced immune system that can lead to multiple serious illnesses over time), according to the most recent study published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (a division of the U.S. National Institutes of Health) on the effects of omega-3. It is for this reason that omega-3, in addition to playing a crucial role in human growth and brain development, may be highly useful in the prevention and treatment of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, ulcers, psoriasis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, and migraine.

The polyunsaturated fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6 cannot be synthesized by the body and must therefore be taken in as nutrition. Paradoxically, however, an excess of omega 6 may actually result in greater inflammation. This is why a healthy diet needs to achieve a proper balance between omega-3 and omega-6. Such is not currently the case in most American diets, which typically provide 14 to 25 times more omega 6 fatty acids than omega-3.

Typically standard fish oil supplements only have 30% omega-3 fatty acids and the same amount of saturated and monounsaturated (30% each), making their effectiveness doubtful.  

Supplements such as OmegafortSCC have 85% omega-3 content and are backed by studies that support that the higher the concentration the higher the effectiveness of the omega-3 supplementation on our health.

A single high-potency OmegafortSCC capsule provides amounts of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) which are four times higher than conventional fish-oil capsules.
Source:

Megafort

Supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids promotes effective immune system response and has ameliorating effects on chronic inflammation (a condition caused by an imbalanced immune system that can lead to multiple serious illnesses over time), according to the most recent study published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (a division of the U.S. National Institutes of Health) on the effects of omega-3. It is for this reason that omega-3, in addition to playing a crucial role in human growth and brain development, may be highly useful in the prevention and treatment of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, ulcers, psoriasis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, and migraine.

The polyunsaturated fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6 cannot be synthesized by the body and must therefore be taken in as nutrition. Paradoxically, however, an excess of omega 6 may actually result in greater inflammation. This is why a healthy diet needs to achieve a proper balance between omega-3 and omega-6. Such is not currently the case in most American diets, which typically provide 14 to 25 times more omega 6 fatty acids than omega-3.

Typically standard fish oil supplements only have 30% omega-3 fatty acids and the same amount of saturated and monounsaturated (30% each), making their effectiveness doubtful.  

Supplements such as OmegafortSCC have 85% omega-3 content and are backed by studies that support that the higher the concentration the higher the effectiveness of the omega-3 supplementation on our health.

A single high-potency OmegafortSCC capsule provides amounts of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) which are four times higher than conventional fish-oil capsules.
Source:

Megafort

The intake of preformed vitamin A from animal products is not sufficient in parts of the population in the U.S., Europe and Asia. The vitamin A precursor beta-carotene therefore has an important function in providing for an adequate supply of total vitamin A, international carotenoid experts state in a recently published consensus answer. An appropriate intake of beta-carotene from diet, fortified foods and/or dietary supplements could safely compensate for the lack of vitamin A. However, based on recent data from national nutrition surveys, the dietary intake of beta-carotene from food sources is insufficient in a substantial part of the population. Moreover, many people may suffer from a reduced ability to produce sufficient amounts of vitamin A from beta-carotene due to genetic variations. Consequently, experts are calling for guarantees that recommended intakes of beta-carotene are met or, if the current recommended dietary amounts for vitamin A are not met, that beta-carotene intake should be increased. This would ensure that at least 95% of the population consume an adequate amount of total vitamin A.

Leading experts in the fields of medical and nutritional science from the U.S., Europe and Asia met at a Consensus Conference to elucidate the current knowledge with respect to physiological function, supply situation, and intake recommendations of beta-carotene. The experts reached an agreement formulated in a consensus answer published recently in The Journal of Nutrition.

Vitamin A and beta-carotene intake often critically low

Vitamin A is essential for normal growth and development, immune system, vision and other functions in the human body. In situations such as pregnancy and lactation, vitamin A plays a particularly important role in the healthy development of the child, and an increase in vitamin A (retinol) intake has been recommended under these conditions. However, surveys undertaken in several countries suggest that vitamin A intake patterns vary considerably across Europe, the U.S. and Asia. National survey data show that the intake of preformed vitamin A (retinol) - as such only present in animal products (especially liver) - is often critically low and does not meet the recommendations. Groups especially at risk of inadequate vitamin A supply are pregnant and lactating women, newborns, children with frequent infections, young women, the elderly and people who avoid animal-derived foods.

National Consumption Surveys indicate that beta-carotene - as a vitamin A precursor - contributes significantly to balance inadequate vitamin A supply in large parts of the population. However, European, U.S. and Asian studies show that a substantial part of the population does not reach the recommendation for beta-carotene necessary to compensate the low vitamin A intake from sources containing preformed vitamin A in the regular diet.

Recent evidence has shown that suboptimal levels of vitamin A and beta-carotene, even well above those causing clinical deficiency syndromes, can be risk factors for chronic diseases.


Vitamin A deficiency through beta-carotene-dependent gene variants

The bioavailability of beta-carotene is influenced by numerous factors. In addition to food-related factors, such as food matrix, food processing, dosage, fat in the meal, and dietary fibers, the bioavailability of beta-carotene depends on consumer-related factors including vitamin A status, gut integrity and genetic variations.

Recent research on female subjects has shown that almost 50% of the population have a genetic variation which reduces their ability to produce sufficient amounts of vitamin A from beta-carotene. Studies indicate that younger women carrying the genetic variation are at particular risk as they tend to eat not enough vitamin A-rich foods relying heavily on the beta-carotene form of the nutrient.

Experts call for increase of beta-carotene intake recommendations

It is apparent from a variety of studies that beta-carotene is essential in striving for the recommended vitamin A intake. In cases of a poor vitamin A status due to low intake of preformed vitamin A, the current recommendations for beta-carotene in the range of 2-4 mg per day still might not sufficiently correct the individual vitamin A status.

In their consensus answer the experts conclude that ignoring inter-individual differences in the ability to convert beta-carotene to vitamin A and assuming that intakes of preformed retinol do not change, it should be ensured that the current recommended intakes of beta-carotene are attained. At the same time, people with an inadequate intake of preformed vitamin A should increase consumption to 7 mg per day, based on a realistic and now in the scientific community generally accepted conversion efficiency of 1:12 (12 milligrams of beta-carotene are necessary to form one milligram of vitamin A). This should ensure that at least 95% of the population meet the recommended intakes of total vitamin A.

Individuals with reduced conversion efficiencies due to a genetic variability in beta-carotene metabolism might need to increase their daily intakes even further. This is currently being investigated.

No functional difference between natural and synthetic beta-carotene

According to the experts, there is no difference in function between naturally occurring and chemically synthesized beta-carotene, whereas there is a difference in bioavailability from different food sources. In humans, the predominant molecular type is 'all-trans beta-carotene', used for most dietary supplements and fortified foods; it is absorbed preferentially compared to other forms.

As the general population is not obtaining sufficient beta-carotene from fruit and vegetables, foods fortified or colored with beta-carotene and dietary supplements can be important contributors to the daily supply of vitamin A.
Source:

CommuniPoweR Wolfgang Zoell