Content about Vitamin

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens has begun promotion of its exclusive PureLife Naturals line of health supplements, a line launched in September in its weekly circulars. The line of active-ingredient formulas are blended without any artificial ingredients, colors or preservatives and ideal for the purity-conscious shopper.

PITTSBURGH — Women deficient in vitamin D early in their pregnancies are more likely to deliver babies with lower birth weights, according to research released last week by the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health.

The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, will be reported in the January print edition of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

CHEVY CHASE, Md. — Vitamin D levels in women during pregnancy could impact birth weight, according to research released Tuesday by the Endocrine Society.

PHOENIX — Ecosentials on Monday launched Vitamin Squeeze™ Powder Water Enhancers, which is packaged in a squeezable bottle that provides vitamins and customizable flavors. The Vitamin Squeeze Powder Water Enhancers are available in a variety of eight flavors among three supplement products — multi-vitamin, energy and weight control.

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. — Pharmavite’s recent launch of its Voots Veggie-Fruit Tarts may once and for all put to rest the dinner-table drama of enticing a young child to “eat their veggies.” Voots is a chewable supplement packed with a blend of 11 real fruits and vegetables. What’s more, Mom can pack that veggie-punch into her child’s lunchbox with the Voots single-serve packets. It’s a differentiated product launch in a still-growing category. Sales of vitamins are up 8.3%, to $9.1 billion, for the 52 weeks ended Sept. 29, according 
to Nielsen.

SEATTLE — A new review of existing studies points toward a potential role for vitamin D in helping to prevent dental caries, or tooth decay. The review, published in the December issue of Nutrition Reviews, encompassed 24 controlled clinical trials, spanning the 1920s to the 1980s, on approximately 3,000 children in several countries. These trials showed that vitamin D was associated with an approximately 50% reduction in the incidence of tooth decay, the University of Washington announced Tuesday. 

NEW YORK — Reckitt Benckiser on Friday made an offer to acquire all of the outstanding shares of VMS maker Schiff Nutrition for $42 per share in cash, or approximately $1.4 billion — a premium of 23.5% more than the $34 per share offer Bayer HealthCare announced Oct. 30. 

ST. LOUIS — People with diabetes often develop clogged arteries that cause heart disease, and new research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests that low vitamin D levels are to blame. In a study published Nov. 9 in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, the researchers reported that blood vessels are less like to clog in people with diabetes who get adequate vitamin D. But in patients with insufficient vitamin D, immune cells bind to blood vessels near the heart, then trap cholesterol to block those blood vessels.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Sam's Club, via its Simply Right wellness brand, has donated $500,000 to Vitamin Angels, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing availability, access and use of micronutrients among at-risk populations in need. The monetary donation will help Vitamin Angels expand their efforts to reach at-risk children age five and under with vitamin A and daily multivitamins and pregnant or breastfeeding women with prenatal vitamins around the world and domestically.

CHICAGO — In a randomized trial that included nearly 15,000 male physicians and started in 1997, long-term daily multivitamin use resulted in a modest, but statistically significant, reduction in cancer after more than a decade of treatment and follow-up, according to a study appearing in JAMA that was released Wednesday. The multivitamin used in the study was Pfizer's Centrum Silver. 

NORTH BERGEN, N.J. — Vitamin Shoppe will be hosting a "Share the Health Expo" at store locations Oct. 13, the specialty channel retailer announced earlier this week. 

"All it takes is one day to make a difference in your health and wellness," stated Doug Henson, SVP retail operations for the Vitamin Shoppe. "By participating in the 'Share the Health Expo' customers can take the next step in owning their health-and-wellness goals."

WASHINGTON — Honoring the 100th anniversary of the vitamin, Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., last week entered into the U.S. House of Representatives' Congressional Record remarks recognizing this special milestone, the Council for Responsible Nutrition announced.

In 1912, Polish-American scientist Casimir Funk, considered the "father of vitamin therapy," first used the term "vitamin" to describe a group of bioactive substances vital to human health.