Folate, vitamins B12, B6, and riboflavin are required for one‐carbon metabolism and may affect bone health, but no previous randomized trial has investigated all four nutrients in this context. We investigated the effect of low‐dose B‐vitamins for 2 years on bone mineral density (BMD) in a dual‐centered, 2‐year randomized controlled trial (RCT) in adults aged ≥50 years. Eligible participants not consuming B‐vitamin supplements or fortified foods >4 times weekly were randomized to receive daily either combined folic acid (200 μg), vitamin B12 (10 μg), vitamin B6 (10 mg), and riboflavin (5 mg), or “active” placebo, whereby both the intervention and placebo groups received vitamin D (10 μg). BMD was assessed before and after intervention using dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) scanning of the total hip, femoral neck, and lumbar spine (L1 to L4). Of 205 eligible participants randomized, 167 completed the trial in full. B‐vitamin intervention resulted in increases in serum folate (p < 0.001), serum B12 (p < 0.001), and plasma pyridoxal‐5‐phosphate (p < 0.001) and decreases in functional biomarkers of B‐vitamin status, erythrocyte glutathione reductase activation coefficient (p < 0.001), serum methylmalonic acid (MMA; p < 0.001), and serum total homocysteine (p < 0.001). B‐vitamin intervention had no overall effect on BMD, which declined in both treatment groups by approximately 1% (ranging from −0.7% to −1.4%). However, in participants with lower baseline B12 status (serum B12 <246 pmol/L or MMA ≥0.22 μmol/L), B‐vitamin intervention reduced the 2‐year BMD decline versus placebo: adjusted mean (95% confidence interval [CI]) change of −0.003 (−0.008, 0.002) versus −0.015 (−0.021, −0.010) g/cm2 at the total hip and −0.004 (−0.010, 0.001) versus −0.013 (−0.018, −0.007) g/cm2 at the femoral neck. In conclusion, the findings indicate that although low‐dose B‐vitamin intervention for 2 years had no overall effect on BMD, improving B‐vitamin status appears to have specific benefits for bone health in adults with lower B12 status. © 2022 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).
Healthy UCD is a health promotion initiative in University College Dublin (UCD) which aims to create a sustainable healthy campus for all members of the UCD community. In recent years, Healthy UCD has worked with staff from across the university to provide opportunities for experiential learning to UCD students in areas related to health and wellbeing. The initiative currently has involvement in three modules: 1) Practice Placement – a core MSc in Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics module where students plan and implement a university-wide Healthy Eating Week, 2) Event Management – a core module undertaken by second-year BSc Sport & Exercise Management students, and 3) Student Health & Wellbeing – an undergraduate elective module which challenges students to reflect on issues which affect their own health and wellbeing and that of those around them and then develop a student-focused Healthy UCD campaign. This paper will outline how experiential learning is implemented in these modules, how students are assessed, and the perceptions of students who complete these modules.
Background Older adults are reported to have sub-optimal B vitamin status; targeted food-based solutions may help to address this. The objectives of the OptiAge food intervention study were to develop and investigate the effectiveness of a B vitamin-fortified drink in improving B vitamin biomarkers in older Irish adults with a primary outcome of change in the B vitamin biomarker status. Methods A double-blinded randomised controlled trial was performed in parallel at University College Dublin and Ulster University. Participants aged > 50 years were recruited following screening for exclusion criteria (i.e. taking medications known to interfere with B vitamin metabolism, supplements containing B vitamins, consuming > 4 portions of B vitamin-fortified foods per week or diagnosed with gastrointestinal, liver or pulmonary disease). Recruited participants meeting the inclusion criteria were randomised (by sex and study centre) to receive daily for 16 weeks either B vitamin-fortified or placebo drinks as developed by Smartfish, Norway. Each B vitamin-fortified drink (200 ml) contained 200 µg folic acid, 10 µg vitamin B12, 10 mg vitamin B6 and 5 mg riboflavin, while the placebo was an identical, isocaloric formulation without added B vitamins. Fasting blood samples were collected pre- and post-intervention which were used to measure the primary outcome of change in B vitamin biomarker levels. Results A total of 95 participants were randomised, of which 81 commenced the trial. Of these, 70 completed (37 in the active and 33 in the placebo groups). Intention to treat (ITT) analysis of the B vitamins demonstrated a significant improvement in all B vitamin biomarkers in the active compared to placebo groups: p < 0.01 for each of serum folate, serum vitamin B12 and plasma pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (vitamin B6) and the functional riboflavin biomarker, erythrocyte glutathione reductase activation coefficient (EGRac). Correspondingly, a significant lowering of serum homocysteine from 11.9 (10.3–15.1) µmol/L to 10.6 (9.4–13.0) µmol/L was observed in response to the active treatment (P < 0.001). Similar results were seen in a per-protocol analysis. Conclusions The results demonstrate that a B vitamin-fortified drink was effective in optimising B vitamin status, making this a useful intervention option to improve B vitamin status in older adults. Trial registration ISRCTN, ISRCTN61709781—Retrospectively registered, https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN61709781
Background Healthy UCD is a health promotion initiative in University College Dublin (UCD). Working together with university academic staff, we have provided opportunities for graded experiential learning for students in health and wellbeing-related courses. This abstract presents how experiential learning was implemented in the 2020/21 academic year. Objectives The first objective was to provide a public health nutrition learning opportunity to MSc in Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics students through the design, implementation and evaluation of UCD Healthy Eating Week in Autumn 2020. Secondly, we aimed to facilitate the running of a wellbeing event by BSc Sport & Exercise Management students with Healthy UCD as their client in Spring 2021. The students had the additional challenge this year of delivering the content online. Results MSc Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics students utilised Healthy UCD's website and social media channels to deliver a virtual Healthy Eating Week. Infographics, videos, articles and podcasts were produced which generated 1,000 website visits and reached over 3,000 on social media. Most students involved agreed that the event was successful (95%) and that they were sufficiently supported by Healthy UCD and their tutors (65%). BSc Sport & Exercise Management students devised and delivered a week-long event titled “Wellbeing Your Way”, creating wellbeing seminars and live exercise classes with each receiving an average of 460 views. The students reported gaining valuable experience of the responsibilities of running a professional event and operating as a team. Conclusions These examples of experiential learning for credit demonstrate how university campus health promotion teams can facilitate student learning and simultaneously reap the benefit for university faculty and students. The key requirements are committed academic engagement and supported students. Key messages University campus health promotion provides excellent opportunities for experiential learning. Health promotion practical experience can have benefits both for students and for the university.
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