Research Papers

Whilst mortality and morbidity related to COVID-19 has typically been higher among adults compared with adolescents, lockdowns, restrictions and school closures have presented risk factors of its own to adolescent health. The objective of this prospective cohort study was to examine dietary and lifestyle changes…

Currently, antihistamine medications and specific allergen immunotherapy is thought to be the only option for alleviating symptoms of allergies. Given that micronutrient deficiencies such as iron are extremely common and known to promote allergic reactions, the authors of this paper have conducted a randomized…

For children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), iron-deficiency anemia is considered the most common complication and it impacts neurodevelopment, quality of life and physical growth. Iron-deficiency anemia in IBD is also correlated with gastrointestinal bleeding, mucosal inflammation…

Candida albicans is a common commensal yeast of the intestinal microbiome, however it can shift from a beneficial to pathogenic organism due to a compromised immune system, predisposing conditions or dysbiosis. Candida albicans can also translocate through the intestinal epithelium into…

According to this observational study, people who drink moderate amounts of alcohol are at a significantly higher risk of developing problems associated with alcohol consumption compared with those who drink the same amount of alcohol overall but don’t binge. After analyzing the patterns…

Since the mid-1970s, there has been an observed reduction in the male sperm count with sperm counts declinig by over 52% between 1973 and 2011. This a significant reduction, sometimes being reported as a crisis and therefore understanding any potential modulations of male fertility…

Mental health disorders such as Anxiety and Depression are recognised as the leading causes of disability globally, however the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic related restrictions, lockdowns and isolation have made mental health even more of a challenge to all populations. On top of this…

Some studies have reported adverse reactions to the currently available COVID-19 vaccinations, such as fever, fatigue, headaches, anaphylaxis, thrombosis, Guillain–Barre syndrome and myocarditis. The number of cases of of myocarditis in particular has been addressed by the Centers for Disease Control and…

Roughly 3 g/d of Omega-3 fatty acids (docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic acid) appears to be the optimal daily dose to help lower blood pressure (BP), according to a meta-analysis published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.This meta-analysis included randomised controlled trials published…

The prevalence of osteoarthritis (OA) has rapidly increased globally and it is now the most common form of arthritis. OA is characterized by degeneration of the joint cartilages and can cause significant pain and disability among those impacted. The knee joint is one of the most common areas impacted by OA, referred to as…

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 10% of pregnant women and 13% of postpartum women experienced a mental health disorder, with anxiety being among the most common. Given that anxiety disorders can have negative consequences for pregnant women and their offspring, it is critically important…

Excessive weight in childhood and adolescence has been associated in previous literature with impaired insulin action and the development of comorbidities later in life such as hypertension, type 2 Diabetes (T2D), cardiometabolic diseases and cancer. Excess weight in childhood…

This cohort analysis aimed to look at the trends of lung cancer (LC) mortality in Australia and China, the two largest countries in the Western Pacific Region, by examining LC rates and its relationship to age and time period from 1990 to 2019 in Australia and China. The purpose of this comparative analysis is to understand…

Evidence has shown that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may be related to low levels of neurotransmitters in the brain, and that the minerals and vitamins involved in the pathways of these neurotransmitters act as cofactors for overall brain and neurotransmitter function. Symptom severity has also been…

There are many known risk factors of preterm birth such as premature rupture of membranes, infections and microbial displacement in the amniotic cavity. Research has elucidated that different Lactobacillus species may offer different risks for various birth related adverse events – suggesting the vaginal…

This meta-analysis and systematic review aimed to evaluate the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation for the improvement of insulin resistance in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Vitamin D, a fat-soluble vitamin, has been shown in literature to regulate bone homeostasis, regulate insulin resistance…

The objective of this randomised controlled trial (RCT) is to determine whether a mixed modality approach based on physical activity and tracking nutritional parameters prevents mobility disability in patients with age related physical frailty and sarcopenia. 1519 men and women aged 70 years or older were included in…

Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) is pain or cramping shortly before or during menstruation, often accompanied by other symptoms such as nausea, back pain, headaches, diarrhea, and fatigue. PD is categorised as dysmenorrhea that is present without any diagnosis or obvious pathological cause, whereas secondary…

It is a defining feature of Parkinson’s disease (PD) that it is linked with the gradual death of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra, however the molecular structure and specific vulneribilities of these neurons in the pathophysiology of PD is unknown. This paper has identified the molecular features of the neurons…

This paper discusses the role of the COVID-19 virus on the human microbiota, as emerging evidence from clinical studies has suggested that respiratory and gastrointestinal homeostasis is disturbed in the human microbiota post a COVID-19 infection, and is one of the main contributing factors to mortality…

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common disease of the liver, with prevalence estimated to be up to 45% of the global population. This randomised controlled trial aimed to assess the efficacy of exercise and a fibre enriched diet in patients diagnosed with NAFLD. The results showed that…

In China, there are 3 million cancer deaths reported annually, with colorectal, lung, stomach, female breast and liver cancer being the most frequently diagnosed. It is well documented that major risk factors for cancer include smoking, chronic infection, alcohol consumption and, potentially, certain dietary factors…

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) affects 10-15% of women in reproductive age, and is one of the most common endocrine disorders in Australia as well as India, where this case study was conducted. PCOS is also often combined with insulin resistance, obesity and other components of metabolic syndrome….

Whilst most products we find on our beauty store shelves are targeted at anti-aging, fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) may seem like an uncommon or unlikely way to support the anti-aging process. However, this study conducted on mice tested the hypothesis that FMTs may influence the development…

This secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial explores vitamin B12 levels in children from Burkina Faso. Of the 1,609 children with moderate to acute malnutrition (MAM) that participated in the study, researchers were able to measure vitamin B12 levels in 1,192 children. Serum Cobalamin (SC) was low…

This perspective article weighs in on the current evidence on glyphosate exposure and its impact on the gut microbiome and in turn, the brain and neuropsychiatric conditions. Over the past 30 years, there has been higher glyphosate residues found within food. Recently, links between the brain and…

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has a global prevalence of up to 10%, making it one of the most common complications during pregnancy. It is well established that a GDM diagnosis has been associated with a number of advserse outcomes such as pre-eclampsia, premature birth and more, however this paper explores whether…

This 2022 review of cause of death via death certificates unfortunately shows that downstream impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have impacted United States adolescent and child rates of suicide. The American Academy of Pediatrics declared a state of emergency in 2021 regarding the mental health of children…

Literature from the past few years has shown growing interest on the effects of passive smoking on mental health outcomes, and the results of several studies have suggested an association between exposure to tobacco smoke and an increased risk of cognitive impairment and problem…

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and depression have shown to be closely related in literature, due to common risk factors such as inflammation and oxidative stress. The aim of the study was to determine the association between cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) and depression in a population…

This meta-analysis and systematic review of 25 articles – including 1,171 participants – looked at the relationship between lipid metabolism and resveratrol supplementation, as current literature on this topic has been controversial with mixed results. The results of this review showed that resveratrol…

The prevalence of insulin resistance (IR) in women with polycystic overian syndrome (PCOS) is 50-70%, with obese PCOS women accounting for approximately 75% of IR patients. This 12 week randomised controlled trial aimed to analyse the effects of two assigned dietary trends – a mediterranean/low…

This paper is an analysis of 30 years of colorectal cancer trends and risk factors, from 204 countries. The findings show that globally, colorectcal cancer incidence more than doubled between 1990 and 2019. Colorectal cancer incidence also drastically rose in middle socio-demographic index (SDI) countries…

Limited research exists on carbohydrate intake and oral microbiome diversity and composition assessed with next-generation sequencing. We aimed to better understand the association between habitual carbohydrate intake and the oral microbiome, as the oral microbiome has been associated with caries…

Numerous studies have suggested that Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are associated with higher risk of mortality, however results have been inconsistent. In this systematic review and meta-analysis of 27 observational studies (with 642,260 individuals in total)…

This systematic review synthesises the current literature on the differences in gut microbiota composition in people with the psychiatric disorders compared to controls without psychiatric disorders. This paper looks closely at the interaction between the intestinal microbiome and the central nervous system (CNS)…

Previous studies have suggested that the postnatal environment for a child up to the age of 12 months is critical in regards to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) characteristics. This study looked at the association between screen time and ASD, and found that there is a statistically significant…

A 12 year prospective study (2021) concludes that a diet rich in plant based foods reduces risk of cognitive impairment in the elderly, including dementia. The study references the role of the gut microbiota in cognitive impairment, which helps to identify potential dietary interventions to protect…

A 2022 study modelled off meta-analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study (2019) suggests that changing your diet to include more whole grains, legumes, fish fruits and vegetables could add up to ten years to life expectancy. The benefits to life expectancy are shown to be more prominent…

New research has indicated that consumption of avocado two times per week or more is associated with lower risk of cardiovascular and coronory heart disease. This was a prospective cohort study of two large cohorts (110,00 participants in total), that confirms the consumption of unsaturated plant…

This paper is a systematic literature review and meta analysis of 7 randomised controlled trials that assessed the benefit of dietary interventions in Austism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), such as a gluten free, casein free and ketogenic diet. The analysis concluded that dietary interventions are effective for children…

A 2022 national report from the US has shown that mRNA-Based COVID-19 vaccinations have caused increased risk of myocarditis, which is an inflammatory condition of the heart. The rates of myocarditis were higher amongst those who received their second vaccination. Of the 192 405 448 people who received the…

JAMA Pediatrics have published a viewpoint that there needs to be further investigation into the health outcomes of children born to mothers with COVID-19 related stress. Factors that could lead to worsened health outcomes for a neonate are isolation, lockdowns, loss of employment, declining mental health…