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Vitamin D May Protect Against Autoimmune DiseasesBrigham and Women’s Hospital, August 3, 2022To investigate the effect of vitamin D and fish oil supplementation, alone and in combination, on the 5-year incidence of new-onset autoimmune disease in an older populationDesign; Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with a 2-by-2 factorial designParticipants: This study included 25,871 participants, of whom 12,786 were men aged ≥50 years (51%) and 13,085 were women aged ≥55 years. The mean age was 67.1 years.Intervention: Participants were randomized to 1 of 4 groups:Omega-3 fatty acid (1,000 mg/day; 460 mg eicosapentaenoic acid and 380 mg docosahexaenoic acid) and vitamin D supplementation (2,000 IU/day)Omega-3 fatty acid (1,000 mg/day) and placeboVitamin D supplementation (2,000 IU/day) and placeboPlaceboKey Findings

In older adults, supplementing with daily vitamin D (2,000 IU) for 5 years decreased the incidence of autoimmune disease by 22%. Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation alone decreased incidence of autoimmune disease by 15% but was not statistically significant. The combination of vitamin D and omega-3 did not appear to have significant added benefit. Omega-3 supplementation alone did appear to be more beneficial for prevention of autoimmune disease onset in those with a positive family history and also appeared to have more impact in the later years of the study.

It does appear that vitamin D supplementation, with or without omega-3 supplementation, decreases the incidence of new-onset autoimmune disease in people aged more than 55 years. The study did an excellent job ensuring regimen adherence with the use of biomarkers.

Bitter Orange: Another Tool to Improve SleepAhvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences (Iran), August 13, 2022To determine whether inhalation of Citrus aurantium (bitter orange) daily over 4 weeks would improve the sleep of postmenopausal women. The bitter orange essential oil used in this study, made from the flowers, is also called neroli oil. The main constituent (35%) is linalool, which has several properties, including anxiolytic, antioxidant, antimicrobial, cytotoxic, and antidiabetic.8 Linalool is present in lavender essential oil also.Inhalation of Citrus aurantium for 5 minutes, twice daily, 4 days a week for 4 weeks resulted in a significant improvement in sleep for postmenopausal women. Sleep complaints affect a significant portion of this subpopulation.Participants: Eighty postmenopausal women, aged 45 to 60 years, participated in this study. Inclusion criteria were the ability to read and write, cessation of menses for 12 months or more, 5 or more on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index questionnaire, no medical or mental disorder, available medical records, no alcohol, and no stressful events in the 6 months prior.Intervention: Participants placed 2 drops of oil on their forearm and inhaled the aroma from a distance of 30 cm away with normal breathing for 5 minutes twice daily (10 am and 10 pm). The treatment group received 10% Citrus aurantium oil (mixed in odorless almond oil diluted with propylene glycol), while the control group received odorless almond oil, which was also diluted with propylene glycol. They inhaled the aroma 4 consecutive days each week for 4 weeks.Key Findings: The postmenopausal women who used the Citrus aurantium oil had a statistically significant improvement in their subjective sleep, with the PSQI dropping from 12.08 to 5.75Inhalation aromatherapy for sleep has a historical precedent, and research in this area is accumulating. Reviews have found evidence for use of bergamot, cedar, lemon, rose, sweet orange, valerian, and other essential oils. When the essential