Category Archives: Pregnancy

Methylmercury in Fish

Posted on December 31, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Research shows that fatty fish containing the long chain marine polyunsaturated fatty acids eicosapentanoic acid (EPA, C20:5 (n-3)) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA, C22:6 (n-3)) are beneficial to the health, and may reduce the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and dementia. … Continue reading →

Posted in Brain, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Fish, Fish Oils, Methyl Mercury, Pregnancy | Comments Off on Methylmercury in Fish

Vitamin B12 And Insulin Resistance

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Robert Barrington

It is known that deficiencies of some nutrients during pregnancy can adversely affect the foetus. A folic acid deficiency causing neural tube defects is a well know example. It is likely that other vitamin deficiencies affect the growing foetus, due … Continue reading →

Posted in Insulin Resistance, Pregnancy, Vitamin B | Comments Off on Vitamin B12 And Insulin Resistance

Biotin and Leucine Metabolism

Posted on December 7, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Conversion of 3-methylcrotonyl CoA to 3-methylglutaconyl CoA is a metabolic step in leucine catabolism pathway that is catalysed by the enzyme methylglutaconyl CoA carboxylase (MCC). Biotin is required as a cofactor for the MCC enzyme, and marginal biotin deficiency reduces … Continue reading →

Posted in Biotin, Leucine, Pregnancy | Comments Off on Biotin and Leucine Metabolism

Multivitamins and Pregnancy

Posted on September 23, 2012 by Robert Barrington

A number of lifestyle factors are associated with preterm births and foetal growth restrictions including cigarette smoking, black race, a low body mass index (BMI) and nulliparity. Preterm births and growth restrictions are of concern because they considerable increase the … Continue reading →

Posted in Multivitamin Multimineral, Pregnancy | Comments Off on Multivitamins and Pregnancy

Essential Fatty Acids and Childhood Adiposity

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Robert Barrington

The essential fatty acids α-linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3 (n-3)) and linoleic acid (LA, C18:2 (n-6)) are required for normal human metabolism. Chronic sub-clinical deficiencies of these fatty acids are increasingly being linked to major diseases such as cardiovascular disease and … Continue reading →

Posted in Alpha Linolenic Acid, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Essential Fatty Acids, Linoleic Acid, Pregnancy | Comments Off on Essential Fatty Acids and Childhood Adiposity

Essential Fatty Acids in Early Development

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Robert Barrington

The two essential fatty acids (EFA), linoleic acid (LA, C18:2 (n-6)) and α-linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3 (n-3)), are required in the diet because humans are unable to synthesise them de novo. A series of elongation and desaturation reactions creates a … Continue reading →

Posted in Alpha Linolenic Acid, Dihomo Gamma Linolenic Acid, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Eicosanoids, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Essential Fatty Acids, Fatty Acids, Fish Oils, Flax Oil, Gamma Linolenic Acid, Linoleic Acid, Pregnancy | Comments Off on Essential Fatty Acids in Early Development

Neural Tube Defects and Sucrose

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Neural tube defects are a common birth defect that are characterised by an opening in the spinal cord or brain which results from a failure of the neural tube to properly seal following the third week of pregnancy. A number … Continue reading →

Posted in Diabetes, Fructose, Glucose, Pregnancy, Sucrose, Sugar | Comments Off on Neural Tube Defects and Sucrose

Artificial Sweetener and Pregnancy

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Robert Barrington

There is a lot of controversy surrounding the increasing consumption of artificial sweeteners in the diets of Western populations. In particular, consumption of artificial sweetener in soft drinks is popular because of the association between weight gain and sugar sweetened … Continue reading →

Posted in Alsulfame-K, Aspartame, Pregnancy, Saccharine | Comments Off on Artificial Sweetener and Pregnancy

Diet Quality During Pregnancy

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Robert Barrington

During pregnancy the developing infant is entirely dependent on its nutrient requirements from its mother’s blood. Because the chemical composition of the parental blood is related to the quality of the diet, diet quality can therefore have an impact on … Continue reading →

Posted in Pregnancy | Comments Off on Diet Quality During Pregnancy