That and a few other studies, thanks T
Putting them 'as received' because I'm getting too tired to do each one individually LOL.
Criminals to be fed vitamins to improve behaviour
Gaby Hinsliff, chief political correspondent
Sunday November 28, 2004
The Observer
Criminals are to be given vitamin supplements in an unusual attempt to reduce anti-social behaviour which will test the effect of diet on the brain.
The move is controversial, with many in the prison service sceptical that healthy food could make much difference to hardened criminals.
Psychology Today, March-April, 2003 by Willow Lawson
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DOES A POOR DIET LEAD TO CRIME? SOME British researchers think so.
They studied the behavior of 231 inmates at a maximum-security prison in the U.K. Half of the group received daily capsules containing vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids, while the other half took dummy pills. Antisocial behavior among inmates was recorded before and during the trial.
The supplement group broke prison rules 25 percent less than those on the placebo. The greatest reduction was for serious offenses--instances of fighting, assaulting guards or taking hostages dropped 37 percent. There was, however, no significant change in the control group.
This study is PRE 2002 -
Sir David Ramsbotham, former Chief Inspector of Prisons, was enthused by the findings. "If healthy eating is part of a healthy lifestyle, and a healthy lifestyle is a crime-free lifestyle, I hope that the Prison Service will look seriously at exploiting the evidence presented to them today."
HERBAL TEAS REPLACING SEDATIVES IN UK PRISONS
Prisons in England and Wales have discovered a cheap, safe and popular alternative to sedatives to help prisoners get to sleep: Dr Stuart’s Botanical Teas.
The "Tranquillity" and "Valerian Plus" blends have proven so effective at Downview jail, Surrey, that staff have all but stopped dispensing sedatives to women inmates.
News of the teas’ benefits has spread by word-of-mouth since were first introduced at Wandsworth men’s jail in South London four years ago. “They are very, very popular with prisoners," a Prison Service spokeswoman said. They are being introduced into more prisons and are proving a good alternative to sedatives and other prescription drugs which can become addictive.”
Prisoners in Wandsworth started the trend towards herbal teas in jail when people suffering from stress and insomnia asked the prison pharmacy to order supplies. The teas are also being supplied to High Down men’s jail, in Surrey, and Lewes jail, in Sussex.
proven link adhd in children caused by invitrio deficiencies of iodine in the mother - Iodine is only one substance - multiply this by many nutrients and you have a huge problem -
LOW MATERNAL IODINE LINKED TO "ADHD" IN CHILDREN
A group of researchers at Italy’s University of Messina recently completed a study of Sicilian children linking "ADHD" with maternal hypothyroxinemia (iodine deficiency in the thyroid). Iodine is a key component of thyroid hormone, used in regulating growth and metabolism.
The researchers followed the children of 16 women in an area of Sicily where iodine deficiency is common, comparing them to children in a region where iodine is "marginally sufficient."
ADHD was diagnosed in 11 of the 16 children from the iodine-deficient area, but in none of the comparison group.
Dr. Francesco Vermiglio, who led the study, told Reuters Health that he believes the ADHD symptoms and lower IQ scores in the study group resulted from maternal hypothyroxinemia in the first half of pregnancy.
Source: Journal of Clinical Endocrinology, December 2004.
actual abstract of study -
The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism Vol. 89, No. 12 6054-6060
Copyright © 2004 by The Endocrine Society
Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders in the Offspring of Mothers Exposed to Mild-Moderate Iodine Deficiency: A Possible Novel Iodine Deficiency Disorder in Developed Countries
F. Vermiglio, V. P. Lo Presti, M. Moleti, M. Sidoti, G. Tortorella, G. Scaffidi, M. G. Castagna, F. Mattina, M. A. Violi, A. Crisà, A. Artemisia and F. Trimarchi
Dipartimento Clinico-Sperimentale di Medicina e Farmacologia-Sezione di Endocrinologia (F.V., V.P.L.P., M.M., G.S., M.G.C., F.M., M.A.V., F.T.), Dipartimento di Scienze Pediatriche-Sezione di Neuropsichiatria Infantile (M.S., G.T., A.C.), and Dipartimento di Diagnostica di Laboratorio-Servizio di Biochimica Clinica (A.A.), University of Messina, Messina 98125, Italy
Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Prof. Francesco Vermiglio, M.D., Cattedra di Endocrinologia, Policlinico Universitario, Via Consolare Valeria 98125 Messina, Italy. E-mail:
francesco.vermiglio@unime.it.
Over a period of almost 10 yr, we carried out a prospective study of the neuropsychological development of the offspring of 16 women from a moderately iodine-deficient area (area A) and of 11 control women from a marginally iodine-sufficient area (area B) whose thyroid function had been monitored during early gestation.
Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was diagnosed in 11 of 16 area A children (68.7%) but in none from area B. Total intelligence quotient score was lower in area A than in area B children (92.1 ± 7.8 vs. 110 ± 10) and in ADHD children when compared with both non-ADHD children from the same area and control children (88.0 ± 6.9 vs. 99.0 ± 2.0 and 110 ± 10, respectively). Seven of 11 ADHD children (63.6%) were born to the seven of eight area A mothers who became hypothyroxinemic at early gestation, whereas only one of five non-ADHD children was born to a woman who was hypothyroxinemic at 20 wk of gestation.
So far, a similar prevalence of ADHD has been reported only in children with generalized resistance to thyroid hormones. This might suggest a common ADHD pathogenetic mechanism consisting either of reduced sensitivity of the nuclear receptors to thyroid hormone (generalized resistance to thyroid hormones) or reduced availability of intracellular T3 for nuclear receptor binding. The latter would be the ultimate consequence of maternal hypothyroxinemia (due to iodine deficiency), resulting in a critical reduction of the source of the intracellular T3 available to the developing fetal brain.
Evidence-Based Mental Health 2003; 6:41
© 2003 BMJ Publishing Group, Royal College of Psychiatrists, & British Psychological Society
Therapeutics
Vitamin and fatty acid supplements may reduce antisocial behaviour in incarcerated young adults
Gesch B, Hammond S, Hampson S et al. Influence of supplementary vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids on the antisocial behaviour of young adult prisoners.Brit J Psychiatry 2002 July;181:22–8[Abstract/Free Full Text]
QUESTION: Do vitamin, mineral and fatty acid supplements reduce antisocial behaviour among young adults in prison?
Design
Randomised controlled trial. Clinicians, participants and outcome assessors were blind to treatment allocation.
Setting
Information from authors: One maximum security correctional institution in Aylesbury, United Kingdom. Recruitment began September 1996.
Participants
Information from authors: Participants were 231 prisoners, aged 18–21 years, typically serving long sentences for serious offences.
Intervention
Participants received dietary supplementation or placebo (after stratifying for prison wing). The supplementation group received a vitamin and mineral supplement based on 100% of the Reference Nutrient Intakes and essential fatty acid supplements in 4 daily capsules (1260 mg linoleic acid; 80 mg gamma linolenic acid; 80 mg eicosapentaenoic acid, and 44 mg docasahexaenoic acid). The average time spent on supplementation or placebo was 142 days. There was 100% follow up for the intention to treat analysis.
Main outcome measures
Antisocial behaviour was measured using incidents adjudicated by Governor reports (serious incidents such as violence) and minor action reports (for instance, failure to comply with requirements) which had been ‘proven by adjudication.’
Main results
Participants receiving supplements were 26.3% (95% CI 8.3% to 44%) less likely to be reported for antisocial behaviour than those who received placebo (mean difference 11.8 less infringements in the supplement group, p=0.03). No participant withdrew due to ill effects of supplementation and there were no adverse events reported.
Conclusions
Vitamin, mineral and fatty acid supplements reduced antisocial behaviour, including violence, in young adult prisoners.
Source of funding: Natural Justice Charity. Nutritional supplements supplied by Pharmaceuticals Ltd and Unigreg Ltd.