First new vitamin in 55 years named

Substance discovered in 1979 may play role in fertility

Thursday, April 24, 2003 Posted: 10:07 AM EDT (1407 GMT)

http://www.cnn.com/2003/HEALTH/04/2...reut/index.html

TOKYO, Japan (Reuters) -- Japanese scientists have discovered a new vitamin that plays an important role in fertility in mice and may have a similar function in humans, the research leader said on Thursday.

A research team led by Takafumi Kato confirmed that pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ), a substance discovered in 1979, can be categorized as a vitamin.

Mice deprived of PQQ suffer reduced fertility and roughened fur, the Tokyo-based Institute of Physical and Chemical Research said in an announcement. Vitamins that have an important effect on mice usually act in the same way in humans, Kato said.

"There are many possible factors behind the drop in fertility," Kato said. "We need more research to find out exactly what is happening to these mice and what would be the effect on humans."

PQQ is the first new vitamin to be discovered since 1948, the institute said. Vitamins are defined as organic substances needed in small quantities for health and growth. They must be obtained from food as they cannot be produced by the body.

The best source of PQQ discovered so far is "natto," a pungent Japanese dish of fermented soybeans. Other foods rich in the substance include parsley, green tea, green peppers, kiwi fruit and papaya.

PQQ is not generally included in multi-vitamin tablets available on the market, the release said.

There are 13 other types of vitamin already known, and PQQ is believed to belong to the vitamin B group, the institute said.

This is not accurate. Vitamin D is produced in the human body when sunlight, specifically UVB, acts on cholesterol in the skin.

Vitamin K is produced in our intestines through the action of friendly bacteria which reside there.

If this "vitamin" isn't made in the body, then there MUST be an animal source of it, otherwise humans living in parts of the globe where these plant foods aren't available would be suffering from deficiency disease.

I have a hunch this "study" may have been financed by the manufacturers of natto or other soy products, rather than independent research.



Doreen