Provided herein is a nutritional supplement designed to support kidney and cardiac function as well as mitochondrial energy function needs in patients undergoing hemodialysis. This supplement replenishes essential vitamins and minerals that are lost during dialysis, does not contain compounds that may specifically cause harm to dialysis patients, and provides support for tissues undergoing oxidative stress.

Compositions containing apoaequorin and vitamin D and methods for their use in treating symptoms and disorders related to calcium imbalances and vitamin D deficiency associated with, for example, sleep quality, energy quality, mood quality, memory quality or pain are provided by the present invention.

Compositions containing apoaequorin and vitamin D and methods for their use in treating symptoms and disorders related to calcium imbalances and vitamin D deficiency associated with, for example, sleep quality, energy quality, mood quality, memory quality or pain are provided by the present invention.

In an embodiment, a nutritional supplement including, about 0.5 mg to about 4 mg of folate, about 6.25 mg to about 50 mg of vitamin B-6, about 250 mcg to about 2000 mcg of vitamin B-12, about 75 mg to about 600 mg of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), about 1250 IU to about 10,000 IU of vitamin D.sub.3, about 25 mg to about 200 mg of magnesium, about 25 mg to 200 mg of N-acetyl-L-cysteine, about 5 mg to about 40 mg pyrroloquinoline quinone disodium (PQQ), about 25 mg to about 200 mg of curcumin extract, about 25 mg to about 200 mg of resveratrol, about 25 mg to about 200 mg berberine, about 12.5 mcg to about 100 mcg of chromium, and about 12.5 mcg to about 100 mcg of selenium. In an additional embodiment, the aforementioned nutritional supplement in a nutritional kit that further includes an omega-3 supplement.

In an embodiment, a nutritional supplement including, about 0.5 mg to about 4 mg of folate, about 6.25 mg to about 50 mg of vitamin B-6, about 250 mcg to about 2000 mcg of vitamin B-12, about 75 mg to about 600 mg of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), about 1250 IU to about 10,000 IU of vitamin D.sub.3, about 25 mg to about 200 mg of magnesium, about 25 mg to 200 mg of N-acetyl-L-cysteine, about 5 mg to about 40 mg pyrroloquinoline quinone disodium (PQQ), about 25 mg to about 200 mg of curcumin extract, about 25 mg to about 200 mg of resveratrol, about 25 mg to about 200 mg berberine, about 12.5 mcg to about 100 mcg of chromium, and about 12.5 mcg to about 100 mcg of selenium. In an additional embodiment, the aforementioned nutritional supplement in a nutritional kit that further includes an omega-3 supplement.

It is an object of the present invention to provide methods for producing vitamin D that gives improved yields and reduced side product contamination. In various aspects, these methods provide for production of vitamin-D.sub.2 using ergosterol as provitamin D.sub.2 or a dihydroxy derivative thereof as a starting material, or production of vitamin-D.sub.3 using 7-dehydrocholesterol as provitamin D.sub.3 or a dihydroxy derivative thereof as the starting material. The methods described herein comprise irradiating the starting material in a solution including an organic or inorganic base with light in the wavelength range 245-360 nanometers (nm) to obtain a product containing pre-vitamin-D.sub.2 or pre-vitamin-D.sub.3, and heating the product to convert the resulting pre-vitamin-D.sub.2 or pre-vitamin-D.sub.3 to vitamin D.sub.2 or vitamin D.sub.3. In various embodiments, these methods further comprise recovering vitamin D.sub.2 or vitamin D.sub.3 from this reaction as a purified product.

The invention is directed to compositions of vitamin D having enhanced bioavailability and enhanced stability. Methods of making and using the compositions of the invention are contemplated and disclosed.

The invention is directed to compositions of vitamin D having enhanced bioavailability and enhanced stability. Methods of making and using the compositions of the invention are contemplated and disclosed.

This invention relates to methods for treating dry eye and improving the quality of the meibum composition of inflamed or dysfunctional meibomian glands of a mammal, comprising the steps of administering a composition consisting essentially of an effective amount of omega-3 fatty acids on a daily dosage basis to the mammal having inflamed or dysfunctional meibomian glands, wherein the effective amount of omega-3 fatty acids comprises eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in an amount greater than 600 mg and in the re-esterified triglyceride form, and wherein the composition administered does not include any additional omega-6 fatty acids beyond the range normally found in the source material of the omega-3 fatty acids. The composition administered may facilitate an increase in levels of anti-inflammatory omega-3′s in the meibum composition of the treated meibomian glands of the mammal and a decrease in the levels of inflammatory omega-6′s in the meibum composition of the treated meibomian glands. The method of administering the composition of the present invention consisting essentially of omega-3 fatty acids may further comprise (1) the steps of taking a baseline measurement of tear break up time of the mammal prior to administering the composition and taking a second measurement of tear break up time of the treated mammal after administration of the composition to evaluate the improvement in tear break up time of the mammal as compared to the corresponding baseline measurement, (2) the steps of taking a baseline measurement of tear osmolarity of the mammal prior to administering the composition and taking a second measurement of tear osmolarity of the mammal after administration of the composition to evaluate the reduction of tear osmolarity of the mammal as compared to the corresponding baseline measurement and/or (3) the steps of taking a baseline measurement of the quality of tears of the mammal prior to administering the composition and taking a second measurement of the quality of tears of the mammal after administration of the composition to evaluate the improvement in the quality of tears of the mammal as compared to the corresponding baseline measurement.

This invention relates to methods for treating dry eye and improving the quality of the meibum composition of inflamed or dysfunctional meibomian glands of a mammal, comprising the steps of administering a composition consisting essentially of an effective amount of omega-3 fatty acids on a daily dosage basis to the mammal having inflamed or dysfunctional meibomian glands, wherein the effective amount of omega-3 fatty acids comprises eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in an amount greater than 600 mg and in the re-esterified triglyceride form, and wherein the composition administered does not include any additional omega-6 fatty acids beyond the range normally found in the source material of the omega-3 fatty acids. The composition administered may facilitate an increase in levels of anti-inflammatory omega-3′s in the meibum composition of the treated meibomian glands of the mammal and a decrease in the levels of inflammatory omega-6′s in the meibum composition of the treated meibomian glands. The method of administering the composition of the present invention consisting essentially of omega-3 fatty acids may further comprise (1) the steps of taking a baseline measurement of tear break up time of the mammal prior to administering the composition and taking a second measurement of tear break up time of the treated mammal after administration of the composition to evaluate the improvement in tear break up time of the mammal as compared to the corresponding baseline measurement, (2) the steps of taking a baseline measurement of tear osmolarity of the mammal prior to administering the composition and taking a second measurement of tear osmolarity of the mammal after administration of the composition to evaluate the reduction of tear osmolarity of the mammal as compared to the corresponding baseline measurement and/or (3) the steps of taking a baseline measurement of the quality of tears of the mammal prior to administering the composition and taking a second measurement of the quality of tears of the mammal after administration of the composition to evaluate the improvement in the quality of tears of the mammal as compared to the corresponding baseline measurement.