Nutrition
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Influence of yeast-derived 1,3/1,6 glucopolysaccharide on circulating cytokines and chemokines with respect to upper respiratory tract infections.
Wellmune WGP is a food supplement containing a refined 1,3/1,6 glucopolysaccharide that improves the antimicrobial activity of the innate immune cells by the priming of lectin sites. This study aimed to investigate whether Wellmune decreases the frequency and severity of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) symptoms over 90 d during the peak URTI season in healthy university students. The secondary aims included an assessment of plasma cytokine and chemokine levels. ⋯ Wellmune may decrease the duration and severity of URTI. Larger studies are needed to demonstrate this.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Superiority of a fish oil-enriched emulsion to medium-chain triacylglycerols/long-chain triacylglycerols in gastrointestinal surgery patients: a randomized clinical trial.
Compared with soybean oil, a fish oil-enriched emulsion can improve the clinical outcomes of patients requiring parenteral nutrition. However, the superiority of fish oil emulsion to medium-chain triacylglycerols/long-chain triacylglycerols for short-term administration has seldom been discussed. ⋯ Gastrointestinal surgery patients benefited from a fish oil-enriched emulsion rather than medium-chain triacylglycerols/long-chain triacylglycerols in the amelioration of liver function and immune status. The positive association of tumor necrosis factor-α and nuclear factor-κB might be involved in the potential anti-inflammation mechanism of fish oil.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Association of mate tea (Ilex paraguariensis) intake and dietary intervention and effects on oxidative stress biomarkers of dyslipidemic subjects.
To evaluate the effect of long-term ingestion of mate tea, with or without dietary intervention, on the markers of oxidative stress in dyslipidemic individuals. ⋯ The ingestion of mate tea independently of the dietary intervention increased plasma and blood antioxidant protection in patients with dyslipidemia.
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Infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a serious public health problem worldwide. In clinical studies, weight loss has been reported in 11% to 29% of patients treated with pegylated interferon-α-2a/2b. Few reports have tried to explain such a weight loss. The aim of this study was to evaluate nutritional status, body composition, and resting energy expenditure (REE) in patients with chronic hepatitis C before and during treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. ⋯ Our study of patients with hepatitis C treatment showed that these patients had significant weight loss and this was not associated with changes in energy expenditure. However, we observed a significant decrease in energy intake, pointing to a possible need for intervention measures to decrease the damage.
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Obesity is a serious health problem implicated in many metabolic disorders (i.e., hypertension, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular disease). We examined whether the mRNA of tested genes were linked to blood lipid concentrations and vascular endothelial function as features of obesity. ⋯ Significant upregulations of ARG1 and VLDLR were observed in the overweight condition and their expression levels are likely to be closely linked to the phenotypic biomarkers for obesity (disturbed lipid profiles and endothelial dysfunction).