Nutrition
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Emu (Dromaius novaehallandiae), the flightless bird native to Australia and found in many countries, is receiving much attention for its nutritional benefits as well as its medicinal value. Emu oil contains high amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants. It has potent anti-inflammatory actions and thus can be used topically and orally to treat conditions such as mucositis, inflammatory bowel syndrome, and auricular inflammation, and to prevent chemotherapy-induced bone loss. ⋯ The aim of this review was to provide a brief summary of the current knowledge of research on emu products, mainly emu oil, for the possible use as a complementary and alternative natural medicine for various chronic diseases. In this review we also highlighted the future research scope of emu oil for its possible antidiabetic activity. Thus, emu oil is an attractive pharmacologic agent to further explore for its therapeutic activity to treat various ailments.
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The multitude of diseases promoted by vitamin D deficiency makes providing the human organism with a constant and sufficiently high supply of this compound a high priority. The aim of this study was to verify the extent to which fish present in the Polish diet can satisfy the body's requirement for this compound. The obtained data would help to evaluate whether a diet rich in fish may be a solution for vitamin D deficiency. ⋯ Analysis of vitamin D content in various fish species indicated that the disproportion between requirement and supply seems too vast to enable eradication of vitamin D deficiency by fish food-based solutions. Still, increasing fish consumption or changing consumption patterns could be beneficial and result in noticeable improvements in vitamin D status.
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Sarcopenia is characterized by the loss of skeletal muscle mass, and is reported to appear in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC). The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of sarcopenia in patients with LC, and to test the association between sarcopenia and patient outcomes. We also analyzed the effect of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation on sarcopenic LC. ⋯ Sarcopenia is significantly associated with mortality in patients with LC. BCAA supplementation might be associated with improved survival of such patients.
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The question of whether the consumption of antioxidants prevents and alleviates metabolic syndrome (MetS) by reducing insulin resistance remains controversial. The aim of this study was to assess whether the intake of vitamin A (including β-carotene), vitamin C, fruits, or vegetables was negatively associated with MetS in Korean adults aged ≥ 20 y. ⋯ The intake of total vitamin A and C, as well as moderate and high fruit intake, may have alleviated MetS in women, but not in men, in a representative sample of the general South Korean population.
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To evaluate whether changes in hydration status (reflecting fluid retention) would be detected by bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) and phase angle during hospitalization for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) and after clinical stabilization. ⋯ BIVA and phase angle were able to detect significant changes in hydration status during ADHF, which paralleled the clinical course of recompensation, both acutely and chronically. The classification of congestion by BIVA at admission identified patients with more pronounced changes in weight and dyspnea during compensation.