Nutrition
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Iodine deficiency has severe pathological repercussions. The aim of this study was to evaluate iodine intake and status in adults in Benin, West Africa. ⋯ Iodine intake appeared to be fairly low in the Beninese population, according to World Health Organization criteria, and factors associated with low iodine intake were identified. Public health interventions to increase iodine intake, such as iodization of commercial salt and/or fortification of selected nutrients, should be strengthened at the national level.
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Hydroxycitric acid (HCA), derived from the fruit Garcinia cambogia, reduces the rate of glucose absorption and lowers postprandial glycemia in rodents, but its effect in humans is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of small intestinal perfusion with HCA on glucose absorption, as well as the incretin and glycemic responses to a subsequent intraduodenal glucose infusion, in both healthy individuals and patients with type 2 diabetes. ⋯ In healthy individuals, small intestinal exposure to HCA resulted in a modest reduction in glycemia and stimulation of plasma GIP and glucagon, but no effect on plasma GLP-1 or insulin, or on glucose absorption. HCA had no effect on glycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes.
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The aim of this study was to explore the effects of different amounts of dietary fatty acids on body weight, fat accumulation, and lipid metabolism of hamsters. ⋯ The study demonstrated that a special experimental oil mixture (with 60% MUFAs and a ratio of 5) with high fat can prevent body weight gain and body fat accumulation by lowering insulin concentrations and increasing hepatic lipolytic enzyme activities.
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Although strong evidence supports the antioxidant potential of flavonoids in vitro, the effect of flavonoids at physiological concentrations on the overall antioxidant status in humans is inconsistent. The aim of this study was to examine cross-sectional associations between total flavonoid consumption, serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in apparently healthy women. ⋯ The findings of the present study support the attribution of anthocyanins to overall antioxidant status. However, further research is needed to confirm these observed associations.
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Amino acid metabolites, including branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) and tyrosine (Tyr), affect glucose metabolism. The effects of BCAA on insulin resistance in patients with diabetes seem to conflict with mechanisms determined in animal models and cultured cells. The aim of this study was to clarify the controversy surrounding the effects of BCAA by investigating the physiological effects of BCAA and Tyr on glucose metabolism in healthy community dwellers. ⋯ Insulin sensitivity and muscle volume are positively associated with BCAA in individuals without diabetes. In turn, BCAA correlate with increased FBG and fasting IRI levels. Tyr correlated with fasting IRI, but not with insulin sensitivity.