Nutrition
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Could dyslipidemic children benefit from glucomannan intake?
Primary dyslipidemias are major risk factors for cardiovascular disease and should be addressed early in life. The aim of this study was to evaluate, in children affected by primary hypercholesterolemia, the efficacy and tolerability of a short-term treatment with a dietary supplement containing glucomannan. ⋯ Treatment with glucomannan of children affected by primary dyslipidemia is well-tolerated and effectively lowers total and LDL cholesterol in females and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, but not Apolipoprotein B in both males and females.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Lutein supplementation improves visual performance in Chinese drivers: 1-year randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
Although it is known that the carotenoid lutein can affect visual performance, we still have much to learn about its effect in occupational populations, like drivers. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of lutein supplementation on visual function in healthy drivers with long-term light exposure. ⋯ Daily supplementation with 20 mg of lutein increases MPOD levels. Lutein may benefit driving at night and other spatial discrimination tasks carried out under low illumination.
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Critically ill patients frequently display unexplained or incompletely explained features of gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction, including gastric stasis, ileus, and diarrhea. This makes nutrition delivery challenging, and may contribute to poor outcomes. The typical bowel dysfunction seen in severely ill patients includes retarded gastric emptying, unsynchronized intestinal motility, and intestinal hyperpermeability. ⋯ However, the precise role of CRF in the GI dysfunction in critical illness remains unclear. In this short review, we provide an update on GI dysfunction during stress and review the possible role of CRF in the aetiology of gut dysfunction. We suggest that activation of CRF signaling pathways in critical illness might be key to understanding the mechanisms underlying the gut dysfunction that impairs enteral feeding in the intensive care unit.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Paper-filtered coffee increases cholesterol and inflammation biomarkers independent of roasting degree: a clinical trial.
The aim of this study was to compare the effects of medium light roast (MLR) and medium roast (MR) paper-filtered coffee on cardiovascular risk factors in healthy volunteers. ⋯ Moderate paper-filtered coffee consumption may have an undesirable effect on plasma cholesterol and inflammation biomarkers in healthy individuals regardless of its antioxidant content.
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Based on a consistent bulk of experimental and epidemiologic works, we proposed that abnormal metabolism and/or dietary deprivation of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids by inducing a chronic and subclinical essential fatty acid deficiency (EFAD) in urothelial cell membranes may enhance the risk for urinary tract tumor (UTT) development. This threat may be enhanced by the unusual fact that the fatty-acid profile of the normal urothelium is similar to that reported in EFAD. ⋯ There is cumulative evidence linking the LGCI of the urinary tract mucosa, calculi, and UTT, due to the long-standing release of promitotic, promutagen, and pro-inflammatory antiapoptotic cytokines in these conditions. The dual role played by pro- and anti-inflammatory eicosanoids and bioactive lipids, cytokines, and the disbalance of lipid peroxidation is discussed, concluding that the moderate, long-standing consumption or dietary supplementation of ω-3 PUFAs may improve the chances of avoiding UTT development.