The British journal of nutrition
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The natural source of vitamin B₁₂ in human diets comes from animal products. For example, one glass (250 ml) of milk provides approximately 50 % of the RDA (2·4 μg/d). It was hypothesised that the provision of vitamin B₁₂ from milk is more efficiently absorbed than the synthetic form used in vitamin supplements. ⋯ The cumulative PDV fluxes during the 24 h following ingestion of meals complemented with milk varied from 5·5 to 6·8 μg. These values correspond to an efficiency of intestinal absorption of vitamin B₁₂ from milk varying between 8 and 10 %. Therefore, vitamin B₁₂, which is abundant in cows' milk, is also substantially more available than the most commonly used synthetic form of this vitamin.
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The addition of carbohydrate to drinks designed to have a role in rehydrating the body is commonplace. The gastric emptying and fluid uptake characteristics following repeated ingestion of drinks with high and low glucose concentrations were examined in eight subjects (three male and five female). Following a 13 h fluid restriction period, the subjects ingested a volume of test solution amounting to 3 % of the initial body mass over a period of 60 min. ⋯ Blood (2)H concentration was greater at this time point during the 2 % glucose trial than during the 10 % glucose trial and remained higher for the duration of the trial with the exception of one time point. Urine volume at the end of the trial was greater in the 2 % glucose trial than in the 10 % glucose trial. It is concluded that the reduced overall rate of fluid uptake following ingestion of the 10 % glucose solution was due largely to a relatively slow rate of gastric emptying.
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Nutrition support is an important part of care management in critically ill patients, not only to prevent and treat malnutrition but also it has a significant impact on recovery from illness and overall outcome. There is little information available about present nutritional support practice for patients in intensive care units (ICU) in the UK. This survey was designed to evaluate the present nutrition support practice in ICU and high dependency units (HDU) in England. ⋯ A nutrition support team was not available in 158 (83·1 %) ICU and there was no dietitian or specialist nutrition nurse to cover ICU in nine (4·7 %) hospitals. In conclusion, the present survey reported an increased trend in usage of enteral feeding in ICU in England, and a reduction in the use of parenteral nutrition compared with previous surveys. However, we are still far from integrating nutrition into care management in the ICU.
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Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is the most common complication of herpes zoster (HZ). The aim of the present study was to compare the nutritional status of PHN patients with that of healthy controls, and then to identify risk factors for PHN using multivariate multiple logistic regressions. In the present cross-sectional study, we prospectively enrolled fifty PHN patients for at least 3 months and fifty healthy controls. ⋯ Lower concentrations of vitamin C ( ≤ 45·0 μmol/l), ionised Ca ( ≤ 1·05 mmol/l) and Zn ( ≤ 0·91 g/l) were found to increase independently the risk of PHN using binary variable (dichotomy) analyses with both PHN patients and controls in a multivariate logistic regression analysis. No significant correlations existed between the risks of PHN and the concentrations of retinol, folic acid, vitamin B12, lycopene or α:γ-tocopherol ratios. Thus, lower concentrations of circulating nutrients, namely vitamin C, ionised Ca or Zn, are probably a risk factor in Taiwanese patients with PHN.
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Evidence is accumulating that vitamin D may be protective against carcinogenesis, although exceptions have been observed for some digestive tract neoplasms. The aim of the present study was to explore the association between dietary vitamin D and related nutrients and the risk of oesophageal adenocarcinoma and its precursor conditions, Barrett's oesophagus and reflux oesophagitis. In an all-Ireland case-control study conducted between March 2002 and July 2005, 218 oesophageal adenocarcinoma patients, 212 Barrett's oesophagus patients, 208 reflux oesophagitis patients and 252 population-based controls completed a 101-item FFQ, and provided lifestyle and demographic information. ⋯ Ca and dairy product intake did not influence the development of these oesophageal lesions. These findings suggest that there may be population subgroups at an increased risk of oesophageal adenocarcinoma if advice to improve vitamin D intake from foods is implemented. Limited work has been conducted in this area, and further research is required.