The Effect of Mastic Chios Supplementation in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Literature Review.

Mastic Chios is a natural treasure of Greece that offers many potential benefits in various disorders due its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This systematic review aimed to investigate the effect of Mastic Chios supplementation in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). A systematic search was conducted following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines across PubMed/Medline and EBSCO databases until February 2023. Clinical studies that examined individuals of any age being diagnosed with IBD as well as preclinical studies using animals with experimental colitis were considered eligible for inclusion. Studies included were assessed for methodological quality. Eight articles were eligible for inclusion, with seven conducted in Greece and one study in Iran. Most of the studies were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and one was a pilot study. The intervention period varied between 3 and 7 days for animal studies and 4 weeks to 6 months for human studies. Mastic Chios supplementation varied between 2.2 and 2.8 g/day for clinical studies. The majority of studies concluded that Mastic Chios has significant antioxidant and inflammatory effects in IBD. This systematic review suggests that Mastic Chios may have a positive effect on the regulation and management of IBD. However, more high-quality clinical trials are needed to provide reliable and concrete conclusions about the effectiveness of Mastic Chios in this population. Such studies will further support the use of Mastic Chios as a reliable therapeutic option for IBD.

Preterm Birth and Its Association with Maternal Diet, and Placental and Neonatal Telomere Length.

Preterm birth (PTB), a multi-causal syndrome, is one of the global epidemics. Maternal nutrition, but also neonatal and placental telomere length (TL), are among the factors affecting PTB risk. However, the exact relationship between these factors and the PTB outcome, remains obscure. The aim of this review was to investigate the association between PTB, maternal nutrition, and placental-infant TL. Observational studies were sought with the keywords: maternal nutrition, placental TL, newborn, TL, and PTB. No studies were found that included all of the keywords simultaneously, and thus, the keywords were searched in dyads, to reach assumptive conclusions. The findings show that maternal nutrition affects PTB risk, through its influence on maternal TL. On the other hand, maternal TL independently affects PTB risk, and at the same time PTB is a major determinant of offspring TL regulation. The strength of the associations, and the extent of the influence from covariates, remains to be elucidated in future research. Furthermore, the question of whether maternal TL is simply a biomarker of maternal nutritional status and PTB risk, or a causative factor of PTB, to date, remains to be answered.

Beneficial Effects of Yoghurts and Probiotic Fermented Milks and Their Functional Food Potential.

Probiotic fermented milks and yoghurts are acidified and fermented by viable bacteria, usually L. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus, resulting in a thicker product with a longer shelf life. They are a nutrition-dense food, providing a good source of calcium, phosphorus, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin B2, and vitamin B12. Additionally, they deliver high biological value proteins and essential fatty acids. There is accumulating evidence suggesting that yoghurt and fermented milk consumption is related to a number of health advantages, including the prevention of osteoporosis, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, as well as the promotion of gut health and immune system modulation. This review aims at presenting and critically reviewing the beneficial effects from the consumption of probiotic fermented milks in human health, whilst revealing potential applications in the food industry.

The Effect of Early Time-Restricted Feeding on Glycemic Profile in Adults: A Systematic Review of Interventional Studies.

BACKGROUND: Early time-restricted feeding (eTRF) is a new dietary strategy, involving extended fasting (≥14h) from mid- afternoon onwards with or without calorie restriction. Most of the published studies indicate controversial effects on several glycemic markers. AIM : To evaluate the effect of non-calorie restricted eTRF on the glycemic profile of adults. METHOD: this systematic review was designed according to PRISMA guidelines. Pubmed/ Medline, the Cochrane library and EBSCO electronic databases were systematically searched for eligible clinical trials. Studies with eTRF or with daily fasting regimens that presented all the characteristics of eTRF were selected and compared with regular diet schedules or delayed time-restricted feeding. Blood glucose and insulin markers were extracted from each study as the main outcome measures. RESULTS: Five articles including 67 adult subjects in total were selected. The period of intervention varied between 3 days to 5 weeks. Three of the included studies were diet- controlled for weight maintenance, whereas the other two studies allowed for free living. Quality assessment identified two studies of low and three studies of high risk of bias. two studies showed clear positive effects of eTRF on both glucose and insulin markers, including fasting glucose levels, muscle glucose intake, glucose iAUC responses insulin levels, and insulin resistance (p<0.05). Two other studies showed beneficial effects on glucose markers only (fasting glucose, 24h mean glucose levels, and iAUC responses, p<0.05) and the fifth study showed positive effects on insulin markers only (insulin resistance, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: eTRF seems to have positive effects on the glycemic profile mainly in healthy individuals with normal BMI. However, other factors should also be taken into account to address overweight, obese, and prediabetic individuals. Further research is required to clarify better the effectiveness of eTRF among individuals with different characteristics.

Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Lifestyle Characteristics of University Students in Cyprus: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Objective. To assess dietary-related habits among young adults. Design and Setting. Dietary habits were assessed cross-sectionally, using a self-completed questionnaire in 193 students enrolled in public and private universities in Cyprus. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was evaluated using the validated KIDMED index. BMI was estimated based on weight and height measurements. Results. The mean BMI was 23.31 (±3.98). The mean adherence score to the Mediterranean diet was 6.0 (IQR 4 to 8), with 26.9% of students being classified as high adherers and 21.8% as low adherers to the Mediterranean diet. About 32% of students consumed a second serving of fruit and vegetables more than once a day, whereas 26% reported going more than once a week to a fast-food restaurant and 31% consumed sweets and candy several times a day. On the other hand, 76% of participants reported consumption of at least two dairy products daily and 88% use olive oil at home. The majority consume coffee 2-3 times per day. Conclusions. Results support a shift from traditional healthy diets to more unhealthy eating patterns. However, we also report a high dairy intake and use of olive oil. Tailored-made strategies targeting the young adult population could be warranted.