RESUMO
The present demographic changes toward an aging society caused a rise in the number of senior citizens and the incidence and burden of age-related diseases (such as cardiovascular diseases [CVD], cancer, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease [NAFLD], diabetes mellitus, and dementia), of which nearly half is attributable to the population ≥60 years of age. Deficiencies in individual nutrients have been associated with increased risks for age-related diseases and high intakes and/or blood concentrations with risk reduction. Nutrition in general and the dietary intake of essential and nonessential biofactors is a major determinant of human health, the risk to develop age-related diseases, and ultimately of mortality in the older population. These biofactors can be a cost-effective strategy to prevent or, in some cases, even treat age-related diseases. Examples reviewed herein include omega-3 fatty acids and dietary fiber for the prevention of CVD, α-tocopherol (vitamin E) for the treatment of biopsy-proven nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, vitamin D for the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases, thiamine and α-lipoic acid for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy, and the role of folate in cancer epigenetics. This list of potentially helpful biofactors in the prevention and treatment of age-related diseases, however, is not exhaustive and many more examples exist. Furthermore, since there is currently no generally accepted definition of the term biofactors, we here propose a definition that, when adopted by scientists, will enable a harmonization and consistent use of the term in the scientific literature.
Assuntos
Doenças Cardiovasculares/prevenção & controle , Demência/prevenção & controle , Diabetes Mellitus/prevenção & controle , Suplementos Nutricionais , Neoplasias/prevenção & controle , Hepatopatia Gordurosa não Alcoólica/prevenção & controle , Idoso , Doenças Cardiovasculares/genética , Doenças Cardiovasculares/metabolismo , Doenças Cardiovasculares/patologia , Demência/genética , Demência/metabolismo , Demência/patologia , Diabetes Mellitus/genética , Diabetes Mellitus/metabolismo , Diabetes Mellitus/patologia , Fibras na Dieta/administração & dosagem , Epigênese Genética , Ácidos Graxos Ômega-3/administração & dosagem , Ácido Fólico/administração & dosagem , Humanos , Neoplasias/genética , Neoplasias/metabolismo , Neoplasias/patologia , Hepatopatia Gordurosa não Alcoólica/genética , Hepatopatia Gordurosa não Alcoólica/metabolismo , Hepatopatia Gordurosa não Alcoólica/patologia , Tiamina/administração & dosagem , Ácido Tióctico/administração & dosagem , Vitamina D/administração & dosagem , Vitamina E/administração & dosagemRESUMO
A lot of drugs can induce hypomagnesemia as side effect. On the other hand, magnesium deficiency may be a risk factor for digitalis and drugs known to prolong the QT-interval and thus favour the development of torsades-de-pointes tachycardias. Controversely, the indication for most oral magnesium supplements in Germany is: proven magnesium deficiency if this is the cause for muscular troubles (neuromuscular disturbances, calf cramps). Due to this cutback magnesium attracts poor attention in clinical practice and the determination of serum magnesium concentrations is seldom ordered. Moreover, the lower level of the reference range for serum magnesium is often kept too low. As a consequence hypomagnesemia as side effect remains frequently undetected.