Nutritional therapy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a complex neurodegenerative disease characterised by the degeneration of motor neurons. Nutritional interventions in ALS are essential and must be based on scientific evidence to provide quality of healthcare, improve the quality of life and increase survival time. Therefore, this protocol of systematic reviews and meta-analyses aims to present a synthesis of evidence-based recommendations to support adequate nutrition therapy for patients with ALS. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The search will be performed using the following databases: PubMed, Excerpta Medica Database (Embase), Scopus, SciELO, Web of Science, LILACS, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), ScienceDirect, ProQuest and Google Scholar. We will include clinical practice guidelines, treatment protocols, systematic reviews and clinical trials according to the three research questions to be answered related to nutrition therapy and interventions in patients with ALS. This protocol will be developed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols. To evaluate the methodological quality of the studies, Appraisal of Guidelines, Research and Evaluation II, Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 and Risk of Bias In Non-randomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I) tools will be used. In addition, the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation will be used to assess the quality of evidence and the strength of the recommendations. The findings will be summarised and presented descriptively according to the Cochrane Collaboration Handbook and the standard statistical meta-analysis techniques. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval and human consent are not required because this is a protocol for systematic review and only secondary data will be used. Findings will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at conferences. In case of any changes in this protocol, amendments will be updated in International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) and the modifications will be explained in the final report of this review. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42021233088.

Zinc in sickle cell disease: A narrative review.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited disease caused by hemoglobin S mutated hemoglobin S. It is characterized by chronic hemolysis, intermittent vaso-occlusive crises followed by ischemia-reperfusion, and organ damage. These patients have an increased risk of multiple micronutrient deficiencies, such as zinc. The reduced zinc bioavailability in sickle cell patients may lead to several complications such as growth retardation, delayed wound healing, increased vaso-occlusive crises, and infections. This narrative review aims to analyze the literature concerning the zinc status in SCD and their possible consequences on the patients' clinical evolution. We found in children and adolescents a direct association between zinc insufficiencies/deficiencies with increased disease severity in SCD. Monitoring zinc status in children and adolescent SCD appears essential for reducing disease-associated morbidity and infections. Zinc supplementation is a safe therapeutic modality for treating SCD patients. New research must be carried out, especially for adults, to ensure more remarkable survival for this population.

Licania rigida leaf extract: Protective effect on oxidative stress, associated with cytotoxic, mutagenic and preclinical aspects.

Brazilian plant biodiversity is a rich alternative source of bioactive compounds since plant-derived extracts and/or their secondary metabolites exhibit potential properties to treat several diseases. In this context, Licania rigida Benth (Chrysobalanaceae Family), a large evergreen tree distributed in Brazilian semi-arid regions, deserves attention for its widespread use in popular medicine, although its biological properties are still poorly studied. The aim of this study was to examine (1) acute and sub-chronic oral toxicity at 2000 mg/kg dose; (2) in vitro cytotoxicity at 0.1; 1; 10; 100 or 1000 µg/ml; (3) in vivo mutagenicity at 5, 10 or 20 mg/ml, and (4) potential antioxidant protective effect of L. rigida aqueous leaf extract of (AELr). No marked apparent toxic and genotoxic effects were observed using in vitro and in vivo assays after in vitro treatment of Chinese hamster ovary cell line (CHO-K1) with AELr or in vivo exposure of Wistar rats and Drosophila melanogaster to different extract concentrations. Concerning the antioxidant effect, the extract exhibited a protective effect by decreasing lipid peroxidation as determined by malondialdehyde levels. No significant changes were observed for glutathione (GSH) levels and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Data demonstrate the beneficial potential of AELr to be employed for therapeutic purposes. However, further studies are required to validate the pharmacological application of this plant extract to develop as a phytotherapeutic formulation.

Phenolic Composition, Toxicity Potential, and Antimicrobial Activity of Licania rigida Benth (Chrysobalanaceae) Leaf Extracts.

This study was conducted to evaluate the phenolic composition, toxicity, and antimicrobial activity of Licania rigida Benth, an underexploited wild Licania species. L. rigida leaf fractions (ethyl alcohol and ethyl acetate) were analyzed for their phenolic compound and flavonoid total, and high-performance liquid chromatography/ultraviolet spectra chromatographic profiles. Regarding the extract biological effects, toxicity was measured by acute oral toxicity in Wistar rats, MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] method, and apoptosis indicators with DAPI in VERO cells, whereas well-agar diffusion and broth microdilution assays were applied to evaluate the antimicrobial ability. The phytochemical analysis resulted in significant amounts of phenolic compounds and total flavonoids in the extract and fraction, with flavonol-3-O-glycosylates as the main constituent. Regarding the extract and fraction antimicrobial activity, the results showed a significant effect against gram-positive bacteria and fungi, among which Staphylococcus epidermidis and Candida krusei displayed more susceptibility. No toxicity effects were observed in animals. Concerning the cytotoxicity assay, only the highest dose tested exhibited a minimal toxic effect on the analyzed cell lines. These results are relevant considering the increase of multiresistant microorganisms to conventional treatments applied. Therefore, investigating the pharmacological properties of the genus Licania is promising in the search for new sources of antimicrobial compounds.

Crystallographic approach to fragment-based hit discovery against Schistosoma mansoni purine nucleoside phosphorylase.

Several Schistosoma species cause Schistosomiasis, an endemic disease in 78 countries that is ranked second amongst the parasitic diseases in terms of its socioeconomic impact and human health importance. The drug recommended for treatment by the WHO is praziquantel (PZQ), but there are concerns associated with PZQ, such as the lack of information about its exact mechanism of action, its high price, its effectiveness - which is limited to the parasite's adult form - and reports of resistance. The parasites lack the de novo purine pathway, rendering them dependent on the purine salvage pathway or host purine bases for nucleotide synthesis. Thus, the Schistosoma purine salvage pathway is an attractive target for the development of necessary and selective new drugs. In this study, the purine nucleotide phosphorylase II (PNP2), a new isoform of PNP1, was submitted to a high-throughput fragment-based hit discovery using a crystallographic screening strategy. PNP2 was crystallized and crystals were soaked with 827 fragments, a subset of the Maybridge 1000 library. X-ray diffraction data was collected and structures were solved. Out of 827-screened fragments we have obtained a total of 19 fragments that show binding to PNP2. Fourteen of these fragments bind to the active site of PNP2, while five were observed in three other sites. Here we present the first fragment screening against PNP2.

Bioelectrical Impedance Vector Analysis and Phase Angle on Different Oral Zinc Supplementation in Eutrophic Children: Randomized Triple-Blind Study.

The parameters derived from bioelectrical impedance, phase angle (PA) and bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) have been associated with cell membrane integrity and body cell mass. Zinc is a micronutrient that exerts important structural functions and acts in maintaining cellular functionality. To evaluate cell integrity and body cell mass, PA and BIVA were evaluated in children orally supplemented with zinc at different concentrations. Anthropometric, bioelectrical (resistance and reactance) and serum zinc variables were collected from two randomized, triple-blind, controlled clinical trials. Sampling was composed of 71 children consisting of three groups: a control group who received a placebo and two experimental groups who received oral supplementation of 5 or 10 mg-Zn/day for three months. The three groups presented increases (p < 0.001) in the linear height and weight. In the group supplemented with 10 mg-Zn/day, there was an increase in reactance values (p = 0.036) and PA (p = 0.002), in addition to vector displacement (p < 0.001) in relation to the confidence ellipses. An increase in serum zinc concentration was found (p < 0.001) in all three groups. Whit this, the supplementation with 10 mg-Zn/day promotes changes in the integrity of the cell membrane associated with the increase in the cellular mass of healthy children.

Genotoxicity of Turnera subulata and Spondias mombin × Spondias tuberosa Extracts from Brazilian Caatinga Biome.

Medicinal plants have been used in primary healthcare since the earliest days of humankind. Turnera subulata and Spondias mombin × Spondias tuberosa are widely used in the Brazilian Northeast to treat several diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the genotoxic effects of the leaf extracts of these species by the somatic mutation and recombination test in the somatic cells of Drosophila melanogaster wings. The experiments were performed using standard and high-bioactivation cross and three concentrations of the test substance [aqueous extract (AET and AES) at 5.0, 10.0, and 20.0 mg/mL and ethanolic extract (EET and EES) and ethyl acetate fraction (EAFT and EAFS) at 0.625, 1.25, and 2.5 mg/mL]. Results indicated that the extracts and fractions induced spontaneous frequencies of mutant spots in both D. melanogaster crosses. Nevertheless, the highest concentrations of the tested plant chemical agents were responsible for the statistically significant genotypic effect. T. subulata and S. mombin × S. tuberosa displayed genotoxic effect under the experimental conditions. The results from this study are crucial as they indicated the deleterious and side effects, considering the indiscriminate use of the extracts of these plants for disease treatment.

Zinc supplementation reduces RANKL/OPG ratio and prevents bone architecture alterations in ovariectomized and type 1 diabetic rats.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and estrogen deficiency are associated with several alterations in bone turnover. Zinc (Zn) is required for growth, development, and overall health. Zinc has been used in complementary therapy against bone loss in several diseases. We hypothesized that Zn supplementation represents a potential therapy against severe bone loss induced by the combined effect of estrogen deficiency and T1DM. We evaluated the protective effect of Zn against bone alterations in a chronic model of these disorders. Female Wistar rats were ramdomized into 3 groups (5 rats each): control, OVX/T1DM (ovariectomized rats with streptozotocin-induced T1DM), and OVX/T1DM+Zn (OVX/T1DM plus daily Zn supplementation). Serum biochemical, bone histomorphometric, and molecular analyses were performed. Histomorphometric parameters were similar between the control and OVX/T1DM+Zn groups, suggesting that Zn prevents bone architecture alterations. In contrast, the OVX/T1DM group showed significantly lower trabecular width and bone area as well as greater trabecular separation than the control. The OVX/T1DM and OVX/T1DM+Zn groups had significantly higher serum alkaline phosphatase activity than the control. The supplemented group had higher levels of serum-ionized calcium and phosphorus than the nonsupplemented group. The RANKL/OPG ratio was similar between the control and OVX/T1DM+Zn groups, whereas it was higher in the OVX/T1DM group. In conclusion, Zn supplementation prevents bone alteration in chronic OVX/T1DM rats, as demonstrated by the reduced RANKL/OPG ratio and preservation of bone architecture. The findings may represent a novel therapeutic approach to preventing OVX/T1DM-induced bone alterations.

Zinc supplementation reduces RANKL/OPG ratio and prevents bone architecture alterations in ovariectomized and type 1 diabetic rats

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and estrogen deficiency are associated with several alterations in bone turnover. Zinc (Zn) is required for growth, development, and overall health. Zinc has been used in complementary therapy against bone loss in several diseases. We hypothesized that Zn supplementation represents a potential therapy against severe bone loss induced by the combined effect of estrogen deficiency and T1DM. We evaluated the protective effect of Zn against bone alterations in a chronic model of these disorders. Female Wistar rats were ramdomized into 3 groups (5 rats each): control, OVX/T1DM (ovariectomized rats with streptozotocin-induced T1DM), and OVX/T1DM+Zn (OVX/T1DM plus daily Zn supplementation). Serum biochemical, bone histomorphometric, and molecular analyses were performed. Histomorphometric parameters were similar between the control and OVX/T1DM+Zn groups, suggesting that Zn prevents bone architecture alterations. In contrast, the OVX/T1DM group showed significantly lower trabecular width and bone area as well as greater trabecular separation than the control...

Nutritional assessment methods for zinc supplementation in prepubertal non-zinc-deficient children.

BACKGROUND: Zinc is an essential nutrient that is required for numerous metabolic functions, and zinc deficiency results in growth retardation, cell-mediated immune dysfunction, and cognitive impairment. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated nutritional assessment methods for zinc supplementation in prepubertal non-zinc-deficient children. DESIGN: We performed a randomised, controlled, triple-blind study. The children were divided into a control group (10% sorbitol, n=31) and an experimental group (10 mg Zn/day, n=31) for 3 months. Anthropometric and dietary assessments as well as bioelectrical measurements were performed in all children. RESULTS: Our study showed (1) an increased body mass index for age and an increased phase angle in the experimental group; (2) a positive correlation between nutritional assessment parameters in both groups; (3) increased soft tissue, and mainly fat-free mass, in the body composition of the experimental group, as determined using bioelectrical impedance vector analysis; (4) increased consumption of all nutrients, including zinc, in the experimental group; and (5) an increased serum zinc concentration in both groups (p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Given that a reference for body composition analysis does not exist for intervention studies, longitudinal studies are needed to investigate vector migration during zinc supplementation. These results reinforce the importance of employing multiple techniques to assess the nutritional status of populations.

Bioelectrical impedance vector analysis for evaluating zinc supplementation in prepubertal and healthy children.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of abnormal nutritional status has increased in children and adolescents. Nutritional assessment is important for monitoring the health and nutritional status. Bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) combines changes in tissue hydration and structure and body composition that can be assessed. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to use BIVA to evaluate nutritional status in 60 prepubertal children, aged between 8 and 9 years, supplemented with zinc, to detect possible changes in body composition. DESIGN: We performed a randomized, controlled, triple-blind study. The children were divided into the control group (CG; sorbitol 10%, n=29) or the experimental group (EG; 10 mg Zn/day, n=31), and the duration of the experiment was 3 months. Anthropometric assessments were performed for all of the children. RESULTS: The body mass index-for-age increased after oral zinc supplementation in the EG (p=0.005). BIVA indicated that the CG demonstrated a tendency for dehydration and decreased soft tissue and the EG demonstrated a tendency for increased soft tissue, primarily the fat-free mass. After analyses of BIVA ellipses, we observed that this method could detect improvements in body composition in healthy children supplemented with zinc. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that BIVA could be an auxiliary method for studying a small population undergoing zinc intervention.

Beneficial effects of oral chromium picolinate supplementation on glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes: A randomized clinical study.

BACKGROUND: Chromium is an essential mineral that contributes to normal glucose function and lipid metabolism. This study evaluated the effect of chromium picolinate (CrPic) supplementation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: A four month controlled, single blind, randomized trial was performed with 71 patients with poorly controlled (hemoglobin A1c [HbA1c]>7%) T2DM divided into 2 groups: Control (n=39, using placebo), and supplemented (n=32, using 600µg/day CrPic). All patients received nutritional guidance according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), and kept using prescribed medications. Fasting and postprandial glucose, HbA1c, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, triglycerides and serum ferritin were evaluated. RESULTS: CrPic supplementation significantly reduced the fasting glucose concentration (-31.0mg/dL supplemented group; -14.0mg/dL control group; p<0.05, post- vs. pre-treatment, in each group) and postprandial glucose concentration (-37.0mg/dL in the supplemented group; -11.5 mg/dL in the control group; p<0.05). HbA1c values were also significantly reduced in both groups (p<0.001, comparing post- vs. pre-treatment groups). Post-treatment HbA1c values in supplemented patients were significantly lower than those of control patients. HbA1c lowering in the supplemented group (-1.90), and in the control group (-1.00), was also significant, comparing pre- and post-treatment values, for each group (p<0.001 and p<0.05, respectively). CrPic increased serum chromium concentrations (p<0.001), when comparing the supplemented group before and after supplementation. No significant difference in lipid profile was observed in the supplemented group; however, total cholesterol, HDL-c and LDL-c were significantly lowered, comparing pre- and post-treatment period, in the control group (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: CrPic supplementation had a beneficial effect on glycemic control in patients with poorly controlled T2DM, without affecting the lipid profile. Additional studies are necessary to investigate the effect of long-term CrPic supplementation.

Effect of Zinc Supplementation on GH, IGF1, IGFBP3, OCN, and ALP in Non-Zinc-Deficient Children.

OBJECTIVE: Because most publications on growth and development deal with children with zinc deficiency, we decided to study the effects of this micronutrient on the secretion of growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP3), osteocalcin (OCN), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in healthy and eutrophic children. This study is original because the methodology was unique. METHODS: Forty schoolchildren participated in the study, 17 females and 23 males, aged 8 and 9 years. The study was carried out during a 3-month period. It was characterized as a triple-blind randomized controlled trial. The children were divided in a control group (20 schoolchildren using 10% sorbitol) and experimental group (20 schoolchildren using zinc). All were submitted to oral zinc supplementation (10 mg Zn/day) and venous zinc administration (0.06537 mg Zn/kg of body weight). Blood samples were collected at 0, 60, 120, 180, and 210 min. All schoolchildren were also submitted to anthropometric, clinical, and dietetic assessments as well as biochemistry analyses. RESULTS: Oral zinc supplementation in the experimental group (1) stimulated an increase in the consumption of protein and fat (p = 0.0007, p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001, respectively), (2) increased basal serum zinc (p < 0.0001), (3) increased plasma ALP (p = 0.0270), and (4) showed a positive correlation for IGF1, IGFBP3, and OCN, comparing before and after oral zinc supplementation (p = 0.0011, p < 0.0001, p < 0.0446, respectively). During zinc administration, plasma IGF1 and IGFBP3 increased significantly in the experimental group (p = 0.0468, p < 0.0001, respectively). Plasma GH increased in the experimental group but without statistical difference comparing before and after oral zinc supplementation. CONCLUSIONS: Zinc supplementation stimulated an increase in the consumption of some macronutrients and basal serum zinc and improved plasma alkaline phosphatase levels. Zinc administration increased hormones of the GH-IGF1 system.

Oral zinc supplementation decreases the serum iron concentration in healthy schoolchildren: a pilot study.

The recognized antagonistic actions between zinc and iron prompted us to study this subject in children. A convenience sample was used. Thirty healthy children between 8 and 9 years of age were studied with the aim of establishing the effect of a 3-mo oral zinc supplementation on iron status. Fifteen individuals were given a placebo (control group), and 15 were given 10 mg Zn/day (experimental group). Blood samples were collected at 0, 60, 120, 180 and 210 min after a 12-h overnight fast, before and after placebo or zinc supplementation. This supplementation was associated with significant improvements in energy, protein, fat, carbohydrate, fiber, calcium, iron, and zinc intake in accordance with the recommendations for age and sex. The basal serum zinc concentration significantly increased after oral zinc supplementation (p < 0.001). However, basal serum iron concentrations and area under the iron curves significantly decreased in the experimental group (p < 0.0001) and remained at the same level throughout the 210-min study. The values obtained for hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, ferritin, transferrin, transferrin saturation, ceruloplasmin and total protein were within normal reference ranges. In conclusion, the decrease in serum iron was likely due to the effects of chronic zinc administration, and the decrease in serum iron was not sufficient to cause anemia.

Low bone mineral density is associated to poor glycemic control and increased OPG expression in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

AIMS: To investigate early alterations on bone mineral density (BMD) and RANK, RANKL and OPG mRNA expression in peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and the relationship with glycemic control and bone biomarkers. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 75 children and adolescents with T1D and 100 individuals without diabetes (normoglycemic-NG) aged 6-20 years old. T1D individuals were considered to have good (T1DG) or poor (T1DP) glycemic control according to the values of HbA1c. Phosphorus, magnesium, total and ionized calcium, osteocalcin, alkaline phosphatase and tartaric-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) values were determined in blood samples. BMD was measured by DEXA. RANK, RANKL and OPG mRNA expression was measured in PBL by real-time PCR. RESULTS: Osteocalcin values were decreased in diabetic groups in comparison to NG group (p<0.05), and a negative correlation with both serum glucose (r=-0.265, p<0.01) and Hb1Ac (r=-0.252, p<0.01) in T1D group was found. BMD was lower in diabetic groups in comparison with NG group (p<0.05) and a negative correlation was observed between BMD and both serum glucose (r=-0.357, p<0.01) and HbA1c (r=-0.351, p<0.01) in T1D group. OPG mRNA expression was significantly increased in T1D and T1DP groups in comparison with NG group (p<0.05). In conclusion, children and adolescents with early onset T1D presented low bone mineral density associated to unsatisfactory glycemic control, increased OPG mRNA expression and low osteocalcin concentration.

Oral zinc supplementation may improve cognitive function in schoolchildren.

Zinc is an important micronutrient for humans, and zinc deficiency among schoolchildren is deleterious to growth and development, immune competence, and cognitive function. However, the effect of zinc supplementation on cognitive function remains poorly understood. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the effect of oral zinc supplementation (5 mg Zn/day for 3 months) on the Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ), Verbal Intelligence Quotient (VIQ), and Performance Intelligence Quotient (PIQ) using a Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-III). We studied 36 schoolchildren aged 6 to 9 years (7.8 ± 1.1) using a nonprobability sampling method. The baseline serum zinc concentrations increased significantly after zinc supplementation (p < 0.0001), with no difference between sexes. Tests were administered under basal conditions before and after zinc supplementation, and there was no difference in FSIQ according to gender or age. The results demonstrated that zinc improved the VIQ only in the Information Subtest (p = 0.009), although the supplementation effects were more significant in relation to the PIQ, as these scores improved for the Picture Completion, Picture Arrangement, Block Design, and Object Assembly Subtests (p = 0.0001, for all subtests). In conclusion, zinc supplementation improved specific cognitive abilities, thereby positively influencing the academic performance of schoolchildren, even those without marginal zinc deficiency.

Antioxidant activity and protective effect of Turnera ulmifolia Linn. var. elegans against carbon tetrachloride-induced oxidative damage in rats.

The present study aimed to determine whether the leaves of Turnera ulmifolia Linn. var. elegans extract exert significant antioxidant activity. The antioxidant activity of its hydroethanolic extract (HEETU) was evaluated by assessing (a) its radical scavenging ability in vitro, and (b) its in vivo effect on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme activities. The in vitro antioxidant assay (DPPH) clearly supported HEETU free radical scavenging potential. Moreover, glutathione content and antioxidant enzyme activities (glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase) were significantly enhanced in CCl(4)-treated rats due to oral HEETU-treatment (500 mg/kgb.w.) over 7 and 21 days. In addition, an improvement was observed in lipid peroxidation and serum biochemical parameters (aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase), indicating a protective effect against CCl(4)-induced liver injuries, confirmed by histopathological studies. The HEETU effect was comparable to the standard drug Legalon® (50 mg/kgb.w.) under the same experimental condition. Quantitative analysis of the HPLC extract revealed the presence of flavonoids, wich mediate the effects of antioxidant and oxidative stress. In conclusion, extract components exhibit antioxidant and hepatoprotective activities in vitro and in vivo.

Kinetics of zinc status and zinc deficiency in Berardinelli-Seip syndrome.

Berardinelli-Seip syndrome (BSS) is a very rare disorder characterized by near-complete absence of adipose tissue from birth or early infancy, hypoleptinemia, hypertriglyceridemia, insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus, and other clinical signals. It is caused by mutations in AGPAT2 or Gng3lg. We evaluated 10 BSS patients and 10 healthy subjects. A single dose of 382.43 µmol zinc was administered intravenously before and after 3 months of oral zinc supplementation. Blood samples were collected from the contralateral arm at 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min after zinc injection. Plasma and serum were obtained to measure hematological and biochemical parameters. Urine was collected to measure creatinine, protein, and zinc. Basal serum zinc levels were similar in controls and BSS patients. However, serum zinc profiles were significant reduced in BSS patients in comparison with controls. The change in total-body zinc clearance was more significant in BSS patients, indicating that these patients had suboptimum zinc deficiency.

Positive effects of zinc supplementation on growth, GH, IGF1, and IGFBP3 in eutrophic children.

Zinc is an essential micronutrient for growth and development. Its deficiency causes growth retardation in children and adolescents. The present study analyzes the effect of zinc on growth hormone (GH) secretion, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 3 (IGFBP3) in normal children before puberty. Thirty normal children were studied, 15 boys and 15 girls, aged 6-9 years. They were orally supplemented with 5 mg Zn/day for 3 months and 0.06537 mg Zn/kg body weight was injected before and after oral supplementation. Dietary intake and anthropometric measurements were assessed at baseline and end of study. Plasma GH levels increased during intravenous zinc administration and IGF1 and IGFBP3 increased after oral zinc supplementation. There was a positive correlation between the areas under the curves of GH and zinc after oral supplementation. Zinc supplementation was possibly effective in improving the body zinc status of the children, secretory levels of IGF1 and IGFBP3, GH potentialization, and height.

Lipoic acid and moderate swimming improves the estrous cycle and oxidative stress in Wistar rats.

The generation of reactive oxygen species resulting from physical activity may trigger adaptive processes at the reproductive level and in the antioxidant defense system itself. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of moderate daily swimming and lipoic acid (LA) supplementation on estrous cycle duration and pro-oxident and antioxidant markers in young Wistar rats. Animals were submitted to daily swimming (for 1 h) for 30 days, between 1300 h and 1400 h. The following study groups were formed: group 1, sedentary; group 2, submitted to swimming; group 3, sedentary supplemented with 100 mg·kg(-1)·day(-1) of LA; and group 4, submitted to swimming and supplementation with 100 mg·kg(-1)·day(-1) of LA. The estrous cycle of the animals was evaluated daily, and the following oxidative stress markers were measured: plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and glutathione (GSH), erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD), GSH peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT) activity. The exercise protocol increased estrous cycle duration in group 2, especially in the diestrous phase. There was also a decrease in lipoperoxidation, with enhanced antioxidant activity of SOD and GPx. Group 4 showed no alteration in estrous cycle duration and maintained the beneficial effects on the antioxidant system observed in group 2. The increase in estrous cycle duration and improved oxidative stress markers may be an adaptive response to moderate exercise. LA impeded any exercise-induced alteration in the cycle but preserved improvements in the antioxidant system.