Assessment of coffee, tea and herbal infusions consumption in adults.

Introduction: Coffee and tea are some of the most popular beverages in the world. Herbal infusions are also growing in popularity. Much attention is being paid to the effects of these beverages on the body and human health. Objective: The aim of the study was to analyse the consumption of coffee, tea and herbal infusions in terms of selected socioeconomic and lifestyle factors, as well as the frequency of beverages consumption in the study group. Materials and methods: The study involved 508 adult respondents, including 404 females and 104 males aged over 18 years. An online survey questionnaire was used, consisting of questions on socioeconomic data, lifestyle, height and weight, and frequency of consumption of coffee, tea and herbal infusions. Statistical analysis of the results was performed using Statistica 13.3 software, and statistical significance was assumed at the p≤0.05 level. Results: The beverages most often consumed by the adults was tea (90.2% of the respondents), followed by coffee (81.5%), the least frequently chosen beverage was herbal infusion (48%). The largest percentage of adults consuming coffee were: persons aged 18-29 (p=0.012), with higher education (p=0.010), living in cities over 500,000 inhabitants (p=0.048) or having permanent employment (p<0.001). In the case of tea consumption, significantly the largest percentage of adults concerned: women (p<0.001), persons with low physical activity (p=0.003) or good/very good self-dietary assessment (p<0.001). Significantly the largest percentage of adults consuming herbal infusions were: women (p<0.001), persons aged 18-29 (p=0.031) or with higher education (p<0.001). Gender was not a factor differentiating the frequency of consumption of the analyzed beverages in study group. Conclusions: The consumption of coffee, tea and herbal infusions is determined by several socio-demographic factors. Coffee was chosen more often by young people with an active professional life in large cities, which is probably related to the availability of this beverage in offices as well as in takeaway cafes.

The importance of gluten exclusion in the management of Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: There is a growing interest in a gluten-free diet (GFD) in the management of various autoimmune diseases, including Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT). Even medical professionals claim that gluten elimination may improve a patient's treatment. Some studies suggest a relationship between gluten intake and HT development or progression. The aim of the study was to analyze and describe available knowledge regarding the effect of gluten or a gluten-free diet on thyroid autoimmunity in HT with or without celiac disease. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF KNOWLEDGE: Potentially applicable records were obtained through review and analysis of the PUBMED (MEDLINE) and Google Scholar database by using the following phrases: 'hypothyroidism gluten', 'Hashimoto gluten' and 'thyroiditis gluten'. If a record focused on the subject by title and abstrakt, the full paper was screened. Authors' scientific achievements and references of eligible records were screened for possibly omitted studies. The review was focused only on human studies. DISCUSSION: Gluten exclusion might increase the risk of HT development because of the potential nutritional deficiencies related to the low quality of gluten-free products. Gluten intake from crops grown on selenium-depleted soil increases the risk of HT development. Only a few studies suggest that GFD would be beneficial for HT patients, even without the coexistence of CD. The strongest connection between gluten intake and thyroid destruction seems to be based on a mechanism of molecular mimicry between gut and thyroid tissue transglutaminase. CONCLUSIONS: Studies conducted so far do not support the claim that HT patients should eliminate gluten from their diet. In view of the limited number of studies, with major limitations and ambiguous results, a gluten-free diet is not recommended.

Dietary recommendations during the Covid-19 pandemic. Statement of the Committee of Human Nutrition Science of the Polish Academy of Sciences.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, care for an adequate diet, well adapted to the body's needs and the current level of physical activity, becomes of particular importance. Many dietary compounds participate in the functioning of the immune system, while vitamins D, C, A (including beta-carotene), E, B6, B12, folic acid, zinc, copper, selenium, iron, amino acids, n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids and intestinal microbiota are crucial in various types of defence processes. There has been no evidence that consumed food and its compounds, including those with pro-/prebiotic properties, play a significant role in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection or alleviating its course. However, in terms of the nutritional value of food and the prevention of dysbiosis, recommending a varied diet with a high proportion of plant-based foods and an adequate amount of animal-based foods has a sound scientific basis. Malnutrition, underweight and obesity are considered independent and prognostic risk factors of severe SARS-CoV-2 infection, which reduce a patient's chances of survival. Therefore, ensuring good nutritional status, including healthy body weight, is a reasonable approach in the prevention of viral infection SARS-CoV-2 or alleviating its course. The document is accompanied by two catalogues of practical nutritional recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic, addressed to the general population and children.

Dietary Supplements during COVID-19 Outbreak. Results of Google Trends Analysis Supported by PLifeCOVID-19 Online Studies.

The use of dietary supplements (DSs) has been steadily increasing all over the world and additionally, the sales of DSs have dynamical increased in the wake of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in most of the countries. We investigated DSs phenomenon in 2020 through (1) exploration of Google searches worldwide and in Poland (with Google Trends (GT) tool), and (2) analyses of results of PLifeCOVID-19 Online Studies conducted during the first and second wave of the pandemic. The conducted GT analysis and cross-sectional studies revealed that during the COVID-19 outbreak in March 2020, the interest in immune-related compounds and foods like vitamins C and D, zinc, omega-3, garlic, ginger, or turmeric, as well as their consumption increased. Improving immunity was the main reason behind the supplementation and changes in consumption of pro-healthy foods. GT analysis has shown these interests were positively correlated with the interest in COVID-19, but adversely with cumulative cases or deaths. Respondents tended to start supplementation during the first COVID-19 wave rather than the second one. Except for the role of vitamins D and C, zinc, and selenium in patients with deficiencies of those nutrients, there are no clear and convincing studies that support the role of DSs use in COVID-19 prevention and treatment in healthy, well-nourished individuals. Moreover, as the risk of elevated intake of some nutrients due to the popularity of DSs exists, effective education of consumers in rationale use of DSs and health-protecting behaviors against COVID-19 should be developed.

Nutraceutical functions of beta-glucans in human nutrition

Recent studies have shown that naturally occurring substances found in the food of the daily human diet are important for preventing chronic non-communicable diseases. One of them is beta-glucan, which is a natural polysaccharide, occurring in plant cell walls, mainly oats, barley and wheat. It is also present in baker's yeast cells, fungal cell walls, and some microorganisms. Beta-glucan belongs to one of the dietary fiber fractions, which are attributed a number of beneficial health properties, including the prevention and treatment of certain digestive diseases and supporting the immune system. This compound has biological activity that depends on the size, molecular weight, conformation, frequency of bonds, solubility and changes in structure. Beta-glucan reduces cholesterol and glucose concentrations in the blood, which reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. In addition to its effects on lipid levels and glucose metabolism, beta-glucan also exhibits antioxidant properties by scavenging reactive oxygen species, thereby reducing the risk of diseases, including atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, and cancer. Immunostimulatory and antitumor effects have also been reported. The immunostimulatory activity of beta-glucan occurs as a result of its attachment to specific receptors present on the immune cell surface. Beta-glucan belongs to the group of prebiotics which stimulate the growth and activity of the desired natural intestinal microbiota, while inhibiting the growth of pathogens. It plays an important role in the proper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and preventing inflammation as well as colon cancer. Such a number of health benefits resulting from the properties of beta-glucan may play a key role in improving health and preventing chronic non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer.

α-Tocopherol Protects the Heart, Muscles, and Testes from Lipid Peroxidation in Growing Male Rats Subjected to Physical Efforts.

The effect of α-tocopherol supplementation on adaptation to training is still equivocal. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of training and α-tocopherol supplementation on α-tocopherol and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) concentration in the rat liver, heart, muscles, and testes. Male Wistar rats (n = 32) were divided into four groups (nonsupplemented, not trained-C; nonsupplemented, trained-CT; supplemented, not trained-E; supplemented and trained-ET). During the 14-day experimental period, 2 mg/d of vitamin E as α-tocopherol acetate was administered to the animals (groups E and ET). Rats in the training group (CT and ET) were subjected to 15 minutes of treadmill running each day. The α-tocopherol levels in rat tissues were assessed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Lipid peroxides were determined by TBARS spectrophotometric method. α-Tocopherol had a significant impact on α-tocopherol concentration in all tissues. Training increased the α-tocopherol concentration in the heart and muscles but reduced it in the liver. Training also caused increased lipid peroxidation in the muscles, heart, and testes; but a higher α-tocopherol content in tissues reduced the TBARS level. The main finding of the study is that impaired α-tocopherol status and its adequate intake is needed to maintain optimal status to prevent damage to the skeletal and cardiac muscles as well as the testes in growing individuals.

Consumption of black and green teas as a dietary source of polyphenols in Polish inhabitants of the Mazovian region.

BACKGROUND: Tea is a very popular drink throughout many parts of the world, that includes Poland. The tea infusion (cup of tea) itself contains phenolic compounds with anti-oxidant properties that constitute 30% of the dry mass of tea leaves responsible for a health promoting effect on the human body. OBJECTIVES: To estimate the determinants and amounts of black and green tea consumed by a selected population group, along with their polyphenols intake from tea. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A survey was conducted of 281 subjects in 2012 from the Mazovian region of Poland, recruited from social-networking sites which had been sent a web application questionnaire (Mini-ankiety.pl). RESULTS: Subjects were aged 18-56 years, of whom the majority (73%) were aged 21-30 years. City dwellers constituted 86%, whilst those remaining were from small towns (14%). Black tea was drunk by 80% of whom 39% did so daily, whilst green tea was drunk by 72% of whom 17% did so daily. Determinants affecting the amounts of tea drinking were principally gender, education, place of residence and number of household members. Women significantly drank more than one cup of green tea daily compared to men. Those with a higher education significantly drank more than one cup of black tea daily compared to those with lower education levels. Homeowning subjects with 2 household members significantly drank more than one cup of green tea daily than the others. The average daily intakes of polyphenols from black tea in those who drank so regularly was 503 mg and that for green tea was 361 mg. CONCLUSIONS: The main source of tea polyphenols was found to be black tea as this was drunk more often than green tea. There is a need for promoting more green tea to be drunk as a source of polyphenols.

α-Tocopherol, ascorbic acid, and ß-carotene protect against oxidative stress but reveal no direct influence on p53 expression in rats subjected to stress.

We hypothesized that α-tocopherol, ascorbic acid, and ß-carotene, either applied individually or in combination, would modulate redox homeostasis and affect the regulation of genes involved in DNA repair under stress conditions. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed the influence of these vitamins, either supplied individually or in combination, on the plasma lipid peroxide level and the hepatic level of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine in rats. We also evaluated the expression of p53 and Mdm2 protein in the intestinal epithelium, as these proteins are involved in the cellular regulation of DNA damage repair. Male Wistar rats (n = 112) were supplemented with α-tocopherol (2 mg), ascorbic acid (12 mg), and ß-carotene (1 mg), both individually and in combination, for 14 days; 32 control rats were treated with placebo. Half of the animals in each group (n = 8) were subjected to 15-minute treadmill running at 20 m/min to cause exercise-induced oxidative stress. A statistically significant reduction in lipid peroxide levels was observed in the plasma of rats subjected to exercise and given 2 or 3 of the antioxidants (P < .0001). Exercise, as well as coadministration of the antioxidants, had no significant effect on the amount of DNA damage. Downward trends in the level of p53 protein expression were observed both in exercised and nonexercised animals, especially when the studied vitamins were administered in combination. Our findings suggest that α-tocopherol, ascorbic acid, and ß-carotene, when given concurrently, have primarily antioxidant effects on lipids under stress but do not significantly affect the regulation of p53 gene expression.