An Isolated Dose of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Produces a Better Postprandial Gut Hormone Response, Lipidic, and Anti-Inflammatory Profile that Sunflower Oil: Effect of Morbid Obesity.

INTRODUCTION: This study evaluates the effects of 25 mL of three types of oils [extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), olive oil (OO), and sunflower oil (SO)] on postprandial (3 h) satiety markers and variables related to metabolic status and inflammation in non-obese patients (n = 6) and in those with morbid obesity (n = 6), before and 1 year after Roux-en-Y gastric by-pass (RYGB). METHODS AND RESULTS: After EVOO intake, serum acylated ghrelin decreases and GLP1 increases more than with OO and SO. EVOO causes a higher increase of insulin and lower postprandial hypertriglyceridemia and free fatty acid levels than with OO and SO. EVOO decreases TNFα and IL6 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, with OO inducing intermediate effects and SO inducing an increase of these proinflammatory markers. These results are observed in non-obese patients and in those with morbid obesity after RYGB. However, patients with morbid obesity before RYGB show a profound alteration of this response. CONCLUSION: EVOO produces more beneficial effects than OO, which has lower amounts of minor components, and SO, which has PUFA as its main component. RYGB produces an improvement in the metabolic response to all three types of oils in patients with morbid obesity.

The metabesity factor HMG20A potentiates astrocyte survival and reactive astrogliosis preserving neuronal integrity.

Rationale: We recently demonstrated that the 'Metabesity' factor HMG20A regulates islet beta-cell functional maturity and adaptation to physiological stress such as pregnancy and pre-diabetes. HMG20A also dictates central nervous system (CNS) development via inhibition of the LSD1-CoREST complex but its expression pattern and function in adult brain remains unknown. Herein we sought to determine whether HMG20A is expressed in the adult CNS, specifically in hypothalamic astrocytes that are key in glucose homeostasis and whether similar to islets, HMG20A potentiates astrocyte function in response to environmental cues. Methods: HMG20A expression profile was assessed by quantitative PCR (QT-PCR), Western blotting and/or immunofluorescence in: 1) the hypothalamus of mice exposed or not to either a high-fat diet or a high-fat high-sucrose regimen, 2) human blood leukocytes and adipose tissue obtained from healthy or diabetic individuals and 3) primary mouse hypothalamic astrocytes exposed to either high glucose or palmitate. RNA-seq and cell metabolic parameters were performed on astrocytes treated or not with a siHMG20A. Astrocyte-mediated neuronal survival was evaluated using conditioned media from siHMG20A-treated astrocytes. The impact of ORY1001, an inhibitor of the LSD1-CoREST complex, on HMG20A expression, reactive astrogliosis and glucose metabolism was evaluated in vitro and in vivo in high-fat high-sucrose fed mice. Results: We show that Hmg20a is predominantly expressed in hypothalamic astrocytes, the main nutrient-sensing cell type of the brain. HMG20A expression was upregulated in diet-induced obesity and glucose intolerant mice, correlating with increased transcript levels of Gfap and Il1b indicative of inflammation and reactive astrogliosis. Hmg20a transcript levels were also increased in adipose tissue of obese non-diabetic individuals as compared to obese diabetic patients. HMG20A silencing in astrocytes resulted in repression of inflammatory, cholesterol biogenesis and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition pathways which are hallmarks of reactive astrogliosis. Accordingly, HMG20A depleted astrocytes exhibited reduced mitochondrial bioenergetics and increased susceptibility to apoptosis. Neuron viability was also hindered in HMG20A-depleted astrocyte-derived conditioned media. ORY1001 treatment rescued expression of reactive astrogliosis-linked genes in HMG20A ablated astrocytes while enhancing cell surface area, GFAP intensity and STAT3 expression in healthy astrocytes, mimicking the effect of HMG20A. Furthermore, ORY1001 treatment protected against obesity-associated glucose intolerance in mice correlating with a regression of hypothalamic HMG20A expression, indicative of reactive astrogliosis attenuation with improved health status. Conclusion: HMG20A coordinates the astrocyte polarization state. Under physiological pressure such as obesity and insulin resistance that induces low grade inflammation, HMG20A expression is increased to induce reactive astrogliosis in an attempt to preserve the neuronal network and re-establish glucose homeostasis. Nonetheless, a chronic metabesity state or functional mutations will result in lower levels of HMG20A, failure to promote reactive astrogliosis and increase susceptibility of neurons to stress-induced apoptosis. Such effects could be reversed by ORY1001 treatment both in vitro and in vivo, paving the way for a new therapeutic approach for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

miRNA/Target Gene Profile of Endothelial Cells Treated with Human Triglyceride-Rich Lipoproteins Obtained after a High-Fat Meal with Extra-Virgin Olive Oil or Sunflower Oil.

SCOPE: The effects of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TRLs) on the miRNA expression of endothelial cells, which are very involved in atherosclerosis, according to the type of diet are not known. METHODS AND RESULTS: The differences between the effects of TRLs isolated from blood of subjects after a high-fat meal with extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) and sunflower oil (SO) on the microRNA-Seq profile related to atherosclerosis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells are analyzed. 28 upregulated microRNAs with EVOO-derived TRLs, which can regulate 22 genes related to atherosclerosis, are found. 21 upregulated microRNAs with SO-derived TRLs, which can regulate 20 genes related to atherosclerosis, are found. These microRNAs are mainly involved in angiogenesis, with a predominance of an anti-angiogenic effect with EVOO-derived TRLs. Other microRNAs upregulated with SO-derived TRLs are involved in cardiovascular diseases. Pathways for the target genes obtained from the upregulated microRNA with EVOO-derived TRLs are involved in lipid metabolism and inflammatory and defense response, while those with SO-derived TRLs are involved in lipid metabolic process. CONCLUSION: EVOO-derived TRLs seem to produce a more atheroprotective profile than SO-derived TRLs. This study provides alternative mechanisms on the protective role of EVOO against the atherogenic process through microRNA regulation in endothelial cells.

Standardized Map of Iodine Status in Europe.

Background: Knowledge about the population's iodine status is important, because it allows adjustment of iodine supply and prevention of iodine deficiency. The validity and comparability of iodine-related population studies can be improved by standardization, which was one of the goals of the EUthyroid project. The aim of this study was to establish the first standardized map of iodine status in Europe by using standardized urinary iodine concentration (UIC) data. Materials and Methods: We established a gold-standard laboratory in Helsinki measuring UIC by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. A total of 40 studies from 23 European countries provided 75 urine samples covering the whole range of concentrations. Conversion formulas for UIC derived from the gold-standard values were established by linear regression models and were used to postharmonize the studies by standardizing the UIC data of the individual studies. Results: In comparison with the EUthyroid gold-standard, mean UIC measurements were higher in 11 laboratories and lower in 10 laboratories. The mean differences ranged from -36.6% to 49.5%. Of the 40 postharmonized studies providing data for the standardization, 16 were conducted in schoolchildren, 13 in adults, and 11 in pregnant women. Median standardized UIC was <100 µg/L in 1 out of 16 (6.3%) studies in schoolchildren, while in adults 7 out of 13 (53.8%) studies had a median standardized UIC <100 µg/L. Seven out of 11 (63.6%) studies in pregnant women revealed a median UIC <150 µg/L. Conclusions: We demonstrate that iodine deficiency is still present in Europe, using standardized data from a large number of studies. Adults and pregnant women, particularly, are at risk for iodine deficiency, which calls for action. For instance, a more uniform European legislation on iodine fortification is warranted to ensure that noniodized salt is replaced by iodized salt more often. In addition, further efforts should be put on harmonizing iodine-related studies and iodine measurements to improve the validity and comparability of results.

Selenium, selenoproteins and selenometabolites in mothers and babies at the time of birth.

The deficiency of Se, an essential micronutrient, has been implicated in adverse pregnancy outcomes. Our study was designed to determine total serum Se, selenoproteins (extracellular glutathione peroxidase (GPx-3), selenoprotein P (SeP)), selenoalbumin (SeAlb) and selenometabolites in healthy women and their newborns at delivery. This cross-sectional study included eighty-three healthy mother-baby couples. Total Se and Se species concentrations were measured in maternal and umbilical cord sera by an in-series coupling of two-dimensional size-exclusion and affinity HPLC. Additional measurements of serum SeP concentration and of serum GPx-3 enzyme activity were carried out using ELISA. Total Se concentration was significantly higher in maternal serum than in cord serum (68·9 (sd 15·2) and 56·1 (sd 14·6) µg/l, respectively; P<0·01). There were significant correlations between selenoprotein and SeAlb concentrations in mothers and newborns, although they also showed significant differences in GPx-3 (11·2 (sd 3·7) v. 10·5 (sd 3·5) µg/l; P<0·01), SeP (42·5 (sd 9·5) v. 28·1 (sd 7·7) µg/l; P<0·01) and SeAlb (11·6 (sd 3·6) v. 14·1 (sd 4·3) µg/l; P<0·01) concentrations in maternal and cord sera, respectively. Serum GPx-3 activity and concentration were positively correlated in mothers (r 0·33; P=0·038) but not in newborns. GPx-3 activity in cord serum was significantly correlated with gestational age (r 0·44; P=0·009). SeAlb concentration was significantly higher in babies, whereas SeP and GPx-3 concentrations were significantly higher in mothers. The differences cannot be explained by simple diffusion; specific transfer mechanisms are probably involved. GPx-3 concentrations in mothers, at delivery, are related to maternal Se status, whereas the GPx-3 activity in cord serum depends on gestational age.

Methylation patterns of Vegfb promoter are associated with gene and protein expression levels: the effects of dietary fatty acids.

PURPOSE: We have investigated the epigenetic regulation by dietary fatty acids of Vegfb levels in rats' white adipose tissue and 3T3-L1 cells. METHODS: A group of rats were assigned to three diets, each one with a different composition of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Samples of white adipose tissues were taken for the methylation and expression studies. Additionally, 3T3-L1 cells were treated with palmitic, oleic, and linoleic fatty acids. After treatment, cells were harvested and genetic material was extracted for the analysis of Vegfb levels. RESULTS: We report evidence of changes in the methylation levels of the CpG island at the Vegfb promoter and in the Vegfb expression levels in vivo and in vitro by dietary fatty acid, with the main contribution of the linoleic fatty acid. Vegfb promoter methylation levels were closely related to the Vegfb gene expression. CONCLUSION: According to our results, the regulation of Vegfb gene expression by dietary fatty acids may be mediated, at least in part, by epigenetic modifications on Vegfb promoter methylation. Considering the deep association between angiogenesis and tissue growth, we suggest the nutriepigenetic regulation of Vegfb as a key target in the control of the adipose tissue expansion.

Bioactive Components in Human Milk Along the First Month of Life: Effects of Iodine Supplementation during Pregnancy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Human milk is considered the most suitable food for infants. The potential benefits of breastfeeding can be explained by the presence of different growth and neurotrophic factors in human milk. This study was designed to detect some biomarkers in human milk, which could be involved in the infant neurodevelopment and in the regulation of the maturation of neonatal intestine (brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and autotaxin (ATX)), and compare them on the basis of the consumption of iodine supplements or multivitamins. METHODS: A prospective study included 37 healthy breastfeeding mothers, divided into 3 different groups: (1) 10 mothers who did not take supplements, (2) 17 mothers who took potassium iodine (KI) 200 µg/day and (3) 10 mothers who took a multivitamin supplement. RESULTS: The concentrations of BDNF, GDNF, GFAP, FGF21, LPA and ATX in human milk were not significantly different in women who took a multivitamin or KI supplement compared with those who did not take any supplement. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of neurotrophic factors in human milk is neither modified by the consumption of supplements nor by their type.

Evaluación del estado de nutrición yódica en población general en la provincia de Jaén / Assessment of iodine nutritional status in the general population in the province of Jaén

ANTECEDENTES Y OBJETIVO: En Jaén se conoce que existe una deficiencia de yodo (DY) de leve a moderada, y que afecta tanto a escolares como a mujeres embarazadas. Se sabe que la DY es una de las causas principales de disfunción tiroidea y bocio, habiéndose establecido que una yodoprofilaxis adecuada en zonas yododeficientes, tanto en forma de sal yodada, leche y sus derivados, o la toma de suplementos yodados, en caso de gestación, conlleva una mejoría significativa de estos problemas. El objetivo de este estudio es evaluar el grado de nutrición yódica en población general en una zona catalogada como yododeficiente y sin que se hayan llevado a cabo, por el momento, campañas institucionales de yodoprofilaxis. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Estudio descriptivo de corte transversal. Se ha realizado determinación de la yoduria en población general en el distrito sanitario de Jaén, separando en grupos según la edad y el género, y se ha encuestado sobre del consumo de sal yodada. RESULTADOS: La mediana de yoduria fue de 110,59 μg/l y la media de 130,11 μg/l. Se encuentran diferencias estadísticamente significativas en los niveles de yoduria en los escolares con respecto al resto de grupos de edad, siendo la media de yoduria en este grupo de 161,52 μg/l vs 109,33 μg/l en los mayores de 65 años. Encontramos que el 43% de la población tiene una yoduria menor de 100 μg/l y que en las mujeres, en el grupo de edad fértil, hay un 66,8% con niveles de yoduria inferior a 150 μg/l. CONCLUSIONES: la situación nutricional de yodo indicaría que se encuentra dentro de lo que se considera una nutrición adecuada, si bien encontramos que el porcentaje de población que presenta yodurias por debajo de 100 μg/l es aún muy elevado, y que la prevalencia del consumo de sal yodada en hogares es del 30,9%, muy por debajo de las recomendaciones de la OMS

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Iodine deficiency affecting both pregnant women and schoolchildren has been reported in Jaén. Iodine deficiency is one of the leading causes of thyroid dysfunction and goiter, and adequate iodine prophylaxis with iodized salt, milk, and dairy products, or iodine supplementation have been shown to significantly improve iodine status in pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to assess iodine nutritional status in the general population of a iodine-deficient area with no previous institutional campaigns of iodine prophylaxis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional study. Urinary iodine levels were measured in subjects from the Jaén healthcare district. The data were stratified by sex and age groups, and a survey was conducted on iodized salt consumption. RESULTS: Median and mean urinary iodine levels were 110.59 mcg/L and 130.11 mcg/L respectively. Urinary iodine levels were significantly higher in schoolchildren as compared to other age groups (161.52 μg/L vs 109.33 μg/L in subjects older than 65 years). Forty-three percent of the population had urinary iodine levels less than 100 μg/L, and 68% of women of childbearing age had levels less than 150 μg/L. CONCLUSIONS: Iodine nutritional status appears to be adequate, but the proportion of the population with urinary iodine levels less than 100 μg/L is still very high, and iodized salt consumption is much less common than recommended by the WHO

Assessment of iodine nutritional status in the general population in the province of Jaén.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Iodine deficiency affecting both pregnant women and schoolchildren has been reported in Jaén. Iodine deficiency is one of the leading causes of thyroid dysfunction and goiter, and adequate iodine prophylaxis with iodized salt, milk, and dairy products, or iodine supplementation have been shown to significantly improve iodine status in pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to assess iodine nutritional status in the general population of a iodine-deficient area with no previous institutional campaigns of iodine prophylaxis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional study. Urinary iodine levels were measured in subjects from the Jaén healthcare district. The data were stratified by sex and age groups, and a survey was conducted on iodized salt consumption. RESULTS: Median and mean urinary iodine levels were 110.59 mcg/L and 130.11 mcg/L respectively. Urinary iodine levels were significantly higher in schoolchildren as compared to other age groups (161.52µg/L vs 109.33µg/L in subjects older than 65 years). Forty-three percent of the population had urinary iodine levels less than 100µg/L, and 68% of women of childbearing age had levels less than 150µg/L. CONCLUSIONS: Iodine nutritional status appears to be adequate, but the proportion of the population with urinary iodine levels less than 100µg/L is still very high, and iodized salt consumption is much less common than recommended by the WHO.

Does dietary iodine regulate oxidative stress and adiponectin levels in human breast milk?

Little is known about the association between iodine and human milk composition. In this study, we investigated the association between iodine and different markers of oxidative stress and obesity-related hormones in human breast milk. This work is composed of two cross-sectional studies (in lactating women and in the general population), one prospective and one in vitro. In the cross-sectional study in lactating women, the breast milk iodine correlated negatively with superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities, and with adiponectin levels. An in vitro culture of human adipocytes with 1 µM potassium iodide (KI, dose similar to the human breast milk iodine concentration) produced a significant decrease in adiponectin, GSH-Px, SOD1, and SOD2 mRNA expression. However, after 2 months of treatment with KI in the prospective study, a positive correlation was found between 24-h urinary iodine and serum adiponectin. Our observations lead to the hypothesis that iodine may be a factor directly involved in the regulation of oxidative stress and adiponectin levels in human breast milk.

Infant neurocognitive development is independent of the use of iodised salt or iodine supplements given during pregnancy.

The benefits of iodine supplements during pregnancy remain controversial in areas with a mild-to-moderate iodine deficiency. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of improving iodine intakes, with iodised salt (IS) or iodine supplements, in pregnant Spanish women. A total of 131 pregnant women in their first trimester were randomly assigned to three groups: (1) IS in cooking and at the table, (2) 200 µg potassium iodide (KI)/d or (3) 300 µg KI/d. No differences were found in thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), free triiodothyronine (FT3) or thyroid volume (TV) between the three groups. Regardless of the group in which women were included, those who had been taking IS for at least 1 year before becoming pregnant had a significantly lower TV in the third trimester (P= 0.01) and a significantly higher urinary iodine in the first (173.7 (sd 81.8) v. 113.8 (sd 79.6) µg/l, P= 0.001) and third trimesters (206.3 (sd 91.2) v. 160.4 (sd 87.7) µg/l, P= 0.03). Also, no differences were seen in TSH, FT4 or FT3. Children's neurological development was not significantly associated with the consumption of IS for at least 1 year before becoming pregnant and no differences were found according to the treatment group. In conclusion, in pregnant women with insufficient iodine intake, the intake of IS before becoming pregnant was associated with a better maternal thyroid function. The form of iodide intake was not associated with maternal thyroid function or children's neurological development.

Mediterranean diet and the Spanish paradox. A hypothesis.

The Spanish paradox is a phenomenon observed in Spain and some other Mediterranean countries by which the cardiovascular morbidity and mortality levels are dissociated from their cardiovascular risk factors. The Mediterranean diet has been proposed as the main reason for this dissociation, but dietary changes themselves are not enough to explain this situation. It has been recently discovered that Stearoil-CoA desaturase (SCD) is involved in the dissociation between a favourable atherogenic metabolic profile and the risk for arteriosclerosis. We propose a hypothesis that attempts to clarify the Spanish paradox. This hypothesis contemplates the essential role of dietary olive oil and its interaction with different SCD genetic patterns. Confirmation of this hypothesis could provide the basis for the design of clinical and preventive strategies against cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, as well as certain metabolic risk factors.

Iodine intakes of 100-300 µg/d do not modify thyroid function and have modest anti-inflammatory effects.

Little information is available as to whether doses of iodide similar to those recommended in clinical practice for the prevention of iodine deficiency in pregnant women affect thyroid function. The aim of the present study was to analyse whether doses of iodide can affect thyroid function in adults, and evaluate its effect on plasma markers of oxidative stress, inflammation and acute-phase proteins. A total of thirty healthy volunteers (ten men and twenty women) with normal thyroid function were randomly assigned to three groups (n 10). Each group received a daily dose of 100, 200 or 300 µg of iodide in the form of KI for 6 months. Free tetraiodothyronine (FT4) levels at day 60 of the study were higher in the groups treated with 200 and 300 µg (P = 0·01), and correlated with the increase in urinary iodine (r 0·50, P = 0·007). This correlation lost its significance after adjustment for the baseline FT4. The baseline urinary iodine and FT4 correlated positively with the baseline glutathione peroxidase. On day 60, urinary iodine correlated with C-reactive protein (r 0·461, P = 0·018), and free triiodothyronine correlated with IL-6 (r - 0·429, P = 0·025). On day 60, the changes produced in urinary iodine correlated significantly with the changes produced in α1-antitrypsin (r 0·475, P = 0·014) and ceruloplasmin (r 0·599, P = 0·001). The changes in thyroid-stimulating hormone correlated significantly with the changes in α1-antitrypsin (r - 0·521, P = 0·005) and ceruloplasmin (r - 0·459, P = 0·016). In conclusion, the administration of an iodide supplement between 100 and 300 µg/d did not modify thyroid function in a population with adequate iodine intake. The results also showed a slight anti-inflammatory and antioxidative action of iodide.

Effect of iodine prophylaxis during pregnancy on neurocognitive development of children during the first two years of life.

CONTEXT: The association between thyroid function during pregnancy and the later mental and psychomotor development of the child is supported by numerous experimental, clinical, and epidemiological studies. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the psychological development of infants aged 3 to 18 months whose mothers had received 300 microg of potassium iodide during the first trimester of their pregnancy and compare with infants whose mothers had received no iodine supplements. DESIGN AND STUDY SUBJECTS: The study included 133 women who had received 300 microg of potassium iodine and 61 women who had received no iodine supplements. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The neuropsychological status of the children was evaluated with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, and measurements were made of TSH, free T(3), free T(4), and urinary iodine. RESULTS: Those children whose mothers had received an iodine supplement of 300 microg had a more favorable psychometric assessment than those of the other group of mothers. They had higher scores on the Psychomotor Development Index (P = 0.02) and the Behavior Rating Scale. CONCLUSIONS: Dietary iodine supplements not only have no harmful effect on the neurodevelopment of the children, they may even be beneficial. Given the possible presence of confounding variables not controlled for in this study, these findings should be considered as preliminary.

Amniotic fluid iodine concentrations do not vary in pregnant women with varying iodine intake.

Iodine deficiency is an important clinical and public health problem. Its prevention begins with an adequate intake of iodine during pregnancy. International agencies recommend at least 200 microg iodine per d for pregnant women. We assessed whether iodine concentrations in the amniotic fluid of healthy pregnant women are independent of iodine intake. This cross-sectional, non-interventional study included 365 consecutive women who underwent amniocentesis to determine the fetal karyotype. The amniocentesis was performed with abdominal antisepsis using chlorhexidine. The iodine concentration was measured in urine and amniotic fluid. The study variables were the intake of iodized salt and multivitamin supplements or the prescription of a KI supplement. The mean level of urinary iodine was 139.0 (SD 94.5) microg/l and of amniotic fluid 15.81 (SD 7.09) microg/l. The women who consumed iodized salt and those who took a KI supplement had significantly higher levels of urinary iodine than those who did not (P = 0.01 and P = 0.004, respectively). The urinary iodine levels were not significantly different in the women who took a multivitamin supplement compared with those who did not take this supplement, independently of iodine concentration or multivitamin supplement. The concentrations of iodine in the amniotic fluid were similar, independent of the dietary iodine intake. Urine and amniotic fluid iodine concentrations were weakly correlated, although the amniotic fluid values were no higher in those women taking a KI supplement. KI prescription at recommended doses increases the iodine levels in the mother without influencing the iodine levels in the amniotic fluid.

Obesity and the metabolic syndrome in Mediterranean countries: a hypothesis related to olive oil.

In Mediterranean countries people would previously have consumed a diet with a high proportion of MUFA. Physical activity would have been intense with a low level of stress. The stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD1) system selected over thousands of years of this type of behavior must have adapted to a particular capacity of self regulation. Now, this pattern, called the "Mediterranean diet", has been broken and many people living by the Mediterranean consume a high quantity of calories, mainly from saturated or n-6-rich fats and the relative intake of MUFA has decreased. Simultaneously, physical activity has decreased and the pattern of stress has changed towards what is called a western lifestyle. In this new context, if people have a favorable, genetically conditioned SCD1 activity that will let them confront the new situation or else have some other compensatory mechanism, such as being keen on sport, etc, then they can prevent the appearance of some of the complications associated with the metabolic syndrome. If, on the other hand, the SCD1 pattern is genetically unfavorable for this new situation and they have a new cultural context, then they do not have the alternative compensatory mechanisms and the probability of developing the metabolic syndrome is high.

[Iodine deficiency and thyroid function in healthy pregnant women]. / Déficit de yodo y función tiroidea en una población de mujeres embarazadas sanas.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Studies from Spain suggest that the intake of iodine in pregnant women is below nutritional requirements. This study was designed to determine iodine intake and its relation with thyroid volume during pregnancy in women from southeast Spain. PATIENTS AND METHOD: A total of 520 healthy pregnant women were studied during the full three trimesters of their pregnancy. A control group was composed of 373 non-pregnant women. The following variables were measured: TSH, FT3, FT4, thyroglobulin, antiperoxidase antibodies, urinary iodine levels, and thyroid volume. RESULTS: Median urinary iodine levels were below 100 g/l in the controls and the pregnant women during their first trimester. These levels rose progressively and significantly over the second and third trimesters. Thyroid volume increased during the second and third trimesters compared with the first. TSH levels were lower during the first trimester compared to controls, and increased significantly during the third trimester. FT4 levels fell significantly during the third trimester. There was a significant negative correlation between TSH levels and thyroid volume (r = 0.22; p = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Iodine intake in pregnant women in Malaga is low. The results suggest a deficit in thyroid function secondary to iodine deficiency, which is worsened as pregnancy advances. The data support the convenience of systematic administration of an iodine supplement in healthy pregnant women.

Hypertension is related to the degradation of dietary frying oils.

BACKGROUND: The family kitchen resembles an uncontrolled laboratory experiment, and some discrepancies in the relation between the risk of hypertension and dietary fat may be partly due to the manipulation to which the fats were subjected. OBJECTIVE: We investigated whether deterioration in the quality of the cooking oils in the family household contributes to the risk of high blood pressure. DESIGN: The study was cross-sectional. Anthropometric measurements were obtained for 1226 persons aged 18-65 y who were selected randomly from the municipal census of Pizarra, Spain. An oral-glucose-tolerance test was given to 1020 of these persons. Samples of the cooking oil being used were taken from the kitchens of a random subset of 538 persons. The concentrations of polar compounds and polymers were used as markers of the deterioration of the oils. The strength of association between variables was measured by calculating the odds ratio from logistic models. RESULTS: Hypertension was strongly associated with obesity and was influenced by sex, diabetes, and age. The presence of excess polar compounds in the cooking oil and the use of sunflower oil were related to the risk of hypertension, whereas the concentration of monounsaturated fatty acids in the serum phospholipids was negatively related to this risk. These associations remained after inclusion in the models of age, sex, obesity, and the presence of carbohydrate metabolism disorder. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of hypertension is positively and independently associated with the intake of cooking oil polar compounds and inversely related to blood concentrations of monounsaturated fatty acids.

Redistribution of abdominal fat after a period of food restriction in rats is related to the type of dietary fat.

The aim of the present experiment was to test the hypothesis that during refeeding a redistribution of intra-abdominal fat takes place and that both the recovery of weight and the redistribution of intra-abdominal fat are related to the type of dietary fat. The experimental study was carried out using male Sprague-Dawley rats. Three groups of animals were fed diets with three different fatty acid profiles. Each group contained two branches, one fed normally and the other fed initially with a 50 % energy reduction followed by refeeding ad libitum with the same isoenergetic diet as the control branch, giving a total of six treatments. Measurements were made of the final and incremental weight of the rat, weight of the intra-abdominal adipose tissue (total intra-abdominal, epididymal, omental and retroperitoneal adipose tissue weight), and feed efficacy (weight increment/metabolizable energy intake). Carcass, epididymal, omental, and muscle lipid contents, carcass protein and energy density were also measured. The results revealed that diets rich in fish oil or olive oil increase catch-up growth more than diets rich in saturated fats. During refeeding the lipid content in the adipose tissue increases while that of muscle tissue decreases. A diet rich in saturated fats induces a relative increase in the amount of intra-abdominal adipose tissue. The lipid content in adipose and muscle tissues and the distribution of intra-abdominal fat can all be modified by the type of dietary fat.

Dipyridamole prevents the coconut oil-induced hypercholesterolemia. A study on lipid plasma and lipoprotein composition.

For a better understanding of the hypolipidemic function of dipyridamole, we have studied the comparative effects of diet supplementation with 10% coconut oil with and without dipyridamole on the lipid plasma and lipoprotein composition in chicks. This study was performed under postprandial and food-deprivation (12h) conditions. Coconut oil induced a clear hypercholesterolemia under both feeding conditions. Simultaneous administration of dipyridamole maintained total and esterified cholesterol at levels similar to those observed in control animals sacrificed under postprandial conditions. Under these conditions, our results also show that dipyridamole significantly reduced cholesterol levels in all the chick plasma lipoproteins that were increased by coconut oil administration. Nevertheless, it should be emphasised that the levels of total cholesterol found in intermediate- and very-low-density lipoproteins were lower than in control. All chemical components of these fractions were significantly decreased by dipyridamole. The effects were not significant in chicks deprived of food. In conclusion, our results show that the hypercholesterolemia induced by coconut oil was prevented by dipyridamole. To our knowledge, this is one of the first reports on the antihypercholesterolemic effects of dipyridamole.