Influence of Βeta-Cryptoxanthin Supplementation on Ovarian Reserve and Fertility Status in Aged Wistar Rats.

Previous observational studies have suggested that ß-cryptoxanthin, a micronutrient present in yellow and orange fruit and vegetables, may help delay the onset of menopause. Given the widespread social trend of delaying pregnancy, the possibility that ß-cryptoxanthin supplementation may delay age-related loss of fertility and onset of menopause is of significant interest. In a parallel study, either saline or ß-cryptoxanthin (5 µg/kg rat/day) was delivered to Wistar albino rats via an osmotic pump from 4 to 7 months of age. All control and ß-cryptoxanthin-treated dams were fertile at 7 months of age, with no differences in litter size, sex ratio, or pup viability at the time of mating at 7, 9, 11, and 15 months of age (p ≥ .05 for all). As expected, over time there was a pronounced decrease in litter size and serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), but with no significant differences between the two groups at any time point. Overall, there was a positive correlation between litter size and AMH (r = 0.324, p = .012), confirming a link between this serum marker of ovarian reserve status and fertility potential. At 16 months, bilateral oophorectomies were performed at necropsy, before conducting follicle density assessments of ovarian reserve. The total number and stage of follicle development were similar between the ß-cryptoxanthin and control groups (13.8 ± 3.2 cf 10.2 ± 4.8, respectively, p > .05). ß-cryptoxanthin supplementation for 3 months early in reproductive life was not effective in delaying ovarian senescence or enhancing fertility in rats later in life, contrary to the association suggested by observational studies in humans.

Mechanistic insights into the aetiology of post-prandial decline in testosterone in reproductive-aged men.

Obesity is known to be associated with impaired testicular function potentially resulting in androgen deficiency and subfertility. While the underlying cause of obesity-related male hypogonadism is multi-factorial, here, we investigated the impact of dietary fat on testicular endocrine function. Ingestion of a high-fat "fast food" mixed meal, a common practice for obese men, produced a 25% fall in serum testosterone within an hour of eating, with levels remaining suppressed below fasting baseline for up to 4 hr. These changes in serum testosterone were not associated with any significant changes in serum gonadotrophins. The nadir in serum testosterone preceded the post-prandial increase in serum IL-6/IL-17 by several hours, suggesting that inflammation was unlikely the cause. Furthermore, intravenous administration of fat (Intralipid) had no impact on testosterone levels, while an identical oral dose of fat did suppress testosterone. These results suggest that fat does not directly impair Leydig cell function, but rather the passage of fat through the intestinal tract elicits a response that indirectly elicits a post-prandial fall in testosterone.

A 4-week nutrition and therapeutics course in an undergraduate pharmacy program.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of an intensive 4-week nutrition course in increasing the knowledge of undergraduate pharmacy students. DESIGN: A Nutrition and Therapeutics elective course was developed that covered the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, as well as nutrition labeling, food composition, functional foods, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, nutrition and cancer, osteoporosis, nutrient-drug interactions, nutritional supplements, weight management, and infant feeding. The course was taught using lectures, student-focused tutorials featuring evidence-based practice, problem-based learning exercises, case-based scenarios, media examples, video clips from the lay press, and articles from the professional/scientific literature. ASSESSMENT: A self-administered, validated questionnaire on dietary recommendations, sources of nutrients, choosing everyday foods, and diet-disease relationship was administered prior to and after completion of the course. Students' scores in all 4 areas improved significantly; however, their knowledge of the national dietary recommendations, sources of nutrients, and everyday foods high in nutrients was below that of members of the community. CONCLUSIONS: Nutritional education courses can increase the nutrition knowledge of undergraduate pharmacy students. The need for pharmacists to advise patients regarding nutritional supplements continues to increase the need for incorporating nutrition courses within curriculum.