Do Only Calcium and Vitamin D Matter? Micronutrients in the Diet of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Patients and the Risk of Osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is one of the most common extraintestinal complications among patients suffering from inflammatory bowel diseases. The role of vitamin D and calcium in the prevention of a decreased bone mineral density is well known, although other nutrients, including micronutrients, are also of extreme importance. Despite the fact that zinc, copper, selenium, iron, cadmium, silicon and fluorine have not been frequently discussed with regard to the prevention of osteoporosis, it is possible that a deficiency or excess of the abovementioned elements may affect bone mineralization. Additionally, the risk of malnutrition, which is common in patients with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, as well as the composition of gut microbiota, may be associated with micronutrients status.

[Electronic probe analysis of enamel remineralization effect of casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate promoted by different concentrations of fluorine].

Objective: To evaluate the remineralization effect and mechanism of casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP) with different concentrations of fluorine on demineralized enamel using electronic probe. Methods: Extracted premolar teeth for orthodontic purpose were immersed into lactic acid gel to prepare artificial white spot lesions (10 teeth in each group). Then the specimens were randomly assigned to three groups: Control group, with 5% of the CPP-ACP+deionized water; Group A with 5% CPP-ACP+500 mg/L F(-) and Group B with 5% CPP-ACP+900 mg/L F(-). The teeth in each group were soaked in different solutions for 4 days and then were measured using electron probe tester. The changes of contents among the three groups were compared. Results: No statistically significant difference in the percentage of fluorine was found in the control group before and after treatment (P=0.06), and the difference in the percentage of fluorine quality in the other two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). Statistically significant difference was found between calcium oxide and phosphorus peroxide in the three groups before and after mineralization (P<0.05). The percentage change of fluorine mass in group B [(0.107±0.035)%] was significantly greater than that in group A [(0.057±0.038)%] (P<0.05), while fluorine mass in group A was significantly greater than that in control group [(0.013±0.019)%] (P<0.05). In group A and group B, the change in quality of calcium oxide and phosphorus peroxide was significantly greater than that in control group (P<0.05), while no significant difference was found between group A and group B (P>0.05). Conclusions: The addition of fluorine in CPP-ACP increased the transport and penetration of calcium, phosphorus and fluorine on enamel surface.

Teething and affecting factors: experiences from Turkey.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the experiences of Turkish mothers in teething period and the factors affecting teething. METHODS: This study was performed by filling in questionnaire forms with a face-to-face interview technique with the mothers of 792 patients presenting to the outpatient clinics of pediatrics of Fatih (Turgut Ozal) University Faculty of Medicine between 1 April and 31 July 2012. RESULTS: This study was conducted in a total of 792 children (mean age: 24.2±7.9, range 12-42 months; 430 males). Of the study population, 6.1% had a family history of premature teething, 9.7% had a family history of delayed teething, 98% had been breastfed, 91.9% had used vitamin D, 67.6% had used iron supplements, and 3.9% had fluorine use. The first teething was at 7.8±2.5 months and the first teeth to appear was the anterior lower incisor (58.7%). The symptoms the patients had during teething were irritability (64.9%), fever (64.1%), increased mastication (61.6%), increased salivation (58.2%), and diarrhea (45.6%). The rate of admission to a physician with these complaints was 19.6%. The factors affecting the teething time were a family history of premature or delayed teething and birth with natal tooth, and male gender. CONCLUSIONS: In this study we found that nutritional or local factors were not effective on teething time. Teething period was characterized by nonspecific symptoms including irritability, subfebrile fever, increased mastication and salivation, and diarrhea. Linear regression analysis revealed that male gender and a family history of premature teething were the factors responsible from a shortening in teething time.

[Mineral elements in diet of pregnant and breast-feeding women. Part II. Micro minerals: iron, zinc, copper, selenium, iodine, fluorine, manganese, molybdenium, chromium]. / Skladniki mineralne w diecie kobiet cieiarnych i karmiacych. Czesc II. Mikromineraly: zelazo, cynk, mied , selen, jod, fluor, mangan, molibden, chrom.

The first article describes in detail problems connected with the role of macro minerals: Ca, Mg, P, Na, K, Cl in the diet of pregnant and breast feeding women. We concentrated on the choice of good natural sources of micro minerals: Fe, Zn, Cu, Se, I, F, Mn, Mo and Cr. The amounts of the elements in some of the food products are listed and factors that decide on their bioavailability are described. We mentioned pernicious effects of inadequate intake of micro minerals on the health of pregnant women and newborn babies.

The effect of fluorine and homeopathic medicines in rats fed cariogenic diet.

Although some sectors of dentistry have benefited from technological advances, dental caries is still a major problem. Prevention and treatment of dental caries by fluorine is considered a major advance in public health. Nevertheless fluorosis, caused by ingestion of excessive amounts of fluorine during the period of teeth formation, is of great concern. In accordance with the homeopathic doctrine, minimum doses of fluorine and other substances could prevent and/or treat caries. In this experiment, we compared the preventive action of fluorine and evaluated the effect of homeopathic medicines on the teeth of rats fed a cariogenic diet. None of the groups included in this study developed caries. However, microscopy revealed the presence of precipitate and/or deposit in the groups treated with homeopathic medicines. This phenomenon might be due to deposit in the dental surface or precipitation of bacterial plaque or calcium salts. It was not possible to identify the composition of the deposit/precipitate due for technical reasons. In one of the groups treated with homeopathic medicines fur loss was observed in 40% of animals. These reactions might be caused due to the action of the homeopathic medicines.

Vitamin and mineral supplements use in German children and adolescents between 1986 and 2003: results of the DONALD Study.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Dietary supplements may contribute to a considerable proportion to micronutrient intake. However, little is known about the consumption of supplements in children and adolescents, especially in Germany. We therefore examined patterns and time trends in supplement consumption in healthy children and adolescents. METHODS: A total of 5,990 3-day records from 931 subjects 2-18 years of age from the DONALD Study between 1986 and 2003 were examined. RESULTS: (a) Supplement type: A total of 166 different supplements were reported: 49% vitamin-mineral combinations, 31% vitamin, 13% mineral, 7% fluorine supplements. 12% (vitamin) and 13% (mineral) were single nutrient supplements. Vitamin C (72%), B(1) (57%), B(2) (54%), calcium (44%), magnesium (31%) and phosphorus (20%) were the most frequent added nutrients. (b) Users: In 25.8% (males 13.2%, females 12.6%) of the records, supplement usage was documented. Fluorine supplements were by far the most often consumed items (18.1%) followed by vitamins (4.5%), vitamin-mineral combinations (3.6%), minerals (2.4%), and multiple usage (2.6%). (c) Time trend: We found a marked time trend in supplement consumption in the past 18 years with a peak between 1994 and 1996 and lower usage before and after that time (independent of age and gender). (d) Associated factors: Supplement usage was influenced by age, year of study, season, smoking and number of persons in families, education level and employment of mothers, whereas gender or the number of children per family failed to have any effect. CONCLUSION: Supplement usage is a common behaviour in German children and adolescents and changing with time. Type and frequency of supplement usage is age dependent. Those nutrients found mostly in supplements are not the critical ones. In evaluations of children's diet it is mandatory to separate fluorine from other supplements.

Utilisation of different phosphorus sources in relation to their fluorine content for broilers and layers.

1. The relative utilisation of different phosphorus sources in relation to their fluorine (F) content was studied in commercial broilers (5 to 40 d) and White Leghorn layers (252 to 364 d). The phosphorus (P) sources tested were bonemeal (BM), low fluorine (LFRP) and high fluorine (HFRP) rock phosphates and a commercial mineral mixture (CMM). The P sources were incorporated in broiler and layer diets by replacing dicalcium phosphate (DCP) on a P basis. 2. The F contents of diets based on BM, LFRP, CMM and HFRP were 53, 365, 622 and 1383 mg/kg in the broiler experiment and 34, 242, 437 and 967 mg/kg in the layer experiment, respectively. F was not detected in DCP based diets. 3. In broilers, body weight gain, food intake, gain: food, P retention and serum inorganic P content on P sources (BM and LFRP) containing F up to 365 mg/kg diet were similar to those on DCP. Body weight gain, food intake, serum calcium and inorganic P contents and retention of P were depressed in groups fed on CMM and HFRP, which may have been due to the toxic effects of F (622 and 1383 mg/kg) present in diets based on these P sources. 4. Bone ash and its P content were not affected by feeding diets containing F up to 1383 mg/kg from various P sources. The amount of F deposited in tibia increased significantly with increases in dietary F concentration. 5. In layers, egg production and food intake were not affected by F up to 437 mg/kg in diets containing BM, LFRP or CMM as the sole source of supplemental P. Egg production and food intake were depressed significantly in layers given the diet containing 967 mg F/kg from HFRP. 6. Egg mass: food, egg weight, shell quality (shell thickness and shell weight) and serum calcium and inorganic P levels were not affected by F up to 967 mg/kg in diets containing different P sources. 7. It may be concluded that the performance of broilers and layers was not affected by feeding various P supplements with dietary levels of F up to 365 and 437 mg/kg, respectively. The reduced performance in broilers and layers observed with some of the P sources may have been due to poor availability of P and/or toxic effects of F (622 and 967 mg/kg, respectively).

Suplementos fluorados durante a gestaçäo e lactaçäo: verdades e mitos / Fluoride supplements during gestation and lactation: are they valuable?

Este trabalho revisou o estado atual da literatura em relaçäo ao uso de suplementos fluorados durante a gestaçäo e lactaçäo. Considerando as indicaçöes e esquemas posológicos atualmente preconizados por entidades internacionais para os suplementos fluorados, e tendo em vista a existência no mercado nacional de suplementos fluorados indicados (pelos fabricantes) para gestantes e nutrizes, nós pudemos concluir que: 1) A luz da literatura, a utilizaçäo de suplementos fluorados, em gestantes e nutrizes, näo protege a dentiçäo do filho contra a cárie dentária. 2) A luz da literatura, as informaçöes a respeito do flúor contidas nas bulas dos suplementos fluorados natalins com Flúor, Nativit Flúor, Unicap Pré-Natal F, Fluornatrium e Rarical estäo equivocadas e necessitam ser corrigidas

Estudos histológico-morfométricos e microrradiográficos de costelas de bovinos suplementados com fosfato de rocha / Morphologic-morphometrical and microradiographical studies on ribs of cattle supplemented with rock phosphate

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi o de avaliar, através de técnicas especializadas, as possíveis alterações ósseas produzidas em bovinos em decorrência da ingestão prolongada de diferentes níveis de flúor contido no fosfato de rocha de Tapira utilizado como fonte suplementar de fósforo. No primeiro experimento bovinos confinados ingeriram, durante 6 meses, quantidades variáveis (63 e 128g/dia) de fosfato de Tapira contendo 1.3% de flúor. No segundo experimento, bovinos em pastos de Brachiaria decumbens ingeriram, durante 33 meses, misturas minerais contendo diferentes níveis de fosfato de rocha de Tapira. No terceiro experimento, novilhas com idade inicial média de 14 meses ingeriram mistura mineral com fosfato de Tapira até a quinta lactação inclusivamente. Através de exames histológicos, morfométricos e microrradiográficos das amostras de costelas, não se observaram alterações da normalidade óssea, bem como não foram registradas diferenças entre amostras provenientes de diferentes tratamentos. Tais achados permitem inferir que, do ponto de vista de alterações ósseas, o fosfato de rocha de Tapira pode ser utilizado como fonte suplementar de fósforo para bovinos, nas dosagens, períodos e manejos alimentares estudados, sem risco de produzir alterações patológicas nos esqueleto dos animais

Teor de flúor nos chás industrializados no Brasil e seu significado para a saúde bucal / The concentration of fluoride in the teas manufactured in Brazil: its signification for the oral health

Verifica o teor de flúor nos chás industrializados no Brasil. Devido ao grande número de infusöes preparadas sob o nome genérico de chá, uma conceituaçäo mais restrita do termo foi utilizada e apenas os chás produzidos a partir da Camellia sinensis foram considerados. Foram estudados chás pretos, verdes e preparados a partir de infusöes de chá preto disponíveis no mercado. As dosagens de flúor foram realizadas utilizando-se o método potenciométrico com o eletrodo específico para flúor Orion 9609. Os resultados observados concordam com os da literatura sobre o assunto; os chás pretos analisados apresentaram teores médios de flúor de 1,60 (+ ou - 0,43) ppm, os chás verdes 0,95 (+ ou - 0,49) ppm e os preparados a partir de infusöes de chá preto 0,61 ( + ou - 0,18) ppm. As diferenças observadas entre os valores médios encontrados säo estatisticamente significantes com 95 por cento de confiança

The relationship of fluorosis and brick tea drinking in Chinese Tibetans.

Brick tea-drinking fluorosis is an unusual environmental problem. As a result of an investigation of tea-drinking habits, total fluoride intakes, dental fluorosis, and skeletal fluorosis, this disease has been found in the Sichuan Province of China in Tibetans with a long history of drinking brick tea. The dental fluorosis investigation of 375 Tibetan children (213 males, 162 females) and 161 Han children (86 males, 75 females), 8-15 years of age, was carried out in Daofu County, Sichuan Province. According to the standard of the Chinese Health Ministry, a skeletal fluorosis survey of 658 Tibetans (264 males, 394 females) and 41 Hans (20 males, 11 females), all over 16 years old, was performed. The total fluoride intake and fluorosis were determined from a question--calculation method in all participants. The morbidities of dental fluorosis in Tibetan and Han children are 51.2% and 11.05%, respectively, and the indexes of dental fluorosis are 1.33 and 0.17 (chi 2 = 75.7, p < 0.01) respectively. The morbidity of skeletal fluorosis is 32.83% for Tibetan children and zero for the Han children. The fluoride intakes of Tibetan children and adults were 5.49 mg/person/day and 10.43 mg/person/day, respectively, in this area. Of total everyday fluoride intake, 94.2% by children and 94.4% by adults was from brick tea and zanba (r = 0.99).

Fluorine intake of a Tibetan population.

Measurements of food consumption of randomly selected families and fluorine levels in food and beverages were used to calculate the fluorine intake of Tibetan people living in nomadic or semi-nomadic areas of the region and regularly consuming brick tea both as a beverage and in food. The fluorine intake of these groups (children 5.49-7.62 mg day; adults 10.43-14.48 mg/day) was much higher than that of members of a Han population living in the region (children 1.44 mg/day; adults 2.54 mg/day). The amounts of fluorine consumed by the Tibetan inhabitants are at least twice the WHO suggested limit (2 mg/day). Tea plants are rich in fluorine, and the highest levels are found in older leaves which are used to make brick tea. We conclude that brick tea is the major source of fluorine intake by the Tibetan population studied.

[ Dietary intake of fluorine through of tea prepared by the traditional method in Senegal]. / L'apport de fluor dans l'alimentation par le thé préparé selon la méthode traditionnelle au Sénégal.

The consumption of tea in Senegal is known and called "trois normaux". The use of Thea sinensis as drink many times per day with a lot of sugar, may cause some public health problems. In the aim to face that situation, we have analysed the fluor level in the available tea samples in the senegalese market in respect of the ways of the preparation. The fluor level has been analysed by ionometric specific electrode. The concentrations were from 3.8 to 6.1 mg/l in the infusion and from 11.1 mg/l in the decoction. These results showed that the tea plant contain a high concentration of fluoride. In addition, the level of fluoride may be higher, when the water drink itself is rich in fluoride.

[Aluminum and fluorine in blood and bone of rats fed on diet mixed with various contents of aluminum, fluoride or their mixture].

Wistar rats were divided into 8 groups:control, 300 ppm F, 130 ppm F, 300 ppm Al, 1200 ppm Al, 130 ppm Al + 130 ppm F. 300 ppm Al + 300 ppm F and 1200 ppm Al + 300 ppm F. The chemicals were mixed into the standard diet. The animals were fed on the diets for 12 weeks. Contents of F, Al, Ca and P in the blood (or serum) and humerus were determined at the end of 12 weeks. The results showed that the level of F in the blood and bone in the unadulterated F group was increased, especially F in the bone reached a level more than 10 times that of the control. In the 3 mixture groups, blood F and bone F were lowered, while blood F was restored to normal level, but bone F was not nevertheless, the results showed that Al was in antagonism to the absorption of F. In the unadulterated Al groups, blood and bone Al did not parallel with the amount of Al administered. The level of Al in the median Al group was higher than that of the high Al group. Taking the level of blood and bone Al as a measure, when different doses of Al were administered with F, in the low and median dosage of Al, F was in antagonism to Al absorption, but in case of high dosage of Al, F was in potentiation to Al absorption. In all the experimental groups serum P was elevated, but serum Ca was not disturbed. Bone Ca and P were decreased only in the 3 groups with unadulterated F as well as unadulterated and adulterated high dosage of Al. Mechanism of the nonlinearity of Al absorption vs Al dosage, as well as the dual effect of F on the absorption of Al was proposed.

[Effects of natural phosphate supplementation in the Gabra Zebu of Senegal]. / Effets de la complémentation en phosphates naturels chez le Zébu Gabra du Sénégal.

The authors contemplate using natural phosphates, despite their high fluorine content, as an economical supplement for tropical cattle's phosphate needs. Continuous and discontinuous distribution will be tried to better understand the effects of the fluorine. Tests were carried out in Senegal on 78 Gabra Zebu bullocks. Over a 2 year period, every day each animal received differing doses (50g. and 100g.) of differing phosphates (from Taiba or from Thies) resulting in dental lesions and some bone lesions because of the fluorine content. The dental lesions were the most noticeable. Only a minority of the bone and articulary lesions were serious. Furthermore, they were inconsistent. At the end of the experiment, the animals were in good general health. It had not been possible to dose fluorine prior to this publication.

Risks and benefits of nutritional supplements during pregnancy.

This review emphasizes the role of minerals and vitamins in pregnancy. Of the trace elements, iron, copper, zinc, and iodine have a fundamental role in human nutrition. Supplementation of iron, zinc, and iodine in the diet of all pregnant women, when dietary deficiencies exist, seems justified. The average diet in developed countries contains sufficient amounts of various vitamins, with the exception of folic acid, which may require supplementation. However, in developing nations and among poor populations in which the diet is inadequate, additional supplies of micronutrients are advisable.