The effects of consuming a low-fat yogurt fortified with nano encapsulated vitamin D on serum pro-oxidant-antioxidant balance (PAB) in adults with metabolic syndrome; a randomized control trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The current study aimed to assess the effect of fortified yogurt with nano-encapsulated vitamin D on serum pro-oxidant anti-oxidant balance (PAB) in adults with or without metabolic syndrome. METHODS: In a quadruple blind clinical trial study, 139 adults with an age range of 30-50 years were randomly selected to receive either 1500 IU nano-encapsulated vitamin D fortified yogurt or placebo for ten weeks. Before and after the intervention period, blood sample was taken to determine the serum levels of vitamin D, pro-oxidant-antioxidant balance (PAB), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). The laboratory tests were checked at baseline and at the end of the treatment. RESULTS: Serum vitamin D increased significantly, from 14.47 ± 6.07 ng/mL to 21.39 ± 6.54 ng/mL (P < 0.001) after ten weeks in the intervention group. Serum hs-CRP and PAB were significantly lower following consumption period in intervention group [1.95(0.4-8.15) g/dL vs. 1.35(0.25-3.62) g/dL; P = 0.013] and (135.19 ± 42.4 HK vs. 115.39 ± 44.69) HK; P = 0.018] respectively. There were no significant differences between the intervention and control groups regarding weight and BMI at the end of the intervention period (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Low-fat yogurt fortified with nano-encapsulated vitamin D was found to reduce serum PAB levels in adults with metabolic syndrome. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The findings of the present study indicated that a low-fat yogurt fortified with 1500 IU nano-encapsulated vitamin D for ten weeks, leads to a significant reduction in serum hs-CRP and PAB concentrations highlighted the anti-inflammatory/anti-oxidative effect of vitamin D.

Oral nano-curcumin formulation efficacy in management of mild to moderate hospitalized coronavirus disease-19 patients: An open label nonrandomized clinical trial.

Curcumin is proposed as a potential treatment option for coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) by inhibiting the virus entrance, encapsulation and replication, and modulating various cellular signaling pathways. In this open-label nonrandomized clinical trial, efficacy of nano-curcumin oral formulation has been evaluated in hospitalized patients with mild-moderate COVID-19. Forty-one patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were allocated to nano-curcumin (n = 21) group (Sinacurcumin soft gel, contains 40 mg curcuminoids as nanomicelles, two capsules twice a day) or control (n = 20) group, for 2 weeks. Patients' symptoms and laboratory data were assessed at baseline and during follow-up period. Most of symptoms including fever and chills, tachypnea, myalgia, and cough resolved significantly faster in curcumin group. Moreover, SaO2 was significantly higher in treatment group after 2, 4, 7, and 14 days of follow-up and lymphocyte count after 7 and 14 days. Duration of supplemental O2 use and hospitalization was also meaningfully shorter in treatment group. It is also noteworthy to mention that no patient in treatment group experienced deterioration of infection during follow-up period, but it occurred in 40% of control group. Oral curcumin nano-formulation can significantly improve recovery time in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Further randomized placebo controlled trials with larger sample size are recommended.

Associations of vitamin D binding protein variants with the vitamin D-induced increase in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D deficiency is a global problem that may be improved by vitamin D supplementation; however, the individual's response to the intervention varies. We aimed to investigate possible genetic factors that may modify the impact of environmental exposure on vitamin D status. The candidate gene variant we investigated was the Gc gene-rs4588 polymorphism at the vitamin D receptor (DBP) locus. METHODS: A total of 619 healthy adolescent Iranian girls received 50000 IU of vitamin D3 weekly for 9 weeks. Serum 25(OH) D concentrations, metabolic profiles and dietary intake were measured at baseline and after 9 weeks of supplementation. The genotypes of the DBP variant (rs4588) were analyzed using the TaqMan genotyping assay. RESULTS: Our results revealed that the rs4588 polymorphism might be associated with serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D both at baseline (p value = 0.03) and after intervention (p value = 0.008). It seemed that the outcome of the intervention was gene-related so that the subjects with common AA genotype were a better responder to vitamin D supplementation (Changes (%) 469.5 (427.1) in AA carriers vs. 335.8 (530) in GG holders), and carriers of the less common GG genotype experienced a rise in fasting blood glucose after 9 weeks (Changes (%) 0 (1.5)). Our findings also showed that the statistical interaction between this variant and supplementation was statistically significant (intervention effect p-value<0.001 and p-value SNP effect = 0.03). The regression model also revealed that after adjusted for potential confounders, likelihood of affecting serum 25(OH)D in individuals who were homozygous for the uncommon allele G was less than those homozygous for the more common AA genotype (OR = 4.407 (1.82-8.89); p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Serum vitamin 25(OH) D following vitamin 25(OH) D3 supplementation appears to be modified by genetic background. The Gc genetic variant, rs4588 encoding the vitamin D receptor seems to influence the response to vitamin D supplementation.

A variant in CYP2R1 predicts circulating vitamin D levels after supplementation with high-dose of vitamin D in healthy adolescent girls.

AIM: The determinants of serum vitamin D seems to be the environmental factors (dietary and supplementary intake and exposure to ultraviolet light) and genetic factors. We aimed to study the relationship between a vitamin D-associated genetic polymorphism and serum 25(OH)D concentrations in healthy adolescent girls in Iran, and its effects on a high-dose supplement of vitamin D. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A total of 616 healthy adolescent girls with mean age 15 received 50,000 IU of vitamin D3 weekly over 9 weeks. Serum vitamin D levels and other metabolic factors were measured at baseline and after the intervention. The genotyping of the CYP2R1 variant (rs10741657) was performed by TaqMan genotyping assays. RESULTS: Regardless of the genetic background, at baseline, 87% of adolescent girls were vitamin D deficient (serum 25(OH)D level < 50 nmol/l). High-dose supplementation with VitD reduced the proportion of girls who were deficient substantially to about 24%. The genetic analysis revealed that although at baseline there was not a gene-vitamin D association ( p trend = 0.1), the response to supplementation appeared to be modulated by this variant ( p trend < 0.001). However, other anthropometric and biochemical measures were not affected by this intervention, over this short period. Serum 25(OH)D was increased in all participants although the carriers of the minor A allele seemed to be better responders so that the percentages of the change serum vitamin D in the holder of AA and AG genotypes were 539.4 ± 443.1 and 443.7 ± 384.6, respectively, compared with those with common GG genotype (363.3 ± 354.0). Our regression analysis revealed that the probability of an increase in serum 25(OH)D in a participant with AA genotype was 2.5-fold greater than those with a GG genotype (OR = 2.5 (1.4-4.4); p value = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Based on our findings, it appears that the rs10741657 variant of the CYP2R1 gene modulates the response to high-dose of vitamin D supplementation.