Is there an association between a plant-based eating pattern and clinical findings of a migraine headache?

Aims: The present study was conducted among Iranian individuals diagnosed with migraine headaches to investigate the association between plant-based eating patterns and the clinical features of a migraine headache. Methods: In total, 262 patients aged 20-50 years who were diagnosed with migraine headaches were included in the current cross-sectional study. Participants' dietary intake was assessed using a validated 168-item, semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Three versions of the plant-based diet index (PDI) comprising overall PDI, healthy PDI (hPDI), and unhealthy PDI (uPDI) were generated. Headache frequency, duration, and severity were assessed via a 30-day headache diary. Migraine-related disability was assessed with a validated version of the headache impact test (HIT-6) questionnaire. Serum nitric oxide (NO) was measured using the Griess method utilizing serum samples. Results: After controlling for potential confounders, an increase in mean PDI score from 48.22 to 61.67 decreased the frequency of headaches by -2.95 (95% CI: 0.06, 0.53; ptrend = 0.005). PDI was inversely associated with serum levels of NO in those with the highest scores of PDI compared to those with the lowest scores after adjustment for confounders (ß = -7.69; 95% CI: -14.68, -0.69; ptrend = 0.028). After adjustment for potential confounders, an increase in the mean hPDI score from 47.96 to 65.25 decreased serum levels of NO by -11.92 (95% CI: -19.74, -4.10; ptrend = 0.003). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that higher adherence to a plant-based eating style, as evidenced by higher PDI and hPDI values, was significantly associated with lower headache frequency and serum levels of NO.

The effect of cinnamon consumption on lipid profile, oxidative stress, and inflammation biomarkers in adults: An umbrella meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

AIMS: Cinnamon is a polyphenol-rich spice that has beneficial effects on markers of cardio metabolic health such as lipid profile, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Despite the accumulating evidence from meta-analyses on the effects of cinnamon on these markers, their findings are controversial. Thus, this umbrella meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the present evidence and provide a conclusive clarification. DATA SYNTHESIS: We searched the following international databases from inception to January 2022: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Embase, and Google Scholar. Our findings of eleven meta-analyses showed that cinnamon consumption can significantly improve total cholesterol (TC) (WMD = -1.01 mg/dL; 95% CI: -2.02, -0.00, p = 0.049), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) (WMD = -0.82 mg/dL; 95% CI: -1.57, -0.07, p = 0.032), and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) (WMD = 0.47 mg/dL; 95% CI: 0.17, 0.77, p = 0.002) levels but not triglyceride (TG) levels (WMD = -0.13 mg/dL; 95% CI: -0.58, 0.32, p = 0.570). Our results did not show any significant effect of cinnamon on malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (WMD = -0.47; 95% CI: -0.99, 0.05, p = 0.078) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (WMD = -1.33; 95% CI: -2.66, 0.00, p = 0.051) but there was enhanced total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (WMD = 0.34; 95% CI: 0.04, 0.64, p = 0.026) and increased levels of interleukin-6 (WMD = -1.48; 95% CI: -2.96, -0.01, p = 0.049). CONCLUSIONS: Our results support the usefulness of cinnamon intake in modulating an imbalanced lipid profile in some metabolic disorders, particularly PCOS, as well as in improving TAC and interleukin-6. The review protocol was registered on PROSPERO as CRD42022358827.

Effects of Probiotic and Selenium Co-supplementation on Lipid Profile and Glycemia Indices: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The current systematic review and meta-analysis was done to evaluate the effects of selenium and probiotic co-supplementation on lipid profile and glycemia indices of the adult population using randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs). RECENT FINDINGS: Five studies involving 282 participants with a sample size ranging from 38 to 79 were eligible to be enrolled in the current study. Co-supplementation with probiotic and selenium reduced fasting plasma glucose (WMD = -4.02 mg/dL; 95% CI: -5.87 to -2.18; P < 0.001), insulin (WMD = -2.50 mIU/mL; 95% CI: -3.11 to -1.90; P < 0.001), homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (WMD = -0.59; 95% CI: -0.74 to -0.43; P < 0.001), quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (WMD = 0.01; 95% CI: 0.01 to 0.02; P < 0.001), total cholesterol (WMD = -12.75 mg/dL; 95% CI: -19.44 to -6.07; P < 0.001), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (WMD = -7.09 mg/dL; 95% CI: -13.45 to -0.73; P = 0.029), and triglyceride (WMD = -14.38 mg/dL; 95% CI: -23.13 to -5.62; P = 0.001). The findings of the current systematic review and meta-analysis suggested that co-supplementation with probiotics and selenium may benefit adults in terms of glycemia indices and lipid profile. However, due to the small number of included studies, further trials are needed to confirm our findings.

The effects of royal jelly supplementation on oxidative stress, inflammatory mediators, mental health, cognitive function, quality of life, and clinical outcomes of patients with ischemic stroke: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Stroke is a debilitating disease that affects over 15 million people worldwide each year, resulting in the death of one-third of those people and severe disability in two-thirds of survivors. Previous studies reported various health benefits of Royal jelly in the context of its anti-inflammatory properties. We will aim to investigate the effects of royal jelly supplementation on oxidative stress, inflammatory mediators, mental health, cognitive function, quality of life, and clinical outcomes of patients with ischemic stroke. METHODS: The present study will be a triple-blind randomized placebo trial. Patients who meet our eligibility criteria will be assigned to the intervention or the control groups to receive allocated intervention for 12 weeks. Individuals of the intervention group will consume 1000 mg of Royal jelly dragee daily after breakfast. Subjects of the control group will receive a placebo dragee identical to the Royal jelly dragee. The severity of the stroke, cognitive function, mental health, quality of life, clinical outcomes, and biochemical measures will be assessed at baseline and post-intervention. DISCUSSION: The current study is designed to investigate the effectiveness and safety of royal jelly supplementation in a randomized, parallel, two-arms, single-center, triple-blind, placebo-controlled manner. This study will provide evidence as a phase III clinical trial. TRIAL REGISTRATION: IRCT20180818040827N4, registered on 16 October 2021. https://www.irct.ir/trial/59275.

Effects of L-arginine supplementation on biomarkers of glycemic control: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials.

The present meta-analysis aimed to determine the effectiveness of L-arginine supplementation in improving biomarkers of glycemic control in adults. Electronic databases including PubMed, ISI Web of Science, Scopus, and the Cochrane Collaboration Library were searched up to January 2020. The meta-analysis of twelve randomised clinical trials indicated that L-arginine had no significant effect on serum fasting blood sugar (FBS) (weighted mean difference [WMD]: -3.38 mg/dl, 95% CI: -6.79 to 0.04, p = .53), serum insulin (WMD: -0.12 Hedges' g 95% CI: -0.33 to 0.09, p = .27), glycated haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c; WMD: -0.04%, 95% CI: -0.25 to 0.17, p = .71), and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (WMD: -0.48, 95% CI: -1.15 to 0.19, p = .15). Although several animal studies have proposed that L-arginine supplementation might improve blood glucose control, the present study could not confirm this benefit in humans.

The Effect of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) Supplementation on Renal Function: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials.

Background: The present systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) aimed at determining the effect of saffron supplementation on renal function. Methods: Electronic databases were searched up to February 2021. The risk of bias in individual studies was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration tool. The overall weighted mean difference (WMD) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using random-effect models. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 11 trials were included in this study. Saffron had beneficial effect on BUN (WMD = -0.69 mg/dl; 95% CI, -1.36 to -0.01; P=0.046) compared to placebo, with significant heterogeneity (I 2 = 49.6%, P=0.037). However, it had no significant effect on serum Cr (WMD = 0.04 mg/dl; 95% CI: -0.01 to 0.09; P=0.127). Conclusion: It seems that saffron supplementation had no significant effect on Cr as a renal function factor. However, BUN reduction was significant in the saffron group compared to placebo.

The effects of the dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) diet on oxidative stress and clinical indices of migraine patients: a randomized controlled trial.

AIMS: The relationship between the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet and oxidative stress (OS) in patients diagnosed with migraine is unknown and remains to be examined. Hence, we conducted a parallel-group, randomized controlled trial to investigate this issue. METHODS: Of the 102 women who met all the inclusion criteria, 51 individuals were randomized to the DASH diet group and 51 to the usual dietary advice group to receive allocated intervention for three months. In order to assess the compliance of participants to the DASH diet, dietary records, and serum vitamin C levels were examined. Parameters of OS status (e.g. nitric oxide (NO), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total oxidative status (TOS), malondialdehyde (MDA), and oxidative stress index (OSI)) and clinical indices of migraine (e.g. migraine index (MI), headache dairy result (HDR), and migraine headache index score (MHIS)) were assessed at the beginning and the end of the study. RESULTS: There was a significant reduction in NO (-5.75 vs. + 4.18, P = 0.025) and TOS (-1.55 vs. + 0.71, P = 0.034), and a marginally significant reduction in OSI (-0.10 vs. + 0.14, P = 0.060) in the DASH group compared with the control. Compliance with the DASH diet resulted in a significant decrease in the score of MI (-31.33 vs. - 15.09), HDR (-5.04 vs. -2.51), and MHIS (-44.21 vs. -26.74). Moreover, no significant change was observed in TAC, MDA, and total thiol content. CONCLUSION: This type of dietary approach can be considered as a complementary treatment for migraine patients, also further investigations are needed to replicate our findings.Trial registration: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials identifier: IRCT20121216011763N38.

Is there a relationship between serum vitamin D and semen parameters? A cross-sectional sample of the Iranian infertile men.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies suggest that serum vitamin D may be associated with semen parameters. In the present cross-sectional study, we attempted to investigate the association between serum vitamin D levels and semen parameters among Iranian sub-fertile men. RESULTS: A total of 350 infertile men recruited for this cross-sectional study using a simple random sampling method with a mean age of 34.77 years old, body mass index of 26.67 kg/m2, serum vitamin D of 20.17 ng/ml, semen volume of 3.82 mL, sperm count of 44.48 (106/mL), sperm total motility of 38.10 %, and morphologically normal sperm of 7.0 %. After controlling for potential confounders, serum vitamin D was positively associated with semen volume (ß = 0.63, 95 % CI: 0.06, 1.20), sperm count (ß = 14.40, 95 % CI: 4.56, 24.25), sperm total motility (ß = 18.12, 95 % CI: 12.37, 23.86), and sperm normal morphology (ß = 1.95, 95 % CI: 1.07, 2.83). CONCLUSIONS: The present findings suggest that higher serum vitamin D levels are positively associated with higher semen volume, sperm count, sperm total motility, and normal morphology rate. These findings, however, do not specify a cause-and-effect relationship, and there is a need for further research in this area to understand whether vitamin D supplementation can improve semen parameters.

RéSUMé: CONTEXTE: Des études récentes suggèrent que la vitamine D sérique peut être associée aux paramètres spermatiques. Dans la présente étude transversale, nous avons tenté d'étudier l'association entre les taux sériques de vitamine D et les paramètres spermatiques chez des hommes Iraniens inféconds. RéSULTATS: Un total de 350 hommes inféconds ont été recrutés pour cette étude transversale à l'aide d'une méthode d'échantillonnage aléatoire simple, avec un âge moyen de 34,8 ans, un indice de masse corporelle de 26,7 kg/m2, une vitamine D sérique de 20,2 ng/ml, un volume de sperme de 3,8 mL, un nombre de spermatozoïdes de 44,5 (106/mL), une motilité totale des spermatozoïdes de 38 %, et des spermatozoïdes morphologiquement normaux de 7,0 %. Après contrôle des facteurs potentiels de confusion, la vitamine D sérique a été positivement associée au volume de sperme (ß = 0,63, IC à 95 % : 0,06, 1,20), au nombre de spermatozoïdes (ß = 14,40, IC à 95 % : 4,56, 24,25), à la motilité totale des spermatozoïdes (ß = 18,12, IC à 95 % : 12,37, 23,86) et à la morphologie normale des spermatozoïdes (ß = 1,95, IC à 95 % : 1,07, 2,83). CONCLUSION: Les présents résultats suggèrent que des taux sériques plus élevés de vitamine D sont positivement associés à un volume de sperme, un nombre de spermatozoïdes, une motilité totale des spermatozoïdes et un taux de morphologie normale plus élevés. Cependant, ces résultats ne spécifient pas de relation de cause à effet, et il est nécessaire de poursuivre les recherches dans ce domaine pour comprendre si la supplémentation en vitamine D peut améliorer les paramètres du sperme.

The effect of probiotic supplementation on the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus among high-risk pregnant women: A parallel double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Based on a comprehensive search, we realized that the findings of the available literature are contradictory, and also limited data are available on Middle Eastern populations in terms of probiotic supplementation during the pregnancy. Therefore, the current double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial was carried out to investigate the effects of probiotic supplementation during pregnancy on the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus and also other maternal and neonatal outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The pregnant women were randomized to either received probiotic supplement (n = 271) or placebo (n = 271) from the first half of the second trimester (14 weeks of pregnancy) up to 24 weeks when pregnant women routinely evaluated regarding the GDM. During the 24-28 weeks of pregnancy, mothers were evaluated regarding the presence of GDM using a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). The fasting blood glucose (FBG) was also evaluated within OGTT processes. Each 500 mg probiotic capsule was a mixture of Lactobacillus acidophilus LA1 (>7.5 × 109 CFU), Bifidobacterium longum sp54 cs (>1.5 × 109 CFU), and Bifidobacterium bifidum sp9 cs (>6 × 109 CFU). RESULTS: Overall, 507 pregnant women make up our study population with a mean age of 32.03 years and a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30.20 kg/m2. There was no significant difference between the intervention and the control group regarding FBG (88.68 vs. 89.61 mg/dL; P = 0.338), OGTT-1h (163.86 vs. 166.88; mg/dL; P = 0.116), and OGTT-2h (138.39 vs. 139.27; mg/dL; P = 0.599). The incidence of GDM in the intervention group was 41.9% which was not significantly different from the control group (40.2%) (P = 0.780). Likewise, no significant difference was detected in terms of other studied parameters. CONCLUSIONS: It seems that probiotics supplementation of pregnant women from the first half of the second trimester up to 24 weeks of pregnancy does not reduce the risk of GDM, or improve other neonatal and maternal outcomes.

The Effect of Saffron Consumption on Liver Function: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The present systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials aimed to determine the effects of saffron supplementation on liver function tests among adults. METHODS: Electronic databases including PubMed, ISI Web of Science, and Scopus were searched up to January 2021. The risk of bias in individual studies was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration tool. The overall estimates and their 95% CIs were calculated using random-effects models. Egger's test and Begg's rank-correlation were run to assess the presence of publication bias. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 12 trials involving 608 participants were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Saffron supplementation had no significant effect on liver function tests including aspartate transaminase (AST) (weighted mean difference [WMD] = 0.23 U/L; 95% CI -2.22 to 2.69; p = 0.851; I2 = 74.0%), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (WMD = -1.49 U/L; 95% CI -3.84 to 0.86; p = 0.213; I2 = 60.2%), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (WMD = -0.70 U/L; 95% CI -11.35 to 9.95; p = 0.898; I2 = 40.8%) compared to placebo. CONCLUSION: Based on what was discussed, it seems that saffron supplementation could not improve liver function tests including AST, ALT, and ALP among the adult population. Further clinical trials with larger sample size, longer duration, and higher doses of saffron should be conducted exclusively among patients with liver dysfunction to elucidate the beneficial role of saffron consumption on liver function.

Effects of resveratrol supplementation on liver enzymes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: The available evidence regarding the possible effects of resveratrol on liver function is inconsistent. Therefore, the present meta-analysis was performed to investigate the overall effects of resveratrol supplementation on liver enzymes in adults. METHODS: A systematic and comprehensive search of the online medical databases including PubMed, Scupos, Web of Science and Cochran Library was performed up to February 2020. All RCTs using resveratrol supplements in adults were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. The overall effect was presented as weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) in a random-effects meta-analysis model. RESULTS: Finally, 15 randomised trials including 714 participants were selected for the present meta-analysis. Pooled analysis did not show any significant changes in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (WMD: 0 IU/L, 95% CI: -3.17 to 3.17, P = .99; I2 = 74.2%), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (WMD: -2.40 IU/L, 95% CI: -5.45 to 0.65, P = .11; I2 = 82.9%), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) (WMD: -1.26 IU/L, 95% CI: -4.64 to 2.13, P = .64; I2 = 23.7%), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (WMD: 3.80 IU/L, 95% CI: -4.65 to 12.25, P = .37; I2 = 29.9%) and bilirubin (WMD: 0.13 IU/L, 95% CI: -0.43 to 0.17, P = .39; I2 = 8.9%) after supplementation with resveratrol. CONCLUSION: Overall, in our study, resveratrol does not affect liver enzyme levels significantly, but subgroup analysis indicates that these results may be influenced by resveratrol dose, duration of the study and population status, so future high-quality studies are necessary to get definitive results.

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SB14 from rhizosphere alleviates Rhizoctonia damping-off disease on sugar beet.

The use of biocontrol strains recently has become a popular alternative to conventional chemical treatments. A set of bacteria isolated from sugar beet rhizosphere and from roots and shoots of apple and walnut were evaluated for their potential to control sugar beet seedling damping-off caused by R. solani AG-4 and AG2-2.The results of in vitro assays concluded that three isolates, SB6, SB14, SB15, obtained from rhizosphere of sugar beet and five isolates, AP2, AP4, AP6, AP7, AP8, obtained from shoots and roots of apple were the most effective antagonists that inhibited the mycelial growth of both R. solani isolates. Combination of several biochemical tests and partial sequencing of 16S rRNA and gyrBgenes revealed that eight efficient bacterial isolates could be assigned to the genus Bacillus and all could tolerate high temperatures and salt concentrations in their vegetative growth. The potential biocontrol activity of the eight bacterial antagonists were tested in greenhouse condition. The results indicated that four strains,B. amyloliquefaciens SB14, B. pumilus SB6,B. siamensis AP2 and B. siamensisAP8 exerted a significant influence on controlling of seedling damping-off and performed significantly better than others.However, the treatment of the seeds with bacteria was most effective when the isolate SB14 was used, which significantly controlled damping-off disease by 58% caused by R. solani AG-4 and by 52.5% caused by R. solani AG-2-2. This indicates that the use of beneficial bacterial native to the host plant may increase the success rate in screening biocontrols, because these microbes are likely to be better adapted to their host and its associated environmental conditions than are strains isolated from other plant species grown in different environmental conditions. We can infer from the results reported here that sugar beet plantsmay recruitbeneficial microbes to the rhizosphere to help them solve context-specific challenges.