Hydroxytyrosol: Bioavailability, toxicity, and clinical applications.

Many beneficial properties have been attributed to the Mediterranean diet. Over the years, researchers have attempted to learn which foods and which food components are responsible for good health. One of these components is hydroxytyrosol, an important phenolic compound present in olive oil. Hydroxytyrosol is a molecule of high interest to the pharmaceutical industry due to its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial qualities its role against cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome and for its neuroprotection, antitumour, and chemo modulation effects. The interest in this molecule has led to wide research on its biological activities, its beneficial effects in humans and how to synthetize new molecules from hydroxytyrosol. This review describes the vast range of information about hydroxytyrosol, focusing on its involvement in biological mechanisms and modulation effects on different pathologies. This review also serves to highlight the role of hydroxytyrosol as a nutraceutical and as a potential therapeutic agent.

Changes in Adiposity and Body Composition during Anemia Recovery with Goat or Cow Fermented Milks.

To date, no studies are available about adipose tissue modifications during anemia recovery; therefore, the aim of this study is to provide detailed information about adipose tissue homeostasis during anemia recovery with fermented milks. Forty male Wistar rats were placed on a pre-experimental period of 40 days, divided in two groups (normal-Fe diet and Fe-deficient diet). Then rats were fed fermented goat or cow milk-based diets with normal-Fe content during 30 days. Ghrelin and adiponectin decreased in both groups of animals fed fermented goat milk, whereas leptin and NEFA increased. UCP-1 decreased in anemic rats fed either fermented milk, and irisin greatly increased in both groups of animals fed fermented goat milk. Fermented goat milk reduces adiposity, inducing leptin elevation and ghrelin reduction. Conversely, plasma adiponectin concentrations decreased in animals fed fermented goat milk, showing an inverse correlation with NEFA, an important marker of lipid mobilization, indicating increased lipolysis. Irisin up-regulation in animals fed fermented goat milk contributes to a favorable metabolic profile and the browning of adipose tissue during anemia recovery.

Short-term ubiquinol supplementation reduces oxidative stress associated with strenuous exercise in healthy adults: A randomized trial.

Studies about Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10 ) supplementation on strenuous exercise are scarce, especially those related with oxidative stress associated with physical activity and virtually nonexistent with the reduced form, Ubiquinol. The objective of this study was to determine, for the first time, whether a short-term supplementation with Ubiquinol can prevent oxidative stress associated to strenuous exercise. The participants (n = 100 healthy and well trained, but not on an elite level) were classified in two groups: Ubiquinol (experimental group), and placebo group (control). The protocol consisted of conducting two identical strenuous exercise tests with a rest period between tests of 24 h. Blood and urine samples were collected from the participants before supplementation (basal value) (T1), after supplementation (2 weeks) (T2), after first physical exercise test (T3), after 24 h of rest (T4), and after second physical exercise test (T5).The increase observed in the lactate, isoprostanes, DNA damage, and hydroperoxide levels reveals the severity of the oxidative damage induced by the exercise. There was a reduction in the isoprostanes, 8-OHdG, oxidized LDL, and hydroperoxydes in the supplemented Ubiquinol group, an increase in total antioxidant status, fat soluble antioxidant (both plasma and membrane), and CAT activity. Also, NO in the Ubiquinol-supplemented group was maintained within a narrow range. Oxidative stress induced by strenuous exercise is accumulative and increases transiently in subsequent sessions of physical activity. A short-term supplementation (2 weeks) with Ubiquinol (200 mg/day) before strenuous exercise, decreases oxidative stress and increases plasma NO, fact that could improve endothelial function, energetic substrate supply, and muscle recovery after strenuous exercise. © 2016 BioFactors, 42(6):612-622, 2016.

Curcumin and Health.

Nowadays, there are some molecules that have shown over the years a high capacity to act against relevant pathologies such as cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disorders or cancer. This article provides a brief review about the origin, bioavailability and new research on curcumin and synthetized derivatives. It examines the beneficial effects on health, delving into aspects such as cancer, cardiovascular effects, metabolic syndrome, antioxidant capacity, anti-inflammatory properties, and neurological, liver and respiratory disorders. Thanks to all these activities, curcumin is positioned as an interesting nutraceutical. This is the reason why it has been subjected to several modifications in its structure and administration form that have permitted an increase in bioavailability and effectiveness against different diseases, decreasing the mortality and morbidity associated to these pathologies.

Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation and Exercise in Healthy Humans: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an endogenous lipid-soluble benzoquinone compound that functions as a diffusible electron carrier in the electron transport chain. It is prevalent in all human tissues and organs, although it is mainly biosynthesised and concentrated in tissues with high energy turnover. The aim of this review was to perform an exhaustive analysis of the influence and effects of CoQ10 supplementation on parameters related to exercise in healthy humans, and to clarify the current state of knowledge of this field of study, presenting the relevant data in a systematic manner. METHOD: This paper describes a transversal descriptive systematic review of published research in this field; the study was conducted using a method adapted from the PRISMA guidelines. The inclusion criteria applied were based on the PICO (population, intervention, comparison, and outcome) model. RESULTS: The database search performed yielded 372 citations. Finally, 13 studies met all the inclusion criteria and were incorporated in the present review. CONCLUSION: CoQ10 has properties related to bioenergetic and antioxidant activity; thus, it is intimately involved in energy production and in the prevention of peroxidative damage to membrane phospholipids and of free radical-induced oxidation. These properties make it suitable as a dietary supplement to improve cellular bioenergetics and to inhibit certain age-related pathologies.

Squalene ameliorates atherosclerotic lesions through the reduction of CD36 scavenger receptor expression in macrophages.

SCOPE: Anti-atherogenic features of olive oil (OO) have been attributed, in part, to minor compounds, via diverse mechanisms, although its effects on the CD36 receptor have not been examined. We investigated the effects of minor compounds of OO (squalene (SQ), tyrosol (Tyr) and hydroxytyrosol (OH-Tyr)), on the expression of the CD36 receptor, as well as on monocyte/macrophage differentiation and proliferation. METHODS AND RESULTS: U937 monocytic cells and macrophages (obtained with 10 nM phorbol-myristate-acetate) were exposed to Tyr, OH-Tyr or SQ at 0, 10, 75 and 200 µM with/without native or oxidised LDL(oxLDL). Flow cytometry was used to achieve the expression of CD36 in both cell types exposed to oxLDL plus antioxidants, as well as the inhibition of monocyte/macrophage differentiation after oxLDL and apoptosis. SQ caused a dose-dependent reduction of CD36 in the presence of native and moderate LDL in monocytes and macrophages. Phenotype-dependent cytotoxic and antiproliferative effects were found for OH-Tyr (p < 0.05), while SQ affected neither monocytes nor macrophages (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: SQ does not prevent monocyte migration and activation into macrophages, but it would inhibit oxLDL uptake by macrophages, by reducing CD36 expression. This study provides new data about the role of the components of OO in the prevention of atherosclerosis.