The Dietary Nutrient Trimethylamine N-Oxide Affects the Phospholipid Vesicle Membrane: Probable Route to Adverse Intake.

Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a choline-containing dietary supplement obtained from red meat, egg, and other animal resources, on excess accumulation is known to cause cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) like atherosclerosis. To understand the molecular mechanism of the pathogenesis of TMAO-induced CVDs, we have set up 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) membrane in water that mimicked the endothelial cell membrane-blood interface of the artery wall and investigated the effect of an elevated concentration of TMAO on the membrane. We found that TMAO exerts an "action at a distance" mechanism through electrostatic force of attraction that significantly alters various properties of the membrane, like hydrophobicity, lateral organization, and interfacial water dynamics, which elevates the rigidity of the membrane. Such an effect was found to be further amplified in the presence of known causes of CVDs, i.e., high content of cholesterol (Chol). Therefore, TMAO-induced membrane rigidity may restrict the intrinsic elasticity of an artery membrane, expected to be introducing "hardening of the arteries", which makes the membrane atherosclerotic.

A Randomized Study of Nutritional Supplementation in Patients with Unilateral Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

The purpose of this study is evaluate the efficacy and safety of medicinal products containing the original Age-Related Eye Disease group (AREDS) formulation at doses approved in Europe (EU, control group; n = 59) with a product that adds DHA, lutein, zeaxanthin, resveratrol and hydroxytyrosol to the formula (intervention group; n = 50). This was a multicenter, randomized, observer-blinded trial conducted in patients aged 50 years or older diagnosed with unilateral exudative Age related Macular Degeneration AMD. At month 12, the intervention did not have a significant differential effect on visual acuity compared with the control group, with an estimated treatment difference in Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) of -1.63 (95% CI -0.83 to 4.09; p = 0.192). The intervention exhibited a significant and, in most cases, relevant effect in terms of a reduction in some inflammatory cytokines and a greater improvement in the fatty acid profile and serum lutein and zeaxantin concentration. In patients with unilateral wet AMD, the addition of lutein, zeaxanthin, resveratrol, hydroxytyrosol and DHA to the AREDS EU recommended doses in the short-term did not have a differential effect on visual acuity compared to a standard AREDS EU formula but, in addition to improving the fatty acid profile and increasing carotenoid serum levels, may provide a beneficial effect in improving the proinflammatory and proangiogenic profile of patients with AMD.

Nutrients, vitamins, probiotics and herbal products: an update of their role in urolithogenesis.

Nutrients, vitamins, probiotics, and herbal products may be risk factors, or alternately, protect against the formation of urinary stones. The purpose of this review was to update knowledge of the role of nutraceuticals in renal stone formation. A systematic search of the relevant literature published in PubMed in the last ten years was conducted and a narrative review of the data from the included studies was done. Search screened 513 studies that were reduced to 34 after evaluation by title and abstract; other 38 studies were retrieved by references of the selected studies. Beverages high fluid intake confirmed protective effect; orange juice protective effect; apple or grapefruit juice not confirmed as risk factors; sugar-sweetened soda and punch increased risk of stone formation. Energy intake: very high energy intake increased risk factor for women (especially after menopause); dietary acid load increased risk at equal levels of energy intake. Macronutrients confirmed increased risk of high protein intake. Calcium and Oxalate: calcium intake protective effect; oxalate intake only modest increase of risk in men and older women. Metal cations zinc and iron intake no clear impact on the risk of stone formation, dietary copper increased risk; manganese intake reduced risk of stone formation. Fruits and Vegetables decreased risk. Vitamins B6 intake not associated to risk of stone formation; vitamin C intake increased risk in men; vitamin D or supplemental vitamin D intake not associated to increased risk in men and younger women, suggestion of a higher risk in older women; Probiotics Gut colonization with Oxalobacter formigenes associated to lower risk of stone formation, effect of oxalate-degraders probiotics on urinary oxalate equivocal. Herbal products efficacy of some herbal products demonstrated in some trials, more investigations needed to confirm their efficacy and safety.

Dosage considerations in the combined use of ocular-specific vitamins and nutrients and multivitamin products: A systemic review and analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To provide guidance for safe and appropriate vitamin and mineral supplementation regimens for patients who use vitamins marketed for ocular use concurrently with general-purpose multivitamin (MVI) supplementation. DATA SOURCES: Primary and tertiary evidence was compiled from secondary literature reference databases. STUDY SELECTION: Dosage exposure with the use of supplements marketed for the prevention of ocular disease, including those recommended by the Age-Related Eye Disease Studies (AREDS), when used in combination with conventional MVI/nutrient products was determined. An analysis of the data was performed to suggest appropriate supplement recommendations. DATA EXTRACTION: Combined dosages for single and duplicate ingredients found in ocular supplements and select MVI/nutrient supplements were compared with U.S. Food and Drug Administration--recommended daily value intake levels and the National Academy of Medicine recommendations on vitamin and nutrient tolerable upper intake levels (TUILs). RESULTS: With the exception of copper, all studied product components that conformed to AREDS guidelines for vitamin and nutrient levels far exceeded U.S. Food and Drug Administration--recommended daily value intake level limits. Furthermore, vitamin A and zinc exceeded the National Academies of Medicine TUIL when a multivitamin product was combined with an ocular-specific vitamin or nutrient that conformed with AREDS-recommended dosage levels. Several products marketed specifically for ocular use failed to provide AREDS-recommended vitamin or nutrient levels even when combined with MVI products. CONCLUSION: With the exception of vitamin A and zinc, the addition of typical multivitamin preparations to AREDS-recommended vitamin and nutrient regimens do not result in vitamin and mineral dosages that exceed TUIL as outlined by the National Academy of Medicine. However, combined AREDS and MVI regimens can create a substantial vitamin or mineral burden that is not appropriate for all older adult populations, particularly those with comorbidities, contributing to susceptibility of component toxicity.

Grape seed proanthocyanidins and metformin combination attenuate hepatic endoplasmic reticulum stress in rats subjected to nutrition excess.

CONTEXT: Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in the liver is a pathological outcome of nutrient excess and is suggested to be one of the hits for progressive liver injury. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated whether grape seed proanthocyanidins (GSP) and metformin (MET) alone or in combination can relieve hepatic ER stress induced in rats subjected to calorie excess. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Male albino Wistar rats were given high calorie diet (HCD) for 45 days, while GSP (100 mg/kg body weight) and MET (50 mg/kg body weight) were administered either alone or in combination for last 15 days. RESULTS: GSP, MET or both had reduced the levels of ER stress markers and chaperons, and suppressed the activation of lipogenic and inflammatory mediators in rat liver. DISCUSSION: Though GSP and MET had reduced ER stress and inflammation individually, combination treatment with GSP + MET was more effective. CONCLUSION: We suggest intervention with GSP and MET intake has to be considered for the management of liver disorders.

Intake of folate and other nutrients related to one-carbon metabolism and risk of cutaneous melanoma among US women and men.

BACKGROUND: Nutrients involved in one-carbon metabolism - folate, vitamins B6 and B12, methionine, choline, and betaine - have been inversely associated with multiple cancer sites and may be related to skin cancer. However, there is a lack of research on the association between intake of these nutrients and cutaneous melanoma risk. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between intake of one-carbon metabolism nutrients and cutaneous melanoma risk in two large prospective cohorts. METHODS: The cohorts included 75,311 white women and 48,523 white men. Nutrient intake was assessed repeatedly by food frequency questionnaires and self-reported supplement use. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and then pooled HRs using a random-effects model. RESULTS: Over 24-26 years of follow-up, we documented 1328 melanoma cases (648 men and 680 women). Higher intake of folate from food only, but not total folate, was associated with increased melanoma risk (pooled HR for top versus bottom quintile: 1.36; 95% CI: 1.13-1.64; P for trend = 0.001). The association was significant in men, but attenuated in women. Higher intake of vitamins B6 and B12, choline, betaine, and methionine were not associated with melanoma risk, although there was modest increasing trend of risk for vitamin B6 from food only (pooled HR for top versus bottom quintile: 1.18; 95% CI: 0.99-1.41; P for trend = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: We found some evidence that higher intake of folate from food only was associated with a modest increased risk of cutaneous melanoma. However, since other factors related to dietary folate intake may account for the observed association, our findings warrant further investigation.

Nutrient intake in women before conception and risks of anophthalmia and microphthalmia in their offspring.

BACKGROUND: We previously explored associations between nutrients including folate and other macro and micronutrients and risks of anophthalmia or microphthalmia in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study. In the current study, we expand those previous results with larger sample sizes and conduct analyses with an additional diet quality index using more recent data. METHODS: The National Birth Defects Prevention Study is a population-based, multicenter case-control study of over 30 major birth defects, with estimated due dates from October 1997 to December 2011. Cases were 224 infants diagnosed with anophthalmia or microphthalmia. Controls were 11,109 live-born, nonmalformed infants randomly selected by each study center. Mothers completed a standardized, computer-assisted telephone interview between 6 weeks and 24 months after delivery. Mothers responded to a shortened food frequency questionnaire, assessing their nutrient intake for the year before pregnancy, and questions about periconceptional (2 months before to 2 months after conception) vitamin supplement use. Nutrient intake quartiles were based on the intake among controls. RESULTS: Among vitamin supplement users, odds of anophthalmia/microphthalmia were decreased for women with intake levels in the highest quartile of folate (0.56, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.32-0.98), magnesium (0.42, 95% CI 0.22-0.82), and vitamin E (0.50, 95% CI 0.29-0.89). Among women not reporting vitamin supplement use, the odds were significantly increased for beta-carotene (2.5, 95% CI 1.10-5.68) and decreased for retinol (0.37, 95% CI 0.19-0.73). CONCLUSIONS: In this expanded analysis, we observed associations for a few nutrients, specifically forms of vitamin A. However, the heterogeneity of results by form and vitamin use necessitates further inquiry.

Adjunctive nutrients in first-episode psychosis: A systematic review of efficacy, tolerability and neurobiological mechanisms.

AIM: The effects of nutrient-based treatments, including adjunctive vitamin or antioxidant supplementation, have been explored extensively in long-term schizophrenia. However, no systematic evaluation of trials in "first-episode psychosis" (FEP) has been conducted, despite the potential benefits of using these treatments during the early stages of illness. Therefore, we aimed to review all studies examining efficacy, tolerability and the biological mechanisms of action, of nutrient supplementation in FEP. METHODS: A systematic review of electronic databases was conducted from inception to July 2017. All information on feasibility, clinical outcomes and mechanistic findings from nutrient supplementation clinical trials was extracted and systematically synthesized. RESULTS: Eleven studies with a total of 451 patients with FEP (from 8 independent randomized controlled trials) were eligible for inclusion. Six studies examined omega-3 fatty acids, with inconsistent effects on psychiatric symptoms. However, mechanistic studies found significant improvements in hippocampal neuronal health and brain glutathione. Antioxidants "n-acetyl cysteine" (n = 1) and vitamin C (n = 2) also improved oxidative status in FEP, which was associated with reduced psychiatric symptoms. No benefits were found for vitamin E (n = 1). Finally, one study trialling the amino acid taurine, showed significant improvements in positive symptoms and psychosocial functioning. CONCLUSION: There is preliminary evidence that taurine improves outcomes in FEP, whereas effects of omega-3 and antioxidant vitamins/amino-acids are inconsistent; perhaps mainly benefitting patients with high levels of oxidative stress. Future studies should evaluate multifaceted dietary and supplementation interventions in FEP; targeting-specific nutritional deficits and the range of aberrant biological processes implicated in the disorder.

Efeito de estratégias nutricionais para redução de nutrientes poluidores nos dejetos sobre o desempenho e as características de carcaça de suínos / The effects of nutritional strategies to reduce nutrient pollution in manure on the performance and carcass traits of pigs

Avaliou-se o efeito de estratégias nutricionais sobre o desempenho e as características de carcaça de suínos dos 30 aos 100kg. Foram utilizados 120 suínos, distribuídos em delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso, com cinco tratamentos e oito repetições de três animais por unidade experimental. Os tratamentos usados foram: dieta-controle = dieta com alta proteína bruta sem aminoácidos industriais; dieta baixa PB= dieta com baixa proteína bruta com aminoácidos industriais; dieta fitase = dieta-controle com suplementação de fitase; dieta orgânica = dieta-controle suplementada com minerais inorgânico-orgânicos; e dieta composta = dieta com baixa proteína bruta suplementada com aminoácidos industriais, fitase e minerais inorgânico-orgânicos. As dietas avaliadas não alteraram o desempenho e as características de carcaça dos suínos em comparação aos animais da dieta-controle. Conclui-se que a redução de proteína bruta, a suplementação com fitase e minerais inorgânico-orgânicos podem ser adotadas por não alterarem significativamente o desempenho nas fases de crescimento e terminação e as características de carcaças.

The objective was to evaluate the effect of different nutritional strategies on performance and carcass traits of pigs from 30 to 100kg. One hundred and twenty pigs were used, distributed in randomized blocks, with five treatments and eight replicates of three animals per experimental unit. Treatments were: control diet = corn-soybean based diet without synthetic amino acids; low crude protein diet = corn-soybean based diet with low protein and synthetic amino acids; phytase diet = control diet supplemented with phytase; organic diet = control diet supplemented with inorganic and organic minerals; and combination diet = diet with low protein supplemented with phytase and inorganic-organic minerals. Means were compared with the control diet by the Dunnett test. The diets evaluated did not alter the performance of pigs when compared to pigs fed the control diet. The reduction of crude protein, supplementation with phytase and inorganic-organic minerals can be adopted without significantly changing performance during the growing-finishing and carcass traits at 100kg.