Maternal ingestion of cocoa causes constriction of fetal ductus arteriosus in rats.

Maternal consumption of polyphenol-rich foods has been associated with fetal ductus arteriosus constriction (DAC), but safety of chocolate exposure in fetal life has not been studied. This experimental study tested the hypothesis that maternal cocoa consumption in late pregnancy causes fetal DAC, with possible associated antioxidant effects. Pregnant Wistar rats, at the 21st gestational day, received by orogastric tube cocoa (720 mg/Kg) for 12 h, indomethacin (10 mg/Kg), for 8 h, or only water, before cesaren section. Immediately after withdrawal, every thorax was obtained and tissues were fixed and stained for histological analysis. The ratio of the narrowest part of the pulmonary artery to the fetal ductus inner diameter and increased ductal inner wall thickness characterized ductal constriction. Substances reactive to thiobarbituric acid were quantified. Statistical analysis used ANOVA and Tukey test. Cocoa (n = 33) and indomethacin (n = 7) reduced fetal internal ductus diameter when compared to control (water, n = 25) (p < 0.001) and cocoa alone increased ductus wall thickness (p < 0.001), but no change was noted in enzymes activity. This pharmacological study shows supporting evidences that there is a cause and effect relationship between maternal consumption of cocoa and fetal ductus arteriosus constriction. Habitual widespread use of chocolate during gestation could account for undetected ductus constriction and its potentially severe consequences, such as perinatal pulmonary hypertension, cardiac failure and even death. For this reason, dietary guidance in late pregnancy to avoid high chocolate intake, to prevent fetal ductal constriction, may represent the main translational aspect of this study.

Consumo excesivo de cafeína y eventuales poblaciones de riesgo / Excessive caffeine consumption and eventual risk populations

La cafeína (1,3,7-trimetilxantina), es uno de los componentes alimentarios más consumidos y estudiados. Aunque un consumo moderado no implica riesgos para la salud, un ingesta excesiva puede conducir a efectos adversos, tales como ansiedad, irritabilidad, palpitaciones e insomnio. Con el propósito de caracterizar el riesgo para la salud en mujeres adultas de 18 a 70 años en Argentina, se abordaron los siguientes objetivos: determinar el contenido de cafeína en cinco bebidas disponibles en el mercado argentino y con estos datos y otros de fuentes bibliográficas estimar la ingesta media diaria de esta sustancia en dicha población para establecer si existen grupos en riesgo, estudiar la relación de dicha ingesta con el lugar de residencia y determinar el aporte de cada bebida y alimento a la ingesta diaria total. La determinación de cafeína se realizó por cromatografía líquida de alta resolución (HPLC). A través de un cuestionario distribuido en la web, se obtuvieron datos de consumo de cafeína de 1947 mujeres que cumplieron el criterio de inclusión. Se encontraron contenidos más altos de cafeína en café expreso (1300 mg/L) y mate cebado (950 mg/L). En el total de la muestra el consumo promedio de cafeína fue de 340 mg/día (5,5 mg/kg/día), excediendo, el 31% de las participantes la ingesta recomendada de 400 mg/día. De las mujeres en edad fértil, el 37% excedió la ingesta de 300 mg/día y el 52% la de 200 mg/día, recomendadas durante la gestación y la lactancia. En el percentil 90 estas mujeres consumieron 851 mg/día y 775 mg/día de cafeína, respectivamente. El mate cebado y el café resultaron los mayores contribuyentes a la ingesta diaria de cafeína en este grupo de mujeres y en la muestra total. Se encontraron diferencias regiona­les en el consumo del mate cebado, resultando Misiones y Corrientes las provincias de mayores ingestas. Si bien el 68% de las personas entrevistadas consumieron dosis moderadas de cafeína, más de un cuarto de las mujeres en edad reproductiva excedió las ingestas recomendadas para el embarazo y la lactancia.

Caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine) is one of the most consumed and studied food ingredients. Although moderate consumption does not imply health risks, excess intake may lead to adverse effects, such as anxiety, irritability, palpitations and insomnia. In order to characterize the health risk in adult women aged 18 to 70 in Argentina, the following objectives were ad­dressed: to determine the caffeine content in five beverages available in the Argentine market and with these data and others from bibliographic sources estimate the daily intake of caffeine in this population to establish if there are groups at risk; to study the relation of this intake with the place of residence and to determine the contribution of each beverage and food to the total daily intake. The determination of caffeine was performed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Through a questionnaire distributed on the web, caffeine consumption data were obtained from 1947 women who met the inclusion criteria. Higher caf­feine contents were found in espresso coffee (1300 mg/L) and mate "cebado" (950 mg/L). In the sample, mean caffeine intake was 340 mg/day (5.5 mg/kg/day), with 31% of the participants exceeding the recommended intake of 400 mg/day. Of the women of childbearing age, 37% exceeded the intake of 300 mg/day and 52% the intake of 200 mg/day recommended during gestation and lactation. In the 90th percentile, these women consumed 851 mg/day and 775 mg/day of caffeine, respectively. Mate "cebado" and coffee were the major contributors to daily caffeine intake in this group of women and in the total sample. Regional differences were found in the consumption of mate "cebado", being Misiones and Corrientes the provinces with the highest intakes. Although 68% of the people interviewed consumed moderate doses of caffeine, more than a quarter of the women of reproductive age exceeded the recommended intakes for pregnancy and lactation.