Curcumin: A dietary phytochemical for boosting exercise performance and recovery.

Curcumin, as the main natural compound in the turmeric plant (Curcuma longa), is a yellowish polyphenol that has been used traditionally in Asian countries as a medicinal herb for various types of disease and pathological conditions caused by inflammation and oxidative stress. In the present review, we conducted a comprehensive literature search for evidence that shows the effect of curcumin on factors influencing exercise performance, including muscle damage, muscle soreness, inflammation, and oxidative stress. During exercise, reactive oxygen species and inflammation are increased. Thus, if there is no balance between endogenous and exogenous antioxidants and increases in oxidative stress and inflammation, which is important for maintaining redox homeostasis in skeletal muscle, it can lead to muscle soreness and muscle damage and ultimately result in reduced exercise performance. Due to the anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin, it can increase exercise performance and decrease exercise-induced muscle soreness and muscle damage. It appears that curcumin supplementation can have positive effects on exercise performance and recovery, muscle damage and pain, inflammation, and oxidative stress. However, there is still a need to precisely evaluate factors to more accurately assess/quantify the beneficial therapeutic effects of curcumin with regard to enhancing exercise performance and recovery.

Evaluation of non-invasive arterial stiffness parameters and their relationship with physical activity, anthropometric indices and lipid profiles in healthy middle-aged adults: Results of the PERSIAN cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Arterial stiffness (AS) indicates the initial stage of cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is associated with modifiable and lifestyle risk factors. We aimed to examine the association of AS with anthropometric indices, lipid profiles and physical activity (PA). METHODS: Six hundred and fifty-eight healthy middle-aged adults were selected and anthropometric indices [body mass index, waist circumferences (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), neck circumferences, a body shape index (ABSI), body roundness index (BRI), body fat mass (BFM), visceral fat area, fat-free mass (FFM), lipid profiles and PA] were measured. AS is measured by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV) and central augmentation index (cAIx). RESULTS: Our results show that cf-PWV was positively associated with TGs (ß = 0.10, P = .01) and anthropometric indices correlated with WC (ß = 0.11, P = .02), WHR (ß = 0.09, P = .03), WHtR (ß = 0.1, P = .02) and BRI (ß = 0.09, P = .04). cAIx was independently positively associated with cholesterol (ß = 0.08, P = .03), WC (ß = 0.1, P = .03), WHR (ß = 0.09, P = .02), ABSI (ß = 0.09, P = .01), BRI (ß = 0.08, P = .05), visceral fat area (ß = 0.09, P = .03) and BFM (ß = 0.08, P = .04) and negatively associated with PA (ß = -0.08, P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: WC, WHR and BRI were associated with both cf-PWV and cAIx. TGs and WHtR were associated with cf-PWV, while cAIx was associated with ABSI, improving these indices may be helpful to prevent CVD.

Impact of curcumin on fatty acid metabolism.

Free fatty acids (FFAs) and fatty acid synthesis (FAS) activity have significantly contributed to disease states such as insulin resistance, obesity, type 2 diabetes, myocardial infarction, blood pressure, and several types of cancer. Currently, several treatment options are available for patients with these conditions. Due to safety concerns, adverse effects, limited efficacy, and low tolerability associated with many medications, the identification of novel agents with less toxicity and a more favorable outcome is warranted. Curcumin is a phenolic compound derived from the turmeric plant with various biological activities, including anticarcinogenic, antioxidant, antiinflammatory, and hypolipidemic properties. PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched up to February 2020 for studies that demonstrated the efficacy and mechanisms of curcumin action on FFAs, FAS, and ß-oxidation activity, as well as the desaturation system. Most of the evidence is in-vivo and in-vitro studies that demonstrate that curcumin possesses regulatory properties on FFAs levels through its effects on FAS and ß-oxidation activity as well as desaturation system, which could improve insulin resistance, obesity, and other FFAs-related disorders. The present study provides a review of the existing in-vitro, in-vivo, and clinical evidence on the effect of curcumin on FFAs and FAS activity, ß-oxidation, and desaturation system.

Does Dietary Intake Impact Omentin Gene Expression and Plasma Concentration? A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Omentin is an adipokine with anti-inflammatory and insulin-sensitizing effects that can play a protective role against cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The aim was to systematically review and summarize the existing evidence on the association between overall dietary intake and omentin gene expression and circulation. SUMMARY: A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science up to September 2019. Of the 1,940 retrieved articles, 20 relevant studies were included, 6 of which were observational, 11 were clinical trials in humans, and 3 were animal studies. Four randomized controlled trials (RCTs) had a high risk of bias (RoB), 1 had "some concerns", and 2 had a low RoB. Among the nonrandomized studies with comparators, 4 had a serious RoB and 2 had a moderate RoB. In the experimental animal studies with a moderate RoB, conflicting results for omentin serum concentration were found for high-fat and low-fat diets. A high-fat diet (HFD) was shown to reduce omentin gene expression in one animal study. In the observational studies, omentin serum concentration was reduced by Ramadan fasting and saturated fatty acid (SFA) intake, and an increase in omentin gene expression was observed with monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) intake. There was no association of dietary inflammatory index (DII), macronutrient intake, or total calorie intake with omentin plasma concentrations. In the human interventional studies, omentin plasma concentration increased with a long-term low-calorie, low-fat diet (LFD), and no change was seen with a HFD or a short-term low-calorie diet (LCD). Key Messages: It seems that a long-term diet with a lower fat content and a balanced distribution of fatty acids, i.e., a higher MUFA and lower SFA intake, may effectively increase omentin plasma concentration, possibly via improved insulin resistance and reduced inflammation, but more research is needed to confirm or refute this.

Saffron against Components of Metabolic Syndrome: Current Status and Prospective.

Saffron, the dried stigmas of Crocus sativus L., is mainly used as a food coloring and flavoring agent. This agricultural product is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of several diseases including asthma, liver disease, menstruation disorders, and, of special interest in this review, metabolic syndrome. Saffron and its active components including crocin, crocetin, and safranal are potential therapeutic candidates for attenuating MetS complications including hypertension, hyperglycemia, obesity, and dyslipidemia. This review summarizes the protective role of saffron and its constituents in the pathogenesis of MetS for a better understanding and hence a better management of this disease.