Reduction in Fatigue Symptoms Following the Administration of Nutritional Supplements in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis.

Despite recent advances in immune-modulatory drugs, pharmacological therapies have been proven ineffective in severe presentations of multiple sclerosis (MS), including secondary progressive MS. At present, therapeutic interventions' performance is primarily focused on ameliorating symptoms to improve the patient's quality of life (QOL). Among complementary treatments, nutrition has been considered a decisive factor to control symptoms and enhance the wellness of MS patients. Although no special diets are associated with MS, the impact of diet and dietary supplements on the course of progressive forms of the disease has been studied during the last few years. Fatigue is among the most common and disabling symptoms reported by MS patients. Fatigue has been defined in the Multiple Sclerosis Council for Clinical Practice Guidelines (MSCCPG, 1998) as a "subjective lack of physical and/or mental energy that the individual perceives as an interference with habitual and desired activities". This study aimed to compare the psychometric functioning of the "Fatigue Severity Scale" (FSS) and the "Modified Fatigue Impact Scale" (MFIS) in our sample of people with MS. Specifically, during chronic treatment, the change in these two parameters with two vitamin-rich dietary supplements (Citozym® and Ergozym®) was evaluated. The impact of these nutritional supplements revealed differences in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory parameters among the volunteers in the treatment group, with a subsequent improvement in fatigue. In conclusion, the results obtained have confirmed the effectiveness of complementary nutritional therapies, evaluated essentially based on hematological biomarkers, through which it is possible to act on disability to improve the QOL of MS patients.

Oral nutritional supplement prevents weight loss and reduces side effects in patients in advanced lung cancer chemotherapy.

Weight loss in patients with cancer is caused by cancer cachexia and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Recent developments in antiemetic drugs have substantially improved nausea and vomiting, but this intervention did not reduce weight loss and other more severe side effects of chemotherapy, like anorexia, weakness, cough, dyspnea, hemoptysis, and pain. This study aimed to investigate the effects of nutrition intervention with a food supplement, during chemotherapy in patients with advanced nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients received individualized nutrition counseling by a registered dietitian and were provided with oral supplements of Texidrofolico® for 90 days. Bodyweight and the mentioned other side effects were evaluated at baseline and after 90 days of intervention. To assess the effects of this dietary supplement, a total of 30 patients were retrospectively enrolled as controls, and the bodyweight and change in side effects of chemotherapy were compared with those observed in 30 Texidrofolico®-treated patients. After 90-day intervention, by oral supplement of Texidrofolico®, the patients, during the course of cytotoxic chemotherapy, showed an improved quality of life and not significant weight and BMI loss respect the control group. Furthermore, the number of patients, treated with Texidrofolico® who maintained or increased their body weight, after 90 days of treatment was significantly higher than in the control group. The effects of treatment with the food supplement have also been studied from a metabolic point of view. It was possible to find that one of the known markers of tumor growth, plasma polyamines, was reduced after the treatment. A possible relationship between these biogenic amines and the folate cycle is discussed. In conclusion, early intensive nutrition intervention with oral supplements of Texidrofolico® during chemotherapy of NSCLC patients prevents weight loss and it is beneficial for their quality of life.