Efeito do uso de guaraná em pó (Paullinia cupana) sobre a modulação do fator neurotrófico derivado do cérebro e sintomas depressivos em adultos jovens saudáveis / Effect of the use of guaraná powder (Paullinia cupana) on brain-derived neurotrophic factor modulation and depressive symptoms in young adults

Os polifenóis presentes nos alimentos podem contribuir para promoção e proteção da saúde mental, com a redução dos sintomas depressivos, modulação da inflamação e neuroplasticidade. A saúde mental é um importante problema de saúde pública, pelo seu impacto na qualidade de vida, comprometimento biopsicossocial, funcional e econômico. O guaraná, um produto brasileiro rico em polifenóis, com propriedades estimulantes devido ao elevado conteúdo de cafeína, catequina, epicatequina e proantocianidinas possui potencial de promoção de melhoria em sintomas relacionados a saúde mental e seus biomarcadores. Objetivo: Investigar a relação do consumo de alimentos e sintomas depressivos, bem como avaliar o efeito do guaraná em pó na modulação do fator neurotrófico derivado do cérebro e citocinas relacionadas a inflamação e nos sintomas depressivos em adultos jovens. Métodos: Realizou-se uma pesquisa online com 1.004 brasileiros, em 2020, avaliando a mudança no consumo de alimentos e sintomas de estresse, ansiedade e depressão autorrelatados. Posteriormente, foi desenvolvida uma intervenção, aleatorizada, triplo-cego, placebo-controlada com jovens adultos saudáveis, divididos nos grupos guaraná (n=13) e placebo (n=14), com ingestão de 3g diárias de guaraná em pó ou farinha de amido, durante 8 semanas. Foram aplicados questionários socioeconômicos e de estilo de vida, de sintomas depressivos e realizadas coleta de sangue no início no experimento, após 4 semanas e 8 semanas de intervenção, posteriormente foram analisados no plasma, os biomarcadores inflamatórios e o fator neurotrófico derivado do cérebro. Resultados: Os dados foram apresentados na produção de quatro artigos. No primeiro artigo, apresentou-se a relação entre mecanismos na produção de neurotransmissores e fatores neurotróficos e aumento de citocinas pró-inflamatórias e síntese de monoaminas e neurotrofina. Este discute que os polifenóis têm demonstrado um papel importante, principalmente catequinas, em atenuar a inflamação, e podem auxiliar na modulação das vias envolvidas nos sintomas depressivos. No segundo artigo foi observado que a diminuição no consumo de vegetais, legumes e frutas foram associados a sintomas de estresse, ansiedade ou depressão. No terceiro artigo fez-se um panorama geral da população da intervenção, observando-se que 55% dos voluntários eram do sexo biológico feminino, com idade média de 28 anos, peso corporal médio de 79kg, apresentavam excesso de peso, e índice de massa corporal de cerca de 28,12 kg/m². Foi observada uma taxa de retenção de 71,4% e 76,9% para os grupos controle e intervenção, respectivamente. Por conseguinte, no quarto artigo, observou-se uma diferença significativa de aumento do fator neurotrófico derivado do cérebro após quatro e oito semanas de intervenção entre os grupos guaraná e placebo, bem como a atenuação dos marcadores inflamatórios TNF-alfa e interleucina-6. Conclusão: O consumo de alimentos de origem vegetal, em especial frutas nativas ricas em compostos fenólicos, foi associado a menor intensidade de sintomas depressivos em adultos. Em paralelo, o aumento plasmático do fator neurotrófico derivado do cérebro e atenuação da inflamação foram associados ao consumo do guaraná em pó por jovens adultos.

The polyphenols present in foods can contribute to the promotion and protection of mental health, with the reduction of depressive symptoms, modulation of inflammation and neuroplasticity. Mental health is an important public health problem, due to its impact on quality of life, biopsychosocial, functional and economic impairment. Guarana, a Brazilian product rich in polyphenols, with stimulating properties due to its high content of caffeine, catechin, epicatechin and proanthocyanidins, has the potential to promote improvement in symptoms related to mental health and its biomarkers. Aim: To investigate the relationship between food consumption and depressive symptoms, as well as to evaluate the effect of guarana powder on the modulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and cytokines related to inflammation and depressive symptoms in young adults. Methods: An online survey was carried out with 1,004 Brazilians, in 2020, assessing the change in food consumption and self-reported symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression. Subsequently, a randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled intervention was developed with young healthy adults, divided into guarana (n=13) and placebo (n=14) groups, with a daily intake of 3g of guarana powder or flour. starch for 8 weeks. Socioeconomic and lifestyle questionnaires, depressive symptoms were applied and blood samples were collected at the beginning of the experiment, after 4 weeks and 8 weeks of intervention. Subsequently, plasma, inflammatory biomarkers and brain-derived neurotrophic factor were analyzed. Results: The data was presented in the production of four articles. In the first article presented the relationship between mechanisms in the production of neurotransmitters and neurotrophic factors and the increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines and synthesis of monoamines and neurotrophins. This discusses that polyphenols have demonstrated an important role, mainly catechins, in attenuating inflammation, and may help modulate pathways involved in depressive symptoms. In the second article, it was observed that the decrease in the consumption of vegetables, legumes and fruits were associated with symptoms of stress, anxiety or depression. In the third article, an overview of the intervention population was made, noting that 55% of the volunteers were female biological sex, with an average age of 28 years, average body weight of 79kg, were overweight, and mass index body weight of around 28.12 kg/m². A retention rate of 71.4% and 76.9% was observed for the control and intervention groups, respectively. Therefore, in the fourth article, a significant difference in the increase of brain-derived neurotrophic factor was observed after four and eight weeks of intervention between the guarana and placebo groups, as well as the attenuation of the inflammatory markers TNF-alpha and interleukin-6. Conclusion: Consumption of plant-based foods, especially native fruits rich in phenolic compounds, was associated with lower intensity of depressive symptoms in adults. In parallel, an increase in plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor and attenuation of inflammation were associated with the consumption of guarana powder by young adults.

NuMoOS - COVID-19 Nutrition and Mood Online Survey: Perception about dietary aspects, stress, anxiety, and depression in the social isolation of Coronavirus Disease 2019.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) is an infectious disease which led to a pandemic. Social isolation was therefore adopted as the main measure to prevent contamination and maintain public health. Some changes can occur in stress levels, sleep quality, dietary consumption, and mood (such as levels of anxiety and depression). The aim of this study is to describe the association and prediction between social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression, and food consumption self-reported. METHODS: This cross-sectional, quantitative, and descriptive study, with a non-probabilistic sample design for convenience, was carried out with 1,004 Brazilians, aged between 18 and 85 years old, from August to December 2020. A virtual questionnaire was applied on socioeconomic and lifestyle data, changing in food consumption, and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) self-reported. The data were analyzed applying the chi-square test for comparison between male and female, and a linear regression was applied to explore associations and predictions of variables that may be strongly associated, using anxiety, depression and stress as dependent and self-reported changes in food consumption. The strength of association of each category of independent variables on the levels of change in food consumption was estimated using ß coefficient and 95%CI, in the SPSS software (version 26.0). RESULTS: Although most declared that consumption remained the same, a small important increase was detected in some groups such as bread, pasta, potatoes, cassava. The consumption of plant-based foods remained unchanged according to the data collected. An increase of 13.25% of sugar sweetened beverages, 23.51% of alcoholic beverages, 37.25% of added of sugar, and 20.42% of fast foods was self-reported, and 52.7% stopped or reduced the practice of physical activity. The self-reported level of stress, anxiety, and depression reached 38.8%, 40.90% and 32.90. Changes in food consumption to predict stress, anxiety or depression symptoms were observed in relation to decrease red meat, fish, chicken, eggs, dairy, vegetables, legumes, and fruits, to increased consumption were associated to dairy, fats, sugar sweetened beverages, and fast foods. CONCLUSIONS: A remarkable increase in Fast foods and alcoholic beverages were observed. Carbohydrate-rich foods was associated to stress, and anxiety symptoms. The same was observed in increase of caloric foods such as fats, sugar sweetened beverages, and fast foods. Besides the decrease of proteins, vitamins, and fibers sources foods had a strength association with stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms.

Effects of the consumption of guarana on human health: A narrative review.

Guarana (Paullinia cupana) is a plant from the Amazon region with cultural importance. Despite its early ancestral use by indigenous tribes, the first reports regarding the benefits of guarana consumption for human health were published in the 19th century. Since then, the use of guarana seed in powder and extract forms has been studied for its diverse effects on human health, such as stimulating, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, hypocholesterolemic, and anti-obesity effects. These effects are attributed to the high content of bioactive compounds found in guarana seeds, especially methylxanthines and flavonoids. In fact, the Brazilian Food Supplement Law has officially acknowledged guarana as a source of bioactive compounds. The number and diversity of studies focused on guarana and human health are increasing; thus, organizing and describing the available evidence on guarana and its applications is necessary to provide a framework for future studies. In this narrative review, we have organized the available information regarding guarana and its potential effects on human health. Guarana produces unique fruits with great potential for human health applications. However, the available evidence lacks human studies and mechanistic investigations. Future studies should be designed considering its applicability to human health, including intake levels and toxicity studies.