How phytochemicals influence reproductive outcomes in women receiving assisted reproductive techniques: a systematic review.

CONTEXT: Over the past few years, there has been an increasing amount of scholarly literature suggesting a connection between the nutritional status of pregnant mothers and early fetal development, as well as the long-term health consequences of their offspring. Multiple studies have documented that alterations in dietary patterns prior to conception have the potential to affect the initial stages of embryonic development. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to perform a comprehensive review of the research pertaining to the correlation between phytochemicals ( specifically, polyphenols, carotenoids and phytoestrogens) and assisted reproductive technology (ART). DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Clinical Trials databases were searched from January 1978 to March 2023. STUDY SELECTION: This study comprised observational, randomized controlled, and cohort studies that examined the effects of phytochemicals on ART results. The study's outcomes encompass live birth rate, clinical pregnancy, and ongoing pregnancy. DATA EXTRACTION: The assessment of study quality was conducted by 2 researchers, independently, using the Quality Criteria Checklist for Primary Research. RESULTS: A total of 13 studies were included, of which there were 5 randomized controlled studies, 1 nonrandomized controlled study, 6 prospective cohort studies, and 1 retrospective cohort study. CONCLUSION: This research focused on investigating the impact of phytochemicals on ART and has highlighted a dearth of articles addressing that topic. Collaboration among patients, physicians, and nutritionists is crucial for doing novel research. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration no. CRD42023426332.

The dietary acid load is associated with disease severity in psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

OBJECTIVES: An acidogenic diet, by disrupting the blood pH equilibrium, can contribute to metabolic acidosis and lead to inflammation. Therefore, we hypothesized that dietary acid load (DAL) increases disease activity and inflammation in PsA patients. METHODS: This study was conducted with 58 obese/overweight patients, aged 20-65 years. Dietary intake was assessed using a 3-consecutive-day 24-hour recall. The DAL was evaluated through the PRAL (potential renal acid load) and NEAP (net endogenous acid production) and divided into the low and high groups by their median values. The disease activity assessments, anthropometric measurements, dietary data and blood parameters of patients were recorded and compared at the low and high DAL groups. RESULTS: We observed that patients in the high NEAP and PRAL groups had worse PsA pattern scores (p<0.05). Also, PRAL and NEAP scores were positively associated with DAPSA, HAQ, and PSAID-12 scores. After adjusting age, sex, smoking, and BMI, 1 mEq increase in PRAL and NEAP was associated with an elevation of DAPSA (0.506 and 0.486 points, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: These results showed a close relationship between DAL and PsA symptoms. An acidogenic diet may negatively affect PsA prognosis. Healthy eating recommendations should be part of the management of the disease.

Intake Duration of Anthocyanin-Rich New Zealand Blackcurrant Extract Affects Cardiovascular Responses during Moderate-Intensity Walking But Not at Rest.

We examined effects of intake duration of New Zealand blackcurrant (NZBC) extract on cardiovascular responses during supine rest and moderate-intensity walking. Recreationally active men (n = 15, age: 24 ± 6 yr, BMI: 24.7 ± 4.3 kg·m-2) volunteered in a randomized, cross-over design. One metabolic equivalent (1-MET) was measured (3.97 ± 0.66 mL·kg-1·min-1) and an incremental walking test was performed to individualize speed at 4 (n = 3) or 5 (n = 12) METs for the 30-min walk (5.7 ± 0.7 km·hr-1). NZBC extract (210 mg of anthocyanins) was taken with breakfast for 7 and 14 days, with a 14-days washout. The final dose was ingested 2-hr before recording of the cardiovascular responses (Portapres Model-2). At rest, %changes at 7- and 14-days intake were observed for stroke volume (+6.8% (trend), p = 0.065; +8.5%, p = 0.012), cardiac output (+10.1%, p = 0.007; +8.5%, p = 0.013), total peripheral resistance (-12.0%, p = 0.004; -13.1%, p = 0.011), diastolic (-5.7%, p = 0.045; -9.7%, p = 0.015) and mean arterial pressure (-4.4%, p = 0.040; -7.2%, p = 0.029), but without intake duration effect. During walking, %changes at 7- and 14-days intake were observed for stroke volume (+7.7% (trend), p = 0.063; +9.9%, p = 0.006), cardiac output (+8.7%, p = 0.037; +10.1%, p = 0.007), diastolic blood pressure (-6.2%, p = 0.042; -10.6%, p = 0.001), and total peripheral resistance (-9.6%, p = 0.042; -13.5%, p = 0.005) but without intake duration effect. During walking, %changes at 14-days were observed only for mean arterial pressure (-6.4%, p = 0.018) and arterio-venous oxygen difference (-7.9%, p = 0.019). NZBC extract affects cardiovascular responses at rest and during moderate-intensity exercise with 7- and 14-day intake. Only during moderate-intensity exercise, a longer intake of NZBC extract was required for an effect on some cardiovascular responses.

Comparing acute effects of extra virgin coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil consumption on appetite and food intake in normal-weight and obese male subjects.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to compare acute effects of consuming extra virgin coconut oil (EVCO) as a source of medium chain fatty acids and extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) as a source of long chain fatty acids in normal weight and obese subjects. DESIGN: Randomised, crossover design. PARTICIPANTS: Metabolically healthy twenty male subjects (10 normal weight; 10 obese) aged 19-40 years. INTERVENTION: Subjects consumed breakfast meals containing skimmed milk, fat-free white cheese, bread and EVCO (25 g) or EVOO (25 g). OUTCOME MEASURES: Visual analog scale evaluations, resting metabolic rate measurements and selected blood parameters analysis (glucose, triglyceride, insulin and plasma peptide YY) were performed before and after the test breakfast meals. In addition, energy intakes were evaluated by ad libitum lunch meal at 180 min. RESULTS: Visual analogue scale values of hunger and desire to eat decreased significantly after EVCO consumption than EVOO consumption in normal weight subjects at 180 min. There was an increase trend in plasma PYY at 30 and 180 min after EVCO breakfast compared to EVOO breakfast. Ad libitum energy intakes after EVCO and EVOO consumption in normal weight subjects were 924 ± 302; 845 ± 158 kcal (p = 0.272), respectively whereas in obese subjects were 859 ± 238; 994 ± 265 kcal (p = 0.069) respectively. CONCLUSION: The results of this study shows that consumption of EVCO compared to EVOO may have suppressive effect on hunger and desire to eat, may affect postprandial PYY levels differently and have no effect on postprandial energy expenditure. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trials NCT04738929.

Assessment of food consumption changes in adolescents during orthodontic treatment.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to evaluate the changes in food consumption in adolescents during orthodontic treatment. METHODS: Twenty-five adolescents aged between 12 and 18 years participated in the study. Before the treatment, the participants were interviewed, and their food consumption frequency and 24-hour retrospective food consumption records were taken. Participants were followed up for 3 months, that is, in the first, fourth, and 12th week of the treatment. In the interviews, questions about food consumption changes and posttreatment pain were asked to the participants, and 24-hour retrospective food consumption records were obtained. RESULTS: When the food consumption records of the adolescents before the orthodontic treatment and at the first week, first month, and third month of the active orthodontic treatment were compared, there was no significant difference between total energy, protein, and carbohydrate intake. However, total fat intake decreased in the first week of treatment and increased significantly during the treatment period (P = 0.05). There was a significant decrease in the amount of fiber (P = 0.039), vitamin E (P = 0.043), and vitamin C (P = 0.048) intake of patients during the orthodontic treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Nutrition and feeding habits are important for growth and development in adolescence. In adolescents having orthodontic treatment, vitamin C, vitamin E, and fiber intake decreased significantly, especially in the first weeks of treatment. The intake of these nutrients did not return to their initial levels by the 12th week of the orthodontic treatment. It is thought that cooperation with dietitians and orthodontists might minimize the undesired nutritional effects of the orthodontic treatment.

Total Dietary Antioxidant Intake Including Polyphenol Content: Is it Capable to Fight against Increased Oxidants within the Body of Ultra-Endurance Athletes?

The role of dietary antioxidants on exhaustive exercise-induced oxidative stress has been well investigated. However, the contribution of total dietary antioxidant capacity on exogenous antioxidant defense and exercise performance has commonly been disregarded. The aims of the present investigation were to examine (i) the effects of dietary total antioxidant intake on body antioxidant mechanisms, and (ii) an exhaustive exercise-induced oxidative damage in ultra-endurance athletes. The study included 24 ultra-marathon runners and long-distance triathletes (12 male and 12 female) who underwent an acute exhaustive exercise test (a cycle ergometer (45 min at 65% VO2max) immediately followed by a treadmill test (75% VO2max to exhaustion). Oxidative stress-related biomarkers (8-isoprostaglandin F2alpha (8-iso PGF2a), total oxidant status (TOS, total antioxidant status (TAS)) in plasma were collected before and after exercise. Oxidative stress index was calculated to assess the aspect of redox balance. Blood lactate concentrations and heart rate were measured at the 3rd and 6th min after exercise. Dietary antioxidant intake was calculated using the ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) assay. Dietary total antioxidant intake of the subjects was negatively correlated with pre-exercise TOS concentrations (rs = -0.641 in male, and rs = -0.741 in females) and post- vs. pre- (∆) 8-iso PGF2a levels (rs = -0.702 in male; p = 0.016, and rs = -0.682 in females; p = 0.024), and positively correlated with ∆ TAS concentrations (rs = 0.893 in males; p = 0.001, and rs = 0.769 in females; p = 0.002) and post- exercise lactate concentrations (rs = 0.795 for males; p = 0.006, and rs = 0.642 for females; p = 0.024). A positive meaningful (p = 0.013) interaction was observed between time at exhaustion and dietary antioxidant intake (rs = 0.692) in males, but not in females. In conclusion, the determination of total dietary antioxidant intake in ultra-endurance athletes may be crucial for gaining a better perspective on body antioxidant defense against exhaustive exercise-induced oxidative stress. However, the effects of dietary antioxidant on exercise performance and recovery rate needs further investigation.

Is There Any Relationship Between Body Image Perception, Eating Disorders, and Muscle Dysmorphic Disorders in Male Bodybuilders?

Bodybuilding has increasingly become popular between males since male body shape has become a subject of interest in the last decades. Bodybuilders have desired to gain more muscle and paid attention to their body shape. Based on this purpose, they have string rules that include restrictive eating and excessive exercise program. Recent research has demonstrated that desiring more muscular body shape exhibits eating behavior problems and body dissatisfaction issues in bodybuilders. Limited research exists on the relationship between body dissatisfaction and eating disorders in male bodybuilders. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between body image disturbance and eating disorders in 120 male bodybuilders. The Eating Attitude Test (EAT-40) was used to determine eating disorders, the Muscle Dysmorphia Disorder Inventory was used to determine bigorexia symptoms, and Bodybuilder Image Grid-Original (BIG O) and Scaled (BIG S) forms were used to detect the factors associated with body dissatisfaction. There was a positive relationship between Eating Attitude Test and Muscle Dysmorphia Disorder Inventory total scores. Eating Attitude Test was positively correlated with both fat and muscle dissatisfaction. Our results indicated that eating disorder psychopathology is positively related to body dissatisfaction and body dysmorphic disorders in male bodybuilders.

Usability of a smartphone food picture app for assisting 24-hour dietary recall: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The Recaller app was developed to help individuals record their food intakes. This pilot study evaluated the usability of this new food picture application (app), which operates on a smartphone with an embedded camera and Internet capability. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Adults aged 19 to 28 years (23 males and 22 females) were assigned to use the Recaller app on six designated, nonconsecutive days in order to capture an image of each meal and snack before and after eating. The images were automatically time-stamped and uploaded by the app to the Recaller website. A trained nutritionist administered a 24-hour dietary recall interview 1 day after food images were taken. Participants' opinions of the Recaller app and its usability were determined by a follow-up survey. As an evaluation indicator of usability, the number of images taken was analyzed and multivariate Poisson regression used to model the factors determining the number of images sent. RESULTS: A total of 3,315 food images were uploaded throughout the study period. The median number of images taken per day was nine for males and 13 for females. The survey showed that the Recaller app was easy to use, and 50% of the participants would consider using the app daily. Predictors of a higher number of images were as follows: greater interval (hours) between the first and last food images sent, weekend, and female. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this pilot study provide valuable information for understanding the usability of the Recaller smartphone food picture app as well as other similarly designed apps. This study provides a model for assisting nutrition educators in their collection of food intake information by using tools available on smartphones. This innovative approach has the potential to improve recall of foods eaten and monitoring of dietary intake in nutritional studies.

Determination of Dietary Status as a Risk Factor of Cardiovascular Heart Disease in Turkish Elderly People.

This study was performed to determine the status of diet as a risk factor of cardiovascular heart disease in a group of Turkish elderly people. We performed a cross-sectional study using the data of voluntary participants aged between 65-74 years old. Participants completed 3-day diet records. Of participants, 64.1% of the men and 62.2% of the women reported their daily dietary fat intake as being > 30% of total energy (p > .05). More than 20% of these elderly respondents' daily intakes of vitamin E, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and folate were found to be under the recommended values. As a result, the total fat intake of these elderly people was found to be high; while their intake of fiber and vitamin B6, vitamin B12 were found to be low, compared to American Heart Association recommendations. In conclusion, it is recommended that developing sufficient and balanced diets may decrease cardiovascular risk factors.

High tendency to the substantial concern on body shape and eating disorders risk of the students majoring Nutrition or Sport Sciences.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Studies have indicated that university students majoring in nutrition and dietetics or sport sciences may have more obsessions associated with eating attitudes and body shape perception compared to other disciplines i.e. social sciences. Therefore, this study aimed to assess and compare the risk of eating disorders and body shape perception. MATERIALS/METHODS: Data was collected from 773 undergraduate students at the Departments of Nutrition and Dietetics (NDD) (n = 254), Physical Education and Sports (PESD) (n = 263), and Social Sciences (SOC) (n = 256).A socio-demographic and personal information questionnaire, Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-40), Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ-34), Perceived Figure Rating Scale (FRS) were applied; and body weights and heights were measured. RESULTS: Mean EAT-40 scores showed that, both male and female students of PESD had the highest scores (17.4 ± 11.6) compared with NDD (14.3 ± 8.3) and SOC (13.0 ± 6.2) (P < 0.05). According to EAT-40 classification, high risk in abnormal eating behavior was more in PESD (10.7%) compared to NDD (2.9%) and SOC (0.4%) students (P < 0.05). Students of PESD, who skipped meal, had higher tendency to the risk of eating disorders (P < 0.05). In parallel, body shape perception was found to be marked with higher scores in NDD (72.0 ± 28.7) and PESD (71.5 ± 32.8) compared with SOC (64.2 ± 27.5) students (P < 0.05). Considering BSQ-34 classification, high concern (moderate and marked) for body shape were more in PESD (7.4 %) compared to NDD (5.2%) and SOC (1.9%) students (P < 0.05). The body size judgement via obtained by the FRS scale were generally correlated with BMI. The Body Mass Index levels were in normal range (Mean BMI: 21.9 ± 2.8 kg/m(2)) and generally consistent with FRS data. CONCLUSIONS: Tendency to the abnormal eating behavior and substantial body shape perception were higher in PESD students who have more concern on body shape and were not well-educated about nutrition. In conclusion, substantial concern on physical appearance might affect eating behavior disorders in PESD students.