The association between vitamin D levels and oxidative stress markers in Egyptian Behcet's disease patients.

BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress is postulated to have a major role in the pathophysiology of Bechet's Disease (BD). Growing evidence suggests that vitamin D has important roles in enhancing the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines as well as certain antioxidants. However, there is little evidence currently about the antioxidant properties of vitamin D in BD. OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between vitamin D levels and the oxidative stress markers in patients with BD in addition to its association with disease activity and severity. METHODS: Sixty BD patients (45 males, 15 females; mean age: 34.2 ± 9.6 years) were enrolled in this study and compared to a sex and age matched control group. Plasma 25-Hydroxy vitamin D (25-OH-D) was measured using Human (25-OH-D) ELISA assay. Plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, catalase (CAT) activity and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were determined by spectrophotometric methods in both groups. Plasma calcium (Ca) was measured by ELISA assay. RESULTS: When compared to controls vitamin D, GSH, CAT activity, TAC and Ca were significantly lower in BD patients, while MDA and NO levels were significantly increased in BD patients. Our Results Found that vitamin D was inversely correlated to BD current Activity form (BDCAF), disease severity score, ESR, CRP, MDA and NO, while vitamin D was significantly positively correlated to GSH, SOD, TAC and Ca. CONCLUSION: Our study confirms that a lower level of vitamin D is associated with the oxidative stress state in BD patients as detected by MDA and NO elevation as well as decreased GSH, SOD activity, CAT activity and TAC. Hence, Vitamin D fortified foods and beverages or supplementation may improve disease severity and oxidative stress in BD patients.

Physicochemical properties of and volatile compounds in riboflavin fortified cloudy apple juice; study of its effect on job fatigue among Egyptian construction workers.

Fatigue and rapid exhaustion are common complaints among construction workers, as a result of high-effort levels, physical overexertion, weather and long physically demanding work hours. This study aimed to fortify cloudy apple juice with riboflavin (vitamin B2) to evaluate changes in chemical composition, antioxidant activity and volatile compounds in the fortified juice and to study its effect on the volunteer construction workers complaining of fatigue resulting from demanding physical duties. Analysis of volatile compounds in the fortified cloudy apple juice using Gas Chromatography and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry identified thirty-four volatile compounds including esters, alcohols, aldehydes and acids. The most predominant volatile compounds were alcohols followed by esters in both the control and fortified samples. We studied the effect of the supplementation of riboflavin-fortified cloudy apple juice versus conventional cloudy apple juice on the anthropometric parameters, the scores of two fatigue questionnaires (Checklist Individual Strength and Fatigue Severity Scale) and antioxidants biomarkers among young Egyptian male construction workers. This study revealed that consumption of 1.3 mg of riboflavin-fortified cloudy apple juice per day for twenty-eight days significantly improved their metabolism, with a decrease in mean body fat percentage and an increase in body muscle mass without statistically significant differences, the fortified juice significantly improved the fatigue questionnaires' scores. Moreover, the fortified supplement had a substantial change in antioxidant activity; there was significant increase in the plasma total antioxidant capacity (+74.19 %change) and catalase enzyme (+54.65 %change) with a significant decrease in the serum malondialdehyde level (-53.78 %change). When compared to the administration of conventional cloudy apple juice, although there was a significant decrease in serum malondialdehyde level (-4.63 %change) at the end of the study, only the subjective fatigue subscale of the CIS fatigue score significantly decreased among the construction workers (-24.61 %change). It could be concluded that vitamin B2 fortified-cloudy apple juice was effective in the reduction of fatigue and exhaustion in the study's subjects.

Obesity Related Metabolic Disorders and Risk of Renal Disease: Impact of Hypocaloric Diet and Avena Sativa Supplement.

BACKGROUND: The recognition of the complications of obesity in various organs and systems should make clinicians and dietitians aware of the importance of early strategies to fight obesity in all age groups. AIM: The objective of this study was to evaluate the early effect of using Avena sativa (oat) flour supplement compared to a hypocaloric diet in the management of obesity-related metabolic disorders. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Snack was prepared from wholemeal wheat flour (100% extraction) and oat flour. Chemical analysis of the raw materials and the formulae was carried out. 106 obese women with their mean body mass index were 37.73 ± 0.56 kg/m2 volunteered for 8 weeks period. They were divided into two groups; group (A), consumed hypocaloric diet supplemented by the prepared snack, while group (B) subjects followed the low caloric balanced diet. All patients were monitored clinically, anthropometrically, dietary 24 h recall and biochemically. RESULT: Data demonstrated significantly decreased in the mean levels of the anthropometric parameters. Group (A) showed a higher decrease in the waist circumference, WHR, body fat% and SBP; while in group (B) weight, BMI, chest circumference and DBP were the most affected parameters. The reduction in the biochemical parameters was higher in the group (A). At the baseline, high values of cystatin-C were found in both groups which may indicate early renal injury. At the end of the study, a significant reduction of the cystatin concentration was observed among both groups (-24.54 & -12.23%). CONCLUSION: The healthy effect of the dietary oat supplement on the reduction of central obesity, percentage body fat and different metabolic disorders criteria was confirmed than with hypocaloric diet.

Serum Ceramide Kinase as a Biomarker of Cognitive Functions, and the Effect of Using Two Slimming Dietary Therapies in Obese Middle Aged Females.

AIM: Highlighting the impact of obesity on mental and cognitive functions using serum ceramide kinase enzyme concentration as a biomarker for cognitive evaluation in the middle aged females, and also targeting to control the obesity and simultaneously postponing the deterioration of the cognitive functions, by implementing two slimming dietary therapies each incorporating different functional ingredients known to boost cognition. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Ninety six obese middle aged females, divided into two groups volunteered to follow a low caloric balanced diet combined with two bread supplements composed essentially of barley flour and wheat germ mixed with either 5% turmeric, group (A); or with 5% ginger, group (B) for 4 weeks, phase (1); to be followed by the hypocaloric diet alone for another 4 weeks, phase (2). RESULTS: By the end of phase (1), the biochemical analysis showed a positive response of the levels of C-peptide and modified homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance; also increased levels of the serum ceramide kinase enzyme, coupled with improved cognitive functions tests. Improvement of the relevant metabolic profile, fasting blood glucose, blood pressure and the anthropometric measurements was detected. CONCLUSION: Using dietary therapy supported by special formulas which contain active ingredients succeeded in reducing weight and improving both the metabolic profile and the cognitive functions.

Sleep Deficiency is a Modifiable Risk Factor for Obesity and Cognitive Impairment and Associated with Elevated Visfatin.

AIM: To study the interaction between sleep deprivation, obesity and cognitive functions, and the effect of following a balanced low caloric diet and increasing sleep duration on those variables. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Ninety two obese females with mean age 47.00 ± 2.00 years and body mass index (BMI) 36.14 ± 3.00 kg/m² were divided into 3 groups according to their sleeping hours. They followed balanced low-caloric diet and were instructed to increase sleeping hours. Full clinical examination, 24 hours dietary intake recall, anthropometric measurements, mini mental state test, questionnaire for subjective sleep and life style evaluation were performed at baseline and after 2 months. Serum visfatin, fasting blood glucose and C-peptide were assessed; Modified homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance was calculated. RESULTS: About one third of our sample slept less than 6 hours daily, group (1), all patients had elevated visfatin serum level (33.87 ± 2.8 ng/ml) with the highest level in group (1). At base line, group (1) showed the highest BMI, lowest cognitive functions, highest visfatin level and highest insulin resistance (P < 0.05). After 2 months of intervention, improvement was recorded in all variables, with the best improvement in group (1) after extending sleep duration (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Sleep deprivation may be a modifiable risk factor for obesity, cognitive impairment and visfatin elevation.

Biochemical Assessment of Bone Health in Working Obese Egyptian Females with Metabolic Syndrome; the Effect of Weight Loss by Natural Dietary Therapies.

AIM: To investigate the relation between bone parameters and the metabolic syndrome criteria, before and after the administration of two different natural dietary supplements in middle aged working obese Egyptian women suffering from metabolic syndrome (MetS). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Fifty eight middle aged obese female volunteers suffering from metabolic syndrome were divided into two groups. During the first period, group (A) consumed a low caloric diet and nutritional supplement consisting of doum flour biscuits, while group (B) consumed whole meal wheat flour biscuit with the same instructions. During the second period, both supplements were omitted. Assessment of blood pressure, relevant anthropometric parameters, lipid accumulation product, fasting blood glucose, uric acid, 25 hydroxy vitamin D (25 (OH) D), parathyroid hormone (PTH) and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase were performed. RESULTS: Data showed that although both supplements improved the MetS criteria and the bone health parameters, the supplement containing the doum flour proved to be more effective. CONCLUSION: These results confirm the benefit of doum in improving bone health parameter [25 (OH) D/PTH axis] in the MetS patients, beside the MetS criteria. So, we can conclude that natural effective supplements lead towards the optimization of biochemical parameters in favor of a healthy outcome.