Impact of Cinnamon Supplementation on cardiometabolic Biomarkers of Inflammation and Oxidative Stress: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: To date, cinnamon supplementation has been investigated due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Several studies have confirmed the effects of cinnamon supplementation on several markers of cardiometabolic health. However, the effects of cinnamon supplementation on inflammation and oxidative stress levels warrant further investigation. Hence, the current meta-analysis was conducted to elucidate the impact of cinnamon supplementation on biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress. METHODS: To perform this systematic review and meta-analysis, we employed the Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. The systematic search of available clinical trials was performed using the following databases: PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, and Google Scholar, up to January 2020. RESULTS: After removing the duplicates, 1145 studies were eligible for analysis and 12 of them were included in the meta-analysis. The dose of cinnamon powder investigated in the included trials ranged from 1.5 to 4 g/day. Cinnamon supplementation resulted in a significant reduction of C-reactive protein (CRP) (weight mean difference (WMD): -2.22 mg/L, 95 % CI: -3.74, -0.69, P = 0.004) and malondialdehyde (MDA) (WMD: -0.79 mmol/L, 95 % CI: -1.28, -0.29, P = 0.002), and marginally statistical significant decrease in interleukin-6 (IL-6) (WMD: -1.48 pg/mL, 95 % CI: -2.96, -0.01, P = 0.049). Moreover, it was associated with an increase in the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) (WMD: 0.34 mmol/L, 95 % CI: 0.04, 0.64, P = 0.026). However, the levels of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) (WMD: 1.53 ng/mL, 95 % CI: -12.03, 15.10, P = 0.82) did not change significantly following cinnamon supplementation. CONCLUSIONS: Cinnamon supplementation may be an adjuvant for reducing inflammation and oxidative stress levels in humans.

Evaluation of Nutritional Status and Allostatic Load in Adult Patients With Type 2 Diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: Diabetes is a chronic disease, affected by nutritional status, and characterized by dysregulations in several systems. Allostatic load is an index that evaluates the dysregulation of all physiological and metabolic systems. This study was conducted to determine the relationship between nutritional status and allostatic load in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: The study sample consisted of 30 males and 73 females between 20 and 55 years of age. Individuals had T2DM for 7.9±6.17 (mean ± standard deviation) years. World Health Organization criteria cutoffs were used to calculate allostatic load scores. Twelve parameters were questioned and an allostatic load score between 0 and 12 was obtained; values above the cutoff levels were assigned a value of 1, and values in the normal range were assigned a value of 0. RESULTS: Individuals with high allostatic load comprised a significant portion of the sample (79.6%) for both males and females (73.3% and 82.2%, respectively). Longer diabetes duration was associated with high allostatic load score (p<0.05). There was lower vegetable consumption and higher fruit consumption in the high-allostatic-load group compared with the low-allostatic-load group (p<0.05). However, fruit consumption was still lower than recommended levels in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: A significant number of individuals had high allostatic load scores in our study. A healthy diet plan in line with the recommendations may help to decrease the allostatic load scores by reducing body weight, waist/hip ratio, blood pressure and fasting blood glucose, and may prevent the negative effects of stress on metabolic processes in the long-term malnutrition in T2DM.

New approach to peripheral nerve injury: nutritional therapy.

Purpose of review: There is no review in the literature on the effect of nutrition-related factors on peripheral nerve injuries. Therefore, it is aimed to evaluate the effect of nutritional factors on nerve injuries in this compilation. Recent findings: Although there are several fundamental mechanisms by which nutrients and nutritional factors influence individuals, their exact impacts on neurogenesis have not been clearly identified. Recently, some studies showed that some nutrients have an important role in nerve injuries due to their neuroprotective properties. In addition to surgical treatment, in peripheral nerve injuries, these nutrients also may play a role in preserving nerve function and health, as well as in the recovery of an injured nerve tissue. Omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, group B vitamins, antioxidants, several minerals, phenolic compounds, and alpha lipoic acid are thought to have impacts on the nervous system. In addition to all of these, gut microbiota has effects on the nervous system, and some nutrient-related factors can also affect neurogenesis via gut microbiota. Summary: Peripheral nerve injury is a condition in which the nerves in the peripheral nervous system become damaged. After the trauma, the peripheral nerve is hardly repaired due to the following reasons; the disability of the regeneration of motor neurons, the lack of a survival environment for Schwann cells, and the poor ability of the nerves to regenerate. Nutrition-related factors, the effects of which were described in recent years, should be more taken into account more.