Influence Of Diet Research Articles

Dietary Squalene Induces Cytochromes Cyp2b10 and Cyp2c55 Independently of Sex, Dose, and Diet in Several Mouse Models.

To investigate the effects of squalene, the main hydrocarbon present in extra virgin olive oil, on liver transcriptome in different animal models and to test the influence of sex on this action and its relationship with hepatic lipids. To this purpose, male C57BL/6J Apoe-deficient mice are fed a purified Western diet with or without squalene during 11 weeks and hepatic squalene content is assessed, so are hepatic lipids and lipid droplets. Hepatic transcriptomic changes are studied and confirmed by RT-qPCR. Dietary characteristics and influence of squalene doses are tested in Apoe-deficient on purified chow diets with or without squalene. These diets are also given to Apoa1 and wild-type mice on C57BL/6J background and to C57BL/6J xOla129 Apoe-deficient mice. Squalene supplementation increases its hepatic content without differences among sexes and hormonal status. The Cyp2b10 and Cyp2c55 gene expressions are significantly up-regulated by the squalene intake in all models, with independence of sex, sexual hormones, dietary fat content, genetic background and dose, and in Apoe-deficient mice consuming extra-virgin olive oil. Hepatic squalene increases the expression of these cytochromes and their changes in virgin olive oil diets may be due to their squalene content.

Dietary Exposure to Excess Saturated Fat During Early Life Alters Hippocampal Gene Expression and Increases Risk for Behavioral Disorders in Adulthood.

PurposeMaternal and postnatal diets result in long-term changes in offspring brain and behavior; however, the key mediators of these developmental changes are not well-defined. In this study, we investigated the impact of maternal and post-weaning high-fat diets on gene expression of key components mediating hippocampal synaptic efficacy. In addition, we evaluated the risk for impaired stress-coping and anxiety-like behaviors in adult offspring exposed to obesogenic diets during early life.MethodsDams were fed a control (C) or high-fat (HF) diet prior to mating, pregnancy, and lactation. Male offspring from control chow and high-fat fed dams were weaned to control chow or HF diets. The forced swim test (FST) and the elevated-plus maze (EPM) were used to detect stress-coping and anxiety-like behavior, respectively. Real-time RT-PCR and ELISA were used to analyze hippocampal expression of genes mediating synaptic function.ResultsAnimals fed a HF diet post-weaning spent more time immobile in the FST. Swimming time was reduced in response to both maternal and post-weaning HF diets. Both maternal and post-weaning HF diets contributed to anxiety-like behavior in animals exposed to the EPM. Maternal and post-weaning HF diets were associated with a significant decrease in mRNA and protein expression for hippocampal GDNF, MAP2, SNAP25, and synaptophysin. Hippocampal mRNA expression of key serotonergic and glutamatergic receptors also exhibited differential responses to maternal and post-weaning HF diets. Hippocampal serotonergic receptor 5HT1A mRNA was reduced in response to both the maternal and post-weaning diet, whereas, 5HT2A receptor mRNA expression was increased in response to the maternal HF diet. The glutamate AMPA receptor subunit, GluA1, mRNA expression was significantly reduced in response to both diets, whereas no change was detected in GluA2 subunit mRNA expression.ConclusionThese data demonstrate that the expression of genes mediating synaptic function are differentially affected by maternal and post-weaning high-fat diets. The post-weaning high-fat diet clearly disturbs both behavior and gene expression. In addition, although the transition to control diet at weaning partially compensates for the adverse effects of the maternal HF diet, the negative consequence of the maternal HF diet is exacerbated by continuing the high-fat diet post-weaning. We present evidence to support the claim that these dietary influences increase the risk for anxiety and impaired stress-coping abilities in adulthood.

Growth performance, serum biochemistry and meat quality traits of Jumbo quails fed with mopane worm (Imbrasia belina) meal-containing diets

Alternative protein sources such as mopane worm (Imbrasia belina) meal (MWM) are essential for sustainable poultry production. To date, no studies have attempted to investigate the effect of replacing soybean products with MWM in Jumbo quail diets. Thus, this study was designed to investigate the optimum inclusion level of MWM in place of soybean products on feed intake, physiological and meat quality responses of Jumbo quails. A total of 384 two-week-old mixed-gender quails (71.2 ± 5.40 g live-weight) were allotted to four isoproteic and isocaloric dietary treatments formulated by replacing soybean products with MWM at 0 (MWM0), 50 (MWM5), 100 (MWM10), and 150 (MWM15) g/kg. Neither linear nor quadratic effects (P > 0.05) were observed for feed intake, physiological responses, carcass traits and internal organs except for large intestines, which linearly decreased (P < 0.05) with MWM levels. There were significant quadratic trends for meat redness (a*), yellowness (b*) and chroma values in response to MWM levels. No dietary influences (P > 0.05) were observed on feed intake, physiological responses, internal organ weights, and carcass and meat quality parameters, except on b*, chroma and shear force. Diets MWM5 and MWM10 promoted higher (P < 0.05) b* and chroma values than MWM0. Whereas diet MWM5 promoted the highest (P < 0.05) shear force (2.39 N) than diets MWM0 and MWM10. We concluded that MWM has the potential to replace soybean products in quail diets without compromising their performance, health and meat quality. An optimum MWM inclusion level could not be determined suggesting that higher levels of MWM should be further investigated.

Dietary Lipids Influence Bioaccessibility of Polyphenols from Black Carrots and Affect Microbial Diversity under Simulated Gastrointestinal Digestion.

The bioaccessibility and activity of polyphenols is dependent on their structure and entrapment in the food matrix. While dietary lipids are known to transit into the colon, the impact of different lipids on the microbiome, and their interactions with dietary polyphenols are largely unknown. Here, we investigated the effect of dietary lipids on the bioaccessibility of polyphenols from purple/black carrots and adaptation of the gut microbiome in a simulated in vitro digestion-fermentation. Coconut oil, sunflower oil, and beef tallow were selected to represent common dietary sources of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and long-chain polysaturated fatty acids (SFAs), respectively. All lipids promoted the bioaccessibility of both anthocyanins and phenolic acids during intestinal digestion with coconut oil exhibiting the greatest protection of anthocyanins. Similar trends were shown in antioxidant assays (2,2-Diphenyl-1-pricrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing ability (FRAP), and total phenolic content (TPC)) with higher phytochemical bioactivities observed with the addition of dietary lipids. Most bioactive polyphenols were decomposed during colonic fermentation. Black carrot modulated diversity and composition of a simulated gut microbiome. Dramatic shifts in gut microbiome were caused by coconut oil. Inclusion of sunflower oil improved the production of butyrate, potentially due to the presence of PUFAs. The results show that the impact of polyphenols in the digestive tract should be considered in the context of other components of the diet, particularly lipids.

Effects of Diet on Acne and Its Response to Treatment.

Our understanding of the pathogenesis of acne vulgaris is still evolving. It is known that multiple factors impact acne pathophysiology, including genetic, hormonal, inflammatory, and environmental influences. Because of its implications in many of these factors, diet has been a part of the acne discussion for decades. Several studies have evaluated the significance of the glycemic index of various foods and glycemic load in patients with acne, demonstrating individuals with acne who consume diets with a low glycemic load have reduced acne lesions compared with individuals on high glycemic load diets. Dairy has also been a focus of study regarding dietary influences on acne; whey proteins responsible for the insulinotropic effects of milk may contribute more to acne development than the actual fat or dairy content. Other studies have examined the effects of omega-3 fatty acid and γ-linoleic acid consumption in individuals with acne, showing individuals with acne benefit from diets consisting of fish and healthy oils, thereby increasing omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid intake. Recent research into the effects of probiotic administration in individuals with acne present promising results; further study of the effects of probiotics on acne is needed to support the findings of these early studies. In this review, we discuss the current evidence regarding the diets of US patients with acne and how they may impact acne and acne treatment.

Nutrient Digestibility, Growth Performance, and Blood Indices of Boschveld Chickens Fed Seaweed-Containing Diets.

Simple SummarySustainable intensification of indigenous chicken strains is largely constrained by the high cost of feed ingredients, thus limiting the growth of the poultry industry in developing countries. Inexpensive and readily available feed ingredients with nutraceutical properties such as seaweeds can be utilised to address this challenge. Seaweeds have been used in the food, animal, and pharmaceutical industries as a rich source of nutrients and bioactive compounds. Dietary inclusion of seaweeds in chicken diets has the potential to boost growth and enhance product quality. However, their feed value in indigenous chicken diets is largely unknown. This study investigated the effect of graded levels of green seaweed (Ulva spp.) meal (SWM) on apparent nutrient digestibility, feed intake, growth performance, and blood parameters of Boschveld indigenous chickens, a South African chicken breed. The inclusion of seaweeds boosted feed intake and overall body weight gain but had no effect on nutrient digestibility and efficiency of feed utilisation. Blood parameters were also not affected, except for red blood cell indicators. It was concluded that green seaweeds have the potential to be included in diets of Boschveld indigenous chickens.Seaweeds possess a wide range of bioactive compounds that can be beneficial in sustainable intensification systems. This study explored the effect of green seaweed (Ulva spp.) meal (SWM) on apparent nutrient digestibility and physiological responses of Boschveld indigenous chickens. Two-hundred and seventy-five hens (202.4 ± 6.65 g live-weight; 4-weeks-old) were reared on five isoenergetic and isoproteic diets formulated by adding SWM at 0 (SW0), 20 (SW20), 25 (SW25), 30 (SW30), and 35 g/kg (SW35). Neutral detergent fibre digestibility quadratically responded (R2 = 0.244; p = 0.042) to SWM levels. No significant dietary influences were observed on apparent nutrient digestibility values. Repeated measures analysis showed significant diet × week interaction effect on weekly feed intake and growth performance. Dietary inclusion of SWM increased (p < 0.05) feed intake and overall body weight gain but not feed conversion efficiency. No significant linear and quadratic trends were observed for blood parameters except for basophils (R2 = 0.172; p = 0.047), which linearly declined with SWM levels. Dietary SWM inclusion only influenced (p < 0.05) mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular concentration, and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration. We concluded that seaweeds have the potential to be used as a feed ingredient for indigenous chickens.

Systematic review with meta-analysis: global prevalence of uninvestigated dyspepsia according to the Rome criteria.

Prevalence of uninvestigated dyspepsia varies across cross-sectional surveys. This may be due to differences in definitions used or study methodology, rather than global variability. To determine the global prevalence of uninvestigated dyspepsia according to Rome criteria. MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched to identify population-based studies reporting prevalence of uninvestigated dyspepsia in adults (≥18years old) according to Rome I, II, III or IV criteria. Prevalence of uninvestigated dyspepsia was extracted, according to criteria used to define it. Pooled prevalence, according to study location and certain other characteristics, odds ratios (OR), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Of 2133 citations evaluated, 67 studies fulfilled eligibility criteria, representing 98 separate populations, comprising 338383 subjects. Pooled prevalence ranged from 17.6% (95% CI 9.8%-27.1%) in studies defining uninvestigated dyspepsia according to Rome I criteria, to 6.9% (95% CI 5.7%-8.2%) in those using Rome IV criteria. Postprandial distress syndrome was the commonest subtype, occurring in 46.2% of participants using Rome III criteria, and 62.8% with Rome IV. Prevalence of uninvestigated dyspepsia was up to 1.5-fold higher in women, irrespective of the definition used. There was significant heterogeneity between studies in all our analyses, which persisted even when the same criteria were applied and similar methodology was used. Even when uniform symptom-based criteria are used to define the presence of uninvestigated dyspepsia, prevalence varies between countries. This suggests that there are environmental, cultural, ethnic, dietary or genetic influences determining symptoms.

Dietary Influence on Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure in the TwinsUK Cohort.

Nutrition plays a key role in blood pressure (BP) regulation. Here, we examine associations between nutrient intakes and BP in a large predominantly female population-based cohort. We assessed the correlation between 45 nutrients (from food frequency questionnaires) and systolic BP/diastolic BP (SBP/DBP) in 3889 individuals from TwinsUK not on hypertensive treatments and replicated in an independent subset of monozygotic twins discordant for nutrient intake (17–242 pairs). Results from both analyses were meta-analysed. For significant nutrients, we calculated heritability using structural equation modelling. We identified and replicated 15 nutrients associated with SBP, 9 also being associated with DBP, adjusting for covariates and multiple testing. 14 of those had a heritable component (h2: 27.1–57.6%). Strong associations with SBP were observed for riboflavin (Beta(SE) = −1.49(0.38), P = 1.00 × 10−4) and tryptophan (−0.31(0.01), P = 5 × 10−4), while with DBP for alcohol (0.05(0.07), P = 1.00 × 10−4) and lactose (−0.05(0.0), P = 1.3 × 10−3). Two multivariable nutrient scores, combining independently SBP/DBP-associated nutrients, explained 22% of the variance in SBP and 13.6% of the variance in DBP. Moreover, bivariate heritability analysis suggested that nutrients and BP share some genetic influences. We confirm current understanding and extend the panel of dietary nutrients implicated in BP regulation underscoring the value of nutrient focused dietary research in preventing and managing hypertension.

Diet-dependent gut microbiota impacts on adult neurogenesis through mitochondrial stress modulation.

The influence of dietary factors on brain health and mental function is becoming increasingly recognized. Similarly, mounting evidence supports a role for gut microbiota in modulating central nervous system function and behaviour. Still, the molecular mechanisms responsible for the impact of diet and associated microbiome in adult neurodegeneration are still largely unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether and how changes in diet-associated microbiome and its metabolites impact on adult neurogenesis. Mice were fed a high-fat, choline-deficient diet, developing obesity and several features of the metabolic syndrome, including non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Strikingly, our results showed, for the first time, that animals fed with this specific diet display premature increased neurogenesis, possibly exhausting the available neural stem cell pool for long-term neurogenesis processes. The high-fat, choline-deficient diet further induced neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, synaptic loss and cell death in different regions of the brain. Notably, this diet-favoured gut dysbiosis in the small intestine and cecum, up-regulating metabolic pathways of short-chain fatty acids, such as propionate and butyrate and significantly increasing propionate levels in the liver. By dissecting the effect of these two specific short-chain fatty acids in vitro, we were able to show that propionate and butyrate enhance mitochondrial biogenesis and promote early neurogenic differentiation of neural stem cells through reactive oxygen species- and extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2-dependent mechanism. More importantly, neurogenic niches of high-fat, choline-deficient-fed mice showed increased expression of mitochondrial biogenesis markers, and decreased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species scavengers, corroborating the involvement of this mitochondrial stress-dependent pathway in mediating changes of adult neurogenesis by diet. Altogether, our results highlight a mitochondria-dependent pathway as a novel mediator of the gut microbiota–brain axis upon dietary influences.

Heterogeneous Effects of Calorie Content and Nutritional Components Underlie Dietary Influence on Pancreatic Cancer Susceptibility

SummaryPancreatic cancer is a rare but fatal form of cancer, the fourth highest in absolute mortality. Known risk factors include obesity, diet, and type 2 diabetes; however, the low incidence rate and interconnection of these factors confound the isolation of individual effects. Here, we use epidemiological analysis of prospective human cohorts and parallel tracking of pancreatic cancer in mice to dissect the effects of obesity, diet, and diabetes on pancreatic cancer. Through longitudinal monitoring and multi-omics analysis in mice, we found distinct effects of protein, sugar, and fat dietary components, with dietary sugars increasing Mad2l1 expression and tumor proliferation. Using epidemiological approaches in humans, we find that dietary sugars give a MAD2L1 genotype-dependent increased susceptibility to pancreatic cancer. The translation of these results to a clinical setting could aid in the identification of the at-risk population for screening and potentially harness dietary modification as a therapeutic measure.

Dietary Amino Acids Impact LRRK2-Induced Neurodegeneration in Parkinson's Disease Models.

The G2019S mutation in leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) is a common cause of Parkinson's disease (PD) and results in age-related dopamine neuron loss and locomotor dysfunction in Drosophila melanogaster through an aberrant increase in bulk neuronal protein synthesis. Under nonpathologic conditions, protein synthesis is tightly controlled by metabolic regulation. Whether nutritional and metabolic influences on protein synthesis can modulate the pathogenic effect of LRRK2 on protein synthesis and thereby impact neuronal loss is a key unresolved question. Here, we show that LRRK2 G2019S-induced neurodegeneration is critically dependent on dietary amino acid content in Drosophila studies with both sexes. Low dietary amino acid concentration prevents aberrant protein synthesis and blocks LRRK2 G2019S-mediated neurodegeneration in Drosophila and rat primary neurons. Unexpectedly, a moderately high-amino acid diet also blocks dopamine neuron loss and motor deficits in Drosophila through a separate mechanism involving stress-responsive activation of 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and neuroprotective induction of autophagy, implicating the importance of protein homeostasis to neuronal viability. At the highest amino acid diet of the range tested, PD-related neurodegeneration occurs in an age-related manner, but is also observed in control strains, suggesting that it is independent of mutant LRRK2 expression. We propose that dietary influences on protein synthesis and autophagy are critical determinants of LRRK2 neurodegeneration, opening up possibilities for future therapeutic intervention.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Parkinson's disease (PD) prevalence is projected to rise as populations continue to age, yet there are no current therapeutic approaches that delay or stop disease progression. A broad role for leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) mutations in familial and idiopathic PD has emerged. Here, we show that dietary amino acids are important determinants of neurodegeneration in a Drosophila model of LRRK2 PD. Restricting all amino acids effectively suppresses dopaminergic neuron loss and locomotor deficits and is associated with reduced protein synthesis, while moderately high amino acids similarly attenuate these PD-related phenotypes through a stress-responsive induction of 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase and autophagy. These studies suggest that diet plays an important role in the development of PD-related phenotypes linked to LRRK2.

Evaluation of graded levels of soy oil as a fish oil replacement in high soy protein feeds for juvenile red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus

A 9-week feeding trial was conducted with juvenile red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus, to evaluate the use of soy oil as a fish oil replacement. Three primary protein sources (fishmeal - FM, soybean meal - SBM, and soy protein concentrate - SPC) were utilized with 100% fish oil (FM, SBM, SPC), 75% fish oil (SBM, SPC), or 50% fish oil (FM, SBM, SPC) as the lipid source. Traditional growth and performance metrics (specific growth rate, feed consumption, feed conversion ratio) were tracked and tissue samples (liver, muscle, plasma, adipose, and brain) were collected for gas chromatography-based fatty acid profiling. Ten lipid metabolism related genes were analyzed for potential expression differences between dietary treatments in liver and muscle tissues and whole body and fillet tissues were sampled for proximate composition analyses. Forty- four fatty acids were measured by gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) and evaluated with principle component analysis and ANOVA to understand the dietary influence on lipid metabolism and health. Significant differences in growth rate were observed with the SBM 50% fish oil diet outperforming the FM 100% fish oil reference diet. All other soy protein-based diets performed statistically equivalent to both FM reference diets (100% and 50% fish oil) in regard to growth, however all soy protein-based formulations had significantly lower feed conversion ratios than the fishmeal-based references (p < .001). Gene expression differences were not significant in most cases, however often trended similarly as the observed performance. Fatty acid profiles differed as a function of oil source, with no apparent influence by protein source, with C18:2n-6 (linoleic acid) being-the primary differentiator. Overall, the six soy protein, fishmeal-free formulations performed equivalently or better than the fishmeal references with up to 50% of fish oil replaced by soybean oil.

Effects of essential fatty acids and feeding regimes on egg and offspring quality of European eel: Comparing reproductive success of farm-raised and wild-caught broodstock

Production of high-quality offspring from farm-raised broodstock is fundamental to establish a closed-cycle hatchery production of European eel, Anguilla anguilla. While development of larval culture technologies progresses, the present study focused on effects of essential fatty acid (EFA) composition of eggs on offspring quality. Three reproduction experiments were conducted, two of which included farm-raised broodstock fed different diets for different periods of time and one wild-caught broodstock, using size-matched females. The formulated diets varied in levels and ratios of three essential fatty acids, arachidonic acid (20:4n-6; ARA), eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3; EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3; DHA), while feeding periods lasted either 55 or 79 weeks. Dietary influences on egg and offspring fatty acid composition and offspring quality were evaluated and results of the most successful dietary regime was compared to those of wild-caught females. Results showed that elevated dietary levels of ARA were reflected in unfertilized eggs, with high ARA diets significantly increasing the amounts of floating eggs, total lipid content in eggs, fertilization success, and embryonic survival. Further EFA enhancements and prolonged feeding resulted in higher ARA and lower EPA levels in the unfertilized eggs, while DHA levels did not change. Females with prolonged feeding produced offspring of higher quality, i.e. higher egg dry weight and larval survival. Overall, offspring of farm-raised females showed higher EFA levels than those of wild-caught females. However, while fertilization success was comparable, offspring of farm-raised females had significantly lower embryonic survival and hatch success as well as higher proportions of cleavage abnormalities. These results identified embryonic development as the main bottleneck in offspring production from farm-raised females. Once hatched, larval survival and quality was comparable between farm-raised and wild-caught females. Notably, enhancement of essential fatty acids in female broodstock diets in combination with a long feeding period improved the production of high quality offspring.

Dietary Influence of Yucca schidigera on Broilers and Layers: A Review

In current research dietary influence of Yucca schidigera on broilers and layers were reviewed, whereby obtained results were found to be much interesting as well useful. It was revealed that dietary inclusion of Yucca schidigera in broilers significantly improve the feed consumption, average live body weight, water consumption, Feed Conversion Ratio, dressing percentage and weight of carcass weight. Digestibility significantly improves and lowest mortality occurs. In layers, production of eggs, weight of egg, egg white index, yolk, shell thickness, diet intake and feed conversion efficiency are considerably improved. Moreover, glucose, total protein, albumin, triglycerides, inorganic phosphorus, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione are significantly improved with dietary Yucca schidigera in layers as well as broilers. In conclusion, dietary Yucca schidigera is the best support the production and overall performance of broilers and layers.

Dietary Xanthophyll and Choline Intake Interactively Influence Cognitive Flexibility in Middle-Adulthood

Abstract Objectives Consumption and biomarker status of the xanthophyll-carotenoids lutein + zeaxanthin and the dietary component choline have been linked to benefits in cognition. However, knowledge on the interactive influence of these dietary components on cognition is sparse. We examined associations between dietary and bio-markers of lutein + zeaxanthin, choline, and cognitive flexibility among adults with overweight and obesity. Methods 80 adults with overweight and obesity completed 7-day diet records, venous blood draws, heterochromatic flicker photometry for assessment of macular pigmentation (MPOD), the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test–2 (IQ), and a Switch task of cognitive flexibility while undergoing electroencephalographic recording (ERP). Multiplicative interaction terms were calculated to assess interactive capabilities. Hierarchical linear regressions controlling for age, body mass index, sex, annual household income, and IQ were utilized to assess independent and interactive contributions of dietary and metabolite data on Switch task outcomes. Results Dietary intake of lutein + zeaxanthin and choline were correlated with serum lutein concentrations (r = 0.42, P &amp;lt; 0.01, r = 0.35, P &amp;lt; 0.01) but not with plasma choline metabolites nor MPOD. Higher intakes of lutein + zeaxanthin and choline were associated interactively, but not independently, with faster reaction time (RT; β = −0.29, P = 0.01). Plasma phosphatidylcholine (PC) concentrations were associated with accuracy in Switch trials (β = 0.28, P = 0.01), while no other biomarkers were associated with cognitive outcomes. Dietary intake and biomarker data were not related to the N2 nor P3 ERP components. Conclusions Individuals with greater intake of lutein + zeaxanthin and choline exhibited faster RT during a cognitive flexibility task. Circulating PC was associated with higher response accuracy. These benefits were evident without differences in the N2 or P3 components, suggesting alternative neural benefits of xanthophyll and choline consumption on cognitive function. Funding Sources Funds were provided by the Hass Avocado Board, the Department of Kinesiology and Community Health at the University of Illinois, and the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Hatch project 1,009,249.

Vegans, Vegetarians, and Omnivores: How Does Dietary Choice Influence Iodine Intake? A Systematic Review.

Vegan and vegetarian diets are becoming increasingly popular. Dietary restrictions may increase the risk of iodine deficiency. This systematic review aims to assess iodine intake and status in adults following a vegan or vegetarian diet in industrialised countries. A systematic review and quality assessment were conducted in the period May 2019–April 2020 according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies were identified in Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and secondary sources. Fifteen articles met inclusion criteria. Participants included 127,094 adults (aged ≥ 18 years). Vegan groups presented the lowest median urinary iodine concentrations, followed by vegetarians, and did not achieve optimal status. The highest iodine intakes were recorded in female vegans (1448.0 ± 3879.0 µg day−1) and the lowest in vegetarians (15.6 ± 21.0 µg day−1). Omnivores recorded the greatest intake in 83% of studies. Seaweed contributed largely to diets of vegans with excessive iodine intake. Vegans appear to have increased risk of low iodine status, deficiency and inadequate intake compared with adults following less restrictive diets. Adults following vegan and vegetarian diets living in countries with a high prevalence of deficiency may be more vulnerable. Therefore, further monitoring of iodine status in industrialised countries and research into improving the iodine intake and status of adults following vegan and vegetarian diets is required.

Integrating Gut Bacterial Diversity and Captive Husbandry to Optimize Vulture Conservation.

Endangered species recovery plans often include captive breeding and reintroduction, but success remains rare. Critical for effective recovery is an assessment of captivity-induced changes in adaptive traits of reintroduction candidates. The gut microbiota is one such trait and is particularly important for scavengers exposed to carcass microbiomes. We investigated husbandry-associated differences in the gut microbiota of two Old World vulture species using 16S RNA gene amplicon sequencing. Increased abundance of Actinobacteria occurred when vultures were fed quail but not rat or chicken. Conversely, diet preparation (sanitization) had no effect, although bacterial diversity differed significantly between vulture species, likely reflective of evolved feeding ecologies. Whilst the relative lack of influence of a sanitized diet is encouraging, changes in bacterial abundance associated with the type of prey occurred, representing a dietary influence on host–microbiome condition warranting consideration in ex situ species recovery plans. Incorporation of microbiome research in endangered species management, therefore, provides an opportunity to refine conservation practice.

Changes in dietary inflammatory potential predict changes in sleep quality metrics, but not sleep duration.

Non-pharmacological sleep interventions may improve sleep profiles without the side-effects observed with many pharmacological sleep aids. The objective of this research was to examine the association between sleep and inflammation and to examine how changes in dietary inflammatory potential influence changes in sleep. The Inflammation Management Intervention Study (IMAGINE), which was a dietary intervention designed to lower inflammation, provided access to 24-h dietary recalls (24HR), objectively measured sleep using SensewearTM armbands, and a range of self-reported demographics, health histories, lifestyle behaviors, psychosocial metrics, anthropometric measurements, and inflammatory biomarkers. Dietary Inflammatory Index® (DII®) scores were calculated from three unannounced 24HR-derived estimated intakes of whole foods and micro and macronutrients over a 2-week period at baseline and post-intervention (i.e. month 3). Statistical analyses primarily utilized linear regression. At baseline, for every 1-min increase in sleep onset latency, tumor necrosis factor-α increased by 0.015 pg/mL (±0.008, p = 0.05). Every one-percentage increase in sleep efficiency was associated with decreased C-reactive protein (CRP) of -0.088 mg/L (±0.032, p = 0.01). Every 1-min increase in wake-after-sleep-onset (WASO) increased both CRP and interleukin-6. Compared to participants with pro-inflammatory DII changes over 3 months, those with anti-inflammatory changes decreased WASO (0 vs. -25 min, respectively, p < 0.01) and improved sleep efficiency (-2.1% vs. +2.6%, respectively, p = 0.04). Non-pharmacological treatments, such as anti-inflammatory diets, may improve sleep in some adults. Future research involving dietary treatments to improve sleep should not only focus on the general population, but also in those commonly experiencing co-morbid sleep complaints. NCT02382458.

Effects of Diet on Sleep: A Narrative Review.

Many processes are involved in sleep regulation, including the ingestion of nutrients, suggesting a link between diet and sleep. Aside from studies investigating the effects of tryptophan, previous research on sleep and diet has primarily focused on the effects of sleep deprivation or sleep restriction on diet. Furthermore, previous reviews have included subjects with clinically diagnosed sleep-related disorders. The current narrative review aimed to clarify findings on sleep-promoting foods and outline the effects of diet on sleep in otherwise healthy adults. A search was undertaken in August 2019 from the Cochrane, MEDLINE (PubMed), and CINAHL databases using the population, intervention, control, outcome (PICO) method. Eligible studies were classified based on emerging themes and reviewed using narrative synthesis. Four themes emerged: tryptophan consumption and tryptophan depletion, dietary supplements, food items, and macronutrients. High carbohydrate diets, and foods containing tryptophan, melatonin, and phytonutrients (e.g., cherries), were linked to improved sleep outcomes. The authors posit that these effects may be due in part to dietary influences on serotonin and melatonin activity.

Uptake of vegetable and soft drink affected transformation and bioaccessibility of lead in gastrointestinal track exposed to lead-contaminated soil particles.

Accidental ingestion of Pb-contaminated soil particles by direct hand-to-mouth activity or by swallowing airborne dust particles is important pathway of human exposure to Pb. Appropriate evaluation of Pb risk to human is important in determining whether the soil needs remediation or not, however, there is paucity of data about the dietary influences on Pb bioaccessibility (Pb-BA) and transformation in humans. This study chose two typical foods, spinach and cola, representing vegetable and soft drink, respectively, and investigated their effects on Pb species in gastrointestinal tract using the physiologically based extraction test. Results showed that ingestion of spinach and cola decreased the Pb-BA by 52%-94% in the gastric phase and by 38%-95% in the intestinal phase, respectively. The reduction of Pb-BA by spinach was attributed to the precipitation of Pb with phosphorus in spinach and the sorption of Pb by the generated hydrolysate and un-hydrolysate from spinach in gastrointestinal tract. Cola decreased Pb-BA mainly via formation of insoluble Pb phosphates precipitates. Analysis of X-ray diffraction and MINTEQ modeling demonstrated that the dissolved Pb was transformed to precipitated or sorbed Pb with intake of cola or spinach. Our findings suggest that dietary habit greatly influence the speciation and subsequent Pb-BA in the gastrointestinal tract, which should be incorporated into human health risk assessment of Pb-contaminated soil.