Need For Dietary Supplementation Research Articles

Vitamin D Deficiency Prevalence and Correlates in Patients Attending the Cardiology Clinic in a Tertiary Centre in Southern Nigeria

<i>Background:</i> Vitamin D is an important vitamin that helps in many bodily functions. Its deficiency has been found to play a role in cardiovascular diseases like hypertension, heart failure, ischemic heart disease etc. 1α, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D, the active metabolite of vitamin D, binds major receptors found in all the major cardiovascular cells including arteries and cardiomyocytes to exert its protective effects. Darker skinned individuals have been found to be more vitamin D deficient than their Caucasian counterparts. This study sought to determine the prevalence and correlates of vitamin insufficiency and deficiency among patients attending the cardiology clinic in a major referral centre in southern, Nigeria. <i>Methods: </i>This is a descriptive cross-sectional study of a total of 192 study participants attending the cardiology out-patient clinic of the university. Informed consent was sort, and a questionnaire administered to all recruited patients and blood drawn for vitamin D assay. <i>Results: </i>There were more female study participants 55.7% as compared with their male counterparts at 44.3%. Hypertension (62.0%) as well as diabetes (33.3%) were the most common co-morbidity in the participants. Vitamin D deficiency was found in 7.8% of the study participants and 24.5% of all participants had below normal serum Vitamin D concentration i.e. <30ng/ml. A statistically significant association was noticed between the presence of comorbidities and vitamin D deficiency (F=65.87; p=0.03). Inadequate consumption of red meat was also found to be associated with insufficient and deficient serum vitamin D level (P=0.009). <i>Conclusion: </i>Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency was found to be prevalent in patients attending the cariology out-patient clinic and linked with the presence of hypertension, hypertensive heart disease and diabetes mellitus. The need for dietary supplementation of Vitamin D should be of public health importance in not only paediatric population and maternal health, but the general adult population as well.

High lysine and high protein‐containing salinity‐tolerant rice grains (Oryza sativa cv IR64)

AbstractLysine cannot be synthesized by the human body, and it is, therefore, an indispensable amino acid in the human that must be consumed in adequate amounts to prevent disease. Unfortunately, lysine is not abundant in many important food sources such as rice grains. Efforts to fortify rice and other monocotyledonous crops with high lysine have proved to be challenging because of their effects on plant growth. The present study was designed to avoid the problems that are often encountered in engineering lysine metabolism. We generated different over‐expression constructs for the key anabolic enzyme, dihydrodipicolinate synthase (DHDPS and cdapA) and knockdown (KD) constructs for the catabolic enzyme—lysine ketoglutarate reductase/saccharopine dehydrogenase (LKR/SDH), with expression under the control of either the CaMV35S promoter or the endosperm‐specific glutelinD1 promoter. The use of the endosperm‐specific promoter together with the lysine feedback‐insensitive cdapA for over‐expression provides distinct advantages, as does silencing of LKR/SDH under the control of this promoter. Rice plants produced by over‐expressing cdapA together with silencing of LKR/SDH showed a 58% increase in grain lysine content, as well as higher amounts of total seed protein levels. Moreover, the transgenic seedlings were more tolerant to salinity. These results demonstrate that it is possible to generate high lysine stress‐tolerant rice varieties, which have the potential to reduce the need for dietary supplementation.

Micronutrient Inadequacy in Short Sleep: Analysis of the NHANES 2005-2016.

One third of U.S. adults report short sleep (<7 h), which has been linked to negative health outcomes. Inadequate intake of micronutrients across the U.S. adult population has been reported, and a relationship between sleep conditions and micronutrient intake is emerging. This cross-sectional analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2005–2016) (n = 26,211) showed that participants with short sleep duration had a lower usual intake (Food + Supplements) of calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D in all adults aged 19+ years, and vitamin K in adults aged 19–50 years, even after adjusting for covariates. In addition, participants reporting short sleep had a higher percentage of individuals with intake lower than the estimated average requirement (EAR) across multiple nutrients. Age and gender differences were observed in the prevalence of inadequate intake across multiple nutrients. Adults aged 51–99 years with short sleep duration had inadequate intake with respect to more nutrients. In females there was an association between short sleep and a higher prevalence of inadequate intake (Food + Spp) for calcium, magnesium, and vitamins A, C, D, E, and K (above adequate intake). Conversely, males reporting short sleep only had an inadequate intake of vitamin D. Overall, we demonstrate that short sleep is associated with increased nutrient inadequacy, emphasizing the possible need for dietary supplementation.

Adolescents’ learning and experiences of solving the need for dietary supplementation through socioscientific issue (SSI) method

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to assess the socioscientific issue (SSI) method as a way of improving seventh graders’ nutrition know-how on dietary supplements (DS), and to describe how students experience learning nutritional issues through the SSI method.Design/methodology/approachParticipants were seventh graders from three different classes (n=43). Health education intervention lasted 7 h and it embodied the three-staged model: the scenario, the inquiry and the decision-making stages. The study was qualitative in nature. The data were collected through a questionnaire before and after the intervention. The data were analyzed using summative content analysis.FindingsIntervention tended to deepen students’ know-how on vitamins and rational use of DS. Students’ experiences of learning nutritional issues through the SSI method were generally positive. The scenario stage was considered current and authentic. The inquiry stage and decision-making stage helped in understanding the societal connections between the study task and the rational use of DS.Practical implicationsSSI method enhances students’ knowledge about the rational use of DS. E-learning environment gave students possibilities to work collaboratively. Especially, possibilities to discuss with peers and share own experiences supported learning.Originality/valueTo solve the need of dietary supplements (DS) is a complex nutritional issue for society and for individuals. Since consumption of special diets has increased among adolescents, the rational consumption of DS is relevant and interesting learning topic at secondary school.

Editorial and News

Editorial and News

Selenium and iodine status of sheep in the Markazi province, Iran

Summary The aim of this study was to provide preliminary quantitative information on selenium and iodine status of sheep in Markazi province, Iran. Selenium and iodine status of grazing sheep were measured for 57 different flocks in 14 regions over one year. The districts were selected to represent major sheep growing areas in the province. Blood samples were collected from 2 to 3-year-old ewes during summer, autumn and winter. Samples were analyzed for blood glutathione peroxidase (GSHpx) activity and plasma inorganic iodine. There were significant differences between regions and seasonal differences in terms of blood GSHpx activity and plasma inorganic iodine concentration (P<0.01). Low levels of GSHpx activity (<60 IU/gHb) and plasma inorganic iodine (<5 µg/dl) in some regions or some seasons indicated the need for dietary supplementation of these minerals.

New insights on the anticancer properties of dietary polyphenols

Cancer, one of the major causes of death across the world, has shown to be a largely preventable disease, highly susceptible to modulation by dietary factors. Phenolic compounds, abundant in vegetables and fruits ubiquitous in diet, were described to play an important role as chemopreventive agents. Since conventional therapeutic and surgical approaches have not been able to control the incidence of most cancer types, the development of chemopreventive strategies is an urgent priority in public health. The current diet phenolic intake is often insufficient to protect from mutagens (either exogenous or endogenous), which leads to the need for dietary supplementation as an alternative approach. Research efforts are placing increasing emphasis on identifying the biological mechanisms and in particular the signal transduction pathways related to the chemopreventive activities of these compounds. These effects are believed to occur by the regulation of signaling pathways such as nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB), activator protein-1 (AP-1) or mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK). Dietary polyphenols can exert their effects on these pathways separately or sequentially and in addition the occurrence of crosstalk between these pathways cannot be overlooked. By modulating cell signaling pathways, polyphenols activate cell death signals and induce apoptosis in precancerous or malignant cells resulting in the inhibition of cancer development or progression. However, regulation of cell signaling pathways by dietary polyphenols can also lead to cell proliferation/survival or inflammatory responses due to increased expression of several genes. The present review summarizes the most recent advances providing new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the promising anticarcinogenic activity of dietary polyphenols.

Nutrient requirements of ornamental fish

Although fish have been kept for more than three centuries as ornamentals, and the development of manufactured feed since 50 years ago has contributed to the tremendous growth of this hobby, nutrition of ornamental fish is based on extrapolation of results derived from food fishes under intensive farming conditions. Some research on nutrient (protein, minerals) requirements of growing freshwater ornamental species (live-bearers) in a production environment has been conducted, mainly in Singapore, with emphasis on the provision of live feed during the early stages of the life cycle. Protein requirements varied from around 30% dietary protein for growing omnivorous goldfish ( Carassius auratus) to 50% for the carnivorous discus ( Symphysodon aequifasciata). Whereas mineral (phosphorus, iron, magnesium, zinc) requirements have received some attention in the guppy ( Poecilia reticulata), few researches have concentrated on vitamin requirements of ornamental species. Requirements for fatty acids have been conducted mainly on marine ornamentals (damselfish, seahorses), and accentuated the need for dietary supplementation of n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids. Fish kept in public and home aquaria presents the problem of diversity of species in the same enclosure, each with its own specific requirements and needs. Maintenance energy levels of ornamental fish varied from 0.068 kJ per day for small neon tetras ( Paracheirodon innesi) to 0.51 kJ per day for moonlight gouramis ( Trichogaster microlepsis) kept at a water temperature of 26 °C. Research on nutrient requirements of ornamental fish urges for suitable measurements other than only growth rate in order to determine optimal dietary inclusion levels.