Nutritional Supplements Research Articles

Fish Oil Supplement Mitigates Muscle Injury In Vivo and In Vitro: A Preliminary Report.

Background: Following injury, older adults exhibit slow recovery of muscle function. Age-related impairment of sarcolemmal membrane repair may contribute to myocyte death, increasing the need for myogenesis and prolonging recovery. Dietary fish oil (FO) is a common nutritional supplement that may alter plasma membrane composition to enhance the response to membrane injury. Methods: We assessed effects of an 8-week dietary intervention on muscle contractile recovery in aged (22 mo.) rats on control (n = 5) or FO (control + 33 g/kg FO (45% eicosapentaenoic acid; 10% docosahexaenoic acid); n = 5) diets 1-week after contusion injury, as well as adult (8 mo., n = 8) rats on the control diet. Results: Recovery was reduced in aged rats on the control diet vs. adults (63 vs. 80%; p = 0.042), while those on the FO diet recovered similarly to (78%) adults. To directly assess sarcolemma injury, C2C12 cells were cultured in media with and without FO (1, 10, and 100 μg/mL; 24 or 48 h) and injured with an infrared laser in medium containing FM4-64 dye as a marker of sarcolemmal injury. FO reduced the area under the FM4-64 fluorescence-time curve at all concentrations after both 24 and 48 h supplementation. Conclusions: These preliminary data suggest FO might aid recovery of muscle function following injury in older adults by enhancing membrane resealing and repair.

Inborn Errors of Immunity-related Immunological Mechanisms and Pharmacological Therapy Alternatives in Periodontitis.

Periodontitis is a frequent local inflammatory disease. The microbiota and repeated exposure to bacterial endotoxins triggers excessive inflammation through oral mucosal immunity, sometimes leading to a destructive effect on the supportive mucosal tissues around the teeth. Elimination of the pathogens and increasing the tolerance of the cellular immune response is crucial in addition to standard dental therapies like mechanical debridement. Based on our experience on immune-mediated diseases, especially primary immunodeficiency diseases (PIDs), we wrote this review to discuss the treatment alternatives for severe periodontal disease. Risk factors are malnutrition, vitamin deficiencies, smoking, systemic inherited and acquired immune-mediated diseases, infections, endocrinological diseases, and pharmacological agents may accompany periodontitis. The diagnosis and treatment of dietary deficiencies, as well as the addition of nutritional supplements, may aid in epithelial regeneration and immune system function. Recently, modifications to the therapeutic option for severe periodontitis have been made depending on the fact that the immune response against bacteria may modify the severity of periodontal inflammation. The anti-inflammatory therapies support or inhibit the host's immune response. The clinical approach to severe periodontitis should extend beyond classical therapies. There is a need for a diverse therapeutic strategy that supports the epithelial barrier, which is the crucial component of innate immunity against microbiota. Leukocytes are the main cellular component in periodontal inflammation. Anti-inflammatory therapeutic options directed at leukocytes, such as IL-17 and IL-23-targeted therapies, could be the candidates for the treatment of severe periodontitis. Therapy against other inflammatory cytokines, IL-1, IL-6, IL12, IL23, TNF-alpha, PGE2, and cytokine receptors, could also be used in periodontal inflammation control.

Maternal Dietary Deficiencies in Folic Acid and Choline Change Metabolites Levels in Offspring after Ischemic Stroke.

Background/objectives: Ischemic stroke is a major health concern, and nutrition is a modifiable risk factor that can influence recovery outcomes. This study investigated the impact of maternal dietary deficiencies in folic acid (FADD) or choline (ChDD) on the metabolite profiles of offspring after ischemic stroke. Methods: A total of 32 mice (17 males and 15 females) were used to analyze sex-specific differences in response to these deficiencies. Results: At 1-week post-stroke, female offspring from the FADD group showed the greatest number of altered metabolites, including pathways involved in cholesterol metabolism and neuroprotection. At 4 weeks post-stroke, both FADD and ChDD groups exhibited significant disruptions in metabolites linked to inflammation, oxidative stress, and neurotransmission. Conclusions: These alterations were more pronounced in females compared to males, suggesting sex-dependent responses to maternal dietary deficiencies. The practical implications of these findings suggest that ensuring adequate maternal nutrition during pregnancy may be crucial for reducing stroke susceptibility and improving post-stroke recovery in offspring. Nutritional supplementation strategies targeting folic acid and choline intake could potentially mitigate the long-term adverse effects on metabolic pathways and promote better neurological outcomes. Future research should explore these dietary interventions in clinical settings to develop comprehensive guidelines for maternal nutrition and stroke prevention.

The positive effect of ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation on the cognitive function of children and adolescents with lipid metabolism disorders

Aim. To study the effect of ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on the cognitive functions of children with lipid metabolism disorders of different ages. Materials and methods. The study included 87 children aged 6 to 17 years who had not previously received ω-3 PUFA supplements. All subjects were tested twice, with an interval of 6 months, to determine the ω-3 erythrocyte index by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and to study attention span and focusing using the correction task method (Bourdon test). The cohort was randomly divided into two groups: the main group, which included 60 children who received the ω-3 supplements, and the control group, which included 27 children who did not receive any nutritional supplements. Results. In children of the main group, after receiving the Norwegian fish oil NFO® at 1000 mg for 6 months, an increase in the erythrocyte ω-3 index was observed, while in the control group, it did not change significantly. A statistically significant correlation was found between the adequacy of ω-3 PUFA and the attention span and focusing. Conclusion. The results of the study showed the effectiveness of ω-3 PUFA supplementation at 1000 mg/day for 6 months and confirmed the positive effect of ω-3 PUFA on the cognitive sphere of children and adolescents. High-quality food supplements with ω-3 PUFAs at 1000 mg/day can be recommended to develop intellection, memory, and attention span and focus in children and adolescents.

Discovering bioactive phytoconstituents from Citrullus lanatus for antimicrobial and antioxidants therapeutic applications

In recent decades, significant interest in natural bioactive compounds has led many researchers to study plants as primary natural sources of bioactive compounds, mainly when considering a few biological properties, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activities, and as nutritional supplements with health benefits. We designed this study to explore the phytochemicals profiling of Citrallus lanatus and evaluate their in vitro bioactive properties. The methanol extraction of the watermelon's stem, rind, and leaf parts through Soxhlet extraction was analyzed using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. The GC-MS profiling of Citrullus lanatus examines the presence of numerous bioactive phytoconstituents with potential biological activities such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticancer, and other properties. We have evidenced that the stem, rind, and leaf extracts with significant antioxidant and antimicrobial activities against clinically relevant pathogens like Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus aureus. Overall, our study sheds light on exploring novel bioactive phytoconstituents from Citrullus lanatus and explore, harness these compounds' therapeutic potential for human health.

Nutritional supplements in diabetes

Nutritional supplements in diabetes

Trends and Gaps in the Scientific Literature about the Effects of Nutritional Supplements on Canine Leishmaniosis.

In canine leishmaniosis (CanL), complex interactions between the parasites and the immunological background of the host influence the clinical presentation and evolution of infection and disease. Therefore, the potential use of nutraceuticals as immunomodulatory agents becomes of considerable interest. Some biological principles, mainly derived from plants and referred to as plant-derived nutraceuticals, are considered as supplementation for Leishmania spp. infection. This study provides a systematic review regarding the use of nutraceuticals as a treatment using a text mining (TM) and topic analysis (TA) approach to identify dominant topics of nutritional supplements in leishmaniosis-based research, summarize the temporal trend in topics, interpret the evolution within the last century and highlight any possible research gaps. Scopus® database was screened to select 18 records. Findings revealed an increasing trend in research records since 1994. TM identified terms with the highest weighted frequency and TA highlighted the main research areas, namely "Nutraceutical supports and their anti-inflammatory/antioxidant properties", "AHCC and nucleotides in CanL", "Vit. D3 and Leishmaniosis", "Functional food effects and Leishmaniosis" and "Extract effects and Leishmaniosis". Despite the existing academic interest, there are only a few studies on this issue so far, which reveals a gap in the literature that should be filled.

Prehabilitation in Frail Octogenarian and Nonagenarian Patients in Colorectal Cancer Surgery: Short- and Medium-Term Outcomes

Background: There is still limited evidence on the results of prehabilitation in very old frail patients. The aim of this study is to analyze the outcomes and course of octogenarian and nonagenarian patients undergoing prehabilitation before surgery for colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods: a prospective study was conducted in a tertiary hospital from 2018 to 2022. All patients diagnosed with CRC over 80 years old and proposed for surgery were included. A comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) for frailty detection was performed, and the therapeutic decision was taken by the multidisciplinary tumor committee. Prehabilitation led by the geriatric team was performed. The rate of medical and surgical complications, hospital stay, in-hospital mortality, and first-year mortality were recorded. Results: CRC surgery was proposed in 184 patients >80 years. After a multidisciplinary decision, surgery was performed on 126 (68.5%) patients, of whom 12 (0.5%) were nonagenarians. Fifty percent of octogenarians and 86% of nonagenarians were frail. Prehabilitation consisted of the following: adapted physical exercise (100%); oral nutritional supplementation (73.8%); anemia treatment (59.5%); delirium prevention (5.6%); antidepressant treatment (15.9%); vitamin D supplementation (21.4%); and pharmacological deprescription (38.1%). The post-surgical complication rate was low (4.3% surgical and 29.4% medical complications), and in-hospital mortality was very low (3.2%). Nonagenarian patients had a higher rate of complications compared to octogenarians (OR 4.0 (95% CI 1.13–14.12))—mainly heart failure (OR 4.68 (95% CI 1.21–18.09))—but there were no differences in hospital stay or first-year mortality. Conclusions: prehabilitation in very old patients with CRC surgery is possible and provides good results.

Optimizing the Preoperative Preparation of Sarcopenic Older People: The Role of Prehabilitation and Nutritional Supplementation before Knee Arthroplasty.

Age-related loss of skeletal muscle strength and mass is linked to adverse postoperative outcomes in older individuals with sarcopenia. Half of patients suffer from severe associated osteoarthritis requiring orthopedic interventions. Mitigating the onset and progression of sarcopenia before surgery is essential to improve the prognosis and reduce surgical complications. The aim of this research was to innovatively explore whether the preoperative period could be the appropriate timeframe to empower surgical resilience, through prehabilitation and dietary supplementation, in older sarcopenic patients undergoing knee arthroplasty. The current literature concerning the effectiveness of prehabilitation and dietary supplementation before knee arthroplasty in sarcopenic older individuals was reviewed, following the SANRA criteria, between December 2023 and February 2024. The study inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) prehabilitation and/or dietary supplementation interventions; (2) human participants aged 65 years and older; (3) relevant outcome reporting (functional status, postoperative complications, and patient-reported outcomes); and (4) articles written in English The extracted information included study characteristics, demographics, intervention details, outcomes, and the main findings. Merged prehabilitation and dietary supplementation strategies extrapolated from the current literature and involving strength, resistance, balance, and flexibility training, as well as essential amino acids, iron, vitamin D, adenosine triphosphate, and glucosamine sulphate supplementation, could improve the functional capacity, ability to withstand the upcoming surgical stressors, and postoperative outcomes in older people undergoing knee arthroplasty. Addressing complex links between knee osteoarthritis and sarcopenia in older individuals undergoing knee arthroplasty requires a multidimensional approach. Prehabilitation emerges as a crucial preliminary step, allowing the optimization of surgical outcomes. Nutraceutical integration, included in a comprehensive care plan, could have a synergic effect in achieving prehabilitation goals. Those interventions are essential for surgical resilience, in terms of muscle function preservation, recovery acceleration, and overall quality of life enhancement. Intensive collaboration among specialists could advance knowledge and the sharable consensus concerning the critical and evolutive field of perioperative care.

Compliance with the 2016 WHO’s antenatal care recommendation and its determinants among women in Sub-Saharan Africa: a multilevel-analysis of population survey data

BackgroundDespite the positive impact of adhering to the new antenatal care model on pregnancy outcomes and maternal health service uptake, women in resource-limited settings exhibit low levels of compliance with this recommendation. Previous studies on women’s adherence to the new antenatal care recommendation have been limited to individual countries, with no evidence available at Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) level. Therefore, this study sought to investigate compliance with the 2016 WHO’s recommendation of at least eight antenatal care contacts among women in SSA countries and identify its determinants.MethodsThe study utilized a weighted sample of 101,983 women who had received antenatal care during their index pregnancy, drawn from recent DHS data of sixteen SSA countries. A multilevel mixed-effect analysis was conducted to identify factors that influence compliance with new antenatal care recommendations. Model comparison was performed using deviance and log-likelihood values, and statistical significance was determined at a P-value of less than 0.05.ResultsThe level of compliance with the recommended antenatal care contacts among women in SSA was 9.9% (95% CI: 9.7-10.1%), with the highest rate in Sierra Leone (26.1%) and lowest in Rwanda (< 1%). A multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that age, education, employment status, household wealth, healthcare decisions, the timing of antenatal contacts, consumption of nutritional supplements, residence, community-level women illiteracy, and media exposure were the significant determinants of compliance.ConclusionOnly one in ten pregnant women in SSA countries had attended the recommended number of antenatal contacts, with Sierra Leone having the highest compliance rate and Rwanda and Senegal having the lowest. Therefore, policymakers should focus on improving access to education, especially for women and their partners, and providing exempted services for pregnant women from low-income households. Interventions that target communities with low levels of literacy and media exposure could also be effective in improving the uptake of the services.

Dietary strategies and nutritional supplements in the management of heart failure: a systematic review.

Heart failure (HF) is a syndrome of increased intracardiac pressure or decreased cardiac output. There is a lack of conclusive evidence to recommend the regular use of any dietary supplement in patients with HF. However, certain studies have shown nutritional interventions to be beneficial for patients with HF. Therefore, the purpose of this systematic review was to understand and map the updates of dietary interventions and nutritional supplementation measures related to patients with HF over the past 5 years. A systematic review. The PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for randomized clinical trials on the association between dietary interventions and nutritional supplements and HF published between 2018 and 2023. A total of 1755 documents were retrieved, of which 19 were finalized for inclusion. The findings suggest that individualized nutritional support reduces mortality and risk of major cardiovascular events in chronic heart failure inpatients at high nutritional risk. The Mediterranean diet improves functionality, quality of life, and cardiac function. Additionally, supplementation with thiamine, ubiquinol, D-ribose, and L-arginine enhances left ventricular ejection fraction. Probiotic yogurt may effectively improve the inflammatory and antioxidative status of chronic heart failure. Whey protein and melatonin have a positive effect on improving endothelial function in HF patients. Certain dietary interventions and nutritional supplements may provide some benefit to patients with HF. However, there is no relevant definitive evidence on the impact of nutritional interventions on the prognosis of HF, and more high-quality clinical trials are needed for further in-depth studies. Identifier, CRD42024510847.

Pharmacologic and Nonpharmacologic Management of Neuropathic Pain.

Disorders of the somatosensory nervous system that cause neuropathic pain are treated in a variety of ways. Herein, we introduce a stepwise approach to treating neuropathic pain. We then summarize the available data and guidelines for treating neuropathic pain, both with pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic methods, and provide a synthesized algorithm highlighting the similarities and differences between recent guidelines on the management of neuropathic pain. Pharmacologic treatments are primarily antiseizure medications (e.g., gabapentinoids, sodium channel blockers) and antidepressant medications (e.g., tricyclic antidepressants, serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors), though other medications and interventional pharmacologic therapies can also be considered. There are a wide variety of nonpharmacologic treatments for neuropathic pain including neuromodulation, nerve stimulation, physiotherapy, movement therapies, lifestyle modification, nutritional supplements, acupuncture, and mind-body techniques.

Extraction and Nutritional Value of Soybean Meal Protein Isolate

The increasing protein demand driven by global population growth necessitates the search for an alternative protein source. Soybean meal (SM), with approximately 47–49% proteins, is a viable option. Soymeal protein isolate (SMPI) is a cost-efficient protein source with a well-balanced amino acid profile, making it suitable for addressing this demand. This study attempts to address the lack of information regarding the extractability and nutritional potential of SMPI obtained utilizing a weak base and recoverable solvent. In this work, the structural and compositional studies of SMPI, as well as the aqueous extractability of ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH), are investigated. Furthermore, we examined the effects of heat treatment during oil extraction, where a comparison between protein isolates from soymeal and whole soybeans was carried out. The maximum extraction yield of 24.1% was achieved by increasing the concentration of NH4OH from 0.25–1%. In comparison to the soy protein isolate from whole soybeans (SPI), the compositional analysis report revealed that SMPI had higher levels of crude protein, moisture, and ash content, but lower levels of fat and carbohydrates. Furthermore, the examination of the amino acid composition confirms the existence of vital amino acids in SMPI. The amino acid score indicates that methionine, lysine, and threonine are the limiting amino acids. SMPI and SPI share structural and functional group similarities, as demonstrated by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Gel electrophoresis using sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide shows that the protein molecular weight distributions of SPI and SMPI are similar. This in-depth evaluation emphasizes the advantages of SM by advocating its application in other sectors beyond conventional animal feed, such as nutritional supplements and bio-based products, and by improving the environmental sustainability and global food chains.

Geospatial analysis of diarrhoea determinants among children under five in Pakistan using Multiscale Geographically Weighted Regression (MGWR)

Diarrhoea is the second most common cause of death among children under five worldwide. About 90 percent of diarrhoeal diseases occur in South Asia and sub-Saharan countries. In Pakistan, it causes almost 53,000 children to die every year. Against this background, this study aimed to analyze the geographical variations in the socio-economic and climatic determinants of under-five diarrhoea cases in districts of Pakistan. We used Generalized Linear Regression (GLR) and Multiscale Geographically Weighted Regression (MGWR) to explore the spatial variation of diarrhoea and its associated determinants. The MGWR model with 10 independent variables outperforms the GLR model (R2 = 0.72) with an adjusted R2 of 0.86. The local accuracy of the MGWR model increases from southwest to northeast. Furthermore among ten selected regressors, significant geographic diversity was found in the determinants of diarrhoea, including altitude, temperature, fever, ARI, and sanitation practices. These insights demand the need for targeted public health interventions, such as immunization campaigns, improved sanitation, and access to clean water and nutritional supplements, poverty eradication, especially in rural and high-risk regions. Future research should employ longitudinal designs and advanced spatial modeling to evaluate the impact of strategies and inform evidence-based policies to reduce the burden of childhood diarrhoea in Pakistan.

Cancer impact on lower-income patients in Malaysian public healthcare: An exploration of out-of-pocket expenses, productivity loss, and financial coping strategies.

Cancer patients often grapple with substantial out-of-pocket (OOP) expenses and productivity loss, with the ramifications being particularly crucial for lower-income households. This study aims to estimate OOP costs incurred by cancer patients, assess their productivity loss, and analyse the financial coping mechanisms employed by individuals within the lower-income bracket. The study employed face-to-face interviews among cancer patients aged 40 years and above, currently undergoing treatment, and belonging to the lower-income group. Participants were recruited from six public cancer referral hospitals. OOP expenses, encompassing medical and non-medical costs, along with productivity loss, were measured. A generalized linear model was applied to identify potential OOP determinants. Additionally, the coping mechanisms employed by individuals to finance their cancer OOP expenses were also determined. Among the 430 participants recruited, predominantly female (63.5%), and aged 60 or older (53.9%). The annual mean total cancer costs per patient were US$ 2,398.28 (±2,168.74), including 15% for medical costs US$ 350.95 (±560.24), 34% for non-medical costs US$820.24 (±818.24), and 51% for productivity loss costs US$1,227.09 (±1,809.09). Transportation, nutritional supplements, outpatient treatment, and medical supplies were notable cost contributors to total OOP expenditures. Ethnicity (β = 1.44; 95%CI = 1.15-1.79), household income (β = 1.40; 95%CI = 1.10-1.78), annual outpatient visits (β = 1.00; 95%CI = 1.00-1.01), age (β = 0.74; 95%CI = 0.56-0.98), and employment status (β = 0.54; 95%CI = 0.72-1.34) were identified as significant predictors of OOP costs among cancer patients. Notably, 91% of participants relied on household salaries and savings, while 15% resorted to interest-free borrowing, 11% sold possessions, and 0.5% borrowed with interest to finance their expenses. This study offers crucial insights into the economic impact of cancer on individuals and their families, providing policymakers with valuable information to tackle challenges faced in their journey. Despite substantial public healthcare subsidies, the study revealed that cancer costs can remain a potential barrier to accessing essential treatment. Therefore, there is a need for reinforced system-level infrastructure to facilitate targeted financial navigation services.

Understanding the complexity of barriers and facilitators to adherence to oral nutritional supplements among patients with malnutrition: a systematic mixed-studies review.

The aim of this systematic mixed-studies review is to summarise barriers/facilitators to adherence to and/or consumption of oral nutritional supplements (ONS) among patients with disease-related malnutrition. In March 2022, the Cochrane CENTRAL, PUBMED, PsycINFO (Ovid) and CINAHL were searched for articles with various study designs, published since 2000. Articles were identified on the basis of 'population' (patients ≥18 years with malnutrition/at nutritional risk), 'intervention' (ONS with ≥2 macronutrients and micronutrients), 'comparison' (any comparator/no comparator) and 'outcome' (factors affecting adherence or consumption) criteria. A sequential exploratory synthesis was conducted: first, a thematic synthesis was performed identifying barriers/facilitators; and second, the randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were used to support these findings. The five WHO dimensions of adherence guided the analysis. Study inclusion, data extraction, analysis and risk-of-bias assessment (MMAT 2018) were carried out independently by two researchers. From 21 835 screened articles, 171 were included with 42% RCTs and 20% qualitative studies. The two major populations were patients with malignancies (34%) and older adults (35%). In total, fifty-nine barriers/facilitators were identified. Patients' health status, motivation, product tolerance and satisfaction as well as well-functioning healthcare routines and support were factors impacting ONS consumption. Few barriers/facilitators (n = 13) were investigated in RCTs. Two of those were serving a small ONS volume and integrating ONS into ward routines. Given the complexity of ONS adherence, non-adherence to ONS should be addressed using a holistic approach. More studies are needed to investigate the effect of different approaches to increase adherence to ONS.

Transport of Neutral Amino Acids in the Jejunum of Pigs with Special Consideration of L-Methionine

Background: Methionine (Met) is a popular nutritional supplement in humans and animals. It is routinely supplemented to pigs as L-Met, DL-Met, or DL-2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio) butanoic acid (DL-HMTBA). Methods: We investigated the effect of these Met supplements on jejunal amino acid (AA) transport in male castrated Piétrain × Danbred pigs, also including a non-supplemented group. The mucosal-to-serosal flux of ten [14C]-labeled AAs (L-glutamine, glycine, L-leucine, L-lysine, L-Met, L-serine, L-threonine, L-tryptophan, L-tyrosine and L-valine) was investigated at two concentrations (50 µM and 5 mM). Inhibition of apical uptake by mucosal L-Met was also measured for these AAs. The intestinal expression of apical AA transporters, angiotensin-converting enzyme II and inflammation-related genes were compared with those of a previous study. Results: Except for tryptophan and lysine at 5 mM, all AA fluxes were Na+-dependent (p ≤ 0.05), and the uptake of most AAs, except glycine and lysine, was inhibited by L-Met (p &lt; 0.001). A correlation network existed between Na+-dependent fluxes of most AAs (except tryptophan and partly glycine). We observed the upregulation of B0AT1 (SLC6A19) (p &lt; 0.001), the downregulation of ATB0,+ (SLC6A14) (p &lt; 0.001) and a lower expression of CASP1, IL1β, IL8, TGFβ and TNFα in the present vs. the previous study (p &lt; 0.001). Conclusions: The correlating AAs likely share the same Na+-dependent transporter(s). A varying effect of the Met supplement type on AA transport in the two studies might be related to a different level of supplementation or a different inflammatory status of the small intestine.

Pharmacological and economical aspects of important species of Cordyceps sensu lato: A review.

Cordycepsis a well-known endo-parasitic fungus commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine for a long time. The demand for Cordyceps is increasing daily because it is commonly used as a nutritional food, medicine, and supplement owing to its natural source. It is very attractive in almost all countries with no side effects. Most Cordyceps species have been studied in China, Bhutan, India, Japan, South Korea, and Nepal. We have discussed the important contents of Cordyceps, dietary source and nutritional value of Cordyceps, multiple pharmacological properties of four important Cordyceps species, Ophiocordyceps sinensis, Cordyceps militaris, Cordyceps cicadae, and Cordyceps tenuipes, along with the economic status of Cordyceps and its benefits in terms of medicine, supplements, and the cosmetics industry. Owing to the high demand and several benefits of Cordyceps, it offers mysterious economic improvements in developed and underdeveloped countries. Therefore, more attention is required to save the endangered species of Cordyceps to fulfil the medicinal and nutritional demands worldwide.

Comparison of the influence of postoperative oral nutritional supplementation between octogenarian and non-octogenarian patients undergoing gastrectomy for cancer.

Despite recent reports, the effectiveness of postoperative oral nutritional supplementation (ONS) on body weight loss and malnutrition after gastrectomy remains controversial. We aimed to elucidate the effectiveness of ONS especially in octogenarian patients undergoing oncological gastrectomy. A total of 286 consecutive patients who underwent gastrectomy for gastric cancer were eligible. Postoperative body weight loss, malnutrition, and sarcopenia were compared between patients with and without postoperative ONS among octogenarian patients aged ≥ 80 years and non-octogenarian patients aged < 80 years. In this study, 36 (62.1%) octogenarian and 121 (53.1%) non-octogenarian patients continued postoperative ONS for three months. The clinicopathologic characteristics were not different between the ONS (-) and ONS (+) groups among the octogenarian and non-octogenarian patients. The changes in body weight and serum albumin levels at postoperative 1 year were different between the ONS (-) and ONS (+) groups (P = 0.03 and P = 0.04, respectively) among the octogenarian patients, but not between the two groups among the non-octogenarian patients (P = 0.99 and P = 0.29, respectively). Also, the decline in psoas muscle mass index at postoperative 6 months and 1 year was significantly lower in the ONS (+) group than in the ONS (-) group (P < 0.01 and P < 0.01, respectively). In addition, similar results were found in octogenarian patients who underwent distal gastrectomy. Postoperative ONS could prevent body weight loss, malnutrition, and sarcopenia especially in octogenarian patients who underwent gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

The Androgen Deprivation Therapy Landscape in 2024 – Co-navigating the Available Options with Prostate Cancer Patients

This symposium convened during the 2024 European Association of Urology (EAU) Congress in Paris, France, focusing on the multifaceted aspects of prostate cancer (PCa) treatment from the patient’s perspective. The session delved into the nuanced needs, expectations, and treatment experiences encountered by individuals diagnosed with this condition. A pivotal aspect of the discussion centred on the imperative of ensuring patient awareness and informed consent, particularly concerning androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), given its array of potential side effects. ADT, a cornerstone in advanced PCa management, encompasses a spectrum of side effects including both physical and psychological dimensions. These include, but are not limited to, body hair loss, weight fluctuations, mood alterations, decreased libido, cognitive impairments, muscle atrophy, and bone density loss. Effective management of these side effects requires comprehensive support to be provided to patients to mitigate complications and optimise quality of life. The options for ADT were discussed, with their comparative strengths and challenges. ADT strategies take effect over different time periods (from 12 hours up to 4 weeks), exert varying effects on testosterone levels, and carry different side effect profiles. Selecting the optimal course of treatment for localised or locally advanced PCa requires consideration of whether the patient is at intermediate-, high-, or very high-risk of biochemical recurrence, and whether the intermediate-risk disease is classified as favourable intermediate-risk (FIR) or unfavourable intermediate-risk (UIR). While continuous ADT is the standard of care, intermittent ADT has been associated with significantly better quality of life scores for hot flushes, desire for sexual activity, and urinary symptoms, with a trend toward improvement in the level of fatigue. Furthermore, the interplay between PCa, ADT, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) was discussed to underscore the imperative for clinicians to assess the cardiovascular risks associated with ADT, particularly in patients with heightened cardiovascular vulnerability. Mitigating the adverse skeletal effects of ADT mandates a multifaceted approach encompassing nutritional supplementation, exercise regimens, and lifestyle modifications including alcohol cessation and smoking cessation. Integrating a prehabilitation checklist into clinical practice emerges as a pragmatic strategy to facilitate informed discussions regarding the potential adverse effects of ADT, enabling proactive support provision to optimise patient outcomes.