Article

Evaluation of in-vivo model for vitamin A bioavailability from vitamin A loaded caseinate complex

Authors:
  • Amity university Punjab Mohali
To read the full-text of this research, you can request a copy directly from the authors.

Abstract

Chemical instability of vitamin A (VA) against acidic pH is the major cause for its low bioavailability. Hence, to improve VA bioavailability, native and modified sodium caseinate were used as delivery system and evaluated for VA bioavailability through in-vivo trials. Effect of VA supplementation through native and modified sodium caseinate-VA complex fortified milks over 4 weeks was monitored in rats. The important VA bioavailability indicators i.e., body weight gain, serum and liver retinol levels, haematological parameters, apparent digestibility coefficient and % retention were investigated. Body weight gain, apparent digestibility coefficient and % retention improved significantly on VA supplementation through milk protein-VAcomplexes. Serum and liver retinol levels were highest in RNaCas followed by NaCas, SNaCas, RSNaCas and free VA fed groups. During the formation of RNaCas and RSNaCas, hydrophobic sites, buried in deep were exposed leading to binding of VA on interior hydrophobic regions of sodium caseinate molecule. Binding of VA with hydrophobic amino acid groups provided protection and stability to VA which may decrease exposure of VA to acidic pH due to its binding on the antioxidative bioactive peptides generated during gastric digestion. Thus, higher stability improved the in-vivo bioavailability of VA.

No full-text available

Request Full-text Paper PDF

To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the authors.

... Typically, only a fraction of the ingested vitamins is absorbed and utilized, which can vary considerably depending on the nature of the food matrix. In this section, we consider the major factors impacting the bioavailability of vitamin A (McClements, 2018b;Rana et al., 2021). ...
... The fraction of vitamin A released therefore relies on the disruption and/or digestion of the food matrix, which depends on its composition and the activities of the digestive enzymes (Maurya, Singh, et al., 2020). Several researchers have studied the role of digestive enzymes on the bioavailability of vitamin A and its precursors using simulated gastrointestinal fluids in the absence and presence of digestive enzymes (Biehler & Bohn, 2010;Rana et al., 2021;L. Salvia-Trujillo, C. Qian, O. Martín-Belloso, & D. J. McClements, 2013a). ...
Article
Vitamin A is an essential micronutrient whose deficiency is still a major health concern in many regions of the world. It plays an essential role in human growth and development, immunity, and vision, but may also help prevent several other chronic diseases. The total amount of vitamin A in the human diet often falls below the recommended dietary allowance of approximately 900-1000 μg/day for a healthy adult. Moreover, a significant proportion of vitamin A may be degraded during food processing, storage, and distribution, thereby reducing its bioactivity. Finally, the vitamin A in some foods has a relatively low bioavailabil-ity, which further reduces its efficacy. The World Health Organization has recommended fortification of foods and beverages as a safe and cost-effective means of addressing vitamin A deficiency. However, there are several factors that must be overcome before effective fortified foods can be developed, including the low solubility, chemical stability, and bioavailability of this oil-soluble vitamin. Consequently , strategies are required to evenly disperse the vitamin throughout food matrices, to inhibit its chemical degradation, to avoid any adverse interactions with any other food components, to ensure the food is palatable, and to increase its bioavailability. In this review article, we discuss the chemical, physical, and nutritional attributes of vitamin A, its main dietary sources, the factors contributing to its current deficiency, and various strategies to address these deficiencies, including diet diversification, biofortification, and food fortification.
... Typically, only a fraction of the ingested vitamins is absorbed and utilized, which can vary considerably depending on the nature of the food matrix. In this section, we consider the major factors impacting the bioavailability of vitamin A (McClements, 2018b;Rana et al., 2021). ...
... The fraction of vitamin A released therefore relies on the disruption and/or digestion of the food matrix, which depends on its composition and the activities of the digestive enzymes (Maurya, Singh, et al., 2020). Several researchers have studied the role of digestive enzymes on the bioavailability of vitamin A and its precursors using simulated gastrointestinal fluids in the absence and presence of digestive enzymes (Biehler & Bohn, 2010;Rana et al., 2021;L. Salvia-Trujillo, C. Qian, O. Martín-Belloso, & D. J. McClements, 2013a). ...
Article
Full-text available
Vitamin A is an essential micronutrient whose deficiency is still a major health concern in many regions of the world. It plays an essential role in human growth and development, immunity, and vision, but may also help prevent several other chronic diseases. The total amount of vitamin A in the human diet often falls below the recommended dietary allowance of approximately 900–1000 μ \umu g/day for a healthy adult. Moreover, a significant proportion of vitamin A may be degraded during food processing, storage, and distribution, thereby reducing its bioactivity. Finally, the vitamin A in some foods has a relatively low bioavailability, which further reduces its efficacy. The World Health Organization has recommended fortification of foods and beverages as a safe and cost‐effective means of addressing vitamin A deficiency. However, there are several factors that must be overcome before effective fortified foods can be developed, including the low solubility, chemical stability, and bioavailability of this oil‐soluble vitamin. Consequently, strategies are required to evenly disperse the vitamin throughout food matrices, to inhibit its chemical degradation, to avoid any adverse interactions with any other food components, to ensure the food is palatable, and to increase its bioavailability. In this review article, we discuss the chemical, physical, and nutritional attributes of vitamin A, its main dietary sources, the factors contributing to its current deficiency, and various strategies to address these deficiencies, including diet diversification, biofortification, and food fortification.
... The main factors limiting the bioavailability of vitamin A were solubility, stability, and dietary composition. Different foods had different bioavailability of vitamin A [42]. However, the recommended dietary reference intake of vitamin A in China for adult men and adult women was 800 ugRAE/day and 700 ugRAE/day, respectively, according to the Chinese dietary reference intakes. ...
Article
Full-text available
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble micronutrient that is essential for human health. In this study, the daily vitamin A intake of Chinese residents was evaluated by investigating the vitamin A content of various foods. The results show that the dietary intake of vitamin A in common foods was 460.56 ugRAE/day, which is significantly lower than the recommended dietary reference intake of vitamin A (800 ugRAE/day for adult men and 700 ugRAE/day for adult women). Vegetables contributed the most to daily vitamin A dietary intake, accounting for 54.94% of vitamin A intake (253.03 ugRAE/day), followed by eggs, milk, aquatic products, meat, fruit, legumes, coarse cereals, and potatoes. Therefore, an increase in the vitamin A content of vegetables and the fortification of vegetable oils with vitamin A are effective ways to increase vitamin A intake to meet the recommended dietary guidelines in China. The assessment results support the design of fortified foods.
... The complexation of vitamin A and milk protein has been proven to increase the water-solubility and the light and heat stability of this vitamin [200]. Moreover, Rana et al. [201] also reported that vitamin Aloaded caseinate complexes improved vitamin A bioavailability. Similarly, Kaur et al. [202] highlighted the potential of chitosan and gelatin-based hydrogel to deliver vitamin B1. ...
Article
Full-text available
Food hydrogels are biopolymeric materials made from food-grade biopolymers with gelling properties (proteins and polysaccharides) and a 3D network capable of incorporating large amounts of water. They have sparked considerable interest because of their potential and broad application range in the biomedical and pharmaceutical sectors. However, hydrogel research in the field of food science is still limited. This knowledge gap provides numerous opportunities for implementing their unique properties, such as high water-holding capacity, moderated texture, compatibility with other substances, cell biocompatibility, biodegradability, and high resemblance to living tissues, for the development of novel, functional food matrices. For that reason, this article includes a bibliometric analysis characterizing research trends in food protein–polysaccharide hydrogels (over the last ten years). Additionally, it characterizes the most recent developments in hydrogel induction methods and the most recent application progress of hydrogels as food matrices as carriers for the targeted delivery of bioactive compounds. Finally, this article provides a future perspective on the need to evaluate the feasibility of using plant-based proteins and polysaccharides to develop food matrices that protect nutrients, including bioactive substances, throughout processing, storage, and digestion until they reach the specific targeted area of the digestive system.
Article
The realization of health-benefits of hydrophobic-bioactives is often limited by low bioavailability. Numerous delivery systems are developed to enhance bioavailability, but too few in-vivo studies, and even fewer clinical-studies report evaluation of such systems. The aim of this paper was to review the recent literature on improving bioavailability of hydrophobic nutraceuticals using delivery systems, with emphasis on in-vivo studies. Smaller particle size, digestible amphiphilic protective wall-material, digestible core, low crystallinity and easily-degradable surrounding food-matrix improve bioavailability and bioefficacy, but correlation between in-vitro and in-vivo results is often elusive, due to great complexity and variability of physiological systems. In-vivo studies are crucial for determining the real effect on bioavailability and safety of these systems. Human-studies should be preferred over animal-studies whenever possible.
Article
Casein, being the major milk protein, is an essential part of our everyday diet. It is a well-known source of amino acids. Recently it has gone through a shift from being a nutrient to become a nutraceutical. Casein is highly biocompatible and is well tolerated by the body even in high concentrations, so it can be used for several biomedical applications. In this review paper, we have incorporated various drug delivery applications that can be extracted from different nano-formulations of casein. Casein nanoparticles alone or in conjugation with other moieties have been explored for drug delivery applications of different therapeutic agents. A systemic mention of these studies is presented in this article, which shows that casein nanoparticles are a very promising candidate when it comes to drug delivery applications.
Article
Full-text available
A dose-response experiment with 8 supplemental vitamin A levels (0, 500, 1,000, 1,500, 2,500, 3,500, 7,000, and 14,000 IU/kg) were conducted to examine the effects of vitamin A on growth performance and tissue retinol of starter White Pekin ducks. A total of 512 one-day-old male Pekin ducks were randomly divided into 8 treatments and each treatment contained 8 replicate pens of 8 ducks. All these ducks were reared in raised wire-floor pens from hatch to 21 D of age. At 21 D of age, growth performance and retinol concentration in plasma and liver were measured. Among all ducks, the birds fed basal diet with no supplemental vitamin A had the lowest weight gain, feed intake, and plasma and liver retinol (P < 0.05). As supplemental vitamin A increased, weight gain and feed intake increased quadratically (P < 0.05) and plasma and liver retinol increased linearly or quadratically (P < 0.05). The weight gain and plasma retinol showed broken-line response to increasing supplemental vitamin A (P < 0.05). According to broken-line regression, the minimum supplemental vitamin A requirements for weight gain and plasma retinol were 2606 and 4371 IU/kg, respectively. It was concluded that vitamin A deficiency could lead to a reduction in growth performance and tissue retinol retention and plasma or liver retinol was available biomarker to assess duck vitamin A status.
Article
Full-text available
Objectives Previous studies show the association between vitamin A and elevation of plasma triglyceride concentrations. However, limited information exists on the association between vitamin A and plasma HDL cholesterol concentrations. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between plasma HDL cholesterol levels and vitamin A intake in 57 metabolically healthy obese (MHO) Lebanese. Methods Out of the 112 adult obese participants who had completed anthropometric and biochemical data, 57 (22 males and 35 females) aged 18–62 years old are metabolically healthy and their data are included in this study. A valid semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire (SQFFQ) was used to test vitamin A intake among other antioxidants. The participants were recruited from the database of three dietary clinics across Lebanon. Results Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to measure the strength of the relationship between vitamin A and plasma HDL cholesterol levels. There was a significant positive correlation (P value = 0.0225) between vitamin A consumption and HDL cholesterol serum levels in obese participants; when vitamin A levels decrease, HDL levels decrease more in female than in male participants. Conclusion The association between dietary vitamin A, a powerful antioxidant, and high HDL levels is shown in MHO but should be further exploited in future studies.
Article
Full-text available
Vitamin A is a vital nutritional substances that regulates biological activities including development, but is also associated with disease onset. The extent of vitamin A intake influences the retinoid content in the liver, the most important organ for the storage of vitamin A. Measurement of endogenous retinoid in biological samples is important to understand retinoid homeostasis. Here we present a reliable, highly sensitive, and robust method for the quantification of retinol and retinyl palmitate using a reverse-phase HPLC/UV isocratic method. We determined the impact of chronic dietary vitamin A on retinoid levels in livers of mice fed an AIN-93G semi-purified diet (4 IU/g) compared with an excess vitamin A diet (1000 IU/g) over a period from birth to 10 weeks of age. Coefficients of variation for intra-assays for both retinoids were less than 5%, suggesting a higher reproducibility than any other HPLC/UV gradient method. Limits of detection and quantification for retinol were 0.08 pmol, and 0.27 pmol, respectively, which are remarkably higher than previous results. Supplementation with higher doses of vitamin A over the study period significantly increased liver retinol and retinyl palmitate concentrations in adult mice. The assays described here provide a sensitive and rigorous quantification of endogenous retinol and retinyl palmitate, which can be used to help determine retinoid homeostasis in disease states, such as toxic hepatitis and liver cancer.
Article
Full-text available
The development of engineered nanometre sized materials (ENM) produced with food-grade ingredients and designed as delivery systems for organic and inorganic materials has gained increasing interest. The major reason for this trend is the aim to overcome problems associated with the low bioavailability of many bioactive compounds (BC) which are usually claimed to benefit human health. In this review, outcomes of studies investigating the potential bioavailability enhancement of BC using ENM as delivery systems are summarised and discussed. It focuses on in vitro and in vivo studies carried out with ENM produced with food-grade materials and designed for the delivery of vitamins, other secondary plant metabolites and minerals. Furthermore, the physical and physicochemical aspects governing the preparation of the systems, the loading of the BC, the stability of the delivery systems in food applications and finally the release of the BC in the gastrointestinal tract are also considered. The mechanisms leading to an enhanced bioavailability are based on (i) improved solubility of the BC under gastrointestinal conditions, (ii) the protection of the BC from the chemical conditions in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), (iii) the controlled release within the GIT or (iv) an improved transfer through the intestinal wall. The main outcome of the review is that particle size, surface properties and physical state of the ENM are key parameters to be controlled aiming at an enhanced nutritional value of food materials. Furthermore, the bioavailability classification scheme (BCS) can help to understand the efficacy of different ENM for the delivery of specific BC.
Article
Full-text available
A disruption of the vitamin A signaling pathway has been involved in age-related memory decline and hippocampal plasticity alterations. Using vitamin A deficiency (VAD), a nutritional model leading to a hyposignaling of the retinoid pathway, we have recently demonstrated that retinoic acid (RA), the active metabolite of vitamin A, is efficient to reverse VAD-induced spatial memory deficits and adult hippocampal neurogenesis alterations. Besides, excess of glucocorticoids (GCs) occurring with aging is known to strongly inhibit hippocampal plasticity and functions and few studies report on the counteracting effects of RA signaling pathway on GCs action. Here, we have addressed whether the modulation of brain GCs availability could be one of the biological mechanisms involved in the effects of vitamin A status on hippocampal plasticity and functions. Thus, we have studied the effects of a vitamin A-free diet for 14 weeks and a 4-week vitamin A supplementation on plasma and hippocampal corticosterone (CORT) levels in Wistar rats. We have also investigated corticosteroid binding globulin (CBG) binding capacity and 11beta-Hydrosteroid Dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) activity, both important modulators of CORT availability at the peripheral and hippocampal levels respectively. Interestingly, we show that the vitamin A status regulates levels of free plasma CORT and hippocampal CORT levels, by acting through a regulation of CBG binding capacity and 11β-HSD1 activity. Moreover, our results suggest that increased CORT levels in VAD rats could have some deleterious consequences on spatial memory, anxiety-like behavior and adult hippocampal neurogenesis whereas these effects could be corrected by a vitamin A supplementation. Thus, the modulation of GCs availability by vitamin A status is an important biological mechanism that should be taken into account in order to prevent age-related cognitive decline and hippocampal plasticity alterations.
Article
Full-text available
Vitamin A (VA) and iron deficiencies are important nutritional problems, affecting particularly preschool children, as well as pregnant and lactating women. A PubMed (National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA) literature review was carried out to search for clinical trials published from 1992 to 2013 that assessed the influence of vitamin A supplementation on iron status. Simultaneous use of iron and vitamin A supplements seemed to be more effective to prevent iron deficiency anemia than the use of these micronutrients alone. Some studies did not include a placebo group and only a few of them assessed vitamin A status of the individuals at baseline. Moreover, the studies did not consider any inflammatory marker and a reasonable number of iron parameters. Another important limitation was the lack of assessment of hemoglobin variants, especially in regions with a high prevalence of anemia. Assessment of hemoglobin variants, inflammatory markers and anemia of chronic inflammation would be important to the studies investigated. Studies involving different populations are necessary to elucidate the interaction between the two micronutrients, especially regarding iron absorption and modulation of erythropoiesis.
Article
Full-text available
To analyze the impact of moderate physical exercise on the total and differential leukocyte counts and red blood cell count of 36 sixty-day-old adult male Wistar rats subjected to early malnourishment. The rats were divided in nourished (N - casein 17%) and malnourished groups (M - casein 8%) and thesegroups were then subdivided in trained (T) untrained (U) creating four groups NT, NU, MT and MU. The NT and MTgroups were submitted to moderate physical exercise using a treadmill (60 min/day, 5 days/week for 8 weeks). Onthe 1st day, before the training started T0 and 24 hours after the last training day of the week (T1 until T8), a 1 mLaliquot of blood was collected from the animals' tails for analysis. The total leukocyte count was evaluated in a cellcounter with an electronic microscope. The cyanmethemoglobin technique was used to measure the hemoglobin level. The hematocrit values were determined as a percentage using the micro-hematocrit technique with a microcapillaryreader and a cell counter was used to determine the red blood cell count. The t-test was used for statistical analysis and a p-value < 0.05 was considered significant. Data are expressed as means ± standard deviation. There was a significant difference in the total leukocyte count between the NT (9.1 ± 0.1) and MT groups (8.0 ± 0.1) from T1 and in neutrophils between the NT (22.1 ± 0.6) and MT groups (24.6 ± 1.8) from T7 (p < 0.05). There was no statistical significance in the hemoglobin, hematocrit and red blood cell count from T1. According to the results of this study, moderate physical exercise seems to have induced physiologic adaptation in adult rats from T1.
Article
Full-text available
The acute and chronic effects of vitamin A toxicity are well documented in the literature. Emerging evidence suggests that subtoxicity without clinical signs of toxicity may be a growing concern, because intake from preformed sources of vitamin A often exceeds the recommended dietary allowances (RDA) for adults, especially in developed countries. Osteoporosis and hip fracture are associated with preformed vitamin A intakes that are only twice the current RDA. Assessing vitamin A status in persons with subtoxicity or toxicity is complicated because serum retinol concentrations are nonsensitive indicators in this range of liver vitamin A reserves. The metabolism in well-nourished persons of preformed vitamin A, provided by either liver or supplements, has been studied by several research groups. To control vitamin A deficiency, large therapeutic doses are administered in developing countries to women and children, who often are undernourished. Nevertheless, little attention has been given to the short-term kinetics (ie, after absorption but before storage) of a large dose of vitamin A or to the short- and long-term effects of such a dose given to lactating women on serum and breast-milk concentrations of retinol and its metabolites. Moreover, appropriate dosing regimens have not been systematically evaluated to ascertain the quantitative improvement in vitamin A status of the women and children who receive these supplements. The known acute and chronic effects of vitamin A toxicity have been reported previously. However, further research is needed to ascertain the areas of the world in which subclinical toxicity exists and to evaluate its effects on overall health and well-being.
Article
Full-text available
To determine the impact of vitamin A supplementation on physical growth in young children. Randomized, double blind, placebo controlled trial. Urban slum community clinic. 900 children, aged 12-59 months, attending the community clinic with diarrhea of < or = 7 d were included in the trial. Each child was given a single dose capsule containing 200,000 IU vitamin A or placebo at enrollment. Mean increments in weight and height during the 90 d period post supplementation. In all children, the mean increments in weight following supplementation were 0.66 kg (s.d. 0.5) and 0.64 kg (s.d. 0.6) in the vitamin A and placebo groups (P = 0.5). The mean increments in height were also similar in the two treatment groups (P = 0.5). Serum vitamin A was measured in 40 randomly selected children in each group; the proportion of subclinical deficiency (serum retinol < 20 micrograms/dl) was 62.5% in those enrolled during summer (April through July) as compared to 21.1% in those enrolled during the remaining cooler months of the year (P = 0.02). In the children supplemented with vitamin A during summer, the mean increment in weight was 140 g more than those who received placebo (95% confidence interval CI 30-250); there was also a significant reduction in the proportion of children who were wasted (< -2 weight-for-height Z-score) at end study (Odds Ratio 0.53, 95% CI 0.28-1.0, P = 0.03). There was no significant impact of vitamin A on height increments in children supplemented during summer. Vitamin A supplementation in 12-59 month old children improves weight gain in the subsequent three months only in the summer season, but not during the rest of the year.
Article
Full-text available
Carotenoids, folate and vitamin C may contribute to the observed beneficial effects of increased vegetable intake. Currently, knowledge on the bioavailability of these compounds from vegetables is limited. We compared the efficacy of different vegetables, at the same level of intake (i.e. 300 g/d), in increasing plasma levels of carotenoids, folate and vitamin C and we investigated if disruption of the vegetable matrix would enhance the bioavailability of these micronutrients. In an incomplete block design, sixty-nine volunteers consumed a control meal without vegetables and three out of four vegetable meals (i.e. broccoli, green peas, whole leaf spinach, chopped spinach; containing between 1.7 and 24.6 mg beta-carotene, 3.8 and 26 mg lutein, 0.22 and 0.60 mg folate and 26 and 93 mg vitamin C) or a meal supplemented with synthetic beta-carotene (33.3 mg). Meals were consumed for 4 d and fasting blood samples were taken at the end of each period. Consumption of the spinach-supplemented meal did not affect plasma levels of beta-carotene, although the beta-carotene content was 10-fold those of broccoli and green peas, which induced significant increases in plasma beta-carotene levels (28 (95% CI 6.4, 55)% and 26 (95% CI 2.6, 54)% respectively). The beta-carotene-supplemented meal increased plasma concentrations of beta-carotene effectively (517 (95% CI 409, 648)%). All vegetable meals increased the plasma concentrations of lutein and vitamin C significantly. Broccoli and green peas were, when expressed per mg carotenoid consumed, also more effective sources of lutein than spinach. A significant increase in plasma folate concentration was found only after consumption of the spinach-supplemented meal, which provided the highest level of folate. Disruption of the spinach matrix increased the plasma responses to both lutein (14 (95% CI 3.7, 25)%) and folate (10 (95% CI 2.2, 18)%), whereas it did not affect the response to beta-carotene. We conclude that the bioavailabilities of beta-carotene and lutein vary substantially among different vegetables and that the bioavailabilities of lutein and folate from spinach can be improved by disruption of the vegetable matrix.
Article
Full-text available
Bioactive peptides have been identified within the amino acid sequences of native milk proteins. Hydrolytic reactions, such as those catalyzed by digestive enzymes, result in their release. These peptides directly influence numerous biological processes evoking behavioral, gastrointestinal, hormonal, immunological, neurological, and nutritional responses. The specific bioreactions associated with each physiological class have been well characterized. Herein, we review the scientific literature and attempt to stimulate consideration of the continued use of bioactive peptides and their expanded development as a commercial product. Several applications have already evolved. For example, phosphopeptides derived from casein fractions are currently used as both dietary and pharmaceutical supplements. Potentially, the addition of bioactive peptides to food products could improve consumer safety as a result of their antimicrobial properties. Lastly, bioactive peptides may function as health care products, providing therapeutic value for either treatment of infection or prevention of disease.
Article
Full-text available
Chemical and photochemical processes during storage and preparation rapidly degrade retinol, the most active form of vitamin A. Therefore, the efficacy of incorporation into liposomes in order to modulate the kinetics of retinol degradation was investigated. Retinol was readily incorporated into multilamellar liposomes that were prepared from soybean phosphatidylcholine; the extent of the incorporation was 98.14 +/- 0.93% at pH 9.0 at a ratio of 0.01 : 1 (wt : wt) retinol : phospholipid. It was only marginally lower at higher retinol concentrations. The pH of the hydration buffer had a small effect. The incorporation efficiency ranged from 99.25 +/- 0.47% at pH 3 to 97.45 +/- 1.13% at pH 11. The time course of the retinol degradation in the aqueous solution in liposomes was compared to that of free retinol and free retinol with alpha-tocopherol under a variety of conditions of pH (3, 7, and 11), temperature (4, 25, 37, and 50 degrees ), and light exposure (dark, visible, and UV). The retinol that was incorporated into the liposomes degraded significantly slower than the free retinol or retinol with alpha-tocopherol at pH 7 and 11. At pH 3, where the free retinol degrades rapidly, the degradation kinetics were similar in liposomes and the presence of alpha-tocopherol. At pH 7.0 and 4 degrees in the light, for example, free aqueous retinol was completely degraded within 2 days, while only 20% of the retinol in the liposomes were degraded after 8 days. In general, the protective effect of the liposome incorporation was greater at low temperatures, at neutral and high pH, and in the dark. The results suggest that protection is greater in the solid, gel phase than in the fluid liquid crystalline phase lipids. These results indicate that the incorporation into liposomes can extend the shelf-life of retinol under a variety of conditions of temperature, pH, and ambient light conditions.
Article
Full-text available
Iron deficiency and marginal vitamin A (VA) deficiency frequently coexist and affect billions of people, mostly children and women, worldwide. The effects of these micronutrient deficiencies alone and in combination on hematologic, biochemical and molecular indices of iron and VA status were investigated in a 2 x 2 randomized blocked study conducted in growing male Sprague-Dawley rats. From 3-8 wk of age, rats were fed one of four purified diets that were either adequate or restricted in iron (Fe) and adequate or marginal in VA: (+)Fe(+)VA, 20.3 and 0.367 micro g/g, respectively, denoted control diet; (-)Fe(+)VA, 3.34 and 0.405 micro g/g; (+)FeVA(m), 22.2 and 0.051 micro g/g; or (-)FeVA(m), 3.03 and 0.055 micro g/g. Weight-matched rats fed adequate micronutrients were included to control for possible confounding effects of Fe deficiency on growth and feed efficiency. Iron restriction reduced (P < 0.05) weight gain, feed efficiency, blood hemoglobin and hematocrit. Plasma and liver iron and plasma transferrin saturation were reduced by approximately 50%, whereas liver transferrin mRNA and protein and transferrin receptor mRNA were elevated, as was liver ferritin light-chain protein and light-chain mRNA. Liver heavy-chain ferritin mRNA, hemopexin, ceruloplasmin and cellular retinol-binding protein mRNA were not affected by iron or VA restriction. Although marginal VA deficiency did not exacerbate indices of poor iron status during iron deficiency, iron deficiency was associated with lower plasma retinol and elevated liver VA concentrations. These results are consistent with an impaired mobilization of liver retinol during iron deficiency as well as multiple alterations in iron metabolism.
Article
Full-text available
Vitamin A deficiency impairs iron metabolism; vitamin A supplementation of vitamin A-deficient populations may reduce anemia. The mechanism of these effects is unclear. In vitro and in animal models, vitamin A treatment increases the production of erythropoietin (EPO), a stimulant of erythropoiesis. We measured the effect of vitamin A supplementation on hemoglobin, iron status, and circulating EPO concentrations in children with poor iron and vitamin A status. In a double-blind, randomized trial, Moroccan schoolchildren (n = 81) were given either vitamin A (200,000 IU) or placebo at baseline and at 5 mo. At baseline, 5 mo, and 10 mo, hemoglobin, indicators of iron and vitamin A status, and EPO were measured. At baseline, 54% of children were anemic; 77% had low vitamin A status. In the vitamin A group at 10 mo, serum retinol improved significantly compared with the control group (P < 0.02). Vitamin A treatment increased mean hemoglobin by 7 g/L (P < 0.02) and reduced the prevalence of anemia from 54% to 38% (P < 0.01). Vitamin A treatment increased mean corpuscular volume (P < 0.001) and decreased serum transferrin receptor (P < 0.001), indicating improved iron-deficient erythropoiesis. Vitamin A decreased serum ferritin (P < 0.02), suggesting mobilization of hepatic iron stores. Calculated from the ratio of transferrin receptor to serum ferritin, overall body iron stores remained unchanged. In the vitamin A group at 10 mo, we observed an increase in EPO (P < 0.05) and a decrease in the slope of the regression line of log10(EPO) on hemoglobin (P < 0.01). In children deficient in vitamin A and iron, vitamin A supplementation mobilizes iron from existing stores to support increased erythropoiesis, an effect likely mediated by increases in circulating EPO.
Article
Full-text available
Deficiencies of iron and zinc are prevalent worldwide. Interactions between these micronutrients therefore have important consequences, also for supplementation. To investigate effects on hemoglobin and zinc concentrations and interactions of iron and zinc supplementation in infants, data from 4 parallel, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trials in Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam were pooled. Infants (n=2468), aged 4-6 mo, were supplemented daily with iron (10 mg) and/or zinc (10 mg) for 6 mo. At 3 sites, infants were given vitamin A capsules (VAC) at recruitment. Combined supplementation reduced prevalences of anemia by 21% (P<0.01) and zinc deficiency by 10% (P<0.05) but was less effective (P<0.05) than supplementation with either iron (28% reduction in anemia) or zinc alone (18% reduction in zinc deficiency). Iron reduced the effect of zinc supplementation (interaction P<0.01), but had no separate effect on zinc status, whereas zinc supplementation had a negative effect on hemoglobin concentrations (-2.5 g/L, P<0.001), independent of iron supplementation (Pinteraction=0.25). The effect of iron supplementation on hemoglobin concentrations was almost twice as large in boys than in girls (effect size 12.0 vs. 6.8 g/L, respectively). In infants not receiving iron, VAC administration tended to be associated with lower (3.2%, P=0.07) hemoglobin concentrations. Combined supplementation of iron and zinc was safe and effective in reducing the high prevalences of anemia and iron and zinc deficiencies. Zinc supplementation may negatively affect iron status but iron supplementation does not seem to affect zinc status. Furthermore, VAC administration in the absence of iron supplementation may increase the incidence of anemia.
Article
Full-text available
Iron deficiency anemia is a major public health problem in developing countries and may affect school performance and physical work capacity in nonpregnant adolescents, and may increase the risk of anemia during subsequent teenage pregnancies. We assessed the effect of weekly iron (120 mg elemental iron) and vitamin A (25 000 IU) supplementation on hemoglobin, iron status and malaria and nonmalaria morbidity in adolescent schoolgirls. A total of 279 schoolgirls aged 12-18 years from public primary schools in Kisumu, western Kenya. Double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial using a factorial design. Five months of iron supplementation was associated with a 0.52 g dl(-1) (0.21, 0.82) greater increase in hemoglobin relative to iron placebo. The effect was only observed in girls with iron deficiency on enrollment (1.34 g dl(-1) (0.79, 1.88)), but not in iron-replete girls (-0.20 g dl(-1) (-0.59, 0.18)). Similar differences in treatment effect were seen between menstruating and nonmenstruating girls. The effect of iron was independent of vitamin A. The baseline prevalence of vitamin A deficiency was low (6.7%) and no sustained increase in hemoglobin was seen with weekly vitamin A (-0.07 g dl(-1) (-0.38, 0.25)). Incidence of malaria parasitemia was higher in the iron than iron-placebo groups (Rate ratio 1.33 (0.94, 1.88)). Weekly iron supplementation results in substantial increases in hemoglobin concentration in adolescent schoolgirls in western Kenya, which may outweigh possible risks caused by malaria, but only in iron-deficient or menstruating girls and not in iron-replete and nonmenstruating girls.
Article
Native sodium caseinate-Vitamin A (Vit A)complex {Sodium caseinate-Vit A complex (NaCas-VA)}, and modified sodium caseinate-Vitamin A complexes {succinylated sodium caseinate-Vit A complex (SNaCas-VA), reassembled sodium caseinate-Vit A complex (RNaCas-VA)and reassembled succinylated sodium caseinate-Vit A complex (RSNaCas-VA)} were prepared and evaluated for effective storage conditions and in-vitro bioaccessibility of vitamin A. Complexes showed higher vitamin A stability when packed in aluminium laminate pouches as compared to microcentrifuge tubes. Free vitamin A (fat soluble)showed the lowest vitamin A stability followed by NaCas-VA, SNaCas-VA, RNaCas-VA and RSNaCas-VA complexes at different storage temperatures i.e. −20 °C, 4 °C and 37 °C. All complexes and free vitamin A (fat soluble)showed the lowest stability at 37 °C followed by 4 °C and −20 °C. Stability of milk protein -Vit A complexes were ascertained at two different pH (5.0 and 7.0). In-vitro bioaccessibility of vitamin A was higher for milk protein-Vit A complexes as compared to free vitamin A (fat soluble).
Article
Native sodium caseinate-vitamin A (VA) complexes (Sodium caseinate-VA complex, NaCaS-VA) and modified sodium caseinate-VA complexes i.e. Succinylated sodium caseinate-VA complex (SNaCaS-VA), reassembled sodium caseinate-VA complex (RNaCaS-VA) and reassembled succinylated sodium caseinate-VA complex (RSNaCaS-VA) were prepared and evaluated for their in-vitro bioaccessibility and in-vitro bioavailability of VA through Caco-2 cell lines.VA degraded under acidic conditions as the physiological pH during digestion in stomach was highly acidic (1.2–1.8). During in-vitro gastric digestion, sodium caseinate provided protection to VA, hence, higher VA content was retained in digesta as compared to free VA (oily form). Vitamin uptake by Caco-2 cells was significantly different for digested sodium caseinate-VA complexes as compared to free VA. The peptide content of casein and various sodium caseinate-VA complexes was monitored throughout digestion process. Variation in the complex composition had an effect on protein digestibility and peptide distribution. The bioavailability of VA through sodium caseinate-VA complexes was evaluated by exposing Caco-2 cells to the digesta of milk fortified with various complexes. The total uptake of VA by Caco-2 cells was highest for milk fortified with RSNaCaS-VA followed by RNaCaS-VA, control milk, SNaCaS-VA, NaCaS-VA and free VA. During the formation of RNaCaS-VA and RSNaCaS-VA complexes more hydrophobic sites are exposed, leading to the attachment of VA on the interior hydrophobic regions of sodium caseinate molecule. This led to higher stability of VA during gastrointestinal digestion and further resulted in higher bioaccessibility and bioavailability of vitamin A in Caco-2 cells.
Book
To achieve and maintain optimal health, it is essential that the vitamins in foods are present in sufficient quantity and are in a form that the body can assimilate. Vitamins in Foods: Analysis, Bioavailability, and Stability presents the latest information about vitamins and their analysis, bioavailability, and stability in foods. The contents of the book is divided into two parts to facilitate accessibility and understanding. Part I, Properties of Vitamins, discusses the effects of food processing on vitamin retention, the physiology of vitamin absorption, and the physiochemical properties of individual vitamins. Factors affecting vitamin bioavailability are also discussed in detail. The second part, Analysis of Vitamins, describes the principles of analytical methods and provides detailed methods for depicting individual vitamins in foods. Analytical topics of particular interest include the identification of problems associated with quantitatively extracting vitamins from the food matrix; assay techniques, including immunoassays, protein binding, microbiological, and biosensor assays; the presentation of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methodology illustrated in tables accompanied by step-by-step details of sample preparation; the explanation of representative separations (chromatograms) taken from original research papers are reproduced together with ultraviolet and florescence spectra of vitamins; the appraisal of various analytical approaches that are currently employed. Comprehensive andcomplete, Vitamins in Foods: Analysis, Bioavailability, and Stability is a must have resource for those who need the latest information on analytical methodology and factors affecting vitamin bioavailability and retention in foods.
Article
Anemia is a worldwide public health problem that can be related to many causes, including vitamin A deficiency. The aim of this study was to assess and estimate the effect of vitamin A supplementation (VAS) on iron status biomarkers and anemia in humans. Six databases, including Cochrane, EMBASE, LILACS, Pubmed, Scopus and Web of Science, were searched for clinical trials and cohort studies that investigated the effect of vitamin A supplementation alone on iron status and anemia, without time-restriction. The search yielded 23 eligible studies, 21 clinical trials and 2 cohort studies, with children, teenagers, pregnant or lactating women. The meta-analysis of the clinical trials showed that VAS reduces the risk of anemia by 26% and raises hemoglobin levels, compared to non-treated group, independent of the life stage. VAS did not alter the prevalence of iron deficiency among the clinical trials conducted with children and teenagers (RR 0.82, 95% CI 0.60 to 1.12, p = 0.204), whereas a significant increase in serum ferritin levels was observed in trials conducted with pregnant and lactating women (WMD 6.61 μg/L; 95% CI 6.00 to 7.21 μg/L; p < 0.001). Therefore, vitamin A supplementation alone may reduce the risk of anemia, by improving hemoglobin and ferritin levels in individuals with low serum retinol levels.
Article
The objective of the present investigation was to determine bioavailability of calcium and vitamin D2 from milk fortified with either calcium or vitamin D2 alone or when both were used for preparation of multiple micronutrient fortified milk and also to study its interaction with iron and zinc bioavailability. 32 weanling male rats (aged 21-28days) were assigned into four groups and were fed milk and milk fortified with calcium, vitamin D2 and calcium+vitamin D2. Vitamin D2 increased calcium bioavailability. In multiple micronutrient fortified milk, the bioavailability of both calcium+vitamin D2 increased in comparison to single fortification. Calcium fortification decreased, whereas vitamin D2 increased the absorption of iron and zinc. However, calcium and vitamin D2 when fortified in combination, the iron and zinc bioavailability was similar to control group. There was positive association between bioavailability of calcium and vitamin D2.
Article
Food enrichment with nutraceuticals is an important goal, but its effectiveness in preventing diseases depends on preserving the functionality and bioavailability of the bioactive nutraceuticals. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are important nutraceutical lipids, providing protection against cardiovascular and other diseases. Caseins are the major milk proteins whose biological function is to transport calcium, protein and phosphate from mother to the neonate. Our goal was to harness the natural self-assembly properties of caseins for protecting and delivering this important, but sensitive nutraceutical, DHA. Using spectrofluorescence we have shown, apparently for the first time, that casein can bind DHA with a relatively high affinity (Kb=(8.38±3.12)×106M−1), and the binding ratio was 3–4 DHA molecules per protein molecule on average. Moreover, DLS particle characterization experiments have shown the formation of nanoparticles upon addition of DHA (predissolved in ethanol) to a casein solution. When calcium and phosphate were added (at 4°C), DHA-loaded re-formed casein micelles (r-CM) with a size of 50–60nm were obtained and there was no significant effect of the thermal treatment (74°C, 20s) on particle size. When casein nanoparticles (CNP) were prepared (at room temperature and without adding calcium and phosphate), DHA-loaded CNP with a diameter of 288.9±9.6nm were formed. Both the DHA-loaded r-CM and the DHA-loaded CNP systems showed a remarkable protective effect against DHA oxidation, demonstrating good colloidal stability and bioactive conservation throughout shelf life at 4°C. These nanotechnologies may enable the enrichment of foods and beverages for promoting health of wide populations.
Article
Noncovalent interactions play a dominant role in many forefront areas of modern chemistry, from materials design to molecular biology. A detailed understanding of the physical origin and scope of such interactions has become a major goal of physical organic chemistry. Compared to the more conventional interactions such as hydrogen bonds, ion pairs (salt bridges), and the hydrophobic interaction, the cation-π interaction has been relatively underappreciated. It is not a new effect-experimental support for a prominent interaction in the gas phase appeared more than 15 years ago, and the potential for such an interaction has always been evident from an electrostatic analysis of benzene.
Article
Vitamin A deficiency affects many children in the developing world, and is preventable via food or pharmaceutical supplementation. The main technical barrier to the fortification of food with vitamin A is its susceptibility to oxidation and isomerization, which result in loss of nutritional efficacy. This review discusses recent technological avenues for stabilizing vitamin A in foods.
Article
Antioxidants may function by preventing the formation of radicals or by scavenging radicals or hydrogen peroxide and other peroxides. Milk contains several antioxidant factors, like vitamins and enzymes. Possible antioxidant activity of milk proteins and hydrolysates has also been shown. Peptides generated from the digestion of milk proteins are reported to have antioxidative activities. Milk-derived antioxidative peptides are composed of 5–11 amino acids including hydrophobic amino acids, proline, histidine, tyrosine or tryptophan in the sequence. The structure–activity relationship or the antioxidant mechanism of peptides is not fully understood. Antioxidant activity of the hydrolysates seems to be inherent to the characteristic amino acid sequences of peptides derived, depending on the protease specificity. The results suggest that the hydrolysates from milk proteins could be used as natural antioxidants in enhancing antioxidant properties of functional foods and in preventing oxidation reaction in food processing. Further studies are needed to elucidate the role of antioxidative peptides in the protective function in humans.
Article
Menopause has been reported to be associated with increased oxidative stress and metabolic disorders among women worldwide. Disarrangements in the redox state similar to those observed in women during the decline of ovarian hormonal activity can be obtained experimentally through rat bilateral ovariectomy. The search for alternative treatments to improve life quality in postmenopausal woman is really important. The aim of this study was to evaluate biochemical and oxidative stress parameters that distinguish sham-operated female rats from Wistar rats bilaterally ovariectomized (OVX). Additionally, we have also investigated the effects of retinol palmitate (a vitamin A supplement) low-dose supplementation (500 or 1500 IU/kg/day, during 30 days) upon blood and plasma antioxidant status in OVX rats. Ovariectomy caused an increase in body weight gain, pronounced uterine atrophy, decreased plasma triglycerides and increased total cholesterol levels, and reduced acid uric content. Moreover, we found increased blood peroxidase activities (catalase and glutathione peroxidase), decreased plasma non-enzymatic antioxidant defenses total reactive antioxidant potential and total antioxidant reactivity, decreased protein and non-protein SH levels, accompanied by increased protein oxidative damage (carbonyl). In addition, vitamin A low-dose supplementation was capable to ameliorate antioxidant status in OVX rats, restoring both enzymatic and non-enzymatic defenses, promoting reduction in plasma SH content, and decreasing protein oxidative damage levels. This is the first work in the literature showing that vitamin A at low dose may be beneficial in the treatment of menopause symptoms. Further studies will be made to better understand the effects of vitamin A supplementation in menopause rat model.
Article
The ability to measure endogenous metabolites of retinoids (vitamin A and its derivatives) in biological samples is key to understanding the crucial physiological actions of vitamin A. Over the years, many assays and methods have been developed to analyze different retinoids in biological samples. Liquid chromatography is the best analytical technique for routine analysis of these compounds. However, due to their different chemical properties, different retinoid metabolites cannot be accurately separated and quantified in a single chromatographic run. Here, we will describe a reverse-phase HPLC isocratic method that enables extraction, separation, identification, and quantification of all-trans-retinol and different molecular species of retinyl ester with high accuracy, sensitivity, and reliability.
Article
Carotenoids are thought to contribute to the beneficial effects of increased vegetable consumption. Various dietary factors have an effect on the bioavailability of carotenoids. The type of food matrix in which carotenoids are located is a major factor. The bioavailability of beta-carotene from vegetables in particular has been shown to be low (14% from mixed vegetables) compared with that of purified beta-carotene added to a simple matrix (e.g., salad dressing), whereas for lutein, the difference is much smaller (relative bioavailability of 67% from mixed vegetables). Processing, such as mechanical homogenization or heat treatment, has the potential to enhance the bioavailability of carotenoids from vegetables (from 18% to a sixfold increase). The amount of dietary fat required to ensure carotenoid absorption seems low (approximately 3-5 g per meal), although it depends on the physicochemical characteristics of the carotenoids ingested. Unabsorbable, fat-soluble compounds reduce carotenoid absorption, and interaction among carotenoids may also result in a reduced carotenoid bioavailability. Research into the functional benefits of carotenoids should consider the fact that the bioavailability of beta-carotene in particular is one order of magnitude higher when provided as a pure compound added to foods than when it is present naturally in foods.
Article
Xerophthalmia classification was traditionally used to identify populations with vitamin A deficiency. Currently, night blindness and dark adaptometry have been proposed as population assessment methods. While eye signs and function tests are still used in areas where vitamin A deficiency is severe, a subclinical vitamin A deficiency is more prevalent. Serum and breast milk retinol concentrations are used to identify vitamin A deficiency risk. However, in healthy individuals, serum retinol concentrations are homeostatically controlled and do not begin to decline until liver reserves of vitamin A are dangerously low. Moreover, serum retinol and retinol binding protein (RBP) concentrations fall during times of infection. The RBP:transthyretin ratio may help to determine if serum retinol concentrations are depressed by infection. Other methods better reflect liver reserves of vitamin A, the "gold" standard. The relative dose response and modified relative dose response tests involve giving a small dose of retinyl or dehydroretinyl ester, respectively, and determining a response in the serum at about 5 h. A new response test where retinoyl beta-glucuronide is administered and the degree of hydrolysis to retinoic acid is measured has been investigated. Unlike isotope dilution tests, the dose response tests lack utility in defining the total body reserve of vitamin A. The deuterated retinol isotope dilution test has been used in several different groups. Recently, a new isotope assay was developed using 13C-retinyl acetate and gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry for analysis. Thus, having many choices of vitamin A assessment methods, laboratory sophistication and resources available will usually dictate which methods are chosen.
Article
Vitamin A supplementation to preschool children is known to decrease the risks of mortality and morbidity from some forms of diarrhea, measles, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, and malaria. These effects are likely to be the result of the actions of vitamin A on immunity. Some of the immunomodulatory mechanisms of vitamin A have been described in clinical trials and can be correlated with clinical outcomes of supplementation. The effects on morbidity from measles are related to enhanced antibody production and lymphocyte proliferation. Benefits for severe diarrhea could be attributable to the functions of vitamin A in sustaining the integrity of mucosal epithelia in the gut, whereas positive effects among HIV-infected children could also be related to increased T-cell lymphopoiesis. There is no conclusive evidence for a direct effect of vitamin A supplementation on cytokine production or lymphocyte activation. Under certain circumstances, vitamin A supplementation to infants has the potential to improve the antibody response to some vaccines, including tetanus and diphtheria toxoids and measles. There is limited research on the effects of vitamin A supplementation to adults and the elderly on their immune function; currently available data provide no consistent evidence for beneficial effects. Additional studies with these age groups are needed.
Development and evaluation of Vitamin A and iron fortified milk
  • Bhawna
Bhawna. (2012). Development and evaluation of Vitamin A and iron fortified milk. Karnal, India: Thesis submitted to the National Dairy Research Institute.
Cochelate preparations of fragile nutrients. Biodelivery Sciences international Inc.. WIPO patent application WO
  • R Mannino
  • S Krause-Elsmore
Mannino, R., & Krause-Elsmore, S. (2004). Cochelate preparations of fragile nutrients. Biodelivery Sciences international Inc.. WIPO patent application WO 2004064805 A1.
Effect of vitamin A supplementation on iron status in humans: A systematic review and meta-analysis
  • M Cunha
  • S Campos
  • H Arruda
Cunha, M.,S., Campos, H., & Arruda, S. (2019). Effect of vitamin A supplementation on iron status in humans: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 59(11), 1767-1781.
Influence of feeding different vegetables on plasma levels of carotenoids, folate and vitamin C -Effect of disruption of the vegetables matrix
  • H Van
  • L B M Tijburg
  • K H Pietrzik
  • J A Westrate
Van, H., Tijburg, L. B. M., Pietrzik, K. H., & Westrate, J. A. (1999). Influence of feeding different vegetables on plasma levels of carotenoids, folate and vitamin C -Effect of disruption of the vegetables matrix. British Journal of Nutrition, 82, 203-212.
Combined iron and zinc supplementation in infants improved iron and zinc status, but interactions reduced efficacy in multicountry trial in Southeast Asia
  • F T Wieringa
  • J Berger
  • M A Dijikhuisen
  • A Hidayat
  • N X Ninh
  • B Utomo
  • E Wasantwisut
  • P Winichagoon
Wieringa, F. T., Berger, J., Dijikhuisen, M. A., Hidayat, A., Ninh, N. X., Utomo, B., Wasantwisut, E., Winichagoon, P., & SEAMITIZI (South-east Asia Multi Country Trial On Iron and Zinc Supplementation in Infants) study group. (2007). Combined iron and zinc supplementation in infants improved iron and zinc status, but interactions reduced efficacy in multicountry trial in Southeast Asia. Journal of Nutrition, 137, 466-471.