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Effect of long term vegetarian diet on biomarkers of antioxidant status and cardiovascular risk
Abstract
We compared plasma biomarkers of antioxidant status, oxidative stress, inflammation, and risk for coronary heart disease in long-term vegetarians and age- and sex-matched omnivores.
Thirty vegetarians (mean age +/- standard deviation: 44.2 +/- 9.0 y) were recruited. The subjects had been vegetarian for 5 to 55 y (21.8 +/- 12.2 y). The control group comprised 30 adults selected by age-stratified sampling from a community health project (mean age: 44.0 +/- 9.2 y). Fasting plasma total antioxidant status (ferric-reducing antioxidant power), ascorbic acid (AA), alpha-tocopherol (total and lipid standardized), malondialdehyde, total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, uric acid (UA), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were measured.
Plasma AA was significantly higher in the vegetarians than in the omnivores (90.5 +/- 21.0 and 61.8 +/- 17.0 microM; P < 0.001). The vegetarians had lower concentrations of triacylglycerol, UA, and hsCRP. Plasma total and lipid-standardized alpha-tocopherol concentrations were also lower in the vegetarians: 22.0 +/- 5.9 and 27.0 +/- 7.9 microM versus 3.76 +/- 0.57 and 4.23 +/- 0.58 microM per millimoles per liter of total cholesterol plus triacylglycerol, respectively. There was a significant inverse correlation between AA and UA (r = -0.343, P < 0.01; n = 60) and between AA and hsCRP (r = -0.306, P < 0.05; n = 55). Plasma ferric-reducing antioxidant power and malondialdehyde did not differ significantly between groups; however, the contribution of AA to the total antioxidant capacity of plasma was approximately 50% greater in the vegetarians.
A long-term vegetarian diet is associated with markedly higher fasting plasma AA concentrations and lower concentrations of TAG, UA, and hsCRP. Long-term vegetarians have a better antioxidant status and coronary heart disease risk profile than do apparently healthy omnivores. Plasma AA may act a useful marker of overall health status.
... The absence of a significant difference between vegetarians and omnivores in the Taiwanese population was further reported in studies by Su et al. (2011), Yang et al. (2020 and Yen et al. (2010). In the Chinese population, a study by Szeto, Kwok, and Benzie (2004) found significantly lower hs-CRP in vegetarians while a more recent study found no effect of the vegetarian diet on CRP (Yang et al. 2011). ...
... As for vitamin intake, the majority of the studies yielded contradictory results, so we will highlight only those with the most straightforward ones. Based on our literature review, we found that different vegetarian diets could have a beneficial effect in terms of higher vitamin intake (such as vitamins A, C, and E) and their level in human body (Fenech and Rinaldi 1995;Hänninen et al. 2000;Kažimírová et al. 2006;Kováčiková et al. 1998;Krajcovicova-Kudlackova et al. 1994, 1995a, 1995b, 1995c, 1995d, 1996a, 1996b, 1997Krajcovicova-Kudlackova and Dusinská 2004;Lin et al. 2019;Millet et al. 1989;Nagyová et al. 1998;Poornima et al. 2003;Rauma et al. 1995;Somannavar and Kodliwadmath 2012;Szeto, Kwok, and Benzie 2004;Verhagen et al. 1996) that could also be sex-dependent (Kováčiková et al. 1998;Millet et al. 1989). However, studies also suggest that there is no difference in the level of vitamins (such as vitamins A and E) between vegetarians and omnivores, and even that vegetarian vitamin pools (such as vitamins A and E) can be lower (Elorinne et al. 2016;Fenech and Rinaldi 1995;Haldar et al. 2007;Krajcovicova-Kudlackova et al. 2011, 2008Li et al. 2000;Malter, Schriever, and Eilber 1989;Miles et al. 2019;Nagyová et al. 1998;Šebeková et al. 2006;Szeto, Kwok, and Benzie 2004;Tiahou et al. 2004;Weikert et al. 2020) probably if their diet is not well balanced or due to the poor bioavailability of these micronutrients from plant-based foods (Platel and Srinivasan 2016). ...
... Based on our literature review, we found that different vegetarian diets could have a beneficial effect in terms of higher vitamin intake (such as vitamins A, C, and E) and their level in human body (Fenech and Rinaldi 1995;Hänninen et al. 2000;Kažimírová et al. 2006;Kováčiková et al. 1998;Krajcovicova-Kudlackova et al. 1994, 1995a, 1995b, 1995c, 1995d, 1996a, 1996b, 1997Krajcovicova-Kudlackova and Dusinská 2004;Lin et al. 2019;Millet et al. 1989;Nagyová et al. 1998;Poornima et al. 2003;Rauma et al. 1995;Somannavar and Kodliwadmath 2012;Szeto, Kwok, and Benzie 2004;Verhagen et al. 1996) that could also be sex-dependent (Kováčiková et al. 1998;Millet et al. 1989). However, studies also suggest that there is no difference in the level of vitamins (such as vitamins A and E) between vegetarians and omnivores, and even that vegetarian vitamin pools (such as vitamins A and E) can be lower (Elorinne et al. 2016;Fenech and Rinaldi 1995;Haldar et al. 2007;Krajcovicova-Kudlackova et al. 2011, 2008Li et al. 2000;Malter, Schriever, and Eilber 1989;Miles et al. 2019;Nagyová et al. 1998;Šebeková et al. 2006;Szeto, Kwok, and Benzie 2004;Tiahou et al. 2004;Weikert et al. 2020) probably if their diet is not well balanced or due to the poor bioavailability of these micronutrients from plant-based foods (Platel and Srinivasan 2016). The same goes with regard to carotenoids, whose concentration is generally higher in vegetarians compared to omnivores (Hänninen et al. 2000;Kažimírová et al. 2006;Krajcovicova-Kudlackova et al. 1995b, 1995d, 1996a, 1996b, 1997, 2008Krajcovicova-Kudlackova and Dusinská 2004;Malter, Schriever, and Eilber 1989;Markussen et al. 2015;Miles et al. 2019;Rauma et al. 1995;Šebeková et al. 2006;Verhagen et al. 1996) although some studies did not find significant differences between dietary groups (Elorinne et al. 2016;Haldar et al. 2007). ...
The health benefit of a vegetarian diet is still under debate as it may result in a higher intake of some beneficial micronutrients, while others may be reduced, thus influencing various metabolic pathways and health-related biomarkers. This scoping review discusses inflammatory, oxidative and DNA damage status in vegetarians and vegans compared to omnivores. Most of the reviewed studies indicated favorable effects of a vegetarian diet on oxidative status compared to omnivores but did not clearly associate particular dietary habits to genome damage. The evidence on the effect of vegetarian diet on the inflammatory and immunological biomarkers is poor, which could at least partly be explained by methodological constraints such as small sample size, short duration of vegetarianism and inconsistent definitions of the omnivorous diet. The only inflammatory biomarker that seems to be associated with the vegetarian diet was inflammatory mediator C-reactive protein, which in several studies showed lower values in vegetarians as compared to omnivores. There were very few studies on immunological markers and the results on the difference between vegetarians and omnivores were inconclusive. Although several biomarkers involved in oxidative stress and inflammation showed a beneficial association with the vegetarian diet, further research in well-defined and sufficiently sized cohorts is needed to provide more evidence.
... Main characteristics of the included 21 studies are summarized in Table 1. Studies were conducted across 3 continents, most studies were conducted in Asia (12 studies 19,[22][23][24][25][26][27]29,32,35,36 ), followed by Europe (6 studies 18,20,21,28,30,37 ) and South America (3 studies 17,33,34 ). All studies, with exception of one prospective study 29 , used a cross-sectional design. ...
... Twenty studies investigated the association between a vegetarian diet and inflammatory biomarkers compared to omnivores [17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36] , two studies of them examined also the association between a vegan diet and inflammatory biomarkers, in parallel to a vegetarian diet 18,34 . The study by Menzel et al. 37 investigated the association between a vegan diet and inflammatory biomarkers compared to an omnivorous diet only. ...
... In total, 38.2% of all involved participants were male. With regard to the outcome assessment, most of the studies focused on CRP (n = 20 [17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37], whereas a restricted number of studies evaluated IL-6 (n = 3 28,31,36 ), TNF-ɑ (n = 3 28,34,36 ), adiponectin (n = 2 36,37 ) or resistin (n = 2 36,37 ). The other inflammatory biomarkers E-selectin (n = 1 34 ), MCP-1 (n = 1 28 ), IL-18, IL-1 RA, ICAM-1 and omentin-1 were only analyzed in one study 37 . ...
Plant-based diets like vegetarian or vegan diets might influence circulating levels of inflammatory biomarkers, thereby reducing the risk of chronic diseases. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the associations of veganism and vegetarianism with circulating inflammatory biomarkers in comparison to omnivores. Literature search was conducted in Pubmed and EMBASE until April 2020 and mean differences of biomarkers were assessed for: C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-18 (IL-18), interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1 RA), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-ɑ), E-selectin, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), adiponectin, omentin-1 and resistin. Of initially identified 1073 publications, 21 cross-sectional studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. Vegan diet was associated with lower levels of CRP compared to omnivores [mean difference − 0.54 mg/l, 95%-CI: − 0.79 to − 0.28, p < 0.0001]. This association was less pronounced in vegetarians [mean difference − 0.25 mg/l, 95%-CI: − 0.49 to 0.00, p = 0.05]. In patients with impaired kidney function, the association between vegetarian nutrition and CRP was much stronger with − 3.91 mg/l (95%-CI: − 5.23 to − 2.60; p < 0.0001). No substantial effects were observed for all other inflammatory biomarkers. Despite strong associations between CRP and a vegan or vegetarian diet were seen, further research is needed, as most inflammatory biomarkers were investigated only in single studies so far.
... However, no significant difference was observed in terms of weight loss, glycemic control, and improvement of lipid profile of individuals in both diet groups (Kim, Hwang, Park, & Bae, 2013). In another study, a long-term vegetarian diet was found to be associated with significantly lower CRP concentrations (Szeto, Kwok, & Benzie, 2004). ...
... High uric acid level has been reported to be directly associated with insulin resistance, hypertension and CVD risk. Therefore, vegetarian diets are thought to be effective in reducing mortality (Szeto et al., 2004). ...
... The World Cancer Research Fund recommends five or more portions of fruit and vegetables each day. In addition, the recently recommended daily intake of vitamin C in the US has been revised to 75 mg / day for women and 90 mg / day for men (Szeto et al., 2004). Although the identity of the preservative component or components in fruits and vegetables is not yet clear, vitamin C (ascorbic acid) intake and plasma concentrations have been reported to be inversely correlated with all-cause mortality rates (Khaw et al., 2001). ...
Inflammation usually occurs as a result of imbalances between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Diet is one of the factors that play a role in their development and prevent them from developing. Therefore, it is important to determine the pro- and anti-inflammatory properties of foods. Diet is an important and modifiable determinant of chronic diseases. There is a lot of scientific evidence to support the fact that foods consumed have positive and negative effects on individuals' health. In addition to being effective whole of diet, it is seen that the food groups contained in the diet affect the inflammatory biomarkers separately. This section provides information about dietary inflammatory index (DII) and diets that are effective on inflammation.
... This is due to a low-fat WFPB dietary pattern being particularly nutrient dense with a large proportion of energy coming from whole, plant-based foods, naturally high in an array of phytochemicals (Bruce et al. 2000;Rajaram 2003;Turner-McGrievy et al. 2004;Dewell et al. 2008). Consumption of these dietary components can have a direct influence on physiological systems including the inflammatory response (Calder et al. 2011;Barbaresko et al. 2013), the immune system (Larsson & Johansson 2002) and cellular oxidative stress (Szeto et al. 2004;Gravina et al. 2012), likely due to their antioxidant-type effects exerted by the foods. Importantly, low-fat WFPB eating patterns also lack, or are limited in, certain nutritional components such as saturated fat, choline, cholesterol and L-carnitine which can have negative outcomes for these systems (Tall & Yvan-Charvet 2015;Rocha et al. 2017;Janeiro et al. 2018). ...
... Dietary patterns and foods rich in antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, polyphenols and beta-carotene have been shown to improve a person's antioxidant status (Szeto et al. 2004;Gravina et al. 2012). Polyphenols are the most abundant antioxidants consumed in the diet (Scalbert et al. 2005) with particularly high intakes observed in plant-based dietary patterns (Rajaram 2003). ...
... Polyphenols are the most abundant antioxidants consumed in the diet (Scalbert et al. 2005) with particularly high intakes observed in plant-based dietary patterns (Rajaram 2003). The high dietary intake of polyphenols in plant-based dietary patterns has been reported to translate to an enhanced antioxidant status for those following a plant-based dietary pattern (Rauma & Mykkanen 2000;Szeto et al. 2004;Nduka et al. 2011). ...
Plant‐based dietary patterns are associated with reduced risk of many chronic diseases. Athletes have increasingly been adopting plant‐based diets not only for the related health benefits but for perceived improvements in endurance performance. Several theoretical mechanistic underpinnings have been described as to why a plant‐based dietary pattern may improve endurance performance. This review focuses on plant‐based dietary patterns and their hypothesised ability to modulate endurance performance specifically from an antioxidant, inflammatory and immunological perspective. Studies quantifying the function of plant‐based dietary patterns on endurance performance are scarce; however, research exploring physiological changes in immune, oxidative and inflammatory systems with the adoption of a plant‐based dietary pattern appears to be favourable. Overall, research suggests that the consumption of a plant‐based diet may result in improvements in C‐reactive protein, interleukin‐6, fibrinogen and leukocyte concentrations, while some studies report improved lymphocyte responsiveness and improved natural killer cell functionality. These changes may be the result of an optimised intake of phytochemicals (particularly polyphenols), unrefined carbohydrates and saturated fat which could theoretically translate into small improvements to endurance performance. It is important to note that any improvement to endurance performance via these systems would likely be minor and difficult to quantify; nevertheless, the findings of the current body of evidence highlight the need for further research in this area.
... In the light of the reported references, it can be concluded that the type of food consumed is of great importance in the effective fight against stress and the creation of mental resilience. It has been shown that a vegetarian diet reduces the level of arachidonic acid, which is associated with the reduction of oxidative stress, while a meat diet may increase its level, and disturb well-being (Key et al.,1999;Szeto et al., 2004). Moreover, vegetarianism is the result of moral experiences and a philosophy of life promoting the protection of the natural environment, including animals, and a healthy lifestyle. ...
... In line with the assumption of hypothesis 1a, it turned out that vegetarians present a statistically significantly lower sense of stress. As there is not enough research to clearly demonstrate whether a vegetarian diet is the cause of well-being or its result, these measurements should be considered in subsequent studies (Key et al., 1999;Szeto et al., 2004). ...
Objective: The aim of this study was to establish the interdependencies between the sense of coherence, nutritional maturity and the sense of stress in a group of young adults, considering their diet. Ultimately, research efforts were aimed at testing the predictive power of the study variables against the feeling of stress. Method: The study was conducted in a group of 100 people in the 20–33 age range that were following either a vegetarian and meat diet. The Antonovsky’s Sense of Coherence Questionnaire, the Nutritional Maturity Questionnaire (Potocka & Najder, 2016) and the Sense of Stress Questionnaire (Plopa & Makarowski, 2010) were applied. Results: The results indicate a significantly lower intensity of emotional tension, intrapsychic, external and general stress, as well as significantly higher indicators of the sense of coherence and nutritional maturity in the group of vegetarians. Moreover, nutritional maturity was found to be negatively correlated to the sense of stress, while the sense of coherence was noted to be positively correlated to the nutritional maturity. In the end, it was demonstrated that the sense of coherence played an important role in predicting stress as experienced by young adults. Conclusion: The research provided important knowledge on the relationship between attitudes towards nutrition and experiencing stress in a group of young adults.
... Vegetarian or plant-based diets may have multiple beneficial effects on our bodies, though they could also contribute to the deficiency of nutrients, such as vitamin B12, vitamin D, iron, calcium, zinc, and ω-3 fatty acids [10]. Studies have reported that a vegetarian diet is associated with a lower risk of gout and hyperuricemia [11,12]. In addition, dietary habits can affect urine pH. ...
... Another study found that vegans had higher serum uric acid concentrations than meat eaters [31]. Similar to our study, Szeto et al. found that vegetarians had lower uric acid concentrations than omnivores [12]. In addition, few studies have reported that lacto-ovo vegetarians have lower risks of hyperuricemia or gout [11,15]. ...
Hyperuricemia is a well-known risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD). Little is known about whether a vegetarian diet is associated with a lower risk of CKD in patients with hyperuricemia. From 5 September 2005, to 31 December 2016, we retrospectively included clinically stable patients with hyperuricemia who received health checkups at Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital. All participants completed a dietary habits questionnaire to determine whether they were omnivorous, lacto-ovo vegetarian, or vegan. CKD was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73 m 2 or the presence of proteinuria. A total of 3618 patients with hyperuricemia were recruited for this cross-sectional study, consisting of 225 vegans, 509 lacto-ovo vegetarians, and 2884 omnivores. After adjusting for age and sex, vegans had a significantly lower odds ratio (OR) of CKD than omnivores (OR, 0.62; p = 0.006). The OR of CKD remained significantly lower in vegans after adjusting for additional confounders (OR, 0.69; p = 0.04). Additionally, age (per year OR, 1.06; p < 0.001), diabetes mellitus (OR, 2.12; p < 0.001), hypertension (OR, 1.73; p < 0.001), obesity (OR, 1.24; p = 0.02), smoking (OR, 2.05; p < 0.001), and very high uric acid levels (OR, 2.08; p < 0.001) were independent risk factors for CKD in patients with hyperuricemia. Moreover, structural equation mod-eling revealed that a vegan diet was associated with a lower OR of CKD (OR, 0.69; p < 0.05). A vegan diet is associated with a 31% lower risk of CKD in patients with hyperuricemia. A vegan diet may be beneficial in reducing the occurrence of CKD in patients with hyperuricemia.
... These benefits are related to a reduced risk of morbidity and mortality [11,12], reduced incidence of cancer [13], particularly among VEG [ ], and to a reduced risk of developing metabolic syndrome [14]. ...
... In addition, one of the earliest studies on the topic found an association between diverticular disease and low consumption of grain fibers when it compared patients with and without this disease in vegetarian and non-vegetarian groups. In this study, dietary fiber consumption was linked to the prevalence of symptomatic diverticular colonic disease, which was found to be more common among non-vegetarians (33 ) than vegetarians (12 ). In comparison to non-vegetarians, vegetarians consumed much more fiber on average (41.5 g day) than the former (21.4 g day) [84]. ...
Plant-based diets (PBDs), rich in high-quality plant foods, offer multiple benefits for the overall and gastrointestinal health. Recently, it has been demostrated that the positive effects of PBDs on gastrointestinal health can be mediated by the gut microbiota, in particular, by inducing a greater diversity of bacteria. This review summarizes current knowledge on the relationship between nutrition, the gut microbiota, and host metabolic status. We discussed how dietary habits modify the composition and physiological activity of the gut microbiota and how gut dysbiosis affects the most prevalent gastrointestinal diseases, including inflammatory bowel diseases, functional bowel disorders, liver disorders, and gastrointestinal cancer. The beneficial role of PBDs is being increasingly recognized as potentially useful in the management of most diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
... Another study showed a negative correlation between FEV1 and haptoglobin level in men [38]. This relationship indicates that with increasing severity of disease and further reduction of FEV1, the inflammatory process and its serum markers will increase. ...
... A plant-based diet has been shown to reduce markers of inflammation such as hs-CRP. Lower levels of hs-CRP were found in those following a vegetarian diet for more than 2 years [38,39]. An interventional study found that after 8 weeks on a vegan diet, hs-CRP was reduced 32%, even more than the American Heart Association diet [40]. ...
... Additionally, the lipophilic antioxidant vitamin E is known to be an antiatherogenic and anti-inflammatory agent. 43 Plasma ascorbic acid concentrations have been shown to be nearly 50% higher in a vegetarian population when compared to non-vegetarians. These numbers were inversely correlated with unstable coronary artery disease activity in patients with established cardiovascular disease, as well as cardiovascular disease mortality. ...
... These numbers were inversely correlated with unstable coronary artery disease activity in patients with established cardiovascular disease, as well as cardiovascular disease mortality. 43 Plasmatic biomarkers concerning oxidative profile and inflammatory status may also help assessing cardiovascular health, and C-reactive protein (CRP) is validated as an independent predictor biomarker of cardiovascular disease. A long-term vegetarian diet was found to be associated with lower values of high-sensitivity CRP, 43 but this has not been consistent over the researches developed on the topic. ...
Introdução: A doença cardiovascular é uma causa major de morbimortalidade, pelo que otimizar a sua prevenção e gestão continua a ser uma prioridade. Este artigo de revisão tem em vista providenciar uma análise crítica dos aspetos positivos e negativos acarretados por uma dieta vegetariana no risco cardiovascular. Resultados: Em geral, a população vegetariana apresenta melhor perfil cardiovascular, com valores mais adequados de índice de massa corporal, perfil lipídico e superior controlo tensional e glicémico. Novos mecanismos aterogénicos parecem ser também influenciados como a remoção dos remanescentes de quilomicrons da circulação, o estado inflamatório e oxidativo e a microbiota intestinal. Adicionalmente, métodos de imagem demonstraram características estruturais e funcionais vasculares mais favoráveis em vegetarianos. No entanto, uma dieta vegetariana desequilibrada pode conduzir a défices nutricionais. Estes podem ser facilmente ultrapassados através de um plano nutricional completo e variado, e eventualmente recorrendo a suplementos e alimentos fortificados. Acima de tudo, um efeito benéfico do vegetarianismo estará sempre associado a uma dieta vegetariana equilibrada, com base em alimentos saudáveis, e escassez de produtos alimentícios processados, açúcares refinados e gorduras trans. Conclusão: A dieta vegetariana resulta em impactos positivos em vários fatores de risco cardiovascular independentes. Apesar do desafio acrescido em obter macro e micronutrientes necessários que possam estar menos disponíveis em alimentos de origem vegetal, o seu défice pode ser evitado através de uma dieta planeada, alicerçada em alimentos naturais e saudáveis. Havendo noção das suas limitações e tomadas as devidas providências, uma dieta vegetariana pode ser utilizada eficientemente contra a doença cardiovascular.
... A plant-based diet has benefits for health and the environment (Lynch et al. 2018). For health, several studies have reported that a plant-based diet can reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer (Catsburg et al. 2015;Orlich et al. 2015;Tantamango-Bartley et al. 2016), mortality and morbidity caused by ischemic heart disease (Szeto et al. 2004;Kwok et al. 2014;Dinu et al. 2017), Diabetes type 2 (Tonstad et al. 2013;Satija et al. 2016), Metabolic syndrome (MetS) (Burkert et al. 2014;Turner-McGrievy et al. 2016). Also, the impact for the human body makes lower glucose (Dinu et al. 2017), body mass index (BMI) (Burkert et al. 2014), diastolic and systolic blood pressure (Pettersen et al. 2012;Yokoyama et al. 2014), triglycerides (De Biase et al. 2007), and lipoprotein cholesterol (Ferdowsian and Barnard 2009;Wang et al. 2015). ...
... A plant-based diet has benefits for health and the environment (Lynch et al. 2018). For health, several studies have reported that a plant-based diet can reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer (Catsburg et al. 2015;Orlich et al. 2015;Tantamango-Bartley et al. 2016), mortality and morbidity caused by ischemic heart disease (Szeto et al. 2004;Kwok et al. 2014;Dinu et al. 2017), Diabetes type 2 (Tonstad et al. 2013;Satija et al. 2016), Metabolic syndrome (MetS) (Burkert et al. 2014;Turner-McGrievy et al. 2016). Also, the impact for the human body makes lower glucose (Dinu et al. 2017), body mass index (BMI) (Burkert et al. 2014), diastolic and systolic blood pressure (Pettersen et al. 2012;Yokoyama et al. 2014), triglycerides (De Biase et al. 2007), and lipoprotein cholesterol (Ferdowsian and Barnard 2009;Wang et al. 2015). ...
Local knowledge of plant-based nutrition sources from forgotten foods in Datengan Village, East Java, Indonesia. Asian J Ethnobiol 4: 53-64. Plant-based food has benefits for health and the environment. Finding adequate resources for plant-based nutrition sources can be found by exploring local knowledge. Here, forgotten foods mean two definitions that (1) those foods are consumed by the community before, but over time it is forgotten in the daily diet and (2) unusually consumed by the community outside, but it still is or over-consumed by the community. This study aimed to identify the plant-based nutrition sources in Datengan Village. The study was conducted in the Datengan Village, Grogol Sub-district, Kediri District, East Java Province, Indonesia. Ethnobotany approach through qualitative research (i.e., observation, semi-structured interview, and participant observation) were used to explore the plant-based nutrient sources from forgotten foods in Datengan Village. The results showed forgotten foods in Datengan Village, i.e.: fermented foods, mushrooms, by-products, and plant rich-nutrition. There were 26 plant rich-nutrition, two mushrooms, two fermented foods, and six by-product foods. This investigation is still a preliminary study. Based on the interview, there were 14 handling, processing, and serving methods used. This plant-based nutrition source diversity can be an alternative to fulfill nutrient requirements for the community of Datengan Village and the community of outside areas.
... The ascorbic acid is essential for collagen formation, necessary as a cofactor in the biosynthesis of catecholamines, amino acids, and peptide hormones, in the (2018) prevention of bleeding and for reduction of toxic effects of most xenobiotics (Daud et al. 2016;Uchendu et al. 2012). There is some evidence that this vitamin may be a useful biomarker in overall health and nutritional status, especially in regular measurements (Chung et al. 2001;Szeto et al. 2004). The levels of ascorbic acid in serum or plasma are affected by dietary intake, age, and gender as well as circadian rhythm, and therefore leukocyte and lymphocyte vitamin C levels are also analyzed (Emadi-Konjin et al. 2005). ...
... The levels of ascorbic acid in serum or plasma are affected by dietary intake, age, and gender as well as circadian rhythm, and therefore leukocyte and lymphocyte vitamin C levels are also analyzed (Emadi-Konjin et al. 2005). Nowadays, this biomarker shows the antioxidant activity in cancer prevention, also antioxidant/anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive properties, and lipid-lowering effects in cardiovascular diseases and antioxidant activities in cataract and ocular diseases (Daud et al. 2016;Szeto et al. 2004). It also possesses antioxidant activity in critically ill patients with sepsis. ...
In food and biological systems, the main function of tocochromanols is antioxidant action – they deactivate free radicals and protect lipids from peroxidation (autoxidation). In addition to the antioxidant role of vitamin E and protection against oxidative stress, the “non-antioxidant” functions of vitamin E, including cell signaling and antiproliferation, is also described. Tocopherols and tocotrienols are not the only compounds classified as tocol derivatives. This chapter also includes an overview of the properties and occurrence of other forms of tocols (including: tocomonoenols, tocodienols, and plastochromanol-8). Content of tocochromanols in food may be determined using a wide range of analytical techniques. Capillary gas chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography coupled with various detection systems and mass spectrometers enable identification of individual compounds. In the analysis of these compounds, spectroscopic methods are also being developed. The principles of these techniques are discussed in the chapter and examples of their applications are also provided.
... Additionally, the lipophilic antioxidant vitamin E is known to be an antiatherogenic and anti-inflammatory agent. 43 Plasma ascorbic acid concentrations have been shown to be nearly 50% higher in a vegetarian population when compared to non-vegetarians. These numbers were inversely correlated with unstable coronary artery disease activity in patients with established cardiovascular disease, as well as cardiovascular disease mortality. ...
... These numbers were inversely correlated with unstable coronary artery disease activity in patients with established cardiovascular disease, as well as cardiovascular disease mortality. 43 Plasmatic biomarkers concerning oxidative profile and inflammatory status may also help assessing cardiovascular health, and C-reactive protein (CRP) is validated as an independent predictor biomarker of cardiovascular disease. A long-term vegetarian diet was found to be associated with lower values of high-sensitivity CRP, 43 but this has not been consistent over the researches developed on the topic. ...
Introduction:Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death and chronic disability and optimizing its prevention and management remains a priority. This review aims to provide a critical analysis on the positive and negative aspects concerning the impact of a vegetarian diet in cardiovascular risk. Results:Overall, vegetarian population presents better cardiovascular risk profile, expressed by lower body mass index, better blood pressure control, reduced pro-atherogenic lipids and better glycaemic control and insulin sensitivity. Other atherogenic paths seem to be influenced, such as chylomicron remnants removal from circulation, oxidative and inflammation profile, blood fluidity and intestinal microbiota. Furthermore, imaging methods have shown better structural and functional vascular properties among vegetarians. However, a non-balanced vegetarian diet might lead to nutrients deficit, which could nullify these advantages. These limitations may be overcome through a carefully planned diet and, in some cases, supplements or fortified foods. Ultimately, a beneficial effect is associated with a healthy vegetarian concept, with scarce intake of refined and processed food products, avoiding overconsumption of sugar and trans fats. Conclusion:Vegetarian diet brings a positive impact in several independent cardiovascular risk factors. Despite the additional challenge in reaching specific macro and micronutrients which are less available in plant-based foods, their shortage can be avoided by planning a well-balanced and complete diet, based on healthy and natural food components. As there is the acknowledgment of its limitations and corresponding precautions are taken, a vegetarian diet could be used as an effective weapon towards prevention and management of cardiovascular disease
... The antioxidant status in vegans was much higher than that of omnivores due to the inclusion of antioxidant-rich foods (Szeto et al., 2004;Trapp et al., 2010). Interestingly, ORAC values were greater only in vegan meatball recipes posted as Turkish in the current study. ...
The study aimed to determine the nutritional composition of vegan recipes shared on the Instagram social media platform and to compare these ingredients with their non‐vegan/omnivorous versions. Turkish and English vegan recipes of meatballs (n = 53), burgers (n = 12), pizza (n = 15), pasta (n = 38), cake (n = 58), and cookies (n = 52) were obtained from Instagram. They all met the criteria of being shared as #vegan labeled, presented detailed information about ingredients, and only included plant‐based ingredients. Afterward, non‐vegan/omnivorous recipes (n = 228) were determined as equivalent to the vegan recipes in each food group, and a total of 456 recipes were evaluated. The amounts of macro‐ and micronutrients per 100‐gram serving were obtained by the Nutritional Data System (BeBiS). According to the outcomes, the most significant differences in nutritional composition were found between vegan and non‐vegan meatball recipes. The levels of cholesterol and B12 were significantly lower in English vegan recipes of meatballs, pasta, cake, and cookies compared to their non‐vegan versions (p < .05). Consuming different vegan foods throughout the day could provide complementary nutrient intake and sustainable optimal health. Nevertheless, recipe‐based updates could be an innovative approach in future vegan studies. In addition, analysis of vegan recipes could be considered to modulate vegan supplementation programs.
... In fact, low plasma levels of B6 and folate are associated with depressive symptoms, and their supplementation has been shown to be effective in reducing the risk of these symptoms (Kim et al., 2008;Skarupski et al., 2010). In addition, vegetarian diets are characterized by a high content of antioxidants, which contribute to the reduction of oxidative stress, reducing the symptoms of mental disorders such as depression (Szeto et al., 2004). ...
Mental well-being is conditioned by several factors, including religious involvement and diet. However, this evidence does not exist among members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) in Latin America, particularly Peru. This study evaluated the association between religious involvement and vegetarian diet with mental well-being in members of the SDA Church in Peru. In this cross-sectional study, the sample included 767 participants, aged 18 to 59 years. A face-to-face and online survey was administered that included information on the dietary regimen and sociodemographic characteristics. Religious involvement and mental well-being were measured using the 12-item version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and the Duke University Religion Index (DUREL), respectively. A multivariate analysis was conducted to investigate the factors associated with mental well-being. Being female (β = 1.80, p < 0.001), coming from the highland region (β = 1.98, p < 0.001), having a basic educational degree (β = 1.85, p < 0.001), a higher level of religious involvement (β = 0.34, p < 0.001), and being vegetarian (β = 1.21, p < 0.001) were associated with greater mental well-being. This evidence highlights the implication of religious participation and a vegetarian diet in mental health, not only among SDA church members but also in a broader context. However, it should be recognized that direct transfer of church-based health promotion interventions and strategies to the general population can present challenges; therefore, it is suggested that these strategies should be adapted and adjusted to consider differences in the community context.
... [2][3][4] Plasma AA concentration acts as a biomarker of antioxidant status, oxidative stress, inammation, and the risk for coronary heart disease. 5 Although high doses (>1 mg mL −1 ) of AA can inhibit tumor cell growth, it could also cause anti-angiogenic activity in normal cells (human umbilical arterial endothelial cells). 6 The small nutrient molecule AA cannot be produced by biosynthesis in human cells and consequently, external AA from the diet is required at a suitable dosage for a healthy life. ...
Ascorbic acid (AA) or vitamin C plays multiple crucial roles, particularly as an antioxidant. This essentially biologically active molecule was selectively detected over other reductants by the synthesized profluorescent nitroxide probe ProN6via a switch-on method. After either a hydrogen atom or single electron transfer from AA to nitroxide, the resulting diamagnetic hydroxylamine was rapidly cyclized to form a fluorescent O-acylalkoxyamine. This cyclization prevented the reoxidation of the corresponding hydroxylamine to the nitroxide, leading to a high precision of detection. A kinetic fluorescence study indicated that ProN6 exhibited higher reactivity than ProN7. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicated that the Gibbs free energy of the AA-induced cascade reductive lactonization of ProN6 was lower than that of ProN5 and ProN7. The designed probe achieved the sensitive and specific detection of AA with detection limits of 77.9 nM and 195.9 μM in solution and on paper, respectively. The utilization of the probe as a paper-based fluorescent sensor demonstrated the good accuracy of the quantitative analysis of AA in commercial supplements.
... A vegetarian diet may be associated with a higher intake of vitamins, e.g., A, C, and E, and their higher concentrations in the serum [60][61][62][63]. However, not all studies confirm this. ...
Oxidant-antioxidant balance is crucial for maintaining one’s health, and the diet is possibly one of the most important factors affecting this balance. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the oxidant-antioxidant balance in children on a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet. The study was conducted between January 2020 and December 2021. The concentrations of total oxidant capacity (TOC), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), reduced (GSH), and oxidized (GSSG) glutathione, as well as C-reactive protein (CRP) and calprotectin were measured in serum samples of 72 healthy prepubertal children (32 vegetarians and 40 omnivores). The oxidative stress index (OSI) and the GSH/GSSG ratio (R-index) were calculated. Children on a vegetarian diet had significantly lower median values of TOC, GSH, and GSSG, and higher TAC compared with the omnivores. OSI was significantly lower in vegetarians, while R-index, as well as median values of CRP and calprotectin did not differ between both groups of children. Significant negative correlations were observed between TOC and TAC levels in the whole group of children and in vegetarians. GSH and GSSG levels correlated positively in the groups of vegetarians, omnivores, and in all the children. There were significant positive correlations between TOC and GSH, as well as GSSG levels in all the studied groups of children. Our study results suggest that the vegetarian model of nutrition allows to maintain the oxidant-antioxidant balance in the serum of prepubertal children.
... In studies investigating the inflammatory state of obesity itself, dietary patterns consistent with vegetarianism were associated with lower concentrations of markers of chronic low-grade inflammation and endothelial dysfunction (i.e., advanced glycosylation end products, high sensitivity CRP (hsCRP)) when compared to those following non-vegetarian diets [74,75]. A study comparing 30 Taoist adults who had been vegetarian for 5 to 55 years with non-Taoist adults consuming a non-vegetarian diet found the vegetarian group had higher plasma ascorbic acid and lower concentrations of triacylglycerol, uric acid, hsCRP, and alpha-tocopherol [76]. Levels of CRP, TNF-α, and IL-6 correlate with BMI and weight loss has been associated with a reduction in hsCRP and fibrinogen [71,72,77]. ...
Purpose of Review
This review summarizes the current literature regarding the association between diet and systemic inflammation.
Recent Findings
Data in humans suggests that consumption of plant-based nutrients is associated with a reduction in systemic inflammation, while consumption of red meat and excessive dairy has the opposite effect and may increase risk of acute flares in those that suffer from certain chronic diseases like inflammatory bowel disease or psoriasis and certain cancers.
Summary
There is a known association between diet and systemic inflammation; thus, we recommend that clinicians discuss plant-based, whole food diets with patients, particularly those that suffer from chronic inflammatory diseases as an adjunct treatment for these conditions. Future research should evaluate whether adherence to these types of diets is sustainable in the long term and how these changes affect important quality of life concerns.
... Vegetarians and vegans had higher dietary carbohydrate and fiber intake, while omnivores more dietary protein, cholesterol, and vitamin B12 (3,9,11,24,25). Despite vegetarian and vegan diets in sport offer several benefits to performance, such as a great antioxidants intake and carbohydrate-rich foods who help training and enhance recovery, little is known as concern these diets in sports in general and on body composition (3,11,26,27). For sports nutrition is it important to understand if these diets can ensure healthy and adequate nutritional needs to sports performance and respond to sport-specific needs (11). ...
Background: Plant-based diets have spread widely in the general population and among athletes too, both for well-documented health benefits and for eco-sustainability and ethical concerns. Despite appropriate nutrition is essential for satisfying training, performance, and recovery needs in athletes, little is known about the effects of plant-based diets on body composition in athletes. Appropriate training and nourishment strategies are a daily priority to arrive at victory and achieving an optimal body composition helps achieve success. Our study aimed to shed light on the adequacy of a vegetarian or vegan diet on the body composition of the athlete, in comparison with an omnivorous diet. In particular, we had tried to clarify the effects of well-structured plant-based nutrition in competitive athletes, who, previously, had never followed a diet under specialist supervision. Methods: The groups were followed for 8 months and subjected to a well-planned diet under medical supervision. Anthropometric parameters and body composition evaluation through Bio-electrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) were performed in each participant. Results: All subjects, especially ve-gans, showed an improvement in cellular efficiency, muscle mass, and a redistribution of body water thanks to a better distribution of macronutrients with dietary plans. These changes demonstrate improvement in the athlete's body composition thanks to well-structured plant-based diets that meet the nutrient requirements , without a change in physical training, especially in vegan athletes. Conclusions: The administration of well-structured dietetic schemes for each group has reduced the differences between omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans, underling their more difficult autonomous management and the important role of the nutrition specialist. Given the evidence collected, we demonstrate that plant-based diets are sustainable for athletes and that the role of nutritionist is central to sports and food choices to achieve an optimal body composition.
... The evaluation of the antioxidant content of more than 3100 foods showed that those from the plant kingdom have 64.27 times more antioxidants than the animal kingdom per 100 g of product [71]. In fact, several studies have shown a higher antioxidant intake and better metabolic antioxidant response in vegetarian subjects than in omnivorous subjects [72][73][74][75]. Taken together, these observations suggest that a vegetarian diet can help prevent the pro-oxidative action of GGT through the availability of free iron, as it has a potentially greater amount of antioxidants in its composition than the omnivorous diet. ...
Our study evaluated the association between the increase in body mass index (BMI) in men and women (menstruating and non-menstruating) (n = 1340) with different dietary groups (omnivores, semi-vegetarians, lacto-ovo-vegetarian, and vegans) and the measurement of the biochemical markers high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), ferritin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C), and insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR). Increasing BMI values in all groups and dietary profiles were related to a significant increase in hs-CRP (p < 0.0001), ALT (p = 0.02), ferritin (p = 0.009), and HbA1C (p < 0.0001), with no difference between dietary groups (p < 0.05). The increase in BMI increases the levels of HOMA-IR (p < 0.0001) and GGT (p < 0.05), with higher values found in men when compared to women (p < 0.0001 for HOMA- IR and p = 0.0048 for GGT). The association between ALT and BMI was different between dietary groups, as it showed a decrease in vegan women who do not menstruate compared to other dietary groups (p = 0.0099). When including only obese individuals (BMI = 30 kg/m2, n = 153) in the analysis, we observed lower concentrations of GGT and ferritin in vegetarians than in omnivores, regardless of gender and menstrual blood loss (p = 0.0395). Our data showed that for both vegetarians and omnivores, the higher the BMI, the worse the metabolic parameters. However, regarding obesity, vegetarians showed better antioxidant status (lower GGT elevation) and lower inflammatory status (lower ferritin elevation), which may provide them with potential protection in the development of morbidities associated with overweight.
... Pooled findings from 5 prospective cohorts show that elevated levels of hsCRP predict greater future risk of ARMD [71]. Lower levels of hsCRP were found in those following a vegetarian diet for more than 2 years [72][73]. An interventional study found that after 8 weeks on a vegan diet hsCRP was reduced 32%, even more than on the American Heart Association diet [74]. ...
Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is the leading cause of blindness in the developed world. No effective therapy exists for the dry form of ARMD, which makes up about 90% of cases. Major modifiable risk factors have been identified such as cigarette smoking, obesity, nutritional factors, and alcoholism. The risk of dry ARMD is increased by several modifiable etiologic factors in particular-lack of blue light filtration, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Two components of plant foods, lutein and zeaxanthin, screen out blue light, resulting in greater macular pigment optical density (MPOD), and act as antioxidants in the macular. A plant-based diet also reduces inflammation and lowers hsCRP. These factors combine to give vegetarians a lower risk of dry ARMD. Epidemiological studies have shown that consuming meat raises the risk of dry ARMD while consuming plant foods lowers the risk. Studies have shown significant correlations between high lutein concentration in ocular tissues or in serum and reduced risk of ARMD. Vegetarians have been found to have a greater MPOD. A broad range of antioxidants from plant foods, sulforaphane, can reduce oxidative damage, and may decrease the risk of dry ARMD. Elevated levels of hsCRP, a marker of inflammation, predict greater future risk of ARMD. On a vegan diet hsCRP was reduced 32%, even more than on the American Heart Association diet.
... + FAm combinations were significantly enriched in beneficial compounds (carotenoids, polyphenols and glucosinolates) compared to plants treated with FAm or Trichoderma spp. These compounds are known to positively contribute to human health, by protecting key biological constituents such as lipoproteins, membranes, and DNA from oxidative processes [82]. Multiple studies reported an inverse association between vegetable consumption containing glucosinolates and the risk of chronic degenerative diseases [83]. ...
The growing demand for safer foods reflects the public perception of the adverse consequences of chemicals used in agriculture. This research aimed at developing new biological formulations based on the combination of small microbial consortia containing two Trichoderma spp., with a medium–long chain fatty acids mixture (FAm). The bioactivity of these formulations was investigated on different vegetable crops in terms of biocontrol, growth promotion, yield and quality improvements. FAm application reduced Botrytis cinerea necrosis by up to 90% compared to the infected control plants and some of the assayed Trichoderma spp. + FAm combinations contained Rhizoctonia disease, reaching more than 90% reduction of tomato and lettuce plant mortality. An increasing yield, ranging to 25 and 90%, was recorded on treated tomato, lettuce and kohlrabi compared to untreated plants. A significant enrichment in carotenoids (+60%) and glucosinolates (+39%) was measured on biotreated plants compared to controls. Untargeted LC-MS analysis revealed a higher content of tomatine and dehydro-phytosphingosine, glycoalkaloids involved in defense responses, in Trichoderma spp. + FAm combination-treated plants. The combined biostimulant applications of Trichoderma spp. with FAm were able to improve the performances of different horticultural plant species, producing a premium quality marketable vegetable with higher antioxidant content.
... Pooled findings from 5 prospective cohorts show that elevated levels of hsCRP predict greater future risk of ARMD [71]. Lower levels of hsCRP were found in those following a vegetarian diet for more than 2 years [72][73]. An interventional study found that after 8 weeks on a vegan diet hsCRP was reduced 32%, even more than on the American Heart Association diet [74]. ...
... Numerous studies have shown that plant polyphenol have good effects on anti-mutagenesis, antiaging, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetes, weight loss and neuroprotection (Braicu et al., 2013;Hano, 2020;Williams & Spencer, 2012;Zaveri, 2006), and have certain therapeutic or preventive effects on some diseases that seriously harm human health, such as hypertension, heart disease, cancer and so on (Hertog et al.,1993;DuPont et al., 2002). These protective effects have been given credit for the antioxidant substances, such as polyphenolic compounds, carotenoids, vitamins C and E. Antioxidants have capability against scavenging reactive oxygen and nitrogen species and prevent oxidative damage to crucial biological macromolecules, such as DNA, lipids, and protein (Singh et al., 2018;Szeto et al., 2004). Natural antioxidants have been found to be safer than many synthetic ones and can provide additional nutritional value (Ajila et al., 2007). ...
Abstract The kinetic behavior of the antioxidant activity of aqueous/organic polyphenol extracts from navel orange peel was evaluated using DPPH and FRAP assays to assess their capacity to scavenge DPPH and ferric reducing antioxidant power. The stability of polyphenol extracts, including the influencing factors of temperature, pH, light, and the correlation of total phenolic content and antioxidant activity were also investigated. The kinetic reaction results showed that the antioxidant activity i.e. DPPH radical scavenging capacity and ferric reducing antioxidant power depended on concentration and reaction time. Its stability in aqueous phase and organic phase was influenced by temperature, pH and light in varying degrees. 50 °C was a key temperature point above which the total polyphenol content and antioxidant ability decreased remarkably. The phenolic compounds were not stable at pH 7, but showed a strongest DPPH radical scavenging capacity in both aqueous and organic phases. Acidic conditions seemed to be better for maintaining antioxidant ability of extracts from navel orange peel than alkaline conditions in aqueous and organic phases. Avoiding light kept the extracted phenolic compounds stable. There is a significant correlation between total phenolic content and antioxidant activity. These results provide some basic understanding of extracts from navel orange peel and promote the application of the extracted polyphenol from navel orange peel as antioxidants.
... Quality of food can be produced in the prevailing resources through proper management [10]. Moreover, the concentration of these essential nutrients, i.e., vitamins and phytochemicals (polyphenol, carotenoids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, ascorbic acids, fibers, stilbenes/lignans) can be maintained in the food [11]. Hence, agricultural products are the basic source of nutrients for human beings when introducing any new strategy for optimizing, improving, or sustaining crop production. ...
Freshwater alternatives to irrigate crops are in dire need of time because of changing climate and scarcity of freshwater. Therefore, seawater can be the best feasible option as it is abundantly available on Earth. Sole application of seawater for agricultural crops is impossible, but the blend with freshwater may not be aggravating the salinization problems in soils. The present investigation was conducted to evaluate the possibility of growing the short period summer vegetables i.e., eggplants, tomato, and pepper with fresh and seawater blends viz. 5%, 10% and 20%, termed as A, B and C treatments, respectively. During the experiment, we considered: (i) crop growth, bio-mass yield, water consumption, water use efficiency (WUE) and water productivity (WP); (ii) pho-tosynthetic pigments and gas exchange parameters; (iii) concentration of mineral contents and quality traits; (iv) lipid peroxidation, proline contents and ascorbic acid. Tomato productivity was markedly decreased by application of B and C treatments, whereas the growth of eggplant and pepper were not much influenced at the same concentrations. Water consumption dropped, whereas WUE significantly increased in all tested crops upon increasing seawater concentrations. Leaf Na + concentration and other mineral elements increased. These results assumed that certain concentrations of seawater-freshwater blends revealed that there were no significant effects on the quality characteristics , mineral elements concentration and productivity of eggplant and pepper plants; however, tomato plants indicated sensitivity at the three seawater concentrations (A, B and C SFW treatments). Moreover, low concentrations of salinity stress (5% and 10% SFW) seemed to be necessary to attain better crop nutrition and organoleptic values. Accordingly, the results of present will be helpful to coastline farmers in cultivating vegetables and produce nutritive food for their family.
... There has been increasing interest in consuming plant-rich diets containing several essential components such as macronutrients, vitamins, polyphenols, ascorbic acid, and flavonoids, which may protect key biological constituents [1][2][3]. The enormous potential of the worldwide demand for these plant-based compounds is associated with a lower risk of developing certain kinds of cancer, cardiovascular and degenerative diseases common globally and promoting general human health [4,5]. ...
In the present contribution, the effects of different contaminants of emerging concerns (CECs), including parabens, drugs, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on antioxidant activity of Lactuca sativa L. in different concentration levels (10-500 µg L⁻¹) were evaluated using ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometry combined with chemometric techniques. The extracts of lettuce samples were investigated for the antioxidant activity (AA), total phenolic content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC) after 39 days of planting and 14 days of exposure. Then, the spectroscopic data were arranged in two different data matrices, including (i) the control lettuce samples and PAHs exposed samples and (ii) control samples and parabens/drugs exposed samples. The data were then analyzed using unsupervised pattern recognition techniques of principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and supervised pattern recognition method of partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). The PCA and HCA results suggested that samples belong to different groups. Then, the PLS-DA model was applied to indicate discrimination between types of organic pollutants. The PLS-DA results showed proper discrimination between control and exposed samples with an accuracy > 90%. It is concluded that the TFC, AA, and TPC values in controls were increased under the specific exposure circumstances.
... In particular, basil is rich in phenolic acids, which contribute to its strong antioxidant capacity [65][66][67], a property that exerts beneficial effects on human health-the vascular and nervous system [8]-reducing the effects associated with various degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's [5], Parkinson's [6] and dementia [9]. These compounds are known to positively protect key biological constituents such as lipoproteins, membranes and DNA from oxidative processes [68]. Due to the importance of phenolic compounds for consumer health, their quantity indirectly attributes an extra value to the crops that improves the nutritional and functional properties of vegetables and herbs [69]. ...
: Increasing attention is being given to the development of innovative formulations to substitute the use of synthetic chemicals to improve agricultural production and resource use efficiency.Alternatives can include biological products containing beneficial microorganisms and bioactive metabolites able to inhibit plant pathogens, induce systemic resistance and promote plant growth. The efficacy of such bioformulations can be increased by the addition of polymers as adjuvants or carriers. Trichoderma afroharzianum T22, Azotobacter chroococcum 76A and 6-pentyl-α-pyrone (6PP; a
Trichoderma secondary metabolite) were administrated singularly or in a consortium, with or without a carboxymethyl cellulose-based biopolymer (BP), and tested on sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) grown in a protected greenhouse. The effect of the treatments on basil yield, photosynthetic activity and secondary metabolites production was assessed. Photosynthetic efficiency was augmented by the applications of the bioformulations. The applications to the rhizosphere with BP + 6PP and BP + T22 + 76A increased the total fresh weight of basil by 26.3% and 23.6%, respectively. Untargeted LC-MS qTOF analysis demonstrated that the plant metabolome was significantly modified by the treatments. Quantification of the profiles for the major phenolic acids indicated that the treatment
with the T22 + 76A consortium increased rosmarinic acid content by 110%. The use of innovative bioformulations containing microbes, their metabolites and a biopolymer was found to modulate the cultivation of fresh basil by improving yield and quality, thus providing the opportunity to develop farming systems with minimal impact on the environmental footprint from the agricultural production process.
... A plant-based diet has been shown to reduce markers of inflammation such as CRP. Lower levels of hs-CRP were found in those following a vegetarian diet for more than 2 years [60,61]. An interventional study found that after 8 weeks on a vegan diet, hs-CRP was reduced 32%, even more than the American Heart Association diet [62]. ...
... (36) Başka bir çalışmada iskemik kalp hastalığı riski vejetaryenlerde omnivorlardan daha düşük bulunmuştur. (37) Kahleova ve arkadaşları yayımladıkları makalede vegan-vejetaryen beslenmenin koroner kalp hastalığı riskini %40 azalttığını ifade etmişlerdir. (38) Osteoporoz Bitki bazlı diyetle yoğun olarak alınan potasyum, magnezyum ve diğer alkalen içerik kemikten kalsiyum rezorbsiyonunu engeller. ...
Our traditional nutrition plan is based on eating cooked or rawfoods of animal and plant origin three times a day. Because ofhealth and ethical reasons, some people are choosing plant basedor raw foods or eating twice a day. Medical studies indicate thatthere is good relation between some chronic diseases like obe-sity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cancer and the nutritionregimes mentioned above. It is claimed that the intake of mainnutrients can be provided by well-planned meals. Vegetarian, ve-gan, raw nutrition and intermittant fasting increasingly are givenpreference and we may see this population amongst our patientstoo much. In this article the definitions, contents and influenceof some chronical diseases of the nutrition models, which aredeclared above, are featured
(PDF) Different approaches in nutrition. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/349694267_Different_approaches_in_nutrition [accessed Oct 05 2022].
... D iets rich in fruits and vegetables are associated with a lower risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases [1]. These beneficial effects are believed to be due to vitamins and phytochemicals such as ascorbic acid, carotenoids, polyphenols and fibre that may protect key biological constituents such as lipoproteins, membranes, and DNA [2]. ...
Bu çalışmada, taze roka salatasında bulunan polifenoloksidaz (PPO), dietilaminoetil selüloz (DEAE) ile doldurulmuş kolon üzerinden kısmen saflaştırılmıştır. Optimum sıcaklığı 30 °C ve pH 6.0 olarak bulunmuştur. Roka PPO, en yüksek substrat spesifikliğini kullanılan substratlar arasında kateşol ile göstermiştir. Askorbik asit, sistein, okzalik asit ve sitrik asit potansiyel inhbitörler olarak test edilmiştir. En etkili inhibitor sistein olarak belirlenmiştir. Askorbik asit toplam antioksidan aktiviteyi arttırken, kullanılan inhibitörlerin Rokada bulunan fenolik bileşiklerin oksidasyonunu önlediği tespit edilmiştir
... The polyphenol composition of lettuce has been extensively investigated in relation to different agronomic and fertilisation systems, genotypes, anti-diabetic and antioxidant properties (Gan & Azrina 2016;Sofo et al. 2016). The consumption of lettuce-derived phenolic compounds could be associated with a decreased risk of developing many chronic degenerative diseases, including cancer (Szeto et al. 2004;Reiss et al. 2012). Polyphenols are plant compounds that have both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capabilities being of help against development of cancers, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases (Lau et al. 2006;Degl'innoocenti et al. 2008;Park et al. 2009;Fraga et al. 2011;Essa et al. 2012;Carter et al. 2013). ...
Citation: Bojilov D., Dagnon S., Kostadinov K., Filipov S. (2020): Polyphenol composition of lettuce cultivars affected by mineral and bio-organic fertilisation. Czech J. Food Sci., 38: 00-00. Abstract: Three types of Lactuca sativa L. plants (green lettuces Batavia cv. Maritima and cv. Winter Butterhead, red lettuce Lolo rosa cv. Tuska) were investigated for their polyphenol composition. The lettuce plants were grown in po-lyethylene greenhouses and treated with different fertilisers. The qualitative and quantitative polyphenol composition was evaluated according to the use of mineral, organic (Italpollina and Arkobaleno) and bio (Lombricompost and EKOprop NX) fertilisers. The individual polyphenol components (caffeoyl derivatives and quercetin glycosides) were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography and the sample differences were estimated. The differences in the polyphenol content in the green lettuce cultivars in dependence on fertilisation were much higher than those in the red cultivar. In general, the red lettuce Lolo rosa cv. Tuska was characterised by the highest content of polyphenols. The highest content of all components was determined in the samples of red lettuce with the use of organic fertiliser Arkobaleno. In. the red lettuce and the green lettuce cv. Winter Butterhead organic fertilisation resulted in the higher content of polyphenols in comparison with mineral fertilisation and unfertilised samples. An exception was observed in cv. Maritima, where the unfertilised samples showed higher content of polyphenols compared to the fertilised samples.
... The incidence of protective (above-threshold) values is high in vegetarians -92% versus 42% for vitamin C, 67% versus 33% for vitamin E, 100% versus 79% for vitamin C/vitamin E, 87% versus 50% for vitamin E /cholesterol, 96% versus 62% for vitamin E/triacylglycerols and 67% versus 17% for β-carotene. The results document the better antioxidant status of vegetarians as a consequence of regular and sufficient consumption of protective food and are consistent with the results of other authors [70]. Due to more effective ...
Many nutritional studies point to an inverse relationship between diet with predominant consumption of plant foods and the incidence of diseases of civilization. The health benefits of plant foods come from a sufficient intake of protective nutrients, which are key food commodities of the vegetarian diet. These include vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes and oilseeds, including various types of nuts. The nutritional and non-nutritional components of plant foods reduce the risk of chronic diseases by various mechanisms, so a well-planned vegetarian diet is nutritionally adequate, fully healthy and able to provide health benefits in the prevention of many diseases. The data we find agree that the benefits far outweigh the potential risks.
... It is also possible that this supplement could be used in a prophylactic manner. Studies have shown that long-term use of anti-inflammatory pharmaceutical options like aspirin can reduce the risk of colorectal cancer [49], that a combination of physical activity and healthy diet can lower vascular inflammation and insulin resistance [50], and that a vegetarian diet can produce long-term benefits that reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease via antioxidant foods [51]. With these positive results and further investigation, the dietary supplement Healthycell may be an option for persons concerned with their well-being in later years. ...
Background and Aim: Nutritional approaches that ameliorate cellular senescence may have the potential to counteract the effects of chronic disease. This study will investigate the effect of the Healthycell dietary supplement on markers of inflammation, oxidative stress, and DNA damage.
Methods: Thirty adults between the ages of 18 and 55 were enrolled and randomly assigned to one of the two study conditions (n = 15 Healthycell and n = 15 placebo). Subjects participated in a four-week intervention and were assessed at baseline, four weeks, and six weeks (after a two-week washout period).
Results: Pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-1α (t = 2.033; mean difference = −3.97 pg/ml; SE = 2.0; 95% CI: −8.0, −0.3; Cohen’s d = 0.77; p = 0.05) decreased, while soluble cytokine receptors sTNFR-I (t = 2.057; mean difference = 52.39 pg/mL; SE = 18.5; 95% CI: 5.2, 99.6; Cohen’s d = 0.53; p = 0.03) and sTNFR-II (t = 1.739; mean difference = 208.71 pg/ml; SE = 72.0; 95% CI: 24.4, 393.0; Cohen’s d = 0.61; p = 0.02) increased in the treatment group versus control. C-reactive protein also rose in the Healthycell group during the trial (t = 2.568; mean difference = 1.41 mg/dL; SE = 0.4; 95% CI: 0.3, 2.5; Cohen’s d = 0.66; p < 0.01), without accompanying increases in IL-6 and TNF-α. Additionally, cortisol levels decreased in the Healthycell group (t = 0.575; mean difference = −0.31 ug/dL; SE=0.1; 95% CI: −0.6, −0.03; Cohen’s d = 0.88; p = 0.03). When groups were split by age (< 35 years vs. ≥ 35 years), 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine, a marker of DNA damage, decreased in the older Healthycell group compared to placebo (t = 1.782; mean difference = −7.09 ng/mL; SE = 3.0; 95% CI: −13.3, −0.9; Cohen’s d = 0.63; p = 0.03). Significant changes were also found for sTNFR-I, sTNFR-II, and IL-5 in the older group. All results were obtained from t tests by post-hoc analysis.
Conclusions: Our findings show an improved inflammatory profile and decreased DNA damage. Additionally, the efficacy of Healthycell was primarily in older adults, where the processes that cause or are associated with cell senescence are more predominant.
Relevance for patients: Healthycell may help to counteract the inflammatory effects of aging that lead to both cell senescence and the multitude of age-related chronic diseases.
... Previous studies have shown that the importance of vegetables in a healthy diet and to prevent degenerative diseases that is caused by oxidative stress (Sreeramulu et al., 2010). The antioxidant compounds like vitamins and phytochemicals, such as ascorbic acid, carotenoids, polyphenols and fibre have been regarded as the bioactive substances responsible to fight against these effects (Szeto et al., 2004). Based on various studies on the antioxidant compounds in several vegetables the aim of current research was focused on determination of antioxidant activity of local vegetables which are less expensive. ...
... Nowadays, it become an ever more popular product in the Russian markets and can be seen predominantly as fresh lettuce in pots which is consumed in significantly increasing amounts due to their perception as being "healthier and Alive" food. Its beneficial effects are believed to be due to vitamins and phytochemicals such as ascorbic acid, carotenoids, polyphenols and fibers that may protect key biological constituents such as lipoproteins, membranes, and DNA [1]. In fact, recent studies have shown the health effects of lettuce in preventing cardiovascular diseases in rats and humans [2,3]. ...
This paper presents the results of experimental study on the possibility of improving consumer properties of lettuce (Lactuca sativa – var. Dubachuk MC) grown under the conditions of closed system in ISR-0.1 phytotron by applying foliar treatment of different concentrations of 1-ethoxysilatran - a new silicon based preparation belonging to Silatrans group. The trail demonstrated no effect of the preparation when applied in a concentration of 5.10-4 ml/l in ES1 treatment. However, the effectiveness starts upon using higher concentrations. The best yield components were obtained as a result of foliar treatments of ES3 and ES4 with concentrations of 5.10-3 and 10-2 ml/l respectively. Applying foliar treatment in vegetative phase resulted in complex effect of activation of physiological processes in plants, stimulating the photosynthetic activity and accumulation of photosynthetic pigments by recording a 22.7% increase in chlorophyll-a and 18.6% in carotenoids content in fresh leaves. Nitrate accumulation recorded 792.3 mg/100g in ES4 which is 2.7 times higher than the control. Also, an increase in dry matter content by 12.2%, pigments by 16.3%, total antioxidants capacity, a 40% increase in ascorbic acid content were recorded. While only slight increase in total phenolic content was observed in higher concentrations. These overall considerable influences in metabolic activities lead to a better productivity in case of production mass. Further studies should be concerning the effect of 1-ethoxysilatran on other leafy vegetables and prolonging the storage of them.
... Several cross-sectional studies found that lacto-ovo vegetarians tend to have lower uric acid concentrations than nonvegetarians in Taiwan [27], Hong Kong [28], and the United Kingdom [29]. Since uric acid is the most important predictor of gout, we hypothesize that vegetarian diets reduce the risk of gout. ...
Backgrounds & aims:
Plant-based diets may target multiple pathways in gout pathogenesis (uric acid reduction and anti-inflammation) while improving gout associated cardiometabolic comorbidities. We aim to prospectively examine the relationship between a vegetarian diet and gout, and to explore if this relationship is independent of hyperuricemia.
Methods:
We followed 4903 participants in the Tzu Chi Health Study (Cohort1, recruited in 2007-2009) and 9032 participants in the Tzu Chi Vegetarian Study (Cohort2, recruited in 2005) until end of 2014. Baseline serum uric acid was measured in Cohort1. Vegetarian status was assessed through a diet questionnaire that includes dietary habits and a food frequency questionnaire. Incidence of gout was ascertained by linkage to the National Health Insurance Database. Hazard Ratio of gout in vegetarians versus nonvegetarians was assessed by Cox regression, adjusted for age, sex, lifestyle and metabolic risk factors. Hyperuricemia was additionally adjusted in Cohort1.
Results:
In Cohort1, lacto-ovo vegetarians had the lowest uric acid concentration, followed by vegans, then nonvegetarians (men: 6.05, 6.19, 6.32 mg/dL, respectively; women: 4.92, 4.96, 5.11 mg/dL, respectively); 65 gout cases occurred in the 29,673 person-years of follow-up; vegetarians experienced a lower risk of gout (without adjustment for hyperuricemia: HR: 0.33; 95% CI: 0.14, 0.79; with adjustment for hyperuricemia: HR: 0.40; 95% CI: 0.17, 0.97). In Cohort2, 161 gout cases occurred in the 83,019 person-years follow-up, and vegetarians also experienced a lower risk of gout (HR: 0.61; 95% CI: 0.41, 0.88).
Conclusion:
Taiwanese vegetarian diet is associated with lower risk of gout. This protective association may be independent of baseline hyperuricemia.
Study registered:
URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique Identifier: NCT03470584.
High blood lipids, blood glucose, or blood pressure (“3Bs”) are established risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. However, the effects of vegetarian diets on these parameters were inconsistent in previous meta-analyses....
Importance
Plant-based diets are increasing in popularity due, in part, to their health benefits for selected cardiometabolic diseases as well as favorable environmental impact. Little is known about how such a diet is related to gout risk.
Objective
To examine associations between adherence to a plant-based diet (including healthy and unhealthy versions of this diet), as well as its 18 individual food groups, and incident gout.
Design, Setting, and Participants
This prospective cohort study used data from population-based cohorts of US men and women enrolled in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (1986-2012) and Nurses’ Health Study (1984-2010). Participants were men and women free of gout at baseline. Statistical analyses were performed over March 2020 to August 2023.
Exposures
An overall plant-based diet index (PDI), as well as healthy (hPDI) and unhealthy (uPDI) versions of this index that emphasize healthy and less healthy plant-based foods, respectively. These diet indices were comprised of 18 food groups, assessed using a validated semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire.
Main Outcomes and Measures
Incident cases of gout that were confirmed with a supplementary questionnaire to meet the preliminary American College of Rheumatology survey criteria for gout. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to evaluate multivariable-adjusted associations of all 3 PDIs with incident gout using quintiles (Q) of adherence.
Results
Among a total of 122 679 participants (mean [SD] age, 53.8 [9.8] years among 43 703 men; mean [SD] age, 50.9 [7.2] years among 78 976 women) over 2 704 899 person-years of follow-up, 2709 participants experienced incident gout. The overall PDI was not significantly associated with gout in either cohort (Q5 vs Q1 pooled hazard ratio [HR], 1.02 [95% CI, 0.89-1.17]; P for trend = .63). In the pooled analysis, hPDI was significantly inversely associated with risk of gout (Q5 vs Q1 HR, 0.79 [95% CI, 0.69-0.91]; P for trend = .002), while the uPDI was positively associated with risk of gout (Q5 vs Q1 HR, 1.17 [95% CI, 1.03-1.33]; P for trend = .02), particularly in women (Q5 vs Q1 HR, 1.31 [95% CI, 1.05-1.62]; P for trend = .01). In analysis of individual food groups, higher intakes of certain healthy plant foods, such as whole grains (pooled HR per 1 serving/d, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.89-0.97]) and tea and coffee (pooled HR per 1 serving/d, 0.95 [95% CI, 0.92-0.97]), as well as dairy (pooled HR per 1 serving/d, 0.86 [95% CI, 0.82-0.90]), were independently associated with a lower risk of gout, while selected unhealthy plant foods, such as fruit juice (pooled HR per 1 serving/d, 1.06 [95% CI, 1.00-1.13]) and sugar-sweetened beverages (pooled HR per 1 serving/d, 1.16 [95% CI, 1.07-1.26]) were associated with increased risk of gout.
Conclusions and Relevance
The findings of this prospective cohort study of PDIs and gout support current dietary recommendations to increase consumption of healthy plant foods while lowering intake of unhealthy plant foods to mitigate gout risk.
Cel: Celem badań było ustalenie zależności pomiędzy poczuciem koherencji, dojrzałością żywieniową a poczuciem stresu w grupie młodych dorosłych, z uwzględnieniem sposobu odżywiania się. Ostatecznie wysiłki badawcze miały na celu sprawdzenie siły predykcji testowanych zmiennych wobec stresu. Metoda: Badanie przeprowadzono w grupie 100 osób w wieku 20–33 lat stosujących dietę wegetariańską lub mięsną. Zastosowano Kwestionariusz Poczucia Koherencji Antonovsky’ego, Kwestionariusz Dojrzałości Żywieniowej (Potocka i Najder, 2016) oraz Kwestionariusz Poczucia Stresu (Plopa i Makarowski, 2010). Wyniki: Wyniki wskazują na istotnie niższe natężenie napięcia emocjonalnego, stresu intrapsychicznego, zewnętrznego i ogólnego poczucia stresu oraz istotnie wyższe wskaźniki poczucia koherencji i dojrzałości żywieniowej w grupie wegetarian. Ponadto stwierdzono, że dojrzałość żywieniowa jest ujemnie skorelowana z poczuciem stresu, natomiast poczucie koherencji jest dodatnio skorelowane z dojrzałością żywieniową. Ostatecznie wykazano, że poczucie koherencji odgrywa ważną rolę w przewidywaniu stresu doświadczanego przez młodych dorosłych. Wnioski: Badania dostarczyły istotnej wiedzy na temat związku pomiędzy postawami wobec odżywiania a doświadczaniem stresu w grupie młodych dorosłych.
RESUMO Introdução: O crescente aumento do número de vegetarianos no Brasil poderá impactar positivamente e reduzir a proporção de pessoas com sobrepeso e obesidade. Além do excesso de peso, fatores relacionados à dieta também podem representar fatores de risco para doenças crônicas não transmissíveis, importante problema de saúde pública mundial. Objetivo: Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a infl uência da dieta vegetariana sobre a composição corporal, identifi cando possíveis diferenças com indivíduos não vegetarianos. Materiais e Métodos: Trata-se de uma revisão narrativa cuja busca foi feita nas bases de dados SciELO, LILACS, Google Acadêmico e PubMed, em inglês, português e espanhol. Foram incluídos artigos de 2003 a 2022, comparando vegetarianos e não vegetarianos adultos. Resultados: Foram encontrados 21 estudos que relacionaram dieta vegetariana à composição corporal, 15 avaliaram os efeitos da dieta sobre o IMC, 12 forneceram dados acerca da dieta e adiposidade corporal, 4 sobre adiposidade visceral e 6 sobre massa magra e/ou muscular. Conclusão: De forma geral, a dieta vegetariana resulta em menor peso, IMC e adiposidade, mas informações sobre massa magra e massa muscular ainda não são claramente consistentes. Três estudos não verifi caram vantagens da dieta vegetariana sobre a massa magra e dois estudos observaram menores valores de massa muscular nos vegetarianos em relação aos não vegetarianos. Artigo de Revisão Infl uência da Dieta Vegetariana Sobre a Composição Corporal: revisão narrativa Infl uence of vegetarian diet on body composition: critical review http://dx.
Background
Since well-chosen nutrition exerts a vital role in modulating oxidative status, in addition plant-based diets represent a growing trend among athletes, our purpose was to determine plant-based diet index (PDI) score among male footballers and their non-athlete controls, as well as its association with oxidative biomarkers assessed by urinary excretions of F2alpha-isoprostane (F2a-IP) and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG).
Methods
A footballer group and a healthy non-athlete group were recruited comprising N = 45 participants each. The two groups were matched individually based on body mass index (BMI) and age. Anthropometric indices and body composition were evaluated, and fasted urine samples were collected to measure oxidative biomarkers. A validated semi quantitative food frequency questionnaire was used to calculate -overall PDI, healthful plant-based diet index (hPDI), and unhealthful plant-based diet index (uPDI). Generalized estimating equation (GEE) model was used for all data analysis.
Results
Compared to the non-athlete group, the PDI score was significantly greater in the footballer group (β = 9.8; P < 0.001), while, the differences between the two groups in uPDI and hPDI scores were not significant. Overall, the consumption of plant-based foods was higher in footballers. On the association of mentioned dietary indices and oxidative biomarkers, only a significant and negative association was shown between PDI scores and F2a-IP levels in all participants (β= -1.33; P = 0.02).
Conclusions
Based on the results, football athletes were more adherent to plant-based diet compared to the non-athletes. Furthermore, it is likely that higher PDI may be useful in lowering oxidative stress with decreased urinary F2a-IP levels.
Lettuce is an important crop that is grown commercially for salad purposes. To increase production of lettuce, synthetic fertilizers are applied. However, an excess of synthetic fertilizers is hazardous for the human body and also affects soil and environmental conditions. Alternative methods are available to enhance the production of lettuce, e.g., application of moringa leaf extract (MLE), which is also environmentally friendly. As MLE is a plant-based organic product, there are no side effects. The research was conducted at the Ornamental Nursery, Department of Horticulture, University of Agriculture Peshawar, during the 2020–21 season. The study was laid out in two-factor randomized complete block design in a split-plot arrangement with three replications. The two factors were MLE concentration (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8% v/v) and five lettuce cultivars (Red Laurel, Red Oakleaf, Milky White, Romaine, and Large Speed). Lettuce cultivars were sprayed with the required MLE concentrations at 2, 4, and 6 weeks after transplantation, while an extra application of MLE was given before bolting to the plants left for seed production. It was observed that lettuce cv. Red Laurel produced maximum fresh and dry head weight. Maximum plant height was recorded for cv. Red Oakleaf. Maximum leaves, head diameter, head height, root length, seed yield, and leaf area were noted in cv. Milky White. Cultivar Romaine took the maximum number of days to flowering and seed production. It also provided maximum chlorophyll content and the best taste. Moreover, MLE also had substantial effects on the growth and yield of lettuce cultivars. Here, maximum plant height, leaf area, number of leaves, head diameter, days to flowering, root length, head height, seed yield, days to seed production, chlorophyll content, and fresh and dry head weights were produced by plants sprayed with 8% (v/v) MLE. It is concluded that MLE, a useful growth promoter, has a considerable effect on the growth and development of lettuce cultivars and is thus recommended for organic production of the crop.
O padrão alimentar vegetariano, por possuir um maior aporte de constituintes cardioprotetores, tais como fibras alimentares; ácidos graxos insaturados, como os monoinsaturados das castanhas e nozes e do azeite de oliva, têm sido associado a menores prevalências de dislipidemias. Com o objetivo de investigar se a dieta vegetariana contribui para a melhora do perfil lipídico, foi realizada uma revisão bibliográfica nas bases de dados PubMed (US National Library of Medicine) e portal SciELO (The Scientific Electronic Library Online), utilizando publicações mais recentes, nos idiomas inglês e português. Os estudos analisados observaram uma diminuição do peso corporal, associada à diminuição das taxas de LDL, CT e TG e uma maior redução do índice de massa corporal (IMC) em vegetarianos quando comparados à indivíduos em dieta onívora. Sendo a obesidade um dos fatores de risco significativos para doenças cardiovasculares (DCV), o IMC médio substancialmente mais baixo, observado em vegetarianos, pode ser um importante fator de proteção para diminuir a concentração de lipídios no sangue e reduzir o risco DCV. A partir da análise dos estudos disponíveis na literatura, observou-se uma influência positiva da dieta vegetariana sobre a melhora do perfil lipídico da população analisada. Além disso, a dieta vegetariana parece estar associada a uma menor taxa de desenvolvimento de doenças crônicas e quando acompanhada por profissionais nutricionistas, apresenta melhor aderência e adequação.
Inflammation is a physiologic response to infection and tissue injury. It initiates pathogen killing as well as tissue repair processes. Acute inflammatory reactions are usually self-limiting and resolve rapidly. Inflammatory responses that fail to regulate themselves can become chronic and contribute to disease. A healthy eating pattern characterized by consumption of whole grains, nuts and seeds, fruits and vegetables and fish is associated with reduced inflammation, a finding suggesting candidate anti-inflammatory dietary components. Dietary indexes of inflammation have been defined based upon the known impact of foods or food components on circulating inflammatory markers. Among food components, there is good evidence that marine omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidant vitamins, plant polyphenols and those components that beneficially modify the gut microbiota all reduce inflammation. On the other hand, saturated fatty acids, simple sugars, advanced glycated end products and oxidized lipids all increase inflammation.
Vegetarians are reported to have lower body weight, blood pressure (BP) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk compared to omnivores, yet the mechanisms remain unclear. A vegetarian diet may protect the vascular endothelium, reducing the risk of atherosclerosis and CVD. This cross-sectional study compared vascular function between omnivores (OMN) and vegetarians (VEG). We hypothesized that VEG would have greater vascular function compared to OMN. Fifty-eight normotensive young healthy adults participated (40W/18M; 28 OMN (15W/13M) and 30 VEG (25W/5M); 26±7 yr; BP: 112±11 / 67±8 mm Hg). Arterial stiffness, assessed by carotid-to-femoral pulse wave velocity (OMN: 5.6±0.8 m/s, VEG: 5.3±0.8 m/s; P=0.17) and wave reflection assessed by aortic augmentation index (OMN: 6.9±12.3%, VEG: 8.8±13.5%; P=0.57) were not different between groups. However, central pulse pressure (OMN: 32±5; VEG: 29±5 mmHg; P=0.048) and forward wave reflection were greater in omnivores (O: 26±3; V: 24±3 mmHg P=0.048). Endothelial-dependent dilation measured by brachial artery flow-mediated dilation was not different between groups (OMN: 6.0±2.9 %, VEG: 6.9±3.3 %; P=0.29). Percent change in femoral blood flow from baseline during passive leg movement, another assessment of nitric oxide-mediated endothelial dilation, was similar between groups (OMN: 203±88 mL/min, VEG: 253±192 mL/min; P=0.50). These data suggest that healthy young adults, normotensive vegetarians do not have significantly improved vascular function compared to omnivores however, they have a lower central pulse pressure and forward wave amplitude which may lower the risk of future CVD.
Background: Oxidative stress is a pathological state resulting from excess free radical activity in the body. Studies show associations between oxidative stress and cancer. The saliva has anti-oxidant mechanisms that may play a role in preventing/fighting oral cancer. There is public health interest in determining dietary influences on salivary antioxidant capacity. Materials and method: Age and sex-matched participants were selected based on eligibility criteria after informed consent. A diet questionnaire and chart was administered to determine dietary preferences. They were then divided into two groups – vegetarian and non-vegetarian. Total salivary antioxidant capacity of unstimulated saliva samples was analyzed using spectrophotometry and compared between the two groups. Results and inference: 30 participants selected were categorized in two groups included in the study. Statistical analysis of the spectrophotometric findings indicated that there were no significant differences between the groups. Conclusion: Total salivary antioxidant capacity did not significantly differ between vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Therefore, the implication may be that, either the type of diet may not influence antioxidant capacity of saliva, or the effect of diet may not reflect in the salivary antioxidant capacity.
Recent advances in metabolomics allow for more objective assessment of contemporary food exposures, which have been proposed as an alternative or complement to self-reporting of food intake. However, the quality of evidence supporting the utility of dietary biomarkers as valid measures of habitual intake of foods or complex dietary patterns in diverse populations has not been systematically evaluated. We reviewed nutritional metabolomics studies reporting metabolites associated with specific foods or food groups; evaluated the interstudy repeatability of dietary biomarker candidates; and reported study design, metabolomic approach, analytical technique(s), and type of biofluid analyzed. A comprehensive literature search of 5 databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, BIOSIS, and CINAHL) was conducted from inception through December 2020. This review included 244 studies, 169 (69%) of which were interventional studies (9 of these were replicated in free-living participants) and 151 (62%) of which measured the metabolomic profile of serum and/or plasma. Food-based metabolites identified in ≥1 study and/or biofluid were associated with 11 food-specific categories or dietary patterns: 1) fruits; 2) vegetables; 3) high-fiber foods (grain-rich); 4) meats; 5) seafood; 6) pulses, legumes, and nuts; 7) alcohol; 8) caffeinated beverages, teas, and cocoas; 9) dairy and soya; 10) sweet and sugary foods; and 11) complex dietary patterns and other foods. We conclude that 69 metabolites represent good candidate biomarkers of food intake. Quantitative measurement of these metabolites will advance our understanding of the relation between diet and chronic disease risk and support evidence-based dietary guidelines for global health.
The presence of various bioactive markers in the human body reflects its health condition, physical endurance, and also the intake of some valuable compounds from food. Analytical methods for their determination are becoming a useful tool for gaining information on the levels of these physiologically essential substances. Antioxidants that can prevent or slow the harmful action of free radicals belong to one of the most significant biomarkers. Reactive oxygen species/reactive nitrogen species produced under oxidative stress act together and cause damage to all cellular biomolecules. Therefore excessive levels of such reactive species pose a threat to human organisms contributing to inflammatory responses. For measurements of oxidative stress or damage indicators, both the reactive species are analyzed, and also different markers considered useful indexes of the level of the phenomenon are determined. Biological samples usually include whole blood derivatives (serum and plasma), urine, and saliva. The fluorescence methods are most commonly applied for the determination of oxygen radicals. At the same time, markers of cellular oxidative damage are most often tested in body fluids and tissue homogenates using enzyme-linked immunoassay kits, high-pressure liquid chromatography, or even gas chromatography, both combined with mass spectrometry. For the assay of protein carbonyls in biological matrices, the derivatization of the carbonyl group, usually with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine, is performed and followed by the detection of various types, for example, using anti-DNP antibodies in immunoblotting.
There have been a multitude of reviews written on exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) and recovery. EIMD is a complex area of study as there are a host of factors such as sex, age, nutrition, fitness level, genetics and familiarity with exercise task, which influence the magnitude of performance decrement and the time course of recovery following EIMD. In addition, many reviews on recovery from exercise have ranged from the impact of nutritional strategies and recovery modalities, to complex mechanistic examination of various immune and endocrine signaling molecules. No one review can adequately address this broad array of study. Thus, in this present review, we aim to examine EIMD emanating from both endurance exercise and resistance exercise training in recreational and competitive athletes and shed light on nutritional strategies that can enhance and accelerate recovery following EIMD. In addition, the evaluation of EIMD and recovery from exercise is often complicated and conclusions often depend of the specific mode of assessment. As such, the focus of this review is also directed at the available techniques used to assess EIMD.
Oxidation-induced damage to biomolecules (oxidative stress) features across the various aging theories and is a suggested driver of age-related noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and dementia. NCDs account for most of the mortality and morbidity worldwide and for the average 9-year gap between end of health (health span) and end of life (life span). A major risk factor for NCD is suboptimal diet, mainly low intake of plant-based foods, which contain a wide range of phytochemicals that augment endogenous antioxidants in opposing/modulating oxidative stress. Habitual high intake of antioxidant-rich plant foods, as seen with vegetarian diets, associates with lower oxidative stress and decreased NCD risk. Molecular mechanisms of phytochemical action remain unclear but are likely to involve triggering of various cytoprotective adaptations, including redox-linked gene activation, enzyme action, and cell signaling pathways, in addition to antioxidant protection. Low salt, meat products, preservatives, and total calories are also beneficial aspects of vegetarian diets. The health benefits of plant-rich diets, especially well-balanced vegetarian diets, should be more actively promoted to the general public for health span extension and environmental sustainability.
To investigate the association of dietary habits with mortality in a cohort of vegetarians and other health conscious people.
Observational study.
United Kingdom.
4336 men and 6435 women recruited through health food shops, vegetarian societies, and magazines.
Mortality ratios for vegetarianism and for daily versus less than daily consumption of wholemeal bread, bran cereals, nuts or dried fruit, fresh fruit, and raw salad in relation to all cause mortality and mortality from ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, all malignant neoplasms, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, and breast cancer.
2064 (19%) subjects smoked, 4627 (43%) were vegetarian, 6699 (62%) ate wholemeal bread daily, 2948 (27%) ate bran cereals daily, 4091 (38%) ate nuts or dried fruit daily, 8304 (77%) ate fresh fruit daily, and 4105 (38%) ate raw salad daily. After a mean of 16.8 years follow up there were 1343 deaths before age 80. Overall the cohort had a mortality about half that of the general population. Within the cohort, daily consumption of fresh fruit was associated with significantly reduced mortality from ischaemic heart disease (rate ratio adjusted for smoking 0.76 (95% confidence interval 0.60 to 0.97)), cerebrovascular disease (0.68 (0.47 to 0.98)), and for all causes combined (0.79 (0.70 to 0.90)).
In this cohort of health conscious individuals, daily consumption of fresh fruit is associated with a reduced mortality from ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and all causes combined.
To establish the concentrations of micronutrients in serum, fatty acid composition in serum phosphatidylcholine and in adipose tissue, and their correlation with inflammation and disease duration in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 21 consecutive patients with recently diagnosed disease (mean duration eight months), 21 patients with longstanding disease (mean duration 15 years), and 57 controls were examined. In the patients with RA low concentrations of the essential fatty acids, linoleic acid (18:2) and linolenic (18:3) acid, and high concentrations of total saturated fatty acids, both in serum phosphatidylcholine and in adipose tissue, were found, abnormalities that increased with disease duration. The proportion of 18:2 in serum phosphatidylcholine correlated inversely with such acute phase proteins as orosomucoid and C reactive protein. It is proposed that the decreases in essential fatty acids are related to increased activity in the desaturase/elongation enzymes, increased production of eicosanoids, or metabolic changes secondary to cytokine mediated inflammatory reaction. When the micronutrients were studied it was found that serum concentrations of selenium were lower in patients than in controls, but not those of ascorbic acid, alpha-tocopherol, retinol, folic acid, or cobalamine. Ascorbic acid concentrations tended to be lower in RA, however, and correlated inversely with those of haptoglobin, orosomucoid, and C reactive protein, indicating a relation between the ascorbic acid concentration and the degree of inflammation.
In the Western Electric Company Study, carried out in Chicago, Illinois, data on diet and other factors were obtained in 1958 and 1959 for a cohort of 1,556 employed, middle-aged men. Nutrients included vitamin C and beta-carotene. An index that summarized combined intake of both nutrients was constructed. Mean intakes of vitamin C in the lowest and highest tertiles of the index were 66 and 138 mg/day; corresponding values for beta-carotene were 2.3 and 5.3 mg/day. A total of 522 of 1,556 men died during 32,935 person-years of follow-up, 231 from coronary heart disease and 155 from cancer. After adjustment for potentially confounding factors, relative risks (95% confidence intervals) associated with an increment of 19 points in the index (difference between means of the lowest and highest tertiles) were 0.60 (0.39-0.93) for cancer mortality, 0.70 (0.49-0.98) for coronary disease mortality, and 0.69 (0.55-0.87) for all-cause mortality. These results support the hypothesis that consumption of foods rich in vitamin C and beta-carotene reduces risk of death in middle-aged men.
In 1976, 27,766 Seventh-day Adventists answered questions on diet, medications, use of health services, and prevalence of disease. Approximately 55% (n = 15,228) were vegetarians. Compared with vegetarian females, nonvegetarian females reported significantly more overnight hospitalizations and surgeries during the past year and nonvegetarian males reported more overnight hospitalizations and x-rays. The average numbers of chronic diseases were 1.24 in nonvegetarian females and 1.03 in vegetarian females compared with 0.93 and 0.79 in nonvegetarian and vegetarian males, respectively. Nonvegetarian females also reported more chemical allergy (rate ratio (RR) = 1.30), asthma (RR = 1.24), drug allergy (RR = 1.17), beesting allergy (RR = 1.17), and hayfever (RR = 1.15). Only chemical and drug allergy were more prevalent in nonvegetarian males. Medication use was increased by 70-115% in nonvegetarian females and more than doubled in nonvegetarian males. We conclude that a vegetarian diet may decrease the prevalence of chronic disease, medication use, and health service use, and thus, potentially, health care costs.
This study sought to investigate the relations between plasma antioxidant status, extent of atherosclerosis and activity of coronary artery disease.
Previous studies indicate that increased antioxidant intake is associated with decreased coronary disease risk, but the underlying mechanisms remain controversial.
Plasma samples were obtained from 149 patients undergoing cardiac catheterization (65 with stable angina, 84 with unstable angina or a myocardial infarction within 2 weeks). Twelve plasma antioxidant/oxidant markers were measured and correlated with the extent of atherosclerosis and the presence of an unstable coronary syndrome.
By multiple linear regression analysis, age (p < 0.001), diabetes mellitus (p < 0.001), male gender (p < 0.001) and hypercholesterolemia (p = 0.02) were independent predictors of the extent of atherosclerosis. No antioxidant/oxidant marker correlated with the extent of atherosclerosis. However, lower plasma ascorbic acid concentration predicted the presence of an unstable coronary syndrome by multiple logistic regression (odds ratio [OR] 0.59, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.40 to 0.89, p = 0.01). The severity of atherosclerosis also predicted the presence of an unstable coronary syndrome (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.14 to 2.47, p = 0.008) when all patients were considered. When only patients with significant coronary disease were considered (at least one stenosis >50%), ascorbic acid concentration (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.85, p = 0.008) and total plasma thiols (OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.34 to 0.80, p = 0.004) predicted the presence of an unstable coronary syndrome, whereas the extent of atherosclerosis did not.
These data are consistent with the hypothesis that the beneficial effects of antioxidants in coronary artery disease may result, in part, by an influence on lesion activity rather than a reduction in the overall extent of fixed disease.
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a severe atherosclerotic condition frequently accompanied by inflammation and oxidative stress. We hypothesized that vitamin C antioxidant levels might be low in PAD and are related to inflammation and disease severity.
We investigated vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) levels in 85 PAD patients, 106 hypertensives without PAD, and 113 healthy subjects. Serum L-ascorbic acid concentrations were low among PAD patients (median, 27.8 micromol/L) despite comparable smoking status and dietary intake with the other groups (P<0.0001). Subclinical vitamin C deficiency (<11.4 micromol/L), confirmed by low serum alkaline phosphatase activity, was found in 14% of the PAD patients but not in the other groups. Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations were significantly higher in PAD patients (P<0.0001) and negatively correlated with L-ascorbic acid levels (r=-0.742, P<0.0001). In stepwise multivariate analysis, low L-ascorbic acid concentration in PAD patients was associated with high CRP level (P=0.0001), smoking (P=0.0009), and shorter absolute claudication distance on a standardized graded treadmill test (P=0.029).
Vitamin C concentrations are lower in intermittent claudicant patients in association with higher CRP levels and severity of PAD. Future studies attempting to relate vitamin C levels to disease occurrence should include in their analysis an inflammatory marker such as CRP.
There is a well-established inverse relation between education and mortality from cardiovascular disease and cancer. The reasons for this are still in part unclear. We aimed to investigate whether differences in traditional vascular risk factors, adult height, physical activity, and biomarkers of fatty acid and antioxidant intake, could explain this association.
In all, 2301 50-year-old men in Uppsala, Sweden (82% of the background population) were examined with regard to educational level, blood pressure, blood glucose, body mass index, serum lipids, smoking, body height, physical activity, serum beta carotene, alpha tocopherol, selenium, and serum fatty acids in cholesterol esters. Cause-specific mortality was registered 25 years later.
Low education was associated with a higher rate of mortality from cardiovascular disease (crude relative risk [RR] = 1.67, 95% CI : 1.17-2.39), and from cancer (crude RR = 1.94, 95% CI : 1.21-3.10), compared to high educational attainment. Men with high education had an overall more beneficial risk factor profile concerning traditional cardiovascular risk factors, physical activity, and biomarkers of dietary intake of antioxidants and fat. After adjustment for all examined risk factors, the inverse gradient between education and cardiovascular mortality disappeared (RR in low education = 1.01. 95% CI : 0.67-1.52). Controlling for smoking, physical activity and dietary biomarkers explained less than half of the excess cancer mortality in the lower educational groups. Smoking (adjusted RR = 1.89, 95% CI : 1.37-2.61), and high proportions of palmitoleic acid in serum cholesterol esters (adjusted RR per 1 SD = 1.39, 95% CI : 1.07-1.82) predicted cancer mortality, independently of all other factors. There were no independent relations between serum antioxidants and mortality.
These data indicate that modifiable lifestyle factors mediate the inverse gradient between education and death from cerebro- and cardiovascular disease. Smoking, physical activity and dietary factors explained half of the excess cancer mortality in lower educated groups. Further studies are needed to explore the proposed association between palmitoleic acid, a marker of high intake of animal and dairy fat, and cancer.
In 1976, 27 766 Seventh-day Adventists answered questions on diet, medications, use of health services, and prevalence of disease. Approximately 55% (n = 15 228) were vegetarians. Compared with vegetarian females, nonvegetarian females reported significantly more overnight hospitalizations and surgeries during the past year and nonvegetarian males reported more overnight hospitalizations and x-rays. The average numbers of chronic diseases were 1.24 in nonvegetarian females and 1.03 in vegetarian females compared with 0.93 and 0.79 in nonvegetarian and vegetarian males, respectively. Nonvegetarian females also reported more chemical allergy (rate ratio (RR) = 1.30), asthma (RR = 1.24), drug allergy (RR = 1.17), bee-sting allergy (RR = 1.17), and hayfever (RR =1.15). Only chemical and drug allergy were more prevalent in nonvegetarian males. Medication use was increased by 70–115% in nonvegetarian females and more than doubled in nonvegetarian males. We conclude that a vegetarian diet may decrease the prevalence of chronic disease, medication use, and health services use, and thus, potentially, health care costs.
Objective.
—To examine the effect of fruit and vegetable intake on risk of stroke among middle-aged men over 20 years of follow-up.Design.
—Cohort.Setting.
—The Framingham Study, a population-based longitudinal study.Participants.
—All 832 men, aged 45 through 65 years, who were free of cardiovascular disease at baseline (1966 through 1969).Measurements and Data Analysis.
—The diet of each subject was assessed at baseline by a single 24-hour recall. The estimated total number of servings per day of fruits and vegetables was the exposure variable for this analysis. Using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, we examined age-adjusted cumulative incidence of stroke by quintile of servings per day. To adjust for multiple covariates, we used proportional hazards regression to calculate the relative risk (RR) of stroke for each increment of three servings per day.Main Outcome Measure.
—Incidence of completed strokes and transient ischemic attacks.Results.
—At baseline, the mean (±SD) number of fruit and vegetable servings per day was 5.1 (±2.8). During follow-up there were 97 incident strokes, including 73 completed strokes and 24 transient ischemic attacks. Age-adjusted risk of stroke decreased across increasing quintile of servings per day (log rank P for trend,.01). Age-adjusted RR for all stroke, including transient ischemic attack, was 0.78 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.62 to 0.98) for each increase of three servings per day. For completed stroke the RR was 0.74 (95% CI, 0.57 to 0.96); for completed stroke of ischemic origin the RR was 0.76 (95% CI, 0.57 to 1.02); and for completed stroke of hemorrhagic origin, 0.49 (95% CI, 0.25 to 0.95). Adjustment for body mass index, cigarette smoking, glucose intolerance, physical activity, blood pressure, serum cholesterol, and intake of energy, ethanol, and fat did not materially change the results.Conclusion.
—Intake of fruits and vegetables may protect against development of stroke in men.(JAMA. 1995;273:1113-1117)
Background There is a well-established inverse relation between education and mortality from cardiovascular disease and cancer. The reasons for this are still in part unclear. We aimed to investigate whether differences in traditional vascular risk factors, adult height, physical activity, and biomarkers of fatty acid and antioxidant intake, could explain this association.
Methods In all, 2301 50-year-old men in Uppsala, Sweden (82% of the background population) were examined with regard to educational level, blood pressure, blood glucose, body mass index, serum lipids, smoking, body height, physical activity, serum beta carotene, alpha tocopherol, selenium, and serum fatty acids in cholesterol esters. Cause-specific mortality was registered 25 years later.
Results Low education was associated with a higher rate of mortality from cardiovascular disease (crude relative risk [RR] = 1.67, 95% CI : 1.17–2.39), and from cancer (crude RR = 1.94, 95% CI : 1.21–3.10), compared to high educational attainment. Men with high education had an overall more beneficial risk factor profile concerning traditional cardiovascular risk factors, physical activity, and biomarkers of dietary intake of antioxidants and fat. After adjustment for all examined risk factors, the inverse gradient between education and cardiovascular mortality disappeared (RR in low education = 1.01. 95% CI : 0.67–1.52). Controlling for smoking, physical activity and dietary biomarkers explained less than half of the excess cancer mortality in the lower educational groups. Smoking (adjusted RR = 1.89, 95% CI : 1.37–2.61), and high proportions of palmitoleic acid in serum cholesterol esters (adjusted RR per 1 SD = 1.39, 95% CI : 1.07–1.82) predicted cancer mortality, independently of all other factors. There were no independent relations between serum antioxidants and mortality.
Conclusions These data indicate that modifiable lifestyle factors mediate the inverse gradient between education and death from cerebro- and cardiovascular disease. Smoking, physical activity and dietary factors explained half of the excess cancer mortality in lower educated groups. Further studies are needed to explore the proposed association between palmitoleic acid, a marker of high intake of animal and dairy fat, and cancer.
Despite convincing in vitro evidence, a vitamin C–E interaction has not been confirmed in vivo. This study was designed to examine the effects of supplementation with either vitamin C or E on their respective plasma concentrations, other antioxidants, lipids and some haemostatic variables. Fasting blood was collected before and after intervention from thirty healthy adults in a double-blinded crossover study. Baselines for measured variables were established after 2 weeks of placebo supplementation, followed by daily supplementation with 73·5 mg RRR-α-tocopherol acetate or 500 mg ascorbic acid, and placebo, for 6 weeks. A 2 month washout preceded supplement crossover. Mean values showed that plasma lipid standardised α-tocopherol increased with ascorbic acid supplementation: from 4·09 (SEM 0·51) TO 4·53 (sem 0·66) μmol/mmol total cholesterol plus triacylglycerol (P < 0·05), and plasma ascorbic acid increased from 62·8 (sem 14·9) to 101·3 (sem 22·2) μmol/l (P < 0·005). Supplementation with (RRR)-α-tocopherol acetate increased plasma α-tocopherol from 26·8 (sem 3·9) to 32·2 (sem 3·8) μmol/l (P < 0·05), and lipid-standardised α-tocopherol from 4·12 (sem 0·48) to 5·38 (sem 0·52) μmol/mmol (P < 0·001). Mean plasma ascorbic acid also increased with vitamin E supplementation, from 64·4 (sem 13·3) to 76·4 (sem 18·4) μmol/l (P < 0·05). Plasma ferric reducing (antioxidant) power and glutathione peroxidase (U/g haemoglobin) increased in both groups, while urate, total cholesterol and triacylglycerol levels decreased (P < 0·05 throughout). Results are supportive of an in vivo interaction between vitamins C and E.
A possible use of fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) was demonstrated for the investigation of the microenvironment of the internal space of organelles in living cells. As its first step, we attempted to measure the viscosity of the aqueous phase in endosomes of cultured bovine aortic cells by evaluating fluorescence autocorrelation functions (FAFs) of ingested calcein molecules in endosomes. Multi-component analysis of measured FAFs yielded the average diffusion coefficient of 1.5 × 10-6 cm2s-1, about 45% smaller than that in water. We concluded that the viscosity of endosomal aqueous phase is approximately 2.2-fold of that of water. In addition, we discussed the possible use of calcein as a pH indicator based on the measurement of its pH-dependent fluorescent properties using FCS.
This study was designed to test the effect of supplementation of several antioxidants, including α-tocopherol, on the clinical reduction of premalignant oral lesions. Samples of oral mucosa and serum were taken from baseline to 9 months of supplementation from patients with premalignant oral lesions and analyzed for α-tocopherol by HPLC. Statistical increases in both serum and tissue α-tocopherol were found after supplementation. There was no statistical relationship between α-tocopherol and β-carotene levels.
Antioxidants are crucial components of fruit/vegetable-rich diets preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer:
—plasma vitamins C, E, carotenoids from diet correlate prevalence of CVD and cancer inversely, low levels predict an increased risk of individuals which is potentiated by combined inadequacy (e.g., vitamins C+E, C+carotene, A+carotene);
—self-prescribed rectification of vitamins C and E at adequacy of other micronutrients reduce forthcoming CVD, of vitamins A, C, E, carotene and conutrients also cancer;
—randomized exclusive supplementation of β-carotene±vitamin A or E lack benefits except prostate cancer reduction by vitamin E, and overall cancer reduction by selenium;
—randomized intervention with synchronous rectification of vitamins A+C+E+B+minerals reduces CVD and counteracts precancerous lesions;
—high vitamin E supplements reveal potentials in secondary CVD prevention.
Plasma values desirable for primary prevention: ≥30μmol/l lipid-standardized vitamin E (α-tocopherol/cholesterol ≥5.0μmol/mmol); ≥50μmol/l vitamin C aiming at vitamin C/vitamin E ratio >1.3–1.5; ≥0.4μmol/l β- (≥0.5μmol/l α+β-) carotene.
Conclusions:
—in CVD vitamin E acts as first risk discriminator, vitamin C as second one;
—optimal health requires synchronously optimized vitamins C+E, A, carotenoids and vegetable conutrients.
Unlabelled:
Antioxidants are crucial components of fruit/vegetable rich diets preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer: plasma vitamins C, E, carotenoids from diet correlate prevalence of CVD and cancer inversely, low levels predict an increased risk of individuals which is potentiated by combined inadequacy (e.g., vitamins C + E, C + carotene, A + carotene); self-prescribed rectification of vitamins C and E at adequacy of other micronutrients reduce forthcoming CVD, of vitamins A, C, E, carotene and conutrients also cancer; randomized exclusive supplementation of beta-carotene +/- vitamin A or E lack benefits except prostate cancer reduction by vitamin E, and overall cancer reduction by selenium; randomized intervention with synchronous rectification of vitamins A + C + E + B + minerals reduces CVD and counteracts precancerous lesions; high vitamin E supplements reveal potentials in secondary CVD prevention. Plasma values desirable for primary prevention: > or = 30 mumol/l lipid-standardized vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol/cholesterol > or = 5.0 mumol/mmol); > or = 50 mumol/l vitamin C aiming at vitamin C/vitamin E ratio > 1.3-1.5; > or = 0.4 mumol/l beta- (> or = 0.5 mumol/l alpha+ beta-) carotene.
Conclusions:
In CVD vitamin E acts as first risk discriminator, vitamin C as second one; optimal health requires synchronously optimized vitamins C + E, A, carotenoids and vegetable conutrients.
We examined the relation between vitamin C intake and mortality in the First National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES I) Epidemiologic Follow-up Study cohort. This cohort is based on a representative sample of 11,348 noninstitutionalized U.S. adults age 25-74 years who were nutritionally examined during 1971-1974 and followed up for mortality (1,809 deaths) through 1984, a median of 10 years. An index of vitamin C intake has been formed from detailed dietary measurements and use of vitamin supplements. The relation of the standardized mortality ratio (SMR) for all causes of death to increasing vitamin C intake is strongly inverse for males and weakly inverse for females. Among those with the highest vitamin C intake, males have an SMR (95% confidence interval) of 0.65 (0.52-0.80) for all causes, 0.78 (0.50-1.17) for all cancers, and 0.58 (0.41-0.78) for all cardiovascular diseases; females have an SMR of 0.90 (0.74-1.09) for all causes, 0.86 (0.55-1.27) for all cancers, and 0.75 (0.55-0.99) for all cardiovascular diseases. Comparisons are made relative to all U.S. whites, for whom the SMR is defined to be 1.00. There is no clear relation for individual cancer sites, except possibly an inverse relation for esophagus and stomach cancer among males. The relation with all causes of death among males remains after adjustment for age, sex, and 10 potentially confounding variables (including cigarette smoking, education, race, and disease history).
Base-line values for the excretion of urea N, amine N, creatinine, uric acid and cysteine were measured in three consecutive 24-h urine collections from 16 healthy volunteers. The subjects then took 1 g ascorbic acid three times a day after meals for 7 days. Twenty-four hour urine samples were collected on the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th days of the study. Where possible, a further 24-h sample was collected a minimum of 10 d after the end of the study. Administration of 3 g/d of ascorbic acid had no effect on urine volume, pH or the excretion of urea, amino N or creatinine. It caused a transient increase in uric acid excretion but an immediate and sustained increase in the excretion of cysteine. This study provides no evidence for an effect of high doses of ascorbic acid on urinary stone formation but does suggest competition for important co-factors in the metabolism of drugs.
During primate evolution, a major factor in lengthening life-span and decreasing age-specific cancer rates may have been improved protective mechanisms against oxygen radicals. We propose that one of these protective systems is plasma uric acid, the level of which increased markedly during primate evolution as a consequence of a series of mutations. Uric acid is a powerful antioxidant and is a scavenger of singlet oxygen and radicals. We show that, at physiological concentrations, urate reduces the oxo-heme oxidant formed by peroxide reaction with hemoglobin, protects erythrocyte ghosts against lipid peroxidation, and protects erythrocytes from peroxidative damage leading to lysis. Urate is about as effective an antioxidant as ascorbate in these experiments. Urate is much more easily oxidized than deoxynucleosides by singlet oxygen and is destroyed by hydroxyl radicals at a comparable rate. The plasma urate levels in humans (about 300 microM) is considerably higher than the ascorbate level, making it one of the major antioxidants in humans. Previous work on urate reported in the literature supports our experiments and interpretations, although the findings were not discussed in a physiological context.
To examine the effect of fruit and vegetable intake on risk of stroke among middle-aged men over 20 years of follow-up.
Cohort.
The Framingham Study, a population-based longitudinal study.
All 832 men, aged 45 through 65 years, who were free of cardiovascular disease at baseline (1966 through 1969). MEASUREMENTS AND DATA ANALYSIS: The diet of each subject was assessed at baseline by a single 24-hour recall. The estimated total number of servings per day of fruits and vegetables was the exposure variable for this analysis. Using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, we examined age-adjusted cumulative incidence of stroke by quintile of servings per day. To adjust for multiple covariates, we used proportional hazards regression to calculate the relative risk (RR) of stroke for each increment of three servings per day.
Incidence of completed strokes and transient ischemic attacks.
At baseline, the mean (+/- SD) number of fruit and vegetable servings per day was 5.1 (+/- 2.8). During follow-up there were 97 incident strokes, including 73 completed strokes and 24 transient ischemic attacks. Age-adjusted risk of stroke decreased across increasing quintile of servings per day (log rank P for trend, .01). Age-adjusted RR for all stroke, including transient ischemic attack, was 0.78 (95% confidence interval [Cl], 0.62 to 0.98) for each increase of three servings per day. For completed stroke the RR was 0.74 (95% Cl, 0.57 to 0.96); for completed stroke of ischemic origin the RR was 0.76 (95% Cl, 0.57 to 1.02); and for completed stroke of hemorrhagic origin, 0.49 (95% Cl, 0.25 to 0.95). Adjustment for body mass index, cigarette smoking, glucose intolerance, physical activity, blood pressure, serum cholesterol, and intake of energy, ethanol, and fat did not materially change the results.
Intake of fruits and vegetables may protect against development of stroke in men.
To determine whether vitamin C status, as measured by dietary intake and plasma ascorbic acid concentration, is related to mortality from stroke and coronary heart disease in people aged 65 and over.
A 20 year follow up study of a cohort of randomly selected elderly people living in the community who had taken part in the 1973-4 Department of Health and Social Security nutritional survey and for whom dietary and other data had been recorded.
Eight areas in Britain (five in England, two in Scotland, and one in Wales).
730 men and women who had completed a seven day dietary record and who had no history or symptoms of stroke, cerebral arteriosclerosis, or coronary heart disease when examined by a geriatrician in 1973-4.
Mortality from stroke was highest in those with the lowest vitamin C status. Those in the highest third of the distribution of vitamin C intake had a relative risk of 0.5 (95% confidence interval 0.3 to 0.8) compared with those in the lowest third, after adjustment for age, sex, and established cardiovascular risk factors. The relation between vitamin C intake and stroke was independent of social class and other dietary variables. A similar gradient in risk was present for plasma ascorbic acid concentrations. No association was found between vitamin C status and risk of death from coronary heart disease.
In elderly people vitamin C concentration, whether measured by dietary intake or plasma concentration of ascorbic acid, is strongly related to subsequent risk of death from stroke but not from coronary heart disease.
The question of "increased lipid peroxidation" in plasma from hyperlipidaemic patients was investigated using an improved HPLC-based assay for thiobarbituric acid-reactive material. Levels of TBARS in healthy human controls were at or close to zero, provided that butylated hydroxytoluene was added to the sample with the TBA reagents. Levels of plasma TBARS in hyperlipidaemic patients were elevated, although the absolute levels were much lower than those reported previously in the literature. © 1993 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted.
Recent evidence suggests that oxidative damage may be involved in atherogenesis, and thus dietary antioxidants, such as beta-carotene, may reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease (CVD). We examined the association between consumption of carotene-containing fruits and vegetables and CVD mortality among 1299 elderly Massachusetts residents who provided dietary information as a part of the Massachusetts Health Care Panel Study. During a mean follow-up of 4.75 years, there were 161 deaths attributable to CVD, 48 of which were due to myocardial infarction. For total CVD death and fatal myocardial infarction, risks were lower among those residents in the highest quartile for consumption of carotene-containing fruits and vegetables as compared with those in the lowest. For death due to CVD, the relative risk (RR) was 0.54 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.34 to 0.86; P for trend across quartiles, 0.004). For myocardial infarction the RR was 0.25 (95% CI, 0.09 to 0.67; P for trend, 0.002). These observational data are compatible with the hypothesis that increased dietary intake of carotenoids decreases the risks of CVD mortality; however, confounding cannot be ruled out. This hypothesis requires rigorous evaluation in randomized trials of sufficient size to detect reliably whether carotenoids confer small-to-moderate but clinically important protection against CVD.
The widely used TBA assay for lipid peroxidation was modified to minimize artefactual oxidative degradation of lipids during the assay. Formation of the TBA-MDA condensation product was studied with and without exclusion of oxygen, and the concentration effect of BHT addition was examined. Oxygen was depleted from the reaction mixture by extensive argon gassing. Exclusion of oxygen resulted in decreased TBARS production in plasma but not in standard solutions. High BHT concentrations resulted in a similar effect. At concentrations higher than 3 mmol/l BHT exclusion of oxygen had no additional effect. By measuring n-butanol extracts in a multititer plate reader this modified method was made suitable as a preliminary screening assay of human body fluids for lipid peroxidation.
This study was designed to test the effect of supplementation of several antioxidants, including alpha-tocopherol, on the clinical reduction of premalignant oral lesions. Samples of oral mucosa and serum were taken from baseline to 9 months of supplementation from patients with premalignant oral lesions and analyzed for alpha-tocopherol by HPLC. Statistical increases in both serum and tissue alpha-tocopherol were found after supplementation. There was no statistical relationship between alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene levels.
To determine the extent to which plasma antioxidant concentrations in people with habitual low intake of fruit and vegetables respond to increased intakes of these foods. To examine whether advice to increase fruit and vegetables will result in reduction of concentrations of total and low density lipoprotein cholesterol.
Randomised controlled trial in which intervention and control groups were followed up for eight weeks. The intervention group was asked to consume eight servings of fruit and vegetables a day.
Dunedin, New Zealand.
Eighty seven subjects with normal lipid concentrations who ate three or fewer servings of fruit and vegetables daily.
Plasma concentrations of vitamin C, retinol, alpha and beta carotene, alpha tocopherol, lipids, and lipoproteins. Dietary intake assessed with diet records over four days.
The mean plasma vitamin C, alpha carotene, and beta carotene concentrations increased in parallel with increased dietary intake of fruit and vegetables in the intervention group. Concentrations of retinol, alpha tocopherol, lipids, and lipoproteins remained unchanged despite some increase in dietary vitamin E and a small reduction in saturated fat intake.
Following a recommendation to increase fruit and vegetable consumption produces change in plasma concentrations of vitamin C, alpha carotene, and beta carotene likely to reduce incidence of cancer. More specific dietary advice to modify fat intake may be necessary to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease mediated by lipoprotein and vitamin E.
Infection and trauma cause inflammatory stress in patients. Tissue damage, enhanced inflammatory mediator production and suppressed lymphocyte function may occur as a consequence. The antioxidative vitamins, ascorbic acid and the tocopherols, are important not only for limiting tissue damage but also in preventing increased cytokine production which is a consequence of excessive activation of NF kappa B. Glutathione is a major endogenous antioxidant and is important for lymphocyte replication. Two vitamins, vitamin B6 and riboflavin participate in the maintainance of glutathione status. The former vitamin acts as a cofactor in the synthesis of cysteine (the rate limiting precursor for glutathione biosynthesis) and the latter vitamin is a cofactor for glutathione reductase. Deficiencies in tocopherol, vitamin B6 and riboflavin reduce cell numbers in lymphoid tissues of experimental animals and produce functional abnormalities in the cell mediated immune response. Ascorbic acid and tocopherols exert anti-inflammatory effects in studies in man and animals. In humans, dietary supplementation with ascorbic acid, tocopherols and vitamin B6 enhances a number of aspects of lymphocyte function. The effect is most apparent in the elderly.
The present study was conducted to investigate whether the intestinal absorption of vitamin E is influenced by marginal zinc deficiency. Rats trained to meal feed were divided into two groups and fed a diet containing 3 mg Zn/kg [a low zinc (LZ group)] or pair-fed (PF controls a zinc-adequate diet (30 mg Zn/kg). At 5 wk, the body weight (352 ± 5 g, mean ± SD) of LZ rats was 98.5% of that of PF rats (357 ± 8 g). Rats with lymph cannula were infused at 3 mL/h via a duodenal catheter with a lipid emulsion consisting of 568 μmol triolein, 3.56 μmol α-tocopherol (αTP) and 396 μmol Na+- taurocholate in 24 mL of phosphate-buffered saline (pH 6.4). Lymph was collected hourly for 8 h. The amounts of αTP absorbed into the lymph were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The hourly rate of αTP absorption was significantly lower in LZ than in PF rats. A marked difference (P < 0.05) was clearly evident even at 1 h (1.8 ± 1.2 nmol/h in LZ vs. 8.5 ± 3.0 nmol/h in PF). The peak rate of absorption was significantly lower in LZ rats (67.1 ± 16.7 nmol/h at 5 h) than in PF rats (95.9 ± 7.7 nmol/h at 4 h). The total amounts of αTP absorbed in 8 h in LZ and PF rats were 391.1 ± 54.4 nmol (11.0 ± 1.5% dose) and 613.9 ± 105.8 nmol (17.2 ± 3.0% dose), respectively. The lymphatic absorption of αTP was correlated with the amounts of PL (r = 0.77, P < 0.05) released into the mesenteric lymph. The hourly outputs of phospholipid and oleic acid also were significantly lower in LZ rats than in PF rats up to 4 h (P < 0.05). The cumulative lymphatic outputs of phospholipid (PL) were 20.1 ± 3.7 μmol/8 h in LZ and 27.0 ± 3.9 μmol/8 h in PF rats (P < 0.05). These results show that the intestinal absorption of vitamin E is affected by the zinc status of rats. This observation along with our earlier finding of a lower intestinal absorption of retinol suggests that zinc nutriture has a profound effect on the intestinal absorption and body status of lipid soluble vitamins.
A method for measuring the antioxidant capacity and/or the amount of a specific antioxidant in a sample, which comprises: a) at least two samples (A) and (B) to be assayed in parallel; b) addition of an antioxidant deactivator to sample (A) which selectively deactivates the antioxidant ability of an antioxidant in the sample; c) addition of a redox indicator to both samples (A) and (B), the indicator being capable of indicating the antioxidant capacity of each sample absorbance of electromagnetic radiation; d) measurement of the change in absorbance of electromagnetic radiation of the indicator in each sample at a given time interval, from the time when the redox indicator was added to or mixed with the samples or immediately prior to this addition or mixing until a given time after the redox indicator was added; e) determining the antioxidant capacity of the sample and/or the specific antioxidant in the sample, by relating the change in absorbance of electromagnetic radiation of step (d) to the absorbance value of a standard solution run under the same conditions or to molar absorptivity value. US6177260; US6177260 B1; US6177260B1; US6,177,260; US 6,177,260 B1; 6177260; Application No. 08/893,519
Three questions associated with the stimulation of cell division by chloride salts have been investigated: (i) whether cations other than sodium show a similar effect, (ii) whether vitamins can have a preventive activity, and (iii) whether subchronic treatment with sodium chloride in the diet is also effective. Male Fischer 344 rats were given solutions of the chloride salts of sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium by oral gavage. Water was used for control. After 4 h, a 24-h osmotic minipump containing 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine was implanted subcutaneously. The forestomach and glandular stomach, as well as liver and bladder were analyzed immunohistochemically 24 h later for the proportion of cells in S phase as an indicator of the rate of replicative DNA synthesis. For both the forestomach and the glandular stomach, potassium was as potent as sodium, and the divalent cations Mg and Ca were even more potent on a molar basis. Supplementation of the diet with ascorbic acid (2 g/kg food) or beta-carotene (12.5 mg/kg food) for 1 week before gavage of the sodium chloride solution resulted in an inhibition of the stimulation of cell division. A putative tumor-chemopreventive activity of the two vitamins might therefore not only rely on their antioxidative properties but may include effects on the cell cycle. A 4-week treatment with a sodium chloride supplement in the diet (2% and 4% supplement) resulted in a significant stimulation of cell division not only in both parts of the stomach and in the bladder (with the 4% supplement) but also in the liver (even with the 2% supplement). Sodium-chloride-stimulated cell turnover therefore is a sustained effect.