Search results for "Micronutrient"

Association between dietary folate intake and serum insulin-like growth factor-1 levels in healthy old women

2013

Abstract Objective High serum levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) seem to coincide with higher rates of some types of cancer and the risk of all-cause mortality in old people. Eating vegetables seems to reduce IGF-1 levels because they are rich in micronutrients such as vitamins. This study investigates the possible association between vitamin intake and IGF-1 levels in a representative group of healthy elderly women with Mediterranean dietary habits. Design This cross-sectional study included 124 healthy women with a mean age of 71.3 ± 4.2 years and a mean body mass index (BMI) of 27.37 ± 3.48 kg/m 2 attending a mild fitness program twice a week at public gyms in Padova. The mai…

Impact of micronutrients on oral and general health

2012

Are the Recommended Dietary Allowances for Vitamins Appropriate for Elderly People?

2015

Background: An adequate vitamin intake is essential for a good nutritional status, especially in older women, who are more sensitive to nutritional deficiencies. The American, European and Italian Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) derive mainly from studies on adults, and it is not clear whether they also apply to elderly people. Comparing the RDAs with the actual vitamin intake of a group of healthy older women could help to clarify the real needs of elderly people. Objective: Our aim was to compare the American, European, and Italian RDAs with the actual vitamin intake of a group of healthy older women. Design: This was a cross-sectional study. Participants: The study included 286 hea…

How does the Mediterranean diet promote cardiovascular health? Current progress toward molecular mechanisms

2014

Epidemiological evidence supports a health-promoting effect of the Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet), especially in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. These cardiovascular benefits have been attributed to a number of components of the MedDiet such as monounsaturated fatty acids, antioxidant vitamins and phytochemicals. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Likewise, little is known about the genes that define inter-individual variation in response to the MedDiet, although the TCF7L2 gene is emerging as an illustrative candidate for determining relative risk of cardiovascular events in response to the MedDiet. Moreover, omics technologies are providing evidence supporting pot…

The importance of a registered dietitian in restaurants: a pilot study in Valencia (Spain)

2011

University students have the option to purchase their meals at university restaurants; in general, food eaten away from home has high contents of saturated fat and energy. The aim of this work was to perform a pilot study of the nutritional adequacy of meals served at two university restaurants from Valencia. Energy, macronutrient and micronutrient contents were calculated and compared against the Spanish Recommended Dietary Intake (SRDI). Daily menus provided a high amount of energy; lunch from restaurant 1 provides 60 and 78% of the energetic SRDI for male and female, respectively. In restaurant 2 these values are 49.5 and 64.6%, respectively. Menus from one university restaurant are plan…

Nutriential Hazards: Micronutrients: Vitamins and Minerals

2014

To achieve an appropriate and healthy dietary regime, it is necessary to have a balance diet with an adequate contribution of every nutrient. Micronutrients play a fundamental role for normal metabolic functioning of human body, so their deficiencies produce specific clinical manifestations as well as a wide range of non-specific physiological impairments. Under certain situations or physiological conditions (such as stress, smoking, pollution, drugs and alcohol consumption, pregnancy, lactation, etc.), nutrient requirements are even higher, being impossible to fulfill them with standard diets. In fact, over two-third of the world's population lack of one or more essential mineral elements …

Searching for the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective potential of natural food and nutritional supplements for ocular health in the …

2021

Adherence to a healthy diet offers a valuable intervention to compete against the increasing cases of ocular diseases worldwide, such as dry eye disorders, myopia progression, cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, or age macular degeneration. Certain amounts of micronutrients must be daily provided for proper functioning of the visual system, such as vitamins, carotenoids, trace metals and omega-3 fatty acids. Among natural foods, the following have to be considered for boosting eye/vision health: fish, meat, eggs, nuts, legumes, citrus fruits, nuts, leafy green vegetables, orange-colored fruits/vegetables, olives-olive oil, and dairy products. Nutritional supplements have received muc…

The Role of Micronutrients in Human Papillomavirus Infection, Cervical Dysplasia, and Neoplasm

2023

There is evidence that diet and nutrition are modifiable risk factors for several cancers. In recent years, attention paid to micronutrients in gynecology has increased, especially regarding Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. We performed a review of the literature up until December 2022, aiming to clarify the effects of micronutrients, minerals, and vitamins on the history of HPV infection and the development of cervical cancer. We included studies having as their primary objective the evaluation of dietary supplements, in particular calcium; zinc; iron; selenium; carotenoids; and vitamins A, B12, C, D, E, and K. Different oligo-elements and micronutrients demonstrated a potential prote…

Structural differences of prebiotic oligosaccharides influence their capability to enhance iron absorption in deficient rats

2014

This study evaluates the influence of novel galacto-oligosaccharides derived from lactulose (GOS-Lu), kojibiose or 4′-galactosyl-kojibiose in hematological parameters of Fe homeostasis using Fe-deficient animals. Liver TfR-2, IL-6, NFκB and PPAR-γ expression (mRNA) were also determined by RT-qPCR analyses, and active hepcidin peptide production and short chain fatty acids by LC coupled to MS/MS or UV detection. Feeding animals with GOS-Lu or kojibiose together with FeCl3 increased hemoglobin (Hb) production (by 17%) and mean Hb concentration into erythrocytes relative to animals administered with FeCl3 alone (14.1% and 19.7%, respectively). Animals administered with prebiotics showed decrea…

Supplementation with micronutrients and schistosomiasis: systematic review and meta-analysis

2019

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease caused by helminths of the genus Schistosoma with two presentations; one intestinal and another urinary; which depend on the specie of Schistosoma. One of the species that can produce intestinal schistosomiasis is Schistosoma mansoni, and the specie that produces urinary schistosomiasis is Schistosoma haematobium. Infection can be aggravated by a deficient nutritional status, which negatively impacts the immune system and increases susceptibility to infection. The main objective of this meta-analysis is to determine if a relationship exists between multimicronutrient supplementation and the reduction of infestation with Schistosoma mansoni and Schistos…