State of the art and major clinical outcomes of the use of essential oils in the performance of athletes: a systematic review

Introduction: Essential oils (EOs) has been around for years and studies show that they are useful in treating various diseases and improving health. According to the United States OEs Handbook, OEs are a vital part of complementary and alternative medicine and the positive findings of OEs are now becoming a trend in sports performance research for athletes. Objective: It was to list the main scientific findings of clinical studies on the effectiveness of essential oils in improving the health and sports performance of athletes. Methods: A total of 195 articles were found involving clinical studies of the influence of essential oils on human health. After this process, 42 articles were included and 32 were discussed in this study. The present study was prepared following the systematic review guidelines – PRISMA. Results and Conclusion: Essential oils have been used in medicine for decades and have been proven to eliminate toxins from the body. They are also shown to improve the body's ability to absorb essential vitamins and nutrients. In this sense, the application of these oils not only helps to prevent and heal sports injuries but also to stimulate and relax the mind and body, leading to higher levels of fitness. Because of these inherent properties of EOs, there is growing interest in using them to tone the body and mind in a variety of ways, such as musculoskeletal preparation, injury prevention, and improving mood and performance to achieve a higher success rate in sports. sports and fitness, as well as post-exertion recovery. They can be used as an aid to make recovery faster, reducing the effect of fatigue and raising the energy level of the mind and body

Evidence from clinical studies of the nutrological modulation of the gut microbiota in inflammatory bowel diseases: a systematic review

Introduction: The main risk factor for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a positive family history in 10-25% of patients. Crohn's disease (CD) can affect individuals from 15 to 40 years old and from 50 to 80 years old, more frequently in women. Ulcerative colitis (UC) can start at any age. The pathogenesis of IBD is linked to genetically susceptible individuals, dysregulated gut microbiota (dysbiosis), chronic inflammation, and poor dietary patterns. Diet plays an important role in modulating the gut microbiota and can be applied as a therapeutic tool to improve the course of the disease. Objective: To carry out a systematic review of the main interactions between dietary therapy, gut microbiota, and inflammatory bowel disease, to elucidate the main clinical outcomes after nutrological treatment. Methods: The present study followed the international model of systematic review (PRISMA). Clinical studies were included, involving randomized controlled, prospective, and retrospective studies published from 2010 to 2022. Results: It was founded 87 studies on diet modulation in the control of IBD. These studies showed reductions in persistent intestinal symptoms, improvement of gut microbiota, reduction of inflammation markers, and improvement in quality of life, with p<0.05 (95% CI). The studies were homogeneous (X2 = 98.9%), which increases the reliability of the clinical results on the dietary importance in the modulation of IBD. Conclusion: The important role of diet modulation in the control and even in the remission of IBD was evidenced

Evidence of the functions of vitamin D in pregnant women in COVID-19: a systematic review

Introduction: In the world, about 1 million people suffer from vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women increases maternal mortality and morbidity rates. In the scenario of COVID-19, it is known that the immune response, inflammation, and coagulation are modulated by vitamin D activity. Objective: It was to analyze the main considerations of the effects of vitamin D on pregnant women and fetuses in the scenario of COVID-19, presenting the mechanisms of inflammatory and immunological processes in an attempt to mitigate the worsening of comorbidities and deaths. Methods: The systematic review rules of the PRISMA Platform were followed. The research was carried out from September to October 2022 in Scopus, PubMed, Science Direct, Scielo, and Google Scholar databases. The quality of the studies was based on the GRADE instrument and the risk of bias was analyzed according to the Cochrane instrument. Results and Conclusion: A total of 210 articles were found, 82 articles were evaluated and 32 were included in this systematic review. Considering the Cochrane tool for risk of bias, the overall assessment resulted in 28 studies with a high risk of bias and 28 studies that did not meet GRADE. Most studies showed homogeneity in their results, with I2 =98.9% >50%. There is a relationship between vitamin D status and the severity of COVID-19 in pregnant women. Vitamin D levels are low in pregnant women with COVID-19. Furthermore, there is a significant difference regarding the level of vitamin D and the severity of COVID-19 in pregnant women. Maintaining adequate vitamin D levels may be useful as an approach to preventing an aggressive course of inflammation induced by this novel coronavirus in pregnant women

Enteral nutrition and congestive heart failure: a systematic review

Introduction: Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a serious and growing public health problem worldwide. Approximately 23 million people are carriers of this disease and two million new cases are diagnosed each year. The clinical evolution of patients with CHF is moving towards variable malnutrition, making it necessary to adhere to enteral nutrition (EN). This picture can occur due to inadequate intake, altered metabolism, proinflammatory state, increased oxidative stress, and greater loss of nutrients, even due to drug interactions. Objective: It was to carry out a systematic review of the main clinical outcomes that demonstrate the importance of enteral nutrition in patients with congestive heart failure. Methods: The systematic review rules of the PRISMA Platform were followed. The research was carried out from September to October 2022 in Scopus, PubMed, Science Direct, Scielo, and Google Scholar databases. The quality of the studies was based on the GRADE instrument and the risk of bias was analyzed according to the Cochrane instrument. Results and Conclusion: A total of 122 articles were found. A total of 87 articles were evaluated and 28 were included in this systematic review. Considering the Cochrane tool for risk of bias, the overall assessment resulted in 7 studies with a high risk of bias and 8 studies that did not meet GRADE. There is moderate scientific evidence of the effectiveness of enteral nutrition in increasing survival and reducing morbidity in patients with congestive heart failure, as there are few randomized clinical trials that have evaluated this issue, however, enteral nutrition is highly indicated in the attempt to mitigate weight loss in these patients

Major influences of the gut microbiota on thyroid metabolism: a concise systematic review

The objective was to discuss the influence of the gut microbiota on the functions of the thyroid gland, elucidating the main aspects of rebalancing intestinal function and its importance in the regulation of thyroid functions. The present study followed a systematic review of the literature in periodicals published between 2010 and 2023. The microbiota of the healthy gastrointestinal system presents around 800 species of bacteria, and a hundred of these microorganisms together with bacteriophage viruses and fungi species characterize each human being, with maximum concentration in the colon. In the presence of dysbiosis, the malfunction of the epithelial barrier leads to intestinal and systemic disorders, mainly immunological and metabolic. The functions of the gut microbiota are fundamental and determinant in the metabolism of nutrients, drugs, and hormones, including exogenous and endogenous iodothyronines, as well as micronutrients involved in thyroid homeostasis. The state of the art of effects of the gut microbiota on the regulation of thyroid functions has not been fully elucidated. The intestinal tract is of great importance for the balance of exogenous and endogenous thyroid hormones, but the analysis of the composition of the microbiota is not an easy task. A recent study revealed that individuals with hyperthyroidism had significantly lower levels of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli and significantly higher levels of Enterococcus species compared to healthy controls

Nutritional status of patients at the moment of primary cleft lip and palate surgery: a retrospective observational study

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the nutritional status of patients with cleft lip and palate at the time of admission and time of performing primary lip and/or palate surgeries at the Hospital for Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies of Bauru, Universidade São Paulo. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted using medical records of individuals with cleft lip and/or palate who underwent primary lip and/or palate surgeries between 2011 and 2021. Anthropometric data were collected upon hospital admission and before primary lip and/or lip surgery. The Z-scores of the growth curves were calculated according to age and sex using the World Health Organization (WHO) Anthro and WHO AnthroPlus programs. Statistical analysis was performed using the Spearman, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Student’s t-tests. Results: Of the 218 participants, 50.46% were men, and most of the patients originated from the southeast region (87.16%) with prevalence of cleft palate (52.75%). A correlation was found between weight/height and weight/age indices with the delay in performing primary lip surgery and height/age with the delay in primary palate and lip surgery (Student’s t-test, p < 0.05), and no correlation was found between the nutritional/nutrological status and socioeconomic profile (Spearman correlation test, p < 0.05) and with the place of origin (ANOVA test, p < 0.05). Conclusion: A correlation was found between the weight/height and height/age indices with the delay in performing primary lip surgery and height/age with the delay in primary surgery of the palate and lip

Major approaches to the mediterranean diet and metabolic syndrome: a concise systematic review

Introduction: Metabolic syndrome is the association of chronic diseases related to diet and physical activity. Also recognized as a complex entity that associates well-established cardiovascular risk factors, such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and diabetes, among others, with central fat deposition and insulin resistance. Currently, Metabolic Syndrome has gained disturbing dimensions within clinical practice, becoming one of the greatest challenges at the beginning of this century. In contrast, the Mediterranean diet recognized by the combination of a tasty palate and nutritional benefits, in addition to the culture of its link between health and longevity is a strategy in the treatment of metabolic syndrome. Although there is no consensus on the most adequate nutritional strategy to treat Metabolic Syndrome (MS) in a way that reduces cardiovascular risk, recent studies show the efficacy of adopting healthy lifestyles capable of reversing this trend. Objective: To address the role of diet in MS therapy, with a primary focus on the interaction of the benefits of different nutritional interventions in the remission of MS, contributing to the integration of the current evidence in the preexisting context. Methods: The model followed for the systematic review was PRISMA. The search strategy was carried out in the databases PubMed, Embase, Ovid and Cochrane Library, Web Of Science, Science Direct Journals (Elsevier), Scopus (Elsevier), and OneFile (Gale), from September to November 2022, with articles in the last years. Results and Conclusion: In light of the studies carried out in the research it was found that the Mediterranean diet has shown benefits in the secondary prevention of this syndrome, although the underlying mechanisms are not completely clear. It is important to revitalize and apply this diet in the future in terms of preventive and therapeutic guidelines

Major evidence of clinical studies on the triad gut microbiota, ubiquinone and physical exercise: a systematic review

Introduction: In the scenario of sports practices, the human gut microbiota is currently the focus of convergent interest in many diseases and sports performance. Sports performance studies have also shown interesting and promising results. Supplementation with certain antioxidants such as ubiquinone [Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)] is important for physically active individuals to speed recovery from fatigue and prevent exercise damage. Objective: It was to demonstrate the influence of the gut microbiota and ubiquinone on the performance of athletes. Methods: The systematic review rules of the PRISMA Platform were followed. The research was carried out from September to November 2022 in Scopus, PubMed, Science Direct, Scielo, and Google Scholar databases. The quality of the studies was based on the GRADE instrument and the risk of bias was analyzed according to the Cochrane instrument. Results and Conclusion: 104 articles were found. A total of 54 articles were evaluated and 27 were included in this systematic review. Considering the Cochrane tool for risk of bias, the overall assessment resulted in 13 studies with a high risk of bias and 27 studies that did not meet GRADE. Most studies showed homogeneity in their results, with X 2 =97.2% >50%. The composition and activity of the gut microbiota are influenced by many different factors, such as diet and physical activity. Cumulative data indicate that gut bacteria are sensitive to modulation by physical activity, as demonstrated by studies using models of training and hypoactivity. Supplementation with the antioxidant Coenzyme Q10 is important for physically active individuals to accelerate recovery from fatigue and prevent damage caused by exercise, in addition to optimizing training and improving sports performance. Clinical studies have shown that in physical fatigue concerning physical exercise, patients have low plasma concentrations of Coenzyme Q10

Major considerations and outcomes of clinical trials of vitamin D in athlete performance: a systematic review

Introduction: In addition to influencing physical performance, some studies verify the impact of vitamin D on body composition. It is known that their high levels favor the gain of fibers of fast contraction, favoring the increase of force due to the increase of muscular areas and it prevents loss of lean mass. Objective: It was present, through a systematic review, the main correlations and outcomes of clinical studies between vitamin D and physical exercise practitioners, analyzing the effects of vitamin D deficiency, sufficiency, and supplementation on sports performance. Methods: Following the criteria of literary search with the use of the Mesh Terms that were cited in the item below on "Search strategies", a total of 94 papers that were submitted to the eligibility analysis were collated and, after that, 65 studies were selected, following the rules of systematic review - PRISMA. The review protocol was based on literary search criteria using mesh terms in major databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Medline, Bireme, EBSCO, and Scielo. It followed the following steps: search for MeSH Terms: Vitamin D. Clinical trials. Physical exercises. Athletes. Quality of life. Conclusion: The present study aimed to present, through a systematic review, the main correlations and outcomes of clinical studies between vitamin D and physical exercise practitioners, analyzing the effects of vitamin D deficiency, sufficiency, and supplementation on sports performance

Investigation of hypovitaminosis D in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 and its relationship with clinical worsening: a cross-sectional observational retrospective clinical study

Numerous studies have demonstrated the profile of infection and symptoms related to COVID-19 that occur with pulmonary manifestations (such as Acute Respiratory Syndrome), digestive symptoms, anosmia, and ageusia. Many comorbidities have been associated with deaths and severe cases of the disease, such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and heart disease. However, many questions remain unanswered, especially the association of disease severity with hypovitaminosis D. Vitamin D deficiency is widely found in patients in Intensive Care Units, and recent studies have shown that it has been suggested that patients with severe manifestations of COVID-19 have hypovitaminosis D. Therefore, the present study aims to associate the presence of hypovitaminosis D in patients with the acute respiratory syndrome, positive for SARS-COV-2, admitted to the José Alencar Regional Hospital in Uberaba/Brazil and the evolution of the disease (days of hospitalization, hospitalization in the ICU, discharge and death) through the analysis of vitamin D (25(OH)D) hospitalized patients clinical records. The incidence of hypovitaminosis D among the patients was also assessed. The results may contribute to the understanding of the disease, as well as the need for vitamin supplementation