Effectiveness of rice germ supplementation on body composition, metabolic parameters, satiating capacity, and amino acid profiles in obese postmenopausal women: A randomized, controlled clinical pilot trial

Rice germ (RG) may be a safe and effective dietary supplement for obesity in menopause, considering its high protein content and considerable amounts of essential amino acids, good fatty acids, and fiber. This pilot randomized, blinded, parallel-group, placebo-controlled pilot trial investigated the effectiveness of 4-weeks RG supplementation (25 g twice a day) on body composition, as primary outcome, measured by Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA), and metabolic parameters, as secondary outcomes, like amino acid profiles and satiating capacity, in obese postmenopausal women following a tailored hypocaloric diet (25–30% less than daily energy requirements). Twenty-seven women were randomly assigned to the supplemented group (14) or placebo group (13). There was a significant interaction between time and group for body mass index (BMI) (p < 0.0001), waist (p = 0.002) and hip circumferences (p = 0.01), total protein (0.008), albumin (0.005), Homeostasis Model Assessment index score (p = 0.04), glycine (p = 0.002), glutamine (p = 0.004), and histidine (p = 0.007). Haber’s means over time showed a clearly greater feeling of satiety for the supplemented compared to the placebo group. These findings indicate that RG supplementation in addition to a tailored diet counterbalanced the metabolic changes typical of menopause, with improvements in BMI, body composition, insulin resistance, amino acid profiles, and satiety

Polycystic ovary syndrome management: a review of the possible amazing role of berberine

Purpose: The therapy of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is based on synthetic hormones associated with lifestyle changes, but these therapies cannot be taken continuously, especially by women who would like to become pregnant. Thus, nutraceutical compounds were investigated as possible agents for treatment of PCOS. Berberine is shown to be effective against insulin resistance and obesity, particularly against visceral adipose tissue (VAT). Because of these properties, researchers theorized that berberine could be effective in PCOS treatment. Methods: The aim of this narrative review was to assess the state of the art about the use of berberine in PCOS management. Results: This review included 5 eligible studies. Despite the number of studies considered being low, the number of women studied is high (1078) and the results are interesting. Two authors find out that berberine induced a redistribution of adipose tissue, reducing VAT in the absence of weight loss and improved insulin sensitivity, quite like metformin. One author demonstrated that berberine improved the lipid pattern. Moreover, three authors demonstrated that berberine improved insulin resistance in theca cells with an improvement of the ovulation rate per cycle, so berberine is also effective on fertility and live birth rates. Conclusions: Finally, berberine is safe to use in premenopausal women who want to get pregnant and showed few side effects in all the cited studies. In conclusion, the use of berberine for PCOS is safe and promising, even if more studies are needed to create a consensus about the dosage of berberine useful for long-term therapy

Micronutrients dietary supplementation advices for celiac patients on long-term gluten-free diet with good compliance: A review

Background and objective: Often micronutrient deficiencies cannot be detected when patient is already following a long-term gluten-free diet with good compliance (LTGFDWGC). The aim of this narrative review is to evaluate the most recent literature that considers blood micronutrient deficiencies in LTGFDWGC subjects, in order to prepare dietary supplementation advice (DSA). Materials and methods: A research strategy was planned on PubMed by defining the following keywords: celiac disease, vitamin B12, iron, folic acid, and vitamin D. Results: This review included 73 studies. The few studies on micronutrient circulating levels in long-term gluten-free diet (LTGFD) patients over 2 years with good compliance demonstrated that deficiency was detected in up to: 30% of subjects for vitamin B12 (DSA: 1000 mcg/day until level is normal, then 500 mcg), 40% for iron (325 mg/day), 20% for folic acid (1 mg/day for 3 months, followed by 400–800 mcg/day), 25% for vitamin D (1000 UI/day or more-based serum level or 50,000 UI/week if level is <20 ng/mL), 40% for zinc (25–40 mg/day), 3.6% of children for calcium (1000–1500 mg/day), 20% for magnesium (200–300 mg/day); no data is available in adults for magnesium. Conclusions: If integration with diet is not enough, starting with supplements may be the correct way, after evaluating the initial blood level to determine the right dosage of supplementation

Volatile organic compounds as biomarkers of gastrointestinal diseases and nutritional status

Purpose. The purpose of this review was to identify the best solution for rapid and noninvasive diagnosis and long-term monitoring of patients affected by inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases, colon and gastric cancer, obesity in correlation to diet, and breast milk to evaluate exposure to VOCs in women and infants. Methods. This review included 20 previously published eligible studies. VOC analysis has allowed us to highlight differences in lifestyles, intestinal microbiota, and metabolism. New innovative methods have been described that allow the detection and quantification of a broad spectrum of metabolites present in exhaled breath even at very low levels, some of which have been shown to be indicators of pathological conditions. Results. Five studies were analyzed that involved VOC analysis in relation to type of diet. All of them showed that the type of diet can have an impact on metabolites excreted and therefore can be a useful tool in the nutritional studies related to metabolism and health and disease status. Two studies concerned VOC analysis in inflammatory bowel diseases, and the results showed that VOCs can distinguish active disease from remission; VOC profile is clearly different in patients. In particular, C15H30 1-pentadecene, 3-methyl-1-butanal, octane, acetic acid, alpha-pinene, and m-cymene are elevated in active ulcerative colitis. Four studies examined VOCs in gastric and colorectal tumors showing a change in metabolic biomarkers of cancer patients compared to the control group. Finally, the study of VOCs in breast milk has improved the understanding of the potential health risks of exposure of children to chemical pollutants. Conclusions. VOC analysis allowed to highlight differences in behavior, lifestyle, and metabolism of individuals. Analytical methods are continuously developed to allow for better detection and quantification of metabolites, thus enabling the detection of a broader spectrum of pathophysiology and disease biomarkers

Current opinion on dietary advice in order to preserve fat-free mass during a low-calorie diet

Objectives: The loss of fat-free mass (FFM) that occurs during weight loss secondary to low-calorie diet can lead to numerous and deleterious consequences. We performed a review to evaluate the state of the art on metabolic and nutritional correlates of loss of fat free mass during low calorie diet and treatment for maintaining fat free mass. Methods: This review included 44 eligible studies. There are various diet strategies to maintain FFM during a low-calorie diet, including adoption of a very low carbohydrate ketogenic diet (VLCKD) and taking an adequate amount of specific nutrients (vitamin D, leucine, whey protein). Results: Regarding the numerous and various low-calorie diet proposals for achieving weight loss, the comparison of VLCKD with prudent low-calorie diet found that FFM was practically unaffected by VLCKD. There are numerous possible mechanisms for this, involving insulin and the insulin-like growth factor-1–growth hormone axis, which acts by stimulating protein synthesis. Conclusions: Considering protein and amino acids intake, an adequate daily intake of leucine (4 g/d) and whey protein (20 g/d) is recommended. Regarding vitamin D, if the blood vitamin D has low values (<30 ng/mL), it is mandatory that adequate supplementation is provided, specifically calcifediol, because in the obese patient this form is recommended to avoid seizure in the adipose tissue; 3 to 4 drops/d or 20 to 30 drops/wk of calcifediol are generally adequate to restore normal 25(OH)D plasma levels in obese patients

Effect of Polyglucosamine on Weight Loss and Metabolic Parameters in Overweight and Obesity : A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis

The use of dietary supplements for weight loss has gained significant momentum. Polyglucosamine, a chitosan derivative, is a dietary supplement increasingly used for weight loss. In this meta-analysis, we systematically summarized and quantified the key findings of four randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials examining the effects of polyglucosamine supplementation and caloric restriction, and physical activity on body weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference in subjects with overweight and obesity. The control group was set with a physical activity from 6\u20137 MET-h/week activity and up to 21 MET-h/week activity with caloric restriction. Compliance in the latter trials was reported via a follow-up questionnaire with the individual participants. The analysis included 399 subjects followed for a period ranging from 12 weeks to one year. Subjects\u2019 age ranged from 21\u201375 years, BMI from 26\u201345 kg/m2, and all were white European or Caucasian in ethnicity. The meta-analyzed mean differences for random effects showed that polyglucosamine supplementation improves weight loss by 121.78 kg [ 122.78, 120.79], BMI by 121.52 kg/m2 [ 123.58, 0.54], and improves waist circumference reduction by 121.45 cm [ 122.77, 120.12]. In conclusion, the use of polyglucosamine supplementation in conjunction with lifestyle behavioral therapies can be effective for weight reduction. Further studies are needed to examine the long-term effects of polyglucosamine supplementation on weight loss and other metabolic parameters

The use of a new food-grade lecithin formulation of highly standardized ginger (Zingiber officinale) and acmella oleracea extracts for the treatment of pain and inflammation in a group of subjects with moderate knee osteoarthritis

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of a new food-grade lecithin formulation of standardized extracts of Zingiber officinale and Acmella oleracea on pain and inflammation. Patients and Methods: Pilot study with one-group pretest–posttest quasi-experimental design in which 50 subjects with moderate knee osteoarthritis (OA) (mean age: 62.46±8.45) were supplied for four weeks with two tablets/day. Results: Primary outcomes were 1) the evaluation of pain intensity, by a 30-day visual analogue scale (VAS) and 2) the assessment of knee function by WOMAC (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis) Index and by Tegner Lysholm Knee Scoring collected at baseline, at 15 and 30 days after treatment. Secondary outcomes were 3) health-related quality of life, by the ShortForm36 (SF-36); 4) inflammation grade by C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR); and 5) body composition by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) measured at baseline and 30 days after treatment. Data showed significant effects of supplement intake for WOMAC (β=−3.27, p<0.0001), Lysholm (β=1.06, p=0.0003), CRP (β=−0.13, p=0.006), ESR (β=−3.09, p=0.004), physical activity (β=4.3, p=0.009) and fat-free mass (β=376.7, p=0.046). A significant VAS’s decrease over time was observed in both knees (left: β=−0.08, p<0.0001; right: β=−0.07, p<0.0001). Conclusion: The tested formulation seems to be effective and also free of side effects