Link between psychology and biology: dissatisfaction, inflammation and health

Evidence suggests that body dissatisfaction may relate to biological processes and that negative cognitions can influence physical health through the complex pathways linking psychological and biological factors. The present study investigates the relationships between body image satisfaction, cytokine levels, physical activity and obesity in 96 asymptomatic middle-aged men and women (48 normal and 48 overweight). Multivariate analysis showed that body dissatisfaction and physical inactivity were independently associated with higher levels of C-reactive protein and tumor necrosis factor-α, also after adjustment for obesity. The others interactions were also examined to control interactive or synergistic effects and critical controls known in psychoneuroimmunology related studies. The novel fining is that body image dissatisfaction is strongly linked to inflammation and may promote the increase in cytokines, representing a relative metabolic risk, independently of most traditional risk factors such a gender, BMI and intra-abdominal (waist-to-hip ratio) adiposity. Overall, these results highlight the fact that person’s negative cognitions and physical inactivity needs to be considered in intervention strategies in treatment of obesity and for health promotion

Gene – nutrient interactions

At the University of Primorska College of Health Care Izola the researchers are joined in an interdisciplinary team which will perform a research entitled “A multidisciplinary approach in the treatment of obesity”. Obesity and overweight pose a major risk for diet-related chronic diseases. So, understanding the role of obesity is of major importance in the prevention and treatment of these related diseases. It is known that genetic factors related to food intake, basal metabolic rate and adipocyte differentiation contribute, but also life style, psychological factors, and tradition, may provide to the etiology of obesity, that is why obesity will be studied from different aspects. The aim of the research is in addition to nutritional treatment also attempt to understand the regulation of the secretion of adipokines by different food components. Research is versatile and interdisciplinary, and is a challenge for researchers

Interactions between person\u27s cognition, food and biological processes over multidisciplinary intervention

The aim of the present study was to explore interactions between food, cognition and biological processes in relation to health. Therefore, we assessenergy intake, total fat, protein and carbohydrate intake and negative cognition about body image and inflammation biomarkers over 6-month multidisciplinary intervention. The participants were evaluated at baseline and after the 6-month of intervention. 33 overweight and 33 obese adults completed a 6-month intervention trial to evaluate the effects of an individual dietary programme based on individual\u27s resting metabolic rate on anthropometry, metabolic profile, and inflammation. Pearson\u27s correlations were performed to investigate the possible associations between reductions in obesity, inflammation, dietary intakes with decrease in body dissatisfaction. Furthermore, hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that relative changes in obesity indicators accounted for 23% of the variation in reduction of inflammation biomarker C- reactive protein, changes in composition of diet 13% of variation and changes in negative cognition explained an additional 8% of the variation in inflammation level of CRP. Together the independent variables accounted for 44% of the variance in inflammation level of CRP. The important findings of the present study were that reduction in carbohydrate intake and increase in protein intake in diet, with more positive cognition about body image,significantly predicted a reduction in level of inflammation biomarker, measured with CRP. Changes in energy intake and total fat intake and physical activity did not predicted reduction of inflammation

Serumski bilirubin korelira s adipokinima u serumu kod asimptomatskih odraslih osoba s normalnom i prekomjernom tjelesnom težinom

Overweight and obesity are considered as chronic low-grade inflammation accompanied by imbalanced production of adipokines. The aim of this study was to elucidate the relationship between serum bilirubin, which is an endogenous antioxidant with anti-inflammatory activity, and pro- and anti-inflammatory serum adipokines in asymptomatic normal weight and overweight individuals. Healthy men and women aged 25-49 participated in this cross-sectional study. All participants underwent fasting serological measurements of adipokines, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), C-reactive protein (CRP), total and direct serum bilirubin, and other biochemical parameters. Participants were divided into normal weight and overweight groups. We found a significant negative association between total bilirubin and CRP, TNF-α, visfatin and resistin values, and a significant positive association between total bilirubin and adiponectin values in both normal weight and overweight groups. Importantly, after adjusting for body mass index, we also found a significant negative association between total serum bilirubin levels and both visfatin and CRP serum levels. Moreover, visfatin, resistin and CRP were predictors of the total serum bilirubin levels.Prekomjerna tjelesna težina i pretilost smatraju se kroničnom upalom niskog stupnja praćenom neuravnoteženom proizvodnjom adipokina. Cilj istraživačkog rada bio je razjasniti odnos između serumskog bilirubina, koji je endogeni antioksidans s protuupalnom aktivnošću, i pro- i protuupalnih serumskih adipokina kod asimptomatskih pojedinaca s normalnom i pojedinaca s prekomjernom tjelesnom težinom. U ovoj presječnoj studiji sudjelovali su zdravi muškarci i žene u dobi od 25 do 49 godina. Mjereni su biokemijski parametri, adipokini, interleukin-6 (IL-6), faktor tumorske nekroze (TNF-α), C-reaktivni protein (CRP), ukupni i direktni serumski bilirubin. Sudionici su bili podijeljeni u dvije skupine: osobe s normalnom i osobe s prekomjernom tjelesnom težinom. Pronašli smo statistički značajnu negativnu povezanost između ukupnog bilirubina i vrijednosti CRP, TNF-α, visfatina i rezistina te statistički značajnu pozitivnu povezanost između ukupnog bilirubina i adiponektina u objema skupinama. Dodatno, nakon prilagodbe indeksa tjelesne mase našli smo značajnu negativnu povezanost između ukupnog bilirubina te visfatina i CRP. Multivarijatna logistička regresijska analiza je pokazala da su visfatin, rezistin i CRP prediktori ukupnog bilirubina

Habitual low carbohydrate high fat diet compared with omnivorous, vegan, and vegetarian diets

BackgroundDietary patterns which exclude whole food groups, such as vegetarian, vegan and low carbohydrate high fat diet (LCHF), are increasingly popular in general public. When carefully planned, all these diets have some known benefits for health, but concerns are also raised in particular for LCHF. The quality of LCHF diet which individuals follow in real life without supervision is not known.MethodsOne hundred thirty healthy individuals with stable body mass following LCHF, vegan, vegetarian and omnivorous diet for at least six months, were compared in a cross-sectional study. Diet was analyzed through 3-day food records and FFQ, anthropometric measurements were performed and serum metabolic biomarkers determined from fasting blood.ResultsParticipants on LCHF diet had the intakes of micronutrients comparable to other groups, while the intakes of macronutrients differed in line with the definition of each diet. The intakes of saturated fats, cholesterol and animal proteins were significantly higher and the intakes of sugars and dietary fibers were lower compared to other groups. Healthy eating index 2015 in this group was the lowest. There were no differences in the levels of glucose, triacylglycerols and CRP among groups. Total and LDL cholesterol levels were significantly higher in LCHF group, in particular in participants with higher ketogenic ratio. Fatty acids intakes and intakes of cholesterol, dietary fibers and animal proteins explained 40% of variance in total cholesterol level, with saturated fatty acids being the strongest positive predictor and monounsaturated fatty acids a negative predictor.ConclusionNone of the self-advised diets provided all the necessary nutrients in optimal levels. Due to the detected increased levels of serum cholesterols, selection of healthy fat sources, higher intake of dietary fibers and partial replacing of animal sources with plant sources of foods should be recommended to the individuals selecting LCFH dietary pattern.Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT04347213

Randomized controlled trial investigating the effects of a breastfeeding relaxation intervention on maternal psychological state, breast milk outcomes and infant behavior and growth

Background: Biological signaling and communication between mothers and infants during breastfeeding may shape infant behavior and feeding. This signaling is complex and little explored in humans, although it is potentially relevant for initiatives to improve breastfeeding rates. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate physiological and psychological aspects of mother-infant signaling during breastfeeding experimentally, testing the effects of a relaxation intervention on maternal psychological state, breast milk intake, milk cortisol levels, and infant behavior and growth. Methods: Primiparous breastfeeding mothers and full-term infants were randomly assigned to receive relaxation therapy [intervention relaxation group; n = 33 (RG)] or to the control group [n = 31 (CG); no relaxation therapy] at 2 wk postpartum. Both groups received standard breastfeeding support. Home visits were conducted at 2 (HV1), 6 (HV2), 12 (HV3) and 14 (HV4) wk to measure maternal stress and anxiety, breast milk intake and milk cortisol, and infant behavior and growth. Results: RG mothers had lower stress scores postintervention than the CG (HV3 ∆ = -3.13; 95% CI: -5.9, -0.3) and lower hindmilk cortisol at HV1 (∆ = -44.5%; 95% CI: -76.1%, -12.9%) but not at HV2. RG infants had longer sleep duration (∆ = 82 min/d; 95% CI: 16, 149 min/d) at HV2 and higher gains in weight and body mass index standardized deviation score than the CG infants (∆ = 0.76; 95% CI: 0.3, 1.22; and ∆ = 0.59; 95% CI: 0.09, 1.1, respectively). RG infants had a mean milk intake at HV3 that was 227 g/d higher than that of the CG infants (P = 0.031) after controlling for gender and milk intake at HV1. Conclusions: The trial shows the effectiveness of a simple relaxation intervention for improving maternal and infant outcomes and identifies some potential signaling mechanisms for investigation in future and larger studies, especially in settings where mothers are more stressed, such as those with preterm or low birth weight infants. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01971216

Serum bilirubin levels in overweight and obese individuals

Obesity is a chronic condition involving low-grade inflammation and increased oxidative stressthus, obese and overweight people have lower values of serum bilirubin. Essentially, bilirubin is a potent endogenous antioxidant molecule with anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antithrombotic, and endocrine properties. This review paper presents the interplay betweeen obesity-related pathological processes and bilirubin, with a focus on adipose tissue and adipokines. We discuss potential strategies to mildly increase serum bilirubin levels in obese patients as an adjunctive therapeutic approach

Acute Effects of Beetroot Juice Supplementation on Isometric Muscle Strength, Rate of Torque Development and Isometric Endurance in Young Adult Men and Women: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Cross-Over Pilot Study

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of concentrated beetroot juice on isometric strength and knee extensor muscle endurance in healthy adults. We conducted a randomized cross-over, double-blind experiment in which participants (18 healthy, physically active adults, 9 men, 9 women) consumed either concentrated beetroot juice (140 mL) or low-nitrate control supplement 2.5 h before the measurement. Isometric maximum strength (peak torque), explosive strength (isometric rate of torque development), and strength endurance at 50% of peak torque were measured on an isometric dynamometer. The results showed that concentrated beetroot juice had no effect on the maximum voluntary isometric strength and rate of torque development of the knee extensors. The only exception was the maximum rate of torque development, for which a positive influence was demonstrated only in men. As for the endurance of the knee extensors, the supplement had a positive effect in men (endurance time increased from 86.4 ± 46.1 s to 103.4 ± 53.7 s; p = 0.022), but not in women. The absence of effect on maximal voluntary strength is consistent with previous research. One the other hand, improvements in endurance and rate of torque development in men only point to an important aspect of a previously under-researched area of sex-specific responses to nitrate supplementation

interaction between certain genetic polymorphisms and a diet

Meja med zdravjem in boleznijo je pogojena s kompleksnim ravnotežjem dveh elementov, genetike na eni strani in načinom življenja na drugi. Nutrigenomikaje pristop, s katerim lahko prehranjevanje prilagodimo posamezniku, oziroma posamezniku priporočimo posamezna živila glede na njegov genetski ustroj. Namen preglednega članka je predstaviti posamezne interakcijein povezave med genskimi polimorfizmi in sestavinami hrane ter povečanim tveganjem za razvoj tako bolezni srca in ožilja kot rakavih obolenja. Poznamo namreč kar nekaj bioaktivnih sestavin v hrani, ki lahko pozitivno ali negativno vplivajo tako na potek ateroskleroze, kot tudi na pojav rakavega obolenja. Moramo pa se zavedati, da čas individualizirane prehrane še ni napočil, potrebne so številne ponovitve obetajočih rezultatov na različnih populacijah. Preiti moramo tudi iz osnovnega, enostavnega eksperimenta (ena sestavina hrane, enojni nukleotidni polimorfizem, dejavnik tveganja) na resnične razmere, ki vključujejo medsebojno vplivanje številnih genov, sestavin hrane in dejavnikov tveganja. Če povzamemo, potrebne so večje populacijske in dobro standardizirane študije.The boundary between health and disease is often defined by a complex equilibrium between two elements, genetics and lifestyle. The aim of nutrigenomics is to personalize nutrition and its effects on health by tailoring food to the individual genotype. The purpose of this review was to present the interaction between certain genetic polymorphisms and a diet, on the one hand, and increased cardiovascular or cancer risk, on the other. It is well-known that a large number of bioactive food components may provide protection against or increase risk for atherosclerosis and cancer processes. However, these findings are not yet applicable to the clinical environment. The results need to be replicated in various populations, and based on a higher-level scientific evidence. Moreover, the relatively simple scenarios used today (i.e.a single dietary component, a single nucleotide polymorphism and one risk factor) will have to be replaced by more realistic situations involving interactions between multiple genes, dietary components, and risk factors. In summary, well-standardized studies in larger populations will have to be undertaken in the future

Acute moderate-intensity exercise increases total antioxidant capacity and anti-inflammatory responses in competitive cyclists

High-intensity exercise can elicit acute changes in the biochemical and physiological processes in the body of an athlete, including increased oxidative stress and inflammation. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of acute moderate-intensity exercise on total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and serum levels of anti-inflammatory adiponectin (APN), and inflammatory markers in competitive cyclists. Ten male cyclists (age 15–26 years, body mass index 19.4–24.7 kg/m$^2$) participated in this study. Each subject performed the maximal oxygen uptake test (VO$_{2peak}$) and completed a 10-min cycling exercise at a workload of 50% of the peak of VO$_{2peak}$. Blood samples were collected on three different occasions: after an overnight fasting and at the exercise workloads of 50% and 100% VO$_{2peak}$. We measured APN, TAC, inflammatory markers as well as assessed nutrient and energy intake for each participant. Baseline concentration of serum APN (10.92µg/mL) significantly increased at 50% and at 100% VO$_{2peak}$. In addition, TAC also increased after acute exercise (0.079 vs 0.093 nmol/µL). The concentration of APN at 50% VO$_{2peak}$ positively correlated with the CRP (r = 0.640, p = 0.046) and negatively correlated with TNF-α (r = −0.696, p = 0.025). This test showed that short (10min) and medium-intensity (50% VO$_{2peak}$) exercise activity in trained athletes evoked beneficial antioxidant and anti-inflammatory responses. Importantly, this response correlates with the increase in APN levels thereby showing that highly trained individuals have beneficial responses originating from adipose tissue. Our observations show that a short training at moderate activity can be an important preservative strategy during the recovery training period