A potential synbiotic product improves the lipid profile of diabetic rats

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Previous studies showed that intake of yacon or some lactic acid bacteria was able to inhibit the development of diabetes mellitus, by reducing glucose and associated symptoms, for example, the lipid profile.</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>The purpose of this study was to assess the consumption influence of a potential symbiotic product of soybean and yacon extract and fermented <it>Enterococcus faecium</it> CRL 183 and <it>Lactobacillus helveticus</it> ssp <it>jugurti</it> 416 in reducing blood glucose and lipid levels in an animal model.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Diabetes mellitus was chemically induced by intraperitoneal administration of streptozotocin (50 mg/kg body weight). The rats were divided into four groups (n=10): GI – non-diabetic animals that received only a standard chow diet (negative control), GII – diabetic animals that received only chow diet (positive control), GIII – diabetic animals that received the chow diet + 1 mL/kg body weight/day of soybean and yacon unfermented product, GIV – diabetic rats that received the chow diet + 1 mL/kg body weight/day of soybean and yacon fermented product. There was a seven-week treatment period and the following parameters were evaluated: animal body weight, food and water intake, blood glucose, enzyme activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), triglycerides levels, total cholesterol, HDL-C, non-HDL-C. Cell viability of the fermented product was checked weekly for a seven-week period.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The product average viable population was 10⁸-10⁹ CFU/mL, by ensuring both the rods and cocci regular intake. No difference was observed between the water and feed intake and body weight of groups that received unfermented and fermented products and the untreated diabetic group. The same was observed for the blood glucose and AST and ALT activities, while some improvement was observed for a lipid profile, represented by reduction of triglycerides level by 15.07% and 33.50% in groups III and IV, respectively, and an increase of 23.70% in HDL-C level for group IV.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results showed that the ingestion of a potential symbiotic product was neither able to promote improvement in some of the disease symptoms, nor reduce blood glucose. However, a positive effect on triglycerides levels and HDL-cholesterol was observed in the groups that received the unfermented product containing yacon extract and the fermented product with <it>Enterococcus faecium</it> CRL 183, as well as <it>Lactobacillus helveticus</it> ssp <it>jugurti</it> 416 and yacon extract (symbiotic product).</p

Determinantes nutricionais e sóciodemográficos da variação de peso no pós-parto: uma revisão da literatura Nutritional and socio-demographic determinants of post-partum weight change: a literature review

Trata-se de um estudo de revisão sobre os fatores nutricionais e sócio-demográficos da variação de peso no pós-parto. Foi realizada uma busca bibliográfica nas bases de dados eletrônicas Scientific Eletronic Library On-line (SciELO), Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (LILACS) e Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE) referente a literatura publicada na última década (1997-2008). Treze artigos, um informe técnico e dois livros considerados relevantes sobre o assunto e publicados anteriormente ao ano 1997 foram citados na revisão. A revisão priorizou estudos de ensaios clínicos randomizados e de seguimento realizados com gestantes e mulheres no pós-parto. Os resultados obtidos mostram como principais fatores associados com a variação de peso no pós-parto o ganho de peso gestacional acima das recomendações do Institute of Medicine, Índice de Massa Corporal Pré-Gestacional > 25 kg/m2, dieta, tempo e intensidade do aleitamento materno e os fatores sócio-demográficos: raça negra, primiparidade, idade materna, baixa renda e baixa escolaridade. A prática regular de atividade física é recomendada como uma estratégia para evitar o ganho de peso excessivo e melhorar a perda de peso durante o pós-parto. No Brasil não existe uma estratégia nacional para prevenir o ganho de peso excessivo e garantir a adequada perda de peso nesse período. Durante o pós-parto, a maioria das ações de saúde visa basicamente garantir o aleitamento materno.<br>This study is a review of nutritional and sociodemographic factors determining post-partum weight variation. A bibliographical search was carried out on the electronic databases Scientific Eletronic Library On-line (SciELO), Latin-American and Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences (LILACS) and Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE) for titles published in the past decade (1997-2008). Thirteen articles, one technical note and two books considered relevant to the subject and published prior to 1997 are also cited in the review. The review prioritized studies involving randomized clinical trials and follow-up carried out among pregnant and post-partum women. The results show that the following are the main factors associated with post-partum weight variation: gestational weight gain above the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine, Pregestational Body Mass > 25 kg/m2, diet, duration and intensity of breast-feeding and socio-demographic factors, such as being black, having given birth only once, the age of the mother, low income and low schooling. Regular physical activity is recommended as a strategy for avoiding excessive weight gain and improving weight loss during post partum. In Brazil, there is no national strategy for preventing excessive weight gain and ensuring adequate weight loss during this period. During post-partum, most health service actions are restricted to ensuring that mothers breastfeed