The effect of apple cider vinegar on lipid profiles and glycemic parameters:a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials

Abstract Background Elevated lipid profiles and impaired glucose homeostasis are risk factors for several cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), which, subsequently, represent a leading cause of early mortality, worldwide. The aim of the current study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of apple cider vinegar (ACV) on lipid profiles and glycemic parameters in adults. Methods A systematic search was conducted in electronic databases, including Medline, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Web of Knowledge, from database inception to January 2020. All clinical trials which investigated the effect of ACV on lipid profiles and glycemic indicators were included. Studies were excluded if ACV was used in combination with other interventions or when the duration of intervention was  8-weeks, respectively. Furthermore, ACV consumption significantly decreased FPG levels in a subgroup of studies that administered ACV for > 8-weeks. Further, ACV intake appeared to elicit an increase in FPG and HDL-C concentrations in apparently healthy participants. Conclusion We found a significant favorable effect of ACV consumption on FPG and blood lipid levels

The relationship between major dietary patterns and fertility status in iranian men:a case–control study

In this case–control study, we aimed to investigate the association between major dietary patterns and fertility status in Iranian men. The study population included 400 newly diagnosed infertile men and 537 healthy individuals without a history of infertility in Yazd, Iran. Infertility was confirmed clinically, based on the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. Dietary intake was assessed using a 168-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), and dietary patterns were determined based on a principal component analysis. Four major dietary patterns were found in this study, including healthy, Western, mixed, and traditional dietary patterns. After adjustments for potential confounders, men above the median of a healthy dietary pattern showed a reduced risk of infertility compared to those below the median (OR 0.52; 95% CI 0.33–0.83). In contrast, men with greater adherence to Western and mixed dietary patterns were more likely to be infertile (OR 2.66; 95% CI 1.70–4.17 and OR 2.82; 95% CI 1.75–4.56, respectively). Also, there was no significant association between the traditional dietary pattern and the odds of infertility. The present study suggests that greater adherence to a healthy dietary pattern may have an inverse association with the odds of infertility; however, Western and mixed dietary patterns may be associated with an increased risk of infertility

Efficacy of curcumin/turmeric on liver enzymes in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials

Background: Several studies reported that curcumin supplementation could improve non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of curcumin/turmeric supplementation on liver enzymes in patients with NAFLD. Methods: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar were systematically searched until December 2017. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) which examined effect of curcumin/turmeric supplementation on NAFLD in adult participants. Main outcome was alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Potential risks of bias (ROB) were assessed by using Cochrane ROB tool. Results: All included studies showed low ROB in most of item of Cochrane ROB tool. Meta-analysis of 4 randomized controlled trials including 228 subjects showed a trend toward significant reduction of ALT blood concentrations in subgroup with ≥1000 mg/day curcumin supplementation (–11.36 IU/L, 95% CI: –22.75 to 0.02; I2:51%). Meta-analysis showed a significant reduction of AST in studies with 8-weeks administration (–9.22 IU/L, 95% CI: –12.77 to –5.67; I2: 49%). Conclusion: This review suggests that curcumin/turmeric might have a favorable effect on NAFLD in higher dosage. Further high-quality studies with large-scale and higher dosage are warranted. Keywords: Curcumin, Non-alcoholic fatty liver, Alanine transaminase, Aspartate aminotransferases, Meta-analysi

Effects of synbiotic consumption on lipid profile: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials

Khalesi, S ORCiD: 0000-0002-8208-2518Background and aims: Existing evidence on the possible effects of synbiotics on lipid profile is inconclusive. The aim of the present systematic review was to clarify the effects of synbiotics consumption on lipid profile. Methods: A systematic literature search of online databases PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of science, Cochrane's library and Google Scholar was conducted up to January 2019. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effects of synbiotics on lipid profile in adults were included. The overall effect was presented as weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) in a random-effects meta-analysis model. Results: A total of 23 RCTs with 1338 participants were included. Synbiotic consumption resulted in a significant decrease in plasma concentrations of total cholesterol (WMD = − 10.17 mg/dL; 95% CI − 15.74 to − 4.60; p ' 0.001), triglyceride (WMD = − 14.30 mg/dL; 95% CI − 25.32 to − 3.28; p = 0.01), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (WMD = − 8.32 mg/dL; 95% CI − 13.21 to − 3.43; p ' 0.001), and an increase in plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (WMD = 1.3 mg/dL; 95% CI 0.03 to 2.56; p = 0.04) levels compared to control (placebo supplements/control foods/conventional products). The effects are more pronounced when synbiotics supplements are consumed for ' 8 weeks. Conclusion: Synbiotic supplements may be beneficial to improve lipid profile, especially when they are consumed for ' 8 weeks

An Investigation into the Effects of Chemical, Pharmaceutical, and Herbal Compounds on Neuroglobin: A Literature Review

Neuroglobin (Ngb) is an oxygen-binding globin protein that is mainly expressed in the neurons of the central and peripheral nervous system. However, moderate levels of Ngb have also been detected in non-neural tissues. Ngb and Ngb modulating factors have been increasingly studied over the last decade due to their neuroprotective role in neurological disorders and hypoxia. Studies have shown that a number of chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and herbal compounds can modulate the expression of Ngb at different dose levels, indicating a protective role against neurodegenerative diseases. Iron chelators, hormones, antidiabetic drugs, anticoagulants, antidepressants, plant derivatives and short-chain fatty acids are among these compounds. Therefore, this study aimed to review the literature focused on the possible effects and mechanisms of chemical, pharmaceutical, and herbal compounds on Ngbs

Association of Omega-3 fatty acid and epileptic seizure in epileptic patients: A systematic review

The evidence on the association between omega-3 consumption and epileptic seizure is inconsistent. Therefore, we have conducted this systematic review to clarify the possible relationship. Original articles were searched in electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Cochrane, and Ovid) and by reviewing the reference lists of retrieved articles. The main evaluated outcome was the epileptic seizures. We included the English language studies that reported the original data on the effect of omega-3 on epileptic human patients. We included the nine articles with 230 patients in the present systematic review. The mean ± standard deviation age of them was about 31.01 ± 14.99 years. The average of study duration was 22 ± 15.27 weeks. Omega-3 fatty acid supplements were defined as the sum of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (1100 mg/d); as the sum of EPA, DHA, and alpha-linolenic acid (5 g/d); and as the sum of EPA alone (565 mg/d) in different studies. Among the nine studies, four studies reported a significant positive association between omega-3 fatty acids and epileptic seizures. However, power and quality of these studies are low, and we cannot consider the beneficial effect of omega-3 on seizures. In addition, five studies did not reveal any significant effect. Majority of the included studies did not show a significant association between omega-3 and epileptic seizure in epileptic patients, but further studies are necessary. It is controversial whether omega-3 fatty acids can produce positive effects on epileptic patients or not

Healthy eating index/alternative healthy eating index and breast cancer mortality and survival: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. The effects of overall diet quality instead of single nutrients after breast cancer diagnosis on mortality have been a growing area of research interest. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the relationship between the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)/the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) and risk of breast cancer mortality or survival rates as a primary outcome, and some related inflammatory factors, as secondary outcomes among postdiagnosed women. Methods: This study methodology was performed based on the Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis statement recommendation and had been registered at PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42015015605). The systematic search was conducted in the electronic databases including PubMed, ISI, Scopus, Cochrane, and Google before July 2016. Researches that had not reported risk of breast cancer mortality or survival rates separately were excluded from the study. Similarly, this review excluded studies which only had examined the HEI or AHEI without reporting their association with the risk of mortality or survival rates. Results: After primary search, of 643 studies identified, 4 studies including eligible criteria were selected for the final assessment. All selected studies had been conducted in the USA and used self-report food-frequency questionnaire for diet quality assessment. In two studies HEI-2005, in one study AHEI, and in another study AHEI-2010 were applied. Meta-analysis result showed no significant association between these indexes and risk of breast cancer mortality/survival among women with this malignancy [relative risk: (RR) 1.04; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.69–1.56; P = 0.87]. Conclusions: Regarding the adherence HEI/AHEI, we found no association between mentioned indexes and risk of mortality or survival from breast cancer in women with breast cancer. However, evidence in this field is limited and inconsistence and further studies are needed