Effects of Greenshell™ mussel intervention on biomarkers of cartilage metabolism, inflammatory markers and joint symptoms in overweight/obese postmenopausal women: A randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of whole greenshell mussel (GSM) powder on biomarkers of cartilage metabolism, inflammatory cytokines, and joint symptoms in postmenopausal women with overweight/obesity and joint discomfort.DesignFifty-five postmenopausal women with overweight/obesity were randomly assigned to receive 3 g/day whole GSM powder or placebo for 12 weeks. Cartilage turnover biomarkers urinary C-telopeptide of type II collagen (CTX-II) and serum cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) were measured at baseline, week 6 and 12. Plasma cytokines were measured at baseline and week 12. Joint pain and knee-related problems were assessed at baseline and week 12 using a 100 mm Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) questionnaire, respectively.ResultsForty-nine participants completed the study (GSM n = 25, placebo n = 24). After 12 weeks, urinary CTX-II showed no significant change over time or between the groups (interaction effect P = 0.1). However, in women with symptomatic knees, a significant difference was noted between the group (treatment effect P = 0.04), as it was lower in the GSM group compared to placebo group at week 6 (P = 0.04) and week 12 (P = 0.03). Serum COMP and plasma cytokines were not affected. GSM supplementation showed greater reduction in the VAS pain score than placebo (−13.2 ± 20.3 vs. −2.9 ± 15.9; P = 0.04). No significant change in KOOS domains between the two groups was observed.ConclusionOral supplementation of whole GSM powder at 3 g/day may slow down the degradation of type II collagen in postmenopausal women with symptomatic knees. GSM treatment conferred clinical benefit on overall joint pain. No significant effect was noted for inflammatory cytokines, suggesting that GSM may act within the joint microenvironment rather than at the systemic level.Clinical trial registration[www.australianclinicaltrials.gov.au/clinical-trialregistries], identifier [ACTRN12620000413921p]

Higher intake of phytochemical-rich foods is inversely related to prediabetes: A case-control study

Background: Dietary phytochemical index (DPI) has introduced as an inexpensive method for quantifying the phytochemicals in foods. For the first time, this study was conducted to investigate the relationship between DPI and the risk of prediabetes. Methods: Three hundred participants were assigned to 150 prediabetics (cases) and 150 healthy (controls) groups. Anthropometric values, fasting blood glucose, and 2-h oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) were measured. The DPI was calculated based on data collected from 168-item validated food frequency questionnaire. Results: The sex-specific energy-adjusted DPI was inversely related to fasting blood glucose (FBG) and OGTT (P < 0.001). The odds ratio (OR) of prediabetes was assessed across sex-specific energy-adjusted DPI quartiles. After adjusting for body mass index, physical activity, education, dietary intake of energy, fiber, carbohydrate (% of energy), fat (% of energy), and protein (% of energy), the OR of prediabetes across the sex-specific energy-adjusted DPI quartiles decreased significantly (P-trend < 0.001). Conclusions: We found that higher DPI score is related to lower prediabetes OR. This simple method may be used for the improvement of dietary intake to prevent prediabetes

Dietary total antioxidant capacity is inversely associated with depression, anxiety and some oxidative stress biomarkers in postmenopausal women: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Postmenopausal women are at higher risk of mental disorders. Oxidative stress has implication in the development of these disorders. Dietary total antioxidant capacity (DTAC) has been proposed as a tool for assessing dietary antioxidants intake. The relationship between DTAC with depression, anxiety and stress has not been investigated in postmenopausal women. Thus, we aimed to assess the association between DTAC and depression, stress and anxiety as well as oxidative stress biomarkers. Methods This cross-sectional study was carried out on 175 postmenopausal women. Data on dietary intake and mental health were collected by 147-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires (FFQ) and Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-42), respectively. Dietary and serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA), oxidized-LDL, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured. ANOVA test was applied to compare the mean of variables across the tertiles of DTAC. The relationship between DTAC and oxidative stress biomarkers was determined through ANCOVA method. Simple and multivariate linear regression tests were performed to measure the relationship between DTAC and mental health. Results Serum MDA level was significantly lower in the subjects at the highest tertiles of DTAC (P-value < 0.001). In addition, serum TAC level was significantly higher in subjects at the second tertile of DTAC (P-value = 0.04). DTAC was inversely and independently related to depression (β = − 0.16, P-value = 0.03) and anxiety scores (β = − 0.21, P-value = 0.007). There was no significant association between DTAC and stress score (β = − 0.10, P-value = 0.1). Conclusion An inverse relationship was found between DTAC with depression, anxiety scores and some oxidative stress biomarkers in postmenopausal women. These findings indicate DTAC may be used for developing effective dietary measures for reducing depression and anxiety in these women

Mass Spectrometry-Based Metabolomic and Lipidomic Analysis of the Effect of High Fat/High Sugar Diet and Greenshell^TM Mussel Feeding on Plasma of Ovariectomized Rats

This study aimed to examine the changes in lipid and metabolite profiles of ovariectomized (OVX) rats with diet-induced metabolic syndrome-associated osteoarthritis (MetOA) after supplementation with greenshell mussel (GSM) using an untargeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) metabolomics approach. Ninety-six rats were fed with one of four diets: control, control supplemented with GSM + GSM, high fat/high sugar (HFHS), or high fat/high sugar enriched with GSM (HFHS + GSM). After 8 weeks on experimental diets, half of the rats in each group underwent OVX and the other half were sham operated. After being fed for an additional 28 weeks, blood samples were collected for the metabolomics analysis. Lipid and polar metabolites were extracted from plasma and analysed by LC-MS. We identified 29 lipid species from four lipid subclasses (phosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidylcholine, diacylglycerol, and triacylglycerol) and a set of eight metabolites involved in amino acid metabolism (serine, threonine, lysine, valine, histidine, pipecolic acid, 3-methylcytidine, and cholic acid) as potential biomarkers for the effect of HFHS diet and GSM supplementation. GSM incorporation more specifically in the control diet generated significant alterations in the levels of several lipids and metabolites. Further studies are required to validate these findings that identify potential biomarkers to follow OA progression and to monitor the impact of GSM supplementation

Correction to: Evaluation of serum 25-Hydroxy vitamin D levels in children with autism Spectrum disorder

The original article [1] contained an error in author Mohammad Taghi Mansouri’s name

Data_Sheet_1_Effects of Greenshell™ mussel intervention on biomarkers of cartilage metabolism, inflammatory markers and joint symptoms in overweight/obese postmenopausal women: A randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial.docx

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of whole greenshell mussel (GSM) powder on biomarkers of cartilage metabolism, inflammatory cytokines, and joint symptoms in postmenopausal women with overweight/obesity and joint discomfort.DesignFifty-five postmenopausal women with overweight/obesity were randomly assigned to receive 3 g/day whole GSM powder or placebo for 12 weeks. Cartilage turnover biomarkers urinary C-telopeptide of type II collagen (CTX-II) and serum cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) were measured at baseline, week 6 and 12. Plasma cytokines were measured at baseline and week 12. Joint pain and knee-related problems were assessed at baseline and week 12 using a 100 mm Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) questionnaire, respectively.ResultsForty-nine participants completed the study (GSM n = 25, placebo n = 24). After 12 weeks, urinary CTX-II showed no significant change over time or between the groups (interaction effect P = 0.1). However, in women with symptomatic knees, a significant difference was noted between the group (treatment effect P = 0.04), as it was lower in the GSM group compared to placebo group at week 6 (P = 0.04) and week 12 (P = 0.03). Serum COMP and plasma cytokines were not affected. GSM supplementation showed greater reduction in the VAS pain score than placebo (−13.2 ± 20.3 vs. −2.9 ± 15.9; P = 0.04). No significant change in KOOS domains between the two groups was observed.ConclusionOral supplementation of whole GSM powder at 3 g/day may slow down the degradation of type II collagen in postmenopausal women with symptomatic knees. GSM treatment conferred clinical benefit on overall joint pain. No significant effect was noted for inflammatory cytokines, suggesting that GSM may act within the joint microenvironment rather than at the systemic level.Clinical trial registration[www.australianclinicaltrials.gov.au/clinical-trialregistries], identifier [ACTRN12620000413921p].</p

Evaluation of serum 25-Hydroxy vitamin D levels in children with autism Spectrum disorder

Abstract Background Vitamin D plays an important role in etiology of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). We aimed to evaluate the serum 25 - hydroxyl vitamin D level among children with ASDs in Ahvaz city, Iran. Methods It was a cross-sectional study which had conducted on 62 subjects in two groups: a case group (n = 31) consisted of ASD children who study in especial schools; and a control group (n = 31) of healthy children who were selected by simple random sampling from regular schools in Ahvaz city, Iran during 2016. Maching between two groups has done regarding Socioeconomic status, type and amount of food intake, place of living and age. The levels of serum 25 - hydroxyl vitamin D were assessed in early morning means fasted state and also measured using ELISA method. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. The significant level was considered  0.001). Although the parents of patients in control group reported longer exposure to sun (27.42 m per day against 33.06 m per day), no significant difference was observed between these groups in terms of exposure to sun (P < 0.05). Conclusions A significant difference was observed between serum 25-hydroxyvitamine D levels between the healthy and ASD children. It is recommended to use vitamin D supplement in children with ASDs under medical care