Perspective Chapter: Flaxseed (Linumusitatissimum L): Chemical Structure and Health-Related Functions

Flaxseed (Linumusitatissimum L.), one of the oldest cultivated crops, continues to be widely grown for oil, fiber, and food. This herb is used in the food culture of some countries with different purposes. Flaxseed is one of the richest plants in terms of some nutrients. Numerous studies have shown that in terms of omega-3 fatty acids, this herb is one of the richest sources in the diet. Also, the lignan content in flaxseed is significantly higher than that in other plants. Also, the lignan content in flaxseed is significantly higher than that in other plants. In this chapter, the structure and chemical properties of this plant have been investigated first, and then the effectiveness of flaxseed in some chronic diseases has been mentioned

Vitamin D insufficiency and its association with adipokines and atherogenic indices in patients with metabolic syndrome: A case-control study

IntroductionVitamin D deficiency is one of the most common nutritional disorders in most countries of the world. The present study was designed and implemented with the aim of investigating the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and the level of adipokines, atherogenesis indicators and factors related to metabolic syndrome.MethodsThis case-control study was done on 195 patients with metabolic syndrome aged 20-50 y who attended the health centers in Zabol County, northeast Iran, between April 2021 and January 2022. Anthropometric and biochemical parameters were measured for all subjects with standard methods. To determine serum 25(OH)D levels, we used enzymatic linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. Atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) was calculated as log (TG/HDL-c). The visceral adiposity index (VAI) and the lipid accumulation product (LAP) were estimated according to standard formulas.Results and DiscussionParticipants in the case group had lower serum levels of 25(OH)D compared to controls (19.8 ± 6.2 ng/ml vs. 41.2 ± 9.7ng/ml, P<0.001). We found that the mean serum levels of fasting blood sugar (P=0.023) and TG (P=0.008) as well as HOMA-IR (P=0.023) were significantly higher in the cases compared to controls. Also, patients with MetS and vitamin D insufficiency (cases) had higher AIP (P=0.040) and LAP (P=0.012) than controls. Furthermore, serum 25(OH)D levels showed significant inverse correlations with serum RBP-4 and a positive correlation with serum omentin-1 concentrations. The results of the present study showed that vitamin D deficiency correlated with some of the cardiometabolic risk factors among the patients with MetS

Effects of Ramadan and Non-ramadan Intermittent Fasting on Gut Microbiome

From Frontiers via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: collection 2022, received 2022-01-23, accepted 2022-02-23, epub 2022-03-22Publication status: PublishedBackground: In recent years, intermittent fasting (IF) has gained popularity in the health and wellness in the world. There are numerous types of IF, all of which involve fasting periods that last longer than an overnight fast and involve limited meal time-windows, with or without calorie restriction. The objective of this review is to summarize the current evidence for the effects of Ramadan and non-Ramadan IF on gut microbiome. Methods: We explored PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar according to the PRISMA criteria (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis). Animal and human studies were screened and reviewed separately by two researchers. Results: Twenty-eight studies were selected after screening. Some of the studies were performed on animal models and some on humans. The results of these studies indicate a significant shift in the gut microbiota, especially an increase in the abundance of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria following fasting diets. The results of some studies also showed an increase in the bacterial diversity, decrease inflammation and increased production of some metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in individuals or samples under fasting diets. Moreover, Ramadan fasting, as a kind of IF, improves health parameters through positive effects on some bacterial strains such as Akkermansia muciniphila and Bacteroide. However, some studies have reported adverse effects of fasting diets on the structure of the microbiome. Conclusion: In general, most studies have seen favorable results following adherence from the fasting diets on the intestinal microbiome. However, because more studies have been done on animal models, more human studies are needed to prove the results

Association of adherence to the dietary approach to stop hypertension and Mediterranean diets with blood pressure in a non-hypertensive population: Results from Isfahan Salt Study (ISS)

Abstract Background and aims Hypertension is among the major risk factors for cardiovascular events in the Iranian population. This cross-sectional study was designed to examine the association of adherence to the dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) and Mediterranean (MED) dietary patterns with the distribution of blood pressure and pre-hypertension prevalence. Methods and results This cross-sectional study was carried out in 1363 non-hypertensive adults. Adherence to the DASH and MED diets was calculated using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Hypertension was measured by the standard method. Multiple logistic regression was applied to obtain the odds ratio of pre-hypertension in the tertiles of MED and DASH dietary patterns. Compared to the lowest, participants with the highest adherence to the DASH dietary pattern had significantly lower systolic blood pressure (SBP) (111.3 ± 11.8 vs. 112.8 ± 12.5; P = 0.010) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (70.7 ± 9.2 vs. 71.8 ± 9.8; 0.042). There was no significant difference in the mean SBP and DBP among the participants across tertiles of MED or diet adherence. Higher scores of the DASH and MED diets were inversely associated with lower SBP after adjustment for all potential confounders (OR = −0.04, 95% CI = −0.29, −0.01, P = 0.039) and (OR = −0.04, 95% CI = −0.72, −0.02, P = 0.044), respectively. Also, DASH and MED dietary patterns was associated with reduced OR of pre-hypertension occurrence by 13% (OR: 0.87; 95% CI: 0.70–0.98; P for trend = 0.042) and 16% ([OR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.69–0.97; P trend = 0.035), respectively. Conclusion Adherence to the DASH and MED diets was inversely associated with the odds for pre-hypertension and SBP

The Effect of Ketogenic Diet on Shared Risk Factors of Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer are the first and second leading causes of death worldwide, respectively. Epidemiological evidence has demonstrated that the incidence of cancer is elevated in patients with CVD and vice versa. However, these conditions are usually regarded as separate events despite the presence of shared risk factors between both conditions, such as metabolic abnormalities and lifestyle. Cohort studies suggested that controlling for CVD risk factors may have an impact on cancer incidence. Therefore, it could be concluded that interventions that improve CVD and cancer shared risk factors may potentially be effective in preventing and treating both diseases. The ketogenic diet (KD), a low-carbohydrate and high-fat diet, has been widely prescribed in weight loss programs for metabolic abnormalities. Furthermore, recent research has investigated the effects of KD on the treatment of numerous diseases, including CVD and cancer, due to its role in promoting ketolysis, ketogenesis, and modifying many other metabolic pathways with potential favorable health effects. However, there is still great debate regarding prescribing KD in patients either with CVD or cancer. Considering the number of studies on this topic, there is a clear need to summarize potential mechanisms through which KD can improve cardiovascular health and control cell proliferation. In this review, we explained the history of KD, its types, and physiological effects and discussed how it could play a role in CVD and cancer treatment and prevention

Gut Microbial Flora, Prebiotics, and Probiotics in Multiple Sclerosis: Their Current Usage and Utility

International audienc

Dietary total antioxidant capacity is associated with lower disease severity and inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers in patients with knee osteoarthritis

Abstract Background This study was designed to evaluate the association between dietary total antioxidant capacity and clinical and biochemical variables in patients with osteoarthritis. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted among 160 patients with mild-to-moderate knee osteoarthritis. The Likert version of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC Index) was used to assess the severity of clinical symptoms in patients with knee osteoarthritis. The secondary outcomes included inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers. The participants' usual diets were assessed using a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), and the dietary total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was calculated based on the ferric reducing antioxidant power method. Additionally, clinical and biochemical variables were evaluated using standard methods. Results The mean age of the participants was 57.2 ± 8.1 years, and 55.6% of them were females. The dietary TAC scores in this study ranged from 3.67 to 24.72, with a mean of 12.05 ± 5.3. We found a significant inverse trend between the dietary TAC score and the total Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) score (P = 0.001), as well as the WOMAC stiffness (P = 0.008) and WOMAC physical function scores (P = 0.001). Furthermore, dietary TAC was inversely associated with serum concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6) (β = − 0.18, P = 0.020), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) (β = − 0.67, P < 0.001), matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) (β = − 0.33, P < 0.001), and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) (β = − 0.22, P = 0.005) levels. Conclusion The results of this study demonstrate an inverse association between dietary total antioxidant capacity and clinical and biochemical variables in patients with osteoarthritis

Association between dietary total antioxidant capacity and the risk of stroke: a nested case-control study

Abstract Background Oxidative stress after ischemic stroke contribute to neuronal cell injury. Unhealthy and unbalanced dietary patterns can increase the risk of several diseases, including stroke and cardiometabolic ones. However, the association between dietary total antioxidant capacity (DTAC) of antioxidant and stroke is controversial. Our study aimed to establish a correlation between DTAC and its impact on the occurrence of stroke. Methods This nested case–control study included 79 stroke cases and 158 healthy controls. We used data from the Fasa Adults Cohort Study (FACS) comprising 10,035 individuals at baseline. To assess the nutritional status of each individual, a 125-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) has been used to evaluate their dietary habits and intakes over the past year. DTAC was calculated using the ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) international databases. The stroke was confirmed by an experienced neurologist using standard imaging methods. Conditional logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the association between DTAC and stroke. Results The assessment of DTAC revealed that there was no statistically significant distinction between cases (mean ± SD: 5.31 ± 2.65) and controls (5.16 ± 2.80) with a p-value of 0.95. Even after adjusting for the potentially important confounding factors such as age, sex, event time, energy intake, smoking, hypertension, and diabetes, the association remains non-significant (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.06, 95% CI: 0.94, 1.20, p-value = 0.33). Conclusions Our results did not confirm a significant link between DTAC and stroke risk. These findings emphasize the intricate interplay of factors influencing stroke risk and highlight the need for further research to unravel these relationships more comprehensively