Thyroidal and Extrathyroidal Requirements for Iodine and Selenium:A Combined Evolutionary and (Patho)Physiological Approach

Iodide is an antioxidant, oxidant and thyroid hormone constituent. Selenoproteins are needed for triiodothyronine synthesis, its deactivation and iodine release. They also protect thyroidal and extrathyroidal tissues from hydrogen peroxide used in the ‘peroxidase partner system’. This system produces thyroid hormone and reactive iodine in exocrine glands to kill microbes. Exocrine glands recycle iodine and with high urinary clearance require constant dietary supply, unlike the thyroid. Disbalanced iodine-selenium explains relations between thyroid autoimmune disease (TAD) and cancer of thyroid and exocrine organs, notably stomach, breast, and prostate. Seafood is iodine unconstrained, but selenium constrained. Terrestrial food contains little iodine while selenium ranges from highly deficient to highly toxic. Iodine vs. TAD is U-shaped, but only low selenium relates to TAD. Oxidative stress from low selenium, and infection from disbalanced iodine-selenium, may generate cancer of thyroid and exocrine glands. Traditional Japanese diet resembles our ancient seashore-based diet and relates to aforementioned diseases. Adequate iodine might be in the milligram range but is toxic at low selenium. Optimal selenoprotein-P at 105 µg selenium/day agrees with Japanese intakes. Selenium upper limit may remain at 300–400 µg/day. Seafood combines iodine, selenium and other critical nutrients. It brings us back to the seashore diet that made us what we currently still are

Low-Fat Diet With Caloric Restriction Reduces White Matter Microglia Activation During Aging

Rodent models of both aging and obesity are characterized by inflammation in specific brain regions, notably the corpus callosum, fornix, and hypothalamus. Microglia, the resident macrophages of the central nervous system, are important for brain development, neural support, and homeostasis. However, the effects of diet and lifestyle on microglia during aging are only partly understood. Here, we report alterations in microglia phenotype and functions in different brain regions of mice on a high-fat diet (HFD) or low-fat diet (LFD) during aging and in response to voluntary running wheel exercise. We compared the expression levels of genes involved in immune response, phagocytosis, and metabolism in the hypothalamus of 6-month-old HFD and LFD mice. We also compared the immune response of microglia from HFD or LFD mice to peripheral inflammation induced by intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Finally, we investigated the effect of diet, physical exercise, and caloric restriction (40% reduction compared to ad libitum intake) on microglia in 24-month-old HFD and LFD mice. Changes in diet caused morphological changes in microglia, but did not change the microglia response to LPS-induced systemic inflammation. Expression of phagocytic markers (i.e., Mac-2/Lgals3, Dectin-1/Clec7a, and CD16/CD32) in the white matter microglia of 24-month-old brain was markedly decreased in calorically restricted LFD mice. In conclusion, LFD resulted in reduced activation of microglia, which might be an underlying mechanism for the protective role of caloric restriction during aging-associated decline

The role of nutrition in joint health promotion

Many people experience with advancing age complaints caused by degenerative changes of the cartilage in their joints, often leading to osteoarthritis (OA). Prevention and/or reduction of OA may include stimulation of the formation of new cartilage, the reduction of degenerative changes and the treatment of symptoms (pain, stiffness). On the basis of this review, it is concluded that the best opportunities for the nutritional prevention and/or treatment of OA are in the reduction of inflammation and not in the stimulation of new cartilage formation

Sulfur in human nutrition - effects beyond protein synthesis

That sulfur is essential to humans is based on the requirement of S-animo acids for normal growth and maintenance of nitrogen balance and not on the optimization of metabolic proccesses involving the synthesis of non-protein sulphur containing compounds. This paper reviews the significance of sulfur in the diet with respect to its role beyond protein synthesis

Safety of protein hydrolysates, fractions thereof and bioactive peptides in human nutrition

This paper evaluates the safety for humans with regard to consumption of protein hydrolysates and fractions thereof, including bioactive peptides. The available literature on the safety of protein, protein hydrolysates, fractions thereof and free amino acids on relevant food legislation is reviewed and evaluated. A new concept for the safety assessment of protein hydrolysates and fractions thereof is developed. Benchmarks for the evaluation are safety of total protein intake, safety of free amino acid intake, documented history of safe use, outcome of questionnaires in efficacy studies and safety studies

Lactose and lactose derivatives as bioactive ingredients in human nutrition

Lactose is a unique disaccharide, which occurs exclusively in the milk of mammals. It has wide applications as a food ingredient and in pharmaceutical preparations. Discouragement of milk consumption, because of the existence of lactase deficiency in the majority of the world population, is unjustified, because even in the complete absence of this enzyme, nutritionally significant volumes of milk, corresponding to about 11 g of lactose per day, are well tolerated, if the milk intake is distributed over the day and combined with meals

Health benefits of milk beyond traditional nutrition

This paper provides an overview of health benefits of consumption of milk which are not easily explained by traditional nutritional knowledge

Is pure voeding beter dan bewerkte?

Door allerlei technische ontwikkelingen zijn onze oorspronkelijke voedingsmiddelen veranderd. Vlees, vis, groenten, fruit, noten en zaden zijn verdrongen door bewerkte en voorverpakte producten, light producten en functionele voedingsmiddelen. Is dit een vooruitgang of is het gezonder om pure, onbewerkte producten te eten

Waarom overdaad schaadt en rust roest

Intreerede uitgesproken bij het aanvaarden van het ambt van Lector 'Sport, Voeding en Leefstijl' aan de Faculteit Gezondheid, Gedrag en Maatschappij van de Hogeschool van Arnhem en Nijmegen op 19 juni 200