Dietary Polyphenols and Human Health

Plant-based foods are the main source of phytochemicals, including polyphenols, a large family of compounds with highly diverse chemical structures. The impact of polyphenols, ranging from simple gallic acid to the most complex proanthocyanidins, on different biological processes has been irrefutably demonstrated by numerous studies. Multiple approaches, each with their strengths and weaknesses, have been used to investigate the effects of polyphenols, all making an important and complementary contribution to the field. In vitro and in vivo experimental models play a vital role in the elucidation of the mechanisms of action underlying the health benefits observed in human trials. However, their results cannot always be easily extrapolated to human beings, partly because of considerable interindividual variability and other external factors. For instance, potential effect-modulating variables, such as sex, age, smoking habits, body mass index, and hormone levels, need to be identified, as does the influence of other foods, nutrients and even culinary techniques. Additionally, we should not forget the importance of gut microbiota and genetic polymorphisms, which lead to varied circulating metabolites with different biological activities and health impacts. A more recent approach is the use of omics, an integration of disciplines such as metabolomics, genomics, epigenomics, and foodomics based on cutting-edge experimental techniques, including mass spectrometry. The comprehensive ultra-large data sets they generate allow the scientific community to answer new and complex questions

Material audiovisual sobre nutrición para pacientes durante el tratamiento oncológico

III Congreso de Alimentación, Nutrición y Dietética. Combinar la nutrición comunitaria y personalizada: nuevos retos

Benefits of polyphenol intake on the cardiovascular risk parameter

Podeu consultar el llibre complet a: http://hdl.handle.net/2445/103042Polyphenols are a large and heterogeneous group of compounds widely distributed in fruits, vegetables, cereals and their products such as coffee or wine. These bioactive compounds can ameliorate our health by improving certain risk factors, especially the cardiovascular ones. Thus, many investigations have focused on the effects of some polyphenols and polyphenol-rich foods on cardiovascular and other chronic diseases

Comparison of urinary excretion of total polyphenols after a high antioxidant diet and a low antioxidant diet

Podeu consultar el III Workshop anual INSA-UB complet a: http://hdl.handle.net/2445/118993Sessió 1. Pòster

Effects of Dietary Phytoestrogens on Hormones throughout a Human Lifespan: A Review

Dietary phytoestrogens are bioactive compounds with estrogenic activity. With the growing popularity of plant-based diets, the intake of phytoestrogen-rich legumes (especially soy) and legume-derived foods has increased. Evidence from preclinical studies suggests these compounds may have an effect on hormones and health, although the results of human trials are unclear. The effects of dietary phytoestrogens depend on the exposure (phytoestrogen type, matrix, concentration, and bioavailability), ethnicity, hormone levels (related to age, sex, and physiological condition), and health status of the consumer. In this review, we have summarized the results of human studies on dietary phytoestrogens with the aim of assessing the possible hormone-dependent outcomes and health effects of their consumption throughout a lifespan, focusing on pregnancy, childhood, adulthood, and the premenopausal and postmenopausal stages. In pregnant women, an improvement of insulin metabolism has been reported in only one study. Sex hormone alterations have been found in the late stages of childhood, and goitrogenic effects in children with hypothyroidism. In premenopausal and postmenopausal women, the reported impacts on hormones are inconsistent, although beneficial goitrogenic effects and improved glycemic control and cardiovascular risk markers have been described in postmenopausal individuals. In adult men, different authors report goitrogenic effects and a reduction of insulin in non-alcoholic fatty liver patients. Further carefully designed studies are warranted to better elucidate the impact of phytoestrogen consumption on the endocrine system at different life stages

NMR Spectroscopy: A powerful tool for the analysis of polyphenols in extra virgin olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), a key component of the Mediterranean Diet, has aroused interest in recent years due to its health properties. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is an appropriate tool for the accurate quantification of minor compounds in complex food matrices, such as polyphenols in olive oil. Flavonoids, lignans, secoiridoids and phenolic acids and alcohols in EVOO have been identified and quantified by NMR. This review provides an overview of the major developments in the structural elucidation of polyphenol compounds in EVOO

Adopting a High-Polyphenolic Diet Is Associated with an Improved Glucose Profile: Prospective Analysis within the PREDIMED-Plus Trial

The prevalence of diabetes is experiencing an increasing trend, and in 2019 it was the ninth leading cause of death in the world. Additionally, individuals with diabetes are more likely to suffer from other noncommunicable diseases such as heart attacks, strokes, or kidney disease. The expectations for the forthcoming years are not encouraging since the prevalence of diabetes has been increasing over the past decades. Nevertheless, type-2 diabetes (T2D), the most prevalent type, can be prevented by modifying harmful behavioral risk factors such as smoking, an unhealthy diet, sedentarism, and alcohol abuse [1]. In the search for the best dietary pattern to prevent or stop the progression of T2D, plant-based diets such as Mediterranean-style, vegetarian or vegan diets have been studied in several prospective observational studies and clinical trials [2]. Healthy plant-based diets are based on the consumption of large amounts of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts, as well as healthy fats such as extra virgin olive oil, which are associated with a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease and T2D [3]. A trait all these foods have in common is a richness in polyphenols, bioactive plant secondary metabolites with a vast structural diversity. According to their structure, polyphenols are classified into two main groups: flavonoids and non-flavonoids. Polyphe nols in the flavonoid group share the C6-C3-C6 structure and can be divided into the following subgroups: flavones, flavonols, theaflavins, catechins, proanthocyanidins (poly meric forms), flavanones, anthocyanidins, and isoflavones, whereas the non-flavanoids are classified as phenolic acids, lignans, and stilbenes [4]. Protective effects of polyphenols against the incidence and complications of T2D are supported by mechanistic studies conducted in animals [5] as well as clinical and epidemiological studies [6], although the available evidence is still limited and inconsistent. Furthermore, no previous study has examined the association between changes in the intake of all polyphenolic groups and subgroups and T2D-related parameters in a population with or at high-risk of T2D. The aim of the present work was to determine whether changing to a high polyphenol diet is associated with an improved glucose profile. Due to the heterogeneity of polyphenols in terms of bioavailability and metabolism, they were studied in separate groups

Microbial Phenolic Metabolites: Which Molecules Actually Have an Effect on Human Health?

The role of gut microbiota in human health has been investigated extensively in recent years. The association of dysbiosis, detrimental changes in the colonic population, with several health conditions has led to the development of pro-, pre- and symbiotic foods. If not absorbed in the small intestine or secreted in bile, polyphenols and other food components can reach the large intestine where they are susceptible to modification by the microbial population, resulting in molecules with potentially beneficial health effects. This review provides an overview of studies that have detected and/or quantified microbial phenolic metabolites using high-performance liquid chromatography as the separation technique, followed by detection through mass spectrometry. Both in vitro experimental studies and human clinical trials are covered. Although many of the microbial phenolic metabolites (MPM) reported in in vitro studies were identified in human samples, further research is needed to associate them with clinical health outcomes

Effect of moderate beer consumption (with and without ethanol) on cardiovascular health in postmenopausal women

The main aim of this 2-year non-randomized parallel controlled clinical pilot trial was to evaluate the long-termeffect of a moderate daily intake of beer (with and without alcohol) on cardiovascular health in postmenopausal women. A totalof 34 participants were grouped into three study arms: 16 were administered alcoholic beer, 6 consumed non-alcoholic beer,and 12 were in the control group. Changes in glucose metabolism, lipid profile, liver enzymes, anthropometric measurements,body composition, and blood pressure variables were monitored. Data on medical history, diet, and exercise were collected,and gustatory capacities were determined.RESULTS: Moderate consumption of beer, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, seemed to have positive effects on biochemicalindicators of cardiovascular health in postmenopausal women, with 660 mL day−1of non-alcoholic beer reducing low-densitylipoprotein cholesterol blood levels, and 330 mL day−1of alcoholic beer increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Theevolution of changes in android and gynoid fat percentage and their ratio differed significantly between study groups, whichwas attributable to either the interventions or the disparity between groups regarding the time elapsed since menopauseonset. Iso-⊍-acids recognition threshold could be involved in intervention group election, whereas the sensory phenotypesstudied were not associated with alcohol drinking frequency.CONCLUSIONS: Moderate beer consumption was found to improve the lipid profile of postmenopausal women, although theireffects in preventing cardiometabolic alterations deserve further research (trial registration number: ISRCTN13825020;https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN13825020

Beer Polyphenols and Menopause: Effects and Mechanisms-A Review of Current Knowledge

Beer is one of the most frequently consumed fermented beverages in the world, and it has been part of the human diet for thousands of years. Scientific evidence obtained from the development of new techniques of food analysis over the last two decades suggests that polyphenol intake derived from moderate beer consumption may play a positive role in different health outcomes including osteoporosis and cardiovascular risk and the relief of vasomotor symptoms, which are commonly experienced during menopause and are an important reason why women seek medical care during this period; here, we review the current knowledge regarding moderate beer consumption and its possible effects on menopausal symptoms. The effect of polyphenol intake on vasomotor symptoms in menopause may be driven by the direct interaction of the phenolic compounds present in beer, such as 8-prenylnaringenin, 6-prenylnaringenin, and isoxanthohumol, with intracellular estrogen receptors that leads to the modulation of gene expression, increase in sex hormone plasma concentrations, and thus modulation of physiological hormone imbalance in menopausal women. Since traditional hormone replacement therapies increase health risks, alternative, safer treatment options are needed to alleviate menopausal symptoms in women. The present work aims to review the current data on this subject