Effects of Nutrient Fortified Complementary Food Supplements on Anemia of Infants and Young Children in Poor Rural of Gansu

Objective To assess the effectiveness of complementary food supplements with protein and multi-micronutrients on hemoglobin and anemia in infants and young children. Methods In 5 poor counties of Gansu, 984 children aged 6-12 months were enrolled and divided into two groups. In addition to the usual home-made complementary food, all the children were fed one sachet of either Formula Ⅰ or Formula Ⅱ supplements each day. Protein and micronutrients were provided in Formula Ⅰ, while the same energy intake was secured in Formula Ⅱ as in Formula Ⅰ. A massive dose of vitamin A was supplemented to all the children every 6 months. Hemoglobin test was done at the same time. Results Prevalence of anemia was about 35% in both Formula Ⅰ and Formula Ⅱ group at baseline, and there were no differences in hemoglobin concentration between the two groups, During the 6-month and 12-month supplementation, hemoglobin of children in Formula Ⅰ group was higher than that in Formula Ⅱ group （P〈0.05）, and hemoglobin increase in Formula Ⅰ group was significantly higher than that in Formula Ⅱ group （P〈0.001）. After 6- and 12-mouth supplementation, the prevalence of anemia in Formula Ⅰ group dropped to 19.1% and 8.2% respectively, and it was 28.0% and 12.4% in Formula 2 group. The prevalence of anemia in Formula Ⅰ group was significantly lower than that in Formula Ⅱ group （P〈0.05）. After adjusting age and hemoglobin level at baseline, the hemoglobin increase at age of 24 months in formula 1 group was higher （10.7 g/L vs 7.9 g/L, P〈0.0001）. Conclusion Micronutrient fortified complementary food supplements, with large-dose vitamin A, is effective for children aged 6-12 months in terms of iron deficiency prevention.

Anti-inflammatory evaluation and acute toxicity of three food supplements that contain Moussonia deppeana

Objective:To identify the anti-inflammatory activity through two murine models and in the median Lethal Dose(LD_(50)) of three dietary supplements that contain Moussonia deppeana.Methods:The anti-inflammatory activity of three dietary supplements(Cicatrisan/Gastricus^(R),Gastinol^(R),and Gastrovita^(R)) EtOH extracts was evaluated by TPA and by carrageenan murine models;also,median Lethal Dose(LD_(50)) was determined.Verbascoside was quantified by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography.β-sitosterol,stigmasterol and the mixture of ursolic and oleanolic acids were identified in all supplements by TLC;however,none of these dietary supplements contain verbascoside.Results:For the TPA model,Cicatrisan/Gastricus^(R)generated a notable effect with 38.24%inhibition.While in the carrageenan model,it also exhibited noteworthy anti-inflammatory activity of ear edema with 66.39%of paw edema inhibition at 150 mg/kg,followed by Gastinol^(R) and Gastrovita^(R) with 50%at 300 mg/kg.Finally,LD_(50) was >2 g/kg for all supplements,when was administered intragastrically and Body Weight(BW) gain in mice was not altered after 14 days.Conclusions:Of the three food supplements containing M.deppeana,only the EtOH extract from the Cicatrisan/Gastricus^(R)formulation(tablets) showed significant anti-inflammatory activity in both experimental models and the LD_(50) was > 2 g/kg.

Mineral Intake in Urban Pregnant Women from Base Diet,Fortified Foods,and Food Supplements:Focus on Calcium,Iron,and Zinc

In the Chinese national nutrition surveys, fortified foods were not investigated separately from the base diet, and the contribution of fortified foods to micronutrients intake is not very clear. This study investigated the diet, including fortified foods and food supplements, of urban pregnant women and analyzed the intake of calcium, iron,and zinc to assess the corresponding contributions of fortified foods, food supplements, and the base diet. The results demonstrated that the base diet was the major source of calcium, iron, and zinc, and was recommended to be the first choice for micronutrients intake. Furthermore, consumption of fortified foods and food supplements offered effective approaches to improve the dietary intake of calcium, iron, and zinc in Chinese urban pregnant women.

Analysis of Multi-ingredient Food Supplements by Fingerprint HPTLC Approach

The increase of import/export of every kind of herbal products calls urgently for adequate controls. Analysis of herbal food supplement （botanicals） is a difficult task, like in the composition determination of a multi-ingredient product, where several botanical drugs were used. Actually, this is an important argument in consideration of health security. The authors reported the results of an analytical approach based on HPTLC （high performance thin layer chromatography） fingerprints comparison and tailored to determine the composition of marketed multi-ingredient botanicals. The method gave positive data in case of the presence of 3-5 species, whereas difficulties were recorded when the number of plants is increased.

Vitamin D in Food Supplements:Labeling Survey

An adequate vitamin D(vitD)intake(Recommended Daily Allowance,RDA=5μg)is crucial for health maintenance and its deficiency is associated with several health problems.The increase in hypovitaminosis D cases and the proliferation of food supplements(FS)that are easily accessible by the population,have led to an unrestrained chronic consumption of FS.VitD may accumulate in the body and originate toxicity(Tolerable Upper Limit,UL=100μg).The aim of this study was to evaluate if daily vitD doses mentioned in FS labels are in conformity with RDA.210 solid and liquid FS(for pediatrics and adults)sold in Portuguese pharmacies,supermarkets,health shops and on the internet were examined for indicated daily intake of vitD and compared to RDA and UL values.51.43%of FS have values higher than RDA,8.57%higher than UL.The average vitD daily dose in FS is 24.48μg,with a high variability between samples(0.25-250μg).Majority of FS labels recommend vitD daily doses above RDA and some even above UL,regardless of being for adults or children.Therefore,it is crucial that vitD dose in FS is reviewed to ensure the safety of these products.

The current trend and challenges of developing red yeast rice-based food supplements for hypercholesterolemia

Hypercholesterolemia is a risk factor of cardiovascular diseases,which have been managed using statin drugs.Red yeast rice(RYR)as a traditional food in the Eastern Asia countries has anti-hyperlipidemia activity.Recently,a variety of food supplement products containing RYR have been developed to lower blood cholesterol,which is attributed to the presence of monacolins,especially monacolin K(lovastatin,a statin drug).This review was aimed to summarize the clinical trials using RYR products to investigate their effects on lipid profiles in humans.Relevant articles of human clinical trials were retrieved from PubMed and discussed here.Results showed that RYR and its extracts have been included in commercially available products alone and in combinations with various other materials,which include bioactive compounds such as coenzyme Q10 and berberine,vitamins,extracts from other plants such as phytosterols,polyunsaturated fatty acids or even probiotics.The durations of the trials ranged from 4 weeks to 60 months.The content of monacolin K ranged from 0.32 mg/pack to 10 mg/pack.The data of these human clinical trials demonstrated that these RYR supplement products were sufficient to reduce blood cholesterol in different populations.However,the inclusions of certain materials might not have additive effect.Additionally,studies including a lovastatin only positive control group with the equivalent dose as that of monacolin K in the RYR products remain to be done.Furthermore,variations of monacolin K contents and presence of toxic citrinin are still concerns.Last,bioactivities of other components in RYR should be investigated as well.More future studies will certainly help to fully explore the potentials of this traditional food in the combat against cardiovascular and other metabolic diseases.

Food supplements could be an effective improvement of diabetes mellitus:a review

Diabetes mellitus is a disease of endocrine and metabolism disorders,characterized by hyperglycemia,and increased risk of cardiovascular disease complications.Although oral hypoglycemic drugs have the effect of maintaining blood sugar control in diabetic patients,these drugs still have serious side effects for many patients,such as gastrointestinal diseases related to acarbose.Recently,certain food supplements and their bioactive ingredients have been shown to improve diabetes mellitus and can be readily found in the marketplace.This literature review focuses on food supplements with a hypoglycemic function,with an emphasis on their biologically active ingredients and pharmacological effects.The biologically active ingredients can be divided into 6 categories:polyphenols,polysaccharides,terpenoids,saponins,alkaloids,and others.The sources,models used for their study,efficacy,and mechanisms of action of food supplements are described.The sources,models used for their study,efficacy,and mechanisms of action of food supplements are described,including regulation of microflora,modulation of glucose metabolism,and improvement in insulin function.By classifying medicinal plants that can be used as food supplements and their activities,we have provided useful information to support further investigation and application of food supplements to prevent or improve diabetes mellitus.

Mixed vitamin C and zinc diet supplements co-administered with artemether drug improved haematological profile and survival of mice infected with Plasmodium berghei

Iron and zinc deficiencies is common in malaria endemic areas and contributes to morbidity.Vitamin C and zinc combined supplements have been hypothesized as a remedy.This study evaluated the effect of different combinations of vitamin C and zinc on haematological parameters and mortality of Plasmodium berghei-infected mice(Mus musculus).A three-week trial was carried out to assess haematological changes and mortality of mice after 3-day artemether treatment co-administered with vitamin C-zinc supplements.Grouping was based on combinations of vitamin C and zinc.Weight,packed cell volume(PCV),white blood cell count(WBC),red blood cell count(RBC),haemoglobin concentration(HB),and mortality were assayed weekly.The supplement improved PCV,HB,mean cell volume(MCV)and mean cell haemoglobin(MCH).Mice mortality was higher in the absence of the supplement,though the difference was not significant(x^2=5.214,P=0.5167).Parasitaemia was not reduced by the supplement.A 30:70 vitamin C-zinc supplement performed better than other combinations used.Therefore,vitamin C-zinc supplement play roles in the management of malaria,since they improved PCV and HB,and lowered mortality rate,complementing the therapeutic effect of artemether.

Pathways for Sustainable Utilization of Waste Chicken Eggshell

Chicken eggshell is one of the most common wastes generated from households,restaurants and other food processing outlets.Waste Chicken Eggshells(WCES)also constitutes an environmental nuisance and ends up discarded at dumping site with no consideration of further usage.The main constituent of WCES is calcium carbonate from which calcium or calcium oxide can be extracted for various applications.This current effort reviews recently published literature on the diverse applications of WCES.The considered utilization avenues include catalysts for biofuel production,construction industry,wastewater purification,industrial sector,food industry,medical,and agricultural applications.The specific areas of application apart from the transesterification reactions include cement additives and replacement in concrete,asphalt binder,adsorbent of metals and dyes,production of hydroxyapatite,food supplement and fortification,dentistry,therapeutics,bone formation,drug delivery,poultry feeds as well as organic fertilizer.For most of the identified applications,the WCES is subjected to pretreatment and other modification techniques before utilization.The conversion of WCES to valuable products is a cost-effective,safe,environmentally friendly,non-toxic and viable means of waste disposal and utilization.More investigations are needed to further explore the benefits derivable from this bioresource.

The potential toxic side effects of flavonoids

Flavonoids are a class of phytochemical molecules abundant in many plants,fruits,vegetables,and leaves.Flavonoids possess a series of significant biological activities,including anticancer,antioxidant,antiviral,and antiinflammatory properties.They become an important source of dietary supplements and natural health products.Though many studies confirmed the safety of flavonoids,the potential toxicity of flavonoids is still a remarkable field of research to be explored.The enthusiasm for flavonoids expressed by the public has sometimes overlooked their toxicity and also consumed the flavonoids exceeding the body requirements.The current review focused on the potential toxicity of flavonoids to make the public consume flavonoids with caution.This review summarizes the current toxicity which has been reported in vivo and in vitro experiments.The toxicity involves carcinogenicity and mutation,liver and kidney toxicity,and the influence on the thyroid and reproductive function and intestinal flora disorders.The mechanism of toxicity is fully complicated,and current evidence indicates that natural flavonoid glycosides act on different targets with different doses in vivo and in vitro experiments.Though most kinds of flavonoids are considered safe,flavonoids proposed as food supplements need to be assessed their tolerable upper intake level as there have been reports of toxic flavonoids.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Risk of Atrial Fibrillation: A Case Report and Literature Review

Omega-3 fatty acids are one of the most used food supplements. However, atrial fibrillation has been recently presented as a rare adverse drug event following ingestion of high doses of this food supplement.

Large manipulative experiments reveal complex effects of food supplementation on population dynamics of Brandt's voles

Although food supplementation is well known to increase population density,there is still debate on the causative effects of food supplementation on reproduction,survival,and immigration.Large manipulative experiments,which exclude any confounding effects of dispersal and predation,are essential for clarifying the debate.In this study,we investigated the effects of food supplementation on Brandt's vole population dynamics and plant community in eight large enclosures(0.48 ha each) from2010 to 2014.Food supplementation showed significant positive effects on population density due to increases in recruitment;however,it showed a complex effect on survival of voles:positive in non-breeding seasons,but negative in breeding seasons.In addition,food supplementation increased the quality of plants(as reflected by increased crude protein content),but decreased the quantity of less preferred plants in experimental enclosures.Thus,food seems to have direct positive effects on small rodents through improvement of food supply and indirect negative effects through food-induced density-dependent effects,and may have long-term effects on rodents through altering plant community composition and abundance.

Bioactive metabolites from macrofungi: ethnopharmacology, biological activities and chemistry

Exploration of natural sources for novel bioactive compounds has been an emerging field of medicine over the past decades,providing drugs or lead compounds of considerable therapeutic potential.This research has provided exciting evidence on the isolation of microbe-derived metabolites having prospective biological activities.Mushrooms have been valued as traditional sources of natural bioactive compounds for many centuries and have been targeted as promising therapeutic agents.Many novel biologically active compounds have been reported as a result of research on medicinal mushrooms.In this review,we compile the information on bioactive structure-elucidated metabolites from macrofungi discovered over the last decade and highlight their unique chemical diversity and potential benefits to novel drug discovery.The main emphasis is on their anti-Alzheimer,antidiabetic,anti-malarial,anti-microbial,anti-oxidant,antitumor,anti-viral and hypocholesterolemic activities which are important medicinal targets in terms of drug discovery today.Moreover,the reader’s attention is brought to focus on mushroom products and food supplements available in the market with claimed biological activities and potential human health benefits.

Effects of bioactive compounds from Pleurotus mushrooms on COVID-19 risk factors associated with the cardiovascular system

Mushrooms are a group of fungi with great diversity and ultra-accelerated metabolism.As a consequence,mushrooms have developed a protective mechanism consisting of high concentrations of antioxidants such as selenium,polyphenols,β-glucans,ergothioneine,various vitamins and other bioactive metabolites.The mushrooms of the Pleurotus genus have generated scientific interest due to their therapeutic properties,especially related to risk factors connected to the severity of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19).In this report,we highlight the therapeutic properties of Pleurotus mushrooms that may be associated with a reduction in the severity of COVID-19:antihypertensive,antihyperlipidemic,antiatherogenic,anticholesterolemic,antioxidant,anti-inflammatory and antihyperglycemic properties.These properties may interact significantly with risk factors for COVID-19 severity,and the therapeutic potential of these mushrooms for the treatment or prevention of this disease is evident.Besides this,studies show that regular consumption of Pleurotus species mushrooms or components isolated from their tissues is beneficial for immune health.Pleurotus species mushrooms may have a role in the prevention or treatment of infectious diseases either as food supplements or as sources for pharmacological agents.