Hypocaloric peripheral parenteral nutrition with lipid emulsion in postoperative gastrointestinal cancer patients

AIM:To investigate the use of lipid emulsion substitutingfor glucose in postoperative hypocaloric peripheral parenteral nutrition (HPPN).METHODS:This prospective, randomized study was conducted on 20 postoperative gastrointestinal cancer patients. They were randomized and equally divided into interventional group and control group, and both were administered isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets with for lipid emulsion substituting for partial glucose loads in the interventional group.RESULTS: Nutritional parameters and biochemical data were compared between the two groups before and after 6-d of HPPN. Most investigated variables showed no significant changes after administration of HPPN with lipid emulsion. However, the postoperative triglyceride level was significantly lower in the interventional group than in the control group (P < 0.05). In comparison with lipid emulsion, glucose administration resulted in less decrease in postoperative prealbumin level (P < 0.05).CONCLUSION: In addition to supplementing with essential fatty acid, it seems that HPPN with lipid emulsion is well-tolerated and beneficial to postoperative gastrointestinal cancer patients.

Calorie restriction or dietary restriction: how far they can protect the brain against neurodegenerative diseases?

Finding the correct nutritional intervention is one of the biggest challenges in treating patients with neurodegenerative diseases.In general,these patients develop strong metabolic alterations,resulting in lower treatment efficacy and higher mortality rates.However,there are still many open questions regarding the effectiveness of dietary interventions in neurodiseases.Some studies have shown that a reduction in calorie intake activates key pathways that might be important for preventing or slowing down the progression of such diseases.However,it is still unclear whether these neuroprotective effects are associated with an overall reduction in calories(hypocaloric diet)or a specific nutrient restriction(diet restriction).Therefore,here we discuss how commonly or differently hypocaloric and restricted diets modulate signaling pathways and how these changes can protect the brain against neurodegenerative diseases.

Body Composition and Metabolic Risk Factors in Postmenopausal Women: Effects of a Dietary Weight Loss Program

Epidemiological studies showed an association between menopause, weight gain and risk factors that identify the metabolic syndrome (MS). We evaluated body composition and metabolic risk factors in postmenopausal women addressed to a center for the assessment of nutritional status to lose weight by hypocaloric balanced diet. 161 postmenopausal women were enrolled. MS diagnosis was made applying IDF (International Diabetes Foundation) criteria. After the prescription of hypocaloric diet all subjects were controlled every 2 months. In patients suffering from MS (MS+) at the first visit, diagnosis of MS was reassessed when 10% weight loss was achieved. 70 women were MS+. Years since menopause, low instruction level, obesity and Visceral Adipose Tissue (VAT) were each associated with MS. Particularly, BMI ≥ 30 Kg/m2 (OR: 2.61;95% CI, 1.76 - 3.46) and VAT > 6.6 cm (OR: 3.49;95% CI, 2.52 - 4.46) resulted independent risk factors. The 30% of the whole sample dropped out, the reminders significantly reduced weight, waist circumference (Wc) and Fat Mass (p 0.01). The 35% of MS+ women achieved the 10% weight loss with significant reduction of VAT, Wc, fasting glucose, tryglicerides, blood pressure and resolution of MS in the 78% of them. The 43.5% of postmenopausal women addressed in one center for the assessment of nutritional status to follow a weight-loss nutritional program had the MS;visceral obesity was the strongest independent risk factor and hypocaloric balanced diet resulted a good strategy to lose weight and treat MS.

Physiological Changes after One Month of Exclusive Supplement Consumption and Exercise:A Case Study

An extreme protocol including one month of intense exercise(HIIT(high intensity interval training))and exclusive supplement consumption,i.e.no food,was undertaken by one participant,in order to understand the effects of one month of exercise without eating any food.The purpose was to acquire some initial data for future studies so that better exercise programs may be designed for both time-restricting athletic programs,and individuals who wish to combine fast fat-reduction and the improvement of their physical form.There was a parallel methodological goal to examine changes synthetically and not analytically,that is,to compensate for a gap in literature in regard to the absence of synthetic models.Changes in the participant(male,34 y.o.,72 kg,BMI:22.9)included a 21.20%relative reduction in body fat(3.9%in absolute values),a 2.6%reduction in body weight coupled with a 1.8%increase in fat-less mass,a 10%increase in maximum leg extension and a 6%increase in maximum chest press.Blood creatinine(+56%)and blood urea(+35%),as well as SGOT(serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase)(+45%),SGPT(Serum Glutamic Pyruvic Transaminase)(+75%)and Lymphocytes(+45%)were markedly increased.HIIT and exclusive supplement consumption,intermittent fasting and hypocaloric diet for one month drastically affected the individual in this case study by drastically improving his physical form,at the cost of worsening important biochemical markers.