Urgent need of nutritional strategy and innovated functional foods for athletes health and fitness

The present review discussed the biochemical and physiological changes as well as the different sorts of nutritional deficiencies and health hazards to which the athletes may be exposed in addition to the importance of production and evaluation of innovated functional foods for athletes. Ergogenic substances and phytochemicals of possible impacts on athletes are also discussed. Athletes need special nutrients and bioactive constituents before, during and after exercise to keep on their fitness and performance and to achieve successful results during their games. They also need to be healthy without any sort of nutrients' deficiency. So, it is important to study the necessary nutrients and functional food ingredients for athletes and incorporate them into ideal functional foods to achieve their performance and to keep them in a healthy state. Such functional foods must be evaluated in athletes through following up biochemical, physiological and anthropometric parameters reflecting nutritional status, oxidative stress, antioxidant state, immunity, fitness and performance. Functional foods for athletes differ according to the practiced games. These functional foods must correct any nutrient deficiency in athletes that may occur due to practicing sports. Proper athlete's nutrition is essential for continuity of his/her sports with a good health and without loosing fitness

Isospora belli in immunosuppressed patients

Two hundred diarrhoeic immunosuppressed patients were chosen from the outpatient, inpatient and oncology department of Zagazig University Hospital. Stool samples were taken and concentrated by formol ether and Sheather's sucrose techniques to detect Isospora and other protozoal parasites. Differentiation of the collected protozoal parasites were done by using modified acid fast, Giemsa and Iron haematoxylin stains. Isospora belli was found alone in 13 patients [6.5%] and associated with other protozoa in 10 patients [5%]. The modified acid fast stain after formal in ether concentration was the best method for differentiation of Isospora belli oocyst in stool. In association with diarrhoea, abdominal pain, malaise and flatulence were the main clinical presentation in infected patient. Diarrhoea was watery, chronic [up to 6 months] and of moderate degree [6 - 10 motions/day] in patients aged 20 - 40 years. Mucus and charcot leyden crystals were the main stool characters. For the first time, IFAT was done by using antigen from the pure strain of Eimeria stiedae, [rabbit hepatic coccidiosis], for serological diagnosis of Isospora belli. The specificity of the test was 100% and the sensitivity was 69%