Association between Healthy Eating Index-2010 and Fetuin-A Levels in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: a Case-Control Study

The Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010) assesses compliance with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Studies suggest that adherence to the HEI-2010 is related to lower the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Fetuin-A, a novel biomarker for T2D, may play a linking role in the inverse association between HEI-2010 and T2D. Thus, a case-control analysis involving 107 patients with T2D and107 healthy subjects was conducted to determine the association between HEI-2010 and serum fetuin-A levels. The results of simple regression analysis showed that fetuin-A levels were positively associated with full name of body mass index (BMI) (p < 0.001), waist circumference (WC) (p < 0.001), fasting blood glucose (FBG) (p < 0.001), triglycerides (TG) (p = 0.003), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) (p < 0.001), and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (p =0.001) and negatively associated with physical activity (PA) (p < 0.001), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (p = 0.022), and HEI-2010 (p < 0.001) in all subjects. After controlling for confounders, the inverse association between fetuin-A and HEI-2010 remained significant in the subjects with T2D (β = −0.386; p < 0.001), 107 healthy controls (β = −0.237; p = 0.028), and all subjects (β = −0.298; p < 0.001). In conclusion, the present results suggested that higher quality diet assessed by HEI-2010 associates with lower serum fetuin-A levels in people with and without T2D. More studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Association between Healthy Eating Index-2010 and Fetuin-A Levels in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: a Case-Control Study

The Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010) assesses compliance with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Studies suggest that adherence to the HEI-2010 is related to lower the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Fetuin-A, a novel biomarker for T2D, may play a linking role in the inverse association between HEI-2010 and T2D. Thus, a case-control analysis involving 107 patients with T2D and107 healthy subjects was conducted to determine the association between HEI-2010 and serum fetuin-A levels. The results of simple regression analysis showed that fetuin-A levels were positively associated with full name of body mass index (BMI) (p < 0.001), waist circumference (WC) (p < 0.001), fasting blood glucose (FBG) (p < 0.001), triglycerides (TG) (p = 0.003), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) (p < 0.001), and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (p =0.001) and negatively associated with physical activity (PA) (p < 0.001), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (p = 0.022), and HEI-2010 (p < 0.001) in all subjects. After controlling for confounders, the inverse association between fetuin-A and HEI-2010 remained significant in the subjects with T2D (β = −0.386; p < 0.001), 107 healthy controls (β = −0.237; p = 0.028), and all subjects (β = −0.298; p < 0.001). In conclusion, the present results suggested that higher quality diet assessed by HEI-2010 associates with lower serum fetuin-A levels in people with and without T2D. More studies are needed to confirm these findings.

effects of probiotic supplementation on markers of blood lipids, and blood pressure in patients with prediabetes: a randomized clinical trial

Prediabetes is a high-risk condition for type 2 diabetes mellitus. The growing prevalence of diabetes emphasizes on the necessity of concentrating on various strategies to prediabetes prevention and management. Probiotics as a group of functional foods might exert antidiabetic effects. This study aimed to assess the effects of probiotic administration on blood lipid profile and blood pressure in patients with prediabetes. This randomized controlled trial consisted of 60 prediabetic patients, aged 25-65 years old, that were randomly assigned to the intervention [receiving 500 mg probiotic capsules, n = 30] or control group [receiving placebo, n = 30] for 8-week period. Demographic and anthropometric data were collected at baseline. Blood samples were collected at baseline and after 8 weeks for biochemical measurements. Blood pressure was measured at the baseline an after 8 weeks of intervention. Data regarding dietary intakes and physical activity were also collected during the study. We used SPSS software version 16 [SPSS Inc. Chicago, USA] for data analyzing. Probiotic supplementation did not contribute to significant changes in total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein [LDL]-cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein [HDL]-cholesterol, Triglycerides [TG], TG/LDL and LDL/HDL ratios, after 8 weeks. After adjusting for potential confounders, HDL cholesterol reduced significantly in the placebo group compared with probiotic group. Percent change in systolic blood pressure was significantly different in the probiotic group in comparison with a placebo group [-3.10 +/- 2.22 vs. 3.24 +/- 1.96, P = 0.01], although this significance did not exist anymore after adjusting for confounders [P > 0.05]. Our study showed that probiotics did not have significant effects on lipid markers although they had positive effects on systolic blood pressure

effect of anthocyanin supplementation on body composition, exercise performance and muscle damage indices in athletes

Flavonoids consider as a large group of plant metabolites that 6,000 types of them have been identified till now. In some studies, it has been shown that they can increase aerobic performance and maximal oxygen consumption [VO[2] max].The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of anthocyanin [as one of the most important kind of flavonoids] supplementation on body composition, exercise performance and muscle damage indices in athletes. This double-blinded clinical trial involved 54 female and male athletes at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences with athletic history of at least 3 years. Body composition, exercise performance, creatine kinase, and lactate dehydrogenase were assessed. Individuals were selected by simple sampling method, they divided into two groups using permuted block randomization method. First group received 100 mg anthocyanin pills, and the second group received 100 mg placebo pills, daily for 6 weeks. Participants asked to continue their routine diet and physical activity during the study period, and they were followed through phone calls or text messages. Soft lean mass, total body water and percent body fat were not changed significantly in the anthocyanin group after intervention but VO[2] max increased significantly in the anthocyanin group [48.65 +/- 4.73 vs. 52.62 +/- 5.04] [P

Does quercetin improve cardiovascular risk factors and inflammatory biomarkers in women with type 2 diabetes: a double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial

Quercetin has been distributed in a wide range of foods, but some of its known effects in vitro, are not proven in human studies. Therefore, the aim of this study was evaluation of the effects of quercetin intake on cardiovascular risk factors and inflammatory biomarkers in women with type 2 diabetes. This double-blind randomized clinical trial was carried out on 72 women for 10 weeks. Subjects were assigned to quercetin and placebo groups using a permutated block randomization of size two. Quercetin was given to participants as a 500 mg capsule daily. Biochemical variables were measured at baseline and at the end of the study, and changes were compared using appropriate statistical methods. Compared with placebo, quercetin intake decreased systolic blood pressure significantly [-8.8 +/- 9.3 vs. -3.5 +/- 11.7, P = 0.04]. Although changes in diastolic blood pressure between the groups was not significant [P = 0.19], high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C] was significantly decreased in both groups while changes in total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C], triglycerides [TG] and ratio of TG/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C were not significant between and within groups. Quercetin supplementation significantly reduced the serum concentration of tumor necrosis factor- alpha [TNF- alpha] and interleukin-6 [IL-6] [P = 0.01 and P < 0.0001, respectively]; however, the mean changes in serum levels of IL-6, TNF- alpha, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein were not significant between the groups. Quercetin supplementation reduced systolic blood pressure significantly but had no effect on other cardiovascular risk factors and inflammatory biomarkers. Considering the biological effects of quercetin in vitro, we need more studies with a stronger design and sample size with different doses of quercetin

Stroke and nutrition: a review of studies

Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and certainly the major cause of disability in the world. Diet and nutrient has an effective role in prevention and control of the risk of stroke. The aim of this study was to review the studies on the relationship between dietary intake and stroke incidence. In this study, the terms of "Fat", "cholesterol", "antioxidant", "vitamins", "salt", "potassium", "calcium", "carbohydrate", "vegetables", "fruits", "meat", "tea", "whole grains", "sugar-sweetened beverages", "Mediterranean diet", "dietary approaches to stop hypertension diet [DASH diet]", "Western diet", and "stroke" were searched in Pubmed search engine. The observational studies, cohort studies, clinical trial studies, systemic review, and meta-analysis reviews are also included in this study. The study revealed that adherence to the improvements in nutrition and diet can reduce the incidence of stroke. Higher antioxidant, vitamins, potassium, calcium, vegetables, fruits, whole grain intake, and adherence to the Mediterranean dietor DASH diet can lower stroke incidence. Adherence to Mediterranean diet or DASH diet and increasing the consumption of antioxidant, vitamins, potassium, calcium food sources, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains intake can lower the risk of stroke. Healthy diet is effective in reducing risk of stroke, however, more studies need to be carried out in this area

B vitamins and antioxidants intake is negatively correlated with risk of stroke in Iran

Stroke is a leading cause of death in developed countries. However, current therapeutic strategies for stroke have been largely unsuccessful. Several studies have reported important benefits on reducing the risk of stroke and improving the post-stroke-associated functional declines in patients who ate foods rich in micronutrients, including B vitamins. Folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 are all cofactors in homocysteine metabolism. Growing interest has been paid to hyperhomocyste inemia as a risk factor for stroke. Experimental studies suggest that oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of ischemic cerebral injury, and higher intake of antioxidants has been associated with a lower risk of stroke in large population studies. The aim of this study was to examine whether the dietary intake of B vitamins and antioxidants in patients with stroke were comparatively worse than those in patients without stroke. In this case control study, 69 stroke patients [46 male, age = 56 +/- 18 years and 23 female, age = 52 +/- 7 years] admitted to Azzahra hospital between April 2009 and May 2010 were matched for age and sex with 60 patients [30 male and 30 female] from the same hospital who were not affected with acute cerebrovascular diseases and did not have a history of stroke. Dietary intake was assessed with a validated self-administered food frequency questionnaire [FFQ]. FFQ was collected conducting face-to-face interview with one of the patients' close relatives. Food intakes, translated into nutrient data, were compared between the two groups and with the recommended values. Intake of folic acid in men with stroke and vitamin B12 in women with stroke was significantly lower than that in the patients without stroke [P < 0.05], but there was no significant difference between the two groups in the level of antioxidant consumption in women and men [P > 0.05]. Our findings suggest that increased folic acid, vitamin B12, and vitamin E, C intake may be associated with decreased risk of stroke

Dietary intake of different carbohydrates among incident stroke patients during previous year

Stroke is a leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality in the United States. Numerous studies have shown that dietary carbohydrates play an important role in stroke incident. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the association between dietary intake of carbohydrate and its types and stroke incidence among Iranian adults. A case-control study was performed among 46 men [5618] and 23 women [527] admitted to the Al Zahra hospital with stroke and 60 healthy people were chosen in control group. Dietary intake was measured by food frequency questionnaire [FFQ] including 168 items. Food processor software [version 2] was used to analyze data. Anthropometric indices of male and female patients were [BMI: 297.5], [Waist: 11215] and [BMI: 25.53.5], [Waist: 925] respectively. Energy intake and carbohydrate consumption of patients in both genders was higher than the healthy subjects which was statistically significant among men [P < 0.05]. Across different carbohydrate sources, refined carbohydrates consumption was higher among patients in both gender rather than the healthy subjects While, the healthy people had a higher whole grain consumption. High carbohydrate intake specially refined sources with high glycemic index [GI] and glycemic load [GL] is associated with increased risk of stroke. Hence, dietary intake requires improvement to provide protection from life threatening outcomes

Dairy consumption and stroke risk

Stroke is one of the most common causes of life-threatening disabilities and death around the world. Mortality rate is going to be doubled by 2030 in the Middle East countries. Prevention is a cost-effective approach to decrease risk of stroke. The present study assessed the relationship between dairy intake and stroke risk. This hospital-based case-control study was directed in a University hospital. The common food consumption of 129 men and women was assessed with food frequency questionnaire [FFQ]. The relationship between fermented and non fermented dairy intake and stroke were assessed between two patient groups. Total of dairy intake were lower in patients with stroke than control group [13.36 vs 19.61% in men and 11.14 vs 15.02% in women]. Similar relationships were observed between fermented and non fermented dairy intake and stroke in both genders. Lower dairy consumption can increase stroke risk in men and women

Intakes of vegetables and fruits are negatively correlated with risk of stroke in Iran

Stroke is a leading cause of death. Current therapeutic strategies have been unsuccessful. Several studies have reported benefits on reducing stroke risk and improving the post stroke associated functional declines in patients who ate foods rich in fruits and vegetables. Their potential protective effects may be due to their antioxidants, calcium, potassium, riboflavine, peridoxin, riboflavin contents. Folic acid, peridoxin, and riboflavin are all cofactors in hyperhomocysteinemia as a stroke risk factor. Studies suggest that oxidative stress plays important roles in pathogenesis of ischemic cerebral injury and higher intake of antioxidants has been associated with a lower stroke risk. The aim of this study was to examine if the dietary intake of vegetables and fruits in patients with stroke were comparatively worse than those in patients without stroke. In this case control study, 93 stroke patients admitted to Alzahra hospital were matched for age and sex with 60 patients who were not affected with acute cerebrovascular diseases and did not have a history of stroke. Dietary intake was assessed with a validated food frequency questionnaire. Food intakes were compared between two groups and with recommended value. Mean daily intake of vegetable and fruits was more in male with stroke than male without stroke as well as calorie intake from vegetables and fruit was higher in male with stroke. Mean daily intake of vegetable and fruits were lower in women with stroke than women without stroke as well as calorie intake from vegetables and fruit was lower in women with stroke. Our findings suggest that increased vegetable and fruits intake may be associated with decreased risk of stroke

association between serum vitamin D levels with general and abdominal obesity among patients with migraine

Obesity is a common health problem around the world. Studies have shown inverse relationship between serum vitamin D levels with obesity among patients and healthy population. The aim of this present study is to examine the relationship between serum vitamin D levels with general and abdominal obesity among migraine patients. The present study is a cross-sectional and 66 migraine patients aged 19-61 years were included for analysis. Partial correlation was performed to assess association between serum 25-OH-D with general and abdominal obesity. Adjustments were performed for age, sex, and education. No relationship was found between serum levels of vitamin D with general and abdominal obesity. However, a significant association was shown between waist circumferences [WC] with body mass index [BMI]. Serum levels of 25-OH-D were not associated with WC and BMI. Furthermore, after adjustment for confounder variables, no association was observed

effects of quercetin supplementation on body composition, exercise performance and muscle damage indices in athletes

Flavonoids comprise a large group of plant metabolites, 6,000 of which have been identified to date. Some studies have shown the increased aerobic performance and maximal oxygen consumption [VO[2max]] and therefore fitness following quercetin intake as a result of elevated number of intracellular mitochondria caused by the flavonoid. This double-blind clinical trial comprised 60 male students having an athletic history of at least 3 years. Body composition, exercise performance, and some blood biomarkers were analyzed. The individuals were selected by convenient sampling, and then were assigned into four groups of equal number by using permuted block randomization. The first to fourth groups received a 500 mg supplemental quercetin capsule plus a 250 mg vitamin C pill, a 500 mg supplemental quercetin capsule plus a 250 mg placebo vitamin C pill, a 500 mg placebo quercetin capsule plus a 250 mg vitamin C pill, and a 500 mg placebo quercetin capsule plus a 250 mg placebo vitamin C pill, respectively, daily for 8 weeks. The participants were asked to continue their routine diet and physical activity during the study and they were monitored through phone calls or text messages. Lean body mass, total body water, basal metabolic rate, and total energy expenditure increased significantly in the quercetin group after intervention. On the other hand, VO[2max] increased in the "quercetin" and "quercetin + vitamin C" groups following the intervention, non-significantly. Our findings suggest that supplementation with quercetin in athletes may improve some indices of performance

Effects of six weeks of beta-alanine administration on VO[2] max, time to exhaustion and lactate concentrations in physical education students

Supplementation with beta-alanine has been proposed to improve performance in some exercises such as cycling and running. Also, it has been demonstrated that great deals of proton ions are produced in the skeletal muscles during exercise that result in acidosis, whereas beta-alanine may reduce this effect. Therefore, the aim of this study is to assess the effects of alanine supplementation on VO[2] max, time to exhaustion and lactate concentrations in physical education male students. Thirty-nine male physical education students volunteered for this study. Participants were supplemented orally for 6 week with either beta-alanine [5*400 mg/d] or placebo [5*400 mg dextrose/d], randomly. VO[2] max and time to exhaustion [TTE] with a continuous graded exercise test [GXT] on an electronically braked cycle ergometer; and serum lactate and glucose concentrations were measured before and after supplementation. Supplementation with beta-alanine showed a significant increase in VO[2] max [P<0.05] and a significant decrease in TTE and lactate concentrations [P<0.05]. A significant elevation in lactate concentrations and a non significant increase in TTE were observed in placebo group. Plasma glucose concentrations did not change significantly in two groups after intervention. It can be concluded that beta-alanine supplementation can reduce lactate concentrations during exercise and thus can improve exercise performance in endurance athletes