Curcumin's effect on serum zinc, copper and magnesium levels in obese individuals.

Objective: The obesity prevalence is growing worldwide. There is strong evidence indicating that a disturbance of zinc, copper and magnesium concentrations is associated with the development of obesity and its related diseases. Our aim was to determine the effect of curcumin supplementation on serum zinc, magnesium and copper in obese individuals. Materials and Methods: In this randomized crossover trial study, thirty obese patients with an age range of 18 to 65 years were randomized to treatment with curcumin 1 g/day or placebo for 30 days. There was then a two-week wash-out period, after which, subjects crossed to the alternate regimen. Serum levels of zinc, copper and magnesium were determined at baseline and at the end of the study. Results: The study groups were similar to each other in base line characteristics. We did not observe significant impacts (p>0.05) of curcumin on Cu, Zn, Mg serum concentrations. Conclusion: Curcumin administration at a dose of 1 g/day for 30 days did not affect serum Cu, Zn, Mg levels in obese subjects.

Factors associated with the severity of premenstrual symptoms in women with central obesity: a cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a common condition that affects social and psychological well-being of women. The risk of PMS is higher among obese women. The aim of this study was to identify the factors that influence the severity of PMS in women with central obesity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed on 30-50 year-old women with abdominal obesity (waist circumference > 80 cm). The following data were collected: demographic data, anthropometric measurements, premenstrual symptoms screening tools, semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire, 42-item depression, anxiety, and stress questionnaire (DASS-42), as well as serum vitamin D, and renal function tests. RESULTS: A total of 139 women (mean age of 41.40 ± 7.39 years old) participated in the study. The prevalence of mild, moderate and severe premenstrual symptoms was 38.7% (55/142), 31.7% (45/142) and 27.5% (39/142), respectively. There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of anthropometric measurements and energy-adjusted nutrient intakes (p > 0.05). There was a significant relationship between moderate PMS and energy-adjusted saturated fatty acid (SFA) (p = .018, OR = .010 and 95% CI for OR: < .001 and .452), and energy-adjusted riboflavin (p = .042, OR = .005, 95% CI for OR: < .001 and .821), and between severe PMS and age (p = .034, OR = .906, 95% CI for OR: .826 and .993), and energy-adjusted monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) intake (p = .041, OR = 23.789, 95% CI for OR: 1.138 and 497.294). CONCLUSION: High intakes of MUFA and younger age were associated with a greater severity of PMS, while riboflavin intake was associated with reduced PMS severity.

The visceral adiposity index and lipid accumulation product as predictors of cardiovascular events in normal weight subjects.

INTRODUCTION: Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) has an important role in the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) than obesity by itself. The visceral adiposity index (VAI) and lipid accumulation product (LAP) are surrogate indices for measuring VAT. The aimed of this study was to investigate the association of these markers with cardiovascular events among populations with different BMI category in Mashhad, northeast of Iran. METHOD: The present study comprised a prospective cohort of 9685 men and women (35-65 years) who were recruited from MASHAD study. BMI category was defined as normal weight (BMI <25), over weight (25 ≤ BMI<30) and obese (BMI≥30). Demographic, laboratory evaluations, anthropometric and metabolic parameters were performed. Logistic and Cox regression analyses were used to determine the association and risk of cardiovascular events with VAT and LAP. RESULTS: The mean VAI and LAP in CVD patients were significantly higher than in healthy ones in all 3 groups. In terms of CVD event prediction, VAI and LAP had significant association with the incidence of CVD in the second (RR (95% CI): 2.132 (1.047-4.342) and 2.701 (1.397-5.222), respectively) and third tertiles (RR (95% CI): 2.541 (1.163-5.556) and 2.720 (1.159-6.386), respectively) in the normal group, but this association was only found in the third tertiles (RR (95% CI): 2.448 (1.205-4.971) and 2.376 (1.086-5.199), respectively) in the overweight group. The result couldn't find this association for the obese group. CONCLUSION: In this study, we found that there was a significant association between LAP and VAI and cardiovascular events in normal weight and over-weight groups; however, no significant relationship was found in the obese group.

The effects of consuming a low-fat yogurt fortified with nano encapsulated vitamin D on serum pro-oxidant-antioxidant balance (PAB) in adults with metabolic syndrome; a randomized control trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The current study aimed to assess the effect of fortified yogurt with nano-encapsulated vitamin D on serum pro-oxidant anti-oxidant balance (PAB) in adults with or without metabolic syndrome. METHODS: In a quadruple blind clinical trial study, 139 adults with an age range of 30-50 years were randomly selected to receive either 1500 IU nano-encapsulated vitamin D fortified yogurt or placebo for ten weeks. Before and after the intervention period, blood sample was taken to determine the serum levels of vitamin D, pro-oxidant-antioxidant balance (PAB), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). The laboratory tests were checked at baseline and at the end of the treatment. RESULTS: Serum vitamin D increased significantly, from 14.47 ± 6.07 ng/mL to 21.39 ± 6.54 ng/mL (P < 0.001) after ten weeks in the intervention group. Serum hs-CRP and PAB were significantly lower following consumption period in intervention group [1.95(0.4-8.15) g/dL vs. 1.35(0.25-3.62) g/dL; P = 0.013] and (135.19 ± 42.4 HK vs. 115.39 ± 44.69) HK; P = 0.018] respectively. There were no significant differences between the intervention and control groups regarding weight and BMI at the end of the intervention period (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Low-fat yogurt fortified with nano-encapsulated vitamin D was found to reduce serum PAB levels in adults with metabolic syndrome. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The findings of the present study indicated that a low-fat yogurt fortified with 1500 IU nano-encapsulated vitamin D for ten weeks, leads to a significant reduction in serum hs-CRP and PAB concentrations highlighted the anti-inflammatory/anti-oxidative effect of vitamin D.

Reference intervals for routine biochemical markers and body mass index: A study based on healthcare center database in northeastern Iran.

Age- and sex-specific reference intervals (RIs) for some biochemical tests may be useful for their interpretation, due to the variations in lifestyle and genetic, or ethnic factors. The aim of this study was to obtain RIs for some routine biochemical markers including a serum lipid profile, fasting blood glucose (FBG), aspartate and alanine aminotransferase (AST and ALT), uric acid, and body mass index (BMI) in subjects who attended primary healthcare centers. The large database of primary healthcare centers uses RIs to report results for children, adolescents, and young and old adults. RIs were obtained by using the indirect method, recommended by the CLSI Ep28-A3 guidelines. RIs for FBG, BMI, and serum lipid profile, including triglyceride, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in people aged 18 to 120 years, were obtained without age/sex segmentation. RIs for serum AST, ALT, and uric acid were obtained without age segmentation, though these RIs were higher in males than females. The RIs for AST, ALT, and uric acid were higher in men, while the RIs for the other variables were similar in both sexes. This is the first study reporting the use of indirect RIs for BMI.

Comprehensive hematological reference intervals in a healthy adult male population.

Reference intervals (RIs) are important tools for improving medical decision-making. Hematology reference values can be influenced by important covariates such as genetic and environmental factors, rendering it essential to define RIs for specific populations. Therefore, we aimed to establish accurate and robust RIs for hematological markers in a healthy adult male Iranian population. This cross-sectional study was conducted in a population of 723 males aged 20-60 years old. Hematological parameters were routinely measured using a Sysmex auto analyser system (KX-21 N). The quality of assays was monitored using commercial quality control samples. The nonparametric rank method, as recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines, was used to calculate the 2.5th and 97.5th percentiles as the lower and upper reference limits, respectively. Of the 12 hematological parameters assessed, only mean platelet volume (MPV) demonstrated significant age-specific differences, requiring two partitions from 20 to 35 years (8.7-12.2 fL) and 35 to 65 years (8.5-11.5 fL). The remaining hematological parameters (e.g. leukocyte, erythrocyte, and platelet parameters) could be defined by one age range. This study established RIs for 12 routinely used hematological parameters in a healthy male population living in the northeastern region of Iran. Established RIs differed from those previously reported by other cohorts, highlighting the importance of population-specific RIs.