Magnesium: a scoping review for Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023.

Magnesium is a divalent ion involved in a range of biochemical reactions and cellular functions. The metabolism and requirements for magnesium are still insufficiently understood. In the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations from 2012, a recommended intake was set based on balance studies. However, the average requirement (AR) was not set. Functional indicators of magnesium status have been lacking. This scoping review reveals new research activity related to the beneficial effect of magnesium intake on several health outcomes (cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some cancers). Based on meta-analyses of cohort studies and Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs), as well as on plausible mechanisms, a causal association is suggested. However, the optimal intake cannot be set based on these study designs and no new balance studies were found.

Inpatients experiences about the impact of traumatic stress on eating behaviors: an exploratory focus group study.

BACKGROUND: Unhealthy changes in eating behavior among people experiencing trauma have been observed. There is, however, a lack of in-depth knowledge regarding the impact of the after effects of traumatic life experiences on eating behavior. Because eating behavior represents important components for promotion and maintenance of good health throughout life, this study aimed to explore inpatients' lived experiences of the impact of traumatic stress on eating behavior. METHOD: Thirteen female and two male inpatients (age range 28-62 years), recruited from a psychiatric clinic in Norway, participated in this qualitative explorative focus group study. The data analysis was performed using systematic text condensation. RESULTS: The results in the present study describe the participants' experiences about the impact of traumatic stress on their eating behavior. Their discussions and descriptions disclosed problems that could be summarized into four main themes: "experiencing eating behaviors as coping strategies"; "experiencing being addicted to food and sweets"; "experiencing eating behaviors controlled by stress and emotions"; and "experiencing lack of appetite and reduced capacity to plan and prepare meals". CONCLUSION: Traumatic stress can impact eating behavior in several complex ways that over time may cause adverse health consequences. The results add to an important understanding of changes in eating behavior that might appear in people struggling to cope with the after effects of traumatic life experiences to the existing literature. To better understand the complexity of how traumatic experiences may impact eating behavior, this knowledge is important and useful for health professionals offering support to those who experience struggling with eating behavior after traumatic experiences.

This study aimed to explore trauma-exposed inpatients experiences about the impact of traumatic stress on eating behavior. Thirteen female and two male inpatients with a history of trauma, recruited from a psychiatric clinic in Norway, participated in this qualitative explorative focus group study. The results in the present study describe the participants' experiences about the impact of after effects of traumatic experiences on eating behaviors. The findings are summarized into four main themes: "experiencing eating behaviors as coping strategies"; "experiencing being addicted to food and sweets"; "experiencing eating behaviors controlled by stress and emotions"; and "experiencing lack of appetite and reduced capacity to plan and prepare meals". The results contribute to the existing literature and provide an important understanding of changes in eating behavior that might appear in people struggling with traumatic stress after traumatic experiences. This knowledge is important and useful for health professionals offering help to those struggling with their eating behavior after traumatic experiences.

A systematic review of clinical and laboratory findings of lead poisoning: lessons from case reports.

Lead is one of the most toxic heavy metals in the environment. The present review aimed to highlight hazardous pollution sources, management, and review symptoms of lead poisonings in various parts of the world. The present study summarized the information available from case reports and case series studies from 2009 to March 2020 on the lead pollution sources and clinical symptoms. All are along with detoxification methods in infants, children, and adults. Our literature compilation includes results from 126 studies on lead poisoning. We found that traditional medication, occupational exposure, and substance abuse are as common as previously reported sources of lead exposure for children and adults. Ayurvedic medications and gunshot wounds have been identified as the most common source of exposure in the United States. However, opium and occupational exposure to the batteries were primarily seen in Iran and India. Furthermore, neurological, gastrointestinal, and hematological disorders were the most frequently occurring symptoms in lead-poisoned patients. As for therapeutic strategies, our findings confirm the safety and efficacy of chelating agents, even for infants. Our results suggest that treatment with chelating agents combined with the prevention of environmental exposure may be an excellent strategy to reduce the rate of lead poisoning. Besides, more clinical studies and long-term follow-ups are necessary to address all questions about lead poisoning management.

Selenium status in the body and cardiovascular disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Both experimental and observational studies have provided conflicting evidence on the associations of selenium with incidence and mortality of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between selenium status in the body and incidence and mortality of CVD by performing a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies and randomized controlled trials. Methods: A systematic search for articles in MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase, Web of Science (Thomson Reuters) and Cochrane library (Wiley) was conducted. Thirteen of the 1811 articles obtained from the databases met our inclusion criteria and were considered in the final analysis. The effect sizes were presented as weighted relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using random-effects model. To detect dose-response relationships, we used meta-regression. Results: Overall, there was a reduced risk of CVD incidence (RR = 0.66; 95% CI: 0.40-1.09) and mortality (RR = 0.69; 95% CI: 0.57-0.84) in physiologically high selenium status compared to low selenium status in the body. There was a 15% (RR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.76-0.94) decreased risk of CVD incidence per 10 µg increment in blood selenium concentration. In addition, a statistically significantly nonlinear dose-response relationship was found between CVD mortality and increased blood selenium concentration with the lowest risk at the 30-35 µg increment in blood selenium. Conclusions: Physiologically high selenium levels in the body are associated with decreased risk for CVD incidence and mortality, however, people should be cautious about the potential harmful effects from excessive intake of selenium.

Does dietary intake of selenium protect against cancer? A systematic review and meta-analysis of population-based prospective studies.

Current evidence on selenium and its effects on cancer is conflicting. This study aimed at assessing the association between dietary intake of selenium and incidence of cancers by performing systematic review and meta-analysis of population-based prospective studies. We systematically searched for articles in Medline (Ovid), Embase, Web of Science (Thomson Reuters), China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database and VIP Chinese Scientific Journals. Analysis was performed in Stata version 14.2. Of the 2,564 articles obtained from the databases, 39 met our inclusion criteria, 37 were included in the final analysis. Selenium at recommended daily allowance levels of ≥55 µg/day decreased the risk of cancer [relative risk (RR) = 0.94, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.90-0.98]. A protective effect was found in men at levels ≥55 µg/day (RR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.94-0.99). Extra selenium intake from supplements was protective at levels ≥55 µg/day (RR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.82-0.97). There was an inverse relationship (p value = 0.020) between selenium intake and overall cancer risk after adjusting for age, body mass index, and smoking but there was no evidence of nonlinear relationship (p value = 0.261). The findings in this study suggest that selenium is protective against cancer however the effects vary with different cancers.

The Influence of Persistent Organic Pollutants on Thyroidal, Reproductive and Adrenal Hormones After Bariatric Surgery.

INTRODUCTION: Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) including organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and per- and polyfluoroalkylated substances (PFASs) are suspected endocrine disruptors. AIM: To evaluate the associations between POPs and thyroidal, reproductive, and adrenal hormones in a study population treated with bariatric surgery. METHODS: Blood samples from a cohort of 63 participants before and 1 year after bariatric surgery were analyzed for 16 lipophilic POPs, 17 PFASs, and thyroidal, reproductive, and adrenal hormones. Participants reporting relevant medical conditions or interfering medication were excluded, and plausible confounders were corrected for in multiple regression analyses. RESULTS: Free thyroxine (fT4) showed a significant decrease from preoperative to postoperative follow-up, and regression analyses demonstrated that p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p-DDE) was inversely associated with the ratio free triiodothyronine/free thyroxine (fT3/fT4). Testosterone concentrations in male participants increased significantly in the study period, and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) increased in both gender. Regression analyses showed positive associations between increased levels of lipophilic POPs and the raised postoperative testosterone and SHBG concentrations in males. For females, an inverse association between the sum perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (ΣPFCA) and SHBG was seen. Regression analyses of postoperative serum cortisol concentrations on changes in hexachlorobenzene (HCB) showed a non-significant inverse association. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that POPs may have an influence on the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axes after bariatric surgery. Because of small sample sizes and discrepancy in the sampling time points pre- and postoperatively, the observed hormonal impacts of POPs must be interpreted as associative and not causative. Further studies are needed to confirm the findings.