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Title:
Origins of modern human ancestry
Authors:
Bergström, Anders; Stringer, Chris; Hajdinjak, Mateja; Scerri, Eleanor M. L.; Skoglund, Pontus
Abstract:
New finds in the palaeoanthropological and genomic records have changed our view of the origins of modern human ancestry. Here we review our current understanding of how the ancestry of modern humans around the globe can be traced into the deep past, and which ancestors it passes through during our journey back in time. We identify three key phases that are surrounded by major questions, and which will be at the frontiers of future research. The most recent phase comprises the worldwide expansion of modern humans between 40 and 60 thousand years ago (ka) and their last known contacts with archaic groups such as Neanderthals and Denisovans. The second phase is associated with a broadly construed African origin of modern human diversity between 60 and 300 ka. The oldest phase comprises the complex separation of modern human ancestors from archaic human groups from 0.3 to 1 million years ago. We argue that no specific point in time can currently be identified at which modern human ancestry was confined to a limited birthplace, and that patterns of the first appearance of anatomical or behavioural traits that are used to define Homo sapiens are consistent with a range of evolutionary histories.
Published:
2021-02
Title:
Protective effects of dietary carnosine during in-vitro digestion of pork differing in fat content and cooking conditions
Authors:
Li, Yi Yao; Yaylayan, Varoujan; Palin, Marie-France; Sullivan, Brian; Fortin, Frederic; Cliche, Simon; Sabik, Hassan; Gariépy, Claude
Abstract:
Muscle carnosine represents an important health advantage of meat. Ground pork samples with intrinsic or added carnosine; fat content; and cooked under low or high intensity as a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial were digested in-vitro. Changes in free carnosine and in markers of lipid (hexanal, 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein (protein-carbonyls, thiols) oxidation, and of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) Nε -(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML) were determined in the saliva, gastric, and duodenal digests. During digestion, the different markers overall indicated increased oxidation and decreased free carnosine. Increasing pork carnosine level significantly reduced protein carbonyls, loss of thiols, and 4-HNE during in-vitro gastric digestion, irrespective of fat and cooking level of the meat. Increased carnosine also significantly reduced hexanal, MDA and CML up to the duodenum phase in moderately cooked lean pork. Besides substantiating the formation of AGEs during digestion, these results show a potentially important role of dietary carnosine occurring in the gastrointestinal tract. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The ailments epidemiologically associated with red meat consumption could be counteracted by ingesting carnosine into meat. The health advantages of dietary carnosine, however, have never been demonstrated during digestion, a unique and complex oxidative environment compounded by the composition and cooking of the meat. The results obtained substantiated that AGEs formation occurred in-vitro in the GIT. They also showed that increased carnosine had an immediate health beneficial role during pork digestion in reducing the formation of different harmful molecules, including AGEs, modulated by the composition and cooking of the meat. However, in exerting this protective role in the GIT, the remaining free level of carnosine, gradually decreased during digestion. Carnosine, as an important meat compositional factor may, depending on the fat content and cooking conditions, change the image of meat from representing a health risk to a health benefit. Carnosine level may also explain discrepancies observed in the literature.
Published:
2021-02
Title:
The Effects of SGLT2 Inhibitors on Lipid Metabolism
Authors:
Szekeres, Zsolt; Toth, Kalman; Szabados, Eszter
Abstract:
Sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are effective antihyperglycemic agents by inhibiting glucose reabsorption in the proximal tubule of the kidney. Besides improving glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes, they also have additional favorable effects, such as lowering body weight and body fat. Several clinical studies have demonstrated their positive effect in reducing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Furthermore, the use of SGLT2 inhibitors were associated with fewer adverse renal outcomes comparing to other diabetic agents, substantiating their renoprotective effect in diabetic patients. SGLT2 inhibitors have also remarkable effect on lipid metabolism acting at different cellular levels. By decreasing the lipid accumulation, visceral and subcutaneous fat, they do not only decrease the body weight but also change body composition. They also regulate key molecules in lipid synthesis and transportation, and they affect the oxidation of fatty acids. Notably, they shift substrate utilization from carbohydrates to lipids and ketone bodies. In this review we intended to summarize the role of SGLT2 inhibitors in lipid metabolism especially on lipoprotein levels, lipid regulation, fat storage and substrate utilization.
Published:
2021-02
Title:
The use of combined high-fructose diet and glyphosate to model rats type 2 diabetes symptomatology
Authors:
Kale, Oluwafemi Ezekiel; Vongdip, Mary; Ogundare, Temitope Funmi; Osilesi, Odutola
Abstract:
An ideal food-chemical combination that will promote insulin resistance and its consequent development of pancreatic beta-cell dysfunction may open a new vista for Type 2 diabetes (T2D) research. Thus, we investigated the modulatory effects of a high-fructose diet (FRC) combined with glyphosate (GP). Male albino Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups of eight/group and received distilled water, FRC, GP, and their combinations orally for eight consecutive weeks. We assessed the changes in fasting blood glucose levels (FBGLs), biochemical indices, oxidative stress parameters, and organ histopathology. From the results obtained, FBGLs and serum insulin levels were increased in the FRC-GP (2.3-3.1 and 1.9-2.2 folds) treated rats compared with the control baseline group. Also, the FRC-GP high dose increased FBGLs (1.9 folds), insulin (1.4 folds), triglycerides (1.5 folds), and uric acid (2 folds) levels compared with the FRC group. Malondialdehyde levels increased in the pancreas (54% and 78%) and liver (31.3% and 56.6%) of the FRC-GP treated rats. The FRC-GP treatments reduced serum high-density lipoprotein (57%), total protein (47%), and antioxidant parameters (non-enzymatic and enzymatic, 1.6-1.9 folds) respectively in the treated animals. The weight of the pancreas relative to the body increased (2-3 folds) while we observed mild inflammation and vascular congestion in vital organs in the treated rats. Overall, these results demonstrate the potential of FRC-GP-diet to induce conditions of rats T2D. Also, this novel finding suggests a cost-effective GP as an alternative in this model type and provides further insight into understanding FRC-GP interactions.
Published:
2021-02
Title:
Diet and depression: exploring the biological mechanisms of action
Authors:
Marx, Wolfgang; Lane, Melissa; Hockey, Meghan; Aslam, Hajara; Berk, Michael; Walder, Ken; Borsini, Alessandra; Firth, Joseph; Pariante, Carmine M.; Berding, Kirsten; Cryan, John F.; Clarke, Gerard; Craig, Jeffrey M.; Su, Kuan-Pin; Mischoulon, David; Gomez-Pinilla, Fernando; Foster, Jane A.; Cani, Patrice D.; Thuret, Sandrine; Staudacher, Heidi M.; Sánchez-Villegas, Almudena; Arshad, Husnain; Akbaraly, Tasnime; O’Neil, Adrienne; Segasby, Toby; Jacka, Felice N.
Abstract:
The field of nutritional psychiatry has generated observational and efficacy data supporting a role for healthy dietary patterns in depression onset and symptom management. To guide future clinical trials and targeted dietary therapies, this review provides an overview of what is currently known regarding underlying mechanisms of action by which diet may influence mental and brain health. The mechanisms of action associating diet with health outcomes are complex, multifaceted, interacting, and not restricted to any one biological pathway. Numerous pathways were identified through which diet could plausibly affect mental health. These include modulation of pathways involved in inflammation, oxidative stress, epigenetics, mitochondrial dysfunction, the gut microbiota, tryptophan–kynurenine metabolism, the HPA axis, neurogenesis and BDNF, epigenetics, and obesity. However, the nascent nature of the nutritional psychiatry field to date means that the existing literature identified in this review is largely comprised of preclinical animal studies. To fully identify and elucidate complex mechanisms of action, intervention studies that assess markers related to these pathways within clinically diagnosed human populations are needed.
Published:
2021-01
Title:
Low carbohydrate diet rescued severe type 2 diabetes patient from insulin injection, a case report
Authors:
Iwasaki, Koh
Abstract:
Fifty-six years old male type 2 diabetes patient with fasting blood sugar (FBS) 414 mg/d and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) 10.7% tried low carbohydrate diet (LCD) 30 days. After the diet, his FBS decreased to 174 mg/d and HbA1c was 7.7%. Therefore, he escaped from insulin injection and was able to treat with metformin.
Published:
2021-01
Title:
Low-Carbohydrate Diet Score and Coronary Artery Calcium Progression: Results From the CARDIA Study
Authors:
Gao, Jing-Wei; Hao, Qing-Yun; Zhang, Hai-Feng; Li, Xiong-Zhi; Yuan, Zhi-Min; Guo, Ying; Wang, Jing-Feng; Zhang, Shao-Ling; Liu, Pin-Ming
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether low-carbohydrate diets (LCDs) were associated with coronary artery calcium (CAC) progression. Approach and Results: We included the participants who completed computed tomography assessment of baseline CAC in 2000 to 2001 (year 15) and follow-up (year 20 or 25) and food frequency questionnaire (years 0, 7, and 20) in the CARDIA study (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults). CAC progression was defined as CAC >0 at follow-up among participants with baseline CAC of 0 and an annualized change of 10 or percent change of ≥10% for those with 0<baseline CAC
Published:
2021-01
Title:
Morphological and phylogeographic evidence for budding speciation: an example in hominins
Authors:
Parins-Fukuchi, Caroline
Abstract:
Parametric phylogenetic approaches that attempt to delineate between distinct 'modes' of speciation (splitting cladogenesis, budding cladogenesis and anagenesis) between fossil taxa have become increasingly popular among comparative biologists. But it is not yet well understood how clearly morphological data from fossil taxa speak to detailed questions of speciation mode when compared with the lineage diversification models that serve as their basis. In addition, the congruence of inferences made using these approaches with geographical patterns has not been explored. Here, I extend a previously introduced maximum-likelihood approach for the examination of ancestor-descendant relationships to accommodate budding speciation and apply it to a dataset of fossil hominins. I place these results in a phylogeographic context to better understand spatial dynamics underlying the hypothesized speciation patterns. The spatial patterns implied by the phylogeny hint at the complex demographic processes underlying the spread and diversification of hominins throughout the Pleistocene. I also find that inferences of budding are driven primarily by stratigraphic, versus morphological, data and discuss the ramifications for interpretations of speciation process in hominins specifically and from phylogenetic data in general.
Published:
2021-01
Title:
Reconstructing Human-Centered Interaction Networks of the Swifterbant Culture in the Dutch Wetlands: An Example from the ArchaeoEcology Project
Authors:
Verhagen, Philip; Crabtree, Stefani A.; Peeters, Hans; Raemaekers, Daan
Abstract:
In archaeology, palaeo-ecological studies are frequently used to support archaeological investigations, but linking and synthesizing datasets and concepts from ecology, ethnography, earth sciences, and archaeology has historically been rare. While advances in computational approaches and standards of data collection have enabled more collaborative approaches to understanding the past, these endeavors are only now beginning to pick up pace. Here, we propose a method to collect data of these assorted types, synthesize ecological and archaeological understanding, and move beyond subsistence-focused studies to those that incorporate multifaceted economies. We advocate for the use of ‘human-centered interaction networks’ as a tool to synthesize and better understand the role of culture, ecology, and environment in the long-term evolution of socio-ecological systems. We advance the study of human-centered interaction networks by presenting an archaeoecological (archaeological-ecological) perspective on the Neolithic transition of the Swifterbant culture in the northwestern Netherlands (approximately 4700–4000 BCE). We employed network science to better understand the relationships of animal and plant species to the uses that people made of them. The analysis of the Swifterbant system reveals a highly connected set of interactions among people, plants, and animals, as could be expected on the basis of the hypothesis of an ‘extended broad-spectrum economy’. Importantly, this broad spectrum extends beyond the subsistence sphere.
Published:
2021-01
Title:
Relationship between triglyceride glucose index, retinopathy and nephropathy in Type 2 diabetes
Authors:
Srinivasan, Sangeetha; Singh, Pallavi; Kulothungan, Vaitheeswaran; Sharma, Tarun; Raman, Rajiv
Abstract:
Aims: To explore the relationship between TyG index, diabetic retinopathy (DR) and nephropathy. Methods: This was a cross-sectional observational study that examined 1413 subjects with type 2 diabetes (both known and newly diagnosed). Subjects underwent a detailed standard evaluation to detect diabetic retinopathy (fundus photography) and nephropathy (defined as urinary albumin excretion ≥ 30 mg/24 h). The TyG index was calculated as ln (fasting triglycerides (mg/dL) × fasting glucose (mg/dL)/2) and stratified into 4 quartiles (TyG-Q). The baseline characteristics of the study population in the four TyG-Q (Q1 (≤7.3) n = 349, Q2 (>7.3 to ≤ 7.5) n = 358, Q3 (>7.5 to ≤ 8.0) n = 354, and Q4 (>8.0) n = 352) were analysed. Variables associated with the presence of DR and nephropathy were assessed using a stepwise binary logistic regression analysis. Results: The presence of DR was associated with higher TyG index (OR = 1.453, P =.001) and longer duration of diabetes (OR = 1.085, P < .001). The presence of nephropathy was associated with a higher TyG index (OR = 1.703, P < .001), greater age (OR = 1.031, P < .001), use of insulin (OR = 1.842, P = .033), higher systolic BP (OR = 1.015, P < .001), and the presence of DR (OR = 3.052, P < .001). Higher TyG-Q correlated with the severity of DR (P = .024), presence of nephropathy (P = .001), age (P
Published:
2021-01
Title:
The Role of Very Low Calorie Ketogenic Diet in Sympathetic Activation through Cortisol Secretion in Male Obese Population
Authors:
Polito, Rita; Messina, Giovanni; Valenzano, Anna; Scarinci, Alessia; Villano, Ines; Monda, Marcellino; Cibelli, Giuseppe; Porro, Chiara; Pisanelli, Daniela; Monda, Vincenzo; Messina, Antonietta
Abstract:
Adipose tissue is considered an endocrine organ, and its excess compromises the immune response and metabolism of hormones and nutrients. Furthermore, the accumulation of visceral fat helps to increase the synthesis of cortisol. The hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is a neuroendocrine system involved in maintaining homeostasis in humans under physiological conditions and stress, and cortisol is the main hormone of the HPA axis. It is known that a stress-induced diet and cortisol reactivity to acute stress factors may be related to dietary behavior. In obesity, to reduce visceral adipose tissue, caloric restriction is a valid strategy. In light of this fact, the aim of this study was to assess the effects of a commercial dietary ketosis program for weight loss on the sympathetic nervous system and HPA axis, through evaluation of salivary cortisol and GSR levels. Thirty obese subjects were recruited and assessed before and after 8 weeks of Very Low Calorie Ketogenic Diet (VLCKD) intervention to evaluate body composition and biochemical parameters. Salivary cortisol levels and GSR significantly decreased after dietary treatment; in addition, body composition and biochemical features were ameliorated. The VLCKD had a short-term positive effect on the SNS and HPA axes regulating salivary cortisol levels. Finally, the effects of the VLCKD on the SNS and HPA axis may lead to more individualized treatment strategies that integrate obesity and stress and support the usefulness of such therapeutic interventions in promoting the reduction of the individual disease burden.
Published:
2021-01
Title:
The role of ketogenic diet in controlling epileptic seizures
Authors:
Al-Baradie, Raidah S.; Alshammari, Alaa; Alajmi, Modhi; Bashir, Shahid
Abstract:
OBJECTIVES: To study the role of the ketogenic diet (KD) in controlling seizures in children with medically resistant epilepsy in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted in the Pediatric Neurology Clinic at a tertiary care epilepsy center. Thirty-one patients with medically resistant epilepsy were enrolled from 2013 to 2018. The seizure reduction variables were evaluated at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months after enrollment. RESULTS: Of the 31 patients, 14 (45.2%) were males and 17 (54.8%) were females. The most common types of seizures were myoclonic seizures and mixed seizures, both of which occurred in 9 (29%) of the participants. Of the participants, 15 (48.4%) had seizures one to 5 times per day. Six months after starting a KD, 2 (6.45%) of participants were seizure-free; 6 (19.35%) were seizure-free after 12 months of treatment. CONCLUSION: The present study highlighted the effectiveness of KD in medically resistant epilepsy children to local population. A larger cohort is warrant to confirm these findings.
Published:
2021-01
Title:
Very-Low-Calorie Ketogenic Diet: A Potential Treatment for Binge Eating and Food Addiction Symptoms in Women. A Pilot Study
Authors:
Rostanzo, Elvira; Marchetti, Marco; Casini, Ilenia; Aloisi, Anna Maria
Abstract:
Background: many patients who struggle to lose weight are unable to cut down certain ultra-processed, refined types of food with a high glycemic index. This condition is linked to responses similar to addiction that lead to overeating. A very-low-calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD) with adequate protein intake could be considered a valid dietary approach. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the feasibility of a VLCKD in women with binge eating and/or food addiction symptoms. Methods: subjects diagnosed with binge eating and/or food addiction symptoms (measured with the Binge Eating Scale and the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0) were asked to follow a VLCKD with protein replacement for 5–7 weeks (T1) and a low-calorie diet for 11–21 weeks (T2). Self-reported food addiction and binge eating symptoms and body composition were tested at T0 (baseline) and at the end of each diet (T1 and T2 respectively); Results: five women were included in the study. Mean age was 36.4 years (SEM = 4.95) and mean BMI was 31.16 (SEM = 0.91). At T0, two cases of severe food addiction, one case of mild food addiction, one case of binge eating with severe food addiction, and one case of binge eating were recorded. Weight loss was recorded at both T1 and T2 (ranging from 4.8% to 11.6% of the initial body weight at T1 and from 7.3% to 12.8% at T2). No case of food addiction and/or binge eating symptoms was recorded at T2. Muscle mass was preserved. Conclusions: recent findings have highlighted the potential therapeutic role of ketogenic diets for the treatment of addiction to high-calorie, ultra-processed and high-glycemic food. Our pilot study demonstrates the feasibility of a ketogenic diet in women with addictive-like eating disorders seeking to lose weight.
Published:
2021-01
Title:
A Food System Approach for Sustainable Food-Based Dietary Guidelines: An Exploratory Scenario Study on Dutch Animal Food Products
Authors:
Dooren, Corné van; Man, Laila; Seves, Marije; Biesbroek, Sander
Abstract:
This study explores interconnections between food consumption and production of animal (by-)products in different food system scenarios within the scope of Dutch Food-Based Dietary Guidelines (FBDG). For this scenario study, a Microsoft Excel model was ...
Published:
2021
Title:
A Ketogenic Diet and the Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors:
Li, Qinrui; Liang, Jingjing; Fu, Na; Han, Ying; Qin, Jiong
Abstract:
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by stereotyped behavior and deficits in communication and social interaction. There are no curative treatments for children with ASD. The ketogenic diet (KD) is a high-fat, appropriate-protein and low-carbohydrate diet that mimics the fasting state of the body, and is proved beneficial in drug resistant epilepsy and some other brain diseases. An increasing number of studies demonstrated that a KD improved autistic behavior, but the underlying mechanisms are not known. We reviewed the neuroprotective role of a KD in ASD, which is likely mediated via improvements in energy metabolism, reductions in antioxidative stress levels, control of neurotransmitters, inhibition of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway and modulation of gut microbiota. A KD is likely a safe and effective treatment for ASD.
Published:
2021
Title:
A Low-FODMAP Diet Improves the Global Symptoms and Bowel Habits of Adult IBS Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors:
Wang, Jinsheng; Yang, Pengcheng; Zhang, Lei; Hou, Xiaohua
Abstract:
Background: A low-fermentable oligo-, di-, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAP) diet has been reported to be associated with improving the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS); however, its efficacy as evaluated by different studies remains controversial.Objective: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were conducted to explore the efficacy of a low-FODMAP diet (LFD) in alleviating the symptoms of IBS.Methods: A search of the literature for RCTs that assessed the efficacy of an LFD in treating IBS patients was conducted using the electronic databases PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Web of Science. The searches in each database were conducted from the inception of the database to February 2021. Two independent reviewers screened citations and a third reviewer resolved disagreements. Two independent reviewers also performed eligibility assessments and data extraction. The RCTs that evaluated LFDs vs. a normal IBS or usual diet and assessed changes of IBS symptoms were included in the search. Data were synthesized as the relative risk of global symptoms improvement, mean difference of IBS Severity Scoring System (IBS-SSS) score, sub-items of IBS-SSS irritable bowel syndrome-related quality of life (IBS-QOL), hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS), stool consistency/frequency, and body mass index (BMI) using a random effects model. The risk of bias was assessed using Risk of Bias Tool 2 (RoB 2). The bias of publication was assessed based on Egger's regression analysis. The quality of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology.Results: A total of 2,768 citations were identified. After full-text screening, a total of 10 studies were eligible for the systematic review and were subsequently used to compare an LFD with various control interventions in 511 participants. An LFD was associated with the improvement of global symptoms [n = 420; Risk Ratio (RR) = 1.54; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.18 to 2; I2 = 38%], improvement of stool consistency [n = 434; Mean difference (MD) = −0.25; 95% CI −0.44 to −0.06; I2= 19%), and a reduction trend of stool frequency (n = 434; MD = −0.28; 95% CI −0.57 to 0.01; I2 = 68%) compared with control interventions. There was no statistically significant change in IBS-QOL (n = 484; MD = 2.77; 95% CI −2 to 7.55; I2 = 62%), anxiety score (n = 150; MD = −0.45; 95% CI −3.38 to 2.49; I2 = 86%), depression score (n = 150; MD = −0.05; 95% CI −2.5 to 2.4; I2 = 88%), and BMI (n = 110; MD = −0.22; 95% CI −1.89 to 1.45; I2 = 14%). The overall quality of the data was “moderate” for “global improvement of IBS symptom,” “stool consistency,” “stool consistency for IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D),” and “stool frequency for IBS-D,” and “low” or “very low” for other outcomes according to GRADE criteria.Conclusion: An LFD is effective in reducing the global symptoms and improving the bowel habits of adult IBS patients. The efficacy for IBS-D patients can also be more pronounced.Systematic Review Registration: CRD42021235843.
Published:
2021
Title:
A Non-Invasive Determination of Ketosis-Induced Elimination of Chronic Daytime Somnolence in a Patient with Late-Stage Dementia (Assessed with Type 3 Diabetes): A Potential Role of Neurogenesis
Authors:
Lewis, Leslie A.; Urban, Carl M.; Hashim, Sami A.
Abstract:
The study involved a female patient diagnosed with late-stage dementia, with chronic daytime somnolence (CDS) as a prominent symptom.To explore whether her dementia resulted from Type 3 diabetes, and whether it could be reversed through ketosis therapy.A ...
Published:
2021
Title:
A Non-Invasive Determination of Ketosis-Induced Elimination of Chronic Daytime Somnolence in a Patient with Late-Stage Dementia (Assessed with Type 3 Diabetes): A Potential Role of Neurogenesis
Authors:
Lewis, Leslie A.; Urban, Carl M.; Hashim, Sami A.
Abstract:
Background: The study involved a female patient diagnosed with late-stage dementia, with chronic daytime somnolence (CDS) as a prominent symptom. Objective: To explore whether her dementia resulted from Type 3 diabetes, and whether it could be reversed through ketosis therapy. Methods: A ketogenic diet (KD) generating low-dose 100 μM Blood Ketone Levels (BKL) enhanced by a brief Ketone Mono Ester (KME) regimen with high-dose 2-4 mM BKLs was used. Results: Three sets of data describe relief (assessed by % days awake) from CDS: 1) incremental, slow, time-dependent KD plus KME-induced sigmoid curve responses which resulted in partial wakefulness (0-40% in 255 days) and complete wakefulness (40-85% in 50 days); 2) both levels of wakefulness were shown to be permanent; 3) initial permanent relief from CDS with low-dose ketosis from 6.7% to 40% took 87 days. Subsequent low-dose recovery from illness-induced CDS (6.9% to 40%) took 10 days. We deduce that the first restoration involved permanent repair, and the second energized the repaired circuits. Conclusion: The results suggest a role for ketosis in the elimination of CDS with the permanent functional restoration of the awake neural circuits of the Sleep-Wake cycle. We discuss whether available evidence supports ketosis-induced bioenergetics alone or whether other mechanisms of functional renewal were the basis for the elimination of CDS. Given evidence for permanent repair, two direct links between ketosis and neurogenesis in the adult mammalian brain are discussed: Ketosis-induced 1) brain-derived neurotrophic factor, resulting in neural progenitor/stem cell proliferation, and 2) mitochondrial bioenergetics-induced stem cell biogenesis.
Published:
2021
Title:
A ketogenic supplement improves white matter energy supply and processing speed in mild cognitive impairment
Authors:
Roy, Maggie; Fortier, Mélanie; Rheault, François; Edde, Manon; Croteau, Etienne; Castellano, Christian-Alexandre; Langlois, Francis; St‐Pierre, Valérie; Cuenoud, Bernard; Bocti, Christian; Fulop, Tamas; Descoteaux, Maxime; Cunnane, Stephen C.
Abstract:
White matter (WM) energy supply is crucial for axonal function and myelin maintenance. An exogenous source of ketones, the brain's alternative fuel to glucose, bypasses the brain's glucose‐specific energy deficit and improves cognitive outcomes ...
Published:
2021
Title:
A pragmatic approach to translating low-and very low-carbohydrate diets into clinical practice for patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes
Authors:
Griauzde, Dina; Standafer Lopez, Kathleen; Saslow, Laura R.; Richardson, Caroline R.
Abstract:
Across all eating patterns, individuals demonstrate marked differences in treatment response; some individuals gain weight and others lose weight with the same approach. Policy makers and research institutions now call for the development and use of personalized nutrition counseling strategies rather than one-size-fits-all dietary recommendations. However, challenges persist in translating some evidence-based eating patterns into the clinical practice due to the persistent notion that certain dietary approaches—regardless of individuals’ preferences and health outcomes—are less healthy than others. For example, low- and very low-carbohydrate ketogenic diets (VLCKDs)—commonly defined as 10-26% and
Published:
2021
Title:
A refined proposal for the origin of dogs: the case study of Gnirshöhle, a Magdalenian cave site
Authors:
Baumann, Chris; Pfrengle, Saskia; Münzel, Susanne C.; Molak, Martyna; Feuerborn, Tatiana R.; Breidenstein, Abagail; Reiter, Ella; Albrecht, Gerd; Kind, Claus-Joachim; Verjux, Christian; Leduc, Charlotte; Conard, Nicholas J.; Drucker, Dorothée G.; Giemsch, Liane; Thalmann, Olaf; Bocherens, Hervé; Schuenemann, Verena J.
Abstract:
Dogs are known to be the oldest animals domesticated by humans. Although many studies have examined wolf domestication, the geographic and temporal origin of this process is still being debated. To address this issue, our study sheds new light on the ...
Published:
2021
Title:
A review on the food digestion in the digestive tract and the used in vitro models
Authors:
Sensoy, Ilkay
Abstract:
It is crucial to replicate or mimic the human digestive system conditions closely in model systems to have the food digestion-related data as accurate as possible. Thus, the data obtained could contribute to studies like those on the relationship between ...
Published:
2021
Title:
Adapting Medication for Type 2 Diabetes to a Low Carbohydrate Diet
Authors:
Cucuzzella, Mark; Riley, Karen; Isaacs, Diana
Abstract:
Healthcare professionals need to be competent to safely adapt diabetes medications when patients with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) alter their diet. Safe prescribing is supported through an understanding of the clinical evidence, basic science, and pharmacology of medications. This review article supports clinicians in the practical application of this knowledge to achieve safe practice. Traditional medical training and clinical practice for chronic disease has revolved around the teaching of intensifying therapy and evidence based prescribing, a crucial skill when chronic disease progresses. We are now witnessing remission of Type 2 Diabetes through low carbohydrate diets (LCD). We must apply the same effort and thought to de-prescribing as the underlying metabolic condition improves. There is minimal guidance in the literature on de-prescribing. The American Diabetes Association in their Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2021 acknowledges LCD as a viable option in the management of T2D. Thus, the goal of our paper is to help close the gap between the clinical evidence, basic science, and pharmacology of T2D medications to the practical application and teamwork needed to facilitate safe medication reduction when applied to a LCD. The LCD is an increasingly popular and effective option for managing T2D and can lead to an improvement in the condition, reduced medication burden, and contribute to significant weight loss. Safe initiation of a LCD in patients on medications requires significant monitoring and medication adjustments to decrease and eliminate the risk of hypoglycemia and hypotension. The health care team including clinicians in primary care, nursing, pharmacy and nutrition need to be competent in adjusting diabetes and antihypertensive medications to achieve safe and effective care. The most immediate and important adjustments are to insulin, sulfonylureas, SGLT2 inhibitors, blood pressure medications and diuretics. Interdisciplinary care teams can individualize therapy while following the guidance above, which includes monitoring glucose and blood pressure closely, decreasing medications that can cause hypoglycemia and hypotension, evaluating glucose and blood pressure data regularly, and open access communication with the team. Article is an international consensus document on de-prescribing that was put together by a multidisciplinary team of clinicians.
Published:
2021
Title:
Aggregated LDL turn human macrophages into foam cells and induce mitochondrial dysfunction without triggering oxidative or endoplasmic reticulum stress
Authors:
Sanda, Gabriela M.; Stancu, Camelia S.; Deleanu, Mariana; Toma, Laura; Niculescu, Loredan S.; Sima, Anca V.
Abstract:
Uptake of modified lipoproteins by macrophages turns them into foam cells, the hallmark of the atherosclerotic plaque. The initiation and progression of atherosclerosis have been associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. It is known that aggregated low-density lipoproteins (agLDL) induce massive cholesterol accumulation in macrophages in contrast with native LDL (nLDL) and oxidized LDL (oxLDL). In the present study we aimed to assess the effect of agLDL on the mitochondria and ER function in macrophage-derived foam cells, in an attempt to estimate the potential of these cells, known constituents of early fatty streaks, to generate atheroma in the absence of oxidative stress. Results show that agLDL induce excessive accumulation of free (FC) and esterified cholesterol in THP-1 macrophages and determine mitochondrial dysfunction expressed as decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and diminished intracellular ATP levels, without generating mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. AgLDL did not stimulate intracellular ROS (superoxide anion or hydrogen peroxide) production, and did not trigger endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) or apoptosis. In contrast to agLDL, oxLDL did not modify FC levels, but stimulated the accumulation of 7-ketocholesterol in the cells, generating oxidative stress which is associated with an increased mitochondrial dysfunction, ERS and apoptosis. Taken together, our results reveal that agLDL induce foam cells formation and mild mitochondrial dysfunction in human macrophages without triggering oxidative or ERS. These data could partially explain the early formation of fatty streaks in the intima of human arteries by interaction of monocyte-derived macrophages with non-oxidatively aggregated LDL generating foam cells, which cannot evolve into atherosclerotic plaques in the absence of the oxidative stress.
Published:
2021
Title:
Association of Glycated Albumin/Glycosylated Hemoglobin Ratio with Blood Glucose Fluctuation and Long-Term Blood Glucose Control in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors:
Wang, Bai-Rong; Yao, Jun-Teng; Zheng, Hui; Li, Quan-Min
Abstract:
Objective: This study aimed to investigate the association of the glycated albumin (GA)/glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) ratio with the mean amplitude of glycemic excursion (MAGE) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: A total of 102 patients with T2DM who were first treated in Jinjiang Hospital of Fujian Province were enrolled in this study. The patients' general clinical data, including HbA1c, GA, fasting blood glucose, and fasting and peak C-peptide values upon diagnosis and after one year of follow-up, were collected, and their MAGE was calculated. Results: With the increase of the GA/HbA1c ratio at baseline, the patients' fasting and peak C-peptide values decreased gradually from baseline to follow-up, while their MAGE, HbA1c, and fasting blood glucose increased gradually. A regression analysis demonstrated that the baseline MAGE was independently positively correlated with the GA/HbA1c ratio. A Cox regression analysis demonstrated that a baseline GA/HbA1c ratio of >2.78 was an independent risk factor for poor fasting blood glucose and HbA1c. Conclusion: The GA/HbA1c ratio is closely related to the MAGE and islet function in patients with T2DM.
Published:
2021
Title:
Beneficial Diets and Pancreatic Cancer: Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Practice
Authors:
Zhang, Yang; Zhang, Tao; Yang, Wenbo; Chen, Hongze; Geng, Xinglong; Li, Guanqun; Chen, Hua; Wang, Yongwei; Li, Le; Sun, Bei
Abstract:
Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a highly malignant tumor with high invasiveness, easy metastasis, and high chemoresistance. The survival of PC patients remains poor and can hardly be detected in early stage. It is estimated that nearly 90% of PC cases are caused by environmental risk factors. The approximately 50% of PC cases are induced by unhealthy diet, which can actually be avoided. Given this large attribution to diet, there have been numerous studies assessing the relationship between various dietary factors and PC. Herein, this article reviews three beneficial diets, including ketogenic diet (KD), mediterranean diet (MD) and low-sugar diet, and their composition and impact mechanism are summarized and discussed. The associations between these three diets and PC are analyzed, and we aim to provide greater aid and new insights for the prevention and treatment of PC.
Published:
2021
Title:
Bibliometrics Analysis of the Research Status and Trends of the Association Between Depression and Insulin From 2010 to 2020
Authors:
Zou, Xiaohan; Sun, Yuan
Abstract:
Depression is one of the common mental illnesses. Because it is an important complication of diabetes, its association with changes in insulin levels and insulin resistance, the causative factors of diabetes, has attracted widespread attention. However, the association between insulin and depression has not been systematically studied through bibliometric and visual analysis. This study is based on 3131 publications of Web of Science to identify the current research status and research trends in this field. The results show that since 2010, the number of publications has been growing rapidly. Cooperative network analysis shows that the United States, the University of Toronto and Roger S Mcintyre are the most influential countries, research institutes and scholars, respectively. Insulin resistance, obesity, and metabolic syndrome are hot topics in this field. Analysis of keywords and references reveals that “sex hormones,” is new research area that constantly emerging. As far as we know, this study is the first one to visualize the association between depression and insulin and predict potential future research trends through bibliometric and visual analysis.
Published:
2021
Title:
Can Ketogenic Diet Improve Alzheimer's Disease? Association With Anxiety, Depression, and Glutamate System
Authors:
de la Rubia Ortí, Jose Enrique; Fernández, David; Platero, Félix; García-Pardo, María Pilar
Abstract:
Background: Alzheimer's disease is the most common neurodegenerative disorder in our society, mainly characterized by loss of cognitive function. However, other symptoms such as anxiety and depression have been described in patients. The process is mediated by alterations in the synaptic and extrasynaptic activity of the neurotransmitter glutamate, which are linked to a hypometabolism of glucose as the main source of brain energy. In that respect, Ketogenic diet (KD) has been proposed as a non-pharmacological treatment serving as an alternative energy source to the neurons increasing the fat percentage and reducing the carbohydrates percentage, showing promising results to improve the cognitive symptoms associated with different neurodegenerative disorders, including AD. However, the association of this type of diet with emotional symptoms and the modulation of glutamate neurotransmission systems after this dietary reduction of carbohydrates are unknown.Objective: The aim of this short review is to provide update studies and discuss about the relationship between KD, anxiety, depression, and glutamate activity in AD patients.Discussion: The main results suggest that the KD is an alternative energy source for neurons in AD with positive consequences for the brain at different levels such as epigenetic, metabolic and signaling, and that the substitution of carbohydrates for fats is also associated with emotional symptoms and glutamate activity in AD.
Published:
2021
Title:
Chronic Ketosis Modulates HIF1α-Mediated Inflammatory Response in Rat Brain
Authors:
Sethuraman, Aarti; Rao, Prahlad; Pranay, Atul; Xu, Kui; LaManna, Joseph C.; Puchowicz, Michelle A.
Abstract:
Hypoxia inducible factor alpha (HIF1α) is associated with neuroprotection conferred by diet-induced ketosis, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we use a ketogenic diet in rodents to induce a metabolic state of chronic ketosis, as measured by elevated blood ketone bodies. Chronic ketosis correlates with neuroprotection in both aged and following focal cerebral ischemia and reperfusion (via middle cerebral artery occlusion, MCAO) in mouse and rat models. Ketone bodies are known to be used efficiently by the brain, and metabolism of ketone bodies is associated with increased cytosolic succinate levels that inhibits prolyl hydroxylases allowing HIF1α to accumulate. Ketosis also regulates inflammatory pathways, and HIF1α is reported to be essential for gene expression of interleukin 10 (IL10). Therefore, we hypothesized that ketosis-stabilized HIF1α modulates the expression of inflammatory cytokines orchestrating neuroprotection. To test changes in cytokine levels in rodent brain, 8-week-rats were fed either the standard chow diet (SD) or the KG diet for 4 weeks before ischemia experiments (MCAO) were performed and the brain tissues were collected. Consistent with our hypothesis, immunoblotting analysis shows IL10 levels were significantly higher in KG diet rat brain compared to SD, whereas the TNFα and IL6 levels were significantly lower in the brains of KG diet-fed group.
Published:
2021
Title:
Chronobiology and Metabolism: Is Ketogenic Diet Able to Influence Circadian Rhythm?
Authors:
Gangitano, Elena; Gnessi, Lucio; Lenzi, Andrea; Ray, David
Abstract:
Circadian rhythms underpin most physiological processes, including energy metabolism. The core circadian clock consists of a transcription-translation negative feedback loop, and is synchronized to light-dark cycles by virtue of light input from the retina, to the central clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus in the hypothalamus. All cells in the body have circadian oscillators which are entrained to the central clock by neural and humoral signals. In addition to light entrainment of the central clock in the brain, it now emerges that other stimuli can drive circadian clock function in peripheral tissues, the major one being food. This can then drive the liver clock to be misaligned with the central brain clock, a situation of internal misalignment with metabolic disease consequences. Such misalignment is prevalent, with shift workers making up 20% of the working population. The effects of diet composition on the clock are not completely clarified yet. High-fat diet and fasting influence circadian expression of clock genes, inducing phase-advance and phase-delay in animal models. Ketogenic diet (KD) is able to induce a metabolic switch from carbohydrate to fatty acid oxidation, miming a fasting state. In recent years, some animal studies have been conducted to investigate the ability of the KD to modify circadian gene expression, and demonstrated that the KD alters circadian rhythm and induces a rearrangement of metabolic gene expression. These findings may lead to new approaches to obesity and metabolic pathologies treatment.
Published:
2021
Title:
Comparative transcriptome analysis revealed omnivorous adaptation of the small intestine of Melinae
Authors:
Wang, Lidong; Yang, Xiufeng; Zhou, Shengyang; Lyu, Tianshu; Shi, Lupeng; Dong, Yuehuan; Zhang, Honghai
Abstract:
As the main digestive organ, the small intestine plays a vital role in the digestion of animals. At present, most of the research on animal feeding habits focuses on carnivores and herbivores. However, the mechanism of feeding and digestion in omnivores ...
Published:
2021
Title:
Diet and Mental Health
Authors:
Loughman, Amy; Staudacher, Heidi M.; Rocks, Tetyana; Ruusunen, Anu; Marx, Wolfgang; O Apos Neil, Adrienne; Jacka, Felice N.
Abstract:
There is accumulating evidence from observational and intervention studies in nutritional psychiatry regarding the importance of diet for mental health outcomes across the lifespan. Here, we synthesise this evidence, including findings from large meta-analyses showing cross-sectional and prospective associations between diet quality and mental health, even following adjustment for relevant confounding factors. Potential mechanistic pathways underpinning these associations include those of the gut-brain axis, demonstrated mostly in animal models. Dietary fibre is an important component of healthy diet and may be relevant for common mental disorders, with some studies showing a dose-dependent relationship between fibre intake and risk of depression. The potential contribution of nutraceuticals is also discussed, such as omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and psychobiotics. We consider the relevance of special diets such as the ketogenic diet and food sensitivities in the management of severe mental illness (e.g., anorexia nervosa) and brain disease (e.g., Alzheimer's disease). Given the relatively early nature of research in nutritional psychiatry, there remain a number of challenges to its translation into clinical practice. These span individual, clinical, and societal domains. We conclude with a discussion of micro- and macroeconomic factors which may be considered in the successful application of nutritional psychiatry research to improve public health.
Published:
2021
Title:
Does dietary fat cause a dose dependent glycemic response in youth with type 1 diabetes?
Authors:
O'Connell, Susan M.; O'Toole, Nora M. A.; Cronin, Conor N.; Saat-Murphy, Chen; McElduff, Patrick; King, Bruce R.; Smart, Carmel E.; Shafat, Amir
Abstract:
Objective To determine the glycemic impact of dietary fat alone consumed without prandial insulin in individuals with T1D. Research Design and Methods Thirty participants with T1D (aged 8–18 years) consumed a test drink with either 20 g glucose or 1, 13, 26, 39, 51 g of fat with negligible carbohydrate/protein on 6 consecutive evenings, in a randomized order without insulin. Continuous glucose monitoring was used to measure glucose levels for 8 h postprandially. Primary outcome was mean glycemic excursion at each 30 min interval for each test condition. Generalized linear mixed models with a random effect for people with diabetes were used to test for an increase in blood glucose excursion with increasing quantity of fat. Results Glycemic excursions after 20 g glucose were higher than after fat drinks over the first 2 h (p < 0.05). Glycemic excursion for the fat drinks demonstrated a dose response, statistically significant from 4 h (p = 0.026), such that increasing loads of fat caused a proportionally larger increase in glycemic excursion, remaining statistically significant until 8 h (p < 0.05). Overall, for every 10 g fat added to the drink, glucose concentrations rose by a mean of 0.28 mmol L−1 from 330 min (95% CI 0.15 to 0.39, p
Published:
2021
Title:
Effects of Evolution, Ecology, and Economy on Human Diet: Insights from Hunter-Gatherers and Other Small-Scale Societies
Authors:
Pontzer, Herman; Wood, Brian M.
Abstract:
We review the evolutionary origins of the human diet and the effects of ecology economy on the dietary proportion of plants and animals. Humans eat more meat than other apes, a consequence of hunting and gathering, which arose ∼2.5 Mya with the genus Homo. Paleolithic diets likely included a balance of plant and animal foods and would have been remarkably variable across time and space. A plant/animal food balance of 40–60% prevails among contemporary warm-climate hunter-gatherers, but these proportions vary widely. Societies in cold climates, and those that depend more on fishing or pastoralism, tend to eat more meat. Warm-climate foragers, and groups that engage in some farming, tend to eat more plants. We present a case study of the wild food diet of the Hadza, a community of hunter-gatherers in northern Tanzania, whose diet is high in fiber, adequate in protein, and remarkably variable over monthly timescales. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Nutrition, Volume 41 is September 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
Published:
2021
Title:
Exaptation Traits for Megafaunal Mutualisms as a Factor in Plant Domestication
Authors:
Spengler, Robert N.; Petraglia, Michael; Roberts, Patrick; Ashastina, Kseniia; Kistler, Logan; Mueller, Natalie G.; Boivin, Nicole
Abstract:
Megafaunal extinctions are recurring events that cause evolutionary ripples, as cascades of secondary extinctions and shifting selective pressures reshape ecosystems. Megafaunal browsers and grazers are major ecosystem engineers, they: keep woody vegetation suppressed; are nitrogen cyclers; and serve as seed dispersers. Most angiosperms possess sets of physiological traits that allow for the fixation of mutualisms with megafauna; some of these traits appear to serve as exaptation (preadaptation) features for farming. As an easy to recognize example, fleshy fruits are, an exaptation to agriculture, as they evolved to recruit a non-human disperser. We hypothesize that the traits of rapid annual growth, self-compatibility, heavy investment in reproduction, high plasticity, and rapid evolvability were part of an adaptive syndrome for megafaunal seed dispersal. We review the evolutionary importance that megafauna had for crop and weed progenitors and discuss possible ramifications of their extinction on: 1) seed dispersal; 2) population dynamics; and 3) habitat loss. Humans replaced some of the ecological services that had been lost as a result of Late Quaternary extinctions and drove rapid evolutionary change resulting in domestication.
Published:
2021
Title:
Excess protein enabled dog domestication during severe Ice Age winters
Authors:
Lahtinen, Maria; Clinnick, David; Mannermaa, Kristiina; Salonen, J. Sakari; Viranta, Suvi
Abstract:
Dogs (Canis familiaris) are the first animals to be domesticated by humans and the only ones domesticated by mobile hunter-gatherers. Wolves and humans were both persistent, pack hunters of large prey. They were species competing over resources in partially ...
Published:
2021
Title:
Exogenous Ketones Lower Post-exercise Acyl-Ghrelin and GLP-1 but Do Not Impact Ad libitum Energy Intake
Authors:
Okada, Tetsuro E.; Quan, Tony; Bomhof, Marc R.
Abstract:
Ketosis and exercise are both associated with alterations in perceived appetite and modification of appetite-regulating hormones. This study utilized a ketone ester (R)-3-hydroxybutyl (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate (KE) to examine the impact of elevated ketone body D-β-hydroxybutyrate (βHB) during and after a bout of exercise on appetite-related hormones, appetite perception, and ad libitum energy intake over a two hour post-exercise period. In a randomized crossover trial, thirteen healthy males and females (age: 23.6 ± 2.4 years; body mass index: 25.7 ± 3.2 kg·m-2) completed an exercise session @ 70% VO2peak for 60 min on a cycling ergometer and consumed either: 1) Ketone monoester (KET) (0.5g·kg-1 pre-exercise + 0.25g·kg-1 post-exercise); or 2) isocaloric dextrose control (DEX). Transient ketonaemia was achieved with βHB concentrations reaching 5.0mM (range 4.1-6.1mM) during the post-exercise period. Relative to the dextrose condition, acyl-ghrelin (P = 0.002) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (P = 0.038) were both reduced by acute ketosis immediately following exercise. AUC for acyl-ghrelin was lower in KET compared to DEX (P = 0.001), however there were no differences in AUC for GLP-1 (P = 0.221) or PYY (P = 0.654). Perceived appetite (hunger, P = 0.388; satisfaction, P = 0.082; prospective food consumption, P = 0.254; fullness, P = 0.282) and 2 hr post-exercise ad libitum energy intake (P = 0.488) was not altered by exogenous ketosis. Although KE modifies homeostatic regulators of appetite, it does not appear that KE acutely alters energy intake during the post-exercise period in healthy adults.
Published:
2021
Title:
Health-Promoting Phytonutrients Are Higher in Grass-Fed Meat and Milk
Authors:
van Vliet, Stephan; Provenza, Frederick D.; Kronberg, Scott L.
Abstract:
While commission reports and nutritional guidelines raise concerns about the effects of consuming red meat on human health, the impacts of how livestock are raised and finished on consumer health are generally ignored. Meat and milk, irrespective of rearing practices, provide many essential nutrients including bioavailable protein, zinc, iron, selenium, calcium, and/or B12. Emerging data indicate that when livestock are eating a diverse array of plants on pasture, additional health-promoting phytonutrients—terpenoids, phenols, carotenoids, and anti-oxidants—become concentrated in their meat and milk. Several phytochemicals found in grass-fed meat and milk are in quantities comparable to those found in plant foods known to have anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, and cardioprotective effects. As meat and milk are often not considered as sources of phytochemicals, their presence has remained largely underappreciated in discussions of nutritional differences between feedlot-fed (grain-fed) and pasture-finished (grass-fed) meat and dairy, which have predominantly centered around the ω-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid. Grazing livestock on plant-species diverse pastures concentrates a wider variety and higher amounts of phytochemicals in meat and milk compared to grazing monoculture pastures, while phytochemicals are further reduced or absent in meat and milk of grain-fed animals. The co-evolution of plants and herbivores has led to plants/crops being more productive when grazed in accordance with agroecological principles. The increased phytochemical richness of productive vegetation has potential to improve the health of animals and upscale these nutrients to also benefit human health. Several studies have found increased anti-oxidant activity in meat and milk of grass-fed vs. grain-fed animals. Only a handful of studies have investigated the effects of grass-fed meat and dairy consumption on human health and show potential for anti-inflammatory effects and improved lipoprotein profiles. However, current knowledge does not allow for direct linking of livestock production practices to human health. Future research should systematically assess linkages between the phytochemical richness of livestock diets, the nutrient density of animal foods, and subsequent effects on human metabolic health. This is important given current societal concerns about red meat consumption and human health. Addressing this research gap will require greater collaborative efforts from the fields of agriculture and medicine.
Published:
2021
Title:
Hunter-Gatherers in context: Mammal community composition in a northern Tanzania landscape used by Hadza foragers and Datoga pastoralists
Authors:
Wood, Brian M.; Millar, Riccardo S.; Wright, Nicholas; Baumgartner, Joshua; Holmquist, Hannah; Kiffner, Christian
Abstract:
In many regions of sub Saharan Africa large mammals occur in human-dominated areas, yet their community composition and abundance have rarely been described in areas occupied by traditional hunter-gatherers and pastoralists. Surveys of mammal populations in such areas provide important measures of biodiversity and provide ecological context for understanding hunting practices. Using a sampling grid centered on a Hadza hunter-gatherer camp and covering 36 km2 of semi-arid savannah in northern Tanzania, we assessed mammals using camera traps (n = 19 stations) for c. 5 months (2,182 trap nights). In the study area (Tli'ika in the Hadza language), we recorded 36 wild mammal species. Rarefaction curves suggest that sampling effort was sufficient to capture mammal species richness, yet some species known to occur at low densities in the wider area (e.g. African lions, wildebeest) were not detected. Relative abundance indices of wildlife species varied by c. three orders of magnitude, from a mean of 0.04 (African wild dog) to 20.34 capture events per 100 trap-nights (Kirk's dik dik). To contextualize the relative abundance of wildlife in the study area, we compared our study's data to comparable camera trap data collected in a fully protected area of northern Tanzania with similar rainfall (Lake Manyara National Park). Raw data and negative binomial regression analyses show that wild herbivores and wild carnivores were generally detected in the national park at higher rates than in the Hadza-occupied region. Livestock were notably absent from the national park, but were detected at high levels in Tli'ika, and cattle was the second most frequently detected species in the Hadza-used area. We discuss how these data inform current conservation efforts, studies of Hadza hunting, and models of hunter-gatherer foraging ecology and diet.
Published:
2021
Title:
Hypothesis: Febrile infection-related epilepsy syndrome is a microglial NLRP3 inflammasome/IL-1 axis-driven autoinflammatory syndrome
Authors:
Lin, Wei-Sheng; Hsu, Ting-Rong
Abstract:
FIRES (febrile infection-related epilepsy syndrome) is a protracted neuroinflammatory condition of obscure cause. It mainly afflicts school-age children and often leads to permanent neurological sequelae. Most treatments to date have been of limited efficacy, while ketogenic diet and anti-interleukin-1 therapy appear beneficial for some patients. Research into this clinical entity is hampered by its rarity and complexity. Nonetheless, accumulating evidence derived from basic investigations and clinical observations converges to implicate the autoinflammatory nature of this syndrome. A closer analysis of current literature suggests that microglia and the NLRP3 inflammasome might be the pivotal cellular and molecular players in FIRES pathogenesis, respectively. Through evidence synthesis, herein we formulate the working hypothesis of overactivation of microglial NLRP3 inflammasome/interleukin-1 axis as the driving event in FIRES by creating a proinflammatory and proconvulsive milieu. The reverberation between neuroinflammation and seizure forms a vicious cycle. The unique properties of microglia might also contribute to unopposed IL-1 signalling and incessant sterile neuroinflammation in this context. The potential therapeutic relevance of the proposed conceptual framework is discussed.
Published:
2021
Title:
Increased added sugar consumption is common in Parkinson’s Disease.
Authors:
Palavra, Natalie C.; Lubomski, Michal; Flood, Victoria; Davis, Ryan L.; Sue, Carolyn M.
Abstract:
Objectives: There is limited information about the dietary habits of patients with Parkinson’s Disease (PD), or associations of diet with clinical PD features. We report on patterns of nutritional intake in an Australian PD cohort. Methods: 103 PD patients and 81 healthy controls (HCs) completed a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Food and nutrient intake was quantified, with consideration of micronutrients and macronutrients (energy, protein, carbohydrate, fat, fibre and added sugar). Participants also completed PD-validated non-motor symptom questionnaires to determine any relationships between dietary intake and clinical disease features. Results: Mean daily energy intake did not differ considerably between PD patients and HCs (11131 kJ/day versus 10188 kJ/day, p=0.241). However, PD patients reported greater total carbohydrate intake (279 g/day versus 232 g/day, p=0.034). This was largely attributable to increased daily sugar intake (153 g/day versus 119 g/day, p=0.003) and in particular free sugars (61 g/day versus 41 g/day, p=0.001). PD patients who 1) experienced chronic pain, 2) were depressed, or 3) reported an impulse control disorder, consumed more total sugars than HCs (all p
Published:
2021
Title:
Increased added sugar consumption is common in Parkinson’s Disease.
Authors:
Palavra, Natalie C.; Lubomski, Michal; Flood, Victoria; Davis, Ryan L.; Sue, Carolyn M.
Abstract:
Objectives: There is limited information about the dietary habits of patients with Parkinson’s Disease (PD), or associations of diet with clinical PD features. We report on patterns of nutritional intake in an Australian PD cohort. Methods: 103 PD patients and 81 healthy controls (HCs) completed a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Food and nutrient intake was quantified, with consideration of micronutrients and macronutrients (energy, protein, carbohydrate, fat, fibre and added sugar). Participants also completed PD-validated non-motor symptom questionnaires to determine any relationships between dietary intake and clinical disease features. Results: Mean daily energy intake did not differ considerably between PD patients and HCs (11131 kJ/day versus 10188 kJ/day, p=0.241). However, PD patients reported greater total carbohydrate intake (279 g/day versus 232 g/day, p=0.034). This was largely attributable to increased daily sugar intake (153 g/day versus 119 g/day, p=0.003) and in particular free sugars (61 g/day versus 41 g/day, p=0.001). PD patients who 1) experienced chronic pain, 2) were depressed, or 3) reported an impulse control disorder, consumed more total sugars than HCs (all p
Published:
2021
Title:
Influence of Serum Albumin on HbA1c and HbA1c-Defined Glycemic Status: A Retrospective Study
Authors:
Feng, Xiaojing; Yang, Yanyi; Zhuang, Siqi; Fang, Yiyuan; Dai, Yufeng; Fu, Yaoyang; Hu, Qian; Yuan, Qianqin; Tang, Haoneng; Tang, Lingli
Abstract:
Background: Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is commonly used in the diagnosis and evaluation of glycemic control in diabetes, and it may be influenced by several non-glycemic and glycemic factors, including albumin. This retrospective study investigated the influence of albumin on HbA1c and HbA1c-defined glycemic status. Methods: The demographic, hematological, and biochemical data were collected for 11,922 patients undergoing routine physical examination. Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses, stratified analyses and interaction analyses, and multiple logistic regression were conducted to identify the association between albumin and HbA1c in people with different glycemic status. Results: HbA1c levels were inversely associated with serum albumin level (P 45 years, high fasting plasma glucose (≥7.0 mmol/L), and anemia. The negative association between HbA1c and albumin was curved (P < 0.0001) and had a threshold effect in the HbA1c-defined diabetic population; the association was significantly stronger when the albumin level fell below 41.4 g/L (β: -0.31, 95% CI: -0.45 to -0.17, P
Published:
2021
Title:
Ketogenic Diet (KD): A Short Review
Authors:
Serenita, Madelina; Novia, Jessica
Abstract:
Ketogenic Diet (KD) is defined as a diet of a high-fat and lowcarbohydrate intake. It was first used in 1920 for managing epilepsy but it has gained its popularity because of its effect on weight loss. When a person consume less than 50g of carbohydrates per day, the body will begin 2 processes, gluconeogenesis and ketogenesis. Ketogenesis will induce ketosis, which is defined as an elevated serum levels of ketone bodies circulating in the blood. Nutritional ketosis is described by the levels of ketone levels of 0.5 - 3mmol/L. There are 4 major types of ketogenic diet, which are the Classic Ketogenic Diet (CKD), the Medium Chain Triglyceride Ketogenic Diet (MCTKD), the Modified Atkins Diet (MAD), and the Low Glycemic Index Treatment (LGIT). Before initiating KD, there are some contraindications that needs to be ruled out. KD interestingly thought to have some benefits in health condition, such as supporting weight loss, reducing Cardiovascular (CVD) risk, improving serum levels of patient with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), and also considered as a therapeutic regiment for neurological disorder. However, there are also some evidences mentioning common side effects and concerns in KD, including the “keto flu”, kidney problems, disruptions in lipid metabolism, and its questionable adherence to maintain long stable weight loss.
Published:
2021
Title:
Ketogenic Diet Therapy for the Treatment of Post-encephalitic and Autoimmune-Associated Epilepsies
Authors:
Husari, Khalil S.; Cervenka, Mackenzie C.
Abstract:
Introduction: Acute Encephalitis is associated with a high risk of acute symptomatic seizures, status epilepticus, and remote symptomatic epilepsy. Ketogenic diet therapies (KDT) have been established as a feasible and safe adjunctive management of refractory- ...
Published:
2021
Title:
Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy, Without Chemo or Radiation, for the Long-Term Management of IDH1-Mutant Glioblastoma: An 80-Month Follow-Up Case Report
Authors:
Seyfried, Thomas N.; Shivane, Aditya G.; Kalamian, Miriam; Maroon, Joseph C.; Mukherjee, Purna; Zuccoli, Giulio
Abstract:
Background: Successful treatment of glioblastoma (GBM) remains futile despite decades of intense research. GBM is similar to most other malignant cancers in requiring glucose and glutamine for growth, regardless of histological or genetic heterogeneity. Ketogenic metabolic therapy (KMT) is a non-toxic nutritional intervention for cancer management. We report the case of a 32-year-old man who presented in 2014 with seizures and a right frontal lobe tumor on MRI. The tumor cells were immunoreactive with antibodies to the IDH1 (R132H) mutation, P53 (patchy), MIB-1 index (4-6%), and absent ATRX protein expression. DNA analysis showed no evidence of methylation of the MGMT gene promoter. The presence of prominent microvascular proliferation and areas of necrosis were consistent with an IDH-mutant glioblastoma (WHO Grade 4). Methods: The patient refused standard of care (SOC) and steroid medication after initial diagnosis, but was knowledgeable and self-motivated enough to consume a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet consisting mostly of saturated fats, minimal vegetables, and a variety of meats. The patient used the glucose ketone index calculator to maintain his Glucose Ketone Index (GKI) near 2.0 without body weight loss. Results: The tumor continued to grow slowly without expected vasogenic edema until 2017, when the patient opted for surgical debulking. The enhancing area, centered in the inferior frontal gyrus, was surgically excised. The pathology specimen confirmed IDH1-mutant GBM. Following surgery, the patient continued with a self-administered ketogenic diet to maintain low GKI values, indicative of therapeutic ketosis. At the time of this report (May 2021), the patient remains alive with a good quality of life, except for occasional seizures. MRI continues to show slow interval progression of the tumor. Conclusion: This is the first report of confirmed IDH1-mutant GBM treated with KMT and surgical debulking without chemo- or radiotherapy. The long-term survival of this patient, now at 80 months, could be due in part to a therapeutic metabolic synergy between KMT and the IDH1 mutation that simultaneously target the glycolysis and glutaminolysis pathways that are essential for GBM growth. Further studies are needed to determine if this non-toxic therapeutic strategy could be effective in providing long-term management for other GBM patients with or without IDH mutations.
Published:
2021
Title:
Ketogenic diet and growth in Chinese infants with refractory epilepsy
Authors:
Liu, Yongfang; Wan, Juan; Gao, Zhongmin; Xu, Lijuan; Kong, Lin
Abstract:
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the impact of 12 months of ketogenic dietary treatment (KDT) on growth in Chinese infants with refractory epilepsy. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: The KDT group included patients who were divided into groups A (age 6-12 months), B (12-24 months) and C (24-36 months). The normal group included infants aged approximately 6-12 months, 12-24 months and 24-36 months who were classified into groups A1, B1 and C1, respectively. Data on height, weight, aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TGs), zinc, iron, calcium, magnesium, and haemoglobin (Hb) were extracted from the medical records. Then, we compared the impacts of 12 months of KDT on growth. RESULTS: Forty-one patients were included in the KDT group, and 90 infants were included in the normal group. The overall prevalence of underweight (WAZ <-2 SD), stunting (HAZ <-2 SD), wasting (BAZ
Published:
2021
Title:
Ketogenic diet for mitochondrial disease: a systematic review on efficacy and safety
Authors:
Zweers, Heidi; Wegberg, Annemiek M. J. van; Janssen, Mirian C. H.; Wortmann, Saskia B.
Abstract:
No curative therapy for mitochondrial disease (MD) exists, prioritizing supportive treatment for symptom relief. In animal and cell models ketones decrease oxidative stress, increase antioxidants and scavenge free radicals, putting ketogenic diets (KDs) ...
Published:
2021
Title:
Ketone Bodies in the Brain Beyond Fuel Metabolism: From Excitability to Gene Expression and Cell Signaling
Authors:
García-Rodríguez, Darío; Giménez-Cassina, Alfredo
Abstract:
Ketone bodies are metabolites that replace glucose as the main fuel of the brain in situations of glucose scarcity, including prolonged fasting, extenuating exercise, or pathological conditions such as diabetes. Beyond their role as an alternative fuel ...
Published:
2021
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