In the news - health and nutrition research
In this week’s article we provide a roundup of some of the most recent health and nutrition related articles in the news, five items comprising:
- Omega-3 fatty acids can play a supportive role on muscle healing and regeneration.
- Purple vegetables and tubers may have a protective role against type 2 diabetes.
- Probiotics may support against menopause-related disease.
- Time restricted eating can have a beneficial effect on brain function and offers a promising preventative approach to cognitive decline.
- The Mediterranean diet is associated with a decreased risk of dementia.
Omega-3 fatty acids can play a supportive role on muscle healing and regeneration.
Skeletal muscle is the largest tissue in the human body and accounts for approximately 40% of body mass. After damage or injury, a healthy skeletal muscle is often fully regenerated; however, with ageing and chronic disease, the regeneration process is often incomplete, the authors of this narrative review explain. The result can be the formation of fibrotic tissue, infiltration of intermuscular adipose tissue, and loss of muscle mass and strength, leading to a reduction in functional performance and quality of life.Omega-3 fatty acids and the bioactive lipid mediators they can be metabolised into (i.e., oxylipins and endocannabinoids), either through diet or supplementation are proposed to have a beneficial effect on muscle healing and regeneration by positively modulating the local and systemic inflammatory response to muscle injury.
Read the full article here: The Role of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Their Lipid Mediators on Skeletal Muscle Regeneration: A Narrative Review - PubMed (nih.gov)
Purple vegetables and tubers may have a protective role against type 2 diabetes.
Anthocyanins, the natural compounds responsible for the red, blue and purple colours in fruits, vegetables and tubers can have positive effects on the gut microbiome, energy metabolism and inflammation, and therefore may play a preventative role in type 2 diabetes.In this review, the authors explore the fact that these beneficial effects increase if the anthocyanin is acetylated; meaning that it contains an acyl group and tends to be more stable and more resistant to digestion, therefore offering additional probiotic properties. Rich sources of acetylated anthocyanins include purple potatoes, purple sweet potatoes, radishes, purple carrots and red cabbages.
Read the full article here: Anthocyanins as Promising Molecules Affecting Energy Homeostasis, Inflammation, and Gut Microbiota in Type 2 Diabetes with Special Reference to Impact of Acylation - PubMed (nih.gov)
Probiotics may support against menopause-related disease.
In this review, the authors highlight the pivotal role of the human microbiome to the health of postmenopausal women. The human microbiota is a complex community that, under the correct conditions, lives in harmony with the host – but menopause is associated with dysbiosis, and these changes to the composition of the microbiota are thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of several conditions associated with menopause, such as osteoporosis, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.The authors suggest that probiotic supplementation could present a feasible and safe strategy to manage menopause related disease, and in particular, those containing Lactobacillus ssp. casei, helveticus, rhamnosus, and reuteri—might have beneficial effects on health by:
- Promoting intestinal calcium absorption to support bone density
- Improving insulin resistance, dyslipidemia and inflammation, thus reducing the cardiometabolic risk of the postmenopausal woman
Time restricted eating can have a beneficial effect on brain function and offers a promising preventative approach to cognitive decline.
We are living in an aging population, with one in four people in Western countries predicted to be over the age of 65 by 2050. As a result, the occurrence of age-related disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment is likely to increase. The latter is considered reversible, and as such, dietary and lifestyle modifications that can delay the onset and progression of cognitive decline are of great interest.In this article, the authors summarise the current evidence on calorie restriction and time-restricted eating (TRE) and their beneficial effects on brain function. TRE is presented as a promising intervention as it can restore the integrity of the blood-brain barrier and support healthy brain function whilst reducing oxidative stress and inflammation. TRE also demonstrates improvements in both sleep duration and quality – which itself has further benefits to cognitive health.
Read the full article here: The effects of time-restricted eating on sleep, cognitive decline, and Alzheimer's disease - PubMed (nih.gov)
The Mediterranean diet is associated with a decreased risk of dementia.
Another study examining possible preventative strategies against dementia has discovered that those adhering to a Mediterranean-type diet had up to 23% lower risk of developing the condition. The authors examined data from over 60,000 individuals from the UK Biobank, a large cohort including individuals from across the UK, who had completed a dietary assessment and had been followed for almost a decade. The Mediterranean diet is typified by a rich consumption of fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, seafood, nuts and healthy fats.They concluded that even for those with a higher genetic risk, having a better diet reduced the likelihood of developing dementia.
Read the full article here: Mediterranean diet adherence is associated with lower dementia risk, independent of genetic predisposition: findings from the UK Biobank prospective cohort study - PMC (nih.gov)
If you have questions regarding the topics that have been raised, or any other health matters, please do contact our team of Nutritional Therapists.
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