Food supplements (FS) are often consumed as one of the strategies to fight ageing-associated pathologies, especially in the case of oxidative stress-related diseases. Despite the popularity of FS, ...some concerns about their quality and safety have been raised, especially regarding the presence of contaminants. This paper reviews and discusses the occurrence of contaminants in marketed samples of FS in the last two decades, considering both scientific literature and notifications registered on RASFF portal. The most relevant classes of contaminants were included namely metals, toxins, pesticides, dioxins and PCBs, as well as pharmacologically active ingredients. Variable amounts of contaminants were reported in a significant number of commercially available FS. Although the presence of contaminants does not necessarily mean that their levels exceed the regulatory limits or that the FS intake constitutes a risk to human health, it alerts for the need to further monitor FS safety. The evaluation of the risk associated to the consumption of FS, especially in the elderly population, is particularly challenging due to the frequent exposure to multiple toxicants and to different exposure sources, as well as due to possible pre-existing diseases and respective therapeutics. Therefore, improved quality control procedures and monitoring programs should be pursued in order to avoid undesirable products and assure the safety of FS.
Objectives: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays an essential role in brain and metabolic health. The fact that higher concentrations are associated with improved cognitive performance has ...resulted in numerous intervention trials that aim at elevating BDNF levels. This systematic review provides an overview of the relation between various nutritional factors and BDNF concentrations in controlled human intervention studies. Methods: A systematic search in May 2020 identified 48 articles that examined the effects of dietary patterns or foods (n = 3), diets based on energy intake (n = 7), vitamins and minerals (n = 7), polyphenols (n = 11), long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n = 5), probiotics (n = 8), and miscellaneous food supplements (n = 7). Results: In particular, studies with dietary patterns or foods showed increased peripheral BDNF concentrations. There are also strong indications that polyphenols tend to have a positive effect on BDNF concentrations. Four of the 11 included studies with a polyphenol intervention showed a significant increase in BDNF concentrations, one study showed an increase but this was not statistically analyzed, and two studies showed a trend to an increase. Discussion: The two polyphenol classes, phenolic acids, and other phenolic compounds were responsible for the significant effects. No clear effect was found for the other dietary factors, which might also be related to whether serum or plasma was used for BDNF analysis. More work is needed to understand the relation between peripheral and central BDNF concentrations.
COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, is an absolute novelty for the medical systems around the world, both in the variety of forms of manifestation, the effects on the human body and ...in the economic and social consequences produced globally. This paper presents some scientific remedies useful in SARS-CoV-2 infection, scientifically confirmed. Their maximum effect on the body can be achieved, only by the combination with antiviral drugs, obtaining in the end the treatment of COVID-19.
The aim of the study is which factors influence the choice of food supplements in students. Methods: survey; statistical processing of results; grafical analysis; comparative analysis. The ...respondents are 83 students - 43 women and 36 men. Results: тhe majority of students (76%) do not use food supplements and only 24% is the relative share of positive answers. The largest (40%) is the relative share of respondents who rely on their own knowledge when choosing supplements. Fitness instructors (20%) and nutritionists (18%) have almost equivalent weight as an authority. The doctor's recommendation does not have a strong influence on the choice of supplements - 13% is the relative share of this answer Conclusion: A small number of students use nutritional supplements, and those who use them rely mainly on their own knowledge and to some extent on fitness instructors and nutritionists. Measures should also be proposed to increase health literacy of the medical specialists themselves - doctors, physiotherapists, rehabilitators, nurses, midwives and others, and in this way the human and financial resources in the health system would be significantly affected.
Introduction. The advertising of food supplements on various media channels or in specialty stores with natural products and other places, as well as the lack of informative and educational programs ...for the population upon side effects and the interaction of food supplements with food and drugs, have led to the development of uncontrolled marketing of these products. Material and methods. PubMed, ResearchGate and EUR-Lex databases were analyzed during 2015-2021, based on search criteria based on: adverse reactions, ingredient new food, food supplements, algorithms. Results. Certain dietary supplements can cause multiple side effects, such as: impaired platelet function by decreased platelet aggregation, gastrointestinal side effects (diarrhea, vomiting), decreased wound healing/epithelialization, bacterial or fungal sepsis, most common in patients older. Herbal resources such as Aloe vera, Matricaria recutita, Taraxacum officinale and others, can cause dermatological side effects and inhibit the elimination of dermatological drugs metabolised by cytochrome P-450 (e.g. terbinafine). Matricaria recutita, Allium sativum, Mentha piperita L. and others, inhibit the enzyme CYP2C9. Another enzyme with a role in the metabolism of dermatological drugs and which is inhibited by plant resources is CYP3A4. Conclusions. It is imperative to legislate the reporting of adverse reactions caused by food supplements, including their interaction with food or drugs.
Saccharomyces boulardii is a probiotic yeast with several health benefits. An important number of products are available in the market claiming to contain probiotic S. boulardii strains and these ...numbers are increasing. In this study, S. boulardii strains were isolated from commercial products, identified and characterised in terms of several probiotic features. Eleven distinct S. boulardii strains were identified by genotypic tests followed by FT-IR spectroscopy and biochemical analysis which were used to differentiate S. boulardii strains from other yeasts including Saccharomyces cerevisiae. All tested strains showed high level of survival under harsh conditions and auto-aggregation characteristics. The hydrophobicity of S. boulardii strains revealed strain specific features and only two strains survived at pH of 2.5. A high level of survival under bile salts conditions were observed for all tested strains. Distinct S. boulardii strains were found to be resistant to bacterial antibiotics whereas they were sensitive to fungal antibiotics. Finally, S. boulardii strains showed high level of antibacterial and antifungal activities particularly against Salmonella Typhimurium and Aspergillus niger, respectively. This study revealed the differences in the functional characteristics of S. boulardii strains available in the market.
•Eleven distinct Saccharomyces boulardii strains were isolated from food supplements.•Genotypic, FT-IR based and biochemical tests were used for discrimination.•All tested strains showed high level of survival under in vitro GIT conditions.•Strains did not survive at lower pHs.•Strong antibacterial and antifungal activities were observed for S. boulardii strains.
Cannabidiol (CBD)-containing products are widely marketed as over the counter products, mostly as food supplements. Adverse effects reported in anecdotal consumer reports or during clinical studies ...were first assumed to be due to hydrolytic conversion of CBD to psychotropic Δ
9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ
9-THC) in the stomach after oral consumption. However, research of pure CBD solutions stored in simulated gastric juice or subjected to various storage conditions such as heat and light with specific liquid chromatographic/tandem mass spectrometric (LC/MS/MS) and ultra-high pressure liquid chromatographic/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometric (UPLC-QTOF) analyses was unable to confirm THC formation. Another hypothesis for the adverse effects of CBD products may be residual Δ
9-THC concentrations in the products as contamination, because most of them are based on hemp extracts containing the full spectrum of cannabinoids besides CBD. Analyses of 293 food products of the German market (mostly CBD oils) confirmed this hypothesis: 28 products (10%) contained Δ
9-THC above the lowest observed adverse effect level (2.5 mg/day). Hence, it may be assumed that the adverse effects of some commercial CBD products are based on a low-dose effect of Δ
9-THC, with the safety of CBD itself currently being unclear with significant uncertainties regarding possible liver and reproductive toxicity. The safety, efficacy and purity of commercial CBD products is highly questionable, and all of the products in our sample collection showed various non-conformities to European food law such as unsafe Δ
9-THC levels, hemp extracts or CBD isolates as non-approved novel food ingredients, non-approved health claims, and deficits in mandatory food labelling requirements. In view of the growing market for such lifestyle products, the effectiveness of the instrument of food business operators' own responsibility for product safety and regulatory compliance must obviously be challenged, and a strong regulatory framework for hemp products needs to be devised.
Lichens have great potential as food, functional food additives or flavourings. The presence of specific substances with multiple biological activities is one of the characteristics of lichens. ...However, research on lichens as a food source or functional food additive is limited. The present study simulated, for the first time, the potential bioaccessibility of active compounds from 6 lichen species in simulated gastric and intestinal conditions. An in vitro digestion showed that the lichen substances had different bioaccessibility and stability during digestion. It was found that the application of some metabolic modulators significantly altered the accumulation of metabolites in most species. In addition, the study demonstrated the antimicrobial activity of the tested extracts as well as of 14 isolated lichen metabolites. These multi-directional studies demonstrate the potential of lichens in terms of their use as antimicrobial functional food additives.
•H. physodes showed the highest content of lichen substances, reaching up to 15% DW•In vitro digestion revealed variable bioaccessibility and stability of compounds•Metabolic modulators may increase accumulation of lichen compounds•Lack of a common pattern of elicitor activity in different lichen species•Atranorin showed the highest antimicrobial activity
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